Arsenal were today drawn against Liverpool for the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League. The first leg will take place at the Grove on either Tuesday April 1 or Wednesday April 2, with the second taking place at Anfield a week later.
Looking at the fixture list, the draw means that the two clubs will face each other three times in as few as eight days, as Liverpool also visit the Grove for a league match on Saturday April 5.
The winner of this tie will face the winner of the Chelsea-Fenerbache matchup in the semi-finals.
The draw in full:
Quarters:
Arsenal v Liverpool
AS Roma v Man Utd
Schalke 04 v FC Barcelona
Fenerbahce v Chelsea
Semis:
Arsenal/Liverpool v Fenerbahce/Chelsea
Schalke/Barcelona v AS Roma/Man Utd
80 Responses to “Champions League Quarter-Final & Semi-Final Draw”
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March 14th, 2008 at 9:35 am
Oh this is just not fair! This will certainly be tricky. We will have to face Liverpool 3 times in a row and then face United in the EPL immediately after that! That is just terrible for Arsenal (for the EPL) and Liverpool (for the Champions league) from my predictions below. Additionally do you realize that if results work out a certain way Arsenal could face the big 4 up to 8 times between EPL and Champions League with the possibility of an Arsenal Manu U champions League final showdown!!!! This is crazy however unlikely. Here is what I think will happen…
Quarter finals:
1. Arsenal will defeat Liverpool (the spirit of Barnsely will prevail). Additionally Liverpool has never been comfortable playing us. We have had their number over the last 2 seasons or so. I do think however that if we will do this it will be at the expense of the EPL based on the lack of experience in the side.
2. United could win but that is actually a difficult draw. They have traditionally not done well against Italian opposition unlike Arsenal and Liverpool but this time I pick them to progress at the expense of Roma
3. FC Barcelona barring divine intervention
4. Chelsea barring the a miracle akin to Turkey becoming an empire again!
Semi finals
1. Arsenal over Chelsea …we have a score to settle considering how they knocked us out 3 to 4 seasons ago and again the Barnsley spirit will prevail!
2. Barcelona - They will be eager to show that they still got is after they have blown it in the Spanish League and United will be pre-occupied with sealing the EPL.
Final
Arsenal Barcelona where we will avenge the final defeat from a couple of seasons ago.
I am not a superstitious man but fate has to be on our side.
1. Chance to repeat what Barnsley did in the FA cup in the same order they did it
2. Chance to avenge the defeat by Chelsea in the quarters a few season ago
3. Chance to avenge the champions league final defeat from a couple of seasons ago
4. And most importantly look at the trend from the last 3 seasons:
2004-2005 final Liverpool wins after coming from behind
2005-2006 season: defending champions get knocked out in the first knock-out round the second game of which the defending champions are defeated 2-0 at home by supposed underdogs..if this sounds familiar its because that was exactly the fate of Milan this year. Also Barcelona wins the final over Arsenal again after coming from behind in the late stages of the game
2006-2007: both the previous season finalists are knocked out early in the competition and the final is a repeat of the final from two seasons ago only this time there is no come-from behind win for Liverpool
2007-2008: I predict both last years finalists will be knocked out early i.e. end of the road for Liverpool and the final will be a repeat of the final from two seasons ago only this time no come from behind win for Barcelona!
Arsenal = Champions of Europe!!!
March 14th, 2008 at 9:48 am
Correction United actually has a good record against Italian opposition expecially Roma. Still pick United for that one.
March 14th, 2008 at 9:52 am
Of the three English teams, L’pool are the ones I’d take first. The only potential upset I can see is Barcelona going walkabout without Messi.
I wonder if this helps us for the League game on the 5th too. Will Rafa rest key players for that game in between the CL games?
Regardless - if we beat Pool, great, but it could be where our lack of strength in depth - correction, uninjured strength in depth - could really see us exposed and cost us on both fronts.
We’re not a deep enough squad to go for BOTH the league and the CL, especially with gruelling domestic opposition for the quarter and semi finals.
Then again, a big win against Boro tomorrow will kick start our run-in and restore our confidence with VanP returning to form.
March 14th, 2008 at 10:06 am
I bet Wenger wishes he bought a few more players now. I feel bad for Fabregas and Hleb just thinking about those fixtures. Put them in an oxygen chamber for the next few months or something.
