UEFA Champions League/Europa League 14/15/16 February *** Spoilers ***

Cosimo

Cosimo

Cosimo

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Champions League Round of 16, Leg 1

Tuesday 14​

Bayer Leverkusen V Barcelona, Tue 14 Feb, 19:45, Sky Sports 2
Lyon V Apoel Nicosia, 19:45, Sky Sports 4
​

Wednesday 15​

Zenit St P'sbg v Benfica. Wed 15 Feb, 17:00, Sky Sports 2
AC Milan v Arsenal, 19:45, ITV and Radio 5 live
​

Europa League Round of 32, Leg 1

Tuesday 14​

Rubin Kazan v Olympiacos, 17.00
Braga v Besiktas, 17.30, ESPN
​

Thursday 16​

Ajax v Man Utd, 18.00, FIVE and Radio 5 live (2nd half)
FC Porto v Man City, 20.05, ITV 1 and Radio 5 live
Stoke v Valencia, 20.05, ESPN
​

The Rest​

Lokomotiv Moscow v Athletic Bilbao, 17.00
AZ v Anderlecht, 18.00
Lazio v Atletico Madrid, 18.00, ESPN
Legia Warsaw v Sporting, 18.00, ITV 4
Plzen v Schalke 04, 18.00
SV Red Bull Salzburg v FC Metalist Kharkiv, 18.00
Hannover 96 v Club Brugge, 20.05
Steaua Bucuresti v FC Twente, 20.05
Trabzonspor v PSV, 20.05
Udinese v PAOK Salonika, 20.05
Wisla Krakow v Standard Liege, 20.05
​
 
I'm actually looking forward to this, so what if it's not the CL. I haven't seen Ajax play for ages :)

I'd argue that both Manchester clubs have got tougher games than most of our CL matches anyway!
 
All three English clubs have got cracking ties in the Europa League but I would've preferred to see Stoke on terrestrial TV because they've been great to watch in Europe this season.
 
Looks like the AC Milan game will be Henry's last game for us before he goes back to the NY Red Bulls as his loan period will be up. Shame to see him go as he scored a lovely goal against Sunderland yesterday.

Hoping that we beat AC although will be hard due to our inconsistent defence giving away easy goals.
 
We always do well vs Italian sides, they don't have any legs in cm so we usually boss it. However their front line changes things somewhat
 
Spawn said:
Looks like the AC Milan game will be Henry's last game for us before he goes back to the NY Red Bulls as his loan period will be up. Shame to see him go as he scored a lovely goal against Sunderland yesterday.

Hoping that we beat AC although will be hard due to our inconsistent defence giving away easy goals.
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They're a better side than the one Spurs played, but I'm not sure if they're better than the one we beat a few years ago. Then again, the side we had then was better than the one we have now lol...

I remember them coming and playing for 0-0 here and then obviously that poor bit of keeping to let Fabregas get the first goal, then Walcott's pace destroying them and teeing up Ade for the 2nd. Good night that. Hopefully Chamberlain can run riot and Walcott can provide his usual assist for an RVP goal. Ideally need Gibbs back out left and Verm/Kos in the middle as having Djourou there is asking for trouble atm.
 
Fergie's said that we're taking the Europa League deadly serious and given we've got no FA Cup tie at the weekend he'll be picking his best team.... now I doubt that's completely true as for example it's exactly the type of game I can see Rio being rested for likewise both Scholes and Giggs so I'll take a complete stab in dark and predict this;

---------------De Gea---------------
Rafael---Smalling---Evans---Evra
Valencia---Carrick---Cleverley---Park
---------------Rooney
------------------Welbeck

Subs: Amos, Fabio, Pogba, Giggs, Scholes, Berbatov, Hernandez

Hopefully do the job over there (as I'm lead to believe that this isn't a very good Ajax team) and then whole sale changes for the OT leg next week.
 
Somnambulist said:
Ideally need Gibbs back out left and Verm/Kos in the middle as having Djourou there is asking for trouble atm.
Click to expand...

Big ask to throw Gibbs in for his first game back in months, away to Milan in the Champions League. Mertesacker getting crocked has thrown a bit of a spanner in the works, an alternative might be playing Song at CB but with Frimpong and Wilshere both injured and Denilson out on loan that would mean a distinct lack of steel in midfield (not that Wilshere or Denilson are DMs anyway but they like to put their foot in at least).

Tough call, starting with Gibbs probably looks favourite as long-term that is presumably his favoured backline anyway.
 
Song doesn't provide steel in midfield anyway, Arteta plays deeper than him and does much more defensive work, Song when he drops back more often than not gives away a stupid freekick. However he's ruddy awful as a CB and him up against Robinho and Ibra is asking for trouble.

Vermaelen has come out and pretty much said he's unhappy with playing left back and frankly he's not very good there. He comes in narrow and gets out of position which is natural, he comes across and thinks very much as a CB and doesn't cover out wide very well.

Also, Wilshire can play anywhere in midfield, he most certainly can play DM and was up there with Parker/De Jong last year. You really can't call it, Milan aren't consistent and neither are Arsenal, depending on who ***** up on a given day it could be anything from a Milan thrashing of Arsenal, to an Arsenal thrashing of Milan.

lol, Arsenal's ability to actually win might rest more on the ability of our starting defensive players to actually stay fit for 90 minutes in one go than anything else :p
 
I'd like to see Hernandez and Pogba start. I think Hernandez needs more game time and I'd rather Cleverley came on for a half (or played first half) than got 90 mins so soon. Pogba needs some game time.
 
Shamikebab said:
I'd like to see Hernandez and Pogba start. I think Hernandez needs more game time and I'd rather Cleverley came on for a half (or played first half) than got 90 mins so soon. Pogba needs some game time.
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Disagree, Cleverley is more important to our squad at the moment than Pogba and we really need him to clock up some serious minutes in these next 2 games against Ajax to put him in the best possible position for the games against Norwich and then Spurs. Like I said we do the business in Amsterdam by all means make wholesale changes in the second leg but I wouldn't like to see Pogba start Thursday. Hernandez you may have a case
 
Clevereley will return to start Im sure , and Im guessing Carrick too (unless Anderson suddenly appears available again). Smalling will also start instead of Rio, and I wouldnt be too surprised seeing Fryers /Fabio instead of Evra (with Jones possibly available for the OT game)

Rooney and Chicharito upfront unless Fergie goes for 5 across the middle (I hope not though)
 
Tom84 said:
Disagree, Cleverley is more important to our squad at the moment than Pogba and we really need him to clock up some serious minutes in these next 2 games against Ajax to put him in the best possible position for the games against Norwich and then Spurs. Like I said we do the business in Amsterdam by all means make wholesale changes in the second leg but I wouldn't like to see Pogba start Thursday. Hernandez you may have a case
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Where did I say Pogba was more important :confused:

I just meant I don't want to see Cleverley rushed back and get a recurrance or anything, a half would just ease him in slowly.
 
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