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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.

mystiroakey wrote:

Champagne_Socialist wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:

Champagne_Socialist wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:Doesn't matter. Arsenal need to be making quarters with ease. Top teams qualify and have a shot going forward.

I don't buy that it doesn't matter. It matters big time

to be fair we did have the hardest group in the cl and we got 12 points which would in nearly every year get you top spot but we came 2nd on goal difference to the cl runners up. we then got bayern munich the best team in the world and lost 3-1.

You wouldn't have got Bayern if you topped it. You were in pole position final game . you didn't turn up and fight out a win, draw or 1-0 loss to top the group.

you're boring

Maybe. But sometimes boring is fact

You are talking as if playing Napoli away in Italy is as easy as playing Barnet at home.

Come on duty. Let's seethe pic?

Champagne_Socialist wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:

Champagne_Socialist wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:

Champagne_Socialist wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:Doesn't matter. Arsenal need to be making quarters with ease. Top teams qualify and have a shot going forward.

I don't buy that it doesn't matter. It matters big time

to be fair we did have the hardest group in the cl and we got 12 points which would in nearly every year get you top spot but we came 2nd on goal difference to the cl runners up. we then got bayern munich the best team in the world and lost 3-1.

You wouldn't have got Bayern if you topped it. You were in pole position final game . you didn't turn up and fight out a win, draw or 1-0 loss to top the group.

you're boring

Maybe. But sometimes boring is fact

You are talking as if playing Napoli away in Italy is as easy as playing Barnet at home.

No I am not

mystiroakey wrote:Come on duty. Let's seethe pic?

Click the twitter link to the right, if you're sooooooooo interested.

Post it up.

I don't do all that twitter nonsense. I prefer being an idiot anonymously. I wouldn't want a client knowing I can't spell for sh!t

mystiroakey wrote:Post it up.

I don't do all that twitter nonsense. I prefer being an idiot anonymously. I wouldn't want a client knowing I can't spell for sh!t

Oh it's cool lad, you wouldn't have to sign up to Twitter.

he is pouting in his picture like a 13 year old girl hahah

Duty, it's better to pout like a girl than act like one.

Champagne_Socialist wrote:he is pouting in his picture like a 13 year old girl hahah

Nooooooo that would be the Miley Cyrus pose I do where my tongue sticks out, not this one.   

Hammersmith harrier wrote:Duty, it's better to pout like a girl than act like one.

*Coughs quietly*

I kinda act more like a girl than a guy anyway.

Good comeback though.

Either way it's not a good look Duty   

Duty281 wrote:

*Coughs quietly*

I kinda act more like a girl than a guy anyway.

Good comeback though.

Cos you seem to always be on your period??

Back to the football please, back.

Back!

Champagne_Socialist wrote:

Duty281 wrote:

*Coughs quietly*

I kinda act more like a girl than a guy anyway.

Good comeback though.

Cos you seem to always be on your period??

I think it's called being metrosexual, or something.

Getting back to football.....

Well there is only so much praise united deserve. They deserved it tonight.

But this result only shows United's previous games up v lesser pl teams that arnt too dissimilar to the Greek outfit..there was a clear system in place and a lot of fight shown which has seriously been lacking in pl fixtures

Agree, and I fully expect us to lose comfortably in the next round whoever we get, and annhialated if we play one of the big boys. But, suppose if your in it you can win it, so you never know. And with Rooney and RVP, Januzaj and Welbeck we have got our own threats.

Liam wrote:Agree, and I fully expect us to lose comfortably in the next round whoever we get, and annhialated if we play one of the big boys. But, suppose if your in it you can win it, so you never know. And with Rooney and RVP, Januzaj and Welbeck we have got our own threats.

what has happened to januzaj? Since January he has been very quiet.

Please, please, please the football draw gods let chelsea get Real. Classic.

That would be a great tie, something a bit different, from the usual Barca Chelsea or whatever.

Personally id like to see

Barca vs Bayern
Atletico vs United
Real vs Dortmund
Chelsea vs PSG

Champagne_Socialist wrote:

Liam wrote:Agree, and I fully expect us to lose comfortably in the next round whoever we get, and annhialated if we play one of the big boys. But, suppose if your in it you can win it, so you never know. And with Rooney and RVP, Januzaj and Welbeck we have got our own threats.

what has happened to januzaj? Since January he has been very quiet.

He has but has still shown moments of brilliance. Particularly good the other week vs West Brom. Think Moyes has tried to avoid overplaying him and has opted to put him on the bench mainly. Can understand that, only have to look to Owen to see how playing week in week out can can impact your career injury wise from a young age.