If Wenger comes out with the statement ‘we are a bit short at the moment’ then I think i’ll say to myself ‘ haven’t we heard that for the last five years?’.
If we could somehow get Rosicky back then I would look forward to these games. However I don’t think he will play again this season.
March 14th, 2008 at 10:11 am
Roma have been in pretty good form, though… and they’ll be looking to avenge that humiliating beatdown they received last year. They also played United pretty tough during the group stages. So I wouldn’t rule them out.
This isn’t the worst draw for us, and we have had their number over the past few years (but it does suck to play Liverpool three times in a row… beating a team three times in a season is tough, let alone consecutively). But again, if we can defeat a team that’s traditionally strong in Europe, that will be a big confidence booster and should add to our momentum towards the final.
March 14th, 2008 at 10:31 am
I don’t mind playing Liverpool in the CL.
And… so we play them 3 times in 8 days?
OK… they play US 3 times in 8 days… so why is that a problem for us?
Figures Chelsea draw Fenerbache… I predicted that would occur. They usually get the easy route…
At least we don’t have to travel far!
So our route to the CL title is Liverpool, Chelsea then United?!!!!
I am happy with the draw… we have it all to do… in the league and CL… and if we DESERVE to be Champions in the league and Champions of Europe… We will have to EARN IT.
No excuses… all of the BIG 4 are in the same competitions as we are… playing at the same time we are… same number of matches.
So we are all on equal footing. If we have injuries… then WE SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT PLAYERS IN… thats on the club and Arsene. You plan for this things… its part of the game.
March 14th, 2008 at 10:32 am
Guys, there are some very strong suspicions the draw was fixed. At 10.30 am on a forum the draw was leaked and the exact same fixtures were displayed on the forum. Bookies stopped taking bets at 11am. Interesting.
March 14th, 2008 at 10:39 am
We need to beat Middlesborough tomorrow, then the season goes into hyper mode. the 6 games that follow will determine whether Arsenal are good enough to win the title and/or Champions League.
If we get through the Liverpool tie and are still somehow top - or even level - after the trip to Man Utd then it’s obvious we can without doubt win both competitions. But that’s a massive IF.
For me, everyone has to play more or less as they have been all season, but we have Robin Van Persie now. Make no mistake this guy can give us the extra firepower and creativity we’ve been craving. We no longer have to rely on Fabregas and Hleb for everything. Van Persie can take the pressure off them a little and off Adebayor too. For me, he is the key. If he can stay fit for the rest of the season and find his form then instead of fearing other teams, I will start to feel as though it’s Arsenal who should really be feared.
But this is a very very tough run of games, with the team playing every 3 or 4 days. There will be injuries, and that’s going to be another key factor. I hope people will be sensible and have realistic expectations throughout 23 March - 12 April. Personally, I’m just glad we’re in the mix and feeling confident we can do some damage.
March 14th, 2008 at 10:42 am
[...] the best that can happen to us is to knock off a big gun and earn loads of conbluechampions.comChampions League Quater-Final & Semi-Final DrawChampions League Quater-Final & Semi-Final Draw By mikek in Arsenal News Arsenal were today drawn [...]
March 14th, 2008 at 10:45 am
Danny, while I agree wholeheartedly that RVP can be a big difference maker for us… it depends which RVP shows up. He is not going to be in form very quickly… but if he can hit his stride/swagger… and NOT get injured again… then he could be the player that catapults us in all competitions.
Also agreed that we should just enjoy the ride… hoping that we play well … and perhaps bring home one of the two trophies.
Would people rather win the league or the CL?
If you can choose ONE ONLY… which would it be?
I’ll assume most people would say the CL, because we’ve never done it.
I would like to see that happen… I’d say Champs League.
With a bad run in… we could easily end up 3rd in the league.
With a good run in… we could win the league and make a run at the CL again.
This is where all the fun begins.
March 14th, 2008 at 10:48 am
The league without doubt. Allied with all the tough teams we will be playing on the way, the final is in Moscow. Have we ever won a match in Russia? We seem to have trouble locating the net in those climes.
March 14th, 2008 at 10:51 am
Really Mazza?
We’ve done the league… often enough.
I’d love to see us lift that HUGE Champions of Europe Trophy.
March 14th, 2008 at 10:53 am
stag’s comments are right on! have to walk unafraid (apologies to M Stipe). but nothing will matter unless there is a win Saturday. then it is really one game at a time….
March 14th, 2008 at 11:02 am
Always the league for me. Arsenal getting to the final in 2006 has satisfield by Champions League appetite somewhat. Our curse in that competition has been lifted and I can see it for what it is; a cup competition, and an almighy crapshoot.
The league is the mark of a real team. Especially this year with strength of the English teams. If you win the league this year you effectively win the Premier League and the Champions League in one swoop. That’s if the english teams progress as I expect they will.
March 14th, 2008 at 11:20 am
I think I would be just as happy if we won the Champions League as the league. Normally I would go for the league, but we have many good years behind us and ahead of us domestically. Winning the Champions League earns you massive respect. It attracts players and fans, and makes teams fear you psychologically.
We’ve never won it, which makes it a somewhat unique challenge. I’d love to get it out the way and stick a European Cup in the trophy cabinet. After that it would be league success every time.
March 14th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Boy, we need the league more than we need the CL.The league title will set this young team totally free. They can grow and express themselves fearlessly in the years to come. If we lose the league title, the young team will no doubt suffer psychologically. Oh, we had a five point lead and blew it. We lead all season long, but still lost. The opposition fans and British media will never let us forget. Yes, we did come back in 2004 after the debacle of 2003. But that team had already won the title. This young team has shown tremendous strength, but nobody knows how they will react to a trophyless season.
March 14th, 2008 at 11:25 am
This is going to a great round, but a hard one. What with Torres on a tear recently and Adebayor in a dry spell. Hopefully, by the time this game comes around RVP will be back in all his glory and Adebayor will find his magic again.
March 14th, 2008 at 11:25 am
Mathematically, the chances of winning the CL the next year (and the year after that) are only slightly lower than this year. Why? Because we should get through the group stages (I am sure we have progressed that much). And with a little extra effort, we will probably make it in the round of 8 as well.
As for the league, you don’t know where you will be the same time next year. Will we be on top of league? Who knows!!! When you are this close to the league title, you take your chances. You don’t throw it away. The chances of being there again are much smaller than being in the last 8 of the CL.
March 14th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Last year, we beat Liverpool twice in one week, including a 6-goal beating. We’ll do it again. They’ve got a glass jaw. Ask Barnsley or whatever they’re called.
We’re too consistent. They’re way too erratic. They’ll blow one of those three games. You can’t say they’ll want to blow the league game as Everton are right on their ass but they won’t want to give up the CL.
The reality is that all the top four BPL teams have very tough games in the final stretch to the end. This is what a title race is supposed to look like. Even the challenge for fourth and fifth place is tight as the BPL looks like it’s only getting one UEFA Cup place this season.
Personally, I would have rather played Schalke Vier but fuck it. I would have rather played against Olympiacos last round too as that would have kept us under the radar but it was awful sweet to beat Milan down. Now, people are predicting us to win. Can we handle the pressure?
Gotta agree with stag. Gallas lifting up that big-ass trophy in May would be a lovely sight to behold. Eduardo might limp his broke-dick ass up there beating on the bottom of a garbage can with Gilberto playing the Ukelele or whatever he plays. You know Eboue, Adebayor, Kolo, and Denilson will be dancing their asses off. Might bring a tear to my eye; like a little bitch.
March 14th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Anyway, before we even start of dreaming about priorities and so on, we have three big games to face - Boro, Chelsea and Bolton. Need AT LEAST 7 points to get to a stage where we can actually prioritize. Let’s do that first.
March 14th, 2008 at 11:34 am
No one seems to be bothered that the draw was fixed. The top four teams left in the competition were Arsenal, Barcelona, United, and Chelsea. And they’ve been kept apart. This could all explain why Chelsea get piss easy draws in every round in every competition.
March 14th, 2008 at 11:39 am
lol at nipuna….yep……..we need at least 7 points from these 3 games or else!
March 14th, 2008 at 11:44 am
I think this run of games will FINALLY do us in….
and probably not win a single trophy (but close) this year.
Potentially all of our remaining CL games will be against English teams, so that’s like an extra 5 LEAGUE games on top of our EPL fixtures.
oh well, i’ll just take it one game at a time.
March 14th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
CL Predictions:
Arsenal over Liverpool - Of all the major EPL teams we seem to match up with them the best.
Roma over Manu - Just have that feeling.
Chelsea over Fenerbache - Chelsea tends to play up to their competition and Fenerbache barely squeaked through with a little luck.
