Champions League Thread (the dawn of time - 2014)

[Leicester Fox]

Can't believe Liverpool got through, still don't rate Reina at all, he's built a repuation on cheating in shoot outs. They have 2 players and if they lose one of them thats it. Good win for them but Arsenal threw it away, didn't have much luck with penaltys over the 2 legs to be fair. I think Chelsea will knock out Liverpool tbh, if their at Anfield first I'd back them anyway.

Interested on Flamini etc, hoping that game took a lot out of Arsenal after they threw it away.

 

[m_vaughan]

Can't believe Liverpool got through, still don't rate Reina at all, he's built a repuation on cheating in shoot outs. They have 2 players and if they lose one of them thats it. Good win for them but Arsenal threw it away, didn't have much luck with penaltys over the 2 legs to be fair. I think Chelsea will knock out Liverpool tbh, if their at Anfield first I'd back them anyway.

Interested on Flamini etc, hoping that game took a lot out of Arsenal after they threw it away.

Liverpool were lucky with their third goal but in games like this you need that bit of fortune. They are the champions of the knockout format, and have the team that can do well on a given night. It is for this reason that I'd prefer facing Arsenal in the semis.

Anyways it does give us the oppurtunity to get back at Liverpool for previous defeats in Europe. They do have the advantage of focusing on just this tournament, but I think we have a better team. Should be a cracking semi-final with the prospect of playing either Barca and Manure in the final. (unless Schalke do something extraordinary at the Camp Nou)

 

[Will_NA]

I'm dumbfounded and absolutely gutted. How can Liverpool geta penalty for that and not Arsenal?

I told you Walcott had improved. Seriously, when Gerrard says we play them off the park, it proves we should have won.

 

[m_vaughan]

I think if this tie had taken place about 2-3 months back, Arsenal would have won it comfortably. But the fact is that they have fallen offtrack in recent games and the pressure always builds when that happens and unfortunately for the Gunners they have crumbled. Even though they havent really played poor during that time.

Anyways cant really live in the past. Arsenal must be given credit for the setting the tone in the Premiership, and they also did knock out the defending champions as well. They just lost their way in the season at the wrong time.

 

[PhilD123]

Rio was fine!
We got merked!
BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAPPPP!

What did I tell ya! I know what Fergie says and means by now. Told ya he'd be fine!
You got merked!

Thats why I wont be happy until United play the vermin in the Champions League, I dont trust anyone else to knock them out. Although I gotta say thought of a final against them could send United and vermin fans across the world into a heart attack! Brilliant match though, end to end and entertaining, just annoyed that Arsenal couldn't finish it off at 2-2. I'd say it was a penalty, but Arsenal should have had one last week. The vermin always seem to get the luck in the Champions League. I think we'd do 'em in the final if it got to that, although there'd be mayhem in Moscow.

Hopefully the atmosphere will be good tomorrow, it wasn't against Lyon, but it has been in recent league games. An early goal would settle the nerves.

 

[m_vaughan]

Hopefully the atmosphere will be good tomorrow, it wasn't against Lyon, but it has been in recent league games. An early goal would settle the nerves.

I'd say that game is as good as over. Roma are playing some really poor football at the moment.

 

[Bilal91]

man...GUTTED...absolutley gutted...that amazing run by walcott deserved to win the match...beating 4 players and than picking out ade...class...i had just finished celebrating when babel fell...i was like get up mate same thing happened to us twice and they were probably worse tbh...and the ref gives a pen...and yellow card...great...i knew it was goin too well and the bad luck always comes lookin for us...why can't the refs be consistent...they give 2 decisions against arsenal in the previous 2 matches and both were stone cold pens and this one was a doubt and he gives it...

well thats the last thing we could have won this season gone...unless both manure and chelski go on a really bad run which i really really doubt...

 

[PhilD123]

Yeah it was an amazing run by Walcott to be fair. How do the vermin get the luck every single time!?:@ I'm more annoyed now and annoyed at Toure too, it wasn't much contact but it was God damn stupid to even go near him after you've just got such a vital goal. Seriously though, they get all the luck every single year! The two red cards against Inter, that penalty tonight and the penalty that should have been last week. The goal against Chelski in 2005 at Anfailed is another example.

ITV had a Kop end love-in today I see, going on about how they buy scarves themselves instead of getting them from the club (reference to the Munich scarves me thinks), saying there was no prawn sandwich brigade at Anfailed. Where are these scarve waving dippers when they play Derby or Sunderland?

 

[usy]

yo I won like 20 kronors , going to buy a cheeseburger tomorrow..

 

[Bilal91]

thanks for that info mate...lol

 

[madmusician]

A controversial point I was thinking about last night (and I know everyone here is much more knowledgeable than me when it comes to football so feel free to refute me):

Should the referees always look to get it right on the night, or balance decisions with the previous leg. For example should last night ref have thought that Arsenal had not got a penalty the previous week, so he would not give one to Liverpool if one happened in a similar manner (which it did). Or is that a dangerous precedent to set?

I'd appreciate your thoughts...

 

[m_vaughan]

A controversial point I was thinking about last night (and I know everyone here is much more knowledgeable than me when it comes to football so feel free to refute me):

Should the referees always look to get it right on the night, or balance decisions with the previous leg. For example should last night ref have thought that Arsenal had not got a penalty the previous week, so he would not give one to Liverpool if one happened in a similar manner (which it did). Or is that a dangerous precedent to set?

I'd appreciate your thoughts...

Well your idea is pretty interesting but unfortunately I dont see it working. Simply because penalty decisions might seem fair to some and unfortunate to the rest. Also if a team say got 3 wrong decisions in the first leg, it would basically tempt them to commit 3 fouls in the second leg since they wont be penalised for them. It could all turn very ugly.

 

[Will_NA]

I am still pissed and incredibly bitter. We have been robbed by the refs over this trilogy of games.

Hleb's pen appeal.
Fabregas' pen appeal.
Babel gets pen that is a lot more contentious than our appeals.

But, hey, I guess I should lie down and accept it as part of the game, right?

 

[Deleted member 13648]

I am still pissed and incredibly bitter. We have been robbed by the refs over this trilogy of games.

Hleb's pen appeal.
Fabregas' pen appeal.
Babel gets pen that is a lot more contentious than our appeals.

But, hey, I guess I should lie down and accept it as part of the game, right?

Wrong, fight the power Will

 

[Kev]

A controversial point I was thinking about last night (and I know everyone here is much more knowledgeable than me when it comes to football so feel free to refute me):

Should the referees always look to get it right on the night, or balance decisions with the previous leg. For example should last night ref have thought that Arsenal had not got a penalty the previous week, so he would not give one to Liverpool if one happened in a similar manner (which it did). Or is that a dangerous precedent to set?

I'd appreciate your thoughts...

Absolutely not.

They should give the foul (or not) as they see it regardless of other matches. I should go so far as to say they shouldn't try and make up for their mistakes in the same match either. If the ref thinks its a foul he should give a foul, simple as that. If he doesn't think its a foul then he shouldn't give it.

In every sport people have to accept you get some decisions that go your way and some that don't. You could ask the same thing about cricket umpiring. If an umpire gives a batsman out Lbw in the first innings should he let a batsman get away with a knick in the second innings. Of course he shouldn't.

If players didn't all fall about like pansies at the slightest bit of contact (or even something that looks like contact) then perhaps ref's might get it right a greater percentage of the time. In my opinion players only have themselves to blame for their constant theatrics when decisions don't do their way. Before anyone says anything about particular players in particular teams, I am aiming this at ALL players in ALL teams.