On the Eve of the new Season...

[Frank Gallagher]

1-0 1-0 1-0 Come on Porto....Come on Porto!!!!!

[vansmack]

Sorry.  Can't check this topic for the rest of the afternoon. I wasn't able to leave work for the match.  I'll be back this evening.
 
 The same will likely go for tomorrow too.

[Frank Gallagher]

That blows...both scum and chelski go through.  

[Barcelona]

Ok, time to be depressed until next September. Congratulations to Liverpool, really strong team, we lost it in the first game in Barcelona. Even though we are playing Madrid this weekend, it is really difficult to watch football now. England now has by far the best and most competitive league in Europe.

[Frank Gallagher]

Barca will probably struggle against Madrid after that loss. It's going to be hard for them to get upbeat and motivated after going out of the Champs League. The timing for that match couldn't be worse.

[Barcelona]

Originally posted by Roadbike Mankie:
  Barca will probably struggle against Madrid after that loss. It's going to be hard for them to get upbeat and motivated after going out of the Champs League. The timing for that match couldn't be worse.

Actually Madrid might be out of the Champions League tomorrow. The best teams in Spain now are Sevilla and Valencia. Madrid is in a transition phase, although only buying really old players, so it's going to take a lot of years for them to be back in track. Barcelona... not sure, maybe a lack of motivation this season after winning the CL last year and after the world cup fiasco for Ronaldinho and the rest of the team. Maybe we need to focus on the spanish league this year and start well in September.
 
 Good luck tomorrow with Lille, although you are almost there. Please beat Chelsea in the next round. And be aware of Valencia, strong team.

[bigyellow100]

ha.  lyon choked so badly today.  congrats to liverpool, though they probably shouldve won that game.  
 
 allez le losc.  oh god i hope manchester loses.  please god.  i want to see them cry.

[vansmack]

While Liverpool clearly outplayed Barca in the first half, they didn't do a whole lot to help themselves out.  One goal would have made all the difference, but for the noninterested observer, it made the second half all the more exciting.  Yet, I must say their back four were as equally up to the task as at they were against United on Saturday.  They just need to learn to finish.  No matter who they draw, they will sorely miss Sisssoko for the first leg.  And Barca, I agree with others on here - they simply seem distracted.
 
 Helton's gaff was one of the worst I've seen in the Porto match and really turned the tide of the match.  Porto were believing up to that point, and then everyone knew it was a matter of time before Chelsea got the second goal.  Too bad - I think if he saves that Porto had a real chance.  I did love the sign about Mourinho and if he really wanted to win the Champions League he should return to Portugal.
 
 Valencia do scare me, although we didn't get that match here - would have loved to see what the fracas was about.  We had Roma-Lyon and, yep, Lyon did choke.  When Totti scored early, you could see the wind come out of their sails.  Wasn't even worth watching after that.

[Frank Gallagher]

Oh God....Fergie's at it again. Giggsy on the bench. Why does he do this to us? Just field your best team, get a couple of goals ahead then pull your top players off and hold on to the lead...he always has to do it the other way round.
 
 I'm not 100% confident....99%, but not 100%, because Lille are under no pressure and on a revenge mission because they feel cheated from the last game, even though they weren't.

[Frank Gallagher]

....and another season with an empty trophy cabinet at Mecca stadium. HA HA HAHAHA, rough couple of weeks for the arseholes.
 
 Oh well, at least all the English teams made it to the last eight.

[vansmack]

Oy Mank.  I agree with your thoughts on the squad Fergie put out there.  I thought Slyvestre over Heinze was nearly as shocking as Giggs.  Rooney looked lost on the left and Ronaldo just as lost on the right.  Made no sense.  I did think O'Shea was unusually strong defensively, but was useless going forward (save for set pieces).  
 
 After watching Larsson for the last three weeks, I wasn't thinking his departure was going to be as bad as everybody says it is (recent injuries notwithstanding) because he opened with a bang, but has been quiet lately, but after seeing his run on the goal, it makes sense.  How many other strikers would have kept running and been too close to the net? I'm guessing every other United striker at least.  Nonetheless, we're into the last 8, and I'm looking forward to a Smith Rooney pairing up front soon in the FA Cup and Premiereship (two animals on the loose ball), but I'm not sure they will be what United needs to win in Europe.  Does Fergie ask Larsson to stay now with Saha out 4 weeks and Ole out 3?
 
 Arseholes, arseholes, arseholes....they did little to help their cause.  Good for PSV.  I've always been a fan.  That placed emptied out after Alex's (second) goal.  That was fun to watch.
 
 Real looked just as distracted as Barca did the night before, but that didn't stop the Bayern fans from enjoying themselves - what a crowd.  The early goal made the next 50 minutes tough to watch, but the last 15-20 were some really exciting football.  The penalty was a ridiculously bad call and made Ronaldo's booking in the United game look like a high school play compared to the academy award performance by Robinho.  I did enjoy the ref sending off Van Bommel and Dairra for being girls.  Only in Europe do you see something that pathetic... I also enjoyed the announcers noting after the game the symbolism between the old United player (Ruud) exchanging kits with the future United player (Hargreaves).  Hmmm....
 
 I didn't get the chance to watch the AC Milan-Celtic match yet, but I do feel for The Bhoys.  Valliant effort.

[Frank Gallagher]

I really couldn't give a toss about Celtic...there's no place for sectarianism in sports and that's what Scottish football is all about. If Celtic were in the premiership they'd be lower to mid-table anyway.
 
 Rooney definately looked lost on the left. He's at his best in the middle just behind the striker running head on at the defence. I thought Scholsey was our best player on the night. And what's with all this passing back to the goalie?? That was totally against United's usual style of play. I thought overall it was a disapointing display from United, but they're in the last eight and that's all that matters at the end of the day.
 
 I think Larson is going home to be with his family, which is fair enough.
 
 We should have three animals on the field on Saturday, Rooney, Smith and Heinze...put Ronaldo and Park on the wings and Boro won't be able to handle that speed. Why Heinze has been on the bench for so long is baffling anyway, he's probably the best back in the premiership, and puts the fear of God in any striker..BTW, I would've given Heinze the number 57, but that's just me.
 
 Well, we're still on for the treble and arseholes are on for NOT A BLOODY THING!!!  

[Frank Gallagher]

Quarter-final draw
 AC Milan v Bayern Munich
 PSV Eindhoven v LIVERPOOL
 Roma v MANCHESTER UNITED
 CHELSEA v Valencia
 
 (First legs to be played on 3/4 April and second legs on 10/11 April)
 
 Semi-final draw
 CHELSEA or Valencia v PSV Eindhoven or LIVERPOOL
 Roma or MANCHESTER UNITED v AC Milan or Bayern Munich
 
 (First legs to be played on 24/25 April and second legs on 1/2 May)
 
 Interesting draw.....PSV are the darkhorse imho. I'd like to see Rooney/Ronaldo/Smith to get some match time before the next round. Can you imagine being a back and having to look at Rooney and Smith coming at you???   :eek:

[godsshoeshine]

hopefully we'll get the roma match here  

[vansmack]

FA CUP QUARTERFINALS
 
 Saturday, March 10
 
 10:00am Man United vv Middlesbrough (PPV)
 
 Sunday, March 11
 
 9:00am Chelsea v Tottenham (PPV)
 12:00pm  Blackburn v Manchester City (FSC)  
 2:00pm Plymouth Argyle v Watford (FSC)    
 
 Reminder: Daylight Time starts this Sunday