UEFA Champions League 1st Knockout Draw Thread

[frederickooo]

You obviously haven't seen them this season.

They beat Madrid 5-0.

Rape/

so wait you dont think arsenal can beat them? shocker.
and yeah i saw that i also saw that they got beat by hercules at home funny how tht doesnt matter anymore. i know everyone loves barcelona and theyre amazing and the best team ever and all tht **** but i honestly think arsenal and maybe chelsea (before they went ****) could out play them. walcott and nasri on the wings i dont think theyd be able to handle them.

 

[rc10]

Arsenal are physically better and hopefully the likes of Fabregas, Van Persie, Nasri and Vermaelen will be fit as we can't play Barcelona with Squillaci (he's been AWFUL), Bendtner etc. playing. Walcott showed last time that he could thrash Maxwell (I think). Unfortunately I'm sure Messi will do really well I think Shakhtar, Spurs, Schalke, Bayern, Lyon, Barca, Man U and Copenhagen will win.

 

[Ride The Walrus]

Barcelona are better all over the field, Arsenal are inconsistent.
Almunia - Valdez? Valdez
Vermaelen - Puyol? Puyol
Fabregas - Xavi? Tough one, but for me Xavi's the best midfielder in the world. so, Xavi.
Nasri - Messi? Messi.
Van Persie - Villa? Villa, easily.

Just some quick match ups.

 

[frederickooo]

Barcelona are better all over the field, Arsenal are inconsistent.
Almunia - Valdez? Valdez
Vermaelen - Puyol? Puyol
Fabregas - Xavi? Tough one, but for me Xavi's the best midfielder in the world. so, Xavi.
Nasri - Messi? Messi.
Van Persie - Villa? Villa, easily.

Just some quick match ups.

you say that but if they played walcott and nasri on the wings and barca had pedro and villa i would say arsenal are better there. alves is a good full back and better than sagna but if you add maxwell into that or abidal i think sagna and clichy are better yeah messi's obv better lol but for me fabregas is better than xavi theyre basically the same player except fabregas scores a **** alot more goals and as for almunia and valdes well got no argument theyre at all tbh but yeah i wouldnt say barca are better all over the park

 

[rc10]

Barcelona are better all over the field, Arsenal are inconsistent.
Almunia - Valdez? Valdez
Vermaelen - Puyol? Puyol
Fabregas - Xavi? Tough one, but for me Xavi's the best midfielder in the world. so, Xavi.
Nasri - Messi? Messi.
Van Persie - Villa? Villa, easily.

Just some quick match ups.

FABIANSKI/SCZESNY - Valdez? Sczesny could be a huge wonderkid, he's been outstanding under the pressure
Vermaelen - Puyol? Vermaelen is quicker, Puyol will struggle if Nasri or Walcott pop up and FAR better at attacking
Fabregas - Xavi? Fabs is better physically and gets forward more
Nasri - Messi? For the team's benefit, what Nasri does helps more and he is under less pressure to deliver
Van Persie - Villa? Van Persie brings others into play better and is a set piece legend

 

[Ride The Walrus]

To be honest, Messi could win that game on his own, he's **** amazing.

---------- Post added at 03:45 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:43 AM ----------

FABIANSKI/SCZESNY - Valdez? Sczesny could be a huge wonderkid, he's been outstanding under the pressure
Vermaelen - Puyol? Vermaelen is quicker, Puyol will struggle if Nasri or Walcott pop up and FAR better at attacking
Fabregas - Xavi? Fabs is better physically and gets forward more
Nasri - Messi? For the team's benefit, what Nasri does helps more and he is under less pressure to deliver
Van Persie - Villa? Van Persie brings others into play better and is a set piece legend

Well obviously you're biased, I'm more of a neutral.

Honestly, I don't like RVP as a player. He's injured far too often, and I think he's over-rated.

 

[Blynd1]

Van Persie - Villa? Villa, easily.

Easily? Meh...

