UEFA Champions & Europa League 2014-15 Season Thread

[Fernando]

First topic message reminder :

All places to talk Champions & Europa League  football for this season  

Champions League Round of 16 Draw

PSG vs Chelsea
Man City vs Barcelona
Bayer Leverkusen vs Atletico Madrid
Juventus vs Dortmund
Schalke vs Real Madrid
Shaktar Donetsk vs Bayern Munich
Arsenal vs Monaco
Basel vs Porto


Arsenal - Monaco
Celtic - Inter Milan
Chelsea - PSG
Everton - Young Boys
Hull - OUT
Liverpool - OUT of CL dropped into Europa League - Besiktas
Man City - Barcelona
Man Utd - Swansea 21st February (It's about as close to European football as your getting this year) 
Tottenham - Fiorentina

[Gerry SA]

What's sturridge done this season when he's played? That's right been rubbish. 

Suarez carried loserpool last season.

[hampo17]

He's played three games and scored one goal without ever being fully fit

[Gerry SA]

Raheem Sterling has been exposed without the genius of Luis Suarez. 

Sturridge scored numerous goals while Suarez was banned last season, and I'm pretty sure Sterling had a decent world cup without Suarez so as usual Gerry you're talking garbage.

Outstanding World Cup?

England didn't win a game.

I said decent, but don't let that cloud your judgement and there are ten other players on the field

Yeah overrated Steven Gerrard was the worst of the lot...

[Gerry SA]

He's played three games and scored one goal without ever being fully fit

Messi and Ronaldo(yeah dining at the top table) where 50% for most of 2013-14 yet scored bucket fulls

[hampo17]

Do you have proof that they were 50% fit for most of the season or are you just making random "facts" to support a stupid argument? No wonder the guys in the boxing and cricket sections think you're a moron.

[Fernando]

Do you have proof that they were 50% fit for most of the season or are you just making random "facts" to support a stupid argument? No wonder the guys in the boxing and cricket sections think you're a moron.

Don't forget Motorsport

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Sterling has been poor tonight but why he's being played out wide to accommodate poorer players I dunno

[hampo17]

Do you have proof that they were 50% fit for most of the season or are you just making random "facts" to support a stupid argument? No wonder the guys in the boxing and cricket sections think you're a moron.

Don't forget Motorsport  

and the motorsport section

[compelling and rich]

sterling has had a right mare tonight, remember di maria getting fair bit of stick for something similar in the world cup.

real madrid wont be knocking on his door anytime soon

[compelling and rich]

Sterling has been poor tonight but why he's being played out wide to accommodate poorer players I dunno

ah the old i can only play in one position is why i missed countless chances argument rearing its head

[The Special Juan]

I don't hate Liverpool at all (far from it) but seeing Balotelli tonight is making me chuckle. A red card would cap off a perfect evening. It was a refreshing change to hear Carragher not bumming a Liverpool player tonight too.

[compelling and rich]

a lot of said chances being quite central

[Hero]

I'm always happy to stick the boot into Liverpool but really don't get the grief on Sturridge. Compare any player under the sun to Messi/Ronaldo and they won't smell of roses.
Skrtel and Lovren as a partnership though, yeah that rivalling ours for being gash.

[hampo17]

Don't think the referee has been overly great again in our game tonight, Sterling has been taken out a few times and got nothing but their players fall over and get a free kick every time. I hope he's not getting a reputation similar to Ashley Young.

[The Special Juan]

I'm always happy to stick the boot into Liverpool but really don't get the grief on Sturridge. Compare any player under the sun to Messi/Ronaldo and they won't smell of roses.
Skrtel and Lovren as a partnership though, yeah that rivalling ours for being gash.

Steady on, let's not go too far.

[Hero]

I'm always happy to stick the boot into Liverpool but really don't get the grief on Sturridge. Compare any player under the sun to Messi/Ronaldo and they won't smell of roses.
Skrtel and Lovren as a partnership though, yeah that rivalling ours for being gash.

Steady on, let's not go too far.

Both conceded the same amount in the Premier League so far.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Again playing Gerrard is hurting Liverpool. Playing him in a midfield two is nye on tactical suicide

[The Special Juan]

I'm always happy to stick the boot into Liverpool but really don't get the grief on Sturridge. Compare any player under the sun to Messi/Ronaldo and they won't smell of roses.
Skrtel and Lovren as a partnership though, yeah that rivalling ours for being gash.

Steady on, let's not go too far.

Both conceded the same amount in the Premier League so far.

Utd have played 6 lesser teams though, Liverpool have played Everton & City.

[Fernando]

Markus Rosenberg is dominating the CL

Another case of Poopie in the PL great in the CL

[compelling and rich]

balotelli been offside more times than filippo inzaghi tonight!! and that takes some doing!

[compelling and rich]

basel been decent tonight, liverpool could struggle from here as i could easily see basel getting something at anfield. you need basel and ludogrets taking points off each other

[Fernando]

FT Basel 1-0 Liverpool

another English club falls to Basel.

[The Special Juan]

"Liverpool faulty in Basel."

[Mad for Chelsea]

poor performance from Liverpool, didn't create anything at all. Sterling has looked to me to be almost trying too hard to do it all himself with Sturridge out. Henderson had one of the worst games I can remember seeing from him too. Still expect Liverpool to get out of the group, but they'll need to do better than that.

