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| Champions League | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Aug 13 2007, 02:00 PM (4,084 Views) | |
| Simon | Mar 11 2008, 07:33 AM Post #226 |
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I'm still quietly hoping that Inter can turn this around, but it's quite hard to imagine how. Liverpool are now playing well again, in contrast to their bad form going into the first leg. They only need one goal to make it necessary for Inter to score four. This has revived memories of the notorious series between Liverpool and Inter in the 1965 semi-finals. Liverpool played brilliantly to win 3-1 at Anfield, but an Italian journalist said sadly to Bill Shankly after the game "you will never be allowed to go through". Sure enough, Liverpool lost 3-0 in San Siro to a goal kicked out of the keeper's hands and a goal scored direct from an indirect free-kick, while having a goal of their own mysteriously disallowed. It was only years later that the extent of Inter's matchfixing came to light, as it wasn't just that game that they fixed but also the previous year's semi-final against Borussia Dortmund, besides fixing many Serie A games. Still, it was obvious enough to the players at the time - Liverpool hardman Tommy Smith actually repeatedly kicked the referee all the way back down the tunnel! The fact that the referee did nothing must have spoken volumes at the time, even though it was only later investigations that brought the sordid details to light. Still, Inter sit there with their two European Cups, and if that's what it'll take to get them past Liverpool this year I may make the first financial contribution! |
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| Winslow | Mar 11 2008, 01:55 PM Post #227 |
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Simon, I hope you didn't waste your money. Tuesday's score... . . . . . . Inter 0, Liverpool 1 (0-3 aggregate). So it's four EPL teams in the quarterfinals for the first time ever. Inter had plenty of chances to turn this tie around, dominating the first half and putting three near-breakaway chances wide of goal. But just after halftime, a waist-high, studs-up challenge by Burdisso drew a second yellow card, and the Reds made the man advantage pay off when Fernando Torres took a pass on the edge of the area, turned, and hit a bullet just inside Julio Cesar's right post. This should be one entertaining draw for the next round. |
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| Manzanares | Mar 11 2008, 02:18 PM Post #228 |
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I sure wish I had seen this Fernando Torres at Atletico Madrid! He's become a dangerous finisher now and his speed and mobility make him a difficult player to mark. Nice finish on the goal today. As Winslow said Inter had their chances but didn't put them away, maicon got caught and lost the ball and bam! Torres put it away. Mancini again was late making changes in this match, only bringing on subs after the game was already lost. Burdisso was a fool for getting himself sent off. I don't have any horse in this race but I've always enjoyed watching Fernando Torres so I'll be pulling for Liverpool the rest of the way. |
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| Pique | Mar 11 2008, 02:40 PM Post #229 |
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Torres with a first class goal to win the game but as Manzanares and Winslow said, Inter blew it as their forwards were too selfish and then Burdisso didn't use his head and got sent off. I don't think this was like Materazzi's expulsion in the first leg which was controversial, this looked justified to me. |
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Esas son las leyendas de futbol mexicano, En todo Mexico hay un Chiva hermano! | |
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| rosarino | Mar 11 2008, 04:03 PM Post #230 |
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No question Inter had their chances in this one but as Pique wrote, their forwards selfishness prevented them from taking advantage of those. Rather than pass the ball to a open teammate for a tap in they preferred to shoot from a tight angle! Burdisso's 2nd yellow could have gone either way, that is the ref could have in my opinion been justified either way giving a 2nd yellow or letting it pass. Inter have only themselves to blame for yet another European failure. Torres is in great form now for Liverpool, give him an opportunity and it's in the back of the net. That is what you look for in a center forward. |
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| siralfred | Mar 11 2008, 05:15 PM Post #231 |
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Forza Zlatan!
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Breaking news: Mancini quits! Well, he says he'll leave after the end of the season. I had very little hope for Inter even before the first leg, and now Mancini's limitations as a manager have been fully exposed. Milan's exit is some consolation, though. I hope Zlatan gets to play in Spain soon. |
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| raconteur | Mar 11 2008, 06:21 PM Post #232 |
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Yes Mancini says he's going to walk at the end of the season, addition by means of subtraction I say. Start the talk on who will replace him, Lippi? Mourinho? Should be interesting. In the meantime Inter just didn't have it in them, sure the forwards were a bit selfish at times but in general they didn't generate much offense against a well organized Liverpool defense. Maicon tried dribbling out of trouble, lost it and the ball ended up on Torres' feet and he didn't hesitate to put it away. With Inter needing some creativity in midfield (is it me or has Vieira suddenly looked old?) Mancini keeps Jimenez and Figo on the bench with Jimenez only entering in the final 10 minutes. I usually don't wish Inter well but was hoping they'd get to the quarterfinals. But I join others here in thinking Liverpool were the deserved winners. |
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| Yogi | Mar 11 2008, 08:01 PM Post #233 |
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I find it hard to disagree with what everyone has written about this second leg between Inter & Liverpool. I will say this though, when his club most needed him Zlatan Ibrahimovic was not there for Inter. A poor game from him. Of course he can't be relied to do it all himself but the play we see from him in Serie A isn't there when he plays internationally either for club or country. |
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| historyman | Mar 11 2008, 11:21 PM Post #234 |
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Spot on. He's an extremely frustrating player to watch. I keep reading reports about all his outstanding performances in Serie A, but the few times that I've watched him in a live match I've come away feeling short changed. The only exception to this was during Euro 2004, when he scored that lobbed goal against Italy. |
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| Manzanares | Mar 13 2008, 03:15 PM Post #235 |
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I agree with the comments on Ibrahimovic, he just doesn't seem to appear in the big games. I'd be curious what our Swedish poster siralfred has to say but other than the goal historyman wrote about I don't recall Ibrahimovic doing much with Sweden and with his clubs he does seem to disappear in the big games. So tomorrow is the draw and these are the eight clubs left: Manchester United Liverpool Arsenal Chelsea Schalke Fenerbahce Roma Barcelona I'll be hoping two English clubs don't make the final for the simple fact that they'll know each other too well and the game won't be as interesting. The all Spanish Final in 2000 (Real Madrid-Valencia) and all Italian one in 2003 (Milan-Juventus) were not very good games because I think the clubs were just too familiar with how the other played. |
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| siralfred | Mar 13 2008, 07:08 PM Post #236 |
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Forza Zlatan!
