Soccer Thread

[Ninjames]

Here are my CL predictions:

AC Milan 2-1 Anderlecht
Borussia Dortmund 3-1 Ajax
Din Zagreb 0-1 FC Porto
Malaga 0-1 Zenit St P'sbg
Montpellier 1-2 Arsenal
Olympiakos 1-1 Schalke 04
Paris SG 3-1 Dynamo Kiev
Real Madrid 3-0 Man City

Barcelona 4-0 Spartak Moscow
Bayern Munich 0-0 Valencia
Braga 1-1 CFR Cluj-Napoca
Celtic 0-2 Benfica
Chelsea 3-2 Juventus
Lille 2-1 BATE Borisov
Man Utd 2-0 Galatasaray
Shakhtar Donetsk 3-1 FC Nordsjaelland

[Ninjames]

Come on Real!

[ShinyHaxorus]

Come on Real!

That was a very very good second half! I'm so glad Real won and it was Ronaldo who scored the last one to stick the boot into Citeh.

[Ninjames]

What a game!

Real put so much pressure on City through the whole of that game but they were lacking that spark in the final third and I do wonder if Real were even taking them seriously. They took so many potshots and created few proper chances, it's as if they thought "Ah these guys are pushovers, we'll win this easily." Real are quality so you can forgive them for thinking that but it is what so nearly cost them the three points. They should have put the game to bed in the first half but didn't and in the second they allowed City to go in front twice. Yaya Toure was the standout payer for City, Madrid just couldn't cope with him. Both sides were a bit sloppy, the ball was often given away by both sets of players.

Ronaldo and Marcelo looked in the mood so it doesn't surprise me that they got on the scoresheet. Benzema should have come on at half time in my opinion, Higuain had already squandered two good chances by then so they needed fresh talent for the second half.

I think that Real Madrid deserved to win. People will say that City were unlucky not to get a point but I think they were actually lucky to get both of their goals. The first one came from a counter-attack (Madrid had thrown so many men forward, that shows how much pressure they were applying) and the second goal was a bit lucky from Kolarov's (admittedly good) free kick when it bounced straight in at the far post. There was a ghost of a deflection from Alonso too.

(Tried my best not to sound biased against City)

[KickAsh]

I guess I'm happy that Real Madrid won. I don't really like either team but I have to say Real Madrid looked the better team for the most part and deserved to win.

On a happier note, my Magpies got a decent result against Everton. I have to say I was worried, because Everton have looked very good so far, and I'm happy with a point. Norwich City and Reading up next, we should win those two easily.

Is it too early to count out Liverpool? They're hovering around the relegation zone, with an 0-2-2 record, and they've looked mismatched against most of their opponents so far.

[Garnet Til Alexandros XVII]

I guess I'm happy that Real Madrid won. I don't really like either team but I have to say Real Madrid looked the better team for the most part and deserved to win.

On a happier note, my Magpies got a decent result against Everton. I have to say I was worried, because Everton have looked very good so far, and I'm happy with a point. Norwich City and Reading up next, we should win those two easily.

Is it too early to count out Liverpool? They're hovering around the relegation zone, with an 0-2-2 record, and they've looked mismatched against most of their opponents so far.

I would love it if Newcastle managed to get into the top four come the end of the season.

For my team, well what can I say, we are top of the Championship and undefeated. All that with a tactically clueless manager in charge and with us playing very badly so far.
P.S I love Nuno Gomes <3

[abrar14]

Is it too early to count out Liverpool? They're hovering around the relegation zone, with an 0-2-2 record, and they've looked mismatched against most of their opponents so far.

Yes, yes it is

[ShinyHaxorus]

Watching the Manchester United game, with 75mins gone why is Nani still on the pitch, he's been so wasteful with his chances and keeps picking to shoot when other players are in better posistions to score. Not to mention that terrible penalty. De Gea has been decent again tonight I really think he's starting to find some form in a United shirt. Kagawa has really impressed me again tonight too it sometimes seems like he's in two places at once.

Really great to see Fletcher back too.

[KickAsh]

I would love it if Newcastle managed to get into the top four come the end of the season.

I would too!

Yes, yes it is

Thank you for your impartial opinion

[~Nicole~]

Well today Barcelona ended up scraping a 3-2 win, and for most of that match my heart was in my mouth, but I knew we weren't going to lose at the Camp Nou in Tito's first Champions League game on my birthday!! Tello scored, then Spartak ended up scoring 2 to put them 2-1 up but again that man Leo Messi proved to be the line between defeat and victory, he scored twice! We really need to improve our defense, cause next time we might not be so lucky, lol.

