UEFA Champions and Europa League 2015/16 Thread

[Dolphin Ziggler]

First topic message reminder :

It begins for the English today as West Ham face FC Lusitans in front of a sold out Upton Park this evening. The team will be a bit mixed. Randolph, O'Brien, Tomkins, Burke, Page. Jarvis, Oxford, Poyet, Amalfitano. Zarate, Sakho.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Buzzing hub of chat with the Man United game on, I assumed Liam would be here the second United conceded

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Utd just lost to the 3rd placed side in the Danish league who haven't played a competitive game in two months

This is a new low

[compelling and rich]

sooner lvg goes the better, not sure what were waiting for. if jose is coming in, give him few months at the end of the season to work with the players and see who he wants/doesnt

[compelling and rich]

you could get rid of 80% of that team and wouldn't notice, the only real keepers are

de gea
smalling
shaw
martial

obviously your not getting rid of everybody and hopefully schneiderlin, herrera, darmian etc will do better under a better manager. but we have signed some very average players

[Guest]

One word. Embarrassing. Although, I'd still have United to overturn that at OT

[Hammersmith harrier]

you could get rid of 80% of that team and wouldn't notice, the only real keepers are

de gea
smalling
shaw
martial

obviously your not getting rid of everybody and hopefully schneiderlin, herrera, darmian etc will do better under a better manager. but we have signed some very average players

Mata and Blind would be worth keeping too but beyond that I don't think the rest offer a lot.

[BamBam]

With the "challenge" that Mata put in for their 2nd goal, I'd sell him tomorrow

[Fernando]

Why would you expect Juan Mata a lightweight spaniard attacking midfielder to defend competently. That's like telling Wayne Rooney not to eat pies. He's going to let you down time and time again.

[GSC]

Without exaggerating probably Uniteds darkest day in recent history

[lfc91]

For someone who insists his best position is CM, Milner is a terrible passer! So many interceptions already tonight from his poor passing.

[lfc91]

Liverpool's dire inconsistency continues. Making a poor Lowerctable German side look like Barca at times.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

you could get rid of 80% of that team and wouldn't notice, the only real keepers are

de gea
smalling
shaw
martial

obviously your not getting rid of everybody and hopefully schneiderlin, herrera, darmian etc will do better under a better manager. but we have signed some very average players

Only one keeper there mate. Silly, Smalling has improved but cant play in goal!! xD xD xD xD exdee exdee

[Dolphin Ziggler]

It is funny though. This is a moment people could look back on for a long time, the real end of the United dynasty underlined

[lfc91]

God that was painful. Poor result.

Ibe is fast becoming a player I dread to see coming on. Can't pass, shooting poor for the most part and most of his dribbles end up with him running it to far and out of play. Thank god he is young, could do with a year out on loan.

[Guest]

Liverpool's dire inconsistency continues. Making a poor Lowerctable German side look like Barca at times.

Augsburg came fifth in the Bundesliga last season, so although having a tough year this season, they're still a decent side, probably struggling to adjust to the tougher schedule, as EPL sides have found. 0-0 is hardly a poor result, you didn't honestly think you would roll them over did you, given Liverpool's dire situation?

[lfc91]

Yes I did actually. Better team, better players, coming off a confidence boosting result with a well rested first team (which considering our recent fixtures has been rare), I was actually quite confident.

Suppose we are still heavy favourites but would have liked to be able to rest many first teamers ahead of next Sunday.

[Guest]

They looked like they couldn't wait to get back inside for a mug of cocoa. Dunno how cold it was last night but that shouldn't have had as much influence of our inability to keep possession as it did. Looked at times like it was so cold the pitch must have had ice patches on it people were falling over so much.

Thankfully the draw meant I could still laugh uproariously at Utd's defeat (although not in my wife's presence as she was on the warpath after that match and felt the need to nitpick every little mistake Liverpool made safe in the knowledge that one look at her angry face meant she knew I wasn't going to mention how bad her lot were)

Disappointed with the draw and the fact it means some of the obvious choices for the Cup Final won't get a rest and risk injury but we've only ourselves to blame for making the job harder.

[Duty281]

Should be a comfortable win for Arsenal tonight, on the way to Champions League glory.

2-0, maybe 3. Even the woeful Turkish ref won't have too much influence.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Duty how much do you have on arsenal to win the CL?

