Wednesday, December 10, 2008

CL Open Thread: Now with added Hulk!

WHEN ARSENE DISRESPECTS US WITH HIS TEAM SELECTION, IT MAKES ME SO MAD AAARGH


It's the final day of the final CL matchday for this year, with plenty of mathematical jostling to determine group winners and runners-up, which is longhand for "figuring out who has to play Barca in the Round of 16."

Good luck to whoever pulls that poisoned chalice.

Oh, and Norwich are playing Watford tonight as well. It's all happening!

Will those Canaries shape up and continue their impressive form of the last 5 days? Will Hulk go crazy when faced with so many children in the Arsenal starting XI? Will Alex Ferguson complain about something? Will we ever understand why the Man U game ended up on ESPN2 today? Will Celtic salvage some self-respect and dignity from their dreadful showing in the CL this season?

So many unanswered questions. Let's find some answers in the comments, shall we?

Come turn green and SMASH with us after the jump.


STARTING LINEUPS:
-----

FC Porto v. Arsenal
Porto: Helton, Fucile, Rolando, Alves, Emanuel, Gonzalez, Fernando, Meireles, Lopez, HULK, Rodriguez.
Subs: Nuno, Stepanov, Guarin, Mariano Gonzalez, Lino, Sektioui, Costa.

Arsenal: Almunia, Eboue, Gallas, Silvestre, Djourou, Ramsey, Diaby, Song, Denilson; Vela, Bendtner.
Subs: Fabianski, Wilshere, Gibbs, Hoyte, Merida, Randall, Simpson.
---

Manchester United v. AaB Aalborg
Man Utd: Kuszczak, Neville, Ferdinand, Evans, O'Shea, Nani, Gibson, Anderson, Giggs, Rooney, Tevez.
Subs: Foster, Park, Vidic, Scholes, Rafael Da Silva, Fletcher, Possebon.

AaB: Zaza, Bogelund, Olfers, Jakobsen, Pedersen, Curth, Enevoldsen, Augustinussen, Risgaard, Due, Saganowski.
Subs: Kenneth Nielsen, Nomvethe, Caca, Braemer, Sorensen, Kristensen, Ronnie Schwartz Nielsen.
---

Celtic v. Villareal
Celtic: Boruc, Hinkel, Caldwell, McManus, Wilson, Nakamura, Scott Brown, Hartley, McGeady, Maloney, Samaras.
Subs: Mark Brown, McDonald, Loovens, Mizuno, O'Dea, Caddis, McGowan.

Villarreal: Viera, Angel, Fuentes, Rodriguez, Bruno, Cani, Senna, Edmilson, Fernandez, Franco, Ibagaza.
Subs: Diego Lopez, Eguren, Pires, Santi Cazorla, Cygan, Nihat.
---

The draw for the next round is at noon on Friday, December 19. Remember: teams from the same country can't play each other. I eagerly await Spartak London getting the easiest draw possible. No really, I can't wait for that.



50 comments:

Jim Hendry said...

Tevez is really workin' it for the weekday... he's only gone and scored already

Jacob said...

Still can't comb his hair.

The NY Kid said...

Remember: teams from the same country can't play each other.

Sadly, this is not a problem for France.

/boos Eboue

Jim Hendry said...

I believe it was predicted way back in the day that almost all the Frenchies would be eradicated in the group round... just saying

The NY Kid said...

But Bordeaux were soooooo close.

Spectator said...

God bless Glendenning...

1 min: Arsenal kick off and immediately patronise Emmanuel Eboue, who had the mother of all shockers last weekend, by passing the ball back to him in the right-back position. He manages to successfully pass it up the field without tripping over his own feet, which should do his confidence no end of good.

Jim Hendry said...

Aab Aalborg equalize!

Celtic are up 1-0, amazingly, and the Ramos era at Real begins with a 1-0 lead so far thanks to some awful goalkeeping.

Spectator said...

Aaaaalborg equaaaaaaalize.

Bigus Dickus said...

Ricoh's men score. Tough free kick to defend, that was whipped in fast, deflected in.

Spectator said...

Bummers, you beat me to it!

Jim Hendry said...

Well it's all happening now. Bayern up 3-0 at Lyon, Villareal down to 10 men thanks to a flying elbow, and Porto up 1-0 to Arse.

Bigus Dickus said...

Keeping it familiar on this thread aint we. Anyone out there?

Jim Hendry said...

Arsenal losing means they'll finish 2nd, which puts them in the running for a date with Barcelona, Juve or Bayern in the Round of 16. Still worth it to play the kids and lose if that's your fate?

EbullientFatalist said...

@ Spectator: Glendenning's humor is sublime.

Arsenal go down one-nil. Eboue is somehow involved. I have no evidence of this, but I can't be too far wrong.

Jim Hendry said...

2-1 aalborg!

EbullientFatalist said...

@JT: Does it matter either way re: placing first or second? Gunners place second, they face Real, Lyon, Villa, Inter . . . it's six one way, half-a dozen, etc etc.

Bigus Dickus said...

I like football!

EbullientFatalist said...