Barcelona over Schalke 04 - Just too much class even though they have injuries to Messi and Ya Ya.
Barcelona over Roma in semi-finals with a dominating display.
Arsenal over Chelsea in semi-finals with a little luck.
Our best chance of a trophy this year is the CL unless Manu and Chelsea really stink up the place in the EPL between now and seasons’ end or incur major injuries to a few key players. As said earlier, our “Uninjured” squad is too thin at the moment and even if Rosicky (especially Rosicky), Walcott, Song, Dhojouru and Diaby gets back to match fitness it will take a few games to round into match form.
March 14th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
Arsenal can beat Liverpool, in which case they are likely to meet Chelsea in the Semi-Final, and a good chance Man Utd in the final. Winning that lot would probably be as big a domestic boost as winning the league.
March 14th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Can you imagine defeating Liverpool, then Chelsea, and then Man U to win the CL? Wow! That would be bigger than winning any domestic league - no slight to the EPL.
I think we have a better chance to win the EPL, but I continue to feel pessimistic as the team domestically just looks knackered. This is a team than can’t play pedal to the metal all the time (who can? - the great teams when tired somehow just grind out those 1-0 wins).
Here’s a question - which competition do you think the players would want to win if they could only win one? Perhaps the CL? Almost all of them likely in their young days idolized that trophy.
March 14th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Here’s a link to the forum thread in question.
http://tinyurl.com/38k83d
March 14th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
interesting draw for us….if it had been lpool-chelsea,barca-shalke,roma-utd and arsenal-fener, it would have been perhaps one of the most anti-climatic draws in european history.
initial reaction to being drawn to liverpool was not postive but as i think about it more there is no team i hate more, and not team i would prefer to humiliate.for all their history their recent successes,from houllier to benitez, have largely been unwarranted or just plain lucky.im now thinkin this luck will run out.yes liverpool are peaking but that is because of the opposition they have played and i do think there is a second wind to this arsenal team as we have some important players to return.
wenger is unsure about rosicky’s date of return?he thinks his injury is ’strange,but not bad’.what does that tell us?i’m really hoping we will have our strongest 11 back for this rough period.rosicky on the left,RVP up front and a refreshed Toure at the back.keep everyone fit and have those return will be crucial.with that 11 we can beat anyone.
as for priorities?i think wenger is more interested in the CL this season.everyone at the club has come out and said it is the priority.i doubt any of them expected to win the league this year.our domestic fortunes will be much better in year’s to come as our squad matures and other youngsters join in on the revolution
March 14th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
I doubt it was fixed - don’t have much time for conspiracy theories to be honest.
The fact is, it wasn’t a bad draw for Arsenal. I would only fancy our chances in a one-off game against Man Utd or Barcelona - and now that’s the only way we can meet them.
March 14th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
We are kicking Liverpools ass.
I just have that feeling!
March 14th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
@25 Nice way to look at it. Makes complete sense too.
Just hope we win something this season though… anything
March 14th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Liverpool is the team I pull for in CL if Arsenal can’t win, this might change that.
March 14th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
If Arsenal have to win both titles, they have to do it the hard way, again. I can’t imagine the physical and mental strength the team will need during those intense two weeks when they play Liverpool 3 times and then visit Old Trafford when they are done and have to be up for that game, regardless of how they do in the quarters.
I keep thinking back to 2004 and how Arsenal were pushed to the brink in terms of intense fixtures and in the end, winning the league unbeaten was a great achievement. Also, I am not sure how I might enjoy watching Liverpool 3 games in a row. Perhaps Rafa can change his squad completely for all those 3 games so it looks like Arsenal is playing a different team
regarding Chelsea. Maybe, just maybe, the Brazilian influenced Fenerbahce can do everyone a favour and get rid of them. Otherwise, they keep getting easier fixtures than the other teams.
atleast after tomorrow, Arsenal have a gap of a week before the next test. And then after the Bolton game, things go crazy. I am hoping that Bolton manage to beat Wigan tomorrow and get more points before they meet Arsenal, so they won’t be that eager to nick a point over the Gunners.
March 14th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Well, I think it’s fixed. After reading that thread that is the only logical conclusion I can come to. Apparently some Indian bookmaker phoned a bloke from Goa. He knew last night.