Think it'll be 1-1 tonight - arsenal do seem to put in their best performances in these type of games

[monty junior]

Usually in the return leg after they've been humped at home and are basically out.

[Duty281]

Duty how much do you have on arsenal to win the CL?

Think it'll be 1-1 tonight - arsenal do seem to put in their best performances in these type of games

Not enough money in the world to back this absolute certainty.

[Fernando]

Arsenal XI: Cech, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Sanchez, Giroud.

Bench: Ospina, Gibbs,Chambers, Flamini,Campbell,Walcott,Welbeck

Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen, Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Alba, Busquets, Rakitic, Iniesta, Suarez, Messi, Neymar

Bench: Bravo, Adriano, Mathieu,Vermaelen, Sergi Roberto, Aleix Vidal, Munir

[Duty281]

Evens that Arsenal win or draw tonight. Get your free money. Roll up.

Barcelona have the most overrated front three, a pedestrian midfield, and a pathetically weak defence.

All yours Arsenal. Can't wait for the damage that Theo will do when he comes on at the hour mark.

[Duty281]

This referee is an absolute pillock.

[Duty281]

Good half for Arsenal, they'll be disappointed not to be a goal to the good. Oxlade has been terrific, though he'll probably have to come off. Arsenal have the impact on the bench to carry the day. And their concentration was dipping towards the end, so they will be somewhat relieved that it's half-time.

[compelling and rich]

arsenal need at least a couple goal lead going to the nou camp, they've always done well at emirates only to get turned over away

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Good half for Arsenal, they'll be disappointed not to be a goal to the good. Oxlade has been terrific, though he'll probably have to come off. Arsenal have the impact on the bench to carry the day. And their concentration was dipping towards the end, so they will be somewhat relieved that it's half-time.

2/3 times Sanchez switched off and let Alves go - can't keep doing that

[Duty281]

No matter how much Barcelona cheat, the w*nk-fest will continue from the media.

Arsenal haven't started in this half yet.

[Hero]

Juve 0-2 Bayern
Absolute masterclass by the Germans in Turin so far.

[Duty281]

Masterful save from Ter Stegen.

[Jermaine2015]

World class save from Marc-Andre ter Stegen. This boy is too good just to be a cup keeper...

This could be FC Bayern's year if Arsenal can eliminate Barcelona

[Hero]

Juve get a lifeline with a Dybala goal

[Duty281]

Arsenal clinging on. Fate shall guide them.

[Jermaine2015]

MESSI!!!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Coquelin has to track Neymar back there...just lets him run off while r jogs back!

[Jermaine2015]

Suarez missed from all of 7 yards out

[Hero]

Juve 2-2 Bayern
Proper game on now!

[Jermaine2015]

FC Bayern falling apart here. 2-2

[Jermaine2015]

2-0 Barcelona. Messi P/K

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Get what you deserve bringing on Flamini ffs

[NickisBHAFC]

Flamini that is sensational

[Duty281]

For shame. For great and everlasting shame. Arsenal have shot themselves in the foot.

[Hero]

Should be a comfortable win for Arsenal tonight, on the way to Champions League glory.

2-0, maybe 3. Even the woeful Turkish ref won't have too much influence.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Great night for me. Backed Barca -1 and also Messi to score, Barca to win.

[Duty281]

Should be a comfortable win for Arsenal tonight, on the way to Champions League glory.

2-0, maybe 3. Even the woeful Turkish ref won't have too much influence.

It should have been.

Bloody Oxlade fluffing his golden chance in the first half.

Still, at least the woeful Turkish ref didn't influence too much, as he was awful for both sides. He didn't send off an Arsenal player when the Catalans made a meal of a 50-50 challenge. Would have been interesting to see what he would have done if Giroud had gone rolling around on the turf when Alves (?) leaned his head in.

[Guest]

Is that six years in a row Arsenal exit at the last 16. Comical

[GSC]

I dunno, id take losing at the last 16 stage of the CL at any point in the last 6 years.

Quite a few years before that too.

[Hero]

4 of those 6 have been to either Barca or Bayern as well.

[GSC]

Definitely should've beaten Monaco. Probably AC too.

But yeah, put in proper context, no shame in going out to Barca/Bayern.

[Crimey]

One of the craziest things is that Barca didn't even make a substitution.

[Sponsored content]