Champions League 2008/09

[devilsadvocate]

Liverpool were BLOODY lucky to make it through with a last gasp effort (AGAIN - 3rd time in 3 matches) from Dirk Kuyt, courtesy of some Babel brilliance. Robbie Keane fluffed a great chance on 75, but Liverpool needed an extra half hour to move past Standard Liege into the draw for the Champions League group stages.

Liverpool look rubbish and will be a looooong way behind Chavski and Man USA this season.

Arsenal on the other hand, finished 5-0 on aggregate after a 3-0 win over FC Twente.

The draw for group stages takes place at 5pm GMT tomorrow. All 4 English sides will be in the draw.

[johntheclaret]

Thats because Twente's manager is Steve McLaren and we know how good he was as Englands coach.

[RoosterMarty]

Thats because Twente's manager is Steve McLaren and we know how good he was as Englands coach.

Going by his latest interviews he's got his eye on the Dutch (or Australian) job.

Liverpool lucky again, you gotta feel for Liege they were very unlucky.

[johntheclaret]

Thats because Twente's manager is Steve McLaren and we know how good he was as Englands coach.

Going by his latest interviews he's got his eye on the Dutch (or Australian) job.

Liverpool lucky again, you gotta feel for Liege they were very unlucky.

Christ, don't tell Jabber

[RoosterMarty]

Not sure if this has been posted here yet, but I'm referring to this interview.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8oN58cyp2c


It's a shame Galatasaray are out, no Kewell in Group Stages.

[Dirko]

Not sure if this has been posted here yet, but I'm referring to this interview.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8oN58cyp2c

WTF !

Was that dumb twat putting on a Dutch accent or was my hearing playing up....

The Dutch interviewer spoke better English than the twat....

He's an embarrassment to football...FC Twente pi55 him off...NOW

[MST]

Liverpool were BLOODY lucky to make it through with a last gasp effort (AGAIN - 3rd time in 3 matches) from Dirk Kuyt, courtesy of some Babel brilliance. Robbie Keane fluffed a great chance on 75, but Liverpool needed an extra half hour to move past Standard Liege into the draw for the Champions League group stages.

Liverpool look rubbish and will be a looooong way behind Chavski and Man USA this season.

Arsenal on the other hand, finished 5-0 on aggregate after a 3-0 win over FC Twente.

The draw for group stages takes place at 5pm GMT tomorrow. All 4 English sides will be in the draw.

Obviously I will always give a biased viewpoint when it comes to defending my own team but I have to say I disagree in part with your statement DA.

Yes, the football being played by Liverpool at the minute is pretty patchy to say the least but I believe this will improve as the season progresses. Gerrard isn't fit, the Spanish lads had a late start to pre-season training due to Euro 08, new players such as Keane and Dossena will take time to bed in and all in all it's been a stuttering start to the season. In 2007/08 they came out all guns blazing and were playing some great stuff yet couldn't sustain it. This season they are getting results whilst being average..... It's been a criticism of Liverpool sides that they can batter the opposition only to end up with a point, so I know what I would prefer.

Chelsea were second best at the JJB last weekend and nothing much has been made of that?

Liverpool, if they can continue to get results in the first few weeks of the season without being near their best, will certainly be in the mix in the new year AND playing the type of football they are capable of.

The other point that needs to be mentioned is Liege are a pretty capable side, are Belgian champions and went more than 30 games unbeaten in their league. Arsenal stuffed Twente but let's face it even Spurs in thier current form would have dispatched them with relative ease!

[devilsadvocate]

Sorry mate, gotta disagree - Standard Liege are shithouse. Belgian champs or not, they are terrible. Teh Belgian league is pants. Name 1 world class player in that League. In fact, name 1 player in the league other than those you saw last night.

The difference between Liverpool and Liege last night was that Liege realised if they have a crack, they could come away with a win, wheres Liverpool played with caution all night until the last half of added time. Hence why I said Liverpool were lucky. It was a poor showing. Rafa is under the pump IMO. He's not got them playing convincing football.

And Stevie G is as fit as ever. He played 90 mins 2 weeks ago against Liege, 90 mins in the opening round, 70 mins for England last week, 90 mins in round 2 on the weekend, then 120 mins last night. He's fit. Torres is fine also, maybe Alonso is a little underdone, especially given the question mark over his Anfield future, but he's the only onw I'd pick out.

I'll agree though that despite playing badly, Liverpool winning is a good sign for them and that was the 1 thing missing last season. A problem at the moment is I can't see Robbie Keane fitting in with Torres and Kuyt. And agree that Dossena will take time to bed in.

[smithy]

DA - I agree about the Belgian league.
My family and I are Anderlecht supporters as well and they have won the league quite often recently only to be totally outclassed in every game in the champs league.
Steve Gerrard however is NOT fit and is going in for an operation.
I do believe that our form will improve when Mascherano comes back in and babel settles back in after the olympics.
We are probably going to sign Riera who had a loan spell at Man City a few seasons back.
Word is he is a fantastic player when tuned in but a bit spasmodic depending on what side of the bed he wakes up on.
Whilst I'm not overly happy with the way LFC are playing, draws last season cost us 2nd and if we keep winning games this season playing badly as opposed to playing well and drawing like last season I'll take it.