Waitwaitwaitwaitwait . . . I fucked up. If they place first, that's who Gunners face.

jjf3 said...

just knowing that ManUre is down 2-1 at the half to Aalborg, AT OT no less, makes my day...

Jim Hendry said...

Andrew: I thought so! Losing and finishing 2nd gives them an awful list of potential foes in the Round of 16. The difference between their opponents whether they finish 1st or 2nd may seem negligible on paper as everyone remaining is still good, but just the outside chance of drawing Barca first up would make me nauseous.

Precious Roy said...

jjf3: Yeah, but it's absolutely meaningless if Villarreal can't pull out of its 2-goal deficit.

jjf3 said...

From bbc -
This game marks the last in charge for Aalborg's caretaker boss Allan Kuhn, who took over after Bruce Rioch's sacking in October. He has led the team on an 11-game unbeaten run - but even that wasn't enough to earn him the job full-time. How about a win at Old Trafford? Will that do?

talk about going out with a bang...

jjf3 said...

PR: agreed its meaningless, but it still makes me happy inside. (Yep, I'm a petty, vindictive sort who takes joy in the sorrows of certain others, I admit it...)

Bigus Dickus said...

2-2 Rooney. Rioch was fired, wow what a surprise! That's a new one for him :)

EbullientFatalist said...

The Rooney tor was the result of awful defending. Just aaaaaawful.

Bigus Dickus said...

Still, Rooney has had a nice game, stil 22. He can do the lot. Quality.

EbullientFatalist said...

Now Gunners down two. Eboue's fault this time (confirmed through Glendenning).

EbullientFatalist said...

In my book, Rooney and Ferdinand are the only definites on the current English squad. Every other position is up for grabs.

Quick question: how much did Everton get for Rooney?

The NY Kid said...

/boos Eboue

Email us at said...

Andrew: Webcam's not a definite?

Bigus Dickus said...

31 Mil.

Goal for my lot. Croft. 1-1 now and I am encouraged the whole game has been one way traffic.

EbullientFatalist said...

Oh, Young Webcam. Yeah. He's a definite. Shit, at this point, half of Villa is a definite for Ingerlund.

Precious Roy said...

62% of the possession and 4 shots (to Porto with 9 on 38%)... Just fucking wonderful.

I bet my firstborn we draw Barca.

Well played Wenger.

Bigus Dickus said...

and I just opened the gaping hole in my face too early..Faaaaaack. 2-1 Watford. All us, but we defend like blind, leg amputees.

Nathaniel said...

As much as I respect the work he's put in for ManUre, Gary Neville has no business being on the pitch.

The Fan's Attic said...

If the results hold up, it looks like LFC would face one of the following: Inter, Sporting, Villareal, Lyon or Real Madrid.

No cupcakes but certainly a possibility of a good draw.

Bigus Dickus said...

Neville is no longer first choice...The Brazilian lad is special. We have had 60% of the ball.

EbullientFatalist said...

@PR: The draw with Barca? It's happening. You don't anger football gods by playing not to lose.

@Keith: You're the Villa regulator.

Nathaniel said...

Since I'm watching Aalborg...

Interesting Fact: Tallest average males? You guessed it, Denmark.

And as I write this, GNeville shanks the go-ahead...

Bigus Dickus said...

more of a point blank save than a shank.

Precious Roy said...

God this half of the ManU game is like a deja vu from the Sunderland match.

EbullientFatalist said...

"Porto pile the pressure on Arsenal, who are an embarrassment."

Welp, that's all I need to hear. Off to gym, where my Gunners training jersey will be met by stares that read, "Fly Emirates? Fuck that Ay-rab airline."

Bigus Dickus said...

PR: Spot on.

Email us at said...

@Andrew: With all the Arse/Pool/Colaship/Bleus/SPL love around here, someone's gotta think of the "top of the rest" in the Prem.

Precious Roy said...

Gibbs does well to chase down a lost cause and hook a ball back into the penalty area for... well, no-one. Sadly no-one bothered to chase up his hard work.

Running the kids out there to see them get dismantled probably has diminishing returns.

Precious Roy said...

So here's a question: What's worse.

Drawing at home to Aalborg with a close to full squad? Or losing at Porto with a B-team half full of kids?

Spectator said...

PR, I'm guessing that's a rhetorical question?

So, for the draw it's...

Pot 1: Roma, Panathinaikos, Barca, Liverpool, Man U, Bayern, Porto,

Pot 2: Chelsea, Inter, Sporting Lisbon, Atletico, Villareal, Lyon, Arsenal

And then, I'm not sure what happens with Real Madrid and Juve. They are tied on points and goal difference. If they go to head-to-head than Juve wins the division. Anyone know?

Email us at said...

Come on, Chelsea-Barca. That said, Spartak will prolly get Panathinaikos.

BackBergtt said...

Wow it's going to be hard for United to get their traditional absurdly easy draw, but I'm guessing they'll get Sporting and buy whatever good players they have come January 1.

Precious Roy said...

Mike: Sporting has never lost a European cup tie at home to an English side (kept in tact today). So United will likely even have a bit of a fight if they draw the Lisbians.

I'm hoping they get Atletico and get bounced.