rubba19 wrote:I'm a total noob at this CL thing, but is there a rule that sometime during the run of play, do Liverpool and PSV and ManU and Celtic have to play each other?
No. It's a complete draw (with guidelines) after each round. We have just drawn for the group stages. The next draw will be in December. Top two from each group advance after playing home and away against each other team in your group.
It could probably be said a bit better but that's a brief synopsis. www.uefa.com will clear up the gaps in my explanation.
Commentators over here are also contractually required to refer to MU v Celtic as 'The Battle of Britain' and talk it up to the skies, despite the fact that Celtic are shite and the SPL is a pub league. Still, unfortunately it means that Manchester will once more have an invasion of drunken wasters, only this time of the left-foot persuasion. Hopefully there will be slightly less than 200,000.
"The players come from all over the world, the money from deep underneath the Persian Gulf, but, as another, older City poster campaign put it, this is their city. They may now exist in the global spotlight, but they intend to keep it that way."
davet010 wrote:Commentators over here are also contractually required to refer to MU v Celtic as 'The Battle of Britain' and talk it up to the skies, despite the fact that Celtic are shite and the SPL is a pub league. Still, unfortunately it means that Manchester will once more have an invasion of drunken wasters, only this time of the left-foot persuasion. Hopefully there will be slightly less than 200,000.
The Battle of Britain! Love it. I'm sure Wales and N. Ireland are just as pleased.
So who would you rather have descend upon your peaceful city, rangers fans or celtic fans? I remember you not being too happy recently about the former during the UEFA Cup final:)
Celtic can be tough at home and most likely will come in second in that group. ManU will relish from the so called 'Battle of Britain'. Chelsea will cruise along and Liverpool will have it tough after the group stages. I do think that F. Torres will have a great game vs his former team though.
davet010 wrote:Commentators over here are also contractually required to refer to MU v Celtic as 'The Battle of Britain' and talk it up to the skies, despite the fact that Celtic are shite and the SPL is a pub league. Still, unfortunately it means that Manchester will once more have an invasion of drunken wasters, only this time of the left-foot persuasion. Hopefully there will be slightly less than 200,000.
The Battle of Britain! Love it. I'm sure Wales and N. Ireland are just as pleased.
So who would you rather have descend upon your peaceful city, rangers fans or celtic fans? I remember you not being too happy recently about the former during the UEFA Cup final:)
Both sets of fans are bigoted scum, Rangers' visit was for a final so therefore the authorities knew shitloads of them would come without tickets, although I don't think 200,000 of them were expected. Celtic's match at MU will be limited to about 5,000 tickets for them, and there is a home leg, so I wouldn't expect many more than that to turn up.
"The players come from all over the world, the money from deep underneath the Persian Gulf, but, as another, older City poster campaign put it, this is their city. They may now exist in the global spotlight, but they intend to keep it that way."
Does anybody know what happened to soccertv.com? I used to go there every friday to figure my weekend viewing schedule, but can't find it now. I am missing something? (I am pretty sure it was someone here who turned me on to that site.)
Macca00 wrote:Think he was being sarcastic...unless you too were being sarcastic and in that case you're both way too smart for me.
A bit, yes, but I probably didn't explain enough. I was really wondering if these teams had some history between them and UEFA "arranged" to have them play every year.
I believe Liverpool/PSV and ManU/Celtic have been in the group stage or round of 16 the last 3 years, no?
But, thanks for the breakdown. I do try to read onto this thread for my world footy info.
Just seen Keegan being interviewed after James Milner strongarmed his way out of Newcastle.
Looked like he was going to burst into tears....I'd give him til October 1 at the latest before he walks away.
"The players come from all over the world, the money from deep underneath the Persian Gulf, but, as another, older City poster campaign put it, this is their city. They may now exist in the global spotlight, but they intend to keep it that way."
MACTEPsporta wrote:Can you tell Rob was using British site to get the groups?!
How do Atletico Madrid and Fiorentina end up 4th seeds is beyond me. Zenit gets 3rd seed after winning UEFA Cup, while PSV is 2nd! Go figure...
