The European football thread

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by zoraster

Being fair to UEFA that wasn't the reason they started it, although it is the root cause. That is why the big clubs wanted it, but UEFA stood firm. UEFA only caved when the Project Gandalf breakaway league was put on the table by the group that was to become G14. The ECL was going to happen regardless of UEFA, it was just up to them if they still wanted to be in charge of it.

Platini is our great hope as he is a traditionalist, but he has already had to compromise his vision in a big way to get elected. Two years ago he was still mooting the 64 team straight knockout European Cup - pretty much the tournament all purists want - but he seems to be facing reality now.

Personally I think it's too late to change it, the big teams wont like it if they have less of a chance to dip into the honey pot and could take their ball home if they can't get into at least the qualifying rounds. I miss the nights were you'd get back from Anfield (£1 on the coach and £5 to get in ) after watching a European game to see who else had won that night and you'd hear names like Trabzonspor, Honved and Red Star and you'd wonder where half these teams came from.

[Astros33Resurrected]

Arsenal didn't advance

[rudel.dietrich]

Originally Posted by Astros33Resurrected

Arsenal didn't advance

They will be a force in a few years assuming the team can keep the young players.
The team should sell off Henry and use the money to buy up even more young talent.
Henry is an amazing player but seems to be breaking down

[Raderick]

Originally Posted by Fallschirmjager

Much beer was consumed last evening in celebration
After a down year in Germany it is good to see Bayern making a European run
And to do so against a team of the quality of RM is even better

Cant wait to see who we draw next go around
I think Bayern can beat any of the teams remaining

No.

[Astros33Resurrected]

Originally Posted by Fallschirmjager

They will be a force in a few years assuming the team can keep the young players.
The team should sell off Henry and use the money to buy up even more young talent.
Henry is an amazing player but seems to be breaking down

I should slap you for speaking of Henry in this manner

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by Astros33Resurrected

I should slap you for speaking of Henry in this manner

They seem to focus on him when he's on the pitch, they need an out and out striker someone who will sit around the penalty box for 90 minutes an Alan Shearer type player, if I was them I'd look at Ashton at West Ham specially if the Hammers go down.

Of the big four Arsenal are probably in the best position to be the better of the big four in the next few years, Chelsea could be in trouble if Mourinho leaves with Lampard taking his time to sign a new contract and John Terry has let it be known he wouldn't be happy if Mourinho left.

Liverpool imo need 3-4 maybe even 5 players bringing in before they can challenge for the title, too many players like Bellamy and Crouch are really just squad players for a team who wants to challenge for the title.

And Man Utd are going to have to be looking to replace players like Neville, Giggs and Scholes in a couple of seasons, plus like Chelsea they could see a change at manager in the near future.

[Muppetus Galacticus]

Originally Posted by Fallschirmjager

They will be a force in a few years assuming the team can keep the young players.
The team should sell off Henry and use the money to buy up even more English young talent.
Henry is an amazing player but seems to be breaking down

Fixed.

[bababui]

Given all the talent Crewe Alexandra develops, why arent they in the EPL??

[ukhotstove]

AC Milan v Bayern Munich
PSV v Liverpool
Roma v Manchester United
Chelsea v Valencia

Chelsea/Valencia v PSV/Liverpool
Roma/Man Utd v AC Milan/Bayern Munich

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by bababui

Given all the talent Crewe Alexandra develops, why arent they in the EPL??

They don't have the money, fanbase or stadium to keep the players.

[bababui]

Bayern got screwed.


To bad for Crewe. If they could get a share of all the new money maybe they could make it.

[mlyons]

Originally Posted by bababui

Bayern got screwed.

You think? Milan hasn't looked really scary recently. Their offense has consisted almost entirely of Kaka trying to play past four defenders while his teammates stand around and watch or occasionally launch the odd 30 yard strike high and wide. PSV's the only remaining team I think is weaker.

[bababui]

Originally Posted by mlyons

You think? Milan hasn't looked really scary recently. Their offense has consisted almost entirely of Kaka trying to play past four defenders while his teammates stand around and watch or occasionally launch the odd 30 yard strike high and wide. PSV's the only remaining team I think is weaker.

Hope your analysis is correct. Maybe its just me but from a historical perspective its the most attractive match up.

[LFC1892]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

Lens are playing Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Cup and was wondering if anyone has seen much of Juan from Bayer as Wigan Athletic are reported to be after him.

Don't know much about him......

14 JUAN

Date of birth: 01 February 1979
Height: 180 cm
Weight: 72 kg
Position: Defender
Current Club: Bayer Leverkusen (GER)
Int'l Goals: 1 (as of 29 June 2005)
Int'l Caps: 32 (as of 29 June 2005)
First Int'l Cap: Brazil vs Peru (2001-07-15)


Stats: Confederations Cup Germany 2005
Key
MPMinPGAPGSSOGYCRCIFCIFS190000110021


Club History

.hline td{border-bottom:1px solid #999;}1996-2002 FlamengoSince 2002 Bayer Leverkusen


Profile:

The versatile Brazilian defender Juan has proved a key member of Bayer Leverkusen's team since signing in 2002. He missed the 2002 FIFA World Cup but in 2004 he was part of their Copa America-winning side, scoring his first international goal against Costa Rica in the group stage. A member of the Brazil team that finished second at the 1997 FIFA U-17 World Championship, Juan was a regular at Flamengo for six seasons until May 2002 when he moved to Leverkusen for 3.5m euros, helping them avoid relegation in his first season and qualify for the UEFA Champions League the next year.

