CL Last 16

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Some cracking games this week, Barca/City and Bayern/Arsenal. Can't see past Bayern and Barca wins. Pellegrini has said he'll attack Barca and I say do so at your peril. This may not be the Barca side from 2010-2012 but its still a very very good side with players in form currently, namely Fabregas, Sanchez and with a returning Messi back in the goals. There's a chance that if they go in with two strikers that they could get torn to pieces. I think against Barca you have to play a 5 man midfield. They keep the ball too well and will just pass their way through you.

It was a reference to that fateful night in 99.

I don't think it's an outlandish claim to suggest Chelsea are second favourites at all, they are the most physical team left standing and that goes a long way against the Spanish duo especially Barcelona.

mystiroakey wrote:Chelsea are 4th favs in my and the bookies eyes..


Nevin is talking nonsense.

Chelsea are a great cup team- with various game plans and an expetional manager.

Pat Nevin is a muppet.

Whoever comes through the Man U tie will be the worst of the 8, there's a top 3 then it's a pick em between the other four, there's going to be some great ties.

socal1976 wrote:

Duty281 wrote:I believe in you United - I've just had a look at the 1999 Champions League final and am relatively well assured that Manchester United always score.

Unfortunately, the game is on Sky tonight, so there's no Clive Tyldesley to take me back to that balmy night in Barcelona. Even worse, there's no Yorke, Cole, Becks, Sheringham or that chap that ended up as Cardiff's manager on the team-sheet tonight.

But there is Giggs, and there is hope.

Come on United...

Oh dear, please don't ever claim any of my claims are outlandish.

That was sarcasm dear boy, a most wonderful form of humour, and a brief nod to '99 as Giggs did indeed play in that final.

United's hopes tonight will rely mostly on the English trio of Carrick, Welbeck and Rooney - seeing as RVP is a tad out of touch - and the defensive fortitude, should they ever be threatened on the break, of Vidic and De Gea.

Duty281 wrote:

Unfortunately, the game is on Sky tonight, so there's no Clive Tyldesley to take me back to that balmy night in Barcelona.

Thank god, he and Townsend are the most abysmal combination of commentators in sports history. All Townsend offered in the Arsenal Bayern game, x20 "go on" , "1000000x "unlucky", two complete clowns! Thank god there's Roy Keane to give some perspective.

Rio starting tonight, with Jones, in the heart of the defence. No Vidic.

Oh dear.

monty junior wrote:

Duty281 wrote:

Unfortunately, the game is on Sky tonight, so there's no Clive Tyldesley to take me back to that balmy night in Barcelona.

Thank god, he and Townsend are the most abysmal combination of commentators in sports history. All Townsend offered in the Arsenal Bayern game, x20 "go on" , "1000000x "unlucky", two complete clowns! Thank god there's Roy Keane to give some perspective.

You can certainly play a bit of commentator bingo with those two!

socal1976 wrote:I actually think United, if the players haven't totally mailed it in could win this Olympiacos by enough to overturn the deficit. Olympiacos is a much, much better side at home then they are on the road.

No way Chelsea is second favorite in this tournament. Bayern, Real, Barca, and then Chelsea as 4th or maybe 5th favorite. I mean I wouldn't be shocked if they won it. But to claim they are second favorite is a huge stretch. 4th if your generous, 5th if you are being conservative. Although I would probably put them as a bigger favorite than PSG or Atleti. We know Jose doesn't have the best record against Barca and Barca seems to be shaking off their mid season slump and Messi looks like Messi again. They made Man City look like Stoke West.

Just check out the history of Messi and Barca vs Chelsea. We are clearly on top. It's almost as if they're scared of us.

I'd only put Real ahead of us. We are insanely good at getting results against Barca and German clubs. We beat Schalke by a 6-0 agg in the group stage. Hell, Torres was motm in the game in Gelsenkirchen. But as mentioned before, Jose knows the Real side and like Messi, Bale is very quiet against us.

Going for a European three-peat!  

Maybe you would as i presume you are a Chelsea fan but the rest of Europe would make Bayern especially heavy favorites and with good reason. Chelsea may have a good manager but so do Bayern and man for man better players all over the park. To be fair the Schalke result doesn't say a lot as they are rubbish and were better beaten by Bayern and Real Madrid.

think id have chelsea 3rd favorites over barca currently, much more defensively solid which in europe is massive and has a manager who's been there and done it

think real are currently playing better than barca as the table shows and they look a lot better attacking outfit. bayern as most people will have them are my favorites

i suppose at least moyes has changed the team tonight which it clearly needed doing but still some strange choices in there. valencia like rooney is usually a player who struggles to find his rhythm unless he's playing week in week out, add that to giggs and rio who have barely played we could struggle even against such weak opposition

Strange team from united however 5 of the players can run so I expect them to be more competitive than the weekend.

