Europa League 09-10 Thread

[EddieG]

That second penalty was a handball, it's not like he was covering his face, he had his arm up away from his face, it was definitely a penalty.

[therockbox]

It has to be deliberate handball. The ball hit his arm, not the other way around. It happens every week, players 'blocking' the ball with their arms outstretched. I wouldn't mind so much if penalties were given consistently for that, but they aren't.

[EddieG]

But it wasn't just blocking, it did look more deliberate than anything, and before you say anything, I am actually a Liverpool fan.

[therockbox]

Carragher's been getting away with those sorts of handballs throughout his career, which is weird because he's actually quite bad at it. If he'd have done it deliberately the movement would have been much more obvious, his arm is already moving before Di Maria has kicked the ball. Carragher's not psychic.

[9 to 5]

Yeah, not the first time Carragher has handled the ball by any means.

[Colossus]

Both the penaltys were stupid by Insua and Carra, and atleast one more penalty wouldn't have shocked me (the one where Carra hits Cardozo shoulder)

Good win, could have been more goals, but we have the ability to kill the game in Liverpool

EDIT: And JohnnyPerfect, maybe 4 or 5 teams play better football that Benfica this season

Stop being stupid. Four or five teams? Benfica not ever doing fuck all in the CL is proof that they're nowhere near one of the best teams in Europe. United, Arsenal, Barcelona, Madrid, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, Lyon and Chelsea, and that's only naming some of the top European sides. You could then throw in the likes of Liverpool, who are also a better team. Benfica are almost the most overrated team in Europe and it's ridiculous ANYBODY would believe only four or five teams play better football. Many teams play beautiful football at times, that doesn't make you a great team either. I'd also expect an in form Liverpool to put them to bed in the second leg.

Last year we played like shit. That's why we aren't at the CL. When a team has lost 3 games all season, it has to be considered one of the best teams in Europe. When a team has scored more than 100 goals, it has to be considered one of the best teams in Europe.

[Shelty92]

Both the penaltys were stupid by Insua and Carra, and atleast one more penalty wouldn't have shocked me (the one where Carra hits Cardozo shoulder)

Good win, could have been more goals, but we have the ability to kill the game in Liverpool

EDIT: And JohnnyPerfect, maybe 4 or 5 teams play better football that Benfica this season

Stop being stupid. Four or five teams? Benfica not ever doing fuck all in the CL is proof that they're nowhere near one of the best teams in Europe. United, Arsenal, Barcelona, Madrid, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, Lyon and Chelsea, and that's only naming some of the top European sides. You could then throw in the likes of Liverpool, who are also a better team. Benfica are almost the most overrated team in Europe and it's ridiculous ANYBODY would believe only four or five teams play better football. Many teams play beautiful football at times, that doesn't make you a great team either. I'd also expect an in form Liverpool to put them to bed in the second leg.

Last year we played like shit. That's why we aren't at the CL. When a team has lost 3 games all season, it has to be considered one of the best teams in Europe. When a team has scored more than 100 goals, it has to be considered one of the best teams in Europe.

That's a great statistic, no doubt about it, but it's the Portuguese League - which is not one of the best leagues in Europe. :/

[GoN_]

I really can't understand all the whining from the Liverpool fans about that game, besides a case of bad losing. Luisão should not by any means be sent off by that tackle to Torres. He tried to get to the ball, Torres protected the ball. Was it a bad tackle? Yes, but not like he went right to the leg. David Luiz could have been booked by constant fouling, but his first yellow card was just plain stupid. Yellow card because he kicked the ball? On the other hand, Torres should have been booked to for constant diving and whining (I love Torres but he is as much a great player as a big diver), Insua should have been out at the first penalty as he had already been booked and should got his second yellow card there, Cardozo got kicked in an obvious foul, which would be a penalty but the ref passed on that, and you can't really argue about the second penalty. He had no other purpose to have his hand there than to cut the passing angle. Reina had been wasting time since the first minute, even if in that particular time he hadn't been wasting that much (even through he took like ten more seconds to kick the damn ball after given the second order to do it). The only thing I agree with you was the Babel sent-off. Bit harsh there, but the rules are with the ref there who may have seen it as violent behavior.

About Benfica being one of the top 5 teams right now, it's a bit too much. Until December I would say so, but we are losing gas every week. See Cardozo. In another night he could have scored two/three more goals there with all the chances he had, and Liverpool would have suffered the same fate Everton did, but you see them tired. We also miss the energy Saviola had in the beginning of this season and Aimar isn't doing great too (hell most fans have been preferring Martins).

[IAceI]

When did all these Portugese people turn up?

[Thrilla]

Both the penaltys were stupid by Insua and Carra, and atleast one more penalty wouldn't have shocked me (the one where Carra hits Cardozo shoulder)

Good win, could have been more goals, but we have the ability to kill the game in Liverpool

EDIT: And JohnnyPerfect, maybe 4 or 5 teams play better football that Benfica this season

Stop being stupid. Four or five teams? Benfica not ever doing fuck all in the CL is proof that they're nowhere near one of the best teams in Europe. United, Arsenal, Barcelona, Madrid, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, Lyon and Chelsea, and that's only naming some of the top European sides. You could then throw in the likes of Liverpool, who are also a better team. Benfica are almost the most overrated team in Europe and it's ridiculous ANYBODY would believe only four or five teams play better football. Many teams play beautiful football at times, that doesn't make you a great team either. I'd also expect an in form Liverpool to put them to bed in the second leg.

Last year we played like shit. That's why we aren't at the CL. When a team has lost 3 games all season, it has to be considered one of the best teams in Europe. When a team has scored more than 100 goals, it has to be considered one of the best teams in Europe.