[rudel.dietrich]

Milan is an ok match up
At this stage of the game no match up is a push over

[ukhotstove]

Milan are nothing special as they proved against Celtic and Bayern have nothing to prove, Roma v Man Utd is interesting, bit of a darkhorse Roma and it's going to be or should be a lot harder to beat them than it was Lille specially in Rome so a repeat of the 99 final should be on the cards.


Liverpool unless they screw up really bad have gotten themselves a bye into the semi finals. Chelsea should be waiting for Liverpool in the semi finals as Valencia could have a few players banned for those games after what happened with Inter, which will then give us a borefest as Liverpool have played Chelsea 4 times in the last two years of the Champions League and between them in those four games they've come up with the grand total of 1 goal, anyone for 0-0 0-0 then 1-0 on penalties ?

Bit hard to predict the final and who will be there as to be honest it's wide open but if I was a betting man and betting with bababui's money I'd put it on a hmmmmmmmm Bayern v Chelsea final.

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by LFC1892

Don't know much about him......

14 JUAN

Date of birth: 01 February 1979
Height: 180 cm
Weight: 72 kg
Position: Defender
Current Club: Bayer Leverkusen (GER)
Int'l Goals: 1 (as of 29 June 2005)
Int'l Caps: 32 (as of 29 June 2005)
First Int'l Cap: Brazil vs Peru (2001-07-15)


Stats: Confederations Cup Germany 2005
Key
MPMinPGAPGSSOGYCRCIFCIFS190000110021


Club History

.hline td{border-bottom:1px solid #999;}1996-2002 FlamengoSince 2002 Bayer Leverkusen


Profile:

The versatile Brazilian defender Juan has proved a key member of Bayer Leverkusen's team since signing in 2002. He missed the 2002 FIFA World Cup but in 2004 he was part of their Copa America-winning side, scoring his first international goal against Costa Rica in the group stage. A member of the Brazil team that finished second at the 1997 FIFA U-17 World Championship, Juan was a regular at Flamengo for six seasons until May 2002 when he moved to Leverkusen for 3.5m euros, helping them avoid relegation in his first season and qualify for the UEFA Champions League the next year.

I watched the Blackburn v Bayer UEFA Cup game but the rumours of him coming to Wigan (A Brazilian in Wigan, culture shock or what as I doubt Wigan Pier really matches up to the beaches of Rio) hadn't started until after that game.

Rio

Attachment 73435

Attachment 73436


Wigan

Attachment 73437

Attachment 73438

Culture shock for Juan

[ukhotstove]

If any of you get the chance to watch Newcastle Utd v Alkmaar from the UEFA Cup last night either by tape delay or highlights then make time for it, simply put a great game with two teams who wanted to play football, no diving or cheating or complaining, football how it was meant to be played.

[zoraster]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

Milan are nothing special as they proved against Celtic and Bayern have nothing to prove, Roma v Man Utd is interesting, bit of a darkhorse Roma and it's going to be or should be a lot harder to beat them than it was Lille specially in Rome so a repeat of the 99 final should be on the cards.

That certainly looks the more interesting half of the draw. Still I for one will be surprised to see a replay of 99 in the semi. United simply stink in two legged European knockout football: Lille was just the second win since the treble campaign, and they’ve only recorded six wins in the fifteen seasons before this one. The basic rule for United in these games is when they play anyone half decent they lose. The entire list of victims post-Heysel runs Pecsi Munkas, Wrexham, Montpellier, Legia Warsaw, Athanaikos, Honved, Porto, Inter, Juve, Deportivo, Lille. Not exactly an impressive list for a side who have been ever present in Europe since the return in 90/91and truly awful for a side with United’s resources. Roma will have to cock it up in a big way to counter-balance Fergie’s incompetence. Even if this United team get the same copious good fortune as the 99 side did they simply don’t carry the same attacking threat. In 99 they could carve numerous chances and score against anyone. This United side without a fully match fit Saha rely solely on individual brilliance or the standard fare of defensive errors and set pieces.

United have been playing very poorly for some weeks now, and the absurd Larsson signing will be biting them in the butt over the next few weeks. Throw in the domestic suspension of Scholes and United’s season could easily fall apart in the next few weeks. They’ve just about got away with it in their last few games, but while champions have to win games while playing badly even the most obdurate and lucky sides only have so many lives. Middlesbrough have caused them an awful lot of problems in recent times, and the next league fixtures are the plastic derby against Bolton, and against another side who’ve caused them a lot of problems in recent clashes in Blackburn. Come Roma it isn’t hard to imagine them out the cup and just clinging on to a lead in the league. With the second leg coming days before the trip to Chelsea in the league their primary focus could well be elsewhere.


From what I've seen of the teams this season I'd go for Milan to edge through the other tie. They are far from their best this season with the total lack of firepower, but they have a lot of professionalism and know-how. However I haven't seen much of Bayern Munich since Hitzfeld returned, so if he has reminded the players they are in fact a team it wouldn't take much of his magic to make them favourites. Either way it should be an interesting tie, and it looks the most balanced of the four by some margin.

The other half of the draw looks a bit insipid to say the least. Unless someone dramatically under or over achieves, or The Lady interferes in a big way there doesn't seem much scope for interest. Well, on the pitch at least. If only Liverpool and/or Chelsea provided half as much entertainment on the park as they do off it this half of the draw would be so much more interesting.

[mlyons]

Bayern's looking good recently. They've gotten a decent boost from Lukas Podolski remembering that he's actually a good player, and they never get beaten at home. I'd be shocked if Milan manages to score a goal in Munich.