Oh stop your bloody moaning, Ajax were the most boring team in the Quarter Finals ffs. And I don't hear you moaning.

 

Oh stop your bloody moaning, Ajax were the most boring team in the Quarter Finals ffs. And I don't hear you moaning.

Ajax was excellent. Your mother is boring.

 

Certainly, above any argument about a Spain vs Italy clash, I think this is a fight in defense of a style.
I had a few hopes that, after the awful years they've had, italian teams would finally open their eyes. You had Roma signing up Guardiola, Milan building up a classy squad... Juve and Inter were still more or less the same, true, but at least I was confident that Milan would enlighten them all.

I was wrong, though. Even Milan seem to have repented from those audacious moves, and finally the only thing all of them can show us is the same junk they've always offered.

Back in the early 90's, International Board had to change some key rules in order to rescue football from a similar coma made in Italy.

No matter how this CL ends, I will keeping defending that a team plays good football only when I can imagine everybody playing that same way and the result is beautiful. And certainly this is not what comes from Milan, Inter or Juve.

 

It's turned out to be the whole world (with some exceptions of course) x Italy in the semi finals.

The world being represented by Real Madrid . Hope you guys win the whole thing, with Ronaldo scoring the winning goals

 

Milan are a very attacking team

 

I smell trouble...

I don't like this whole idea of The World VS Italy, or that if an Italian team wins the CL it is the death of football. (no offence, Ze da Fiel ) I mean football is subjective, to an Italian their style is how they define football, and it means different things to different people and nationalities. Some have more similiar definitions and approaches but that doesn't vindicate a Holier Than Thou attitude.

If you attack and don't defend, you will pay for it. If you defend and don't attack, you will also pay for it.

It's like the Chinese have a different way of cooking rice from Europeans. The Chinese think European rice sucks and the Europeans probably feel the same way towards Chinese rice. But at the end of the day both are fed and happy and satisfied. And the fact that China has the biggest population in the world doesn't mean the European way of cooking rice is necessarily wrong and that they should be shown the right way of doing it.

OK, lousy analogy, but you get what I mean. :tongue:

Aaaaaanyway, good luck to all the remaining teams. My team is out, I'm not taking any sides.

 

Some people's whining is so pathetic.....:groan: :groan: :groan:

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: A&K

 

It's like the Chinese have a different way of cooking rice from Europeans. The Chinese think European rice sucks and the Europeans probably feel the same way towards Chinese rice. But at the end of the day both are fed and happy and satisfied. And the fact that China has the biggest population in the world doesn't mean the European way of cooking rice is necessarily wrong and that they should be shown the right way of doing it.

How on earth did you manage to compare different ways of playing football to rice ?. Well done though it was effective.

 

..but the rice real madrid represents, has pork, beef, crabs, shrimps, and all the good stuff. which is why I think nine out of ten rice eating people would prefer that over a plain rice, which the italian teams represent. which is still good, it still serves the purpose of filling you up, but it's just not tasteir to eat.

 

Some of you guys must have not watched italian football for the last few years.Most teams dont play half as defensively as they used to.Milan play in a very attacking way.

Didnt Roma score 3 in Bernebeau

 

i think he got too much european cooking rice.:tongue:

ppl like to see world vs italy becuz italy just take the portions dutch or spanish should have taken.ppl feel bored to see milan derby or italian derby again.

 

I smell trouble...

I don't like this whole idea of The World VS Italy, or that if an Italian team wins the CL it is the death of football. (no offence, Ze da Fiel ) I mean football is subjective, to an Italian their style is how they define football, and it means different things to different people and nationalities. Some have more similiar definitions and approaches but that doesn't vindicate a Holier Than Thou attitude.

If you attack and don't defend, you will pay for it. If you defend and don't attack, you will also pay for it.

It's like the Chinese have a different way of cooking rice from Europeans. The Chinese think European rice sucks and the Europeans probably feel the same way towards Chinese rice. But at the end of the day both are fed and happy and satisfied. And the fact that China has the biggest population in the world doesn't mean the European way of cooking rice is necessarily wrong and that they should be shown the right way of doing it.

OK, lousy analogy, but you get what I mean. :tongue:

Aaaaaanyway, good luck to all the remaining teams. My team is out, I'm not taking any sides.

