Football Focus

[ratty]

Shame the stents are working imo! ;)

[Parkdrive]

???? Wrote:

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> Manchester, la la la, Manchseter,

> la,la,la.....ooops, hang on a minute, just when I

> thought it was the global centre of excellence for

> football. Still, Benefica and Napoli, class

> outfits.

Certainly proves that spending obscene amounts of money isn't always the answer. But at least Nasri showed he has good taste, what a mighty fine pair of undies. Is that the best he can do on ?200k a week?

[red devil]

Bang goes our hopes of finishing group winners...if we get 2nd we'll end up playing a toughie - Barca, Madrid, Inter, Bayern or...Apoel Nicosia!...''Dear Santa,..''

[Mick Mac]

Be careful what you wish for.

[StraferJack]

isn't it possible to finish top and still face barca this year? Or did I misread that somewhere a few weeks back?

[Parkdrive]

Sir Alex underestimated his opponents yesterday, and paid the price. When a journalist put it to him that the Manchester clubs had struggled in Europe, he seemed to take offence and promptly left. And this comes just after he kissed and made up with the BBC. After watching Real Madrids' B team destroy Zagreb last night, you'd have to fancy them to go all the way. Bayern Munich are also worth a punt.

[red devil]

StraferJack Wrote:

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> isn't it possible to finish top and still face

> barca this year? Or did I misread that somewhere a

> few weeks back?

Group winners don't play each other in the next round (last 16).

It might be possible to play Barca before the final, but that depends on the outcome of the last 16 draw...

[red devil]

Parkdrive Wrote:

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> After watching Real Madrids' B

> team destroy Zagreb last night, you'd have to

> fancy them to go all the way. Bayern Munich are

> also worth a punt.

Unlike the old European Cup, no team has successfully retained the Champions League.

When you look at some the teams that the winners of the EC played on their way to winning it, even in the latter stages, it's quite laughable, hardly reads as a list of the cream of Europe.

It will be interesting to see how good RM really are in the next El Classico...

[Parkdrive]

Yes it will, but Barca have had a couple of slip ups in La Liga of late and Real Madrid will be a real test, no pun intended.

[StraferJack]

of course, but no guarantees Barcelona will top their group - big game tonight

[Alan Medic]

Teams from the same country can't play each other in the last 16 either, whichever position they finished in the group. Pretty sure that changes from the quarters on.

Loved the headline in the Metro I think, along the lines of 'City to be relegated to Channel 5'

Where's Blue gone anyway?

[Bluerevolution]

I'm here. We lost a game, had to happen at some point.

[red devil]

Bertie usually only turns up after a Citeh win, a bit like an exciteable puppy, everything is all shiny and new to him, and he wets himself a lot too...

[Alan Medic]

I think you'll find that's two you lost Bertie!

[Bluerevolution]

I've taken my giddy head off, think I've ruffled enough feathers already and as I often walk through ED in a City coat, don't want to risk a punch ! Banter (aka piss taking) I can live with. >:D

[????]

None of you lot are any good in Europe

Random statistic - "Barcelona scored in their 27th successive European match equalling the all-time record set by West Ham (Sep 1964-Oct 1980)"

[red devil]

Bluerevolution Wrote:

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> I've taken my giddy head off, think I've ruffled

> enough feathers already and as I often walk

> through ED in a City coat, don't want to risk a

> punch ! Banter (aka piss taking) I can live with.

> >:D<

I'll be happy to take the Michael out of your Citeh coat BR, I'll keep my eyes peeled...hopefully it's a knitted one from Laddy Muck, so I can step on a loose thread and slowly watch it unravel...a bit like your team in the Champions League :)-D

[Parkdrive]

Arsenal, inspite of all the predictions to the contrary from the pundits, are the only English game to have qualified thus far, I bet Mr Wenger is inwardly smiling and thinking "not bad for a club in crisis". Unrest at Chelsea already, unbelievable.

[StraferJack]

Watching Walcott's strile ruled out for offside (correctly) just reminded me how close we were against Barca last year - red card for RvP in that game inexcusable on teh officials part

[Bluerevolution]

red devil Wrote:

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> Bluerevolution Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > I've taken my giddy head off, think I've

> ruffled

> > enough feathers already and as I often walk

> > through ED in a City coat, don't want to risk a

> > punch ! Banter (aka piss taking) I can live

> with.

> > >:D

> I'll be happy to take the Michael out of your

> Citeh coat BR, I'll keep my eyes

> peeled...hopefully it's a knitted one from Laddy

> Muck, so I can step on a loose thread and slowly

> watch it unravel...a bit like your team in the

> Champions League :)-D

Fair play. Doing well in CL would just be an added bonus ! :)-D

[Parkdrive]

Dropping into the Europa League may be problematic for City. Playing on a Thursday and then the Prem at the weekend is not the best scenario for them. Currently, I can't see anybody other than City winning the Prem, but that could change IF they drop into the Europa league but we'll see.

[Bluerevolution]

If (when) we drop to Europa PL games would be rescheduled again, bloody nightmare tbh. If (when) we do we would most likely er not do very well quite quickly ;-). Don't need it, don't want it.

[red devil]

Parkdrive Wrote:

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> Currently, I can't see anybody other than City

> winning the Prem, but that could change IF they

> drop into the Europa league but we'll see.

You said that last year about Chelski, and they were 8 points clear and didn't drop into the EL.

Citeh are now at their first difficult stage of the season, big important games coming thick and fast...Liverpool on Sunday after a midweek away defeat in Europe is not going to be easy.

If they reach New Year with a 5+ point cushion, then yes they might prove diffcult to catch, but still way too early to say who will win the League...the League will be won in March/April, the business end of the season...I'm sure even you don't need reminding about L'Arse's total collapse last February

[Jah Lush]

Much as it pains me to say so Arsenal are still very much in with a shout - just as long as they can keep Robin Van Persie fit. If he gets injured for any length of time they will struggle to score goals and win matches.

At the back - Per Mertesacker, has there ever been a slower centre half?

[Parkdrive]

red devil Wrote:

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> Parkdrive Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Currently, I can't see anybody other than City

> > winning the Prem, but that could change IF they

> > drop into the Europa league but we'll see.

>

> You said that last year about Chelski, and they

> were 8 points clear and didn't drop into the EL.

> Citeh are now at their first difficult stage of

> the season, big important games coming thick and

> fast...Liverpool on Sunday after a midweek away

> defeat in Europe is not going to be easy.

> If they reach New Year with a 5+ point cushion,

> then yes they might prove diffcult to catch, but

> still way too early to say who will win the

> League...the League will be won in March/April,

> the business end of the season...I'm sure even you

> don't need reminding about L'Arse's total collapse

> last February

What the Arsenal has to do with my comments about City, I've no idea. But I'm guessing its stung your Man Ure sensibilities, especially after the noisy neighbours gave you a thorough going over in your back yard. That must have hurt. A bit like Ferguson not liking the journos comments about the Manchester clubs struggling in Europe , and rather than facing up and debating it, he decides to turn on his heels and walk out. I'm not surprised by his actions, but at his level you'd expect better than that.