Champions League: Quarter Finals

[Lord E]

The 2nd Leg of the Champions League Quarter Final games are played tonight and tomorrow, so, thought i'd get some opinions from the real football fans :thumb:

Tuesday:
Arsenal v Chelsea (Agg: 1-1) - ITV1 @ 7.30pm (7.45 K.O)
Monaco v Real Madrid (Agg: 2-4) ITV2 @ 7pm (7.45 K.O)

Wednesday:
Lyon v FC Porto (Agg: 0-2) Sky Sports EXTRA @ 6pm (7.45 K.O)
Deportivo v AC Milan (Agg: 1-4) Sky Sports 2 @ 6pm (7.45 K.O)

My Views:
Firstly, i'm an Arsenal fan. A slightly worried one, too :happysad: We're still unbeaten in the league so far, so we haven't really had our traditional bad patch, and after losing to Man United in the FA Cup semi at the weekend i'm slightly worried our bad patch may have arrived. We started that game without Henry and Reyes, though so had no real pace upfront.

So if they start tonight, it could go either way. We could be our usual selves again and contain most of Chelsea's attacks, and score - or we really could be in our bad patch, and mess things up. It depends how the players react to the Cup defeat.

Our next two League games are against the teams in 4th and 5th place, and Chelsea's next too are easy wins for them... so within 5 days, they could put us out of the Champions League, and be level with us on points at the top of the Premier League, so as I said, slightly worried Arsenal fan :D They've scored against us in the last few games between the two teams - but anyway, I think we'll be ok tonight and go through, as the injury worries over Ljungberg, Reyes, Cole and Campbell all seem to have put themself right and all could start tonight :thumb:

With the other games, I think Real Madrid will beat Monaco again as their manager has promised attacking football rather than defensive tactics to protect their 2 goal lead (1 really, as if Monaco go 2-0 up Madrid could be on their way out). Beckham is suspended, but that won't effect them much will it :O

I think Lyon will beat Porto, but not by enough to go through, so Porto will reach the semi's for me. Along with AC Milan, who I can't see throwing away their 3 goal lead to anyone, especially not Deportivo - unless they play how they can and Milans defence has a serious off day. Deportivo are hardly the most consistant team in europe, though :huh:

So, the semi's for me will be:
Real Madrid v Arsenal
FC Porto v AC Milan
:thumb:

[Gazza54b]

I think Arsenal looked very tired on Sat and think they will struggle, unless they can regain their usual flair tonight I think Chelsea will beat them. I agree with Real, AC and Porto. And also I think its amazing that Reyes has made such a recovery after what Wenger said :O :lol:

[Lord E]

Yep, that's down to brilliant natural fitness :D And yep, we've looked tired in a few recent games really, since playing Bolton :O And our squad isn't that big so if the bad patch is here, it could well be here to stay until the end of the season, which would give Chelsea the advantage in the League because of their squad size now :O

But as long as Pascal Cygan doesn't play I think we'll be okay tonight - our defence hasn't looked as tired as the rest of the team :D But i'm not so sure about us regaining the usual flair, I think it might have to be a grinder if we're to go through, unless Henry is in the mood :thumb: Midfield battle will be interesting :D If Lampard plays well that is. If he doesn't, Vieira will have a pretty easy night :D

[Electro]

arsenal will win is all im gunna say :thumb:

[thegloaming]

Just a question.. will Edu play from the beginning..? :O

Anyways, Arsenal and Chelsea are up to a challenging match.. I'm not risking any results here, but I kinda like Arsenal, so be it.. :D

Real Madrid and Milan are on their way to go.. Real didn't play a brilliant first half last game, but if they use the flair and attacking stance of their second half, then Monaco is up for another hard beating.. okay, Real's defense is kinda horrible, but that shouldn't be much of a problem if they manage to keep ball posession.. as for Beckham, well, his presence might be missed, but not as much as we're made to believe.. they still have Guti and Zidane and Figo; they shall be alright.. :cool:

I think Lyon and Porto will tie.. and Milan will advance, unless they play crap football.. they wrecked havoc upon Deportivo in less than twenty minutes last game, scoring those four goals.. Deportivo will have to attack; good chances of counters and Kaka, Shevchenko and Inzaghi will have plenty of space, I think..

Ah, as for the English Premier.. wasn't Arsenal the one which gave in the last championship after losing some easy precious points at the very end..? Furthermore, I really think this Champions' League match will have some kinda effect on the team that loses.. Chelsea might be affected in case of elimination.. and then, well, we all know..