Good post, very true words. Anyways may the best team win.

 

Real is the only team that is not from italy. I think none of them should be in the semi's, but they are. So, I am saying: Real show them what football is........if Real does not win the CL it would be a disgrace to football in general. Anti-football will win. You must win real..... and if inter does not play the final, you have to beat Milan. Beat them 5-0 show them your asses like Mel did in Braveheart, because I do not like Milan so much right now. If you play inter, well then I have a hidden agenda. good luck

''Real Madrid is not a football team, they are a dream....they represent football in general.'' Ruud Gullit and many others

Ajax were the second most boring team in this year's Champion's League after Liverpool so don't come here complaining about boring italian teams. At least don't include Milan in this, because we have been very attacking this year. Remember how we won both the first and second group stage after four matches. We also outplayed Ajax, the boring defensive team on San Siro.

 

It's turned out to be the whole world (with some exceptions of course) x Italy in the semi finals.

The world being represented by Real Madrid . Hope you guys win the whole thing, with Ronaldo scoring the winning goals

good call! because milan, juve and inter have no internationals on our clubs! its a good thing that the final is at a neutral ground because if real had to travel to the san siro against either milan or inter, ronaldo wouldnt make the trip. hed come down with another case of "i dont have the balls to step foot in the san siro so ill just let my team down...again."

 

Daniel you're such a sook what did you expect to win the CL,We got to this point by showing how to play Beautiful football did you watch any of the Milan fans,No because you're to busy crying Anyhow this is Payback for the Cl Final stolen from us By Kluivert's arsey goal did you see that Final who deserved to win that,You're such a cry baby now go to Bed with your Dummy in your Mouth you Sore Loser read the Script 3 italian Teams One spanish No Dutch Side Get It Accept it.

 

How on earth did you manage to compare different ways of playing football to rice ?. Well done though it was effective.

Well I'm Singaporean and my boyfriend is Norwegian and the very first time he cooked for me he decided to cook some rice and frankly, I was APPALLED at the way he did it. Wrong type of rice, wrong technique, wrong type of pot, he didn't even measure the water level properly and the rice turned out soggy and with a funny taste (some other Europeans I know cook rice like that too). And he seems to like it this way.

Of course, I was too nice to tell him that the rice was all wrong and that having rice and potatoes together is an extreme case of cabohydrate overload. At least he tried, I'm not an unappreciative twat. :angel: But that's where the differences come in, so it gave me the idea for this analogy.

Anyway enough on food, back to football.

~~Alive&Kicking aka Delia Smith/the female Jamie Oliver~~

 

Article from Lee Dixon

Attack is Real's best defence
By Lee Dixon (Filed: 25/04/2003)


As a full-back who was educated in the art of defending by one of the best coaches in the modern game, George Graham, I am fascinated to know what Vicente Del Bosque, Real Madrid's coach, says to his full-backs.

At Arsenal those in the back line were all taught how to play as a defensive unit. The rigidity of that back line was our strength, but the discipline it took to play that way was sometimes mentally draining, albeit with some very successful results.

The Real Madrid defence play a different game to the one I was taught. Maybe one or two of us who played the game more freely under Arsene Wenger caught a glimpse of what it would be like to play football in a Real Madrid back four.

Indeed, if Real have a weakness, it has to be in defence. Manchester United did exploit that with some scintillating football on Wednesday night. However, in a similar way to my final few seasons at Arsenal - when perhaps we weren't as 'mean' at the back as in previous years - defending is easier if you are attacking all the time. Real's philosophy seems to be attack, attack and attack - and only defend if it is really necessary.

Take Roberto Carlos, for example. Looking from a purist's point of view in terms of full-back positional play, you could not use him in a coaching video. He often gets out of position on the pitch and frequently he does not offer enough cover to his centre-back.

However, because of his blistering pace, his Brazilian talent and the fact that 80 per cent of the time he or his team-mates have the ball, he gets away with it.

We all know about Real's attacking talents. The names Figo, Zidane, Ronaldo and Raul just roll off the tongue as if they were born to play in the same team. But, for me, the midfield duo of Claude Makelele and Guti deserve special mention.

