Match Day #6 Disappointments

[John L]

Match Day #6 had some real disappointments -

Most of the last place teams simply tanked their games:

A - Deportivo - This was at home and was horrid - Monaco's win pushed them to 1st - Olympiacos really got screwed

B - Roma - Sent in the junior squad and allowed Madrid to surpass Kiev in the group - Kiev really got screwed here

C - TelAviv - Really weak effort from the last place team

D - Sparta - Rolled over and played dead against Lyon - Who then went past ManU into 1st place - Fenerbahce at least played with some dignity - They were 3rd place regardless but went after ManU anyways

E - Rosenberg - A 5-1 laffer against Arsenal - Negated a gallant win by Panathinaikos who got screwed and remained in 3rd place'

F - Shaktar - Another good game from a Turkish team - Had to win and Celtic had to lose or draw - Which of course they did

G - Anderlecht - ugh

H - Moskva - WOW!! - Playing away and down a man early in the 2nd - And then scoring 3 goals to win and surpass PSG


Of the 8 games played by last placed teams, only 2 were good and the other 6 were horrid - Sure they're in last place at the end, but they shouldn't have tanked the games the way they did

[balla]

C - TelAviv - Really weak effort from the last place teamBit harsh they were the only team to score and take a point of Juventus in all the fixtures.

[mrsinister]

What about Celtic? They won't even be playing for the UEFA Cup if I'm not mistaken!!!! Freaking pathetic if u ask me.

[IASocFan]

...F - Shaktar - Another good game from a Turkish team - Had to win and Celtic had to lose or draw - Which of course they did
...
Of the 8 games played by last placed teams, only 2 were good and the other 6 were horrid - Sure they're in last place at the end, but they shouldn't have tanked the games the way they did

I'm not sure which Turkish team you're talking about. Shaktar is from Donetsk, Ukraine.

Shaktar, Rosenborg and Tel-Aviv did well to make it to the group round. Shaktar placing third in their group was a giant success for them. I think 6th match day games like these are why there are only one group round of play these days. ;)

[BSjanitor]

I don't see the reason to complain about last-placed teams fielding reserve or junior teams. This is the champions league, not the world cup, and those teams have other tournaments to resume on the weekend where they still have a chance, so there is no point in playing for pride/honor or finishing the campaign in style. Note, too, that Man. United (vs Fenerbahce) and Barcelona (vs Shakhtar) fielded junior teams as well, which helped in their defeats, even though they could've tried to win their groups.

PSG ended 4th in group H, not CSKA Moskva. CSKA still had a chance to make it to the playoffs, and they would've if it wasn't for Benni McArthy's winning goal with 4 minutes left for Porto. They at least made it to the UEFA cup.

[DAGSports]

I don't see the reason to complain about last-placed teams fielding reserve or junior teams. This is the champions league, not the world cup, and those teams have other tournaments to resume on the weekend where they still have a chance, so there is no point in playing for pride/honor or finishing the campaign in style. Note, too, that Man. United (vs Fenerbahce) and Barcelona (vs Shakhtar) fielded junior teams as well, which helped in their defeats, even though they could've tried to win their groups.

PSG ended 4th in group H, not CSKA Moskva. CSKA still had a chance to make it to the playoffs, and they would've if it wasn't for Benni McArthy's winning goal with 4 minutes left for Porto. They at least made it to the UEFA cup.
Although I think Man U is plenty happy to avoid Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, or Barcelona in the second round, even if they COULD get AC Milan, Inter Milan, or Juventus.