Liam wrote:

Champagne_Socialist wrote:

Liam wrote:Agree, and I fully expect us to lose comfortably in the next round whoever we get, and annhialated if we play one of the big boys. But, suppose if your in it you can win it, so you never know. And with Rooney and RVP, Januzaj and Welbeck we have got our own threats.

what has happened to januzaj? Since January he has been very quiet.

He has but has still shown moments of brilliance. Particularly good the other week vs West Brom. Think Moyes has tried to avoid overplaying him and has opted to put him on the bench mainly. Can understand that, only have to look to Owen to see how playing week in week out can can impact your career injury wise from a young age.

I thought it had more to do with Mata

This is the draw I would like to see:

United v. Bayern
Real v. Chelsea
PSG v. Atletico
Barca v. Dortmund

I have no sympathy for either Chelsea or United. Lets see how good they are and the Jose derby v. Madrid is particularly interesting. Chelsea the best defensive side arguably with Munich left and Real the best offensive side.

mystiroakey wrote:Getting back to football.....

Well there is only so much praise united deserve. They deserved it tonight.

But this result only shows United's previous games up v lesser pl teams that arnt too dissimilar to the Greek outfit..there was a clear system in place and a lot of fight shown which has seriously been lacking in pl fixtures

And the fact that Olympiakos didn't take their chances at 0-0 and 1-0, the double save by De Gea was world class, but there was a chance earlier that was blazed over the bar, if that goes in it changes the whole match in my opinion.

Temporary reprieve for Utd and nothing more but I'll not rain on their parade too much.

Van Persie gets his hat-trick and people w@nk themselves into a frenzy yet we have a penalty (shouldn't really be missing it although the keeper got fingers to it) a tap in (I could have scored that) and a gift courtesy of some of the most appalling goalkeeping I've seen for a while (any closer to him and the ball goes through his legs).

De Gea kept them in it last night but more clinical teams will take Utd to the cleaners.
Having said that, no doubt they'll get Dortmund on Friday and we'll have two teams playing with the winner being the one that's slightly less sh!t. Then Utd are in the semis and everyone loses their minds again.

Let's see if they can take this feel good factor/momentum into Saturday's game with West Ham and then onto Tuesday against City...like many others, I have my doubts, but I'll let Moyes delude himself for a little while longer

hampo171 wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:Getting back to football.....

Well there is only so much praise united deserve. They deserved it tonight.

But this result only shows United's previous games up v lesser pl teams that arnt too dissimilar to the Greek outfit..there was a clear system in place and a lot of fight shown which has seriously been lacking in pl fixtures

And the fact that Olympiakos didn't take their chances at 0-0 and 1-0, the double save by De Gea was world class, but there was a chance earlier that was blazed over the bar, if that goes in it changes the whole match in my opinion.

Chances missed happens in every game.  You could tell the belief in players like giggs . Rooney and rvp that if they needed 4 they would have probally got 4.

Totally different performance. Much more of a fergie shape playing with desire.

Of course its impossible to keep playing giggs. But at least Moyes should be able to work out the player he needs...

Giggs was majestic, he could probably play in the Spanish league for much longer, can't keep up with the higher tempo of the Prem anymore.

Just my take on last night

Olympiacos were dire, abysmal & truly shocking. I'm reading on some websites, 'United have turned the corner'......yeah, okay   

Everyone knows, if you avoid a group of death in the Champions League, the competition doesn't basically start until the QF stage. United were made to look very good, thanks to the woefulness of the opposition. Giggs commanding midfield........says everything. We've been here before with United, thrash Leverkusen & then lose an easy EPL game, can see the exact same thing happening with WHU this weekend. EPL is significanty more demanding than these embarrassing games against shambolic Greek 'so called' champions.

Basically Dortmund are the team to get, Lewandowski suspended & a heap of injuries for them, anyone else & it's goodbye United.

John many teams have been made to look good by United this year , and they are teams in the bottom half of the prem.

You are spot on- There haven't turned any corner yet- but the players played for the team, and the shape of moyes team was for once decent- He didn't just throw a load of players on the field and tell them to play.

Man U are way off being a top 4 team in the PL, let alone a top 8 team in the world. Way off.

BUt i think you are being a bit harsh on the greek champs- they have to be on par with teams like west ham, swansea, villa etc

Remember Olympiakos lost their best player in January and granted they were poor on the night. But they qualified ahead of Benfica in the group stages who are head and shoulders better than the PL's 5th place team, so it's a good result and an impressive turnaround.

They are not head and shoulders above Tottenham. They were on the night. Big difference.