Groups G and H should prove to be interesting, I think Dynamo Kiev will put up a fight this year, after setting goals against record last year. Zenit may just spoil things for Real and Juve, although they are playing like crap lately.
To do with their finishing positions in the relevant leagues - Athletico were 4th in La Liga, Fiorentina 4th in Serie A, PSV won the Dutch League, Zenit I think won theirs but it is not a very strong league, made up as it is of 3 billionaire's playthings and a host of dross.
It has to do with your performance in Europe the last 4 or 5 years.
fsquid wrote:Dave, if your boys can beat a team from Cyprus, that isn't a bad group to play in. Should at least get to see 2 decent teams play at the stadium.
Now with added SWP and possibly Zabaleta from Espanyol....and rumours are circulating of another big name striker.
Then I'd be reasonably happy except for Ball at LB...and that side has 4 or 5 Academy kids in the first team, and 4 of the 7 subs.
"The players come from all over the world, the money from deep underneath the Persian Gulf, but, as another, older City poster campaign put it, this is their city. They may now exist in the global spotlight, but they intend to keep it that way."
Feanor wrote:Are you guys playing the Fantasy Premier League this season? I'm in the Operation Sports league and a couple of others.
Feanor - yes, there is a DSP league in the Fantasy Premier League.
Code is 231106-80995
"The players come from all over the world, the money from deep underneath the Persian Gulf, but, as another, older City poster campaign put it, this is their city. They may now exist in the global spotlight, but they intend to keep it that way."
Zenit won UEFA Supercup by beating Man United 2-1. No trophy for Manchester United.
Ferguson was spotted attacking Zenit bosses, Arshavin and a couple ball boys for arranging a complicated conspiracy that prevented him from getting Berbatov. Later that night, he was seen in the locker room, mumbling something that sounded like "Where art thou, Dimitar?"
What really pissed off the Drunken Scot is that Scholes' sending off actually gives him a ban for the first couple of games in the CL, the stupid ginger nob.
"The players come from all over the world, the money from deep underneath the Persian Gulf, but, as another, older City poster campaign put it, this is their city. They may now exist in the global spotlight, but they intend to keep it that way."
davet010 wrote:What really pissed off the Drunken Scot is that Scholes' sending off actually gives him a ban for the first couple of games in the CL, the stupid ginger nob.
I knew a stripper in Reno named Ginger Nob.
XBL Gamertag: RobVarak
"Ok I'm an elitist, but I have a healthy respect for people who don't measure up." --Aaron Sorkin
Ummm... okay, in order to make some disturbing visuals of Rob, Reno and strippers disappear, I am proposing another ingenious move. I have often stressed how much Liverpool can use Tymoschyuk, so now I have a more elaborated plan on how to get him. Zenit just spent 30!!! million euros on Danny. He scored a goal today, but other than that, he is a very average Portuguese playmaker, who had 0 goals and 0 assists for Dinamo Moscow last season. He is also 25, so not really investing in young phenom here. Anyway, I am just using this as an example, to point out how expensive players in Russian League are.
Zenit bought Tymoschyuk for $20m year and a half ago. He is pushing thirty now, but we can only assume they will want more than that. They are Zenit, after all. So let's assume he costs $35-40m (even though that would be outrageously high), that's the same 18-20m pounds Rafa is willing to spend on Barry. Here is my big idea. Voronin, whom Benitez uses only in preseason will be valued around 10m pounds. Zenit will jump on the idea of bringing in a player of such magnitude, who speaks Russian and knows the culture, while not having to pay ridiculous money for him. Voronin has mentioned that he doesn't mind playing in the Russian League, that has now improved drammatically and even passed Dutch Erie in UEFA League strength ratings, while closing in on German Budesliga. Worst case scenario (for Liverpool) -- Voronin and 10m pounds for one of the best holding midfielders in Europe. More likely scenario -- 3-7m.
Last edited by MACTEPsporta on Fri Aug 29, 2008 6:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
davet010 wrote:What really pissed off the Drunken Scot is that Scholes' sending off actually gives him a ban for the first couple of games in the CL, the stupid ginger nob.
