Champions League + MJ Starts Tonight

[Castiel]

Genk were woeful but to be fair to them their backline didn't consist of a single defender, their fullbacks were wingers and their CB's were midfielders - maybe one of them was a real defender I don't remember but the point was they had plasters patching up a dam. They've had serious injury issues. It was always going to be a spanking.

I really don't know what Torres has to do to get the press (and other fans!) off his back. I think he's expected to go out and solo the game. Though maybe it'd help if he just kept playing like he is without finding a way to add in some controversy (epic miss and 2nd red card of his entire career).

 

[borassic]

He'll be 24 by next June; how do you guys actually see him progressing? It's a season-long loan.

The best case scenario from my point of view would be a premier-league loan next season, then take it from there.

Judging by comments on a Leicester forum i've just read he was head and shoulders above the rest and not even fully fit. I think he's brilliant, would love to see him back at City.

 

[intheknow!]

Arsenal, Chelsea, and United have all gotten easy groups to get out of (the latter two more than Arsenal), only the rags are making hard work of it so far but now they've come to the double header against the Romanian factory workers, that will seal their passage.

Hmmmm.......not really though!

Bayern Leverkusen and Valencia are much better teams than VillaRreal. Valencia held Barca to a draw and matched them a few weeks ago. Also Marseille are a good side and Dortmund won the German League last season. BVB are the team out of pot 4 no-one wanted. United are making hard work of an easy group but I don't think Chelsea and Arsenal are in 'easy' groups.

Fact is we are finding Champions League much more difficult than we thought. There is no point denying it and saying all the other English teams are in 'easy' groups, when that's not the case and it makes us look like we're making excuses that don't stand up. Tottenham were unseeded like us but got to the quarter finals, but their League form suffered.

Chelsea, Arsenal and Man U have been in this competition for 12 years, 15 years and since the start respectively. Which means they are seeded and have the experience and knowledge of European tournaments that we do not. I think some City fans think we were just going to be the next Chelsea but that's not the case because that club were already Champions League regulars BEFORE Abramovich bought them. His money allowed them to progress further deep into the competition which was turbo charged by Mourinho. This raises another issue, Mancini has not had success as a manager in this competition and that's a fact. All the way back to his time as manager of Lazio, they were knocked out of the Champions League in a 4-0 defeat by Chelsea in Italy and also he was sacked by Inter for exiting the competition in defeat to Liverpool at the San Siro.

Arsenal seem to be a team that are suited to European type football. The sort of manager Wenger is and the way his teams play and his tactics are suited to it. For god knows how many years Arsenal have murdered teams in the Group stages.

All this together and I think the Champions League will not be a tournament we excel in this season. TBH I wouldn't mind this season if we didn't get past this group stage, at least then we would be free to concentrate on winning the League and the Carling and FA Cup too. The domestic Treble doesn't sound too bad to me!

 

[whothefisAlice]

Arsenal, Chelsea, and United have all gotten easy groups to get out of (the latter two more than Arsenal), only the rags are making hard work of it so far but now they've come to the double header against the Romanian factory workers, that will seal their passage.

Hmmmm.......not really though!

Bayern Leverkusen and Valencia are much better teams than VillaRreal. Valencia held Barca to a draw and matched them a few weeks ago. Also Marseille are a good side and Dortmund won the German League last season. BVB are the team out of pot 4 no-one wanted. United are making hard work of an easy group but I don't think Chelsea and Arsenal are in 'easy' groups.

Fact is we are finding Champions League much more difficult than we thought. There is no point denying it and saying all the other English teams are in 'easy' groups, when that's not the case and it makes us look like we're making excuses that don't stand up. Tottenham were unseeded like us but got to the quarter finals, but their League form suffered.

Chelsea, Arsenal and Man U have been in this competition for 12 years, 15 years and since the start respectively. Which means they are seeded and have the experience and knowledge of European tournaments that we do not. I think some City fans think we were just going to be the next Chelsea but that's not the case because that club were already Champions League regulars BEFORE Abramovich bought them. His money allowed them to progress further deep into the competition which was turbo charged by Mourinho. This raises another issue, Mancini has not had success as a manager in this competition and that's a fact. All the way back to his time as manager of Lazio, they were knocked out of the Champions League in a 4-0 defeat by Chelsea in Italy and also he was sacked by Inter for exiting the competition in defeat to Liverpool at the San Siro.