Russian bloke picking the teams instead of a truly revered figure like Cruyff. Dodgy in my opinion.
March 14th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
When the draw was announced, for focussing on Arsenal’s point of view, the camera man focussed on David Dein, again. It seems the camera is still drawn to him whenever Arsenal draws are made, like for the round of 16. I know he is indirectly interested in with Arsenal through the Russian connection, but he is not an official Arsenal representative.
March 14th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Mazza, the story made UEFA answer no the rigging. Very rare do you get a public rejection of such rumours. Although, isn’t anyone speculating that the person picking the draw balls was a Russian who might be working to ensure a certain Russian’s team get the easiest draw and giving Arsenal something that will run them into the ground?
But if the draw was to be fixed in Chelsea’s favour, then it should have gone like this:
Arsenal vs Liverpool, Man Utd vs Barca, the winners of these 2 games meet in the semis
Chelsea vs Fene, Schalke vs Roma, the winners meet in the semis.
anyway, besides Chelsea getting off the lightest, I can’t see how the draw was fixed. Barca also got off a little easy. Had they gotten Liverpool, they would have been frustrated.
March 14th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Corruption is rife everywhere. It wouldn’t shock me if it was fixed. Just like it wouldn’t shock me if Ferguson and his manager pals exchanged notes on Arsenal every week on how and where to kick them. Then again as I’ve said many a time..there is no proof so there’s no use debating it IMO. Could be just a big big coincidence but u never know.
Anyway we got to beat Pool now; we need to win the first leg coz then we will most likely win at home as well in the EPL coz Benitez will mess with his side and by the time we get to Anfield again we need to be confident big time ; else Liverpool at home in a second leg QF is tough tough going.
March 14th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
I was reading F365’s reaction to the draw. They had a little blurb about all 4 English teams. Here’s the last paragraph on Arsenal’s:
Six games over 21 days would test any side. But the challenge awaiting Arsenal’s verges on the impassable: Between March 23 and April 13, starting and finishing with journeys to Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford respectively, Arsene Wenger’s team will face Big Four opposition on five separate occasions. The only variation will be a trip to Bolton, an encounter which they have rarely enjoyed.
‘Daunting’ doesn’t quite do it justice.
I get tired just thinking about it. Oh well, this is why the players get paid the big bucks.
March 14th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Liverpool look a good draw to me. Rather them in the qtr final than ManU, Chelsea or Barcelona. Less travel and disruption too. That’s the good part!!
I pointed out a few days ago that we had a huge 21 days coming up. Assuming we get past Liverpool we are likely to meet Chelsea. Chelsea have games in hand and are in the unwanted position of having to squeeze them in to an already tight schedule. So that’s a big plus for us. Tiredness, injuries and a lack of concentration may be biting them when we meet them in the EPL and CL.
As the number of games to go in the season reduces I think the fact we have a high number of ‘big’ games may work in our squads favour. Our young squad seems to find it easier to rise to bigger challenges than the dross games ala Wigan Birmingham etc.
Bring it on.
March 14th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Well, it will be challanging, but it will be equally exciting. I can’t wait to watch all these matches!
March 14th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Even if the draw was fixed, you still have to play the games.
It ensures NOTHING.
March 14th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Bookies stop taking bets for all sorts of reasons. Rumours spread like wildfire, so betting in one direction or another can replicate that. The bookies might not know either way so it’s sensible to suspend betting in case something dodgy IS happening - but that doesn’t mean that the rumour wasn’t anything but a rumour in the first place. Sometimes rumours are deliberately planted by betting syndicates to raise the odds of whatever they want to bet on in their favour. From the outside looking in, you’re unlikely to know what’s going on.
March 14th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Danny @ 8 is right.
The six games after the Boro game will define our season. In fact, the result against Boro is not important if we win the following six games. Bolton, ManU and Chelsea away as well as Liverpool three times are the games this team wants to be involved with. At the start of the season, most of us would have taken this scenario. Win those six games (or win four and go through in the CL) and we are in the driving seat for two trophies. Drop points and go out of the CL and the team learn a lesson about the extra half a per cent needed at the very top.
As for the draw, Liverpool were the one team I didn’t want. Benitez recklessly rotates his squad during the first half of the season. Someday it will work, this season it didn’t. However, it means that his first team is fully rested and invigorated for the last three months of the season and plays to its full potential. The only thing we have in response (and mentioned by DannyT already) is Van Persie. To a lesser extent we could also have Toure, Rosicky and a mature Walcott to add to the mix. As against that there is a player - Torres - who hasn’t been worked to death.
