Football (Soccer)

[admin]

It's official : Arsenal stinks in Europe.

We're probably the only team that manages to get into the CL every season, but still manage to suck at it. Maybe we don't care enough about it, or maybe it's the opposite and we care too much and get too nervous.

But it's alright. We might still qualify out of the group if we do a "Newcastle" and win all our remaining games. And there's always next season ...

I have found a pattern that if I don't watch a match live, there is a much higher chance of Arsenal losing. The EPL is shown here quiet extensively (pretty much all of Arsenal's weekend games are shown either on free to air, or cable TV), and hence why we do well there. The Arsenal CL matches are rarely shown live on TV, and when it is, it's shown at 5 in the morning. In fact, I have never seen an Arsenal CL game live before, or even followed one with radio/live text commentary on the net. For some games (eg. last season's 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund), all I saw of them were streaming clips of highlights from UEFA.com (and on the Arsenal end of season DVD, of course).

[MPS]

yeah, sorry admin to see your team sucking that much dont give up hope, thou. they still may qualify after all... just look at what inter did in moscow

[Oriphus]

Hey - what was going on with the website there Admin - for a while it wouldnt let me post - said server was screwed in obviously different terms

It was hard luck for Arsenal yesterday, they did a ttempt a comeback though. Celtic faild also in Europe and need to rely on two home wins and atleast a draw away. You may yet do a Newcastle, who knows. Rangers will be beaten tonight i hope (I hate Rangers and what they generally are associated with) and then again beaten at Old Trafford. I will be a happy bunny then

[admin]

You should be able to beat Rangers easily - I think we beat them 3-0 away in pre season, so you should be able to do at least the same.

Chelsea play Lazio - a tricky game - hopefully, the loss to Arsenal will have shaken them up a little. Chelsea lose again, 2-0.

Reading a few reviews of the Kiev game, it appears that Arsenal did everything right except to score. The word "unlucky" has been floated around, but not a single win in something like 13 European games can't all be attributed to bad luck, can it?

Do teams that finish third in the group phase still get to play in the UEFA cup? It would be nice to have a run in the UEFA cup - I think we may do well there.

[Oriphus]

It used to be that way, but since they changed the qualifying im not sure. It would only be fair really to allow those that came close to qualifying to play in the UEFA cup.

[Oriphus]

Well, we pull through and dont concede a goal in the Rangers match. A 1-0 victory for Man Utd and we're all ready to slaughter Rangers at Old Trafford next game. I was a bit disappointed not scoring more goals. We couldve easily have scored 3 and we shouldve had a penalty in the last minute. There was no doubt it was a penalty, how could it not have been??? Referee madew a big mistake with that one, though he generally did ok during the match. I was very disappointed with some of our defending and for all of Ryan Giggs's great movement and skill, he did give away the ball an awful lot. Again, an excellent performance from Roy Keane - Man of the match in my opinion. Well done Phil Neville, scoring a truly wonderful goal. What patience and experience he showed taking that goal. He waited and waited and struck at the perfect time.

Ah well, 1-0 will have to do....

Chelsea managed to pull back a win after being 1-0 down at half time.

[Oriphus]

Group A Pld Pts

Bayern 3 5
Lyon 3 4
Anderlecht 3 4
Celtic 3 3



Group C Pld Pts

Deportivo 3 7
Monaco 3 6
PSV 3 3
AEK 3 1



Group E Pld Pts

Stuttgart 3 6
Man. United 3 6
Rangers 3 4
Panathinaikos 3 1



Group G Pld Pts

Chelsea 3 6
Sparta 3 4
Lazio 3 4
Besiktas 3 3



Group B Pld Pts

Internazionale 3 6
Dynamo Kyiv 3 6
Lokomotiv Moskva 3 4
Arsenal 3 1



Group D Pld Pts

Juventus 3 9
Real Sociedad 3 6
Galatasaray 3 3
Olympiacos 3 0



Group F Pld Pts

Real Madrid 3 9
Porto 3 4
Marseille 3 3
Partizan 3 1



Group H Pld Pts

Ajax 3 6
Club Brugge 3 4
Milan 3 4
Celta 3 2

[admin]

