Welp, yesterday was a goalscoring orgy. So, get out your purity rings because we don't usually get two CL matchdays in a row like that. I still can't get over 7 goals from Bayern and Liverpool's stunning display of efficiency and skill, something they continually lack in league play and domestic cup action.
Half the field is set for quarterfinals with Liverpool, Chelsea, Bayern and Villareal all advancing and the other half will be set in about two hours time. The quarterfinal draw will be on March 20, 2009.
Champions...follow me after the jump.
Atletico v. Porto (2-2 Agg) - Porto will hope to salvage some Portuguese pride after Sporting's showing yesterday. Prediction...death. I mean no more Portuguese squads.
FC Porto: Helton, Sapunaru, Rolando, Bruno Alves, Cissokho, Lucho Gonzalez, Fernando, Raul Meireles, Lopez, Hulk, Rodriguez.
Subs: Nuno, Stepanov, Mariano Gonzalez, Costa, Madrid, Sektioui, Farias.
Atletico Madrid: Franco, Perea, Pablo, Ujfalusi, Antonio Lopez, Maxi, Paulo Assuncao, Raul Garcia, Simao, Sinama Pongolle, Aguero.
Subs: Coupet, Pernia, Heitinga, Maniche, Miguel, Camacho, Forlan.
--------------
Lyon v. Barcelona (1-1 Agg) - Barca will be out to prove its poor league form is in the past. Prediction...Catalans catapult to the quarters.
Barcelona: Valdes, Dani Alves, Marquez, Pique, Sylvinho, Xavi, Toure Yaya, Iniesta, Messi, Eto'o, Henry.
Subs: Pinto, Caceres, Keita, Hleb, Busquets, Victor Sanchez, Bojan.
Lyon: Lloris, Clerc, Cris, Boumsong, Grosso, Delgado, Juninho, Toulalan, Makoun, Ederson, Benzema.
Subs: Vercoutre, Bodmer, Kallstrom, Pjanic, Keita, Mounier, Tafer.
--------------
Arsenal v. Roma (1-0 Agg) - Will Arsenal end the season on fine form? The Magic 8 ball says: outlook Good.
Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Clichy, Toure, Gallas, Nasri, Denilson, Eboue, Diaby, Bendtner, Van Persie.
Subs: Fabianski, Djourou, Gibbs, Vela, Walcott, Song, Eduardo
Roma: Doni - Motta, Diamoutene, Juan, Riise - Brighi, Pizarro, Tonetto - Taddei, Vucinic, Totti.
Subs: Arthur, Loria, Aquilani, Gomez, Julio Baptista, Montella, Menez
--------------
Inter v. Man U (0-0 Agg) - The marquee matchup of the day. I hope ManU crashes out, but that will be a difficult challenge for Inter. I predict that a Portuguese male will be happy with the result.
Man Utd: Van der Sar, O'Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Rooney, Berbatov.
Subs: Foster, Anderson, Park, Evans, Fletcher, Gibson, Tevez.
Inter Milan: Julio Cesar, Maicon, Cordoba, Samuel, Santon, Zanetti, Cambiasso, Vieira, Stankovic, Ibrahimovic, Balotelli.
Subs: Toldo, Maxwell, Figo, Cruz, Adriano, Muntari, Rivas.
Let's have fun out there folks.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Champions League Open Thread: Where The World Prays for an Inter Victory
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I was worried there wasn't going to be a CL Wednesday Open Thread...
Eboue AND Diaby to start?!?!?
(sigh)
Don't forget about Bendtner, Hockalees.
And if I'm not praying for an Inter victory, does that mean I'm going to get kicked off the world?
Did Derek Rae claim that Man U are the first british team to not lose away to Inter? Cause thats...um...entirely not true
First time commenter, long time reader or whatever the cliche is
i just want you all to know that blogger sucks...it inserts all sorts of code where i don't want it to. i think it's sorted.
@WSR--it just means you worship the devil.
have I ever mentioned that Jonny Evans is a rapist?
Nathaniel: there was always going to be one, just today we were planning to start it at the correct time instead of an hour early (whoops)
Derek Rae ≠ Voice of Truth
Hello UFers,
Longtime lurker, second time poster. Thanks in advance for welcoming me to the commenter community. BTW, I'm an Arsenal supporter.