March 14th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
i say we beat pool 2-0 and 2-1 at home and draw 1-1 away. i didnt want english opposition but i guess pool is better than facing chelsea or Man U thrice.
March 14th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Fred,
I hope you are right but I think you are wrong. Liverpool under Benitez won’t win the league but they will always be close to the best team from March onwards.
Going back to one of the discussions on the last thread, I think Flamini is both overestimated and underestimated. As some say, you can teach what he knows and there are many who have the knowledge. However the role he plays is different with Arsenal and while Mascherano may have fitted in immediately with Liverpool and Hargreaves with Utd., I believe both may have struggled initially if they came to Arsenal given the greater demands on the rold. If Flamini is to leave, and I hope he doesn’t. better to promote from within in the short term (Djourou, Song or Denilson) while giving time for a new signing (anyone know a possible handy one out there) to adapt.
March 14th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
I’m not that upset about the draw. To be honest, and I’d bet most most Gooners will agree with me (including people on here), that LIverpool were the exact “middle” team we could have drawn. 3 teams would have been worse to get (ManUre, Chelski, Barca) and would have been better to get (Fener, Schalke, Roma).
March 14th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Rafa, in terms of European record, is probably the BEST among all the managers in the world in recent time - 1 UEFA Cup winner with Valencia, along with 1 CL final trip. 2 CL final trip with Liverpool, one winner. better than Mourinho, much better than Ferguson, and Wenger is no match.
and IrishG’s point is very valid. the reason Rafa kept rotating his squad was trying to reserve their energy so that they could have a late charge towards the end of the season.
In the league, of cos it backfired on him. But CL is another story.
although we have always had a better head to head record Vs Liverpool in domestic fixtures, so did Mourinho. The fact that Liverpool under Rafa has never beaten Chelsea in the domestic fixture yet beat them in numberous occassions in the CL sums it up - the Reds definitely is not going to be easy.
March 14th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
rafa is not the best in recent times in the CL….ancelloti is - and we beat him.
March 14th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
i m no stats guy, but u got my “point” right fred?
March 14th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
Crap Fred,
Yes, we beat Ancelotti but Liverpool knocked out the Italian form team. Mark my words, beat Liverpool in the quarters (a big if) and anything is possible. the big obstacle now is Bentez who might be prepared to gamble on fhe CL.
March 14th, 2008 at 9:30 pm
i m basically confident we can beat anyone, regardless of the “name”. but i’d say Liverpool will be a tougher opponent for us than AC Milan. as i said before the Milan tie, I would worry more of the English clubs than other big name European sides.
March 14th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
come to think of it - is it the FIRST time EVER we meet Liverpool in Champions League (as well as the old European club)? again, i got no stats book beside me, but I think this is the FIRST time.
March 14th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
Liverpool only won 3 of there last 10 domestic games last season - so it doesn’t look like having an early season rest did them much good.
March 14th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
here here,
“In the league, of cos it backfired on him. But CL is another story.”
March 14th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Let’s give our best shot in the CL, but really prefer to concentrate on the league. We might do great and beat Liverpool and then Chelsea, but if something goes wrong in the final (like it did at Paris) and we lose, all that effort is lost. In the league, despite our recent three draws, we are in the fighting mix. I’d really prefer to concentrate on that.
Let’s get the three games out of the way first. After that, I’d play our best team in the first leg and league game vs Liverpool. Remember the CL QF will be our first mid week game in a month (since the Milan game). After that, we can take a call depending on our position, injuries, suspensions, tiredness, etc.
Where is the Boro preview? Everybody has forgotten about it. Boro might have got knocked out of Fa Cup to Cardiff, but did get a draw at Villa (they would have won but for a wrong penalty decision). Won’t be an easy game today, but hey, if we are thinking of beating Liverpool in the CL, we should be wrapping up the three points today.
March 14th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
“Russian bloke picking the teams instead of a truly revered figure like Cruyff.”
The Russian bloke was Rinat Dasaev who played 91 games for the Russian national team, not some stupid UEFA bloke. Nothing wrong in that considering the final is in Moscow.
March 14th, 2008 at 10:54 pm
“The six games after the Boro game will define our season. In fact, the result against Boro is not important if we win the following six games.”