Great bounce back win for Arsenal, much needed. Dortmund look a certainty to top that group though, so Arsenal will be crossing their fingers to draw one of the weaker group winners. They'll probably get Bayern or Real though...

[hampo17]

Liverpool need to make changes and quickly. We're trying to play with the same system as last year, it doesn't work without Suarez making those runs. We've signed Balotelli so we need to find a system that will create him chances and yes, he was offside a lot but you could argue the ball should have come quicker, one chance really stands out in my mind is Balotelli trying to run in behind the defender and Sterling passing it straight to the bloody centre back.

[NickisBHAFC]

Fantastic to see Welbeck score for fun tonight. Arsenal fans must of loved it the emirates tonight, a win and finally some atmosphere with Galatasary in town.

[Hero]

The Turks certainly create an atmosphere, Besiktas came to Macc Town for a friendly preseason and the fans danced and sang for the entire match. Best atmosphere I've ever seen at the Moss!

[mystiroakey]

poor performance from Liverpool, didn't create anything at all. Sterling has looked to me to be almost trying too hard to do it all himself with Sturridge out. Henderson had one of the worst games I can remember seeing from him too. Still expect Liverpool to get out of the group, but they'll need to do better than that.

Great bounce back win for Arsenal, much needed. Dortmund look a certainty to top that group though, so Arsenal will be crossing their fingers to draw one of the weaker group winners. They'll probably get Bayern or Real though...

I wouldn't say its a certainty at all. Arsenal could win all there games. Luckily for them they only lost 2-0 to Dortmund when it could and possibly should have been 4.

If dortmund continue that weak finishing on top. Arsenal can nick the GD.

[socal1976]

Danny is looking a steal at 16 million pounds. Arsenal had a good window despite not adding a DM or CB, leaving a big hole in the team. I think we solved the striker problem. When Giroud comes back we will have 4 very high quality players who can play that position. Danny, Olly, the kid Theo, and Sanchez. Most teams would be happy with one or two of those guys playing up top and we also have the wide players now as well. Nice rebound after dropping points at home to Spurs. The team just needs to gel the talent is there right now to do big things and win trophies. Dortmund was a terrible performance.

Please Arsene for the love of god don't play Ozil out wide keep him in the free role behind the striker. He is not a winger he is a number 10 and a great one at that. Of course the problem now becomes what to do with Jack because when he has played he has been pretty good this season as well.

[super_realist]

Liverpool

[kingraf]

aren't group stage ties decided by head to head?

[monty junior]

Yup, BVB are in horrible form domestically so there's a chance for Arsenal to turn it around but in all likelyhood Dortmund were still go through, they just have a bad style for Arsenal.

[FIFA Diva]

Which English teams are playing today?

[compelling and rich]

Which English teams are playing today?

city are on at 5pm, chelsea at 7.45

[FIFA Diva]

Cheers. It's the Liverpool and Madrid game which I'm really looking forward to.

[mystiroakey]

All the games seem a bit mismatched this week.

Liverpool should on paper get smashed. But fingers crossed they can raise there level.

[super_realist]

I'm hoping Liverpool do get absolutely pumped. A really easy team to dislike.

[Stella]

I'm hoping Liverpool do get absolutely pumped. A really easy team to dislike.

Should be cheering on the Scottish teams in the CL, not worry about us lot................oh yeah!

[mystiroakey]

I hope sterling can show his worth against the best team in the world..

A couple of positives for Liverpool... RM are not the type to play long ball- Liverpool have been undone by that tactic over any other this season.. RM are not great defensively. RM are missing Bale..

But when all said and done - RM are almost even money to beat liverpool- That is one of the bets of the season so far.

[Guest]

Liverpool won't get smashed. This will be step up for Madrid, in comparison to La Liga games recently & Sterling can frighten that back-line, who let's not forget, were embarrassed by Sociedad about month ago. You can talk about Ronaldo, but Madrid are not issue free either, defensively can be very vulnerable & as stated are missing Bale. Madrid barely scraped past the Bulgarians in the last game.......

[super_realist]

I hope sterling can show his worth against the best team in the world..

A couple of positives for Liverpool... RM are not the type to play long ball- Liverpool have been undone by that tactic over any other this season.. RM are not great defensively. RM are missing Bale..

But when all said and done - RM are almost even money to beat liverpool- That is one of the bets of the season so far.

Negative for Liverpool, they barely beat QPR who are beyond crap.

[kingraf]

I'm backing CSKA to sneak a point against Citeh. Think Roma will hold Munich up a bit, but the dam walls eventually burst. Madrid vs Liverpool is the interesting one, maybe the glory of a European night, and sense of the occasion lift then up, but if we get one early, I think it's a rout.

[mystiroakey]

its going to be a wierd game(no fans)- but i am backing city to win by 2 or more. Munich to beat roma.

I am not going to touch RM but as i said Graf - you are almost evens to beat Liverpool- Its a good value bet, i would get on that over your CSKA game- I cant see how they can't beat them tbh. There chance is when they have home advantage- that wont be there

[kingraf]

Aguerooooo

[Mad for Chelsea]

should really have been 3 already, looked a fairly clear penalty there on Dzeko, and Milner should really score with the follow-up...

[mystiroakey]

A bit of a mis match as predicted.

Should be 3 but 2 is good enough.

I really don't like these ghost games though. Sounds Erie.

[GSC]

The 60 year old scores

[kingraf]

Lol Citeh are so rank in Europe though.

[GSC]

Soft as hell but they all count

[The Special Juan]

I love it!!

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