Gamble with Ferdinand, giggs and Valencia playing so infrequently.

Valencia is so bad

I'm confident Utd will win the game but whether they can progress or not is a different matter. I'd like to think so but I think they need at least 1 goal before half time.

Unbelievable goal by Hulk! Shame he plays for such a heartless team

YEAH!!!

So good so far, wonder if they will get cagey now that the tie is level.

Rooney and rvp on it without interference from other players.. Result.. 2 goals.

Welbeck is also showing good touch on the left.

Makes a difference having giggs on, when he has a good game he shows for the ball in midfield and attempts incisive passes forwards rather than just playing it wide time and time again.

Wellbeck's had a good game. RVP has popped up with a couple of goals. Rooney may have got a bit lucky with his first touch there, but it's a good run and a fine final ball. Lovely pass from Giggs, someone I have huge respect for: started his career as a winger whose main strength is going past people with pace and skill, ending it as a midfielder whose main strength is his strong passing game (and vision).

as an aside, the difference in performance between home and away from teams like Galatasaray and Olympiakos is slightly bizarre, which shows why many on here were right to give United a chance at turning the tables.

It really does look more of a fergie team tbh.

Giggs clearly can't do that week in week out. Too old. But as others have said what a difference he makes with his vision

Hope Man United get through, usually hate them, but it's always sad when such a prestigious team falls so badly from grace. (Look at Ac Milan) It's in their hands now, though there will still be one big chance for Olympiakos you feel.

De Gea is a rather special shot stopper.

Ent wrote:So good so far, wonder if they will get cagey now that the tie is level.

its exactly what we did against sunderland, need to press on and look to win this half 2-0 as well, they have posed enough of a threat to us that we may need another 2. de gea double save showed it

OH ROBIN VAN PERSIE!!!

one more and we should be safe!

What in the bloomin hell is the keeper doing there???????

shocking goalkeeping, and felt it was a bit of a soft freekick TBH (though in Europe it's not rare to see those given I guess). Special moment for RVP though, apparently his first hat-trick in the competition too

Good to see sole passion and a few goals, competitive too.

But olympiakos are terrible and with better (ie competent) finishing they would have had at least 2 goals.

I think they'll get one so we need one more.

United need another to finish it otherwise it could into Porto MK II. Apparently Olympiakos have scored in all their CL Games this season.

Olly wrote:What in the bloomin hell is the keeper doing there???????

He was totally flummoxed and had absolutely no idea who was taking the FK or where it was going.

Need to start playing again here as I can see us conceding late on.

I think Valencia is a future RB. He's no worse than Rafael at defending.

The Special Juan wrote:I think Valencia is a future RB.  He's no worse than Rafael at defending.

Hard to believe it but he is, has no idea about positioning himself - costs us every time he goes back there.

I don't like the way united are sitting back . need another to be safe. But to be fair to Rio and Jones they are doing well.

Ent wrote:

The Special Juan wrote:I think Valencia is a future RB.  He's no worse than Rafael at defending.

Hard to believe it but he is, has no idea about positioning himself - costs us every time he goes back there.

Ha, fair enough. He's better at attacking though. I reckon if they were to make him a full-time RB his positioning would improve.

Not sure his passing would. All well and good seeing him bombing down the wing but your fullback is your out ball got to be comfortable taking it and passing into midfield.

Rafael is terrible mind.

They're going to score a horrendous deflected goal in injury time, aren't they?

I can imagine every united fan having kittens at the moment....

mystiroakey wrote:I can imagine every united fan having kittens at the moment....

Aye but we will likely get chinned by whoever we draw in the next round.

I'd take PSG. Overrated.

Best 5 minutes fellani has ever played for united

We've found something Fellaini's good at!!

Hopefully that gives us a lift, but were now the worst team left in the competition.

The most useful contribution Fellaini has made all season.

mystiroakey wrote:Best 5 minutes fellani has ever played for united

and the best he is every likely to produce too   

Well played lads. Great team today. Backed to the tried and tested.. Well done Moyes and the players.

Rooney. Rvp. Wellbeck. Jones .giggs all immense

David De Gea double save. My word. Keep your hat tricks, that moment was immense

Well done United

Final 8

Bayern Munich
Barca
Real Madrid
Athletico Madrid
Man United
Chelsea
Borussia Dortmund
PSG

Tasty!

Aye the keeper needs a mention