At the moment, I think they probably are. Now, get Tottenham playing to their potential and we'll see

head and shoulders is a big word.

could anyone seeing benfica getting CL from the PL?

anyway lets see if they can close totenham out easily tonight. The tie isnt over

John wrote:Just my take on last night

Olympiacos were dire, abysmal & truly shocking. I'm reading on some websites, 'United have turned the corner'......yeah, okay   

Everyone knows, if you avoid a group of death in the Champions League, the competition doesn't basically start until the QF stage. United were made to look very good, thanks to the woefulness of the opposition. Giggs commanding midfield........says everything. We've been here before with United, thrash Leverkusen & then lose an easy EPL game, can see the exact same thing happening with WHU this weekend. EPL is significanty more demanding than these embarrassing games against shambolic Greek 'so called' champions.

Basically Dortmund are the team to get, Lewandowski suspended & a heap of injuries for them, anyone else & it's goodbye United.

Completely agree, Dortmund are the side that United want right now they are not the same team with injuries and suspensions that they were earlier in the season and at the end of last year. United were very close to going out to a very poor Olympiacos that was probably the weakest side left in the final 16. United had an easy group and the easiest possible round of 16 tie and almost messed it up. Still credit to them I want to see them play Munich personally. Munich will give them a real test of where they are right now as a club and where they need to get to.

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:At the moment, I think they probably are. Now, get Tottenham playing to their potential and we'll see

Some people have been waiting for that since 61' or since the Gazza scored that famous goal against the Gunners in the FA cup.  What potential do they have, I think their potential is 5-7th in the premiere league and that is exactly where their talent dictates they should be. I don't buy this idea that Spurs are way more talented than they are showing, they have loads of mediocre players at various positions. Their loss at home to Benfica proves what we all know that they are not a Champions league quality side.

"they are not a Champion's league quality side."

who is then- just the best 8 or so clubs...

the CL has a lot of worse teams than Tottenham competing..

Its like saying Sweden arnt a WC side even though they are better than a third of the teams that get in

mystiroakey wrote:"they are not a Champion's league quality side."

who is then- just the best 8 or so clubs...

the CL has a lot of worse teams than Tottenham competing..

Its like saying Sweden arnt a WC side even though they are better than a third of the teams that get in

Mysti, I am one who supports the idea of canning the Europe league and expanding the CL, but as it is currently constituted they are not of Champions League quality. I mean sure at the group stages you get some teams from smaller leagues who are overwhelmed. But Spurs are not a team that is better than an average of the CL teams. You have to look at the average, Spurs maybe better than some of the champions or representatives of the lesser leagues. But then in a European tie against lets say Gala, Shakthar, or Benfica would you favor Spurs? I know I wouldn't. They get the benefit of playing in the richest league in the world they also have the burden of qualifying in that league. If they expand CL football and can the Europa league then teams like Spurs would have a chance and might get in there and make some noise. But I don't buy this theory that they have underachieved, I look at their team and I picked them 6th at the start of the season and they will probably finish where their talent dictates.

I'd be confident in saying that Spurs are among the top 32 teams in Europe so in your ideal elitist wish for the Champions League they are more than good enough. Is a team that hasn't reached the quarter finals for 4 consecutive seasons good enough?

Its momentum for United, but has to be said that it came against a very mediocre side, with an abysmal away record in this country. Still, have to start somewhere. Have to agree with the bookies though, making United least favorites to win it

At the risk of being elitist, I'd support more teams from England, Spain, Germany, Italy etc getting in at the expense of minnows like Scotland for the CL.

Racist

Jesus totenham should have drawn the tie with that one.

just won 600 sheets though. backed them at 25/1 to win the game after they conceaded.

Unlucky Myst

layed it allready mate

GSC wrote:At the risk of being elitist, I'd support more teams from England, Spain, Germany, Italy etc getting in at the expense of minnows like Scotland for the CL.

I think there is more merit to the champions from lower ranked countries entering the CL in the qualifying stages than further extending the qualifiers from the major leagues.

I don't think the likes of Everton and Spurs merit CL inclusion if they can't finish in the top 4 of their domestic league.

Also the lower qualifiers from Spain and Italy notoriously struggle as they usually have their best players pinched every summer - why allow even worse teams from those countries in?

I'm more interested in seeing the best 32 teams to be brutally honest.

Totally agree GSC

It's a Champions League and therefore should be for cup and league winners (plus last year's winners if they don't qualify) only.

Id keep it exactly how it is. I like the variety, I like the long test and the pitfalls and rewards of your group finishes.

i would like to see the 4th/3rd (in smaller league) champions league spot replaced with the cup winners. gives teams a chance they may not have and being champions of something have more claim than a 4th place team

imagine what a group stage champions league spot could have done for a portsmouth or wigan. yes it may weaken the competition overall at times but it would make each domestic cup massive while giving teams other than club who can simply throw the most money around a chance at long term financial stability of a champions league spot brings