On the Ball (new Football Focus)

[Mick Mac]

I like your innocence there Atila - "Andy Gray (a scotsman)".

Try reading it another way - Andy Gray (a former Rangers player).

Not that his opinion is not valid - I like him and his opinions, he was a tough player who liked to push the rules to their limit (remember his FA Cup Final goal for Everton against Watford, basically bumping the keeper and ball into the net).

[red devil]

Eduardo...

[Keef]

Okay, serious question, how much do people get excited about the champs league group stages these days?

I've found over the last couple of years that I just can't be arsed with them. Yes, if the pool lost a couple, then it became a must win situation, I'd probably get excited again, but usually it just feels like playing a load of dull games for the sake of TV revenue.

[matthew123]

Very good red devil.. but why did the Manchester Guardian crop the original?

 

[matthew123]

Well Keef as a neutral I'd want to watch the Inter Milan v Barcelona match tonight

In general though I'd rather watch a CL group match than say Everton v West Ham, or Wigan v Chelsea

Watched the Chelsea v Porto game last night and that was good value - some exciting football. I think it depends on the strength of the group really as in all honesty Liverpool and Arsenal can both lose tonight and it wouldn't be as catastrophic as say United or Chelsea having lost due to strength of groups.

[Atila Reincarnate]

Inter - Barca is the tie of this batch of games, but I'll be watching The Arsenal

[Keef]

Agree about those big games, but I'd rather watch Everton and West Ham in a good equal contest, than Liverpool putting 4 past some unknown team from Lithuania or something.

[mockney piers]

Im with you keef, give me Palace v Forest over some dull qualifier in the CL.

Even the so called big ties are usually pretty dull unless qualification is actaully at stake.

And with you all the way MM. We all have partisan points of view, doesn't mean we're incapable of objectivity, and whatever your allegiences people must admit that this was a horrible own goal by UEFA.

The whole cheating thing is ruining football for me almost as much as the mercenary and ludicrous behaviour/wages of the pampered teats who play the game.

[matthew123]

Keef this is going to be a tough game tonight against the Hungarian Champions - they're a young team so they're likely to ping the ball about and test our mobility at the back. Of course if you prefer to watch the Academy of Football versus the School of Science then I hope it's a not a cloudy night as you might spend half the game wondering where the ball has disappeared.

[SeanMacGabhann]

I'm with Keef as well - Arsenal aren't even playing one of the best Belgian teams - just a "Standard" one - say it all really. That said, someone said these stages are starting to resemble the Carling Cup - it's where the big teams will try out some youngsters (while Man U can afford to give the boy Owen some time on a pitch). Personally, I quite like watching young players breaking through so it's a rare chance to see them

As for the UEFA U-turn, my take is that UEFA were wrong to ban Eduardo in the first place (it wasn't immediate and they must have taken counsel) but they were doubly-wrong to rescind the decision. The decision was made and I doubt they saw any new evidence - they just felt a bit sheepish. But by reversing the decision, I agree with Oliver Holt -

[SeanMacGabhann]

Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead - I see Kenyon has left Chelsea

Watch their PR improve ten-fold in the next 12 months. Man, I disliked him...

[matthew123]

Not a big fan of Peter Kenyon, some of the quotes attributed to him such as Chelsea had a core fanbase worldwide of 90 million often had no foundation.

My favourite Kenyon moment was this when he took a telephone enquiry from Steve Staunton for the vacant Chelsea job

 

[Keef]

Of course if you prefer to watch the Academy of Football versus the School of Science then I hope it's a not a cloudy night as you might spend half the game wondering where the ball has disappeared.

Took your word for it Matt, and watched the lot. You're spot on, it was as dull as any science lesson I remember sitting through.

[SCSB79]

Brilliant result for Rangers tonight - well done. A good start for all British teams.

[Mick Mac]

Yes - well done Rangers - did not see the game but a good result. Helps the image of Scottish football after Celtic's inept display against Arsenal.

I'm not the sort of Celtic fan who wants Rangers to lose every time they run on the park, so well done.

[????]

Champions League? Wake me up at the 1/4 finals...

The Academy...up in the air football? Try watching some english football rather than meaningless eurobore Matt

[Mick Mac]

Quids- I think that's right for the priveledged English teams - but try telling any Rangers or Standard Liege fan that tonights games were not exciting.

The group seeds will in the main waltz through - and there is a case for putting 8 top teams into the knockout stages direct, but for improving teams its very exciting. A waste of time for the English teams though.

When Celtic got into the group stages I used to love them - a chance to play against the big boys and beat them, which was great when it happened.

[Atila Reincarnate]

Rubbish display by The Arsenal in the first half of the game, but got better in the second half.

How Barca didn't score last night I'll never know.

And the debutants played well against Pool who huffed and puffed and finally blew the door down.

Overall a poor nights viewing.

[matthew123]

It was a very dull game Keef. Although one positive was Ryan Babel's cameo appearance on the right wing.

One way to spice up the group stages would be having same seeds in same group e.g. Liverpool, Barcelona, United, Milan in group A. Every group would then be super competitive. Yes it may reduce some blockbuster knockout ties later in competition but overall it would be exciting from matchday 1 to the eventual Final. It would also allow 8 minnows (seeds 3 & 4) into the knockout stages. Overtime I think this would spread more money to the lesser nations whilst exposing them to higher competition and making quality of football better across Europe. What do you think?

[Keef]

Like it, but alas it'll never happen. Agree it was good to see Babel, but equally depressing to see Macha brought on to protect the lead.

[red devil]

Wouldn't it be easier and fairer to have an unseeded draw for the group stage so it maight be possible to end up with a 'Group of Death', rather than force top teams to play each other. The whole current set-up is geared up to maximise profits for Uefa and the 'elite' clubs...

[Keef]

Yeah I guess that would be better, just a total lottery.

[Keef]

Or just have less teams, and make it a proper cup competition like it should be.

[Atila Reincarnate]

Arsenal 2 v Wigan 0

Aston Villa 2 v Portsmouth 0

Bolton 1 v Stoke 0

Burnley 0 v Sunderland 2

Hull 2 v Birmingham 1

West Ham 0 v Liverpool 2

Chelsea 3 v Tottenham 1

Everton 2 v Blackburn 1

Man Utd 3 v Man City 1

Wolverhampton 1 v Fulham 1

[ratty]

Keef Wrote:

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> Or just have less teams, and make it a proper cup

> competition like it should be.

Yeah - perhaps just have the champions contesting it instead of the also rans!