Official 2010 AFC Champions League Thread [R]

Re: 2010 AFC Champions League Thread [R]

Based on current form of both teams, Adelaide would be pushovers. Melbourne may be a tougher, but I can't see them winning the games.

But why would you want that? Wouldn't you want the easiest group, to make sure you can quickly get to the business of the tournament proper?

I'd love to see Sanfrecce in the Champions League (and likely, considering I'd expect Kashima to get the double, this year). Shimizu would be another one that would be interesting to see.
If Nagoya made it, it would just feel like Take 2 of 2009, so even though I like Nagoya (Pixy, Alex, and obviously Kennedy), I don't want the tournament getting stale.

 

Re: 2010 AFC Champions League Thread [R]

I was going to say Sanfrecce... but with Kashiwagi leaving, how competitive would they be? It's an Australia group so it'll be one of the harder ones.

 

Re: 2010 AFC Champions League Thread [R]

I was also thinking Sanfrecce, Sendai, or Shimizu. Mostly for my own enjoyment, and the traveling faithful of Adelaide.

Hope that's sarcasm... Australian teams aren't that hard. Central Coast 0-5 Kawasaki's a good example. Another good example is the fact that Adelaide have had their biggest form slump ever, and are bottom of the ladder for the first time in their history. The majority of fans are expecting to finish the Champions League with zero points.

Of course, Adelaide will have different players by then, so there's no guarantee they'll be as bad.


EDIT: Adelaide just jumped off the bottom of the table with a win, so I formally withdraw my statement and I'm sure some people will be regaining their hopes of a successful Champions League campaign. Look out, cup winner/Sanfrecce!

 

Re: 2010 AFC Champions League Thread [R]

There 4 entrants from Korea, China, and Japan... so every group has a club from each of these countries.

Then there are 2 from Australia and 2 also-rans, the kind Kashima run scores up on 15-0 or whatever it was.

By default, the 2 groups with A-League clubs are tougher. And they're certainly no worse than CSL sides.

 

Re: 2010 AFC Champions League Thread [R]

A-League sides in the past have looked pathetically out of their depth when facing Japanese and Korean opposition bar a few exeptions

But Melbourne will send out the best team ever from Australia to the champions league, unlike previous seasons where A-League clubs lose a lot of their best players from title winning campaigns because of the ACL being a year after the title is won in the A-League, Melbourne have only lost Danny Allsopp and in return have signed more versatile players and changed formation that have made them a much better team than last season. This season they and my Sydney FC are far and away the best teams in the competition and Melbourne will surely put up a good challenge in the ACL

Melbourne would certainly not outplay Kawasaki at their own game, Kawasaki are too classy for that, but Melbourne will not roll over like previous Aussie sides that have been somewhat embarrassing.

As for Adelaide, they signed some Argentinean playmaker for the ACL who has a good CV but they've had a terrible season so far and i doubt they will do any good

But Melbourne have a great chance IMO, the attacking 3/4 of Thompson and Hernandez plus any out of Ward/Kruse/Angulo/Dugandzic are extremely hard players to contain especially on the counterattack. Celeski, Sukha and to a lesser extent, Broxham are very mobile and technically efficient holding midfielders as well. Central defence is their weakness, Muscat is an ageing moronic thug and Vargas hasn't been the same player since the grand final last season

I don't like Melbourne, i despise them but as an aussie i think this is the A-Leagues best chance so far of winning the competition. Adelaide did very well but they had a lot of luck.

 

Re: 2010 AFC Champions League Thread [R]

Good news

http://www.the-afc.com/en/inside-af...use-country-protection-for-quarter-final-draw

 

Re: 2010 AFC Champions League Thread [R]

Me neither, but IF they do sign Tulio and Mu... those are some big upgrades.

I also think Ono would be good for an ACL club if he's returning to JLeague. His injuries mean you can't rely on him as a regular starter, but he could be very influential deputizing in a campaign with added fixtures.

 

Re: 2010 AFC Champions League Thread [R]

Good luck for Kashima when they're visiting Persipura

As an Indonesian and not a Kashima fan, of course I'll support Persipura. But I'm not sure where they going to play their home ACL matches. I guess the stadium at Jayapura not qualified for an international match. Maybe they will play at Solo or Jakarta.

 

Re: 2010 AFC Champions League Thread [R]

So, who is surprised a Korean team finished with 8 men at the Club World Cup, and was lucky to have that many left?

...


Yeah, that's what I thought.

I thought Urawa's CWC performance was as about as embarrassing and negative as we will ever see from a Japanese team. It just goes to show that the Koreans can dig much, much lower. Which when you think of AFC officiating, is a monumental advantage that they have over Japanese teams in all AFC competitions, but out on the world stage not so much.

 

Re: 2010 AFC Champions League Thread [R]

[insert obligatory comment about 2002 here]
Italians and Spanish will whine about getting dropped to cheating Koreans. And Koreans will whine about how they got farther than Japan in World Cup so far.

 

Re: 2010 AFC Champions League Thread [R]

You should've seen last year's Pohang Steelers vs Adelaide United game in match 1 of the 2008 Champions League group stage.

Made me wonder if the Steeler's defensive coach was actually Bruce Lee.

 

Re: 2010 AFC Champions League Thread [R]

Yes, I guess. Maybe Jakabaring in Palembang also included on their list.

 

Re: 2010 AFC Champions League Thread [R]

Yup, you're right and Makassar is the nearest decent stadium from Jayapura.