Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Welcome to Soccer Futbol Forum. We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Champions League
Topic Started: Aug 13 2007, 02:00 PM (4,081 Views)
Martin
Advanced Member
[ *  *  * ]
Wednesday's games were a bit anticlimatic with the home team holding an advantage from the first leg. I think both Manchester United and Barcelona played at half speed and still were able to win their games. If DeRossi converts that penalty then maybe there is a more competitive game but United has Roma's number and Roma does not have the depth to cover Totti's absence. Meanwhile Barcelona, as Dr. Z noted, missed that final pass or else they'd have beaten Schalke by much more than a single goal.

I was disappointed Fenerbahce couldn't pull it off on Tuesday but they gave a good showing for themselves and did stretch Chelsea. Hilario may be the Blues' 3rd choice goalie but he did his job well in this game.

Arsenal-Liverpool was the real thriller of these quarterfinals, and here I was one of those who thought that was going to be a dull series! Personally I think that was a penalty by Toure. A misfortunate one for sure but he did throw Babel off balance as he broke into the penalty area. Arsenal were aggrieved in leg 1 in not being awarded a penalty but that had no bearing on this call. And is Arsene Wenger the most ungracious loser in football?
Club Sportivo Desamparados
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
historyman
Advanced Member
[ *  *  * ]
Simon,Apr 9 2008
02:34 PM
United and Barcelona are two football clubs who always have been historically committed to attacking and entertaining football, so we could potentially see a wonderful semi-final series between those two. Of course the last time they met both matches ended as 3-3 draws!

They were wonderful matches indeed.

I would have preferred Barca and Man Utd to have met in the final, but I guess that a semi-final is the next best thing. After last year's defeat to Milan in the rain, it will be interesting to see whether Ferguson has learned anything that will help the team to make that extra step this time.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
gaviota
Advanced Member
[ *  *  * ]
Like historyman I too would have preferred a Manchester-Barcelona final but the two teams should provide an entertaining semifinal. Before yesterday's game I was thinking Manchester United are very confident of themselves, resting Ronaldo and Rooney in a European quarterfinal. But it proved a wise move as Roma were incapable of scoring on them and now the two forwards were able to rest for their league game against Arsenal.

I am in agreement with the comments that both Barcelona and Manchester United played at less than full speed yesterday but part of the intelligence in advancing this far in Europe is to know when to go all out and when to hold back a bit and preserve something for another match.

Arsenal-Liverpool was great entertainment and I too wish Fernando Torres keeps this goalscoring form through the Eurocopa! Arsene Wenger always looks for excuses when his team loses. I agree he is a very ungracious loser. It is always good to see people with that attitude put in their place.
CHAMP13NS
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
siralfred
Member Avatar
Forza Zlatan!
[ *  *  * ]
Dr. Z,Apr 9 2008
07:01 PM
The only bad news for Barca was the yellow card Carles Puyol picked up which means he'll miss the first leg. With Milito, Marquez and Thuram around there should be adequate cover.

The latest news is that Rafa Marquez is still nursing an injury (he didn't play yesterday). And amid rumours that Rijkaard is losing the dressing room, I think Ferguson has the upper hand in this semi-final. Both clubs have deep squads, but on current form I'd say Sir Alex has more reasons to be optimistic than young Frank does.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
SuperEagle
Advanced Member
[ *  *  * ]
I was just gutted by Arsenal's loss to Liverpool. Like some others here I felt the penalty was harsh but Liverpool were smart to go right after Arsenal just after they tied the game up. So often we see that is when a team is vulnerable, especially in a big game like this quarterfinal. Arsenal moved the ball around very well in the first half but Benitez and Liverpool adjusted in the second by moving Gerrard more to the inside to help Mascherano and Xabi Alonso out defensively.

