Champions Leage 2004/2005

[SEAL]

Interesting day today.. lotsa goals.

ManUtd, Rooney, made my day by winning quite some cash on ladbrokes.com.. those turks just got owned, eased, to speak in subspace terms.

Makaay 4 - 0 Ajax. What can i say.. hope PSV performs better tomorrow.

Real Madrid, nice comeback. No more.

--

Who will make it to the finals this year, what's your thought???

Hopefully this season will prove it wrong that the big clubs get eliminated too soon due the drop of the second group stage..

I'dd say Arsenal has a good shot at it. Been unlucky quite some times in the CL. Can't have bad luck foreever. Can't predict things over 1 game and ManUtd wasn't doing well lately, but this looks promesing with their players coming back from injury and 2 goalmachines in front. Can't wait to see the 'from russia, with cash' performance of Chelsea..

Europe is for England this year baby!

[Bigyin]

Celtic For Da win!!

[Mayo Inc.]

where can i find this in america, I bought fifa 2004 and now i wanna see the real thing and not just every four years or mls (shitty)

[Kim]

I think AC Milan will go far. ^__^

[DOTSY]

Ajax did so bad :X

[Galleleo]

Ajax wil win, PSV will lose.. the end.

[Ewan]

I'm going to the Chelsea v Porto game tonight. $

It's going to be cool to see how the Porto fans "welcome" Mourinho.

[SEAL]

Gl tonight and pray chelsea wins (or i lose way too much money hehe)

oh and edit: try looking on the tv listing for your channels perhaps moyo inc.. otherwise, www.eufa.com has alot nice info and some match pics but as far as i know ya can't find full matches or match highlights on the internet.. for free that is.(correct me if im wrong please.. anyone?)

[RogerMexico]

Mayo: Fox Sports World is the major carrier of international soccer games in the US (www.foxsportsworld.com), mostly English Permiership, but there are some Dutch, German, and French games on as well, usually in the off hours (not much from Spain or Italy, unfortunately). See if any of your local cable providers have it in their extended basic packages (it's becoming more and more common). Otherwise, ESPN and ESPN2 begin carrying Champions League games on Tuesday or Wednesday afternoons, but I'm not sure when they start doing that. If you go to the UEFA (www.uefa.com) and check the fixtures, you can see when the games are happening next, and find out if they're on.

Two cents for the original question: I'd be shocked if Ajax or Celtic made it out of the group stages. Bayern & Juve + Milan & Barcelona respectively make it pretty fucking unlikely. PSV has a shot to clear the group cut, but they better man up starting now. I think the English teams are all in good shape, Liverpool aside (unless they learn how to play away from home, in which case, maybe). I still think Arsenal has the wrong style to succeed in Europe, so I'm not getting on that wagon (though they are a badass team, granted). Chelsea might have the best shot of the bunch, considering they've leaked one goal in seven games so far this season. Milan and Juve are nice picks, but Juve was pretty unconvincing last night. Milan is tight as always. My money's on Barca, though. They balled La Liga for the second half of last season, and their offseason beat anyone on the continent's (maybe not Chelsea, but I'd make the argument any). They're cooking with gas right now, and folks best get out the way.

[NaiLed]

Gl tonight and pray chelsea wins (or i lose way too much money hehe)

oh and edit: try looking on the tv listing for your channels perhaps moyo inc.. otherwise, www.eufa.com has alot nice info and some match pics but as far as i know ya can't find full matches or match highlights on the internet.. for free that is.(correct me if im wrong please.. anyone?)

www.uefa.com that is mayo


http://skysports.planetfootball.com/ has some free footy clips

[Galleleo]

Ajax has the skills to beat juve and bayern, they just dont play as a team, and the players are lazy, sort of speak because the midfield never seems to help the attack when they have the ball, also Sonck isnt a striker who fits in the Ajax system. PSV has no chance to clear group, in the netherlands they win playing sucky because dutch teams are sucky, in europe that wont fly. If they play their ch games like they play in competition they are screwed. I am a huge Ajax fan, but next to that I am also Arsenal fan, specially bergkamp, and they have a really good team. But somehow arsenal lacks the finishing touch, they can play brilliant and then totally lose it. Specially when the end of the season is nearing they usually throw it away. Manchester is very strong now Rooney is back. I just hope Ajax starts playing better and maybe get like 7 to 9 points. Atleast that they get that 3rd place. Italian teams are a bitch to play against tho, they just go and stand in their own penalty area waiting for you to come, then 1 runs forward and hopes too get a good ball, and every game they manage to somehow get that. I dont like italian teams, because I like offense football. Not that bury in and hope for a counter kind of stuff.

So if anyone could follow that rambling.

[SEAL]

Ajax has the skills to beat juve and bayern

rambling.

Excuse me, didn't Bayern play vs Ajax last night? What was the score? Can anyone tell that in big fat letters for galleleo? Ajax having the skill to beat juve.. haha. it would happen once in 20 times perhaps.. You should agree that ajax as psv aren't good enough to really compete in the CL. Anyone outside holland could confirm that. I'm sure bayern rather plays ajax than juve and juve rather plays ajax than bayern.

rambling.

[RogerMexico]

Ajax has the skills to beat juve and bayern, they just dont play as a team, and the players are lazy, sort of speak because the midfield never seems to help the attack when they have the ball, also Sonck isnt a striker who fits in the Ajax system. PSV has no chance to clear group, in the netherlands they win playing sucky because dutch teams are sucky, in europe that wont fly. If they play their ch games like they play in competition they are screwed. I am a huge Ajax fan, but next to that I am also Arsenal fan, specially bergkamp, and they have a really good team. But somehow arsenal lacks the finishing touch, they can play brilliant and then totally lose it. Specially when the end of the season is nearing they usually throw it away. Manchester is very strong now Rooney is back. I just hope Ajax starts playing better and maybe get like 7 to 9 points. Atleast that they get that 3rd place. Italian teams are a bitch to play against tho, they just go and stand in their own penalty area waiting for you to come, then 1 runs forward and hopes too get a good ball, and every game they manage to somehow get that. I dont like italian teams, because I like offense football. Not that bury in and hope for a counter kind of stuff.