Hello to Knutson and Kevin... thanks for joining in!
did you bring beer? all the noobs are supposed to bring beer.
NYK: I sure am thirsty. Maybe Wanda Nara could provide refreshments.
The fix must be in... Spaletti is laughing it up on the bench pre-game.
"Manchester United will be wearing a very special shirt tonight: it's the shirt that marks them out as the best team on earth. They have a badge on their top that says 'world champions', after they won the Fifa Club World Cup in December. However, the Premier League have ruled they will not be allowed to wear it in league games. Silly, aren't they? "
You know, I really do try to hold off on making plane crash comments every time United travels ... but they're fucking pushing me man.
Wonderful, my whole name shows up so I look like a 50-year old who doesn't quite understand the internet.
the ref in the Arsenal match looks Italian. I must protest!
So is everyone watching on ESPN360?
So do I watch Arsenal-Roma's first half at work, knowing that Man United-Inter's taping at home, or just say fuck it and watch the first half of Man United-Inter knowing that I'll have to (get to?) re-watch with my wife later?
Inter... Please God, score early. Then this will turn into awesomeness.
Magnakai: you watch Arsenal-Roma. Deep down, we all already know what the Inter score will be. 2-0 Man U, as much as it pains me in every sinew and bone to write such a thing.
I'll try to keep you all up with the Barcelona/Lyon game here (I'm assuming that's the "black hole" game that Sentanta didn't pick up....hope i'm right).
Nathaniel: that would be appreciated. Again, I feel like a massive home win is inevitable, but I'd get some sick satisfaction of seeing such a talented Barca team get dumped from big competition.
It'd remind me of Holland '94 all over again
why do we need a Portuguese announcing team for Roma-Arsenal?
Eh whatever, three year olds don't know whats going on. I tried to find a killer Joe Montana jersey for kids but the 49ers website discontinued it last week and I haven't thought of it since.
Lyton in the 4-5-1, as to be expected. It's the formation of choice for those teams seeking a penalty shootout.
Georger: this is true.
Will do, LB.
Anyone else with ESPN360 notice that the Barca/Lyon game looks like a 12kbps stream? Ugh.
LB: I just realized that ESPN360 (which is awesome, and which I should've been using yesterday but forgot I have it) allows for easy switching between games. So I'm doing a little of both, plus pretending to work.
Viera fail!
what happened? ManUre scored already?
NY Kid: Arsenal's making a move to hijack Real Madrid's move for Ronaldo, even though he's too old for Wenger.
And Evans just forgot to ask permission, that's all.
Yep, tip your waitstaff. Fergie's satanic brood are through to the next round, barring some massive, epic fightback that Serie A teams simply aren't capable of.
Seriously though... you go to Old Trafford and defend that deep? Retards. Now Jose will get fired and come to Anfield to replace Rafa who will go to Madrid. And I will cream in my khakis.
You know, I run that same play in World Soccer Manager '09, but I always thought it was so easy because it was an exploit or something.
I got my goddaughter a Stevie G shirt for her first Christmas, and I felt like the best godparent ever. He was then promptly arrested. I felt a little bad about that.
Magnakai: that's brilliant! I stick to the illegal feeds because it makes me feel dangerous. Normally, they're reliable enough.
And now that Man U are winning, it makes the choice of game to watch even easier.
Six minutes in and this looks eerily familiar to the 'Pool match. Inter have barely touched the ball.
One less game to switch back and forth to.
How do you not mark Vidic properly?
LB: Is there any realistic chance of Mourinho at Anfield? Because I want that to happen but just can't see it happening somehow.
almost some handbags at the Stadio between RvP and Totti
Does Jose know this is making him less special.
That said, 1-1 would still put Inter through.
Lyon's 4-5-1 looks more like a 1-3-6, for those interested.
ROMA!
that was some of the worst defending I have ever seen from the Gunners
My brother hates soccer so I can't go that route, just bought him an Appalachian State jersey online, should get there in time for the party.
Magna: in some kind of bizarro universe, I could see it happening. Madrid will want Rafa because he's a European winner, and if our owners do bring in the Kuwaitis full-time to spend on the new stadium and settle debts (which they've gone on record as saying they'd want to do), I could see it.
Inter want success in Europe. If Jose doesn't get it now, which looks unlikely based on the early goal, then maybe he'd skip out of Italy and come back to England. Again, this is something he has said he wants to do...