Rangers have lost two games all season and have a +49 goal difference. They're not one of the best teams in Europe, they just play in a shit league, like Benfica do.

[GoN_]

You really want to compare the Scottish League to the Portuguese League? Speak of living in a bubble! Rangers were knocked out of the Champions League by Kaunas...

[Thrilla]

They're both minor European leagues with a couple of teams that ever really have a chance of winning the title and going on to the European competitions, its an apt comparison.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

I really can't understand all the whining from the Liverpool fans about that game, besides a case of bad losing. Luisão should not by any means be sent off by that tackle to Torres. He tried to get to the ball, Torres protected the ball. Was it a bad tackle? Yes, but not like he went right to the leg. David Luiz could have been booked by constant fouling, but his first yellow card was just plain stupid. Yellow card because he kicked the ball? On the other hand, Torres should have been booked to for constant diving and whining (I love Torres but he is as much a great player as a big diver), Insua should have been out at the first penalty as he had already been booked and should got his second yellow card there, Cardozo got kicked in an obvious foul, which would be a penalty but the ref passed on that, and you can't really argue about the second penalty. He had no other purpose to have his hand there than to cut the passing angle. Reina had been wasting time since the first minute, even if in that particular time he hadn't been wasting that much (even through he took like ten more seconds to kick the damn ball after given the second order to do it). The only thing I agree with you was the Babel sent-off. Bit harsh there, but the rules are with the ref there who may have seen it as violent behavior.

About Benfica being one of the top 5 teams right now, it's a bit too much. Until December I would say so, but we are losing gas every week. See Cardozo. In another night he could have scored two/three more goals there with all the chances he had, and Liverpool would have suffered the same fate Everton did, but you see them tired. We also miss the energy Saviola had in the beginning of this season and Aimar isn't doing great too (hell most fans have been preferring Martins).

Top five is even worst than proclaiming them as one of the best in Europe. Benfica as a top five club? Surely you're having a joke? I don't care what form they're in at any point during the Portuguese league, they're nowhere near being one of the best sides in Europe, so even suggesting they're top five is beyond ridiculous.

Edited April 5, 2010 by JohnnyPerfect

[GoN_]

Scotland has like two good teams and even those two fail to make anything of note in Europe. They had two UEFA Cup finals in the last ten years and not much else. I don't remember seeing either of them going through the groups in the Champions League. We've had teams doing good campaigns in Europe since Porto won the UEFA cup. That year we also had Boavista in the semi-finals. Besides Porto winning the UEFA cup and the Champions League, Sporting went to the UEFA cup finals, we've had at least a team at the Quarter-finals of either the CL or Uefa cup almost every year for the last ten years. I understand what you meant but you are plain wrong. We are more at the same level as the French/Dutch.

I'm having no joke. In December we beat Porto with half of our starting eleven. We even had some reserves play in that game. The same Porto that a few weeks before went toe to toe with Chelsea in the Champions League. We completely obliterated Everton at home. Of course we would most probably lose to Barcelona, Real Madrid or Inter, but we could very well go toe to toe with Chelsea or Man. Utd., and Liverpool could have a really bad time against us.

To be honest I don't believe we will go through. We are on a very bad streak of games (Braga, Liverpool,Naval,Liverpool, Sporting), and as I have said before we are losing gas.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Scotland has like two good teams and even those two fail to make anything of note in Europe. They had two UEFA Cup finals in the last ten years and not much else. I don't remember seeing either of them going through the groups in the Champions League. We've had teams doing good campaigns in Europe since Porto won the UEFA cup. That year we also had Boavista in the semi-finals. Besides Porto winning the UEFA cup and the Champions League, Sporting went to the UEFA cup finals, we've had at least a team at the Quarter-finals of either the CL or Uefa cup almost every year for the last ten years. I understand what you meant but you are plain wrong. We are more at the same level as the French/Dutch.

I'm having no joke. In December we beat Porto with half of our starting eleven. We even had some reserves play in that game. The same Porto that a few weeks before went toe to toe with Chelsea in the Champions League. We completely obliterated Everton at home. Of course we would most probably lose to Barcelona, Real Madrid or Inter, but we could very well go toe to toe with Chelsea or Man. Utd., and Liverpool could have a really bad time against us.

To be honest I don't believe we will go through. We are on a very bad streak of games (Braga, Liverpool,Naval,Liverpool, Sporting), and as I have said before we are losing gas.

You're honestly kidding yourself if you think that Benfica are on the level of teams like United and Chelsea and pretty much Liverpool for that matter too (even if they have had a poor season). There's a reason why Chelsea and United are seen as two of the top sides in Europe and that's because they are. Benfica have NOTHING to back your claim up. Having a good league run and beating PORTO means absolutley nothing. Burnley beat United at the start of the season, it's not like we're going to proclaim them as one of the best teams in Europe though. And you could mentioning a win over Everton like it's a form of proof, it's honestly not.

I'm not doubting Benfica are a good side, but you're just over exaggerating in trying to put them up there with the likes of United (fucking CL winners two years ago and runners up last year) and Chelsea. If you really wanted to get statistical as well, according to UEFA Club Rankings, they're 17th. I don't particularly even agree with rankings either and I'd almost say they're being fair on them there

[GoN_]

Games yours, after that screwy first goal we are all messed up.

[Hobo]

I could not be happier for Lucas right now for scoring, because he still gets so much flack from people who haven't seen him this season and he's been one of our best players. 2-0!

[GoN_]

That pass was awesome.

[GoN_]

But I really think the ref messed up with the first goal...

[Clawson]

Is it true the assistant ref tried to flag an offside off a corner? :lmao: