Champions League Group Stages

First topic message reminder :

The draw is tonight and we could have some potentially crazy strong groups, Manchester City have a 50% chance of being in the same group as Bayern Munich or Barcelona.

What is the tie everybody wants to see in the group stages?

Look Arsenal have been superb this year, but for me the City game is just a warm up for what's to come. City are the ideal side to combat Arsenal, they set up well, soak up the pressure and then hit on the counter. Bayern can play possession football but are also perfectly built for that game plan. And for me, it's been proven to work against Arsenal for many years due to them having only plan a and no plan b. Bit like Barca now. Bayern are the ultimate side and will beat Arsenal imo.

We have a long way to go lads..

But if you lot want a laugh(or to feel embarrassed)- go and look at the pre season comments in regards to arsernal-   

I am a palace fan- Yes i may not be neutral because I love what Wenger is doing at arsernal. I love that stubbornness, I love his approach to the game.

TopHat24/7 wrote:Still is no reason why Arsenal have a hope of progressing given how much they've struggled versus the 'top' sides this season (1-1 with Dortmund, lost to City and United, drew with Everton and squeaked past Southampton whilst being outplayed [can't see BM letting them off the hook so]).

Too be fair, no disrespect to Soton, but I wouldnt consider them amoungst the top teams Arsenal have played this season. The top teams were City, Dortmund, Liverpool, Napoli, Everton and United.
In these games, Arsenal's record currently stands at:

W: 3
D: 1
L: 4

Not great but not disgraceful either. However, Bayern are a stronger team than any of the above.
Stylistically, Arsenal don't do well against teams who they cant control the tempo against. With Munich, it will be the Germans controlling the game and I can't see Arsenal being able to live with them.
Trying to beat teams like Barca or Munich "at their own game" just doesnt work. Teams that play a more cagey style designed to soak up pressure like Chelsea tend to do better.

In fairness, I'd say the pre-season comments were justified. No one saw Ramsey's form coming, or the Ozil signing. Once Ozil signed i'm pretty sure everyone realized a player of his caliber can be the difference between 4th place and a title, and he hasn't hit top form yet.

Arsenal have a chance but for me its a very small chance. If they had a lewandowski/Suarez up front then fair enough. They don't, Bayern just have too much quality and fire power its frightening. Arsenal still contenders for the league although I make City firm favorites.

benson if you are going to call united a top team you also have to call Tottenham one as well.

sorry mate i know they have been bashed up by city and Liverpool but they still cant be regarded as worse than united at this moment in time

The teams who've had the greater success over Arsenal in recent years are sides who combat their style well and Arsenal don't have a plan b and that's utd and Chelsea. Utd beat them using the same tactic this season and won, City used that tactic and won, Bayern will dominate possession and hit on the counter. I just can't see any other winner.

Liam wrote:In fairness, I'd say the pre-season comments were justified. No one saw Ramsey's form coming, or the Ozil signing. Once Ozil signed i'm pretty sure everyone realized a player of his caliber can be the difference between 4th place and a title, and he hasn't hit top form yet.

Arsenal have a chance but for me its a very small chance. If they had a lewandowski/Suarez up front then fair enough. They don't, Bayern just have too much quality and fire power its frightening. Arsenal still contenders for the league although I make City firm favorites.

no they didn't everyone bar me and I think compelling- was saying that they needed to strengthen they defence and that he was a wasted purchase and not needed, and that he wouldnt make a difference because they would leak way to many goals still blah blah blah

Can you 2 foe each other.

can you foe everyone please nick

NAH

You're alright.

Rigged draw.

J.Benson II wrote:

TopHat24/7 wrote:Still is no reason why Arsenal have a hope of progressing given how much they've struggled versus the 'top' sides this season (1-1 with Dortmund, lost to City and United, drew with Everton and squeaked past Southampton whilst being outplayed [can't see BM letting them off the hook so]).

Too be fair, no disrespect to Soton, but I wouldnt consider them amoungst the top teams Arsenal have played this season. The top teams were City, Dortmund, Liverpool, Napoli, Everton and United.
In these games, Arsenal's record currently stands at:

W: 3
D: 1
L: 4

Not great but not disgraceful either. However, Bayern are a stronger team than any of the above.
Stylistically, Arsenal don't do well against teams who they cant control the tempo against. With Munich, it will be the Germans controlling the game and I can't see Arsenal being able to live with them.
Trying to beat teams like Barca or Munich "at their own game" just doesnt work. Teams that play a more cagey style designed to soak up pressure like Chelsea tend to do better.