It would take an awful lot, but shit, why not?
According to soccernet gamecast, the Arsenal and United games haven't started.
@hockalees - Almunia?
Bloody hell, Arsenal.
Georger... well, they are half right as apparently Inter and Arsenal haven't shown up yet.
Twelve minutes in and ESPN's already showing you who's on Arsenal's bench. Nice.
Barca with a free kick right on the edge of the box (yellow card to Cris from Lyon).
Goalkeeper frozen, but deflected out for a corner.
as a staunch PSG supporter, let me just say that Cris is a little twat
I'm going to stab Bendtner for missing 3 sitters two weeks ago if Arsenal don't go through.
Go on you Giallorossi!
LB: If I remember correctly, didn't Mourinho originally prefer Liverpool to Chelsea? Something about working at an established team instead of an upstart?
Of course, this was before he was actually at Chelsea.
Clichy needs to spend less time being the time spokesman and more time improving his form. His decline this season has been infuriating.
Anyone got reliable feed? I refuse to pay ESPN.
I forgot how nice it is to not have Tommy Smyth as the color man, his commentary today has reminded me how much I want to strangle him
Bendtner is a waste on the left. RvP is drifting back too far and Niklas just stares at him instead of overlapping or making any runs.
Gamecast: Bendtner is rubbish; there, I've said it. Rushing towards the box with numbers up in support his touch is woeful and Juan clears. Hopeless.
@ Kevin
Team, not time. Moron.
in a stunning turn of events a short corner comes to nothing
For the record, I predicted Arsenal would come in overconfident and give up an early goal.... I told this prediction to no one, but I still made it.
Jason: I believe you're right.
PR: I remember a month or two ago where you were happy to have Bendtner. Granted, everyone else on the team was hurt at the time. Looking at him now, I am glad you came around.
Incidentally, those comments by "Jason" were me. I switched to my personal e-mail for a second...clever, eh?
I can't believe Eduardo didn't start.
65% of the possesion after 20 minutes and the only shot is from Sagna.
Fuck me.
seventy one fucking dollars for a kids football jersey. im never having kids, i prefer to spend my money on chinese food.
im debating just watching the fulham game
Come on Zlatan, you know you wouldn't get that call even if they broke your leg.
Magnakai has a dual-personality disorder!
Anyone know what's going on in the Porto-Atletico game? Because, honestly, three games really just aren't enough.
I'm still happy to have him. As long as he's on the bench.
As a 70th minute sub, he's fine. He gets up and can snatch a header in a close match.
DEUCE!
Fulham up 1-0 in the EPL fixture of the night (well, the only EPL fixture), thanks to Clint Dempsey
Magnakai: it's 0-0 in Portugal.
I just saw John Arne Riise and got shivers.
we're taking it in the arse now.
Juninho and Messi get a stern talking-to...hilarious.
I'd feel much better if we had loaned Senderos out to Roma instead of Milan.
Thanks for answering the feed question, buddy f*ckers.
Why do ManUre have to be so damn good?
@Magnakai - because he's a ginger?
LB: I was completely unaware of the EPL fixture's existence. Whoops.
@phil - don't blame me, I'm watching ESPN360
Phil ive got a great Arsenal feed from star sports via myp2p, not sure what game you want but I'm assuming they have United feeds too
Barca socre.
Henry scores. 1-0 Barca
Phil: I am going it with text tonight. No illicit feeds. Maybe try that country where the war's going on, they have the odd goal or two (and I know this roundabout way of referring to the site is getting stale, but hey, Jeremy St. Louis reads us occasionally now.)
'No illicit feeds'
myp2p isn't illicit, they won their lawsuit.
Arsenal has no pace on offense... all passes are square.
On defense, they look like they are walking in cement.
C'mon you Arsenal!
I swear I just saw Tobias Fünke at the United game.
Barca again.
Henry again. 2-0 Barca
I've tried the warring country, but they have shite. Same with my p 2 p. Oh, well. I'm relegated to text, then. I wanted Barca-Lyon
Wait, are the French team just rolling over and quitting? That'd odd.
/war joke
@LB - I have to leave now to drive home (I need to beat traffic). Can you text me if either side scores?
Phil, I might have one more place to check. Email the UF inbox
Barca again.
