UEFA Champions League - 2007/2008

[charliepanayi]

Thought a new thread for this competition would be worth it for the coming season. I'll see who the group stage participants are next month before I think of possible winners.

Probably not Arsenal though :(

[Brother]

Getting to work already I see!

I think Man. United have a really good chance this year. They've been underperforming the last few seasons but I'd say it's between them and Barca this time. I just can't see how Chelsea have improved and I think Liverpool may come unstuck this year - just a hunch, nothing to do with their signings. Other than that it'll be the usual big clubs in there, Milan, Inter, Real, e.t.c. Just another typical season I guess, I have no high hopes beyond a few good matches come the quarters and semis.

[Zoryan]

I hope Benfica get past the Group Stage :) last year we were dismal :( finished at 3rd in the group ><

[Enemy Airship]

Like every year, I just pray to the high heavens that Chelsea don't win it. The pompous prick wouldn't let us hear the end of it then. I wonder if he'd retire quicker from Chelsea if they won it though. Hmmm. I hope Italian teams don't do well this year. They're so boring.

[charliepanayi]

Either Chelsea or Man Utd winning it would be unbearable (I remember 1999 well enough, as much as I wish I didn't), anyone bar them would be OK.

Maybe Real Madrid, I can't see an Italian team winning this time round and Barcelona are one of those teams who look absurdly good on paper but may be tripped up in one key game (like Argentina in the recent Copa America).

[charliepanayi]

A fairly good draw for us, I'm happy with it anyway. Sevilla will be tough of course but hopefully we'll be good enough to beat Steaua Bucharest and Slavia Prague. The other English sides have decent draws too by the looks of it.

[RussieLloyd]

Only British team i see failing definitely to get out of the group stage is Rangers.

Imo, Celtic will just get through in 2nd behind Milan. Man Utd, Chelsea and Liverpool will qualify comfortably. Arsenal will go through but i can see them making hard work of it.

[charliepanayi]

We always make hard work of it!

[charliepanayi]

Thus is began tonight, with Chelsea drawing at home to Rosenborg. Which was funny if nothing else.

Really tough opener for us tomorrow. I think two 'dark horses' for this year could be Roma (despite that 7-1 at Old Trafford last year) and Sevilla.

[Enemy Airship]

I hope we beat Sevilla tomorrow. I always like the fact that they knocked Spurs out of the UEFA cup last year and use it as an arguing point that proves Spurs aren't ready for the CL yet. So if they knock us out, it's all going to be a little bit pear-shaped. Kanoute is a joke, King Kolo must be able to deal with him!

Chelsea were a laughing stock. I can't wait to see which egg-based puns appear in tomorrow's media! It's not big and it's not Sheva!

[Zoryan]

and thus AC Milan beat Benfica lol. Saw it coming tbh, two teams of different dimensions :p Still I can see us grabbing the second place...tbh Shaktior Donetsk worries me more than Celtic since it's quite the long trip and they're like hellish when playing at home...then again so's Benfica :D

[charliepanayi]

A comfortable win for Arsenal in the CL? Surely not! Makes a change that's for sure.

[charliepanayi]

I created a CL thread so I may as well use it!

Hmm 0-0 isn't amazing, but we stopped them getting an away goal at least. Even a score draw will get us through now (easier said than done to win or score draw at the San Siro of course). We've got every chance anyway but it'll be tough. And the performance was much better from Saturday at least.

Man Utd, Liverpool, and Chelsea look good to go through anyway.

[Enemy Airship]

I successfully managed to miss the match thanks to working late and having female housemates. But someone told me that we dominated large periods of the game :(. The second leg will be one of those matches that even if Milan win, I wont believe they're the better team!

We didn't fair too badly in our last successful champions league run abroad :cool:

[Dark Mandy]

AtLOLtico Madrid? Put out of the UEFA Cup by Bolton, of all teams? Sad.

[Zoryan]

lol Benfica almost got knocked out of UEFA by Nurnberg too ><

[Robo-Alaska]

Adebayor scores to seal it, and AC Milan are out.

Honestly I'm very surprised by this. Arsenal have comprehensively outplayed AC through the whole fixture, what a way to bounce back from that Villa game at the weekend.

[charliepanayi]

What was that Daily Mirror? We needed a 'minor miracle' after the first leg to go through did we? Well, fuck you too :)

Well isn't that just like us. Can't put a foot right in the league lately, and now we go and knock out AC Milan. I hope this doesn't mean we're going to lose to Wigan now on Sunday or something. But go Arsenal!