It was a tough way to go out and this seaosn which looked so promising two months ago is looking like it will end trophyless for Arsenal but I do like the progress the team is making. Unfortunately injuries to Eduardo and Sagna left them a little shorthanded for these games against Liverpool. Toure is a very good centerback but isn't that effective as a right back. And Senderos just seems a little too slow to play at this level. One thing about Wenger is he often makes the right moves in the summer to correct his club's deficiencies.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
SuperEagle
Advanced Member
[ *  *  * ]
Semifinal time with Tuesday having Liverpool host Chelsea and Wednesday it will be Barcelona home to Manchester United.

Unlike their previous Champions League games where Liverpool got the slight advantage of playing the 2nd leg at home, this time Chelsea does that so I think that means Liverpool will have to look to win this first game when their tendency in Europe is to tie the first game and try and finish their opponents off at Anfield. Hopefully that will mean Liverpool will look to try and carry the attack to Chelsea which could mean we'll have an entertaining game. I hope so. I'm not a fan of either club so I'll simply be wished to be entertained! :lol:

I feel Chelsea has the better overall talent but Liverpool are a Cup team, or at least a Champions League team and have a striker in hot form now in Torres, should be a pretty even matchup.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Martin
Advanced Member
[ *  *  * ]
Benitez always had Mourinho's number in these two legged series, I wonder if Grant can change that luck? I agree with SuperEagle, Chelsea will have the slight advantage of playing leg 2 at home so Liverpool can't afford to go and play for a draw tomorrow. Michael Essien will be suspended for leg 1 as will Carles Puyol for Barcelona in the other semifinal.
Club Sportivo Desamparados
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
valenciano
Advanced Member
[ *  *  * ]
In Spain the hope is there will be a Liverpool-Barcelona final, those two clubs each have 4 players each named to Luis Aragones' preliminary Euro 2008 roster. Drawing at home isn't fatal but no question both Liverpool and Barcelona need to attack in these opening home legs and look to get a win. I'll be interested to see how Torres does against Carvalho and Terry, one of football's best defensive pairings.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Yogi
Member Avatar
Advanced Member
[ *  *  * ]
I've seen enough Liverpool-Chelsea games recently to not be too interested in that matchup but Barcelona-Manchester United is a very intriguing game matching two teams who both play an attacking style and haven't faced one another in years. They may go about their play differently but both do like to attack and hopefully that makes a good game.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
gaviota
Advanced Member
[ *  *  * ]
In games at this level it is in my opinion about trying to impose your style of play on the opponent. Those teams which can do that will be successful.

I see Yogi's point that Liverpool-Chelsea have played each other so often that another meeting between them doesn't sound appealing now. I hope that is wrong and the two teams will play an attractive set of games but I can very easily see it being a pair of very tactical games. Manchester United and Barcelona at least aren't so familiar and thus there game holds more interest to neutrals like myself.
CHAMP13NS
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Manzanares
Advanced Member
[ *  *  * ]
Liverpool and Chelsea are a pair of teams who are good at wearing their opponents down so it will be interesting to see if one of them can do that to the other in this two game series. I too am curious to see the battle of Fernando Torres against Terry and Carvalho. On the other side I think Mascherano will have his hands full trying to nullify both Ballack and Lampard, this is where Xabi Alonso will have to help him out defensively.

It is a good point that Liverpool will have the burden to carry the play in this first leg and that isn't always something they enjoy doing but like any match an early goal will change everything and could open this game up.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Simon
Advanced Member
[ *  *  * ]
Let the figures tell the story. The 7 games between Manchester United and Barcelona have produced 28 goals. The last 6 cup games between Liverpool and Chelsea have seen just 3 goals in open play. But before we get too pessimistic, remember that sometimes important Liverpool games are absolute thrillers when you least expect it! The reds won on penalties after extraordinary 3-3 draws in the 2005 CL final and the 2006 FA Cup final, and let's not forget their 5-4 victory over Alaves in the 2001 UEFA Cup Final! Three European Cup semis against each other in four seasons is an incredible stat though, and it demonstrates that these are two of the most powerful teams in the world. Anfield is a cauldron of noise and fervour on European nights and I think, as Super Eagle said, it is potentially significant that Liverpool have to play at home first. When Liverpool go into a second leg in that Anfield atmosphere knowing what they need to do, it's difficult to stop them.