NYK: yessir, will do. I have a feeling you won't like it.
If only Arsenal had a dynamic player with experience in the Champions League... Someone like Thierry Henry.
No, I'm not happy. Why do you ask?
Sorry NYK. It's what I'm good at. I wouldn't be a good Englishman if I didn't have a few stored up.
Thierry with two! I imagine Arsenal might be able to use him right now.
Hmm, that almost made the United match interesting
PR: to rub salt in further, Gilberto Silva played well yesterday in that Pana/Villareal 2nd leg.
So close, Zlatan.
Thats a bookable dive right there, you stay classy one white guy on Arsenal.
"Isn't Vronin leading the Bundesliga in scoring?"
Not even close actually.
PR: indeed he is, and good for him too. He can't do that in the EPL, where there are more than 5 good teams
Lyon looks like they've had trouble against a high school team right now.
I might have a place too, Phil...add a period between "Maganakai" and "Haaskivi", add an "@gmail.com", and send me a note.
I'm fairly certain he is tied for tenth, like eight goals back of the leader.
How much more shit play do you have to watch from Nikloss before you sub him Arsene?
Oh, and Phil: Spell it "Magnakai", not "Maganakai". Cool internet names are only cool if you can spell your own right.
PR: the now-injured Ibisevic leads with 18. Voronin is tied for 10th
Iniesta is heavily fouled. But not with a wooden stake to the heart, unfortunately...
Ack... why couldn't the crappy Roma team that draws to Lecce show up today?
How hasn't this Arsenal kit made 'The WTF' yet?
Inter can get back in it. The way John O'Shea is tackling Balotelli like a blind man, he'll surely collect two yellows.
How is that not a yellow?
DAMMIT VAN DER SAR, stop being so good periodically
I am getting the 360 dot com feed for free right now and I have for a few weeks of Champs League. Plus its decent quality. (I havent read thru all the posts so sorry if this has been covered)
Honorato Campos Ederson.
TFA likes this.
PR: if you're referring to O'Shea like I was, the answer is "because he plays for Man United." Same reason he wasn't given a 2nd yellow in the Carling Cup final for performing an amputation on Luka Modric.
Barca again.
Stankovic misses again.
Messi. 3-0 Barca
Well, at least Inter are getting half-chances, the italian champions are playing better than the spanish.
Yes, O'Shea just grabbed the Inter player (didn't see who it was) as he was moving into space toward midfield.
Inter could have 2 easy by now.
Eto'o.
Barca doing a Bayern Muich impersonation.
Jesus Christ, Eboue. WTF was that?
"Jesus Christ, Eboue. WTF was that?"
It appears my stream is a minute behind, holy wow was that bad.
I'm giving up on the Barca game.
And then Lyon score. LOL
That's the spirit, Magnakai!
Is there a 50mph wind blowing from left to right in front of Roma's net?
If that's not a penalty on Clichy then it's a yellow for simulation.
Christ, this Arsenal game is dicey.
How was that not a foul? Switched to the Roma game just in time!
5 goals in under 20 minutes in Barca v. Lyon... and I'd settle for just one by Arsenal now.
So, I tried to load a feed, and got the BSOD. I just got my machine to reboot and am now petrified. Thanks for all the feed offers, fellas, at any rate. I had better stick to live text today.
Lots of possession. Much of it useless. Blown chances. And shoddy defending.
Yep, this is the 08-09 Arsenal squad that I have come to know and love for giving me a small ulcer.
So, um, halftime Panathinaikos Athens-Unicaja basketball, anyone?
Alright, boys....going home for the night. God knows I will once again not be able to get home until the 2nd half is just about to end.
Bah.
I was talking to the announcer on ESPN360, btw...
I'm pretty sure my machine is fucked. Even yahoo live text is slowing it down. Not good.
I'm without sound; is that Steven King in an ESPN commercial?
If yahoo did any justice to Messi's goal in their description, it was a thing of beauty.
Oh, and go Fulham. Gotta keep the teams at the bottom at the bottom. Sorry, jjf, but my only hope for Spurs this week is that everyone else loses, too!
I bet Ray Hudson is covered in a puddle of his own jizz.
I'm out, folks; gonna download me some podcasts before I leave work. I'm thinking I may actually watch the rest of this Arsenal game tonight, though.