[Enemy Airship]

Just another European Superteam crumbling under the power of the mighty London war machine :cool:

I love it when we break these "No english club has ever..." records!

[charliepanayi]

There goes my prediction of Real Madrid for the CL though :(

[Dark Mandy]

Adebayor scores to seal it, and AC Milan are out.

And one from goal machine Torres is enough to put Inter out and leave four English sides in the last eight!

[charliepanayi]

Champions League quarter-final draw:
1 Arsenal v Liverpool
2 AS Roma v Man Utd
3 Schalke 04 v FC Barcelona
4 Fenerbahce v Chelsea

Champions League semi-final draw:
1 Arsenal/Liverpool v Fenerbahce/Chelsea
2 Schalke/Barcelona v AS Roma/Man Utd

Well it could have been worse for us, but we now have to face Liverpool for three games in a row!

[Enemy Airship]

Man Utd get another stroll in the park! I'm confident that we can overturn Liverpool. Rafa's ability of exploiting weak european teams wont work on the Professor :cool:.

[charliepanayi]

I don't Man Utd's draw is THAT easy, though they should go through. Everyone thinks of the 6-1 last year, but that was largely a freak result. Their two group games with Roma this year where they won 1-0 and drew 1-1 is a more reliable indicator.

But the quarters is often where the CL goes nuts, so let's see. We'll give it our best shot against Liverpool anyway.

[Enemy Airship]

I predict a goal fest between us and Liverpool. I was hoping not to get an English team though. Fingers crossed we beat them three times in a row, I have a feeling we'll humiliate each other in each match.

[charliepanayi]

Well I'd still rather beat them in the league. If we're still in the title race by then!

[charliepanayi]

*sigh* Man Utd virtually in the semis, one step closer to the horrible sight of them winning the CL again. I put my faith in you Schalke or Barcelona! :(

[charliepanayi]

1-1 and giving away an away goal is not the best result for us, but we can still maybe do it at Anfield. We've dug ourselves a hole now we just gave to get ourselves out. I'm discouraged but it's not quite over yet.

[Robo-Alaska]

More often than not I'm rooting for the English team in the CL, but I really hope that Fenerbahçe knock Chelsea out. Despite Fenerbahçe winning the first leg, I don't think it's too likely. But then again Chelsea were beaten by Barnsley in the FA Cup, anything can happen.

[charliepanayi]

Do you hear that sound?

That's the sound of Arsenal's last chance of a trophy this season going down the drain. There's just something seriously wrong with us and there has been for a while now, we need a few months break to really sort out what has happened.

Fuckshitbollockscuntwankers.

See you in August :(

[Dark Mandy]

4-2, all over!

[enfilade]

Do you hear that sound?
What, Alan Hansen's leathery skin cracking as a smarmy grin beams across his orange features yet again? That's all we bloody need.

Sorry charlie :(

(and Malice).

[Dark Mandy]

I see Wenger's predictably claiming that Arsenal were robbed. Apparently, Toure's challenge on Babel wasn't a penalty but Kuyt's identical challenge on Hleb last week was. Hmm. :rolleyes:

[Wampercycle]

In fairness, he's right about the penalty decisions having gone against them. If they were identical then they should have both received the same decision. Regardless, they weren't identical challenges, I think there was a lot more contact and intent from Kuyt. Still, both should have been penalties I reckon, but Toure's foul was more debatable.

[Enemy Airship]

Yeah, but Wenger is the anti-christ.

[Robo-Alaska]

It could be worse. He could be Avram-'Baron Greenback'-Grant.

[Dark Mandy]

There's definitely something undead about him.

[Robo-Alaska]

Liverpool look like a completely different team in Europe. Here's hoping we can expect a contest in the vein of Liverpool vs. Arsenal.

Torres just missed a sitter.

[charliepanayi]

What a last minute own goal :D

[Mord Sith]

HAHAHAHA oh man, liverpool. What a sickener!

[Robo-Alaska]

Poor Riise. :(

[charliepanayi]

I don't like seeing Chelsea score but it's mildly gratifying to see Liverpool get at least some of the kick in the teeth that we felt two weeks ago.

[Mord Sith]

Even though I've absolutely nothing against Liverpool, I can't help but laugh at an own goal in pretty much the last few seconds of play. It was a nice goal, too; probably couldn't have done it had it been the other net!

