2010/2011 UEFA Champions League

[Baddar]

I see why Fergie would go with an extra man in midfield, seeing as Carrick and Ando haven't played a lot of football this season. As long as a combination of Park/Fletcher/Nani are supporting Berba, we'll be fine going forward.

[Eidgan]

What exactly is it going to take for a Scottish club to be consistently decent in Europe?

Not saying actually going on to win or anything crazy like that, just a decent run every now and then, something for the poor ole Scots to get excited about.

In the last ten years we have had two different teams in a major European final. Both Celtic and Rangers have reached the last 16 in the Champions League. Celtic have beat Lyon, Juventus, Porto, Man United, Milan, Villareal, Valencia, Liverpool and Barcelona. Rangers have beat Monaco, Porto, Lyon, Stuttgart, Werder Bremen, Sporting Lisbon and Fiorentina. Hearts have beat Stuttgart and Bordeaux. Aberdeen have drew with Bayern Munich.

Seriously we may not have good consistent runs every year, but go and find a country with 5 million residents who have had as many good nights in Europe in the last ten years as we have. I'm sure you will be struggling.

Although when it does come about, it makes it even more special. I don't know what it's like to support a team who make it through to the semi-finals of a European competition every year, who complain if they don't win the thing. I remember watching Kilmarnock get hammered by Kaiserslautern (including a top of his game Youri Djorkaeff) and thinking it doesn't get much better than this. 13 years on we still have a great bond with Kaiserslautern fans, all because we know that these European days are very special and very rare around these parts and we make the most of it when it does come about.

You are so right, you people don't need to be disappointed, you have some good teams, it's not like you live here in Israel, when our representative in Europe as of this season is a team wich if you don't count their 20,000 fans..... the whole nation hates this team! And i'm talking about almost 7 million people! The only really great european moment Israel had in the last 10 years is back in 2002 when Maccabi Haifa beat Manchester United 3-0!!

[Herr Matzat]

This is rape. Somebody stop it...

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Park has had a terrible game, really hoping we replace him with Owen, Hernandez or Macheda to add something to our attack.

[Eidgan]

Well listen ... I do not know about you guys, but I'm glad that in about 2 minutes the game goes down to halftime ... and Olympique Lyonnais leads 2-0 over Hapoel Tel Aviv

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

It's a shame that the sneaky keeper saved VdV's penalty.

VdV is right on the limit - he's amazing to watch (so's Bale as usual). However if he gets much more worked up then he's gonna get himself sent off or something. If he can keep what he left at half time with - then he's going to do something special in the second half.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

BOOMSHACKALACK!

Didn't have to wait long for that.

[lanky316]

BOOMSHACKALACK!

Didn't have to wait long for that.

Ridiculous game. He got the sending off as predicted but a third penalty now (though the ref didn't want to give it) and hopefully back to almost comfortable. The little twat who got Rafa sent off shouldn't even be on the pitch but at least it doesn't matter. Now we need to not let them back in again.

[lanky316]

Stupid double post. Please delete if you can, useless poxy Virgin

Edited September 29, 2010 by lanky316

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

HERNANDEZ!!!

[therockbox]

I wish Tyldesley would fuck off. Every sentence sounds like an audition for the highlights package.

And Drury can get to fuck as well

[Liam]

BOOMSHACKALACK!

Didn't have to wait long for that.

Ridiculous game. He got the sending off as predicted but a third penalty now (though the ref didn't want to give it) and hopefully back to almost comfortable. The little twat who got Rafa sent off shouldn't even be on the pitch but at least it doesn't matter. Now we need to not let them back in again.

Roman Pavlyuchenko's long-range shot hits Wout Brama on the arm, but he was just trying to get out of the way of the ball, and had his back to it. Never a penalty in my book but there you go.

That was BBC's take on it....so sounds like it shouldn't have been given anyway?

[lanky316]

Looked like a charge down in real time. Seeing it since a few times might not have been too much he can do but lift your arms most of the time it'll be given.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Well that's a fantastic result. Tough times in the second half but that's one hell of a result for us. Lovely to see Hernandez grab the goal too, very happy with it all overall. Valencia are dirty as fuck though, elbows and stamps to the chest, which makes the win even more satasfying.

Edited September 29, 2010 by JohnnyPerfect

[Baddar]

Yay. I hope Rangers get favourable results against Valencia and go through with us - providing we get through, of course.

[Liam]

Watching the highlights now, Huddlestone was a bit of a lucky boy. The tackle on him wasn't great, and probably allowed him to get away with swinging the arm twice, the second one connecting fairly handily.

Same old Tottenham, always cheating

[DFF]

BOOMSHACKALACK!

Didn't have to wait long for that.

Ridiculous game. He got the sending off as predicted but a third penalty now (though the ref didn't want to give it) and hopefully back to almost comfortable. The little twat who got Rafa sent off shouldn't even be on the pitch but at least it doesn't matter. Now we need to not let them back in again.

Roman Pavlyuchenko's long-range shot hits Wout Brama on the arm, but he was just trying to get out of the way of the ball, and had his back to it. Never a penalty in my book but there you go.

That was BBC's take on it....so sounds like it shouldn't have been given anyway?

If it diverted the ball favourably for the defending team then, accidental or not, the ref would have to give it.

[Liam]

From the highlights, that was a harsh decision. The raising of the arm was more due to the ball hitting it than anything, otherwise, the guy had his arm tucked in and his back turning away from goal. Part of me can see why people will call for it to be given, but realistically, that was harsh. The pundits also pulled it up as a poor decision on the broadcast, so I'm not alone.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

On the whole though I liked the ref (not just cos "oooh he gave Spurs the penalties and booked Twente players") because he didn't go around dishing out yellow cards for everything - it was wet, slippery and it was a big cup game for both teams...It got a bit nasty towards the end of the first and chunks of the second and there was only three yellows for Twente and VdV's sending off (the second was as Harry said a "clumsy forward's challenge" and not malicious....he was just worked up).

I did like him booking the goalie though cos all his mouthing off was ridiculous - Crouch was sidewalk slammed onto the ground. He never gets decisions cos he's tall and gangly but he's often getting pulled at or kicked at.

[stokeriño]

Oh. My. God.

What a strike from Yuri!!

His first goal for Chelsea as well. And if you are going to score your first goal for the club, going home to Russia and scoring a screamer against the local rivals of your former club (CSKA) isn't a bad way to do it. >_>