UEFA Champions League/Europa League 15/16/17 Feb *** Spoilers ***

I think it very much depends which Spurs turn up. Games like this we usually get someone sent off, a couple of penalties against us and a good goal ruled out.

We must score, if we come back beaten 2-0 or worse then it's all over.

Arsenal will race into a 3-0 lead... then lose 12-3 on aggregate.
 
Weebull said:
Are you classing that as basically some point when all our first-team squad has been fit? Because our "first choice XI" has changed since the start of the season, never mind four years ago.
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No, I'm classing that as a point at which our "first choice XI" has been fit - obviously this is slightly subjective but it is pretty rare that there would ever be more than say 14 players that were widely perceived to be genuine contenders (certainly nothing as wide open as the whole first team squad).

What I would say to any doubters, is point me in the direction of a teamsheet over that period, and I'll point out a "first choice XI" player that I believe was missing. That "first choice XI" player, as you have intimated, may not necessarily still be a first choice XI player today even if they are still at the club (Rosicknote for example).
 
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Milan were a bit tasty at the weekend, top of the league and playing some good football, should be a fun match. Don't want to think about the Arsenal game really, can only hope they remember last year with crystal clarity and have the attitude Sporting did at the weekend. A few copies of our 2nd goal against Wolves would be welcome; from our box to in the back of their net in 5 touches and a lot of quick feet. Some RVP magic would be welcome, such as remembering how to take a free kick without hitting the post, as well as Squillaci not doing what another past-it French defender in Silvestre did last year, which was to be in the starting XII.
 
Greenlizard0 said:
Talking of the Europa League, why does the BBC only put that band around 5th place?

Excluding the bonus of getting one via the fair play route, is it 5th and 6th place get a spot each, and then the winner/runner up of the Carling Cup? Or is it 5th place, League Cup winner/finalist and FA Cup winner/finalist?
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I think 5th is certain then it depends who wins god knows which cup, fa cup probably, gets a Euro spot, but if say Arsenal get 2nd and the FA Cup then 6th in the league will get the Europa league spot. Must be Fa Cup right, Pompie won but weren't allowed in the league as they hadn't registered for a European place as it costs money to register and no one thought they had a hope in hell of qualifying, something daft like that.


AS for Vermaelen, I'm under the impression that in 2-3 weeks he'll get a few reserve games before going back into first team contention. Wengers made some comments on it but they aren't very clear. Basically talking about his intention to play him in reserves before first team, then saying that will be in 2-3 weeks at the earliest. Its a touch unclear if he meant reserve games now and first team in a few weeks, or reserve games in a few weeks.

Its probably the former so in 3 weeks(ish) he'll start playing some reserve games, if he comes through them we'll see some sub appearances very soon after most likely.


The irritating thing is, it again has sounded like the medical staff thought they knew what they were doing with Vermaelen and they seemingly only sent him to the proper specialists around Xmas, which if thats the case is laughable. Another case of utterly misdiagnosing the seriousness of a problem and letting it drag on and on before properly diagnosing it. He's gone from treatment only a few weeks ago to starting to play again in a few weeks from now. 6-8 weeks had that started in September, its a joke really.

Think back to RVP's big injury, walked around on a screwed up ankle for how long before it got worse and then needed big surgery and a huge lay off?
 
HangTime said:
No, I'm classing that as a point at which our "first choice XI" has been fit - obviously this is slightly subjective but it is pretty rare that there would ever be more than say 14 players that were widely perceived to be genuine contenders (certainly nothing as wide open as the whole first team squad).

What I would say to any doubters, is point me in the direction of a teamsheet over that period, and I'll point out a "first choice XI" player that I believe was missing. That "first choice XI" player, as you have intimated, may not necessarily still be a first choice XI player today even if they are still at the club (Rosicknote for example).
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Well, it's just that there are games at the start of the season where we played:

Almunia; Clichy, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Sagna; Song, Diaby, Fabregas; Arshavin, RvP, Walcott.

Right now, that's not what you'd call our first XI, as you'd expect Fabianski in goal, Djourou at the back, Wilshere in midfield, and Nasri somewhere. But at the time, I'd say that would pretty much have been Wenger's selection even with everyone fit. Hence why I questioned what you classed as our best XI.

Greenlizard0 said:
Excluding the bonus of getting one via the fair play route, is it 5th and 6th place get a spot each, and then the winner/runner up of the Carling Cup? Or is it 5th place, League Cup winner/finalist and FA Cup winner/finalist?
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The second. Wikipedia's description makes it sound like only the cup winners get the place, but I thought the FA Cup place went to the finalist.
 
Chong Warrior said:
I think it very much depends which Spurs turn up. Games like this we usually get someone sent off, a couple of penalties against us and a good goal ruled out.

We must score, if we come back beaten 2-0 or worse then it's all over.

Arsenal will race into a 3-0 lead... then lose 12-3 on aggregate.
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Think it more depends which Milan turn up than Spurs to be honest. The Italian league is very hard to get a read on, the league feels lightyears behind La liga/epl in general but EPL teams seem to be struggling this year, while Milan have improved.