They both tirelessly go about their business and load the bullets for others to shoot - and they are happy to feed on the crumbs of praise after their illustrious team-mates have feasted.

In my opinion, Real are quite simply the most talented group of footballers in history but not necessarily the best team. That remains to be seen. Every one of their players looks world class, and I include their substitutes in that.

Footballers are ordinary people doing an extraordinary job. They would not be human if they did not get nervous or have doubts. I can tell you from experience that lining up in the tunnel to face a team such as Real is a daunting and unnerving prospect.

I used to look at the opposition in the tunnel and imagine them with a clown's nose on or with a pair of outrageous floppy ears. Something to break that air of invincibility that great players seem to possess. But they are human beings too - they will also have nerves and doubts. If you can somehow level that playing field, then maybe - just maybe - you stand a chance.

Manchester United showed the other night that Real could be beaten. But Real were on cruise control after scoring the crucial second away goal. Teams playing Real Madrid would do well to follow in United's footsteps and attack. At least we would be guaranteed a feast of goals from now until the final, when surely Real Madrid will return to Old Trafford to claim their prize.


Lee Dixon made 618 appearances for Arsenal between 1988-2002 and played 22 times for England.

 

Some people's whining is so pathetic.....:groan: :groan: :groan:

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: A&K

lets hope no one goes down with the flu for the Semis, eh Romano

 

good call! because milan, juve and inter have no internationals on our clubs! its a good thing that the final is at a neutral ground because if real had to travel to the san siro against either milan or inter, ronaldo wouldnt make the trip. hed come down with another case of "i dont have the balls to step foot in the san siro so ill just let my team down...again."

Thanks for your explanation, genius, now go back and watch those sissies of Inzaghi and Shevcenko lose the scudetto and CL.

 

In all honesty I believe some of the criticism the italian teams have recieved is unjust.
If there's anyone to blame, it's the whole ChL - IMO this years edition represents the lowest level of competetivness in years. Let me elaborate...

You critcize Milan, Juve and Inter, and claim they have no place in the semi's... just because they made it past their QF opponents in a very ugly manner. OK, but that's just the QF's. And let's face it, what exactly were they suppose to do?
Juve's opponent was a very poor team - Barcelona. The only reason they had any trouble with them, is that Barca seemed to have hit a season high in the past 2 weeks, and thus made life difficult for Juve... but in general Barca is simply an extremely poor team, and the mere fact they made it to this stage of the competition is definite proof at how poor their opposition had to be. It's almost funny people avoid this harsh truth - but what does Barca's succes in Europe say about the level of the ChL, when that team is fighting relegation in what is commonly acclaimed as the "best" league in Europe. Don't sell me any of the "two teams theory" - it can be true to a certain extent, but doesn't mask the disproportion between "best streak in the ChL", and "fighting relegation in the Primera".
Same goes for Milan - no offense to Ajax, I liked their ambitious charge of the youth... but in the end, it took some big luck, but most of all, experience, and voila - sufficient to somehow advance.
Inter is by far the poorest of the three italian teams, but their challenge against Valencia (which has been in a huge crisis recently) was decided in their favor, because the italians had one asset - poachers. Vieri, Crespo, both top 10 strikers in the world. Valencia was not only off form (although you wouldn't know it, watching how they aniahlated the non-existing Inter midfield), but doesn't have anyone up front to even come close to claiming a spot in the top 30 strikers in the world. And that's all it took. Not much.


All in all, the italians' didn't make it pretty in the QF's, but they did just enough. Their opponents rose to the top of their game, but it was still not enough.

IMO, this whole ChL is a case of the big leagues (England, Spain, Italy) supplying teams in abundance, some are top class, others are just medicore, but even that medicore level is more than enough for what "the rest of Europe" threw at them this year. Maybe it's the economic crisis that has hit the lesser leagues in particular? I dunno, but in the end we have two semifinal legs, and as much as we might wanna evade the reality - these are not the strongest teams the ChL has seen at this stage (big names yes, but in terms of abilities, these teams [and we know I mean the italians] are hardly anything special). Problem is there wasn't exactly too many alternatives to contest the italians. Barca advancing would be laughable (not based on their 2nd leg performance v Juve, but in general, as a team they deserve their 12th position in the Primera, and not a ChL semifinal birth). Valencia are hardly world class material of late. And Ajax were just too young.
Either one of those 3 eliminated teams wouldn't have been a huge improvement to the already medicore line-up of the semifinals. The only thing they would've offered would've been diversity, and that diversity would act as good cover for the reality of this being a simply poor edition of the ChL:lala:

Big shame ManU encountered Real so early, because they were easily worthy of the nobility of being in the semi's.

