jayseven Posted August 25, 2011 Posted August 25, 2011 City's group looks the most even -- arsenal's looks tricky too. Man U's is ridiculous, and Chelsea should coast. There's a separate draw for last 16 after they've been decided, is that right?
Jon Posted August 25, 2011 Posted August 25, 2011 I've become a little obsessed with us signing some players, to the point i'm constantly on the BBC website and Goal.com scowling for any mere mention of a signing I'm sick of hearing about who has left or is leaving, it's time to move and look to the future. I just hope that future isn't doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past.
Ramar Posted August 25, 2011 Posted August 25, 2011 Yeah, I think luck favoured Man U the most for this draw. The bastards always get an easy group. City's group looks the most even -- arsenal's looks tricky too. Man U's is ridiculous, and Chelsea should coast. There's a separate draw for last 16 after they've been decided, is that right? Yeah there's a draw for the last 16. Didn't use to be the case, groups use to be paired where top group A played runner up group B for example. At least then you knew who you could potentially get next round.
Emerald Emblem Posted August 25, 2011 Posted August 25, 2011 I've become a little obsessed with us signing some players, to the point i'm constantly on the BBC website and Goal.com scowling for any mere mention of a signing You aren't the only one, although for me it's the BBC and Arsenal.com.
Ramar Posted August 25, 2011 Posted August 25, 2011 Fucking UEFA.. Dortmund away first. No chance of getting the money together so soon.
jayseven Posted August 25, 2011 Posted August 25, 2011 Liverpool looking at signing Bellamy? Would be a great move for both parties - strengthening Liverpool's attacking potential. Bellamy is getting to the age where he should develop his midfield potential, and would be a good go-to man with an absent Gerrard, if he were to 're-train'. Still, it's another sign that Liverpool and Arsenal are swapping places this season :P QPR getting barton then? Good for them, bad for my fantasy football team!
MadDog Posted August 25, 2011 Posted August 25, 2011 We're close to signing Coates aswell, 20 year-old Uruguayan CB. City have got a tough group, Bayern are a top side. Schweinsteiger, Muller, Kroos, Ribery, Robben, Lahm, Neuer and Gomez are all brilliant players. Bayern are my pick to win the whole thing. Napoli have brilliant attackers. Cavani, Lavezzi, and Hamsik are all class. Villarreal are a solid side aswell. Really don't think it'll be a walk in the park like the press do.
jayseven Posted August 25, 2011 Posted August 25, 2011 I agree. We'll just have to see how well City learn to play as a team. I think that their squad on paper is second in the draw only to barca's... Barca will pretty much sail through their group though, which means they'll be able to rest key players and concentrate on the league where City will be struggling to field the best side constantly!
MadDog Posted August 25, 2011 Posted August 25, 2011 I agree. We'll just have to see how well City learn to play as a team. I think that their squad on paper is second in the draw only to barca's... Barca will pretty much sail through their group though, which means they'll be able to rest key players and concentrate on the league where City will be struggling to field the best side constantly! Barca vs Milan will be a quality, looking forward to them. City have got such a strong squad that they could comfortably put out 2 different starting 11s that are strong enough to beat most teams in the premiership.
Fresh Posted August 25, 2011 Posted August 25, 2011 We're close to signing Coates aswell, 20 year-old Uruguayan CB. City have got a tough group, Bayern are a top side. Schweinsteiger, Muller, Kroos, Ribery, Robben, Lahm, Neuer and Gomez are all brilliant players. Bayern are my pick to win the whole thing. Napoli have brilliant attackers. Cavani, Lavezzi, and Hamsik are all class. Villarreal are a solid side aswell. Really don't think it'll be a walk in the park like the press do. I don't think there as been one press report that has said city have an easy game.... Manchester City eye European glory despite tough Champions League draw Manchester City handed tough Champions League draw Champions League: Roberto Mancini's Manchester City handed exciting draw for English clubs City handed baptism of fire Although the Blues avoided a potential 'group of death' scenario, they still face a tricky task to progress against German, Spanish and Italian opposition. Also, Bayern? Seriously? Dark horse maybe, but ridiculously early to be calling them potential winners.
jayseven Posted August 25, 2011 Posted August 25, 2011 Well to be fair, fresh, nobody's saying they're easy winners :P
Fresh Posted August 25, 2011 Posted August 25, 2011 True Jay, True. In more interesting news I finally got to see Pictures of the finished AMEX. Wow, that is one some nice stadium porn. Outshines many larger teams homes by far an the facilities are fantastic!