Arsenal seem to be a team that are suited to European type football. The sort of manager Wenger is and the way his teams play and his tactics are suited to it. For god knows how many years Arsenal have murdered teams in the Group stages.

All this together and I think the Champions League will not be a tournament we excel in this season. TBH I wouldn't mind this season if we didn't get past this group stage, at least then we would be free to concentrate on winning the League and the Carling and FA Cup too. The domestic Treble doesn't sound too bad to me!

agree with u to a point.......are you forgetting that were we to finish 3rd in the group as we are sitting right now....we go to Europa league! That is worse scenario...rather be 4th and have nothing but domestic to worry about or just go and win the bleedin group in the first place. Either one.

 

[mcmanus]

What's this twat Keane doing on here now ffs,fuckin rag invasion nearly on every channel now

Is that the same Roy 'I would never be a pundit ever' Keane.

Oh how the mighty have fallen Roy eh? Managerial work dried up pal? Aint karma a right fucking woman?

 

[Maldeika]

He'll be 24 by next June; how do you guys actually see him progressing? It's a season-long loan.

The best case scenario from my point of view would be a premier-league loan next season, then take it from there.

his contract won't have too long left to run.

Hopefully help Leicester up in the next season will raise his stock and then maybe a loan to a prem club or sell him to a lower prem team for a couple of million.

don't see him making it back to our new level but if he does it will be one of the most amazing and touching stories in prem football, the guy's been through hell and back.

-- Wed Oct 19, 2011 10:03 pm --

The other three English sides are likely to win their group now and be seeded for next round.
This means if we finish runners up we are likely to be playing Barca, Real Madrid or Inter in the last sixteen. Or we could get lucky and draw the Group G winners.

god fucking help us if we dont finish first

Barca or Real fair enough but you never know.

Inter we can beat.

I love that last sentence - you have to beat the Inter of March not the Inter of October... they might have problems now, but do not underestimate that team with a lot of old and experienced players...

And do not look into the performance of the teams in the leagues too much. Schalke e.g. got into the semi finals of the CL last year, won the Cup finals - but finished 14th in the league. Dortmund last year did not make it over the group stages in the Europa League, lost its 2nd round in the national cup, but led the Bundesliga with 10 points to the second (and 14 to Bayern) at half-time of the season.

I just wanted to show you that as an example. Inter with their experienced defense, with Forlan and Snijder and their old but dangerous attackers might not be eager to show every week but certainly have the potential to beat everybody.

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

He'll be 24 by next June; how do you guys actually see him progressing? It's a season-long loan.

The best case scenario from my point of view would be a premier-league loan next season, then take it from there.

his contract won't have too long left to run.

Hopefully help Leicester up in the next season will raise his stock and then maybe a loan to a prem club or sell him to a lower prem team for a couple of million.

don't see him making it back to our new level but if he does it will be one of the most amazing and touching stories in prem football, the guy's been through hell and back.

-- Wed Oct 19, 2011 10:03 pm --

god fucking help us if we dont finish first

Barca or Real fair enough but you never know.

Inter we can beat.

I love that last sentence - you have to beat the Inter of March not the Inter of October... they might have problems now, but do not underestimate that team with a lot of old and experienced players...

And do not look into the performance of the teams in the leagues too much. Schalke e.g. got into the semi finals of the CL last year, won the Cup finals - but finished 14th in the league. Dortmund last year did not make it over the group stages in the Europa League, lost its 2nd round in the national cup, but led the Bundesliga with 10 points to the second (and 14 to Bayern) at half-time of the season.

I just wanted to show you that as an example. Inter with their experienced defense, with Forlan and Snijder and their old but dangerous attackers might not be eager to show every week but certainly have the potential to beat everybody.

well, Schalke tore you a new one in er...the spring, Tottenham tore you a new one in the autumn and we beat you so handsomely with Sneijder in your team in the summer.

and er..you don't even have Eto'o anymore.