NationStates Jolt Archive

A thread a few weeks back, just after the last round of European Champions league matches, congratulated Arsenal on beating Real Madrid and worried about the potential of a Juventus clash in this round (something that came to pass with the draw made the day after the thread)

That match having been played, last night, I offer the following quote;

"It will be of no consolation to Capello [Juventus Manager] but plenty of other managers will be stricken with an identical sense of powerlessness if Arsenal can remain at this level. There was no difficulty at all in picturing Wenger's team triumphing in the Champions League final in Paris."
from the Guardian (full story: http://football.guardian.co.uk/Match_Report/0,,1741845,00.html

Arsenal won 2-0, Juventus's celebrated midfield had crumbled before the first 30 minutes were up and eventually had two men sent off.. oh and Viera misses the second leg

Now, can there be any doubt that Arsenal are the best side in Europe?

[I realise this probably doesn't matter to the majority of you, but watching the game made me feel like this :p and now like this :cool: and if i could only find the previous thread I could justify my belief that the above was what I said all along would happen]

Personally, I've always liked Chealsea. However, Arsenal have done pretty well. As a rugby man, I don't exactly know that much.. But I would probably go with Chealsea.

What about Barcelona? Could they take Barca on a good day?

Personally, I've always liked Chealsea. However, Arsenal have done pretty well. As a rugby man, I don't exactly know that much.. But I would probably go with Chealsea.

Chelsea are a good call but... recently their form has started to fall apart although they have the premiership wrapped up.

However, you've got to be in it to win it and they got knocked out by Barcelona last round.. (they have a really good song about a bunch of Celery though.. anyone know all the words? I've only got the chorus down)

Arsenal v. Barcelona mmmmmmmm now thats going to be a cracking game!

Arsenal did well, but it was at home. I expect they'll find it more difficult when they travel to Turin.

What about Barcelona? Could they take Barca on a good day?

a good day for Barcelona or Arsenal?

Arsenal - even on a bad day i think it would be quite close (biased? moi?!)

Barcelona - do they have bad days?

if they're both on form, I'm still going to have to give it to Arsenal. Their movement, build up play and attacking flair are incomprable.

Arsenal did well, but it was at home. I expect they'll find it more difficult when they travel to Turin.
Hmm...probably.

Oh, whatever. The only thing I know is that next season, you people better watch out!

http://www.goal.dk/images/Ligaer/HamburgerSV.jpg

Arsenal did well, but it was at home. I expect they'll find it more difficult when they travel to Turin.

I don't think that's the case now. Although it would've been without the yellow cards/suspensions of players and perhaps a one goal lead going into the game...

Arsenal will simply sit back, soak up the pressure and counter-attack. An early goal for Juventus will make it very interesting though!

Hmm...probably.

Oh, whatever. The only thing I know is that next season, you people better watch out!

http://www.goal.dk/images/Ligaer/HamburgerSV.jpg

I was going to ask you who that was, but now that I've quoted you I can see it's Hamburger SV.

I don't care about that. It's UEFA day tomorrow: two Romanian teams are facing each other for a place in the semi-finals. Wee!



(Yeah, I know. But us outsider gotta have our events... At least it's not Intertoto.)

I don't care about that. It's UEFA day tomorrow: two Romanian teams are facing each other for a place in the semi-finals. Wee!

(Yeah, I know. But us outsider gotta have our events... At least it's not Intertoto.)

:D


UEFA = 2nd division champions of europe? :D

A thread a few weeks back, just after the last round of European Champions league matches, congratulated Arsenal on beating Real Madrid and worried about the potential of a Juventus clash in this round (something that came to pass with the draw made the day after the thread)

Oooh, I remember that thread, and I was one of the people who said Arsenal would struggle against Juve. And I'm an Arsenal fan.

That was a brilliant match last night. If we score once in Turin, Juve need to score 4, and I don't see that happening against our defence - clean sheets in 7 consecutive matches, and only 10 minutes away from the record for longest time without conceding.

Henry = God.
Fabregas = The second coming.

Finland and Sweden are the gods of hockey.

Finland and Sweden are the gods of hockey.
Thank you for sharing that.

Oooh, I remember that thread, and I was one of the people who said Arsenal would struggle against Juve. And I'm an Arsenal fan.

That was a brilliant match last night. If we score once in Turin, Juve need to score 4, and I don't see that happening against our defence - clean sheets in 7 consecutive matches, and only 10 minutes away from the record for longest time without conceding.

Henry = God.
Fabregas = The second coming.

the above definitely worthy of a quote!!

Hello Stalin. The guardian report mentioned that the defensive record is comprable to Milans' and as God himself said in an interview after the game "if you don't concede, you always have a chance to win the game" (or words to that effect)

*scary thought* Fabregas is only going to get better :eek: :p

Thank you for sharing that.


hey, they might be hockey champions of europe....

Thank you for sharing that.
Just keeping everyone reminded how two countries with the combined population of the greater metropolitan area of London destroyed the world in the ice rink.
hey, they might be hockey champions of europe....
No, the world. (http://www.skysports.com/skysports/article/0,,1821-1213465,00.html)

Here's an excerpt from an email a friend of mines just sent... he's a juve fan;

".......do not count
all you chicks yet, In Italy they call juve the octopus, when people
think they have cut off all our chances...we emerge.. and do not
forget San Del Piero will be playing!! Forza Juve Forza Juve"

ooh octopus :floppingarms:

Here's an excerpt from an email a friend of mines just sent... he's a juve fan;

".......do not count
all you chicks yet, In Italy they call juve the octopus, when people
think they have cut off all our chances...we emerge.. and do not
forget San Del Piero will be playing!! Forza Juve Forza Juve"

ooh octopus :floppingarms:
Heheheh. You should send a reply something along the lines of:
In Italy they call Juve the Old Lady - when they're not complaining about the government, they're being robbed blind by con men. And don't forget Vieira, Camoranesi and Zebina won't be playing. :p

Enjoy the second leg!

<snip>Now, can there be any doubt that Arsenal are the best side in Europe?<snip>
You're not serious, are you?

I must admit, Arsenal are playing well in the Champions Leauge, but their domestic results aren't backing up any claim to the title of best club in Europe.

I reckon Barca has to take that title at the moment, though I reckon Real, under Guus Hiddink as the rumours suggest, will end their bad run next season.

You're not serious, are you?

er yes...

I must admit, Arsenal are playing well in the Champions Leauge, but their domestic results aren't backing up any claim to the title of best club in Europe.

Admittedly Arsenal haven't had the best season, started slowly and all that, but check out stalins stats on their current defensive record (posts passim)... and have you actually watched any of their recent domestic performances? sublime football genius.

I reckon Barca has to take that title at the moment, though I reckon Real, under Guus Hiddink as the rumours suggest, will end their bad run next season

Arsenal v Barca is going to be the best game of the year in terms of club football... Los Galaciticos next season could well do well, or they could crumple like the overpaid ballerinas they currently seem to be. Only time will tell

:floppingarms:

a good day for Barcelona or Arsenal?

Arsenal - even on a bad day i think it would be quite close (biased? moi?!)

Barcelona - do they have bad days?

if they're both on form, I'm still going to have to give it to Arsenal. Their movement, build up play and attacking flair are incomprable.

Henry is world class, there is no doubt about that, but then where else does the flair come from? Fabregas has his good days and Reyes runs about a lot. Now think about Barça.
Eto'o is one of the few players comparable to Henry, so the two teams are equivalent there, then there is the slight matter of Ronaldinho. Arsenal simply do not have a creative player of that class (nor does anyone else for that matter). Deco would walk into the Arsenal first team, as would Messi.

For attacking flair Barça arre the standard to measure other clubs by. Where Arsenal do have an edge is in defence (strange though this may be.) The question is if this would be enough. I think not. Barça x Gunners in the final would be a great time to prove me wrong though.

Barcelona - do they have bad days?they had one tuesday. ;)

Henry is world class, there is no doubt about that, but then where else does the flair come from? Fabregas has his good days and Reyes runs about a lot. Now think about Barça.
Eto'o is one of the few players comparable to Henry, so the two teams are equivalent there, then there is the slight matter of Ronaldinho. Arsenal simply do not have a creative player of that class (nor does anyone else for that matter). Deco would walk into the Arsenal first team, as would Messi.