"The draw for the quarterfinals will be made Friday week, that is a friday from next week" Wait, is that a new saying or something? Derek Rae says whatever the fuck he wants
Barca highlights. Man, do I miss that sweet, simple finishing by Henri. And Messi is sick. As usual.
This game is stressing me out.
Damn... it's only halftime and we're almost paginated. u75 likes it when we paginate.
Highlights on obth the Barca and ManU feeds at the half. We get a close up of the ball for 20 mins... might explain why we get the 3rd string announcers.
Sarah: I'm stressed and my team already made it to the QFs.
@hockalees
Well, is it a nice looking ball?
Muntari on for Vieira at Inter... no changes by Wenger.
(sigh)
Fergie looks nervous.
Can Wenger be less stubborn about his team management?
Wenger's refusal to capitulate on Eboue and Bendter are going to be the undoing of what little can still be done this season.
That was BEAUTIFUL by Rooney.
CR will get the goal, but fuck that was a nice feed.
Well, goodnight Inter.
Tommy Smyth narrates my nightmares. I just can't bear him.
Lyon score a 2nd.... there's still hope!
Twat.
So can we lump Italy in with France as 'not quite elite' leagues now, please?
Totti deserved an Oscar for the last dive!
Only if Arsenal get one, Mike.
Totti deserved to be sodomized by a rhino.
Messi's goal today, shades of Archie Gemmill
Though I'm sure The Big Lead's Goal of the Week will be some shitty Arsenal header.
Oh FFS Bendtner!!!
Did you THINK he'd cross it to you at all. GET HIM OFF THE FIELD!
Eduardo would have put that into the back of the net.
Goddammit. Bendtner can't get to it, Adriano goes off the post.
I'm going to barf.
My ESPN360 feed just crapped itself...
Messi pulling a Ricky Villa there. That was amazing. Thanks for putting that up, Georger.
So is anyone getting a feed from ESPN?
Score? Time left?
At this point Ballatelli should quit fucking around and just break Ronaldo's leg....nevermind, he was just substituted
A very shit stream on JTV says 70th minute Same score line.
paginate.
And we're paginating...
"I refuse to apologize for my Liverpool knuckle-dragging comment. They played well, but got a bit of luck and piled it on toward the end. Even if it is effective, they still play shit football. When Gerrard can actually pass the ball forward (he only completes square passes and back passes) without making a complete ass of himself 14 out of 15 times, let me know."
God DAMNIT I hate Arsenal fans.
Did we break the internet to the UK?!?!
I can't get to BBC's site either.
Wulp, I've found a TV and am watching the boring Man U - Inter match. Again, if I were watching Arsenal instead I'd probably have combusted by now so this is all a good thing.
Theo seems to be getting ready to come on.
Walcott for Eboue - come on you gunners!
We need to get Eduardo on the pitch. Walcott has pace but no finish.
"Aston Villa skipper Martin Laursen has suffered a setback in his bid to return to action after his knee problem."
Has anyone seen Keith?
For those of us who were depending on ESPN 360, cna someone please liveblog?
Kopper, the comments have become a bit of a de facto liveblog.
79th minute. No change in score. As far as I can tell. This stream has less pixels then my old Atari 2600.
My buddy and I have a three team parlay that can only be fucked by a late Atlético goal.
Baptista just missed an absolute sitter...
Just evening out things Bendtner did (or didn't do).
Baptista missed an absolute sitter for Roma.
Jeepers that was close.
This is what I get for thinking that Arsenal had started to turn their season around.
Fuck - gotta take the bullet train back to New Jersey. Eduardo FTW in extra time. COME ON ARSENAL!!!!
Later.
Bendtner get off the pitch. By your own volition, please. Just step off. We'll play 10 on 11.
Guardian sez Eduardo for Bendtner.... thank goodness!
Eduardo, finally.
About 85 minutes too late with Eduardo there, Arsene.
Thanks for that, Georger. Yeah, I knew Laursen's now a week or two behind schedule. Which sucks, because he was scheduled to return for the Man U match at OT, when we would need his ability to head set pieces on both ends most.
What are the chances that ESPN2 switches over to the end of the Arsenal match rather than showing the dumb World Baseball Classic? What is less than nil?
I really hate penalties. Let's get this done in extra time.
And by done I mean win please.
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