Now, going back to the subject at hand - the italians hardly deserve a spot amongst the top 4 teams on the continent, but they made it here, and it's not like Europe made them work that hard. You can't blame them for taking advantage of the fact "the rest" was just as medicore as they were.


[And we all know the harsh truth: If two teams are equal, the Italians will always find a way to advance.]

:irritate:

 

Yeah but meanwhile the italians team survived in very difficult group...not to mention the first one of milan: lens; bayer; Deportivo and after real; borussia

juve eliminated deportivo too and inter outplayed ajax...

So this doesnt mean nothing, italians team have ALREADY prove that hey deserve to be in the top 4...Milan has beat bayern home and away and depor and Real when it counted and you think that they dont deserve to be in the top 4??? lol how can someone be in a such bad faith????

We were very unlucky in the quarter, we missed A LOT OF players...our players wernt in a good form and we STILL manage to beat good teams...So I would say that its totally deserved.

I think that the truth is that the spanish system is showing his limits, you guys did always had a hard time against italian sides, just because we dont play the game that you expect from a team...even in the last years you didnt beat us as many time as we beat us...if we were out so soon, it was because we loosed against norwegian, germans, english, french but NOT spanish....

And look at this: the team who still beated us the more is.....Valencia's Cuper...now you all criticize him, but he has been by far the best coach that spain had, not to mention the Valencia Lazio quarter...

I just dont understand how you can be proud of being a real fan, they just use their money to succeed...if we put away all the foreigners in your teams, then you are laughable, you cant make 4 competitive teams with spanish players...Just look before the Bosman rules, you only had glory with the Di Stefano era, but never again (1 cl for barca)....

So im confident because like I said it many time the spanish school cant count on itself, your are dependent of your president money, so NO, there are no glories to win spending millions of euro, trying to get all the stars...its like fighting with a sword against a pocket knife....

Your arrogance will never make you accept that Italy has ALWAYS been better, in fact if you'll do so, you will just loose your identity...but its a fact...Appart Raul, Luis Enrique and Butragegno just quote me some great players that you had in the last 15 years??? Do you see the difference...Next year a certain Miccoli will arrive in juve, then you will see what class mean, we doesnt need to buy, buy, buy...like the cleptomaniac Pérez...we just have the talents inside our country...Miccoli is the kind of guy that Spain will never produce...

So no Im not worry at all about Real and I know that Lippi has a special sour taste in his mouth against you...He is just tired (like most of us) to see some wannabe fans insulting our values, fans who doesnt have a clue about football...The truth is that Spain doesnt accept that a team can defend to win...BUT WHO ARE YOU TO DO SO????? WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE WHO SHALL PLAY IN A WAY OR AN OTHER??????

We (FANS, PRESS, ....) doesnt come to give advice to spanish, just look at your SH1T and let us live, we will do fine WITHOUT you, I swear....We dont need the assistance of anyone...and no we will not change our attitude for your preaty eyes....

We know that your style of play doesnt bring to anywhere...except when you have a team with more then 8 players who cost more then 100 millions. But even with this team, you will not buy some things: HONOR, SACRIFICE, HUMILITY, FIGHTING SPIRIT

This is why you will eat your words against us, because of your arrogance...just look at the face of Figo to understand what I mean by arrogance...We will beat you even with half team, because YOU CANNOT CHANGE, you are not versatile, this will be you fall, because your worst enemies are back, the ones against who you almost always loose at the end, when it counts.

Just wake up, defeating germans and england for fun is just OVER...Now you have to face ITALIA :howler: :howler: :howler:

 

Lets just wait and see shall we. Milan certainly know how to play good football, they can play as good as any side in europe, including Real, and they have a very realistic chance, when they get past Inter, of winning this competition.

