re: Champions League group stage draw (Groups updated in OP)

Posted by mrsmiller

not in europe

Member since Sep 2008

13067 posts

Posted on 8/26/10 at 5:25 pm to Stewie Griffin

there's no point.

i guess the groups ok. milan again, hopefully we don't do like last year. i know ajax is historically good in their league, but other than having suarez, i don't know anything about them. don't know anything about the french team (i'm just guessing they're french)

Posted by TN Bhoy

San Antonio, TX

Member since Apr 2010

60589 posts

Posted on 8/26/10 at 5:28 pm to BraveTiger225

Think the police in Manchester remember the last time the Huns showed up?

Posted by glassman

Next to the beer taps at Finn's

Member since Oct 2008

117764 posts

Posted on 8/26/10 at 5:43 pm to mrsmiller

quote:
know ajax is historically good in their league, but other than having suarez, i don't know anything about them.

I watched the Ajax match yesterday and they have a pretty good team. Number twenty is a very good distributor in midfield and Stecklenberg is no slouch in goal.

Posted by S

RIP Wayde

Member since Jan 2007

168457 posts

Posted on 8/26/10 at 6:01 pm to BraveTiger225

wow arsenal may be in the weakest group i've ever seen although a couple of those teams are stronger than they appear on paper.

italicized who i think wins the groups.

quote:
GROUP A
Inter Milan
Werder Bremen
Tottenham Hotspur
Twente
GROUP B
Lyon
Benfica
Schalke
Hapoel Tel-Aviv

GROUP C
Manchester United
Valencia
Rangers
Bursaspor

GROUP D
Barcelona
Panathinaikos
FC Copenhagen
Rubin Kazan

GROUP E
Bayern Munich
Roma
Basel
CFR Cluj

GROUP F
Chelsea
Marseille
Spartak Moscow
Zilina

GROUP G
AC Milan
Real Madrid
Ajax
Auxerre

GROUP H
Arsenal
Shakhtar Donetsk
Braga
Partizan

group a- werder bremen and tottenham are good sides but steve mcclaren's fc twente will be the surprise club to reach the knockout stages FTW.

group b- benfica is a good side but i like schalke to join da driveman's LYON through to the knockouts.

group c- man utd and valencia should ease through. rangers could sneak a result from either at ibrox but will likely finish third.

group d- barca and panathinaikos. rubin kazan is a tough outing and copenhagen is a good club but neither good enough to advance.

group e- bayern and roma easily. though i will be pulling for barca lookalikes fc basel

group f- the blues and spartak will advance. i love me some marseille but they will frick up one too many times and finish third.

group g- milan and madrid advance in the toughest group. ajax is tough at amsterdam arena.

group h- arsenal wins the group, shaktar is an experienced side and has a history of getting results at home in this competition. all four of these teams are experienced in the champions league so i could see second place going either way.

ETA- love mrsmiller's sig of the mexican getting smudged by smitty.

This post was edited on 8/26/10 at 6:04 pm

Posted by Chino

Member since Aug 2008

957 posts

Posted on 8/26/10 at 6:57 pm to S

Arsenal got their annual free pass to the second round while Spurs got a tough group but with every chance of progressing. Twente will struggle and is a much worse team than last season. But do Spurs have the squad to compete on two fronts? Doubtful.

ManU shoud win their group fairly comfortable.

Just a question. When Spartak was drawn out of the bowl the only groups available to them was E-H. Why? They were at that stage the only russian team that had been drawn and all 8 groups should be available one would think? When Rubin Kazan were drawn they were rightfully limited to A-D as Spartak was already drawn in our group. Or was it because Tottenham, Schalke, FC Copenhagen and Rangers had all been drawn ahead of Spartak and then already filled pot 3 spots in group A-D? If someone could shed light on that it would be much appreciated.

Posted by Lexo

LaPlace

Member since May 2008

3436 posts

Posted on 8/26/10 at 7:45 pm to BraveTiger225

quote:
GROUP C
Manchester United
Valencia
Rangers
Bursaspor

I hope United skull-fricks Rangers.

Posted by glassman

Next to the beer taps at Finn's

Member since Oct 2008

117764 posts

Posted on 8/26/10 at 7:54 pm to Lexo

quote:
I hope United skull-fricks Rangers.

I would like to titty-frick your avatar. Rangers actually have a chance to advance.