For attacking flair Barça arre the standard to measure other clubs by. Where Arsenal do have an edge is in defence (strange though this may be.) The question is if this would be enough. I think not. Barça x Gunners in the final would be a great time to prove me wrong though.
I think Arsenal's midfield could possibly be a match for them. Wenger will probably stick with his 5 in midfield, one up front formation, where Gilberto plays between defence and midfield. On the basis of Tuesday's performance, there's a good case to be put forward for keeping Pires in the middle of the park in future matches.

Saying that individual players would 'walk into' another club's first team is a dangerous game. I don't think Deco would necessarily fit into our team - he is an attacking central midfielder. I wouldn't say no to him, but in our European matches, who would he replace? Fabregas or Pires. Fabregas is on top form right now and will only improve. Pires has such a vast level of experience it's untrue. But Deco often seems unimpressed with having to defend - that is something that couldn't be said of any Arsenal player. So I wouldn't want him in an Arsenal team, because he'd weaken our defence.

Wouldn't say no to Ronaldinho, though. :cool:

A thread a few weeks back, just after the last round of European Champions league matches, congratulated Arsenal on beating Real Madrid and worried about the potential of a Juventus clash in this round (something that came to pass with the draw made the day after the thread)

That match having been played, last night, I offer the following quote;

"It will be of no consolation to Capello [Juventus Manager] but plenty of other managers will be stricken with an identical sense of powerlessness if Arsenal can remain at this level. There was no difficulty at all in picturing Wenger's team triumphing in the Champions League final in Paris."
from the Guardian (full story: http://football.guardian.co.uk/Match_Report/0,,1741845,00.html

Arsenal won 2-0, Juventus's celebrated midfield had crumbled before the first 30 minutes were up and eventually had two men sent off.. oh and Viera misses the second leg

Now, can there be any doubt that Arsenal are the best side in Europe?

[I realise this probably doesn't matter to the majority of you, but watching the game made me feel like this :p and now like this :cool: and if i could only find the previous thread I could justify my belief that the above was what I said all along would happen]

Best of luck this year man. I'll be buzzing if Arsenal win it this time. We've been knocked out already, so good luck- Would I say that if it were Chelsea or Man Utd- er, no.

I think Arsenal's midfield could possibly be a match for them. Wenger will probably stick with his 5 in midfield, one up front formation, where Gilberto plays between defence and midfield. On the basis of Tuesday's performance, there's a good case to be put forward for keeping Pires in the middle of the park in future matches.

A 4 - 5 - 1 formation is contradictory to the notion of Arsenal having an attacking mindset. Additionally it is what Chelsea tried (well it became a 4 - 4 - 1 for the second year in a row) and failed with. I would prefer to se Van Persie alongside Henry. This would at least force the Barça full backs to stay at home a little more.

Saying that individual players would 'walk into' another club's first team is a dangerous game. I don't think Deco would necessarily fit into our team - he is an attacking central midfielder. I wouldn't say no to him, but in our European matches, who would he replace? Fabregas or Pires.
Pires, without a doubt. Deco has more European experience than Pires, has a better overal vision of the game and is a better passer of the ball. Pires may work a little harder, but it is notr enough to compensate imo. Deco's defensive work tends to get overlooked, but it was he that put the shackles of Lampard. (The player who really doesn't do anything defensively is Ronaldinho - which is why I rate Kaká above him in the Brazilian midfield).


Wouldn't say no to Ronaldinho, though. :cool:

It would be difficlt to do so, even though he would definately weaken your defence.

Italians will win....

Ultras Stile Di Vita

A 4 - 5 - 1 formation is contradictory to the notion of Arsenal having an attacking mindset. Additionally it is what Chelsea tried (well it became a 4 - 4 - 1 for the second year in a row) and failed with. I would prefer to se Van Persie alongside Henry. This would at least force the Barça full backs to stay at home a little more.
Not really - with 4-5-1, we still have two wingers and one attacking midfielder. We also still have our two full backs getting forward - Eboue was fantastic on Tuesday. Wenger recognises that an attacking mindest is only any good with a good defense as well.


I don't personally rate Lampard that highly. Given the freedom to play as he likes (which he gets against weak Premiership teams) he is great, I won't deny that. But there have been too many times this season in big matches against a good defence where he's been mediocre at best, and anonymous at worst.

[QUOTE]It would be difficlt to do so, even though he would definately weaken your defence.
We'd have Henry and Ronaldinho, as well as Fabregas. Who needs defence? :p