[Archived] Champions League 2016-17

[speeeeeeedie]

Time for my annual Champs League thread. Of the English teams involved only Spurs failed to make it to the last 16. Leicester and Arsenal won their groups, City scraped 2nd. Here is the draw;

Manchester City v Monaco

Real Madrid v Napoli

Benfica v Borussia Dortmund

Bayern Munich v Arsenal

Porto v Juventus

Bayer Leverkusen v Atletico Madrid

Paris Saint-Germain v Barcelona

Sevilla v Leicester City

I expect Arsenal to perform as designed and be knocked out, with the other English teams advancing to the quarters.

[frosty]

Hilarious Arsenal getting Bayern again despite finishing 1st.

As much as I'd like Leicester to progress, I'd be surprised if they do. Monaco will be tough for City as well especially if they keep defending as they are atm.

[speeeeeeedie]

The Champs League knock out stages started last night. I watched PSG dismantle Barcelona (lower level Championship strugglers aren't on US TV). It finished 4-0 but could have easily been more. I've never seen Messi so anonymous. PSG were outstanding.

In the other game Benfica beat Dortmund 1-0 in Portugal.

Arsenal should be true to form today and get beat in Munich. The other game sees Real Madrid take on Napoli.

[A cup of beans]

Just now, speeeeeeedie said:

The Champs League knock out stages started last night. I watched PSG dismantle Barcelona (lower level Championship strugglers aren't on US TV). It finished 4-0 but could have easily been more. I've never seen Messi so anonymous. PSG were outstanding.

In the other game Benfica beat Dortmund 1-0 in Portugal.

Arsenal should be true to form today and get beat in Munich. The other game sees Real Madrid take on Napoli.

Barca were torn asunder by Paris', outplayed, out fought, out thought.

Wouldn't surprise me if they did the same to Paris in the return leg.

Barca 33/1 to lift the trophy, worth a few quid (still), purely because of M S N.

[speeeeeeedie]

No surprises yesterday. Arsenal were very much Arsenal. They capitulated. Cue today's stories of Wenger must go. If they don't finish 4th this season I think that he's gone. If they do he will do it all again next year. Kroenke, their owner, likes profits above all.

How a team with Coquelin, Gabriel (sub), and passenger Ozil playing think that they have a chance against Bayern Munich is beyond me. The first 2 wouldn't look out of place in Sunderland's squad. Ozil is a fantastic player, when he doesn't have to defend.

Madrid came from behind to beat Napoli 3-1. I don't give the Italians much chance, but 2-0 to them in Naples is possible.

[Husky]

It could have been 10 easily. The difference in class between Bayern and Arse was massive - probably the same as we'll see at Ewood on Sunday. So we shouldn't cry . . . .  not too much anyway.

 

[roverandout]

The premiership is the most overrated league in the world

[chaddyrovers]

BT Sport retains exclusive broadcast rights to the Champions League and Europa League in deal worth £1.18bn... and it means the end for ITV highlights

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-4285198/BT-Sport-retains-broadcast-rights-Champions-League.html

I haven't watched it for the past 12 months and I just ain't that interested in them. I just not willing to pay 25 pounds for BT Sport per month on top what I am currently paying for Sky, Sky Sports, Netflix and Amazon Prime

[Mattyblue]

Interesting. I remember reading that UEFA weren't happy with the big drop in viewers and wanted some matches back on free to air.

Obviously $$$ won out.

[A cup of beans]

BTs coverage remains poor. The level of punditry for the EPL and CL is dire.

That's a strange contrast with their coverage of the domestic European leagues, which is excellent.

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, A cup of beans said:

BTs coverage remains poor. The level of punditry for the EPL and CL is dire.

That's a strange contrast with their coverage of the domestic European leagues, which is excellent.

I suppose the thing about Champ[ions league is you ideally need pundits with a deep understanding of the different European leagues. This is difficult to find as you have a lot of "specialists" on different leagues. I use the word specialist lightly  Champions league coverage on any station is where I hear the highest amount of spoofing and pundits not really knowing what they are talking about. They say inane things like their top scorer is having a great season, when I just know they have watched very little of the actual player they are talking about. 

 

[A cup of beans]

5 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

I suppose the thing about Champ[ions league is you ideally need pundits with a deep understanding of the different European leagues. This is difficult to find as you have a lot of "specialists" on different leagues. I use the word specialist lightly  Champions league coverage on any station is where I hear the highest amount of spoofing and pundits not really knowing what they are talking about. They say inane things like their top scorer is having a great season, when I just know they have watched very little of the actual player they are talking about. 

 

Perfect summation 

[West Yorks Rover]

I think it's a disgrace that Champions League matches are no longer show live and free to air, the government should have stepped in and not allowed

this to happen.

Does anyone know the situation in other major European countries ?

[RV Blue]

23 hours ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

I suppose the thing about Champ[ions league is you ideally need pundits with a deep understanding of the different European leagues. This is difficult to find as you have a lot of "specialists" on different leagues. I use the word specialist lightly  Champions league coverage on any station is where I hear the highest amount of spoofing and pundits not really knowing what they are talking about. They say inane things like their top scorer is having a great season, when I just know they have watched very little of the actual player they are talking about. 

