the 370Z.com OFFICIAL football (soccer) thread

[phelan]

Man I really hope someone in Dortmund goes "Hey we have a huge chance next year let's keep this team together for a run in Europe". And I will be very, VERY disappointed if Sahin does not get player of the year in the Bundesliga. Can't wait for Kagawa to return in April.

Originally Posted by Jon@AAMComp

The draw is tomorrow! I would hate to draw Inter again; they knocked us out of the Quarterfinals last year. A Spurs/Inter rematch would be exciting to watch, and I think it's safe to say everyone is hoping for an El Clasico matchup between Barca and Madrid.

Nope! I actually want Inter to see Barca again. That would be fun IMO. Can Inter knock Barca out again without Jose MourPARKTHEBUSinho?? I think they can! Eto'o shows up 100% of the time in big games, and Sneijder looks as close to healthy and hungry as he has all season.

What's the worst draw you can think of for Chelsea? I think actually Inter isn't the worst draw in the world for you guys. Real Madrid might be the scariest just because it's been Mourinho-d haha!

I've gotten so much flak from Spuds supporters about how they're still in the CL and we aren't...but WE GOT LEHMANN BACK WAHAHAHAHAHAH

Time for some comedy

[Jon@AAMComp]

Originally Posted by phelan

Man I really hope someone in Dortmund goes "Hey we have a huge chance next year let's keep this team together for a run in Europe". And I will be very, VERY disappointed if Sahin does not get player of the year in the Bundesliga. Can't wait for Kagawa to return in April.

Sahin's been outstanding for Dortmund all season. It's going to be hard for Dortmund to hold on to him.

Originally Posted by phelan

What's the worst draw you can think of for Chelsea? I think actually Inter isn't the worst draw in the world for you guys. Real Madrid might be the scariest just because it's been Mourinho-d haha!

I've gotten so much flak from Spuds supporters about how they're still in the CL and we aren't...but WE GOT LEHMANN BACK WAHAHAHAHAHAH

Time for some comedy

Real Madrid have shown signs of vulnerability at times, on our day we know we can beat United/Spurs, Schalke's defense is shaky at best, and Shaktar are, well, Shaktar. I'd think the worst draw(s) would be either Inter or Barcelona to be honest. History has taught us English clubs don't fare well against Barca(See CL final vs. Arsenal in 07 or vs. United in 09). With Barca, you have to dictate the tempo for the entire 90 minutes. If you let Barca control the pace, and you lose your shape, they will cut you open, every time. We saw it last season Mourinho's Inter; actually focused on keeping their players in position, keeping their shape, and not allowing Barca to lull them to sleep, draw players out, then kill you with the final critical ball to Messi. With that being said, do we have a midfield/defense who have the discipline to do this? I can't answer this question definitively yes or no, which is what scares me. With Inter, I've watched this current team play for a long time, and everyone has witnessed what they can do. First under Mourinho, and now Leonardo, they are still one of the most dangerous teams in the whole competition. Sammy Eto'o, Sneijder, Cambiasso, and let's not forget Zanetti, Maicon AND last year's hero, Diego Milito. This team if brimming with talent, and after going 2-0 down on aggregate to beat Bayern at home, I wouldn't want to play them.

Either way, CL is as hard to predict as the World Cup, I'm just along for the ride. I hope we can make it far in the competition.

[Red370]

Mueller needs to be in an Arsenal shirt. And let me just say, Barca were idiots to let Etoo go.

[Jon@AAMComp]

Originally Posted by Red370

And let me just say, Barca were idiots to let Etoo go.

The situation was handled poorly. I don't know if it's a pride thing, or if it is something else, but Barcelona rarely have any players of non-Latin descent become the face of the club. Excluding Johan Cruyff of course. Has anyone else noticed this? Most recent casualties including Ibrahimovic, Henry, and most notably, Eto'o. The man is a menace who can play with his back to goal; what club in their right mind would let him go? He's not Leo Messi, but I think he's more prolific in front of goal than Bojan or Pedro, who both happen to be Spaniards. Coincidence?

[phelan]

Even Leo, though, all the Barca supports are falling over themselves to claim he has Catalan-DNA, not Newell's Old Boys DNA or something Argentinian haha. Love their double standard.

Red, cow - our rear guard now consists of Sagna, Squillaci, Koscielny, Clichy, and Almunia. Please tell me I'm not the only one frightened.

[Jon@AAMComp]

Product of the youth system, yes. Is he from Catalonia? No. Is he even Iberian? No. Born and bred South American. But still Latin, so I guess to Barcelona, that's close enough. Close enough compared to Eto'o, who is African, or Ibrahimovic, who is from Northern Europe. Another reason why I'm such a big fan of Eto'o. Not only is he an outstanding player, he continues to play at word class levels despite being a target for of the some of the racism and bigotry that still plagues professional football. I applaud him for staying in Italy after the abuse he took during the Inter/Cagliari match earlier this season. He even had racial taunts slung at him while he was in Spain! Much respect for someone able to play through all of that.

[cow]

Originally Posted by phelan

Red, cow - our rear guard now consists of Sagna, Squillaci, Koscielny, Clichy, and Almunia. Please tell me I'm not the only one frightened.

