UEFA Champions League 2009/10 Thread

[stokeriño]

Alas, Stokerina is watching the documentary about John Lewis (her workplace) on BBC2, so my football is limited to BBC text.

[therockbox]

Aaaand Madrid are out.

They're going to go insane in the summer.

[stokeriño]

They still wont buy many/any defenders.

[Dynamite]

Park in the free role has been an inspired move. The guy has the energy to play four positions at once, and now he can! He really is the definition of a 'big game player'.

[Colossus]

The second goal was disgusting. I'm not even an Arsenal fan and I already struggle to watch that replay any more. From the cheap quick taking to the referee blatantly standing in the way of a defender. It felt like Porto suddenly had a twelve player on the pitch.

Yeah, that is how most of the Portuguese League games feel

I don't come in this thread often, but there was actually a consensus view that Porto shouldn't have taken the free-kick early? Against Arsenal, who have profitted off that kinda tactic more often than anyone? The blame for every aspect of that goal was the Arsenal defence, from the backpass itself, to the goalie handing the ref the ball and then turning his back, to Campbell not getting back in position and moping about the mistake.

As for yesterday's game, great performance by Arsenal, and I don't think it was ever in doubt. Outside of the two cock-ups in the first leg, Arsenal were the better team in Porto, and there was little doubt from me they were going to go through.

Yeah, but it's Porto, it's in every Portuguese non-Porto fan to assume that the refs give them breaks

[Johnny Latino Heat]

The second goal was disgusting. I'm not even an Arsenal fan and I already struggle to watch that replay any more. From the cheap quick taking to the referee blatantly standing in the way of a defender. It felt like Porto suddenly had a twelve player on the pitch.

Yeah, that is how most of the Portuguese League games feel

I don't come in this thread often, but there was actually a consensus view that Porto shouldn't have taken the free-kick early? Against Arsenal, who have profitted off that kinda tactic more often than anyone? The blame for every aspect of that goal was the Arsenal defence, from the backpass itself, to the goalie handing the ref the ball and then turning his back, to Campbell not getting back in position and moping about the mistake.

As for yesterday's game, great performance by Arsenal, and I don't think it was ever in doubt. Outside of the two cock-ups in the first leg, Arsenal were the better team in Porto, and there was little doubt from me they were going to go through.

Yeah, but it's Porto, it's in every Portuguese non-Porto fan to assume that the refs give them breaks

That's only because it's the truth

[Bryan Blade]

anybody else think it was a little sad the way milan seemingly lid down and died? anageing team yes but even worse is there 2nd in serie a, Whats does that say about the Italian League and yeah as an arsenal fan the only teams i'd fear is the english sides i think we could take any of the others bayern and barcelona would be tough though, Bayern especially for Arsenal, Stoke city of europe big physical side outside of maybe robben and ribery who more than make up that with there skill on the ball

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Well I'm at 50% of my picks so far with Porto and Milan getting thrashed (although when I had to make my picks both Man U and Arsenal were going through horrible dips in form).....

Still, Bayern winning seemed obvious to me and I just had a feeling that Lyon would beat Real Madrid.

Now I need at least two of Chelsea, Moscow, Barca and Olympiakos (doh) to win and I'm on for some drinks at the bar where I made the bet.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

More signs and reasons as to why Leonardo HAS to go. If it wasn't plain last night then they're just being ridiculous. He's never been and never will be the right man for the Milan job and the longer they take to replace him, the longer they'll continue to suffer. I see what he was trying to do with leaving Beckham on the bench as well, but it really was the wrong decision. Did he fail to realise that the only one who seemed to want to try for Milan was Beckham? They said Beckham on the bench worked because Milan could inject some energy into the midfield in his place, yeah, that fucking worked right?

Overall that was a fantastic and memorable night. Tearing Milan to shreds almost makes up for when they knocked us out a few years back. Fantastic performance, beautiful second goal. And to cap it all off, Madrid are out

[Liam]

To be honest, over two legs, there was never a doubt really. The Italian League is a shell of what it used to be, and I'd go as far to say that even though I'm naturally pessimistic about Fulham's chances a lot of the time, we should knock out Juventus in the UEFA Cup.

The only side really worth a damn in Italy anymore are Inter, and even they are poor compared to the bigger boys, really.

[Liam]

I don't think the referee should've given the ball back to Porto so quickly. They had every right to take it quickly but the ref essentially gifted them a goal by demanding the ball from Fabianski and giving it to them straight away. That was better than a penalty on so many levels - Fabianski had no time to react whatsoever. Some common sense and a backbone would've been good there methinks. But yeah, Fabianski shouldn't have turned his back - and a more experienced goalie probably would've holded off on giving the ball back but he probably didn't know what to do.

People discussed it at my work the next day, and the feeling was that if you infringe and are penalised, arguably you have no right to halt the other team whilst you saunter back, prepare you defensive wall just how you want it and then let them take their free-kick. You've been penalised for breaking the rules in some way, the opposition should always have the benefit of taking their free-kick to suit them. If that means quickly, then quickly it is. It was a strange circumstance, but I definitely don't think it was wrong for them to do it.