 

They had that champions league goals show on in the group stages where they all seemed to know what they were talking about, I think its the same guys that do the Guardian podcast. I don't know why they aren't on more.

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, RV Blue said:

They had that champions league goals show on in the group stages where they all seemed to know what they were talking about, I think its the same guys that do the Guardian podcast. I don't know why they aren't on more.

Richardson and Glendinning? 

John Giles , Eamon Dunphy and Liam Brady, Didi Hamann, Kenny Cunningham do be on over here. Giles is head and shoulders the most knowledgeable. Although he is pushing on a  bit.  

[speeeeeeedie]

On ‎3‎/‎6‎/‎2017 at 5:15 AM, Bigdoggsteel said:

I suppose the thing about Champ[ions league is you ideally need pundits with a deep understanding of the different European leagues. This is difficult to find as you have a lot of "specialists" on different leagues. I use the word specialist lightly  Champions league coverage on any station is where I hear the highest amount of spoofing and pundits not really knowing what they are talking about. They say inane things like their top scorer is having a great season, when I just know they have watched very little of the actual player they are talking about. 

 

In the USA I get to listen to expert studio analysis from Erik Wynalda, Alexi Lalas, and Warren Barton. Wynalda provides the contrarian opinion. Lalas is as anti-Premier League as Barton is for it.

Brad Friedel sometimes commentates, but they usually use the contracted English ones.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I though the sending off in the Arsenal game wa a joke. Penalty maybe but a sending off ?

[Iceman]

16 hours ago, speeeeeeedie said:

In the USA I get to listen to expert studio analysis from Erik Wynalda, Alexi Lalas, and Warren Barton. Wynalda provides the contrarian opinion. Lalas is as anti-Premier League as Barton is for it.

Brad Friedel sometimes commentates, but they usually use the contracted English ones.

I feel for ya lol.. Those 3 in the same studio lol

[AllRoverAsia]

8 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I though the sending off in the Arsenal game wa a joke. Penalty maybe but a sending off ?

Awful decision as was turning down the earlier penalty appeal by Arsenal. I think it was the same ass ref involved in that. 

Those 2 mistakes???? dictated the outcome. 

A major fault of the CL is the poor standard of the match officials involved.  Small men on big stages. 

[Gav]

The media uproar over the Arsenal defeat is nothing short is a disgrace, so they got beaten and beaten badly, but that doesn't tell the whole story. I had the misfortune of catching 10 minutes of Charlie Nicolas ranting about Wenger, you could write him and Mersons footballing knowledge on the back of a postage stamp, clueless numptys.

I know Wenger is under pressure, he should probably step aside at the end of his contract, but the way the media and Arsenal fans are treating the guy is disgusting.

Can you imagine Liverpool fans protesting against Shankly? Forest fans doing the same against Clough? United fans against Matt Busby?

The Arsenal fans should have a word with themselves.

 

[Mattyblue]

Modern game I'm afraid.

I still remember Clough's last match, they'd just got relegated, yet the whole ground was decked out in his trademark green jumper.

 

[Gav]

Just now, Mattyblue said:

Modern game I'm afraid.

I still remember Clough's last match, they'd just got relegated, yet the whole ground was decked out in his trademark green jumper.

 

Yes you're right Matty.

I recall the game, 'My way' played over the PA, green jumpers everywhere, relegation, and still they saluted the man.

Wonderful scenes and probably a better era in many ways to be a football fan.

[Bigdoggsteel]

1 hour ago, Gav said:

The media uproar over the Arsenal defeat is nothing short is a disgrace, so they got beaten and beaten badly, but that doesn't tell the whole story. I had the misfortune of catching 10 minutes of Charlie Nicolas ranting about Wenger, you could write him and Mersons footballing knowledge on the back of a postage stamp, clueless numptys.

I know Wenger is under pressure, he should probably step aside at the end of his contract, but the way the media and Arsenal fans are treating the guy is disgusting.

Can you imagine Liverpool fans protesting against Shankly? Forest fans doing the same against Clough? United fans against Matt Busby?

The Arsenal fans should have a word with themselves.

 

Totally agree about Nicholas and Merton. 

I watched the game last night. Arsenal were genuinely unlucky not to be at least 2-0 up in the first half. They did lose the heads once they had the sending off. 

A journalist asked wenger in the press conference after the game "what needs to change at the club" Winger asked "what do you mean?" So he asked the exact same question again. It was very awkward. 

Sad way for it all to end for Wenger there. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

When you see decisions like that and then you read about small time officials being on the take in the past in does make you wonder.

[DE.]

4 hours ago, AllRoverAsia said:

Awful decision as was turning down the earlier penalty appeal by Arsenal. I think it was the same ass ref involved in that. 

Those 2 mistakes???? dictated the outcome. 

A major fault of the CL is the poor standard of the match officials involved.  Small men on big stages. 

The outcome was probably determined when Arsenal lost the first leg 5-1, to be fair. It would have needed one hell of a second half performance for them to get through even with eleven men.