Official UEFA Cup 07/08 Thread

[King Ellis]

Has there ever been a more annoying-sounding football game host than this twat? Ugh, fuck off with your horrible voice.

Colin Murray is wonderful. Certainly streets ahead of John Barnes.

[IAceI]

I'd love to see Away Goals and Extra Time done away with.

[therockbox]

John Barnes should never be allowed to host a show with an autocue, ever. He's alright on This Is Anfield when he's actually allowed to be himself and isn't reading directly from a script, but when he's trying trying to host a live show he's awful.

[Summers]

Thanks Berba, you made me a couple of quid.

[The Quasi Juice]

I've decided my new target of hatred in football IS Gomes after some thought there. Chimbonda nearly became the target but meh, his miss wasn't as annoying as Gomes in general.

[alldaws1]

God no. He flattened two of his own players in just that one match and we have very injury prone defenders!

[Scott McFly]

Well done to Rangers for getting through. Bremen were all over them practically the entire game, but Rangers handled the pressure well and McGregor was fantastic in goal even although his goal kicks leave a bit to be desired. He made some really important saves and the defence made several vital tackles. They rode their luck on occasions, but made it in the end.

Hoping Bolton can get something against Sporting. Anyone been watching?

[brenchill]

I hate the away goals rule in these situations. Bolton have done well to keep it 0-0 but they'll end up going out just because they drew 1-1 in the home leg? That's bollocks.

EDIT: 1-0. Nevermind (N)

Edited March 13, 2008 by BC

[The Kraig]

Poor Bolton.

And Matzat can officially suck my balls!

[alldaws1]

I hate the away goals rule in these situations. Bolton have done well to keep it 0-0 but they'll end up going out just because they drew 1-1 in the home leg? That's bollocks.

I don't see the problem with the away goals rule or penalties that a lot of people seem to hate. If it's still even after two whole games then something has to be done to decide a winner, you can't just play extra time periods over and over until a winner is eventually decided. The away goals rule is fair, if neither team can win after 180 minutes, then I think having the winner being the team who performed better away from home (a more difficult task than at home) is a decent way of deciding it. Perhaps if you made the away goals rule come in to effect only after one extra time period it would be more widely accepted.

[brenchill]

I hate the away goals rule in these situations. Bolton have done well to keep it 0-0 but they'll end up going out just because they drew 1-1 in the home leg? That's bollocks.

I don't see the problem with the away goals rule or penalties that a lot of people seem to hate. If it's still even after two whole games then something has to be done to decide a winner, you can't just play extra time periods over and over until a winner is eventually decided. The away goals rule is fair, if neither team can win after 180 minutes, then I think having the winner being the team who performed better away from home (a more difficult task than at home) is a decent way of deciding it. Perhaps if you made the away goals rule come in to effect only after one extra time period it would be more widely accepted.

Edited March 13, 2008 by BC

[alldaws1]

So you have no problem with the away goal rule, except for when both legs end in a draw? Which the aggregate score would have to be anyway for the away goals rule to come into effect?

[britneyspearsisgod]

It's unfair either team goes through because they both drew both the games. Neither of them deserve it, really. That's just the way you have to decide these things unfortunately.

[brenchill]

So you have no problem with the away goal rule, except for when both legs end in a draw? Which the aggregate score would have to be anyway for the away goals rule to come into effect?

[The Kraig]

A solution would be to have a tie-breaker at a neutral venue, but the ramifications are endless and it fucks up the schedules.

Although it would mean more money being made...so I suppose it might get discussed in some high level offices somewhere. Money seems to control football now, so you never know. Maybe just the quarters and semis would be decided like that.

[Scott McFly]

Uefa Cup quarter-final draw:

Bayer Leverkusen v FC Zenit St Petersburg

Rangers v Sporting Lisbon

Bayern Munich v Getafe

Fiorentina v PSV

Uefa Cup semi-final draw:

Bayern Munich/Getafe v Leverkusen/Zenit

Rangers/Sporting v Fiorentina/PSV

Not a bad quarter-final draw for Rangers, but I can't see them getting to the final with that semi-final draw. Still, it would be great to see them get as far as possible though. PSV/Fiorentina should be a good match too.

[The Kraig]

I think this is where Rangers might meet their end. I thought and believed we could beat Bremen. I'm really not sure about Sporting.

And I hope if we do go onwards that it's PSV we meet. I hate it when Rangers play Italian clubs.

[Crybaby Bunting]

So already tonight Zenit St Petersberg have thrashed Bayer Leverkusen 4-1 AWAY. Maybe it's just me who's surprised because Bayer Leverkusen's supposed to be a big-ish team in the uefa cup, or are they a shadow of whatever they were?

So predictions tonight

Bayern 2 - 1 Getafe

Florentina 3 - 1 PSV

Rangers 1 - 0 Sporting

[IAceI]

I think its a case of Bayern not being the team they used to be (Same with Kaiserslautern) who both had good seasons a while back, but then sorta fell away (hello Deportivo too love them). And Zenit St. Petersburg being a solid team in their own right as well.

[The Kraig]

I have to say, we have one more good thing going for us besides our fantastic form and solid player fitness.

Sporting are wearing green and white tonight.