Champions League, boring or what?

[Shelsman]

Is the Champions League boring? I think so.

[pineapple stu]

Most of the time. You get some good games, but there's far too much repetition of games.

[noby]

they've dropped one group stage, which is a good thing. but the no. of tv stations showing it seems to have doubled.
as ever, it'll only get interesting in the knock out stage

[pete]

Given the habit of UK (ok they supposed to) & Irish stations showing British clubs its easy to pick the boring games in advance.

Worst games are Manchester at home to plucky underdog. Last nights game at Old Trafford would not have been interesting to even the hardcore bar stollers. Given they were going to show a UK team showing Chelsea away would have been a better option as at least some sort of competitive game likely.

At least with the knockout stages arriving sooner the a greater chance of dead 2nd legs not been shown in favour of some big european clashes.

p.s. $eltic with get mauled tonight & on the brief viewing $angers are much better than them.

[Dodge]

I think you've hit on it Pete, Cl isn't boring, just some games. Anyone who seen Madrid v Marseille can't sat it's boring.

[Macy]

Problem is that the Irish channels (and UK channels for that matter) are driven by advertising.... Which ever way you push it, they get larger viewing figures, and therefore more advertising revenue, by showing United....

However, if you're that arsed get sky digital in and have your pick of all the matches and stop moaning about an economic decision.....

PS I'm happy enough with the coverage

[tiktok]

I think the first round group stages are a joke

But once the second group phase starts it improves, like most leagues, it depends on who's playing and who you're stuck watching.
As pointed out we'll probably usually end up watching United and Celtic, since it'll pull the greatest number of viewers.

[ger121]

That's why I'm glad sky sports are showing all the games on digital. I mean the Champions league is a chance to see all the best clubs in europe but all we get from itv/rte is chelsea/man u/celtic etc....Not bad but you like a bit of variety.

So it will be good to have a choice now and get a chance to see one of the teams who will win it i.e. Real Madrid and AC Milan

[Shed End John]

Originally posted by Shelsman
Is the Champions League boring? I think so.

Couldn't possibly be with the abolition of one of the group stages. Teams like Real, AC etc won't be able to rest on their laurels for half the competition now. Every game will be more competitive. Really looking forward to the knockout stages, btw.

[Shed End John]

Originally posted by Conor74
Maybe the football is techically better

Maybe? Definitely I'd say, AND the English are finding that one out to their cost. Anyone stay up to watch the Arsenal-Inter game? Inter made absolute eejits of them, and I loved every moment of it!!

[Shed End John]

Originally posted by Conor74
A lot of technically gifted players back then too, and players who were not afraid of their own shadows.

Granted, but, show me a defence from that era that could've in their wildest dreams hoped to stop Raúl/Ronaldo or Inzaghi/Shevchenko?

[Bluebeard]

Originally posted by Shed End John
Granted, but, show me a defence from that era that could've in their wildest dreams hoped to stop Raúl/Ronaldo or Inzaghi/Shevchenko?

I reckon that the likes of Jimmy Case, to name but one, would have in their day. Damnable modern refs with their sending off fetish. In the good old days, players used expect a broken leg if they were too damn fancy, playing in Bulgaria or being marked by certain redoubtable centre halves.

Also, there is no way that an outside bet, like Red Star, or Steaua Bucharest will make the semis, never mind the final. What chance seeing Dinamo Kiev or Sparta Prague in the final in the future. And these are big teams.

[Shed End John]

Originally posted by Bluebeard
I reckon that the likes of Jimmy Case, to name but one, would have in their day.

Pull the other one. Great players like the four I mentioned (to name but a few!) would quite as easily do the business in ANY footballing era. The four named are a cut above anything that's around and would have stood out in any era past, present, or dare I say, future.

[James]

Originally posted by Shed End John
Pull the other one. Great players like the four I mentioned (to name but a few!) would quite as easily do the business in ANY footballing era. The four named are a cut above anything that's around and would have stood out in any era past, present, or dare I say, future.

impossible to either prove or disprove

[The Blue Oyster]

what i thouht was very entertaining was arsenal 3-0 down to inter milan at half time. really enjoyed that match

[gspain]

I only saw the highlights on wednesday but saw a bit of Real v OM, Besiktas v Lazio and Rangers v Stittgart on Tuesday

Class football - great to watch.

The real pity is that we don't have staggered kickoff times eg 6pm & 8pm BST 7 & 9pm CET. Although you'd go goggle eyed at that stage.

[NorthoftheLee]

Origially posted by SEJ
Maybe? Definitely I'd say, AND the English are finding that one out to their cost. Anyone stay up to watch the Arsenal-Inter game? Inter made absolute eejits of them, and I loved every moment of it!!

Jaysus, what age are you John.??? staying up for a 7.45 kick off??We'd better get a cot out to the Cross for you, just in case you want beddybye times!!



oh the old sky digital is the job......watched most of the Real Marseille game on tues, which was very good.........was flicking thought the other 7 games too......on Wed night when Sky had all the games I was flicking onto games when the old goals were scored,....pure barstooling job like....even if i was in the comfort of me own home.... Armchairs Huh!!!

[NigeSausagepump]

While I generally think that the Champos League is the best thing to happen since Kylie Minogue's arse, the one drawback I think it has is that it has bred so much familiarity. I remember as a kid salivating at the prospect of seeing games like Barca-Juve or Milan-Bayern, but now that they're on almost every week they've lost that novelty that made them great. Not so long ago it used to be a huge occasion when the likes of Real, Milan etc rolled into town to play ManU, Liverpool or whoever, but now it just seems like old hat and most people barely raise an eyebrow at games like those.

S'pose it's a necessary product of the TV age.

[Shed End John]

Originally posted by NorthoftheLee
Jaysus, what age are you John.??? staying up for a 7.45 kick off??We'd better get a cot out to the Cross for you, just in case you want beddybye times!!

22 as it happens.
Don't have $ky $port$, so obviously I was referring to RTÉ's deferred coverage at 10:45. Still didn't diminish my enjoyment of Arsenals humiliation one little bit!

NigeSausagepump, the only reason that there is seemingly less interest is that half this country are idiotic Anglophiles who are finally waking up to the fact that the sun doesn't actually shine from the arse of English clubs.

[NigeSausagepump]

Originally posted by Shed End John

NigeSausagepump, the only reason that there is seemingly less interest is that half this country are idiotic Anglophiles who are finally waking up to the fact that the sun doesn't actually shine from the arse of English clubs.

Out of interest, is an Irish person an "idiotic Anglophile" if they like other aspects of British culture such as British music, British TV, the British print media etc? If so, I would venture to say that a good 90%+ of us are "idiotic Anglophiles".