I had a weird dream last night (before the ManU match) that Rangers won 5-2. I also dreamt that Phil Neville was transfered to Real Madrid for a record sum

[Oriphus]

lol - very insightful dream about Phil neville in my opinion. However, the Rangers scoreline dream was really just a reflection of your wishes. lol

[MPS]

good to know how u dream - always bet on the opposite of your night visions

[Oriphus]

Oh My God, **** me like a french Maid! WTF was that today at Old Trafford? Im so pissed off at that. Its not the defeat thats got me pissed off, but the sound of very sloppy defending again. I've been thinking that we have been defending very poorly ever since that defeat in the Champions League. Im very pissed off with the play of the team. You know what it is. People wonder why United fans regard Roy Keane so highly compared to other players. Well, do you think he would've let that kind of sloppy play go on without giving the players a real bollocking. United could not keep the ball at all when they broke.

PATHETIC is what i think!!!!!!!!!!

John O'Shea??? What the **** are you playing at son? Ronaldo sounds like he had a ****e game too. As did Ryan Giggs and a few others. I'll watch it on Sunday night and come back and rant & rave about it.

[Oriphus]

I watched the game and actually disagree with most of what i said above in regards to the second half, but the first half stands.

Firstly, I think that United had a terrible first half performance, theres no doubt about that. It really was uncharacteristic of them. But that happens sometimes. We have to remember that Roy Keane was left out (sitting beside Peter Kay in the stadium) and that Phil Neville, who is in amazing form, was also left out. Paul Scholles came on eventually, but had he started from the start it would have been a different performance. Basically, it was a UNited reserve midfield that was playing. We have a lot of experienced players in midfield, but with Paul Scholes, Roy Keane, Phil neville and Ole Gunner Solskjaer being the more experienced, along with Ryan Giggs (who is a striker sometimes), yet only Scholes came on to play (apart from giggsy again). He was a depleated side with a depleated first half performance.

However, that all changed when the second half started. We were by far the better side for the most part of the game. Ronaldo played very well most of the time, had good skill and made decent crosses. Diego Forlan, though scored the first goal, squandered a lot of chances. Even though we out played Fulham for a large part of the second half, we always ended up doing something wrong, the final pass being short or long, and not scoring a goal. It was disappointing, but it isnt something i will worry about, because it is unlikely to be a terminal problem at Old Trafford. I do think one think, however. We really need another out and out striker at United. Solskjaer, when he comes back, will get goals for us (best NATURAL goal scorer in Europe) but we rely to heavily on Van Nistelrooy, and he does deliver, but we need someone who is more level headed and capable than Diego Forlan. His one of magic moments aren't suited to Man Utd, in my opinion.

Lastly, i thought Arsenal were only Average today. i still think they are the team to beat, not Chelsea or anyone else. The reason i think this? Did you watch the last 15 minutes of the second half? Did you see Thiery Henry's left footed shot that hit the post and then his spectacular goal. For those 15mins, the way Arsenal played, could have out-classed every other team in Europe, bar maybe United and Madrid who would normally be on par with that. It truley was an amazing 15mins of football to watch. Arsenal proved in that 15mins why they are one of the top 2 teams in England every year. Outstanding!

[admin]

Pity it only lasted 15 minutes, else we would be 4 points above United now, instead of just 2

You could tell Henry was angry after the penalty that wasn't a penalty, and he is damn dangerous when he gets angry

[MPS]

Speaking of Arsenal... Vladimir Potanin wants to buy it, i heard. he's willing to invest more than $200mln (ie. build a new stadium) in this average club :>

Btw, I read that Chelski wants to buy some of Real M.'s best: Salgado, Raul, Becks, and R. Carlos - thou Raul is not an option, who knows if the rest wont change clubs for money

[Oriphus]

United and Arsenal are both through the Carling Cup. United went through i extra time, could have scored about 5 goals in that match, and Arsenal went through an amazing run of 11 penalties before going through. Well done Rotheram. Bear in mind that Arsenal and United both played reserve teams with a lot of Youth players in it.