Champions League 2011 - 2012

[caller]

Well, hats off to Arsenal, they put in a great performance just when it was needed. No easy feat heading to an Italian team and beating them on their own ground. It must give them a huge boost of confidence for the rest if the season.

They even finished the game with 11 men - thats a 1st this season!!

The defence clearly still needs some work, but the keeper was excellent and capped a solid performance with a great penalty save.

I think I'll put my pound back in my pocket!

[Bamboo Grove]

Thanks, Caller. Yes, our young keeper kept us in the game. Late last season I though, we have finally found someone to replace Seaman and now I feel assured of that. We need to add one or two in central defence and two top players to replace Fabrecas and Nasri, who've gone after big money but maybe big disappointments as well (lots of competition and no guaranteed start) then we should be ok. I was happy to see a great performance from the Finnish/English "look khrueng" Jenkinson. I hope he will choose Finland but after tonight with Capello watching, I think it will be England's national team for him.

[Bamboo Grove]

Then again, being an old fart and not even from the foggy islands, I'd like to turn the clock back to the times when players were loyal to their teams. Seems a long time ago.

[redzonerocker]

Thanks, Caller. Yes, our young keeper kept us in the game. Late last season I though, we have finally found someone to replace Seaman and now I feel assured of that.

I thought that when i saw him at youth team level & then on loan at Brentford a couple of years back

We need to add one or two in central defence and two top players to replace Fabrecas and Nasri,

With experience & quality, no excuses, we have the money.
maybe a goalscorer too?

I was happy to see a great performance from the Finnish/English "look khrueng" Jenkinson. I hope he will choose Finland but after tonight with Capello watching, I think it will be England's national team for him.

I know what you're saying, but he was born in Harlow to an English, Arsenal season ticket holding father . . . . .

[Arcadian]

Still time for Man Sheiky to mount a zillion pound bid for the Arsenal keeper.
What no comment from Spuds on last night?

[redzonerocker]

Still time for Man Sheiky to mount a zillion pound bid for the Arsenal keeper.

No chance of him leaving, he's got Arsenal DNA

[GLCQuantum]

What no comment from Spuds on last night?

Unfortunately I couldn't stream the game as my internet had once again morphed into a steaming pile of crap - it does that sometimes

So......can't comment on a game I didn't watch, but well done for getting through what was always going to be a tough match. Good news for Arsenal fans about the keeper thing also. Having a solid keeper is always nice. Friedal played superb against United (even though the scoreline didn't suggest that) so maybe we have a bit of consitency in that area also.

[Lee1975]

Yeah, great result for Arsenal last night. I think the penalty save was the turning point. What a great save. Well done to the Arsenal for getting through.
I hope Man City pull out Barcelona, AC Milan, and Dortmund

[PeteC]

Here is the result of the draw. Pete

2011/12 UEFA Champions League group stage

Group A
FC Bayern München (GER)
Villarreal CF (ESP)
Manchester City FC (ENG)
SSC Napoli (ITA)

Group B
FC Internazionale Milano (ITA)
PFC CSKA Moskva (RUS)
LOSC Lille Métropole (FRA)
Trabzonspor AŞ (TUR)

Group C
Manchester United FC (ENG)
SL Benfica (POR)
FC Basel 1893 (SUI)
FC Oţelul Galaţi (ROU)

Group D
Real Madrid CF (ESP)
Olympique Lyonnais (FRA)
AFC Ajax (NED)
GNK Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)

Group E
Chelsea FC (ENG)
Valencia CF (ESP)
Bayer 04 Leverkusen (GER)
KRC Genk (BEL)

Group F
Arsenal FC (ENG)
Olympique de Marseille (FRA)
Olympiacos FC (GRE)
Borussia Dortmund (GER)

Group G
FC Porto (POR)
FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)
FC Zenit St Petersburg (RUS)
APOEL FC (CYP)

Group H
FC Barcelona (ESP)
AC Milan (ITA)
FC BATE Borisov (BLR)
FC Viktoria Plzeň (CZE)

[dtaai-maai]

I hope Man City pull out Barcelona, AC Milan, and Dortmund

Not far off! Should give Mancini something to think about...

[BaaBaa.]

There's some complete dirge in the Champions League nowadays.

Uniteds group looks like some poxy preseason tournament.

Arsenal got the trickiest draw imho but let's hope City don't make it past the group stage.

[dtaai-maai]

... let's hope City don't make it past the group stage.

What, City are the enemy now? What happened to United? (And Arry? And Woy?)

Actually, I was struggling with this little dilemma when I saw the draw - not for the first time, but I usually manage to wish the British teams well.
Most of them...

[BaaBaa.]

I dislike United for obvious reasons but I do respect them, begrudgingly.

Where as City........ Uggghh!

[dtaai-maai]

I'm sort of with you on the 'uggghhhh', but I'd quite like to see them do well in the group stage then lose to Spurs in th... oh well, maybe next year!

[Zidane]

English teams results in the first round of Group matches.......

Chelsea 2 Bayer Leverkusen 0
Borussia Dortmund 1 Arsenal 1
Man Citeh 1 Napoli 1
Benfica 1 Man Utd 1

So not too bad for our sides with Chelsea winning and Arsenal and United gaining a point in what,potentially,were their toughest away matches in their Groups.
Citeh will be disappointed,though.....dropping a point at home in a Group that also contains Bayern Munich and Villareal.....qualifying will be difficult for them.