:D

Poor guy though. It's pretty rough.

[Enemy Airship]

I'm behind Liverpool in this tie 100%.

I fucking hate Chelsea (change the record, I know), their knack of blundering their way through the backdoor of most cups via shit opposition for the past few seasons is just another reason I'm seething. At least Barnsley royally screwed them in the FA. I think that Man Utd will beat Barca and if Liverpool progress, just maybe the rivalry will spur Liverpool on to win it.

[enfilade]

To be fair, that was a really, really poor effort. There were so many things he could have done to clear the ball that it wasn't bad luck or misfortune like so many own goals are.

I really dislike Liverpool so it's nice to see them choke at Anfield in Europe for once to spare me from the gushing hyperbole that spews from the quills of every sports writer in the land for at least another season. Still, it would have been nice if Chelsea had actually taken the game to Liverpool. Or if there was any sort of game on offer at all, indeed.

[charliepanayi]

Blimey another thrilling game tonight, these semi-finals havn't been boring as hell at all so far! Man Utd will probably go through still but I can laugh at Ronaldo's penalty until next week anyway.

[charliepanayi]

The day I had feared since May 26th 1999 has come to pass. Man Utd are back in the European Cup final :(

And they'll be playing Chelsea or Liverpool! Ugh....

Cheers Barcelona! :angry:

[Mord Sith]

Scholes' goal was something wonderful, though.

[charliepanayi]

I don't care if he scored from his own penalty area :(

I'm going to have to face up to Man Utd or (most likely) Chelsea playing to be European Cup winners. Nightmare doesn't begin to cover it when you're an Arsenal fan.

At least Barcelona cemented their status as my least favourite non-English team. Destroy my dream of seeing Arsenal winning the European Cup and now be bloody crap tonight when I wanted them to actually win.

[Mord Sith]

I'm still pinning my hopes on Liverpool! Chin up, Charlie, it might not end up as bad as you're expecting!









Besides....there's always (maybe) next year. :D

[charliepanayi]

Even Liverpool in the final would be pretty bad, I don't really want them winning something and thus getting immunity from their mediocre league form again. So to paraphrase the Alien vs Predator tagline, whoever wins this competition, I lose. The only saving note I can think of is if one of Man Utd or Chelsea winds up winning nothing.

I've rather given up on Arsenal winning the European Cup for the forseeable future :(

[charliepanayi]

This year's European Cup final - Charlie says:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tim5nU3DwIE

[Mord Sith]

I'm really disappointed. I'd rather have seen Liverpool get through than Chelsea (well, anyone over Chelsea :angry: ) Also disappointed that it eventually ended up as an all-English final between the two top Premier League teams.

Still, I suppose there are scores to settle between Man U and Chelsea, so the match might not be half bad! (maybe dirty).

[enfilade]

Excellent. I hate Liverpool so much.

:).

[charliepanayi]

I hope it's as exciting when the two of them played each other in last year's rollercoaster FA Cup final ;)

And despite my hatred of the final, like Enfilade I'm shedding no tears for Liverpool.

[Dark Mandy]

I was sort of hoping Liverpool would win as I hate them less than Chelsea, but I predicted at half time that Babel would come off the bench and score, so it's not so bad. I just wish I had a bet on it.

[Lina]

Due to school stuff and lack of good broadcasting, I haven't been able to watch too many of the UEFA games this season. I'll get to see the final, though I have to say I'm disappointed as to who will be in it. I think it would have been more interesting had there not been two English teams. Anyway, I hope Chelsea wins, just out of deep hatred for the Mancs (especially their flashy Portuguese import), and because I like several of Chelsea's players: Cech, Ballack, Essien, Shevchenko.

[Enemy Airship]

All this Liverpool hate, I just don't get it! I wanted to see them get to the final, I thought they'd run out onto the pitch with knives in between their teeth in a final against their fiercest rivals. Now we have, as Charlie predicted, an exhilarating replay of last years FA Cup final. Why aren't Arsenal in this final :(

I want the Mancs to win now. Far fewer detestable players and a more exciting style of play. It doesn't matter if they win another champions league trophy either, whereas Chelsea wont let us hear the end of it.

[enfilade]

All this Liverpool hate, I just don't get it!
I've probably said this before, but everyone in the industry irrationally and unjustly deifies the team and its fans despite playing generally dull football that relies on brief moments of individual brilliance and speculative pot shots. Chelsea are exponentially duller, of course, but then we're supposed to hate them.

A glimpse at Sky Sports News last night revealed two pundits yelping with sorrow every time Liverpool missed an opportunity. Match of the Day (the lesser, Saturday version, at least) is often home to two Liverpool veterans who rarely stop recollecting memories of their team's glory days. If the team got into another CL final they'd just make everyone forget how shit they've been in the league this year again.

A case in point: Fernando Torres. Cost: £26.5 League Goals: 22
Roque Santa Cruz. Cost: £3.5 League Goals: 17

Torres is certainly better, granted, but the amount of press he gets in comparison is shocking. And Jamie Carragher is hideously overrated.

[charliepanayi]

Torres, as good as he is, is especially irritating when you consider that he's barely scored away from Anfield this season. As Enfilade says, I am sick too of Liverpool obscuring their poor league form with being jammy bastards in the European Cup. You never see Hansen and Lawrenson mention the 18 years without a title, they're too busy slagging Arsenal off.

Of course I hate Chelsea and Cashley and Wanker Terry and Lumpard even more :(

I note that Arsenal fans can't agree at all on who they'd prefer to win the final, it really is the footballing version of Sophie's Choice for us.

[Dark Mandy]

A case in point: Fernando Torres. Cost: £26.5 League Goals: 22
Roque Santa Scruz. Cost: £3.5 League Goals: 17

Are you Mark Hughes in disguise?

[bahamutHBK]

ya manu 2 - 0 chelsea

[enfilade]

Are you Mark Hughes in disguise?
He wouldn't have made such a heinous typo :(. Rovers have really grown on me this season though. I think David Bentley and Braddy F are the ones to thank in that respect.

[Dark Mandy]

Robbie Savage leaving probably has something to do with it, too. Friedal has been immense, though, and Santa has certainly delivered.

Sorry.

[Nem]

Friedal

You mean Friedel, surely?

OH MY GODXXxxXXORS HE IS HUMAN AFTER ALL

[Dark Mandy]

No, he's recently changed it to Friedal.

...

:(

[Robo-Alaska]

Though it's not technically related, this UEFA cup final might be the most dull final I've ever seen. I've no doubt this general feeling of boredom will be reaffirmed by the FA cup final on Saturday, and the Champion's League final next week.

:(

[charliepanayi]

Though it's not technically related, this UEFA cup final might be the most dull final I've ever seen. I've no doubt this general feeling of boredom will be reaffirmed by the FA cup final on Saturday, and the Champion's League final next week.

:(

There is no game next Wednesday! :(

As for tonight, well it's Rangers playing, they seem to be a total void when it comes to the prospect of decent football.

[Robo-Alaska]

Well, there we go. 72 minutes and the deadlock is finally broken. Pretty good goal, too, lovely through pass to assist the finish.

I want Zenit to win. :D

[Nem]

Hmmm, let's see whether this can make up for the general crapponess of the FA cup final. I was catastrophically drunk and it still wasn't enjoyable.

I'm going for 1-1, Droggle and Tevster. Chelsea win on Pens :(

[charliepanayi]

I'm currently hoping for a big riot and the game to be abandoned and never replayed.

:(

[Mord Sith]

Pleasantly surprised by the first half, well, considering I was expecting something a whole lot less exciting.

Cech's double save was pretty magnificent; the roars I could hear from neighbouring houses pretty much summed up the feelings in our household; my brother with pure relief, my dad cursing the ball didn't find a way in.

Ferdinand's rather clumsy, I think I might have died if I saw another own-goal header! Shame about the awful break in the defence and lack of communication that set up Chelsea's goal; I might never watch football again if they win.

:(

[Nem]

What a game. I take back every comment about crapponess I made previously.

Can't stand those kind of goals Chelsea scored, though. It's really annoying when teams claim parity through goals like that, especially after United's was well worked.

[Nem]

Oh and you know that awful moment which a game turns on completely?

I think Tevez missing from that impromptu Rooney cross may have been that turning point...

SHIT! That was close, Drogba having some postal fun..

[Dark Mandy]

Haha, John Terry! Couldn't happen to a nicer bloke! :D

[Zoryan]

Poor Terry there, I actually feel pitty for him...

but I was supporting Manchester anyway! :D:D:D:D

[Nem]

I think everyone in South London heard me scream when Van der Sar launched his body through the air like a cruise missile to save le sulk's penalty.

