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| Champions League 09/10 | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jul 23 2009, 05:46 AM (4,903 Views) | |
| Simon | Nov 4 2009, 10:17 AM Post #106 |
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That was a real thriller at OT last night. It's true that United played a second string team, with a view to the more important league clash with Chelsea on Sunday, but I still thought United were playing well, moving the ball nicely and creating chances. CSKA could be waspish on the break though, and took the lead with a surprise goal from an unlikely angle. When Michael Owen equalised I thought we'd go on to win it, but the Russians immediately retook the lead on the break. I felt that we should have been ahead on the balance of first half play, let alone behind, but no sooner had the second half begun then we fell 3-1 down. I was very proud of the reaction though. The team absolutely battered CSKA throughout the remainder of the match, and the impressive Akinfeev had to make a string of good saves. We also had a clear penalty denied when Fletcher had his legs chopped from under him. Absurdly, Fletcher was booked. I don't think there's any appeals mechanism with UEFA either. It shouldn't matter as we're through and the slate is wiped clean after the group stage, but it's still irritating. Speaking of irritating, has anyone noticed that UEFA are staggering the Second Round games into four chunks this season? So there'll be (first leg) 2 games on Feb 16 2 games on Feb 17 2 games on Feb 23 2 games on Feb 24 (second leg) 2 games on Mar 9 2 games on Mar 10 2 games on Mar 16 2 games on Mar 17 I don't like that at all. It's messy and damages the sense of occasion you get with all first leg matches and all second leg matches being played across two weeks. It doesn't make any sporting sense and may even have knock-on effects on domestic leagues as teams play their 'post-Europe' games at different times. It can only be for money. Even if United are through (or more or less through after the first leg) I always enjoy CL weeks because I'm interested to see who else has qualified etc. Now it'll be stretched into what will seem like a random collection of matches, and rather than having the Round of 16 in a nice neat package you'll have to watch for a month by the time you know who is actually through to the next round. Rubbish idea. Anyway, to tonight. I'm in paid-up membership of the OL fanclub for this evening, but I admit to being in two minds. I wouldn't like Liverpool just to have the league to concentrate on, at least not just yet! |
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| ursus arctos | Nov 4 2009, 10:26 AM Post #107 |
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Notwithstanding the usual total territorial domination (possession 70+ per cent, 9 shots to 1, etc.), Barca have failed to break Rubin Kazan down in the first half. Ibrahimovic hit the post in the first minute, and Rubin seem to have gotten into a game a bit later in the half. |
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| ursus arctos | Nov 4 2009, 10:32 AM Post #108 |
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Completely agree with Simon about the change in scheduling for the round of 16, too. I also think that the vast majority of supporters are unaware of the change. The only positive spin I can apply is that they haven't (yet) tried something similar for the quarter-finals or semi-finals. |
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| robdog | Nov 4 2009, 10:34 AM Post #109 |
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Maybe on the first goal, but the 2nd goal was pure individual skills on the part of Drogba. He is strong, but yet nibble on feet to create a good touch on the ball. It's hard for any defender to match that. Only the best on the planet can & they still will have fits trying to stop him going towards goal.
Bro, they have to if they want 4th place. It's a logjam for that position. Personally, I tip Man City for that spot
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| Supporter for FCK, San Lorenzo, Chelsea, Pachuca, Corinthians & Real Betis | |
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| Yogi | Nov 4 2009, 10:55 AM Post #110 |
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Wow, I had no idea about this change. As Simon says it is a rubbish idea which makes no sense except from a TV perspective as the big TV companies are now able to spread out the matches over a longer period. But taking one entire month (from 2/16 to 3/16) to complete the entire round is ridiculous, all the more so in a World Cup year where the schedule needs to be completed a week or two earlier. What I do know is that, again I believe for TV reasons, the Champions League Final will now be played on a Saturday instead of a Wednesday night. I enjoyed yesterday's Milan-Madrid matchup. I think most have already amde astute comments on the game, all I will add is that I am encouraged by Thiago Silva's development at centerback, Ronaldinho's greater tenacity and Pato's instincts in front of goal. |
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| Martin | Nov 4 2009, 11:11 AM Post #111 |
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Include me with those not knowing about the schedule change for the second round matches and being against the move for all the reasons supplied here. I don't mind the change of the final to a Saturday as it is supposed to be the end of the footballing calendar and makes the final into possibly even more of an event than it is currently. Problem is now I won't have an excuse to skip away from work midday for the Champions League Final! ![]() Still 0-0 in freezing Kazan, Russia between Barcelona and Lainie Kazan's husband Rubin! With most of his teammates wearing some or all of turtlenecks, long sleeve uniforms, gloves and/or tights, Barca's Seydou Keita is wearing a short sleeve shirt with no gloves, tights or long undershirt! Give the man credit for dealing with the cold. Not bad for someone originally from the very warm weathered nation of Mali. |
| Club Sportivo Desamparados | |
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| ursus arctos | Nov 4 2009, 11:11 AM Post #112 |