[devilsadvocate]

Steve Gerrard however is NOT fit and is going in for an operation.

What's wrong with him? He's played a lot of minutes in the last 3 weeks for an injured man.

Agree RE: Anderlecht - they lost to Spurs last year in UEFA so must be shocking

[smithy]

Steve Gerrard however is NOT fit and is going in for an operation.

What's wrong with him? He's played a lot of minutes in the last 3 weeks for an injured man.

Agree RE: Anderlecht - they lost to Spurs last year in UEFA so must be shocking

Gerrard is in for a groin operation. out for 10 - 15 days

3 seasons ago LFC played Anderlecht and it would be like watching Geelong play Westies

[devilsadvocate]

Gerrard is in for a groin operation. out for 10 - 15 days

3 seasons ago LFC played Anderlecht and it would be like watching Geelong play Westies

So 2 weeks out - can't be too serious? Still I wasn't aware of that one.

Westies would still probably have a better showing than the Power last year

[johntheclaret]

Good time to go. Misses the England game and maybe 1 or 2 EPL games

[johntheclaret]

So Man U against Celtic in the same group.

[johntheclaret]

Manchester United will face Celtic in a Battle of Britain in the UEFA Champions League and Fernando Torres can look forward to a return to Atletico Madrid with Liverpool following the draw in Monaco.

Last season's losing finalists Chelsea have been pitted against Italian side Roma, Bordeaux and Romanian champions CFR Cluj.

Fernando Torres will come up against his old side Atletico Madrid after Liverpool were paired with the Spanish side, Marseille and PSV Eindhoven in Group D.

Arsenal will be confident of progressing after being drawn against FC Porto, Fenerbahce and Dynamo Kiev in Group G.

United and Celtic locked horns in the group stages two years ago, with both sides claiming one win apiece in the two meetings, and it will be Gordon Strachan who pits his wits against former boss Sir Alex Ferguson again.

Bruce Rioch's Aalborg and Spanish side Villarreal make up the rest of Group E.

Elsewhere, Group H looks the toughest one to call with nine-times winners Real Madrid, returning Italians Juventus, Uefa Cup holders Zenit St Petersburg and Belarus champions Bate Borisov making up the group.

Barcelona have been handed a favourable draw in Group C, as they face Sporting Lisbon, Basel and Shakhtar Donetsk.

Rome's Stadio Olimpico will stage the final on 27th May 2009.

The first set of matches are due to be played on 16/17 September.

Group A

Chelsea
Roma
Bordeaux
CFR Cluj

Group B
Inter Milan
Werder Bremen
Panathinaikos
Anorthosis Famagusta

Group C
Barcelona
Sporting Lisbon
Basel
Shakhtar Donetsk

Group D
Liverpool
PSV Eindhoven
Marseille
Atletico Madrid

Group E
Manchester United
Villarreal
Celtic
Aalborg

Group F
Lyon
Bayern Munich
Steaua Bucharest
Fiorentina

Group G
Arsenal
FC Porto
Fenerbahce
Dynamo Kiev

Group H
Real Madrid
Juventus
Zenit St Petersburg
Bate Borisov

[RoosterMarty]

There are some belter groups there, United have a good group and should progress.

[devilsadvocate]

Man USA have been totally outclassed by Zenit St Petersburg in the UEFA Super Cup in Monaco.

Paul Scholes handballed a goal volleyball smash style and copped a red:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_S7bVMNL35c

Good spike, but what a complete muppet!

Interesting discussion after the game - are Zenit an outsider for the Champions League this season? Personally I doubt it, but they look decent and new signing Danny is class up front. Big Dick Advocaat is a shrewd operator so they can't be discounted too lightly.

[devilsadvocate]

Watch out for Anorthosis Famagusta too - Cypriot heavyweights!

There's every chance Inter will win 20-0. Although the 'Chosen One' loves his 1-0 and thanks for coming, so meh...

[johntheclaret]

Watch out for Anorthosis Famagusta too - Cypriot heavyweights!

There's every chance Inter will win 20-0. Although the 'Chosen One' loves his 1-0 and thanks for coming, so meh...

I thought Famagusta was a ghost town since the Turks invaded ?? Was the last time I was there (3 yrs ago)

[devilsadvocate]

Watch out for Anorthosis Famagusta too - Cypriot heavyweights!

There's every chance Inter will win 20-0. Although the 'Chosen One' loves his 1-0 and thanks for coming, so meh...

I thought Famagusta was a ghost town since the Turks invaded ?? Was the last time I was there (3 yrs ago)

The town is a ghost town. I found this info:

http://www.goal.com/en-us/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=837568

Partucularly the bit that reads 'while spurs beat Anorthosis Famausta 6-1' . The embarrassing thing is we could only manage a draw in the away leg

Funny seeing fans chant 'You're just a small town from Turkey'....bit rough, but all done in humor.