The TT Football Club

[PED]

Game on, Giroud.

[PureAlph4]

Originally Posted by PED

Game on, Giroud.

That goal was one of the most positive things I've seen from our team in months.

Stretching the opposition, actually putting a dangerous ball into the box (as opposed to stopping and reworking possession), and Giroud actually being around the 6 yard box as a target man to tap in (as opposed to dropping back, as he doesn't want responsibility).

Anyway, not being 0-2 down against any decent opposition by half time is a new experience for this team this year, so a promising start!

This team desperately needs a good result to draw a line in the sand.

[Ross K]

Ugh, Barca through.....I'll be cheering for anyone but them.

Originally Posted by PED

Plus one, can't stand to watch them.

I can't help but ask, so how the hell do you manage to watch Arsenal then!? For quite a while now they've been just like Barca minus the end product, flair, worldclass players, and trophies!

[Feña14]

Come on Arsenal! Bayern "holier than thou" Munich are crapping themselves

[Ross K]

Seriously, impressive stuff from the slightly unlucky gunners and what about that ref?

[PED]

Originally Posted by Ross K

Seriously, impressive stuff from the slightly unlucky gunners and what about that ref?

Ref was not the best but called it a bit more even closer to the end.

I will take a two nil win against one of the best sides in Europe at their home, bodes well for the run in for 4th.

Like pure said above, a positive move forward for us, I thought gervinho was good after coming on, I still think he could work out, we badly need his pace.

Ross, re barca, I get tired of the midget mentality, they dive at the touch of a finger and get the calls because they are so physically small. Tiki taka bores me. Busquets in particular really winds me up.

I know Barca is a great team but I don't want to watch them . Give me a game like the fa cup Sunday bt Utd and Chelsea, that's football IMO.

Arsenal is a more physical side like most pl teams and I like watching that more, just my taste. I loved real beating the hell out of barca this month

[Cesc Fabregas]

Good effort not enough quality.

[Ross K]

Originally Posted by PED

Ref was not the best but called it a bit more even closer to the end.

I will take a two nil win against one of the best sides in Europe at their home, bodes well for the run in for 4th.

Like pure said above, a positive move forward for us, I thought gervinho was good after coming on, I still think he could work out, we badly need his pace.

Ross, re barca, I get tired of the midget mentality, they dive at the touch of a finger and get the calls because they are so physically small. Tiki taka bores me. Busquets in particular really winds me up.

I know Barca is a great team but I don't want to watch them . Give me a game like the fa cup Sunday bt Utd and Chelsea, that's football IMO.

Arsenal is a more physical side like most pl teams and I like watching that more, just my taste. I loved real beating the hell out of barca this month

No, for sure, I know where you're coming from re Barca's style. Maybe growing up as a kid with the heinous horrors of long ball game has unduly influenced me LOL? I still have a long-held tendency to flip out when watching PL sides giving the ball away so needlessly (England teams over the years especially drives me insane), though things have indeed improved a lot. That said, sides like Stoke (Q. Are they a football side, or are they a rugby side? ) I find unwatchable.

[norbac]

Originally Posted by Feña14

Come on Arsenal! Bayern "holier than thou" Munich are crapping themselves

I've always found Bayern to be an extremely overconfident team. Glad to see I'm not the only one.

[NoZak Djokovic]

Pity for Arsenal as they did well, but i guess it was the same circumstances as Liverpool Basically

[Feña14]

Originally Posted by norbac

I've always found Bayern to be an extremely overconfident team. Glad to see I'm not the only one.

I've never really been too fussed either way about them. Hoeness did an interview earlier this week though, his self-righteousness throughout was shocking!

He basically blasted clubs for having to charge a decent sum for season tickets when they don't, put down clubs who are owned by people and not the fans. He had a go at owners of clubs who aren't from the area. He also said to win the Champions League with any kind of debt wouldn't be a victory and he would feel bad about it.

Not every club can be run the same way, they are by far the most dominant and successful in the Country and are making the most of it. To belittle every English team for being run differently wasn't good. Not every team can be run like "Model Bayern" as he likes to call it, looking down on pretty much every club that isn't Barcelona didn't come across well, to me anyway.

[raging]

Originally Posted by Feña14

I've never really been too fussed either way about them. Hoeness did an interview earlier this week though, his self-righteousness throughout was shocking!

He basically blasted clubs for having to charge a decent sum for season tickets when they don't, put down clubs who are owned by people and not the fans. He had a go at owners of clubs who aren't from the area. He also said to win the Champions League with any kind of debt wouldn't be a victory and he would feel bad about it.

Not every club can be run the same way, they are by far the most dominant and successful in the Country and are making the most of it. To belittle every English team for being run differently wasn't good. Not every team can be run like "Model Bayern" as he likes to call it, looking down on pretty much every club that isn't Barcelona didn't come across well, to me anyway.

Yes Uli is home grown in Bayern & he, Franz and Karl-Heinz R. have been running BM with their triangle for decades. They are having a huge year & "FC Hollywood"( as it is known in the local press) is the team to hate.
Probably a bit like ManU in the UK!

What sets them apart is that their model has worked, if they have a bad year they budget & go out and buy some players. Their merchandising and TV deals are worth a bit as well.Uli has cause to be arrogant, only way to shut him up is to start beating them.