[igotcabada]

Originally Posted by phelan

Red, cow - our rear guard now consists of Sagna, Squillaci, Koscielny, Clichy, and Almunia. Please tell me I'm not the only one frightened.

lol... I think its time Arsene goes out and buys a quality center half

[phelan]

off topic from what we were discussing, but it struck me that in about two years Arsenal can be a really, REALLY scary team, even without fabregas, and without big signings.

szczesny

sagna - koscielny - vermaelen - gibbs

song - wilshere - ramsey

walcott - van persie - nasri

bench: henderson, miyaichi, miquel, djourou, bartley, fabianski, JET

still will be a bit thin on the DM role, but good lord if the academy prospects work out...watch out!

[igotcabada]

Originally Posted by phelan

off topic from what we were discussing, but it struck me that in about two years Arsenal can be a really, REALLY scary team, even without fabregas, and without big signings.

szczesny

sagna - koscielny - vermaelen - gibbs

song - wilshere - ramsey

walcott - van persie - nasri

bench: henderson, miyaichi, miquel, djourou, bartley, fabianski, JET

still will be a bit thin on the DM role, but good lord if the academy prospects work out...watch out!

agreed

but you also have to consider about 40% of them will be injured at any given time

[Red370]

Originally Posted by igotcabada

agreed

but you also have to consider about 40% of them will be injured at any given time

unfortunately true

Yeah, finishing the rest of the season with our current defensive lineup without a loss and a few draws is nothing but a pipe dream.

[Jon@AAMComp]

Champions League Quarter-Final Draw:

Real Madrid CF (ESP) v Tottenham Hotspur FC (ENG)

Chelsea FC (ENG) v Manchester United FC (ENG)

FC Barcelona (ESP) v FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)

FC Internazionale Milano (ITA) v FC Schalke 04 (GER)


Looking forward to the Madrid/Spurs fixture, but I am actually happy we drew United. This is the team we are most familiar with, and I think we match up really well. Barcelona and Inter are as good as through to the Semi Finals, ha.


Speaking of which,

Semi-Final Scenario 1 - Inter/Schalke v Chelsea /Manchester United
Semi-Final Scenario 2 - Real Madrid/Tottenham v Barcelona/Shakhtar

[cow]

This is fantastic:

It's no wonder that Serie A leaders AC Milan could only manage a dismal 1-1 draw against basement dwellers Bari at the weekend when the players spent the pre-match warm-up fighting and dancing with the referee .

At least that's what some fans in the upper tiers of the San Siro must have thought when Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport sent out an army of look-a-likes to indulge in a series of bizarre behaviours as part of a publicity stunt.

Throat-grabbing AC Milan manimal Gennaro Gattuso showed his softer side by dancing with the referee, Zlatan Ibrahimovic displayed his prowess with a Frisbee and Clarence Seedorf appeared to beat up another official.

The actual game was almost as bizarre with the real Ibrahimovic sent off for punching Bari's Cartellino Rosso.

OFF THE BALL: Gattuso dances with ref, Spurs go space-age - ESPN Soccernet

[phelan]

Originally Posted by Jon@AAMComp

Champions League Quarter-Final Draw:

Real Madrid CF (ESP) v Tottenham Hotspur FC (ENG)

Chelsea FC (ENG) v Manchester United FC (ENG)

FC Barcelona (ESP) v FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)

FC Internazionale Milano (ITA) v FC Schalke 04 (GER)


Looking forward to the Madrid/Spurs fixture, but I am actually happy we drew United. This is the team we are most familiar with, and I think we match up really well. Barcelona and Inter are as good as through to the Semi Finals, ha.


Speaking of which,

Semi-Final Scenario 1 - Inter/Schalke v Chelsea /Manchester United
Semi-Final Scenario 2 - Real Madrid/Tottenham v Barcelona/Shakhtar

Given the draw...I expect:

Semi-Final 1: Inter v. Manchester United (sorry John, I want the blues, but don't think they have the cajones to punt ManU out of the competition)

Semi-Final 2: Tottenham v Barcelona. Yes, Tottenham. Because as someone somewhere put it...Arsenal's season can't possibly get any worse.

Final: Inter v. Barcelona

Winner: Barcelona


If every Gunners' nightmare were to come through, though, Tottenham will win the UCL, and we'll be serenaded by "are you watching arsenal" until we get another trophy forever

Originally Posted by igotcabada

so who is going to be paired with koscielny now that djouru (sp) is gone? I was really hoping all along that vermaelen would make a miraculous return, but now that he is officially done we might be screwed

don't call 'em squilscielny for nothing!

Originally Posted by igotcabada

lol... I think its time Arsene goes out and buys a quality center half

Problem is Arsene is delusional and thinks he has quality center halves. And the thing is, he does. He just keeps forgetting they're all out injured.

[igotcabada]

Originally Posted by Red370

unfortunately true

Yeah, finishing the rest of the season with our current defensive lineup without a loss and a few draws is nothing but a pipe dream.

so who is going to be paired with koscielny now that djouru (sp) is gone? I was really hoping all along that vermaelen would make a miraculous return, but now that he is officially done we might be screwed