THe Inter games put such a strange spin on how good the league was because, while good performances from Spurs in all but that first half, Inter self combusted, its already been seen what a massively different side Inter are since Benitez has gone.

THen Milan have a unpredictable forward line up, Robinho and Zlatan, one day either of those can be absolute magic, another day, lazy and can't be bothered, and another day, lazy, can't be bothered and still get a hattrick.


I think Spurs have more than enough quality to win the game to be honest, Ac Milan and Serie A in general just don't really cut it in the champs league anymore, not unless you play some crazy Mourinho Anti Football rubbish.


AS for Arsenal, anyone who saw Sporting draw with barca SHOULD know how to beat Barca, play 4-4-2, defend well and never stop attacking Barca, Sporting had loads of great counter attacks but absolute lack of quality cost them loads of goals. Barca, if you actually attack them, give you so many chances to attack when they have only 1 or 2 CB's in their own half. If Sporting had some quality and composure they could have smashed Barca.

If we play RVP up on his own stuff and back up too far, we'll get done like Real did, if we actually attack Barca hard, we could win. But Wenger making the right tactical choices seems unlikely. Theo running 50 yards with the ball, thats hard enough, composure to score after that run, no chance. Nasri, great in the box, interplay from the half way line, rubbish this year, Rosicky, a foul machine, Diaby worthless on every level. We play the right team and we can win, we play Wengers prefered team for this kind of game, IE Song, Diaby, Cesc, Theo and Nasri with RVP on his lonesome, we'll lose badly.
 
Also, I could have sworn, on my mother's life, that I saw a story about Nasri going in for surgery and being out another month when I looked at the Arsenal site yesterday. Absolutely convince I saw it.

But today, nothing. And Wenger's still hinting that he might check on Samir's state before the game.

I've finally lost it.
 
Weebull said:
Also, I could have sworn, on my mother's life, that I saw a story about Nasri going in for surgery and being out another month when I looked at the Arsenal site yesterday. Absolutely convince I saw it.

But today, nothing. And Wenger's still hinting that he might check on Samir's state before the game.

I've finally lost it.
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Funnily enough, some fans at my Uni were convinced he was having an Op too.
 
Would be a great result to get a draw at Milan, or even a loss by 1 goal as long as we score an away goal. I fancy Spurs chances at the Lane against anyone, if everyone's back fit. We are struggling big time with our three most influential/creative players a doubt, so I am not brimming with confidence.
 
Personally dont like the UEFA stagger

Think its a minefield waiting to blow (potentially a domestic team could have a distinct advantage in a different competition by not having a mid-week game one particular week) - obviously they will play the 2nd round in reverse but there is still potential advantage

Also would suggest for EPL teams its an advantage to get your CL game done before the FA Cup game (CL being of primary importance to most teams)

Hopefully both Spurs and Arsenal have good games (although I dont hold out much hope for either, former because of injuries -and latter.....well its Arsenal after all lol, over both legs)
 
HangTime said:
:confused:

Vermaelen and Fabianski are both injured as well, although there are question marks as to whether the latter would play anyway. Gotta be coming up to 4 years now since we were able to field our first choice XI in a competitive game.
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Boohoo the same applies for every single club in the league tbh

Also Arsenal's squad has changed in massively in the last 4 years to the point where Vermaelen wan't even with you!

Fair point I forgot about him not being available but if you're still struggling without him then it's Wengers fault for not buying a new defender in the window
 
that quote has nothing to do with whether Verm has been with them for 4 years or not

All clubs do have to cope with injuries - although Arsenal SEEM to have more than most.......or maybe they just make more noise about each one :)
 
Alpherah said:
Funnily enough, some fans at my Uni were convinced he was having an Op too.
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Weird. I can't find a single news source relating the info, so I'm wondering whether the old article about him going under the knife last year got bumped up by accident or something. Oh well.
 
Purdy said:
Tie of the round in both competitions must be Liverpool vs Prague, will be a cracker.
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You must be a Liverpool fan.

Milan vs Spurs and Barca vs Arsenal should be both infinitely better games.

As a Spurs fan I'm eager to see my team against one of the most decorated 11 in European football. We are without many first team players for the first leg, but I have confidence that the players will give Milan a good game.

As well as injuries we have Jenas suspended which means that centrally we only have Sandro and Palacios available. Thankfully Sandro showed in the game against Sunderland that he has finally got to grips with the Premier League. Against Milan the game won't be played at the same intensity and we should see the best of him against an ageing Milan midfield.

Winning the midfield battle will be absolutely key, Sandro has won the South American equivalent of the Champions League but this will be arguably the toughest test of his and Palacios's careers. In offence we need to see Defoe and Lennon back to their best, their pace is the key to getting something away.

As long as we go into the 2nd leg with no more than a 1 goal disadvantage we have a great chance to go through.
 
VDV is rumoured to be fit. :D

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