Champions League Today :-)

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Yeah the old Champions League style thread has gone many pages away and I cant be assed to bring it back to life so I thought I'd just start a new thread for those who care.

It's the big day tomorrow as the CL partly starts up again and we could have a few ideas as to who is going to be in the next round. For me the game of the round is on tomorrow, Real/Juve and I'm praying we can pull off a solid 0-2 win so that we've got two away goals. Going to be an important game though. Both teams are starting to have a bad run lately. How the fuck we've managed to lose first place in Serie A I don't know. Eight points clear and then like three games later, Milan lead via goal difference. That's how easy it is to lose a lead you Chelsea fans, shame it had to happen to us though. Although the CL is a whole different place where some teams perform better than what they do in the league. Certainly hoping we're on top form, all depends what strike force Capello goes for. I cant wait to see Beckham and Owen going against our defence though, going to love it and Madrid will be looking for revenge from a few years back. Like I said before, I'm predicting us to take the win. I'll go with 1-2 actually and pray that Madrid don't come to our place and destroy us in the second leg like we did with them last time.

Other games are the two English teams involved, BL/Liverpool and Arsenal/BM, plus the PSV/Monaco match. My money is on Liverpool to walk out with a 1-2 win. Then Arsenal to draw 2-2 in a tricky yet surprising match. As for PSV/Monaco, I'll go with 1-3 with Monaco partly destroying them.

Cant wait though. I'm going out tomorrow night so I'm going to be taping the Juve/Madrid match. Hopefully they'll have it on down at the place I'm going though, so yeah cant wait.

[Malenko]

Just a thing about Real Madrid. They aren't in the worse moment of form. They have had 7 consecutive league wins which brought them to second place 4 points behind barcelona, until this weekend where they lost at home to Bilbao 0-1 falling back to 7 points again. Zidane Raul and Ronaldo were all going to be rested in the last game to assure they were fit for the CL clash (they have been the biggest disappointments in Madrid when fit, so they didn't want to risk them to be even worse if tired), but with the team losing they eventually came in on the second half, but the result didn't change. As for looking forward to see what Owen and beckham would do against Juve's defence...well... Beckham will most likely appear at front only in free kicks, since unless Luxemburgo picks another tactic he'll be playing at centre midfield. Owen will probably get in for the last 20 minutes... may play more time depending on what's the result at halftime and midway through the second half.

Of course this is just a prediction based on what's been happening in the season so far. They can allways change it.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

True. Madrid seem to be more on form than we do but like I said before, the CL is a totally different stage.

Apprently Owen might be playing as Ronaldo is apprently not too fit, although I might be wrong. Owen should get some time though so I'll look forward to seeing that. If Beckham plays on the right then he'll be up against Zambrotta, cant wait for that one, that'll be a damn good battle. We're really relying on Nedved being fit though and I pray he is. He was the huge factor when we beat them in the second leg last time. Plus I'd love to see him and Gravesen get stuck in against each other. Emerson is there though so he should be able to keep the center of the park under control for us. No Trezerguet apprently, he's supposed to be out so it's probably Del/Zlatan for us now which is fine with me. Damn shame Mutu still has a few more months left on his ban.

I think the biggest battle in the match will be the two keepers. In my opinion the two best in the world as well, so I cant wait for this one.

[Malenko]

Yeah Ronaldo isn't very fit, but he didn't start in the last game, i believe it was so he wouldn't be even worse in the CL. I do agree that Owen will play though, if not from the beggining, sometime in the second half he'll be on the pitch.

Beckham only plays on the right when figo plays center or left. Center is rare although he's played there a couple games this season. Since Gravesen came to Real Madrid, Figo he's playing a lot of time on the left, with beckham on the right, and gravesen in the middle. Now that i think of it is gravesen included in the european squad?

hmm... brb with a few answers..

EDIT: yep... it's the second situation. Figo on the left, beckham on the right, gravesen behind both, and zidane behind ronaldo and raul. The back is the usual one.

I also agree on the battle of the goalies. Buffon and Casillas are the two best goalkeepers i've seen in the last couple of years, and should give a great fight to the great offense that should be produced from both sides. Zebina will be booked in the game. Mark my words (or don't in case i'm wrong ). Nedved and Camoranesi will probably give enough work to guarantee beckham will stay on a more defensive position for most of the game, since Zidane and Figo are great offensively, but don't defend that much. Zlatan and Del Piero are two amazing players and combine well. Raúl and Ronaldo are also able to combine very well, and Real Madrid is regaining form.

