The Return of The Champions League - *SPOILERS* - 19/20 Feb

Ripper

Ripper

Ripper

Soldato
Joined
25 Jan 2003
Posts
11,569
Location
Newark, Notts
All KO at 19.45:

Tuesday, 19 February 2008
Liverpool v Inter Milan (ITV1)
Olympiakos v Chelsea (ITV4)
Roma v Real Madrid (Sky Sports 2)
Schalke 04 v FC Porto (Sky Sports Xtra)

Wednesday, 20 February 2008
Arsenal v AC Milan (Sky Sports 2)
Celtic v Barcelona (Sky One)
Fenerbahce v Sevilla (Sky Sports Interactive)
Lyon v Man Utd (Sky Sports 1)

Let the fun begin! Chelsea have the easy game of the round so they shouldn't face too many problems, especcially with the players they have back available.

Liverpool game is anyones guess, they could either continue their dismal form and get stuffed or somehow pull it off. Should be a good game to watch either way.

Milan are down to their 3rd choice goalkeeper which won't help them. Fully expect Arsenal to beat them at home, then we'll see what happens in Milan.

As far as I'm aware United have pretty much everyone available, but judging by the omissions from Saturdays team sheet, I'd expect the following team Wednesday:

VdS
Brown - Vidic - Ferdinand - Evra
Ronaldo - Scholes - Hargreaves - Giggs
Tevez - Rooney

Although there's every chance Carrick or Anderson could start at the expense of Tevez as Fergie loves his 5 man midfields in Europe. Expecting a tough game and a score-draw would do nicely.
 
We really need a good result at Anfield on Tuesday, any win by a 2 goal margin would set us up nicely for the second leg and a clean sheet would be ideal. I don't fancy going to the San Siro with a lot of work to do, especially with the form we're in recently. Saying that, the last English team to play Inter away from home won 5-1 IIRC.

I'm definately taking the night off work to watch this one :D
 
I can see United getting a goal or two resulting in a victory for us. I'm hoping that the humiliating performance in the derby has given the players a kick up the backside. (oddly enough i'm conversley hoping that their humiliating performance in the FA cup will have the opposite effect on Arsenal).


Oh and i wouldn't bet against liverpool putting in a performance either.
 
I think the only English team to fail to get a result will be LFC. Really can't see them doing it they are little better than a mediocre prem team atm.
 
chesterstu said:
I think the only English team to fail to get a result will be LFC. Really can't see them doing it they are little better than a mediocre prem team atm.
Click to expand...

Just like 2005 then, and we know what happened then :p


I'm expecting Rafa to go with

Reina

Finnan Carra Skrtel Riise

Pennant Gerrard Mascherano Kewell

Kuyt Torres
 
If we play Scholes and Giggs then I'm worried, especially Giggs. He's been worse than woeful in his last few outings. Scholes and Giggs slowed everything down against City, whereas the last two times he hasn't played:- Portsmouth and Arsenal, our 2 best performances of the season.

I'd definitely start Anderson, he's an unknown quantity and Lyon certainly wouldn't know what to expect, be it creative passing from deep or driving, dribbling runs and one-two's. We need a Hargreaves/Fletcher to play, someone to shackle Juninho, just sit on him and stop him creating anything, both of them have phenomenal energy levels, so those 2 seem the obvious choices, Hargreaves would be my first choice though (Fletcher is very inconsistent).

I'd like Ronaldo - Anderson - Carrick - Hargreaves - Park/Nani with Rooney up-top, the same system we used against Arsenal. It's a shame he has to change the XI from the weekend at all really.

I expect:
Arsenal - Win
Liverpool - Win
Man Utd - Draw
Chelsea - Lose
 
There's been a few occassions when Pizzarro and Drogba have played together, I'm pretty sure Grant doesn't go for this formation everytime as Pizzarro is a bit poor, having Anelka and Drogba up front is a pretty lethal lineup!
 
Yeh but that would probably mean leaving out Ballack which (with the way he's been playing) I can't see happening.
 
weringo said:
snip
Click to expand...
I'll be shocked if he doesn't start with Babel. He was our best player against Chelsea and continued his run of form against Barnsley. He deserves to start a few more games and I'm sure he was taken off to keep him fresh for Inter.

If Rafa starts with Kewell we will lose and Rafa will deserve the boot for making yet another awful decision.
 
Well, I would like to see:

------------- Cech ----------------
Belletti ---- Terry --- Alex ---- Bridge
SWP --- Lamps ---- Ballack -- Malouda
------ Drogba ---- Anelka ------------

Maybe! Not so sure now as I would like Essien in there and J. Cole possibly replace SWP. Quite glad I am not the manager :)
 
Ripper said:
Yeh but that would probably mean leaving out Ballack which (with the way he's been playing) I can't see happening.
Click to expand...

That's the problem Grant will face then. Ballack has been playing well but Chelsea haven't really. Time to try something new maybe.
 
ScarySquirrel said:
Well, I would like to see:

------------- Cech ----------------
Belletti ---- Terry --- Alex ---- Bridge
SWP --- Lamps ---- Ballack -- Malouda
------ Drogba ---- Anelka ------------

Maybe! Not so sure now as I would like Essien in there and J. Cole possibly replace SWP. Quite glad I am not the manager :)
Click to expand...

Essien would be the first player on my starting 11.
 
I can't wait to see us play Barca, we have a young and exciting team with good players on the bench and in our best form in ages and a lot more experience playing these sort of games now after Milan last year and this year, I reckon we can get a result at home at least!

Not to mention we have the Scottish Messi! :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom