Group A Pld Pts Barcelona 3 9 Internazionale 3 6 Newcastle 3 3 Leverkusen 3 0 Barcelona - Still going very strong in the CL. Hard to imagine anyone stopping them from getting to the quarter finals. Internazionale - Have definitely grown in the tournament but a revived Newcastle might block their path to the quarterfinals. Race for the second spot is still open. Newcastle - Weird. Might just make, might fail big time. Still not too convincing IMO. Leverkusen - Still quite vulnerable it seems. Since they're German anyway I wouldn't mind seeing them out of the tournament. Group B Pld Pts Ajax 3 5 Arsenal 3 5 Valencia 3 5 Roma 3 0 Ajax - Most up here still enjoy watching the group table. Don't think anyone expected the boys to last this long. Can certainly do better than they are doing now. More efficiency and concentration and Europe's David should make it through. Need a win against Arsenal at home. Arsenal - Still the strongest team in this group together with Valencia. Deserve to go through but somehow seem to depend on the form of the day too much. Desperately need a win in Amsterdam. Valencia - Not as impressive as most thought upfront. But still in the race just as much as Arsenal and Ajax are. Most likely to qualify as they still have to play Roma and Arsenal at home. Roma - No offense, but the way these guys played in A'dam would see them midtable in the Dutch league. Totti is chick with a dick. Seem pretty hopeless to me, but still have a chance in theory. Group C Pld Pts Milan 3 9 Madrid 3 4 Dortmund 3 3 Lokomotiv 3 1 Milan - No one is invincible but these guys are the next best thing every now and then. Should go through. Madrid - Somehow a bit dissapointing throughout the tournament. Still a powerhouse that shoul qualify without any real trouble. Dortmund - Haven't followed them too closely, but they might just snoop some points off Madrid, seeing them through eventually. Group D Pld Pts Man. United 3 9 Juventus 3 4 Basel 3 3 Deportivo 3 1 Man Utd - Will probably be in trouble in Delle Alpi next week but should qualify. End of story. Juventus - Should be able to qualify if Deportivo keeps phucking up like this. Strongest team in this group IMO. Basel - written off by many (again) still one of Europe's tactically more advanced sides if you ask me. Hope they qualify, don't think they will. Deportivo - Shame on them. Have the quality to beat Man Utd and Juventus both. Phucked up big time at Basel and will probably pay the price for that in the end. Most convincing teams: 1. Milan 2. Barcelona 3. Juventus Biggest surprise team (positive): Ajax Biggest surprise team (negative): Deportivo What do you think?
What I think is how you can think that a team that's 1-1-1 can be one of the most convincing teams -- Juve ?? Granted that's a tie @ Deportivo and a loss @ Man U. Also, I don't think that Man U will be in trouble next week at Juve. I think they'll bring back a point and could very well clinch advancement with a win. In CL this year, they've seemed to get up for the big games and struggle in the game they're supposed to win. With Juve missing so many regulars this week, you had to believe it could be a blowout by ManU. So what happens? They come in flat and have to play hard the full 90 to eek out a win. They might just be looking to make a statement next week at Juve.
Milan have not been that impressive in the second phase. Juventus have been ok, but far from potential champions. Infact, few teams have been impressive apart from Barcelona and maybe Man U. I don't think anyone team stands out as better than the rest.
Well, I'm still pretty convinced Milan tops the rest, together with Barcelona. Man Utd are close but they just seem to miss something that these two have. And we'll see about Juve. I'm betting they'll get very far.
The strength in the champions league this season looks exceptional. The quarters will surely contain milan, Juve, Inter, Real, Valencia, Barca, Man U and Arsenal. All those teams are capable of winning it, although I think that Milan, Real and United are the favourites. The draw will be very important.
I'm not so sure about that list of teams actually. They are surely the favorites... but that doesn't mean they're through. Juve, Inter, Real, Valencia, Barca, Man U and Arsenal. Inter isn't sure of anything yet. Arsenal and Valencia aren't sure either. Especially Arsenal could be in trouble if they don't win at our manor. Madrid isn't there. Not even close yet. Man Utd and Juve... they're the closest to qualifying at the moment together with Milan.
Ok i'm making an asumption but i think Arsenal will get something in amsterdam and that Real will turn it on when needed. Inter should be there unless Newcastle do something special.
Ajax seems to be the surprise pacakge of the tourney. I hope they at least make the quarterfinal. Barca will at least make the semis. ManU and Milan are safe bets for the quarter. My predictions for the next round: ManU Milan Juve Barca Real Inter And I cannot make any predictions on Group B. It's far too wide open.
Full strength Newcastle (Bellamy and Shearer back) should be able to beat a depleated Barcelona in the final game at home. It's the game in Italy against Inter that will probably decide it. Newcastle may have to win, espcially if Inter beat Barcelona. Of course Bayer still have a say and may pull a draw or even win at home to Inter, then that screws everything up. One of the results won't go to plan, I'm sure of that.
Loko has done really well for being up against Real, AC, and Borussia. They tied Real, and almost held off AC. They'd need a miracle, but I could see it happening. Prof
i think the key to group B is that an unconvincing valencia still have to visit the ArenA and AJAX could have VDV and JOB back by then - game over ches IMO and i agree on the newcastle trip to san siro being the pivotal match there, especially if barcelona beat inter again my final eight- barca inter arsenal AJAX milan real man u juve seven of footballs classic sides and the one i think will win their first - arsenal and dont be shocked by the success of AJAX - koeman is brilliant and this is the most amazing group of 25 and under stars in the game (chivu, VDV, VDM, JOB, zlatan, van damme, de jong, pasanen, trabelsi, mido, maxwell, pienaar) - just ask the other seven names on my final 8 list
I would love to see Ajax in at the expense of Valencia as it would be a refreshing change. People expected Valencia and Arsenal to destroy them, but Ajax have only lost 3 games. The amount of flak and comments Arsenal got for drawing with Ajax was over the top, even if the team did have a lot of youngsters.
We lost 2 times. And (honestly) we lost two times to an Inter that got lucky goals. And at home a perfect 15th minute goal was disalowed. We should have won in Miland, we should have won in A'dam. But too bad. I hope to qualify at the expense of Valencia, but if we qualify I think Arsenal will be the victim. And I hope to see Inter out. Regardless of the above, I don't like them.
even if arsenal loses to AJAX they are goin thru... or should i say when? and he may have been including they feyenoord L and referring to our entire campaign - just a guess
I said before AFCA, I never saw how you could say Juventus were the best team in the group. They haven't been impressive at all really.