I'm supporting EB/Streymur against the Andorrans tonight.

 

This year's first laughing-stock:
BATE Borisov 0 - 1 Shakhter Karagandy

Also the first ever CL win for Karagandy.

 

:howler:

 

Happy with Hafnarfjordur's victory against Ekranas, hopefully they secure their place into the third round.

 

Zeljeznicar lose 3-4 against Viktoria Plzen, who amade a good run in the CL last year. It was an away game for Zeljeznicar.

 

Dinamo Zagreb won 5-0, they have better squad then last year.

Goals
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCA7UugY7Dg

 

Let's talk about PSG's chances. It's a very curious case...

 

Chance for what? Going past the group stage? They should do it. Win the CL? No chance.

 

I definitely wouldn't say they have "No chance". Nobody rated Porto or Monaco as potential finalists in 2004, and we all remember how that went - and that's hardly the only time something like that happened in this sport we love. PSG has a very strong squad (arguably stronger than 2004's Monaco for example) and football is a notoriously unpredictable sport.

 

Borisov also lost the second leg and is actually out. :wallbang:

 

Dinamo Zagreb v FK Austria Vienna
Ludogorets Razgrad v Basel
Viktoria Plzen v Maribor
Shakhter Karagandy v Celtic
Steaua Bucharest v Legia Warsaw
Lyon v Real Sociedad
Schalke v Metalist Kharkiv
Pacos de Ferreira v Zenit
PSV v AC Milan
Fenerbahce v Arsenal

 

Come on Karagandy!

 

I actually think Sociedad can beat Lyon, Lyon didn't look too good in the previous round. Other than that I expect all the favorites to advance

 

Who's the favourite between Steaua Bucharest and Legia Warsaw?

 

Steaua

 

hopefully arsenal get knocked out

 

Saying PSG has no chance is ridiculous anyway. They definitely would of been more of a favorite i think with Carlo still on the bench but looking at the squad they have enough quality to rip any team apart.

 

Spurs not in CL but these circus teams are alm:

 

Apparently PSG cannot rip a 10-men-Montpellier apart.

But seriously, 2004 was the big exception in football, both in the CL with two non-super-big teams in the final as well as the EC.

Since then there have always been two top teams in the final, PSG does not belong in that group. To me they have no chance to win it.

 

Apparently PSG cannot rip a 10-men-Montpellier apart.

But seriously, 2004 was the big exception in football, both in the CL with two non-super-big teams in the final as well as the EC.

Since then there have always been two top teams in the final, PSG does not belong in that group. To me they have no chance to win it.

Liverpool in 2005 was a shock/surprise, sure they are a big name, but they were nowhere near a top name in that period.

Same with Arsenal in 2006, not a top team. They were out of form for 2 seasons and their CL record for the past seven seasons was poor.

But, i would say that the recent period has been the toughest period for "shock finalists" since the CL began, so i don't think PSG will make it.

 

Don't see PSG as contenders since I don't rate Blanc. But they have a solid team and reached QF last year. Could have made it to semis if Lavezzi didn't miss all those chances at Camp Nou.

 

Well now that they have Cavani they won't miss those chances. Would obviously depend on Blanc. Fairly decent CL experienced manager would reach the semis.

 

I disagree about big teams ever being a surprise even if they have not won something in a long time. I cannot even put my finger to it why there is a difference between the big ones and the rest. I know it is CL experience but that normally makes only sense for players and not clubs when you think about it. However it still comes down to that somehow, as if it was in the "blood/core" of the clubs.

That is also why a club like Porto continues to do better than a club like Manchester City despite having a much weaker squad. This experience or whatever else you want to call it has to be earned over a long period of time. It took Chelsea around a decade at least for example. Now that they have it despite the squad being arguable weaker than during their prime years they actually got the European success.

It is hard to explain in a rational way but to me it takes time to get to be a big team in Europe, no matter how much money you spend, you will not have immediate success unlike in the domestic leagues.

 

Yes Chelsea were definitely the Top team to make and win the Final a few yrs ago against your Bayern.

:yawn:

 

You can laugh all you want but if you don't consider Chelsea to be a big team we don't really need to discuss further...

 

LOL a Big Team...you mean having a big check book? Its funny i wonder how you personally defined when Chelsea became a big team. You have some formula at the exact point Chelsea earned enough 'big team' points to be considered a top club? I know its hard to explain in a rational way...Bullshit usually is. :tongue:

 

European success over a long period of time, but I think I already said so before...

How do you think big clubs became big clubs then? Please tell me how.

 

LOL...like i said bullshit.

You're like a fortune teller telling me I was born between January and November. Chances are you are right but you are not really going out on a limb. You can pretend you know something by saying they have no chance but really your just guessing and the chances are in your favor. Coming up with some pseudo argument about when a club becomes big enough for you to have a chance at winning is bogus. At least in my opinion.

 

You are not making any sense unless you claim that all participants have the same chances at the start of the competition. Which is a valid opinion that I just don't share. And avoiding to answer the question gives the impression you have no answer to it.

 

What question ? What makes a big club big? You said you need to be a big club to win the CL not me? I dont need to answer the question thats the point. Your bullshit rational is just that. BS. I guess Ajax have a better shot at the CL than PSG this season. Not because Ajax have a better team..just that they've been in the CL longer.