Bad thing my Brazilian team lost this weekend and didn't advance to the finals.. hell, I spent the whole Sunday cursing that despicable creature who missed that penalty kick.. :mad:

[Lord E]

Gilberto has recently recovered from an injury, so i'd expect Edu to play from the start, yes.

The games tonight and tomorrow will use the 'silver goal' rule if the aggregate scores are level after 90 minutes with no team winning on away goals. For the few who don't know what that means, it just means if one team takes the lead in the first half of extra time, the game will end at half-time in extra time, instead of ending straight away like the 'golden goal', or after the standard 30 minutes of extra time.
:O

Bound to be a few people who've never heard of it :D

[thegloaming]

Yeah, I heard of it only recently.. :D

[KevBaz]

Great set of results tonight, the monaco v real game was ace, got bored of watching the arsenal so i missed chelsea's moment of glory

[Andy Villa]

was flickin between the 2.. both great games......

[I-NemesiS01]

sorry......bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha ....ha.:D

[Eldandoerino]

arsenal will win is all im gunna say :thumb:
Twice you have backed arsenal now and twice they have lost im starting to wonder if you know anything about football at all :lol:

[I-NemesiS01]

He just follows what everybody else thinks, same as most glory hunters.:D

[Andy Villa]

master stroke by ranieri to bring on gronkjaer..... wonder wot arsehole wan'ker is gonna blame this on.......

[KevBaz]

Arsenal V Liverpool friday, time for them arseholes to loose their undefeated league record thingy hehe :)

[Eldandoerino]

Lets hope so come on liverpool.

*shudders

[Gazza54b]

I hate to do this, but come on Liverpool :lol:

[Lord E]

We're playing bad yes... but not that bad gazza :O Losing to Man United and Chelsea, fine, we're in a bad spell now and teams like those can take advantage... but Liverpool? :wtf: They suck more poo's than a poo eating monster (Nem).

If we don't beat Liverpool though, I don't think we'll beat Newcastle either. The Premiership title is looking far from secure now - we've looked tired in the second half of our last 4 or 5 games now, and with 2 games in 3 days? or 4, can't remember - things can only get worse over the next week :(

Paying the price for having a small squad now I suppose :O And now that we've bought Reyes, we haven't got much cash to spend after this season to make the squad better equipped for next season - we'll have to rely on the current players improving again :vacant:

So, any trophies we win over the next few seasons could be won by grinding out results somehow, as United and Chelsea will keep adding to their squads while we can't. Hopefully we can keep up until our new stadium is ready, then we'll be able to spend big money as often as United do - probably not as often as Chelsea do, though - they just spend stupid money for the sake of having big name players... but it looks like it's working for them at the minute :O The bastards.

[speed demon]

I hate to do this, but come on Liverpool :lol:

You said it. Can't believe Arsenal were knocked out of both cups in 4 days. :lol:

[Electro]

i support newcastle , suppose my luck sux m, but not for england in the rugby world cup watched every game got up early :( aswell and they won :D , now that makes u proud to be british :cool:

[Lord E]

Electro... can you please back the teams Arsenal are playing against from now on? :D I just want to see if you're an unlucky charm for Arsenal :O

[Andy Villa]

lol..... i think arsenal will start to crumble in the prem this weekend too. liverpool and newcastle next after 2 very disapointin defeats..... i cant see uguys takin anyof those points and chelsea will be breathin down ur necks..... it would be strange to see the arse with nowt this season after promising so much........

[Electro]

Yeh i think arsenal wont win anything now i mean but if they dont man willl taht go down in the history books and be talked about 4 year 2 come :thumb:

[Andy Villa]

http://www.shrimperzone.com/clearout.jpg

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[Electro]

lol nice one :thumb:

[Lord E]

Hmm... would be funny if it made sense :huh: Arsenal aren't the current holders of the Champions League :huh:

[Andy Villa]

and never have been... and dont u forget it......

[Lord E]

Which shows we're a club that has gone forward, not backwards like Villa and other clubs who won it soooo long ago and are now nowhere near it now :thumb:

[Andy Villa]

no matter how much u try and justify the fact that uv never won it, uv still not won it and are as close to winning it now as u wer 20 years ago..... lmfao.... and until u hav, ul never be as big of a club as villa....... :D

[KevBaz]

or nots forest ;)

[Electro]

nots forest im guessing u support them ?? hmmm what division they in conference ?