Sensational

Ps lol @ Terry, not the bionic man now, are we

[charliepanayi]

So reasons to be happy:

- Chelsea can join us in the trophyless club for this season
- They aren't the first London team to win the European Cup yet.
- John Terry, Cashley, Lumpard etc. HA!

Reasons to be unhappy:

- Man Utd being fucking insufferable now
- I feel a little sorry for Avram Grant

[enfilade]

I feel very sorry for Avram Grant too. I think he deserves more. Even John Terry deserves some sympathy for slipping at such a crucial moment.

What a game though. I was hopping around like mad during extra time, though the 2 litres of of Dr. Pepper I had during the game might explain that (apparently that's over 200 grams of sugar!).

[Sensi Hawso]

I pick the UEFA final to take an interest in football and supported Chelsea out of badness as my aunt was rooting for Man United, which she took pleasure in rubbing in my face.

Won on penalties, what a jip. :angry:
Scottish Cup final tomorrow an excuse for my dad to get drunk if Celtic wins or loses.

[Enemy Airship]

That's two Champions League finals that Cashley has lost in :D Almost makes Arsenal's failure in '06 enjoyable. I think the more deserving team won. Hoping on an exodus of Chelsea players now, good to see Abramovic humiliated in his own back yard.

[Lina]

I felt awful for them when they had to play in the rain in the later part of the game. :(

Wanted Chelsea to win because I'm not crazy about Man Utd, but oh well. Peter Cech's double save made me shout; that was awesome. Even my dad/sister who don't like soccer too much got excited for that one.

[Robo-Alaska]

I was never fond of Chelsea before, but their shambolic display in the second period of extra time sealed it: They are the most contemptible, irascible, whimsical collection of players to ever grace the game. I don't deny their talent, but their attitude is utterly appalling. Drogba is such a cocky twat, responding as if he's done nothing wrong after blatantly slapping Vidic, only before strutting off as if to suggest he was god's gift to football, and Chelsea would crumble in the last 10 or so minutes he was absent.

I'm so happy they lost, and in such a satisfying way.

[charliepanayi]

Scottish Cup final tomorrow an excuse for my dad to get drunk if Celtic wins or loses.

I think you mean the last day of the Scottish League season, where it's between Celtic and Rangers to see who winst he title. The Scottish Cup final is Rangers v Queen of the South, and is this weekend I think.

And yeah, especially nice to see Cashley lose. Feel our pain of two years ago Chelsea!

Incidentally, though I have little fondness for Liverpool, I find it absurd that Ferguson and Matt Busby were both knighted pretty much soon after winning the European Cup, but Bob Paisley won three and never got one. Not to mention Brian Clough who won two.

[Nem]

I felt awful for them when they had to play in the rain in the later part of the game. :(


Hahaha, you're such a classic woman, I bet you were also concerned because their shorts got a bit muddy! :XD:

Having had time to reflect on the game, my conclusions are thus.

It could have gone either way, and was perhaps the most even, closely fought game I've seen for a long time. The bitchy little squabbles were to be expected from two teams who dislike each other to that extent (Although still nowhere near the animosity between United and Arsenal in the Keane-Vieira period) but overall I thought it was a good advertisement for English football.

Obviously I wanted United to win, but I think alot of neutrals did as well due to the fact that United's players are far more fundamentally likeable - I think the average joe on the street would rather see a Tevez lifting a trophy than a Drogba, for example.

On Drogba, actually - what a wanker. I have seen some bloody graceless players in my time but none with such a lack of decency. On his day, he's one of the most potent, feared strikers in europe - but I agree with Tyldsley - 'What a Jessie'

[charliepanayi]

Yeah but as much as I hate Drogba (not least for always scoring against us) and agree he's a tosser, Clive Tyldsley is so biased to Man Utd all the time it's not even funny. He trots out the phrase 'that magical night in Barcelona' (and now Moscow I presume) endlessly.

[Sensi Hawso]

I think you mean the last day of the Scottish League season, where it's between Celtic and Rangers to see who winst he title. The Scottish Cup final is Rangers v Queen of the South, and is this weekend I think.


You're right Charlie. I never denied I have no real clue about football, it's just glaringly obvious. :(

[Nem]

Had to laugh at the Tyldster's complete lack of balance.

*as the united penalty went in* 'YES!'