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The move to Saturday night is not only for television, but also for "corporate hospitality" reasons. UEFA's model in this respect is (shudder) the Super Bowl. |
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| ursus arctos | Nov 4 2009, 11:23 AM Post #113 |
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It ends 0-0, which means that Rubin will win any tie-breaker with Barca, which could be a lot more important than it seemed at the time of the draw. |
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| Sammy Maudlin | Nov 4 2009, 11:31 AM Post #114 |
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Is Rubin Kazan, Lainie Kazan's husband or the brother of Elia Kazan the director of "On the Waterfront!" :lol: Their draw with Barcelona really ups the interest in Dynamo Kyiv-Inter, a winner of that game will take over first place in the group. Has it been confirmed the game will be played behind closed doors? If so that is a big break for Inter. |
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| ursus arctos | Nov 4 2009, 11:38 AM Post #115 |
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It looks like Dinamo (and UEFA) did not take the Mayor's suggestion, and that the match will be played in front of a full house. Relatively good news for Inter is that Sneijder is fit enough to play. |
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| ursus arctos | Nov 4 2009, 01:49 PM Post #116 |
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And Sneijder's presence proves to be more than "relatively" good news for the Nerazzurri. |
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| Simon | Nov 4 2009, 02:05 PM Post #117 |
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Rubin Kazan 0-0 Barcelona Fiorentina 5-2 Debrecen O. Lyon 1-1 Liverpool Dynamo Kyiv 1-2 Inter Sevilla 1-1 Stuttgart Unirea Urziceni 1-1 Rangers Standard Liege 2-0 Olympiakos Arsenal 4-1 AZ Alkmaar Plenty of late drama tonight. I was watching Lyon-Liverpool, and I must admit that Liverpool dominated the game against a pretty poor Lyon. But although they had plenty of the ball, I didn't feel Liverpool were creating too many clear cut chances. Torres played for 86 minutes and was pretty quiet, though he did side-foot a presentable left-footed chance straight at Lloris. Kuyt had a volley scooped over the bar, Voronin got through one-on-one but shot tamely at Lloris and in the second half Lucas had a shot well-saved before Kuyt's overhead kick from the rebound was cleared off the line. We didn't see too much of Lyon in attack, though a Kyrgiakos mistake let Lisandro in and his shot was smartly dealt with by Reina. It looked like 0-0, which would have been good enough for Lyon, until substitute Ryan Babel hit an absolute pearler past Lloris from long range. Liverpool then realised that a second goal would have put their fate back in their own hands by giving them a better head to head record against Lyon, but babel reverted back to his usual form, first belting a usefully-placed free-kick out for a throw-in and then pulling a shot well wide when in a good position. And there was a sting in the tail, as Liverpool didn't deal with a ball into their box and the otherwise erratic Lisandro Lopez shovelled it past Reina. 1-1, and Liverpool's CL participation hanging by a thread. They need to win their last two and hope already-qualified Fiorentina do them a favour by beating Lyon. Dynamo Kiev led Inter until the last three minutes of the match, when Milito equalised Shevchenko's goal and then Sneijder won it! So Inter, shock horror, actually win a CL match. What's more, they become Group F favourites in just two kicks of a ball! Sevilla drop points as Stuttgart get a late leveller to Navas's early goal in Andalucia, but Sevilla I think are through anyway due to Unirea's injury-time equaliser against Rangers in Romania. That means Dan Petrescu has to dip into his pocket, as he bet his players they wouldn't pick up another point after their shock win in Glasgow! It also means that all four teams in Group G are still in the running. Arsenal didn't break into a sweat in beating AZ 4-1 in London, but they are not yet mathematically qualified due to Standard's victory over Olympiakos. |
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| ursus arctos | Nov 4 2009, 02:09 PM Post #118 |
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You've got Fiorentina and Lyon reversed in the last line of your second paragraph, Simon. OL are the ones that are already through. Even if the Viola draw with OL in Firenze, they can still screw up qualification for the next round by losing at Anfield by three or more goals (assuming that Liverpool win in Hungary, of course). |
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| Simon | Nov 4 2009, 02:20 PM Post #119 |
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Oops! Thanks for pointing that out. I'm a poor man's Winslow As I was typing it I was thinking that it didn't sound as implausible as I'd first thought when the commentator was running through it all! Ah, so of course Liverpool need the already-qualified Lyon to go to Florence and win. Ouch. I can just imagine Liverpool in your second scenario getting the 3-0 they need against Fiorentina, just like they did against Olympiakos in 2004/05 before going on to win the CL. The decisive third goal would be a Gerrard screamer from outside the box, in injury time. Cue extended Gerrard love-in in the media. You heard it hear first...
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| autogol | Nov 4 2009, 04:37 PM Post #120 |
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And Lyon will want to win their group so they should go into that game against Fiorentina not just looking to fulfill a date on their calendar. What a tight group involving Inter, Barcelona, Dynamo Kyiv and Rubin Kazan. At minute 85 tonight in Kyiv, Dynamo were in first in the group and Inter last. 5 minutes later, Inter win with 2 late goals and they are in first in the group with Rubin ahead of Barcelona in 2nd place via the tiebreaker of better head to head record and Dynamo Kyiv are in last place. Looks like there is still more drama ahead in this group including a big showdown at the Nou Camp between Barcelona and Inter. |
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5:03 PM Jul 10