Except the referee was blocking Sol Campbell. And I thought generally the keeper should be allowed to get into position, considering he was returning the ball to the referee.

I know this is a double post, but bah, it's a different point >_>

The ref was in Campbell's way on another look at it, but he wouldn't have got near actually affecting the outcome as he was ambling back, and the quickness of the free-kick meant that at no point would he have got near the ball, irrelevant of the referee's position. As for the goalie, I guess that point is fair enough, but you don't give the ball up until your team get back into some semblance of position purely to stop things like this happening. It's why you get players standing in front of the ball stopping people taking quick free-kicks outside the area. Upon giving it back, he also should never have turned his back.

[Bryan Blade]

about the free kick issue i know its irrelevant now but from playing local footie myself i think the porto players were right as for fabianski he should have tried to hold on to the ball for longer. Sure he might have got booked but it would have been worth it to avoid a goal

[Scott McFly]

I don't think the referee should've given the ball back to Porto so quickly. They had every right to take it quickly but the ref essentially gifted them a goal by demanding the ball from Fabianski and giving it to them straight away. That was better than a penalty on so many levels - Fabianski had no time to react whatsoever. Some common sense and a backbone would've been good there methinks. But yeah, Fabianski shouldn't have turned his back - and a more experienced goalie probably would've holded off on giving the ball back but he probably didn't know what to do.

People discussed it at my work the next day, and the feeling was that if you infringe and are penalised, arguably you have no right to halt the other team whilst you saunter back, prepare you defensive wall just how you want it and then let them take their free-kick. You've been penalised for breaking the rules in some way, the opposition should always have the benefit of taking their free-kick to suit them. If that means quickly, then quickly it is. It was a strange circumstance, but I definitely don't think it was wrong for them to do it.

Except the referee was blocking Sol Campbell. And I thought generally the keeper should be allowed to get into position, considering he was returning the ball to the referee.

I know this is a double post, but bah, it's a different point >_>

The ref was in Campbell's way on another look at it, but he wouldn't have got near actually affecting the outcome as he was ambling back, and the quickness of the free-kick meant that at no point would he have got near the ball, irrelevant of the referee's position. As for the goalie, I guess that point is fair enough, but you don't give the ball up until your team get back into some semblance of position purely to stop things like this happening. It's why you get players standing in front of the ball stopping people taking quick free-kicks outside the area. Upon giving it back, he also should never have turned his back.

We'll never know whether Campbell could've done anything about it as the ref was standing directly between him and the free kick. Besides the fact that standing in front of the ball or holding onto it to delay the restart is a yellow card offence, the free kick was indirect so standing in front of the ball would've been pointless anyway. A player shouldn't feel he has no choice other than to get booked to avoid the other team pulling the rug from under them.

And I know Arsenal haven't been saints in the past either, but surely it's just good sportsmanship to wait for the keeper to return to the goal after returning the ball to you. It reminds me of that time from around 1995 I think when Man United were playing Ipswich, the ref was booking the Ipswich goalkeeper outside the box for something and Man United were allowed to just take the free kick and lob the ball over him as he was running back.

[Pesci]

More signs and reasons as to why Leonardo HAS to go. If it wasn't plain last night then they're just being ridiculous. He's never been and never will be the right man for the Milan job and the longer they take to replace him, the longer they'll continue to suffer. I see what he was trying to do with leaving Beckham on the bench as well, but it really was the wrong decision. Did he fail to realise that the only one who seemed to want to try for Milan was Beckham? They said Beckham on the bench worked because Milan could inject some energy into the midfield in his place, yeah, that fucking worked right?

Leonardo has to go when Milan are 4 points behind Inter with a game in hand?

Man Utd are a much, much better team than Milan. 4-0 isn't that big of a shock. You can't be sacking managers who aren't even really doing that bad for losing to a team that's made two finals in a row and are probably favourites to do so again.

[stokeriño]

Off to the Bridge. Busting out the flag for the first time since last year's quarter-final with Liverpool (although I hear they might be giving away flags again tonight, but still there's no point wasting the one I already have). If only tonight's match were to be as monumentously epic as that one was...

Come on Chelsea!

[Crybaby Bunting]

2119: GOALFLASH Chelsea 0-1 (agg 1-3) Inter Milan

2118: From Daniel in Newcastle, via text on 81111: "Would be nice to see Inter score, purely to see if Jose Mourinho celebrates or not. He looks like he would struggle to stay calm at the moment."

Edited March 16, 2010 by The General

[Dan]

Eto'o!!!!

Chelsea going out!

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Shocked that Chelsea are out, although certainly glad. I'd rather play Inter in the next round over Chelsea any day of the week if it came down to it. I'd love us to draw Moscow, but I've got a feeling we may just be meeting Inter again. Bring 'em on

[Crybaby Bunting]

This is probably the most biased ref towards Inter that you'll ever see.

Not that it matters much to me as a neutral, Chelsea will need the extra freshness if they want to win the league.

[The Quasi Juice]

Yay, just 2 English teams in the quarter finals this season