I knew a stripper in Reno named Ginger Nob.
Tell her she's banned from Man U's 2 first CL matches....but if her granny wants to go along, Wayne Rooney will see her right.
"The players come from all over the world, the money from deep underneath the Persian Gulf, but, as another, older City poster campaign put it, this is their city. They may now exist in the global spotlight, but they intend to keep it that way."
MACTEPsporta wrote:Ummm... okay, in order to make some disturbing visuals of Rob, Reno and strippers disappear, I am proposing another ingenious move. I have often stressed how much Liverpool can use Tymoschyuk, so now I have a more elaborated plan on how to get him. Zenit just spent 30!!! million euros on Danny. He scored a goal today, but other than that, he is a very average Portuguese playmaker, who had 0 goals and 0 assists for Dinamo Moscow last season. He is also 25, so not really investing in young phenom here. Anyway, I am just using this as an example, to point out how expensive players in Russian League are.
Zenit bought Tymoschyuk for $20m year and a half ago. He is pushing thirty now, but we can only assume they will want more than that. They are Zenit, after all. So let's assume he costs $35-40m (even though that would be outrageously high), that's the same 18-20m pounds Rafa is willing to spend on Barry. Here is my big idea. Voronin, whom Benitez uses only in preseason will be valued around 10m pounds. Zenit will jump on the idea of bringing in a player of such magnitude, who speaks Russian and knows the culture, while not having to pay ridiculous money for him. Voronin has mentioned that he doesn't mind playing in the Russian League, that has now improved drammatically and even passed Dutch Erie in UEFA League strength ratings, while closing in on German Budesliga. Worst case scenario (for Liverpool) Voronin and 10m pounds for one of the best holding midfielders in Europe. More likely scenario -- 3-7m.
Only problem with that is that Liverpool haven't got 2 pennies to rub together - the Yanks have announced that the new stadium has been delayed.
And any scenario where the Russian League is anywhere near as strong as the Bundesliga is, quite frankly, a joke. It's almost as bent as Serie A, and that's saying something.
"The players come from all over the world, the money from deep underneath the Persian Gulf, but, as another, older City poster campaign put it, this is their city. They may now exist in the global spotlight, but they intend to keep it that way."
davet010 wrote:What really pissed off the Drunken Scot is that Scholes' sending off actually gives him a ban for the first couple of games in the CL, the stupid ginger nob.
I knew a stripper in Reno named Ginger Nob.
Tell her she's banned from Man U's 2 first CL matches....but if her granny wants to go along, Wayne Rooney will see her right.
davet010 wrote: And any scenario where the Russian League is anywhere near as strong as the Bundesliga is, quite frankly, a joke.
Umm... yeah, it's at the level now where EPL was 7-8 years ago, right under German and French Leagues. And I wouldn't use how "bent" it is as any sort of argument, as the best league in world, La Liga, is the "bendest" of them all.
I love watching Zenit, great team , but thats the only play the Russian league is getting come on. Ashravin will be a Tottingham Hotspur when the door hits Berbatov in the arse.
Deco and Torres left the best league ? must be the money because no one in their right mind would want to get booted of the park by Hull city wanderers .
Come on whos with me yyyyeeeehhhh.....Windass, Windass,Windass (as he runs off in the distance punching the air)
Feanor wrote:What do you mean by level, exactly? The worldwide popularity of the Russian league right now is a lot less than that of the the EPL in 2000.
By level I mean UEFA League rankings, that rate each league based UEFA CUP and CL matches, and based on that data adjust number of teams in CL and UEFA Cup, number of qualification rounds, etc.
I am not a fan of Russian League, but you have to note progress, when progress is made. CSKA won UEFA Cup couple of years ago, so Zenit is not alone there, and they are far from dominating that League. Unlike EPL it's very competitive.
Spain is the League of this century, just like Italy dominated through the 80's and 90's. England's doing exceptionally well, and I believe they were in first place by a narrow margin for the first time in a while this year, since they had 3 quaterfinalists in UEFA CL two consecutive years. If they keep it up, they can well become the best League in the world, but that would take a few years.
