Football Focus

[StraferJack]

I really don't see it that way RD

Arsenal shot themselves in the foot at home (again) and performed decently away. Nothing invincible about BM

It's the sort of fixture that can transform the Moyes era if they pull it off

Going to be some cracking tv over these matches

[El Pibe]

barcelona atletico could be really tasty.

Come on Los Indios!!

[red devil]

I'm scratching around for positives...here'e one, the German's don't like it up 'em... :)

[Bluerevolution]

Kind of get the feeling Olympyacos thoght "Oh shit, we could go through and meet a real team and get slaughtered, let's just chuck it in now with dignity-hey, we were never expected to win anyway"

Not trying to get your back up RD, honest !!!!! ;-)

[DaveR]

Very good draw for Chelsea, and interesting all round. AM will fancy their chances against Barca, as will Dortmund against Real after last year. It would be typical Mourinho luck to get Chelsea into the semis with Barca and Real gone.

[red devil]

I'm going to embrace the underdog role BR, it's a win win situation ;-)

SJ is right, until Arsenal went down to 10 men they more than held their own. The first leg is key, if we go out gung ho they'll just pick us off, a low scoring draw would set up the 2nd leg nicely...

[????]

Concentrate on the Champions League.....don't worry about Saturday's game.....

[Bluerevolution]

latest from Old Trafford

[maxxi]

Agree that Bayern not necessarily a cert - they were dull and tentative and tetchy and could be vulnerable if the mancs can put a barnstorming 'run-at-the-buggers'-type attack. Barca v Atletico 2nd leg could provide the shock of the round.

[red devil]

StraferJack Wrote:

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> a lot to agree with there - I would say

> dissapointing rather than big negative. I would

> also say that he never went out of his way to

> clobber a team like Man Utd did that day and that

> was a positive

Due to the lightheadness of drawing Bayern, forgot to ask earlier, what did you mean exactly?..

[StraferJack]

The end of the unbeaten run. Man utd targeted people like Reyes and played rough

People say arsenal should have been able to respond and arguably that's true. But given uniteds talent it was a bit poor form.

[Otta]

I have to agree with that.

[red devil]

Not sure why those tactics were employed, as you say, we had plenty of our own talent, probably because the result that day was more important than the performance. It wasn't unique, most teams realised you could 'get at' Arsenal. I'd take it as a compliment ;-)

[StraferJack]

Yeah if we had lost game 50 to say... Derby playing like that I'd get it

It is a backhanded compliment but it still irks. Teenage Rooney and vanN. I think it sowed the seed of doubt in arsenal teams to this day. So you can definitely say it was worth it from a united perspective

But I do think less of Man U because of it as well

[Bluerevolution]

Love the way next Tuesday doesn't even get a cough !!!

[red devil]

You shouldn't forget that Petit and Viera could look after themselves. IMO that Arsenal team was even better than the Invincibles, because they were a team for all seasons. Wenger never really replaced them in that respect...

[Otta]

Anyone got an opinion on Boyd's 3 match ban for spitting at Joe Hart? (BR I'd be interested in your take).

First of all, he dived, no question. But I thought Hart's reaction was out of order, and I thought when I first saw it on MOTD, that looks really bad in slow mo, but he's basically shouting in Hart's face, he hasn't gobbed at him.

I still think that, and was surprised he got the ban.

[Alan Medic]

StraferJack Wrote:

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> although the Parisian 'burbs did produce a team

> that dominated world football for about 3-4 years

> not so long ago

I've got to ask......who?

[Jah Lush]

He's talking about the Wanderers, Alan.

[StraferJack]

Clue was in the phrase world football Alan.

So France team of 98 -2000 ish

I expect you already knew that tho...

[Alan Medic]

StraferJack Wrote:

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> Yeah if we had lost game 50 to say... Derby

> playing like that I'd get it

>

> It is a backhanded compliment but it still irks.

> Teenage Rooney and vanN. I think it sowed the seed

> of doubt in arsenal teams to this day. So you can

> definitely say it was worth it from a united

> perspective

>

> But I do think less of Man U because of it as well

Don't you think the previous year's fixture at OT might have something to do with their approach? Van the man got a lot of stick and players from both side got bans as a result of it (more from Arsenal). So regardless of what might have been at stake it was going to be feisty.

[StraferJack]

We have had many feisty games over the years. That's ok

Gameplay to target smaller players different in my book

[Alan Medic]

StraferJack Wrote:

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> Clue was in the phrase world football Alan.

>

> So France team of 98 -2000 ish

>

> I expect you already knew that tho...

That's a bit like saying England are from London. I could only think of Ajax and that was stretching it a bit.

As for the Wanderers....they have reformed and play at Belair Park in some Surrey league. Any other Wanderers would just be a fake imitation......

[red devil]

Otta Wrote:

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> First of all, he dived, no question. But I thought

> Hart's reaction was out of order, and I thought

> when I first saw it on MOTD, that looks really bad

> in slow mo, but he's basically shouting in Hart's

> face, he hasn't gobbed at him.

England player escapes ban in World Cup year shocker.

I agree that Boyd didn't deliberatey spit at Hart.

Do the FA ever give a written explanation as to how the independent panel arives at a judgement?

If not, it would help...

[Jah Lush]

I'm talking about Woolwich Wanderers, the club they call the Arsenal.

Going back to SJ's thing about Reyes getting roughed up. He couldn't hack British football. He'd go over with a gust of wind. He was an easy target. It's no wonder he soon went back to Spain. They've been plenty of Arsenal players over the years who could cut it rough if they wanted to.