Posted by Leauxgan

Brooklyn

Member since Nov 2005

17324 posts

Posted on 8/26/10 at 8:22 pm to Lexo

Maurice Edu is going to break Scholes' neck

:|

Posted by AUTigLN11

Marietta

Member since Mar 2010

4833 posts

Posted on 8/26/10 at 9:47 pm to Stewie Griffin

You definitely don't want to go there comparing Terry and Puyol. Terry scores 3x the amount of goals as Puyol, including the winner against Man Utd. last year which eventually won us the league.

Posted by thenry712

Zasullia, Ukraine

Member since Nov 2008

15795 posts

Posted on 8/26/10 at 10:32 pm to AUTigLN11

You're seriously comparing goal scoring acumen when discussing a centerbacks contribution? Did you see Puyol's contribution at the World Cup? Did you see him stop the same Ronaldo Chelsea couldn't mark a year prior? Has Terry captained his side to a treble and two CL titles? Did you see Terry this past World Cup? Terry's now average pace and team shaking affairs cost his club two matches last year.

Also S, McClaren is currently managing Wolfsburg in Germany.

Posted by hendersonshands

Univ. of Louisiana Ragin Cajuns

Member since Oct 2007

160203 posts

Posted on 8/26/10 at 10:40 pm to thenry712

He doesn't get that just because someone is on your favorite team doesn't mean he's the best at his position. I love Klose but that doesn't mean I'd take him over David Villa.

Posted by thenry712

Zasullia, Ukraine

Member since Nov 2008

15795 posts

Posted on 8/26/10 at 10:51 pm to hendersonshands

Drogba > Messi, Villa, Ronaldo, Milito

Lampard > Xavi, Iniesta, healthy Kaka, Sneijder

Terry > Pique, Lucio, Maicon, Puyol, Vidic

Posted by TN Bhoy

San Antonio, TX

Member since Apr 2010

60589 posts

Posted on 8/26/10 at 10:52 pm to BraveTiger225

My predicited teams to advance in bold. Third italicized.

quote:
GROUP A
Inter Milan
Werder Bremen
Tottenham Hotspur
Twente

GROUP B
Lyon
Benfica
Schalke
Hapoel Tel-Aviv

GROUP C
Manchester United
Valencia
Rangers
Bursaspor

GROUP D
Barcelona
Panathinaikos
FC Copenhagen
Rubin Kazan

GROUP E
Bayern Munich
Roma
Basel
CFR Cluj

GROUP F
Chelsea
Marseille
Spartak Moscow
Zilina

GROUP G
AC Milan
Real Madrid
Ajax
Auxerre

GROUP H
Arsenal
Shakhtar Donetsk
Braga
Partizan

ETA: Very happy with OL's group and Chelsea's group. They should both stroll through. To the Arsenal fans: Be ready for some world class diving from Braga.

This post was edited on 8/26/10 at 10:54 pm

Posted by Ryne Sandberg

Team Am Mart

Member since Apr 2009

19715 posts

Posted on 8/26/10 at 10:56 pm to Leauxgan

quote:
Maurice Edu is going to break Scholes' neck

:crossesfingers:

Posted by thenry712

Zasullia, Ukraine

Member since Nov 2008

15795 posts

Posted on 8/26/10 at 10:57 pm to BraveTiger225

quote:
GROUP A
Inter Milan
Werder Bremen
Tottenham Hotspur
Twente

GROUP B
Lyon
Benfica
Schalke
Hapoel Tel-Aviv

GROUP C
Manchester United
Valencia
Rangers
Bursaspor

GROUP D
Barcelona
Panathinaikos
FC Copenhagen
Rubin Kazan

GROUP E
Bayern Munich
Roma
Basel
CFR Cluj

GROUP F
Chelsea
Marseille
Spartak Moscow
Zilina

GROUP G
AC Milan
Real Madrid
Ajax
Auxerre

GROUP H
Arsenal
Shakhtar Donetsk
Braga
Partizan

Posted by AUTigLN11

Marietta

Member since Mar 2010

4833 posts

Posted on 8/26/10 at 11:11 pm to thenry712

quote:
You're seriously comparing goal scoring acumen when discussing a centerbacks contribution?

You're seriously trying to act like I brought goal scoring into the equation?

Posted by AUTigLN11

Marietta

Member since Mar 2010

4833 posts

Posted on 8/26/10 at 11:13 pm to hendersonshands

quote:
He doesn't get that just because someone is on your favorite team doesn't mean he's the best at his position

Players on Chelsea I wouldn't trade for anybody Drogba, Lampard, Essien, Cole, Terry (he's as good a leader as there is in the sport).