Lol. You might as well say the season will define our season!
March 14th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
@56.About 90% of the people watching didn’t have a clue who the hell he was until the commentator mentioned it. The fact that he played 91 times for Russia has little relevance to his current activities.
March 15th, 2008 at 3:18 am
This whole business about fixing the draw has really got me thinking, but I suppose you can’t really call it anyting more than speculation, since there’s no real proof. I think we’ll be able to tell more in the next week or so, based on UEFA’s reaction as much as what the media acutally uncover. If we were to win (yeah, yeah I know I’m getting ahead of myself, but this goes for whichever team lifts the Big Ear Trophy) and it turned out the draw was fixed, would our victory mean anything, or would it be completely tarnished? I really hope these allegations are false, regardless of who becomes the Champions of Europe.
March 15th, 2008 at 8:20 am
I don’t think our achievement would be tarnised. Quite the opposite in fact as we’ve got the hardest route to the final with this draw.
The media’s handling of it is quite amusing. UEFA come out with their predictable denial and all the news outlets are full of headlines like ‘UEFA put rigging rumours to rest’. Well, since when does an obvious and predictable denial end everything? Did the media think UEFA were going to admit to fixing the draw?
March 15th, 2008 at 9:03 am
My God. Mazza, i didn’t take ur fix rumor seriously at first, i thought it’s just a piece of rumor. Until i log on to that forum u link us there. Then there is WITHOUT QUESTION a FIX wasn’t it?
that guy when he first posted the fixing rumor not too many ppl there believing in him neither, until the draw came out exactly like the rumor….
if it’s not a fix, then it gotta be one hell of a coincidence. i m interested to see how those footballing ppl, managers the likes are going to response.
Man, i don’t know why are they fixing the draw, it’s just a DISGRACE. this is serious man. cos if someone could FIX a draw, they could FIX a GAME as well.
March 15th, 2008 at 9:15 am
here is UEFA’s reaction below. they claimed it to be a lucky guess. I dont’ rule out the possibilty that one guy could luckily guess it right of all the 4 fixtures. ppl tend to make prediction anyway. but usually when ppl made prediction, they wouldn’t claim that it’s a fix.
but since the guy suggested from the beginning of his thread that “rumor that the draw was fixed”. and somehow the draw result turned out exactly like what he said that made the whole thing look even more fishy.
“But a UEFA spokesman said: ‘It is just a lucky guess. I have been in touch with people internally and they are quite surprised. They find it a little ridiculous actually.
‘The results of the draw and the practice draw were completely different, and I think it was just pure luck that this guy could get them all right.”
March 15th, 2008 at 9:19 am
Liverpool got lucky against Inter. The sending offs, both harsh, had a bigger influence on their results than Rafa being a tactical genius. They are good in Europe, but we have their measure.
It’s all about Cesc. Give him the space and he will dictate the game, especially over two legs. Five in midfield will make it very hard to negate Cesc’s influence, which makes me confident that we will prevail.
Basically our whole season comes down to Cesc. If he doesn’t perform in the big games, we won’t win anything. If he can turn it on for all the big matches then we have as good a chance as anyone.
March 15th, 2008 at 9:31 am
Exactly Andez. There is a diffference between prediction and saying the draw has been leaked. When you read the thread it is very genuine. Not staged at all. If it was a scam I think we would be able to distinguish a forced tone to the whole thing, but in this case I can’t.
The bookies not taking bets is not important. The thread by itself carries enough weight.
Definately rigged.
March 15th, 2008 at 9:31 am
Every game from Boro on forward will become season defining. Every players performance in these critical games will now be examined with an electron microscope. The players must show that its not about the dough (Flamini), the crest (Adebayor) but about taking your place in the immortal realm of Arsenal history.
Flamini has come and he may go but he and his advisers had better review the sad tale of Anelka, the prodigal son who became a vagabond. Wenger should not capitulate and he knows he has Song in the wings.
OFF TOPIC:
ITVN has gone bankrupt. I received an offer from Setanta to continue my access via either DirectTV or Dish Network. ITVN was a reason I could avoid those choices and P2P will have to do for me going forward. From a macroeconomic perspective, it will be interesting to see how those two companies fare now that the US is in a depression.