jayseven Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 Yeah, it's ridiculous really. It's as if someone knows that brighton will do quite well -- the stadium can have a capacity of 38k with corner stand upgrades, which could be installed in a summer if, for example, brighton get promoted again. The main problem is that brighton doesn't really have enough fans to fill the stadium :P
MadDog Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 Bayern is who I think will win it, I just have a feeling they'll do really well. It's like when i said Inter would win it 2 years ago. :p
Fierce_LiNk Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 They've got a good team, Bayern. They built up their team whilst the rest of the world focused on England, Spain and Italy. I think they're good competitors but they are also very unfortunate to exist at the same time as this Barcelona team, who only appear to be getting stronger. It would take something special to knock out Barcelona along the way. I think its a pretty good bet that they'll get to the final, again. If they get there and Bayern do, I can't see them putting enough out there to stop Barcelona overpowering them. Saying that, anything can happen in football.
jayseven Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 Bayern? Seriously?! They've overpayed for players. The rest of bundesliga has been conservative with spending (most clubs have made a profit)... their league challenge will be trivial, which means surely their champs league games will be unprepared for. It's one of the reason why english sides - see spurs last season - do good in the CL -- a tough domestic league. Bayern are by far the strongest german side, but I really think there are other more 'unknown' sides who will put up as good a fight as them. CL is for Barca to lose, to be honest. Xmas transfer window may change things... but c'mawn!
Fierce_LiNk Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 On paper, Bayern have a great team. Neuer is a quality goal-keeper, Philipp Lahm probably could have his choice of any club, as could Bastian Schweinsteiger. Robben and Ribery are the attacking/playmaker type of players, pretty much providing all of the danger. Then, in Thomas Muller and Mario Gomez you have two relatively young but experienced strikers/forwards who offer a great threat. However, as great as that team is, they seem to be missing something. Could be another central midfielder or a central defender. No denying they have quality and can hurt a team on their day. But, I can see them being beaten. They're beatable and not as tight/compact as other teams can be.
jayseven Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 The difference between experience and youth ther is massive, though, and there's no depth in the squad to deal with a serious CL campaign. .. That;s my current, perhaps-ignorant belief :P
Ellmeister Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 Yeah they score some great goals but when it comes to the big matches against tougher CL opponents I can see them struggling. I wish schweinsteiger played in the Premiership, he's awesome.
Ramar Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 So we apparently bid £6M for Gary Cahill.. Come on Arsenal stop being silly buggers, we've got more class than that.
Charlie Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 I cant help but laugh anytime Celtic, Rangers and Hearts going out comes up on SkySports News. Especially as it is always followed by Shamrock Rovers qualifying. First time since 1956 that no Scottish side has been in Europe after August. Rumours on the news are that Celtic could be reinstated though because Sion fielded ineligible players. Cant see that happening though.
Jon Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 Bayern? Seriously?! They've overpayed for players. The rest of bundesliga has been conservative with spending (most clubs have made a profit)... their league challenge will be trivial, which means surely their champs league games will be unprepared for. It's one of the reason why english sides - see spurs last season - do good in the CL -- a tough domestic league. Bayern are by far the strongest german side, but I really think there are other more 'unknown' sides who will put up as good a fight as them. CL is for Barca to lose, to be honest. Xmas transfer window may change things... but c'mawn! You''re obviously not a keen observer of the Bundesliga then. Bayern only sneaked into the Champions League on the last day of last season, Dortmund won the league fairly easily. It's too early to be calling anyone outright favourites but Bayern are one of the best teams in Football. Only 3 teams have won the competition more times than them and only 2 teams have made more final appearances than them. Their team is full of world class players who are all still fairly young but massively experienced. They've got one of the best coaches in the game and there will be a massive desire to play in the final at their home ground. The difference between the major clubs (Bayern, Barca, Real Madrid etc) and the big clubs (Tottenham) is that they can compete on all fronts. Spurs were distracted by their exploits in Europe last season and couldn't keep up in the league, in much the same way that Leeds did many moons ago. They've got the best keeper in the game in Neuer, One of the best full backs in the business in Lahm. Midfielders don't come better than Schweinsteiger, either do wingers in Ribery and Robben. Up front they've got Gomez who scores goals for fun and the best player from the world cup, Thomas Muller. Their defence was a major weak point last season but they've improved there and early signs are good with only 1 goal conceded in 5 games. I can see why they're not talked about in the same breath as Barca and Real but to class them any lower is foolish.
Emerald Emblem Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 (edited) So Liverpool fans, Aquilani again loaned out, this time to AC Milan with a chance to make it a permanent move providing he makes 25 appearances this season. Why does Dalgleish not want to have him in his team? He's a great midfielder, I only wish Wenger had tried to get him on loan (As unlikely as that may have been). Edited August 26, 2011 by Emerald Emblem
Fierce_LiNk Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 So we apparently bid £6M for Gary Cahill.. Come on Arsenal stop being silly buggers, we've got more class than that. Does that mean you don't want Cahill, or you think you should have bid more money? I think it would be a great buy for Arsenal. But, I don't think he'll go. Not for 6 million anyway...probably triple that. Joey Barton has gone to QPR. I imagine they'll stay up now. He has grit. Newcastle are foolish to let him leave.
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