 

[Calum]

Barcelona are better all over the field, Arsenal are inconsistent.
Almunia - Valdez? Valdez
Vermaelen - Puyol? Puyol
Fabregas - Xavi? Tough one, but for me Xavi's the best midfielder in the world. so, Xavi.
Nasri - Messi? Messi.
Van Persie - Villa? Villa, easily.

Just some quick match ups.

Might as well just said Barca's team is better than Arsenal's it would have saved time

 

[rc10]

To be honest, Messi could win that game on his own, he's **** amazing.

---------- Post added at 03:45 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:43 AM ----------



Well obviously you're biased, I'm more of a neutral.

Honestly, I don't like RVP as a player. He's injured far too often, and I think he's over-rated.

I didn't say Arsenal's players are better overall, I just mentioned which departments they're better in. Also, Almunia is easily Arsenal's worst first team goalkeeper.

 

[DMF]

FABIANSKI/SCZESNY - Valdez? Sczesny could be a huge wonderkid, he's been outstanding under the pressure
Vermaelen - Puyol? Vermaelen is quicker, Puyol will struggle if Nasri or Walcott pop up and FAR better at attacking
Fabregas - Xavi? Fabs is better physically and gets forward more
Nasri - Messi? For the team's benefit, what Nasri does helps more and he is under less pressure to deliver
Van Persie - Villa? Van Persie brings others into play better and is a set piece legend

That's ridiculous.

Valdes > Every Arsenal GK
Dani Alves > Sagna
Pique > Vermaelen
Puyol >Koscielny/Squillaci
Abidal > Clichy (close one though)
Mascherano > Song
Xavi >>> Wilshere
Iniesta > Fabregas
Messi >>>> Nasri
Pedro > Walcott
Villa > Chamakh/Van Persie

It's pretty clear they are better all over the park.

 

[Alex]

I can't see how some people are saying Arsenal will win, Barca just look so good it's unreal.

 

[TheMjt]

I would say Clichy > Abidal but that's just me

 

[rc10]

That's ridiculous.

Valdes > Every Arsenal GK
Dani Alves > Sagna
Pique > Vermaelen
Puyol >Koscielny/Squillaci
Abidal > Clichy (close one though)
Mascherano > Song
Xavi >>> Wilshere
Iniesta > Fabregas
Messi >>>> Nasri
Pedro > Walcott
Villa > Chamakh/Van Persie

It's pretty clear they are better all over the park.

In that position Arshavin is probably better than Theo, and Arshavin > Pedro IMO, everything else no one can argue with

 

[Calum]

I would say Clichy > Abidal but that's just me

I woudnt Clichy makes far to many daft errors which can cost points

 

[Clarky.]

That's ridiculous.

Valdes > Every Arsenal GK
Dani Alves > Sagna
Pique > Vermaelen
Puyol >Koscielny/Squillaci
Abidal > Clichy (close one though)
Mascherano > Song
Xavi >>> Wilshere
Iniesta > Fabregas
Messi >>>> Nasri
Pedro > Walcott
Villa > Chamakh/Van Persie

It's pretty clear they are better all over the park.

Could quite easily do that to every team in the world atm, Individualy Barca have a world of talent, and if that wasn't enough there a good team aswell. But don't see how Arsenal were thrashed last year. If I remember rightly we drew the first leg 2-2. Second leg, Yes thrashed but by Messi, Not the whole of Barca. Heres hopin Messi has a quite game at the Camp Nou and our home leg result is enough. Saying this were bound to lose out to someone even if we do beat Barca, Its textbook Arsenal, Beat Worlds best, Lose to Roma.

 

[Blakefish80]

Barcelona are better all over the field, Arsenal are inconsistent.
Almunia - Valdez? Valdez
Vermaelen - Puyol? Puyol
Fabregas - Xavi? Tough one, but for me Xavi's the best midfielder in the world. so, Xavi.
Nasri - Messi? Messi.
Van Persie - Villa? Villa, easily.

Just some quick match ups.