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The thing with Ibra is inconsistency. You may remember Nike's "Joga Bonito" campaign. There was an ad where Zlatan and Cristiano Ronaldo faced off comparing skills. I have no doubt they are equally talented. The difference is that CR can produce in every game, against any opponent. Zlatan just doesn't seem to have the hunger. If he's having a good day, his play is amazing, but just as often it's flat. Swedish fans are running out of patience. We've been hoping that he would pick up Henrik Larsson's crown as our one bonafide international star, but it just isn't happening. He barely had any significance in our qualifying for this summer's Euro championship, and didn't even play in our best game, 2-0 home to Spain. Other than the heel lob against Italy, we remember this goal, which basically secured going to Germany 06. If only he'd played like that once we got there. As for what this thread is really about, I'd like to see a ManU - Barca final. |
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| Simon | Mar 14 2008, 06:06 AM Post #237 |
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Well that won't happen this year, as United and Barca are on the same side of the draw. Champions League quarter-final draw: 1 Arsenal v Liverpool 2 AS Roma v Man Utd 3 Schalke 04 v FC Barcelona 4 Fenerbahce v Chelsea Champions League semi-final draw: 1 Arsenal/Liverpool v Fenerbahce/Chelsea 2 Schalke/Barcelona v AS Roma/Man Utd First legs 1/2 April, return legs on 8/9 April. I can't believe we've got Roma yet again, so that we'll have played six matches with them inside 12 months! But it's not a bad draw from a Manchester United perspective, as I was especially keen that we avoid the English teams and Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea are all on the other side of the draw. I think we're a stronger team than Roma and we have also struck two important psychological blows against them, as we played our kids and reserves in Rome in December and got a 1-1 draw against their strongest team, and of course previously there was our 7-1 win at OT in the quarters last season. I was amused to see the dismayed grimace on the face of the Roma representative when the draw was made, but I can't shake the suspicion that Roma 'owe us one' and that it might be their turn to win. Certainly they were very impressive in disposing of Real Madrid. Chelsea should really come through against Fenerbahce, which would guarantee an English team in the final for the 4th year running. Liverpool against Arsenal will be fascinating, not least because the two teams play each other in an important league game on the weekend between the two legs of their European match-up. As Arsenal also have to play away matches at Bolton (their bogey team), Chelsea and Man United around the same time, it will be a make-or-break period for their season. On the face of it, Barcelona v Schalke seems a mismatch but it's always dangerous to write German sides off! We could potentially have two extremely contrasting semi-finals. Liverpool and Chelsea could meet in the semis for the 3rd time in 4 years, which would hardly delight neutral football followers given the sterile nature of previous encounters. Meanwhile United may be playing Barcelona, two teams historically committed to attractive attacking play. The two 3-3 draws played by the two clubs in 98/99 will live long in the memory! |
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| Manzanares | Mar 14 2008, 09:34 AM Post #238 |
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Manchester United's recent record against Roma should give them some comfort, unlike Real Madrid who had problems in the recent past with Roma, Manchester United have done well against them and should adavnce to the semifinals. Of the other matchups I think Simon is correct both Barcelona and Chelsea will be favored in their games while the Arsenal-Liverpool matchup is one which could go either way. |
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| Merengue | Mar 14 2008, 10:46 AM Post #239 |
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Familiarity just doesn't bring comtempt it also makes for a less attractive matchup in an international tournament as the team's know their opponents too well. That is why Manchester United vs Roma and Arsenal vs Liverpool just don't look like good matchups to me. These teams play too much already. |
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| Winslow | Mar 14 2008, 01:17 PM Post #240 |
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I wonder if this draw could affect the EPL title race, just because of the travel involved. Unless Fenerbahce advances (unlikely), Arsenal or Liverpool would go the rest of the EPL season without leaving Britain, while Chelsea would face only that one long trip to Istanbul. Meanwhile, Man U has to go to Rome and then to Spain or Germany--not helpful for tired minds and bodies. At any rate, this was a fair draw, though I agree the matchups could have been more interesting. |
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