As Manzanares says, both Liverpool and Chelsea are known for playing a cautious, percentages-based game and so that doesn't logically give us the prospect of a great pair of games. Both legs of last season's semi-final between these two were incredibly negative and boring, but as I've said earlier I think the personal animus between Benitez and Mourinho contributed to that so hopefully things this time around might be a bit different. Mourinho seemed to think these games are won and lost in the pre-match press conference, but his jibes at Liverpool backfired. Grant hasn't done anything like that.

Although both teams are cautious/negative, they approach this in different ways. Chelsea usually play one up front (Drogba) and look to use their punishing physical powers and athleticism to grind the other team down. They can work the channels but they don't mind leaving holding midfielders back and allowing skilful players such as Joe Cole and Frank Lampard to judge their forays forward and try to make something happen. Liverpool are at their best when they are in the lead - they are experts at leaving two lines of four in front of their box and compressing and stifling the play. This usually means surrendering most of the possession, although Liverpool are capable of passing a game to death against weaker opposition but I don't think they can do this against Chelsea. IMO our best chance of seeing a good game tonight will be if Chelsea take the lead and Liverpool are forced to come out and play.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Simon
Advanced Member
[ *  *  * ]
Result:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea
Kuyt 43............Riise o.g. 90

Not a 3-3 or 5-4 classic by any means, but thankfully a better game than most of us were expecting, and with a dramatic twist in the tail! In the last action of the game, Chelsea substitute Saloman Kalou whipped in a cross and John Arne Riise, under very little pressure, dived down to knee-height to head a spectacular own goal into the top corner! That's a priceless away goal for Chelsea and totally alters the dynamic of this semi-final. Suddenly, it's advantage Chelsea.

Chelsea had made the brighter start and played some good quick passing football in the first twenty minutes, but Drogba still hasn't quite got his match sharpness back and it was Liverpool who made the better early chances. Great saves from Petr Cech denied Gerrard's volley and Torres's one-on-one chance, either of which could have put the game and arguably the tie beyond Chelsea who were surprisingly sloppy in possession for most of the first half and plenty of the second. But after the hour-mark Chelsea really stepped their game up and worried Liverpool with some slick passing and movement. But they still lacked cutting edge, even from the normally reliable Lampard (who maybe can be excused as his mother has been dreadfully ill with pneumonia and he's had compassionate leave to be at her bedside for much of this week). Just when it looked like Chelsea's chance had gone...in stepped John Arne Riise!

To put that goal's significance into context, Chelsea are arguably the toughest 'home team' in the world right now. They haven't lost at Stamford Bridge for about four years, and Liverpool haven't scored on any of their last 8 visits to Chelsea. I think that shows the enormity of Riise's mistake and the scale of the task now facing Liverpool.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
xeneize
Advanced Member
[ *  *  * ]
Why did Riise dive down to head a ball away at knee level instead of kicking it away? Schoolboy mistake in my opinion and now it has cost his club. I thought it was a very sloppy game filled with nervy play. I hope the second leg is better played.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
El Profe
Advanced Member
[ *  *  * ]
xeneize,Apr 22 2008
01:39 PM
Why did Riise dive down to head a ball away at knee level instead of kicking it away? Schoolboy mistake in my opinion and now it has cost his club. I thought it was a very sloppy game filled with nervy play. I hope the second leg is better played.

That was my question too about Riise's attempted clearance. It was a hell of a goal though! What we'd call in Spanish an autogolazo, a great own goal! A fundamental mistake by Riise and it has compromised Liverpool's chances. Still I think they can go to Chelsea and obtain a 1-1 draw there and send this game to extra time. There isn't much difference between these two teams and extra time and penalties would not surprise me.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Go to Next Page
« Previous Topic · UEFA · Next Topic »
Add Reply