March 15th, 2008 at 11:48 am
Mazza, i m a bit surprised the low key response towards this issue on this site. though it doesn’t really make much a difference drawing Liverpool or anyone else. the thing is - if it’s true that the draw is fixed, it’s a serious issue that cannot be overlooked. UEFA will lose its creditbility as a whole. how anyone can trust an organization who did things like that from now on?
i suspect perhaps not too many ppl actually click the link u posted there and take a look. and like me, they probably thought it’s just another “rumor”.
but if anyone really log on to that site and follow the thread, it’s difficult for him to not to believe there was definitely something going wrong there.
the initial poster simply wrote down something he had “heard”. he’s not even making an “prediction” of the draw himself.
March 15th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Anyone else watching the ManU v Derby game on Sopcast channel BestofP2P [EN}? Best half time show ever.
March 15th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
I know Andez, this sort of dozy blase attitude towards it is a bit annoying. I’ve read a few forums and a few are passing it off as a prediction and saying loads of people do these sort of predictions before the draw blah, blah, blah.
As you said, if they read the thread properly they wouldn’t brush it off as just another conspiracy theory.
It’s a hard thing to prove though. I would say for this sort of rigging at least three or four people in UEFA would need to be involved and the actual method used to achieve the desired draw would need to be very clever and subtle.
March 15th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Lets see. I wonder when United will get their obligatory penalty when they’re struggling.
March 15th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Come on Derby… 0-0 with less than 30mins to go.
I’m half delirious with some vicious chest coughing fever, which is one phlegm ball away from outright hallucination, so I could be dreaming that United are getting testy and Derby are looking quite solid, as I lay sprawled in my crochet blanket quaffing TheraFlu by the gallon … So what. It’s a lovely dream if it lasts.
PS Is anyone else as fascinated with the strangely creeping forward hair do of Setanta color expert Fat Pat (Is that his name?). You know the guy - heavy set, in a waistcoat, favors a pushing open palm gesture.
What a rug.
March 15th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Yep, Rooney was offside. Always something to help them along the way. Bet Fergie won’t mention the poor officialdom in that goal.
March 15th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
@ brendan 67: LOL….i was shocked but not appalled by the show lol. better than listening to “analysists” thats for sure.
March 15th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
and yeah offside goal from Man U…..typical!
as for the liverpool debate: inter are the biggest chokers in choke history. they had two unfair red cards.
as for ancelloti, he does have a better record. milan played 8 games less than we did, and they rested all their players as much as liverpool.
so as long as we play up to 80% of how we did at milan i think we will go thru handily.
March 15th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
we often heard ppl saying blaming ref is looking for excuses. but sometimes u just cant understand how the referee and their so called “assistants” can be so USELESS.
when the ball bounced off a Boro defender towards Ade (and he scored a more than valid goal), the ref, look at his position, merely 5 yards away, with nobody blocking his sight, and he couldn’t spot the ball bounced off a Boro player?
when u got a perfect good goal disallowed like this, u fear for the worst. sure enough, Boro’s goal, wasn’t Aliadiere in an offside position? he’s at least one yard offside.
unbelievable.
March 15th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
isnt it just typical, a perfect goal ruled out and then they score from their only chance with a whiff of offside to it.
ever since that birmingham game we have had some serious bad luck.
and ofcourse….when you launch a long ball in toure’s general direction his brain FREEZES. typical! its a bloody LONG ball meaning u have time to SEE it….either you go for the ball ideally or at least you take the man. amateur defending.
and ofcourse, hleb is asleep again.
March 15th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Andez, why are we posting HERE, not the top article.
Players STOPPED when the offside flag was up for Ade.
And it was a bang-bang quick call to be made.
I don’t accept the excuses. Sorry.
we are giving the league away to teams who can’t carry our gym bags.
March 15th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
how about stop with this “stop giving excuses” thing…. it is SMALL decisions like this that win the league. Man U score an offside goal - their ONLY goal against derby of all teams.
March 15th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
that’s not FUCKING EXCUSE man. And stop the no-nonsense nonsense please. It’s so fucking crystal clear a legit good goal.
March 15th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Exactly. I said it again and again, those soft of DECISIONS could have decided a title/ relegation / promotion / manager’s job.
We basically lost one FA Cup (to Liverpool) simply because the referee FUCK UP. And tell me that’s an EXCUSE.
March 15th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
somebody please teach cesc how to chip the keeper!!!!!!!!!!! two fucking games in a row!!!!!!!