So, they've got a losing record overall against the top sides they've played, none of whom are as good as Bayern. So why is this cause to assume they're suddenly gonna do great against Bayern??

Plus, frankly, the way they've been this season (don't forget they outplayed Citeh at home pretty much) I'd put Soton up with Napoli easily. Napoli are a hype job carried for a couple of seasons by one superstar player who's now left. Still got the crux of a good side but are nothing special anymore. Would back Citeh to give them a hiding.

arsenal look like world beaters when there allowed to play, soon as the better teams can keep the ball, defend well and close them down well they dont look half the team, a out of form united team showed this without evening playing that well. and frankly bayern are probably the worlds best team at doing the above. so i can only see a bayern win. thats not to say arsenal wont give them a game, on there day they can give any team a game. city aside (who bayern couldn't get anyway) they were the hardest second placed team to get for me

in the end we'll see in feb who was proven right

Well, Arsenal got the worst draw, I can't be as confident as Mysti, I see Munich as the best side in Europe and Arsenal while they are improving are not at their level yet. Munich have so many players that can just turn half a chance into goal. I don't see Arsenal winning this tie and frankly it might help them focus on league. But I just want to see them run Munich close again and not get embarrased where it will hit their morale and confidence. Already the team is running a bit low after a strange loss in Napoli where they were the better side for much of the match to completely collapsing after the goal and redcard. And Man City well they had their chances in that one as well and have just been too wasteful in front of goal. That will be punished by a team like Munich.

Man City I think are favorites frankly. Barca are not as good as they have been and they look like they can be taken. I think 3 of 4 English teams will go forward and Arsenal I don't think has enough for Bayern.

TopHat24/7 wrote:

J.Benson II wrote:

TopHat24/7 wrote:Still is no reason why Arsenal have a hope of progressing given how much they've struggled versus the 'top' sides this season (1-1 with Dortmund, lost to City and United, drew with Everton and squeaked past Southampton whilst being outplayed [can't see BM letting them off the hook so]).

Too be fair, no disrespect to Soton, but I wouldnt consider them amoungst the top teams Arsenal have played this season. The top teams were City, Dortmund, Liverpool, Napoli, Everton and United.
In these games, Arsenal's record currently stands at:

W: 3
D: 1
L: 4

Not great but not disgraceful either. However, Bayern are a stronger team than any of the above.
Stylistically, Arsenal don't do well against teams who they cant control the tempo against. With Munich, it will be the Germans controlling the game and I can't see Arsenal being able to live with them.
Trying to beat teams like Barca or Munich "at their own game" just doesnt work. Teams that play a more cagey style designed to soak up pressure like Chelsea tend to do better.

So, they've got a losing record overall against the top sides they've played, none of whom are as good as Bayern.  So why is this cause to assume they're suddenly gonna do great against Bayern??

Plus, frankly, the way they've been this season (don't forget they outplayed Citeh at home pretty much) I'd put Soton up with Napoli easily.  Napoli are a hype job carried for a couple of seasons by one superstar player who's now left. Still got the crux of a good side but are nothing special anymore.  Would back Citeh to give them a hiding.

Napoli are a good team, especially at home. They would have gone through had they been almost any of the other groups. Soton outplayed City but City away from home have been poor and inconsistent in general.
Even if you consider Soton as one of the strongest teams Arsenal have played, that just improves Arsenal's record against the better sides.
Munich are on a different level though. They would be favourites to beat any team in the world at the moment.

Not sure if i can call Man citeh favs against Barca.

I dont want to sound like a paranoia junky- But Barca do get the occasional favouritism from refs.

They also know how to win fouls. They are also very experienced at this level.

BUt there is no reason why Citeh cant go and do a Dortmund this year and get to the final. Its just a very hard draw and Barcelona are favs for me.

To get 12 pts in a group of Citeh and dortmound(who also got 12 pts)

shows how good napoli is.

They are better than many of the qualifiers- that was the group of death and it lived upped to its billing.

mystiroakey wrote:To get 12 pts in a group of Citeh and dortmound(who also got 12 pts)

shows how good napoli is.

They are better than many of the qualifiers- that was the group of death and it lived upped to its billing.

When was that?

Sorry arsenal. You knew !!!

In a lovely move by Bayern, They have decided to pay £27 of the £62 ticket fee to the Arsenal game so only have to pay £35