I suspect we'll see a great game. At least me and you cause i don't know if many people will watch it on this board . I hope they don't disappoint me.

Shevchenko was injured in the last game and should be out for about a month, the next game being with Inter who are yet to lose in the league. You have lost too many points you shouldn't have. It's like they're giving Juventus another try to win the Scudetto. Let's see if Juventus doesn't waste the chances their being given.

Edited February 22, 2005 by Malenko

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Yeah how we have lost the lead we had I'll never know. Milan haven't been at there best lately either so it's a shock seeing them at the top. Really got the hope Zlatan and others start scoring more goals from here on. Oh and when is the ban of Mutu over? Isn't it like April? Hopefully we can get him back for the Milan match.

One thing I'm hoping for is that Zebina is at his best or near it. We don't want any weak players in the team and if it's anyone who will break it'll probably be him. He's had some great games though so I'm hoping he does his job to the full tonight. Hopefully more people on this board watch it because from what I've seen it'll probably easily be MOTD. I mean the other three don't really say to me 'POSSIBLE GOALS GALORE...LOVELY PLAY'...I actually see maybe all other three games being quite quiet, which I hope I'm wrong.

[G-O-D]

The biggest match IMO, is not Juventus/Madrid, is not Liverpool/Leverkusen, it's Barcelona vs Chelsea

Both teams are top of the Spanish Primera Liga and English Premiership respectively, and both have had their ups and downs. It will be a tight affair, and I hope our injury-wrecked squad is able to continue our Champions League dreams.

Come on Chelsea!!!

[FLiam]

No it won't.

You will lose 4-0. Hopefully.

Anyway, I have to say I am a bit nervous for tonights game, I have a really really bad feeling that Bayern are going to put 3 or 4 past us.

Well, if that happens, as long as we score 6 or 7 I won't mind that much.

Edited February 22, 2005 by Gooner4Life

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Chelsea/Barca will have a hard job being the best game tonight seeings though it's tommorow. I'm talking about tonight, leave tomorrow till tomorrow

Not to mention that Madrid/Juve will easily be as good. Chelsea are nothing when it comes to Europe and you watch Barcelona prove that. Then watch Juve beat Barcelona in the next round

[therockbox]

Liverpool to just scrape a 1-0 win, and then draw 0-0 at Leverkusen in the second leg.

[Malenko]

No it won't.

You will lose 4-0. Hopefully.

Anyway, I have to say I am a bit nervous for tonights game, I have a really really bad feeling that Bayern are going to put 3 or 4 past us.

Well, if that happens, as long as we score 6 or 7 I won't mind that much.

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[The Quasi Juice]

I can't believe you guys think Monaco will destroy PSV, come on! Dutch competition is better then French's at the moment. Right now it's 1-0 for PSV in the tenth minute

[Liam]

Arsenal already 1-0 down.

[The Quasi Juice]

Who scored? Makaay?

[Liam]

Pizarro after the 3rd minute.

[The Quasi Juice]

PSV 1 - 0 AS Monaco

8. Alex

assist Van Bommel 1 0

Real Madrid 0 - 0 Juventus

Bayern München 1 - 0 Arsenal (DRAW)

4. Pizarro 1 0

Liverpool 0 - 0 Bayer Leverkusen

Those are my predictions. PSV needs to pull a Porto and win the champions league

[Liam]

2-0 to Liverpool and 1-0 to Madrid

Apart from the Arsenal results, everything going as I'd want it. I'm always a pro-English team person, rather then hating on them like I would possibly during the Premiership season.

[Guest Red Devil]

I didn't see Pizzaro's goal but heard it was an error by Toure, anyone care to explain what happened?

Liverpool look like they're doing well. They're the only team that i was sure that would win tonight.

[Liam]

I didn't see Pizzaro's goal but heard it was an error by Toure, anyone care to explain what happened?

Liverpool look like they're doing well. They're the only team that i was sure that would win tonight.

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Long punt by Kahn, Toure running back headed it up into the air (further towards his goal) and Pizarro hit it as it came down past Lehmann.

[Guest Red Devil]

Thanks rvdwannabe. Second Half has started so hopefully there are more goals tonight.

[Liam]

2-0 to Bayern. More bad defending by Toure, allowing Pizarro to get in front of him, but a great header.