I think Bayern may have been sandbagging against Arsenal, they have also got a tougher away match with Leverkusen on the weekend. They are going for total domination in the Bundesliga this year & might have rested a few.

Glad for Wenger though that he got a bit of credibility & his players some confidence before their Swansea clash. Really important for PL that Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal & Liverpool stay tight. ManU & ManCity could have a bit of a tussle again like last year. But with ManU out of the CL, I don't think Fergie will allow them to lose focus again.

[Feña14]

Originally Posted by raging

Yes Uli is home grown in Bayern & he, Franz and Karl-Heinz R. have been running BM with their triangle for decades. They are having a huge year & "FC Hollywood"( as it is known in the local press) is the team to hate.
Probably a bit like ManU in the UK!

What sets them apart is that their model has worked, if they have a bad year they budget & go out and buy some players. Their merchandising and TV deals are worth a bit as well.Uli has cause to be arrogant, only way to shut him up is to start beating them.

I think Bayern may have been sandbagging against Arsenal, they have also got a tougher away match with Leverkusen on the weekend. They are going for total domination in the Bundesliga this year & might have rested a few.

Glad for Wenger though that he got a bit of credibility & his players some confidence before their Swansea clash. Really important for PL that Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal & Liverpool stay tight. ManU & ManCity could have a bit of a tussle again like last year. But with ManU out of the CL, I don't think Fergie will allow them to lose focus again.

Yeah, different League's live under different circumstances really. In Germany, Bayern are top dogs by a considerable distance and they do well to make the most of it. In England, Man Utd are the biggest team, no doubt. There are teams like Arsenal and Liverpool though who are up there in many ways, then you have Chelsea and City who probably are too. The market is a bit more competitive.

In Spain the teams are allowed to negotiate their own tv rights, so they bring in far more money than English sides can. It's things like that which make it tough for English sides to match top teams in rival leagues, so they have to look for alternatives. I just found it a bit weird that he was condescending towards them for that.

If any team could operate the way Barcelona and Bayern do, I have no doubt they would.

As for Arsenal, beating them in Germany is a very big achievement! It should give them confidence for the last few months of the season. If they can do what they did last night, there is no reason to fear anyone in the League.

[Anaconda]

Originally Posted by Feña14

As for Arsenal, beating them in Germany is a very big achievement! It should give them confidence for the last few months of the season. If they can do what they did last night, there is no reason to fear anyone in the League.

I feel the same way about Man Utd and the way they played against Madrid. I don't believe English clubs are that far behind the Spanish and German top dogs.

[Ross K]

That was a ridiculously close call against Inter. We are definitely shipping a few too many goals ATM. Not good at this crucial clinching phase of the season.

[NickC]

Originally Posted by Anaconda

I feel the same way about Man Utd and the way they played against Madrid. I don't believe English clubs are that far behind the Spanish and German top dogs.

With the exception of an in-form Barcelona, they're not - you are absolutely right about that. I'd venture as far as saying that outside of the big two in Spain, English clubs are just as good if not better than the rest - and yes, this does include the likes of Malaga, Atletico Madrid, Valencia, Sevilla, etc... Real can also be beaten on their day, it is definitely possible if the tactics are right.

There is quality in the Bundesliga but there's nothing that suggests that the lesser clubs in Germany (Hamburg, Bremen, etc...) are anywhere near comparable to similar sized clubs in England.

The only major difference is the quality of the youth coming through the academies, which is where England lags behind.

[Feña14]

Originally Posted by NickC

The only major difference is the quality of the youth coming through the academies, which is where England lags behind.

You're not wrong there! There are some good players, Wilshere, Sterling, Sturridge, Chalobah amongst others. They're just too and far between.

There are 4 English sides in the quarter finals of the NextGen (Youth Champions League) this year, so maybe there is a bit of hope.

[jimbo333]

So Ad****or shows what he does best!

(scores an open goal from 4 yards!)

(and then nearly gets sent off)

What, it won't let me say Ad****or!!!

Oh, it must be because of the letters "****" in his name, ridiculous or what, what twat made this rule, haha it let me say that

[NickC]

PSG - Barcelona
Dortmund - Malaga
Real Madrid - Galatasary
Bayern Munich - Juve


I think Barcelona, Dortmund, Madrid and Juve will advance.

Juve's tie with Bayern is the most appealing, that looks to be a great two matches. I think Juve will pip them in Turin and draw in Munich. (now that I've said this, expect the opposite to happen!) Tactically it looks really interesting as Bayern play a very attacking game and Juve are a classic counterattacking side. The decider will probably end up being Pirlo, as usual. He'll find acres of space when Bayern go on the attack and expose themselves in the midfield. Juve's wingers and attackers are fast enough to really hurt Bayern on the break.

What do you lot think of the draw?

[PED]

Interesting that no one of the Spanish teams are drawn against each other thus increasing uefas chance of a Spanish winner, seemed like the English sides were always drawing each other.

If bayern has their full squad back for the juve tie, I think Bayern will take it. Not having Schweini for the return arsenal leg hurt but I think bayern have too much quality for juve. Either way, you're right, it will be a great game to watch.

Real vs Gala, really.....what a joke. Same thing with barca and PSG. Pencil those through now