Juve just needs a few extra players and we could do the same. We are not that bad, we can play the football too, but at the end of the day you can't go all out attack against Real and expect to get anything from the game. I would like to thinkthat the Juve defence, although missing two players for the first leg I think, would not be so naive as the United backline but we'll have to wait and see.

Looking forward to visiting this forum over the next few weeks and good luck of course!

 

OAnimal that really hurts the sissies Oh don't kill me,If anyones a Pansie its that Ronaldo constantly starting little wars with Cuper he can thank God Real are'nt playing Inter.

 

Sagha,

You are just embarassing yourself. To say that the Italian clubs will beat us is funny. Its not the 1st time you guys meet us. Doz 1998 remind of something, no? ok, how bout Juve-Real? ok good.

We dominated Europe for the last few years and in between ManUtd and Bayern. No Italians in sight. This year you have guaranteed at least one place in the final but that doznt mean you will win it

 

Yeah but meanwhile the italians team survived in very difficult group...not to mention the first one of milan: lens; bayer; Deportivo and after real; borussia

juve eliminated deportivo too and inter outplayed ajax...

So this doesnt mean nothing, italians team have ALREADY prove that hey deserve to be in the top 4...Milan has beat bayern home and away and depor and Real when it counted and you think that they dont deserve to be in the top 4??? lol how can someone be in a such bad faith????

Milan have done well but to say that they deserve to be in the semis/quarters due to a result that happened 4/5 months ago is pretty ridiculous dont you think? It like saying we deserve to win the league coz we beat team A B & C 6 months ago. Football doesnt work that way mr football expert or are you yet to work it out.

I think that the truth is that the spanish system is showing his limits, you guys did always had a hard time against italian sides, just because we dont play the game that you expect from a team...even in the last years you didnt beat us as many time as we beat us...if we were out so soon, it was because we loosed against norwegian, germans, english, french but NOT spanish....

Dont you think youre being premature to say that the Spanish are showing limits when all the game involving Spanish oppostion were close includign Valencia v Inter with the shots on goals being 27 v 3.

I just dont understand how you can be proud of being a real fan, they just use their money to succeed...if we put away all the foreigners in your teams, then you are laughable, you cant make 4 competitive teams with spanish players...Just look before the Bosman rules, you only had glory with the Di Stefano era, but never again (1 cl for barca)....

Pot calling the kettle black. Let me remind you that Italy had a monopoly on all the best players not all that long ago. The reason wages and transfer fees have escalated is beause of the Italians and the sugardaddy president throwing money at the game. You also dont know nothing about Spanish football when you talk about taking away the foreigners, perhaps your bias is clouding your brain.

So im confident because like I said it many time the spanish school cant count on itself, your are dependent of your president money, so NO, there are no glories to win spending millions of euro, trying to get all the stars...its like fighting with a sword against a pocket knife....

Our president doesnt fund our club unlike Moratti and that a joke of a primie minister you have. Get your facts straight mr football expert.

Your arrogance will never make you accept that Italy has ALWAYS been better, in fact if you'll do so, you will just loose your identity...but its a fact...Appart Raul, Luis Enrique and Butragegno just quote me some great players that you had in the last 15 years??? Do you see the difference...Next year a certain Miccoli will arrive in juve, then you will see what class mean, we doesnt need to buy, buy, buy...like the cleptomaniac Pérez...we just have the talents inside our country...Miccoli is the kind of guy that Spain will never produce...

Italians teams do BUY BUY BUY, open your eyes. In fact a football expert like yourself can surely see that our policy of buying 1 (expensve) player EACH season is better for the stability of the team as opposed to the 15 (100 for Inter) players bought by Italian clubs each year.

Trying to belittle Spanish players are we? What have Italy achieved recently, f all.

So no Im not worry at all about Real and I know that Lippi has a special sour taste in his mouth against you...He is just tired (like most of us) to see some wannabe fans insulting our values, fans who doesnt have a clue about football...The truth is that Spain doesnt accept that a team can defend to win...BUT WHO ARE YOU TO DO SO????? WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE WHO SHALL PLAY IN A WAY OR AN OTHER??????

Give Lippi some mints and youre the clueless one thinking you know it all. Take the blinkers off and stop writing like a 5 year girl.