So if anyone could follow that rambling.

I like Ajax, so all due respect here: you're insane. In general, I don't think Ajax is going to make another serious run at European glory until they start holding onto some of their players a little longer. I read back over what you said, and yes, Ajax could beat any of those teams, in the same sense that Monaco could reach the finals. That said, you're crazy to think they're even remotely favored to do so going into this thing, nonetheless two games in with zero points. They haven't got a sunny shot in hell. And you may not like PSV, but look at their bracket and be objective: they're fighting Panathinaikos and Rosenborg for the number two slot. All teams in the Champions League are decent at worst, but are you telling me you favor Ajax's odds of coming back from two losses and beating out Bayern over PSV's odds of coming back from one loss and beating out Panathinaikos? Insanity. Also, why are you hoping Ajax at least gets third place? Only the top two go forward, so I'm pretty sure nobody else gives a shit if they finish third or fourth.

As for the Arsenal thing, I'm not sure they really take their foot off the gas towards the end of a season. I think that's just a label they got from two years ago. I just don't think they have a clue how to play defensive soccer and sit on a lead. They tried it against PSV and looked really uncomfortable. And Bergkamp is a nice guy to root for and all, but he's a funny guy to pick in a thread about the Champions League, since he's afraid to fly to have of the games.

The Italian stereotype is a little out of hand too, I think. Yeah, ok, they "park the bus in front of the net," as Mourinho says, when they're sitting on a lead. Still, if it works you can't really blame them. It's gotten Chelsea to second place and revived Tottenham's club campaign. Actually, you're right and I'm just trying to argue. It can be pretty annoying to watch. Still, i think you're oversimplifying their whole game.

[edit] spelling. Also, I wouldn't really say Man U is strong now that Rooney is back. I'd say they're strong now that Rio is back. Rooney was the truth last night, though.

[Dim]

A-r-s-e-n-a-l

[Galleleo]

First: my post was kinda misunderstood. but before I explain all that, the third place gives you the right to play in the Uefa Cup, wich is always better then not playing in europe at all. Thats why I hope Ajax becomes third.

Then: Ajax was crap, I am not saying they were good. I said: Ajax has the skill to beat those teams.. THE SKILL, but Ajax isnt a team. Communication horribly failes. at most attempts. Like I said, midfield doesnt react adaquate when Ajax is in possesion and going forward, next to that, Ajax is way to slow when they get ball possesion, and gives the other team more then enough chance to get in their defense positions. Ajax is not good at all at this moment. But they do have the skill. thats all I said. I would play Ajax as a 4-4-2 system. With on the Goal: Lobont (he and stekelenburg arent that different skillwise, but Lobont brings more expierence) from right to left: Trabelsi, Heitinga, Either de jong or Escudé but the cooperation between escude and heitinga hasnt been to brilliant just yet, and Maxwell. Midfield: r.t.l.: de Ridder, Sneijder, Galasek, Mitea and offense: Sonck and Rosales. This way you have a very offensive team, Sonck is much better in place, because he is more of a striker for a 4-4-2 system then with 3 attackers. If you leave Sonck and Rosales free on where they are going, they will be harder to defend, trabelsi and maxwell are very offensive players, trying to go forward all the time, and with de Ridder and Mitea you still have strenght on the sides to go over the sides. Main reason why Ajax wont play this, because it isnt the Ajax style to play. But atm I dont think the players Ajax got fit in to great in that system as a team.

The main reasons for Ajax not being able to keep players, is not Ajax's fault, its because the Dutch competition isnt near as competitive as almost any other in Europe. Players dont want to stay here, other competitions are far more fun. Back in the time like 95/96 etc. Ajax was far more competitive and a really close team wich made it much easier for the players to stay, besides Ajax can't pay the top players what they would earn in an other country.

PSV isnt really that good, but they have a lot easier poule. But you shouldnt underestimate Rosenborg, Ajax had a hard time playing Rosenborg 2 years ago ( I think, could be 3). Still PSV has a better shot atm then Ajax to go any further. I wouldnt mind it if Koeman left Ajax to go somewhere else, because I dont think Koeman has the abbility that Hiddink, or van Gaal has, to make a real team of that team. Being a team brings a team much further then skills ever will, look at Korea.

Arsenal does seem to lack something in the end, and I am not saying that its because they want to but somehow their players dont have the condition too last such a long season. Because you gotta remember the Premiership has far more matches then any other league atm + the chamions League + the english cup. And Arsenal Mainly consits of non-english players. I mean henry etc. where to tired to even perform this EC. Thats one of the weakest point of Arsenal.

I know that tactic is effective, and probably not every italian team uses it, but the biggest ones do. And sure its effective, I am doing questioning that, I just think its a lame tactic, just like I hate the cram. and 5 spiders. I like it when a team plays offence, it makes for the best matches, for example: Netherlands vs. Tsjechië this EC. Brilliant match, because both team where very offensive, leaving room in the defense.

Manchester United got stronger because Rio is back yes, but I believe rooney contributes alot of the striking power, its a very fast, young kid. Eager to score etc. and the one moment he is here, the other moment he is there and it makes him very unpredictable and therefor a good addition to the team. But I think my post mainly got misunderstood. I hope this clears it up a bit. (and yes I am probably biased alot towards PSV )