[Ninjames]

We only beat Galatasaray 1-0. A win's a win but I hear it wasn't a convincing performance. What's going on with us and playing in Europe?

Good to see Fletcher back.

[~Nicole~]

I saw highlights of the Man U-Galatasaray match and I saw Galatasaray hit the crossbar. Juventus played poorly against Chelsea and were lucky for the 2-2 too. City played relatively poorly yesterday against Madrid too, and I thought they'd have won 2-1 before the match. Add my Barca boys to that who played a quiet game today as well and these last two days were full of poor, quiet performances in the Champions League.

[Armando Payne]

I hate Barcelona, I mean they always win, they're the Sheamus of Football they always bloody win, when a little team could get their day in the sun by beating them but no, I mean BATE Borisov wins because Lille understands that the CL should be spiced up but no, you have Barcelona choose not to lose, I just don't like it when other teams just steamroll their way through to win everything. (That's why I support Walsall, they steamroll to lose everything.)

[~Nicole~]

^ I'll be kind and not say what I want to say out of respect for the forum rules and the fact that everyone is entitled to their own opinion

Why should a team want to lose? Why would a supporter want his/her team to lose and be happy? I know I cried a lot when we were eliminated from the CL by Chelsea and were beaten 2-1 by Madrid last season and didn't recover both times for weeks! I have something really 'nice' to say to you, trust me, but I'll keep it to myself.

[The Benmeister]

I hate Barcelona, I mean they always win, they're the Sheamus of Football they always bloody win, when a little team could get their day in the sun by beating them but no, I mean BATE Borisov wins because Lille understands that the CL should be spiced up but no, you have Barcelona choose not to lose, I just don't like it when other teams just steamroll their way through to win everything. (That's why I support Walsall, they steamroll to lose everything.)

No team sets out to consciously lose, that's just dumb thinking.

Without the big teams winning most of the time, there would be no joy when they are finally beaten. Barcelona win all the time because they are a good team, so when someone comes along and beats them (Chelsea last year for example) it make the occasion all the more momentous.

Also you're completely discrediting a great performance by BATE Borisov.

And you shouldn't support a team just because you know they'll never win anything for the same reasons that you shouldn't support a team just because they win everything. Support should come from your love for the club and nothing else.

[Ninjames]

I hate Barcelona, I mean they always win, they're the Sheamus of Football they always bloody win, when a little team could get their day in the sun by beating them but no, I mean BATE Borisov wins because Lille understands that the CL should be spiced up but no, you have Barcelona choose not to lose, I just don't like it when other teams just steamroll their way through to win everything. (That's why I support Walsall, they steamroll to lose everything.)

Lille didn't lose deliberately. The top tiers of football are run by money now so no Champions League team is gonna go and let their opponent win because they think the competition needs spicing up. They most likely underestimated BATE, and BATE will have given that game everything that they had.

[RevengeHitokage]

Lille didn't lose deliberately. The top tiers of football are run by money now so no Champions League team is gonna go and let their opponent win because they think the competition needs spicing up. They most likely underestimated BATE, and BATE will have given that game everything that they had.

BATE who?

[Oao]

We only beat Galatasaray 1-0. A win's a win but I hear it wasn't a convincing performance. What's going on with us and playing in Europe?

Good to see Fletcher back.

As someone who saw I agree with this especially since Nani's penalty was awful and it seemed like we were holding on for a 1-0 win until throughout. Galatasaray werent taken seriously enough imo and had better chances that could have earned them at least a point.

[The Benmeister]

Surprise, weekend predictions!

Swansea 0-2 Everton
Chelsea 3-1 Stoke
Southampton 1-1 Aston Villa
West Brom 2-0 Reading
West Ham 1-1 Sunderland
Wigan 1-2 Fulham
Liverpool 0-0 Man Utd
Newcastle 0-0 Norwich
Man City 2-0 Arsenal
Tottenham 1-1 QPR

[~Nicole~]

Five things we learnt from the UCL this week:

1. Don't send a Center Back to take a penalty
2. Mancini is nothing compared to Mourinho
3. Barcelona poor defensive showing but show their intent for another Champions League with ( beside the defending ) a convincing 3-2 win over Spartak at Camp Nou
4. Valdes is an unlucky goalkeeper ( Dani Alves scored an own goal )
5. Cristian Tello is a worthy man to put on the Barcelona shirt and shows up when it matters ( a 1 goal, 1 assist performance against Spartak )