I agree with your comparisons Mr Walrus but no doubting Arsenal are a quality team more than capable of beating anybody on their day. I frequent an English speaking Barcelona fan forum and they are quite possibly the most arrogant group of fans i have ever come accross. They believe Arsenal are a poor "plastic Barca"

I guess my poiny is when two top quality teams play each other it doesn't always matter how the individuals stack up. I still reckon Barca will progress but it's not a cert.

 

[frederickooo]

I would say Clichy > Abidal but that's just me

id also say walcott > pedro

but for me i think chamakh could make the difference i know hes not amazing but he gives arsenal a plan b and another threat, barca are obv good but they have no plan b and sometimes especially earlier in the season when the passing game wasnt workin they looked a bit lost, alot of teams let them play if we're being honest here and id love to see them in the premiership bcuz i dont think everyone would think theyre amazin as they are. id just love to see an english team win the champs league this year as for me the prem is the best league in the world with the best teams.

 

[DMF]

Could quite easily do that to every team in the world atm, Individualy Barca have a world of talent, and if that wasn't enough there a good team aswell. But don't see how Arsenal were thrashed last year. If I remember rightly we drew the first leg 2-2. Second leg, Yes thrashed but by Messi, Not the whole of Barca. Heres hopin Messi has a quite game at the Camp Nou and our home leg result is enough. Saying this were bound to lose out to someone even if we do beat Barca, Its textbook Arsenal, Beat Worlds best, Lose to Roma.

That's my point. But when the other poster did it, he tried to claim Arsenal players were greater, so was just showing.

I think Arsenal have a chance, but they would need to play exceptionally twice and hope Barca don't show up. Should be a great tie either way and it is football. But Arsene Wenger is stubborn and won't change his style of play for anyone, meaning Barcelona will be perfectly suited to walk all over Arsenal again.

---------- Post added at 03:57 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:56 AM ----------

id also say walcott > pedro

but for me i think chamakh could make the difference i know hes not amazing but he gives arsenal a plan b and another threat, barca are obv good but they have no plan b and sometimes especially earlier in the season when the passing game wasnt workin they looked a bit lost, alot of teams let them play if we're being honest here and id love to see them in the premiership bcuz i dont think everyone would think theyre amazin as they are. id just love to see an english team win the champs league this year as for me the prem is the best league in the world with the best teams.

Ridiculous statement.

 

[rc10]

Could quite easily do that to every team in the world atm, Individualy Barca have a world of talent, and if that wasn't enough there a good team aswell. But don't see how Arsenal were thrashed last year. If I remember rightly we drew the first leg 2-2. Second leg, Yes thrashed but by Messi, Not the whole of Barca. Heres hopin Messi has a quite game at the Camp Nou and our home leg result is enough. Saying this were bound to lose out to someone even if we do beat Barca, Its textbook Arsenal, Beat Worlds best, Lose to Roma.

Oh the shame of using Chelsea as an example :S
Cech >>>>>> Valdes
Cole >>>>>>>> Abidal
Terry < Pique
Alex > Puyol I'd have to say
Ivanovic > Alves Defensively
Essien > Mascherano
Lampard ? Xavi
Ramires <<<<<< Iniesta
Anelka >>>>>>>> Pedro
Drogba > Villa
Malouda <<< Messi

I see Arsenal as a very different team to Barca; UNSUCCESSFUL, AGGRESSIVE, FRUSTRATED.

 

[Clarky.]

That's my point. But when the other poster did it, he tried to claim Arsenal players were greater, so was just showing.

I think Arsenal have a chance, but they would need to play exceptionally twice and hope Barca don't show up. Should be a great tie either way and it is football. But Arsene Wenger is stubborn and won't change his style of play for anyone, meaning Barcelona will be perfectly suited to walk all over Arsenal again..

Couldn't agree more that Wenger is too stubborn to change his style of play for anyone. His must know that changes do work. Just has too look at when Arsenal play Man utd, they change their philosphy to play to our weaknesses and in the last 6 years or so, I believe Arsenal have recorded about 2-3 wins over Man utd in about 15 games. So heres hoping Lady lucky is on our side and we get a result. To win one leg I'd be happy. Unlikely but then again Spurs winning their group was a complete long shot and look.