[Eldandoerino]

forest are a first division team you muppet and were once one of the best teams in england. i hate glory fans that know **** all about football out side of the premiership.

[Andy Villa]

nottingham forest are currently struggling in division 1 at the moment which is a shame for such a big club... and kev is a liverpool supporter

[Lord E]

no matter how much u try and justify the fact that uv never won it, uv still not won it and are as close to winning it now as u wer 20 years ago..... lmfao.... and until u hav, ul never be as big of a club as villa....... :D

Err... have you not looked at the league table? :D Right now we're a much bigger club than Villa... the past means nothing effectively :thumb: Even your mate Kev just pointed something out.

He said Forest 'were' one of the best sides in england. He's got the right idea. They were, but right now they're ****... so winning the european cup back then doesn't give a true reflection of their club today :thumb: Just like Villa :D And even Liverpool :D

[KevBaz]

and kev is a liverpool supporter

that just a vicious rumor at the moment.....;)

[Andy Villa]

Err... have you not looked at the league table? :D Right now we're a much bigger club than Villa... the past means nothing effectively :thumb: Even your mate Kev just pointed something out.

He said Forest 'were' one of the best sides in england. He's got the right idea. They were, but right now they're ****... so winning the european cup back then doesn't give a true reflection of their club today :thumb: Just like Villa :D And even Liverpool :D

right now ur a better club than villa but villa are historically a bigger club than arsenal cos wev won the european cup (back when it was a knock out competition i might add, so ur lot wudda been out b4 it had started if it still was....). wer not better than u at the moment, as the league proves. and we might not be for a long time, but until uv won the european cup then ur club wont as big of a club as aston villa or nottingham forest............... and the past mean everything. without past glories then wot is the point in fighting for titles? its summat to remember and summat to aspire to again..... ur lot hav to aspire to it once...... thats the difference between villa & arsenal.......

[KevBaz]

Liverpool are the Greatest english team ever, and dont you forget it















theyre just having a break.... :happysad:

[Lord E]

right now ur a better club than villa

you should of stopped there - the rest was past afterall and makes no difference to anything now :thumb:

and no kev... maybe a former Liverpool team were the greatest, but not the current one :D

[Andy Villa]

looks like thats where u stopped reading too.......... at the end of the day, villa hav won the european cup and arsenal havent.... i know tis hard for u to accept, but its cold hard fact and u just cant argue with cold hard fact........ :thumb:

[Lord E]

And if you've read anything in this thread you'd know I haven't argued it :D Tell me where i've said Villa haven't won the European Cup... or where i've said Arsenal have... :D

The only thing i've argued is that it means nothing today :thumb: Villa winning the European Cup all those years ago is just a benchmark to show how far downhill they've gone since :thumb:

[Andy Villa]

or summat for every club in england, including both villa & arsenal, to aspire to........ :D

[Lord E]

Nope, just a benchmark to show how far downhill Villa have gone :D I mean look at the competition this year... none of the 4 semi-finalists are great clubs, and none of them will be regarded as a great club if they win it either - except by their own fans. If Arsenal won it, we wouldn't of been considered a great club. It's one trophy, in one season... the next season the slate is wiped clean and every team has to prove themselves once again.

Our FA Cup win last season is means nothing now, because we're out of the competition this season already - we're no longer the best FA Cup team.

Man United's title win last season means nothing now, because they aren't going to reclaim it this season - they're no longer the best team in the Premiership. And so on :D

[Andy Villa]

yea, ur one of the better clubs now but ur not one of the great clubs......... and u wont be til u win the european cup......

hands up if ur club has won the european cup.....

*raises hand* :thumb: :D

[Lord E]

And look where its got you :thumb: :D

[Andy Villa]

it got us a place in the history books. summat u dont hav.........

i dont see ur hand........ oh thats right...... sit back down..... :D :thumb:

[Lord E]

History being the key word :D Means nothing now. All that concerns me is the state of clubs today, Arsenal are the best team in England right now, that's the only fact that matters.

Today, Aston Villa are the 7th best... hardly the giant of european football you're trying to make them out to be :thumb: Birmingham City are above you... Charlton and Southampton could be above you if they win their games in hand... need I say more? :O

Until Aston Villa, or any other team move above us in the league, Arsenal are the best club in England :thumb:

Anyway... thanks to me and you this thread has strayed off topic, and I don't see anyone interupting our dispute with comments on the CL Quarters, so, end of :vacant: If you'd like to argue some more, PM me :D