Champion League 2014/15

I didn't see a dedicated CL thread for this season, so I decided to create one. Groups below:
 
 
GROUPS
 
Group A  
Atlético Madrid  
Juventus    
Malmö FF                
Olympiacos
 
Group B 
Liverpool FC  
FC Basel          
PFC Ludogorets Razgrad  
Real Madrid
 
Group C  
AS Monaco        
Bayer Leverkusen  
Benfica   
Zenit St. Petersburg
 
Group D
Arsenal FC        
Borussia Dortmund  
Galatasaray            
RSC Anderlecht
 
Group E  
AS Roma          
Bayern München    
CSKA Moskva            
Manchester City
 
Group F  
Ajax Amsterdam    
APOEL Nicosia      
FC Barcelona            
Paris Saint-Germain
 
Group G
Chelsea FC        
FC Schalke 04      
NK Maribor              
Sporting Lisbon
 
Group H
Athletic Bilbao  
BATE Borisov      
FC Porto                
Shakhtar Donetsk
 
 
City have a stinker of a group. I like our chances of getting to the knockout stages even though we do have the champions. Group D will be a tricky one for Arsenal too. It all kicks off tomorrow morning with Liverpool hosting Ludogorets  in their first CL fixture for 5 long years!

 

FT
Porto 3-1 Bayern Munich
PSG 1-3 Barcelona
Suarez with an absolute gem for Barcas third goal

Porto 3-1 up over Munich

JUVE!!!
Won the first leg 1-0 at home.
Madrid derby finished 0-0

Liverpool are 50/50 at best in my opinion to make it through or not.

 

They won't come near Madrid when they play them so you pencil those fixtures in for losses and an upset or a couple of draws against either Basel or Ludogorets and they'll be out on their bums.

 

They should beat Basel and Ludogorets however Liverpool have a habit of choking and losing the "un-losable", just look at the league last year :p

Basel is pretty tough to beat at home.

 

Liverpool will need to at least draw with them at away and beat them at home.

Don't think we coughed up an 8-point lead with 5 games remaining unlike other sides have in the past, but I really don't think we should be talking about sides who are not of the requisite standard to compete in this prestigious competition. Nonetheless I think we can take care of business against Ludogorets in both fixtures. Basel won't be a pushover and they are an experienced CL side. If we say we will get beaten home and away by Real, I can still see us getting 10 points, which is generally enough to finish 2nd. Big test for the squad and BR's man-management to see how he can juggle League and CL fixtures. You can possibly say he failed at the weekend in the Villa defeat but the injuries we picked up mid-week didn't help in that aspect. He decided to rest Sterling which was interesting but the entire front three were new signings and you could tell they need a few games to gel.

Don't think we coughed up an 8-point lead with 5 games remaining unlike other sides have in the past. Nonetheless I think we can take care of business against Ludogorets in both fixtures. Basel won't be a pushover and they are an experienced CL side. If we say we will get beaten home and away by Real, I can still see us getting 10 points, which is generally enough to finish 2nd. Big test for the squad and BR's man-management to see how he can juggle League and CL fixtures. You can possibly say he failed at the weekend in the Villa defeat but the injuries we picked up mid-week didn't help in that aspect. He decided to rest Sterling which was interesting but the entire front three were new signings and you could tell they need a few games to gel.

Nah, it was 6 points in 4 games when your captain couldn't keep his word and "Not let this farking slip".

 

Do you have the depth for CL though, especially as you will also focus on FA Cup. When does the FA cup start for PL teams?*

 

 

 

* This is what I have been reduced to now, focussing on FA cup and hoping we can use that to rotate our front line players.

I am tipping Liverpool to not make it out of the group stages.

 

Athletico to finish on top of group A with Juve 2nd.

 

Dortmund to finish on top of group D and Arsenal to finish 2nd although Galatasaray will be hard to knock off me thinks so they could miss out.

 

Bayern and City to progress through in their group, same goes for Barce and PSG.

 

Chelsea and Schalke to make it through, with Porto and Donetsk to do the same in group H.

 

 

 

These are my predictions anyway. 

 

Can't wait for CL though.

 

I'll tip Madrid and Bayern to make the final. Would be epic for a Madrid vs Barce final though.

 

Don't think we coughed up an 8-point lead with 5 games remaining unlike other sides have in the past. Nonetheless I think we can take care of business against Ludogorets in both fixtures. Basel won't be a pushover and they are an experienced CL side. If we say we will get beaten home and away by Real, I can still see us getting 10 points, which is generally enough to finish 2nd. Big test for the squad and BR's man-management to see how he can juggle League and CL fixtures. You can possibly say he failed at the weekend in the Villa defeat but the injuries we picked up mid-week didn't help in that aspect. He decided to rest Sterling which was interesting but the entire front three were new signings and you could tell they need a few games to gel.

Nah, it was 6 points in 4 games when your captain couldn't keep his word and "Not let this farking slip".

 

Do you have the depth for CL though, especially as you will also focus on FA Cup. When does the FA cup start for PL teams?*

 

 

 

* This is what I have been reduced to now, focussing on FA cup and hoping we can use that to rotate our front line players.

 

 

City always had a game in hand, so it was only ever 3 points. The squad is definitely improved IMO, I'd rather have Rickie Lambert and Lallana/Markovic come off the bench than Victor Moses and Iago Aspas, we've definitely improved the full-back area with Moreno and Manquillo. Bit disappointed Can is injured for 4-6 weeks, I think he will be an important player, I'd start him ahead of Allen. Sturridge injury has come at a bad time, but hopefully we can grind out some wins and Balotelli can lead the line.

Arsenal have a chance to lay the foundations to finish top of their group tomorrow. Dortmund have a number of injuries (Arsenal have a few, too) and will be a bit light on in the centre. I don't think losing Ozil to injury for this one is going to hurt us as Wilshere has been our best player this season and looks to have his attacking mojo back. Hopefully we can pinch the 3 points are really set us up for a chance of not running into a Barca / Bayern / Real in the 2nd round.

 

Think it'll be

 

Juve

Atletico

 

Real

Liverpool

 

Benfica

Leverkusen

 

Arsenal

Dortmund

 

Bayern

Roma

 

PSG

Barca

 

Chavski

Schalke

 

Bilbao

Porto

Atlético and Juve
Madrid and Liverpool
Leverkusen and Benfica

Dortmünd and Arsenal
Bayern and Roma
Barca and PSG

Chelsea and SL
Porto and Bilbao

People don't fancy City to take 2nd off Roma?

People don't fancy City to take 2nd off Roma?

Yep - in a canter

It's a tough group no doubt, but you look at City's squad and it's absolute quality, their strength and depth in the final third is ridiculous. I don't pay enough attention to Serie A to know how good or bad Roma is, but they were rated probably the best team in Pot 4 during the draw, and coupled with getting Bayern Munich, it is a real "Group of Death". I know the RedmenTV (independant LFC YT/Subscriber channel, Reds fans take a look!) were absolutely packing themselves when our name got taken out and praying we didn't get in Group A (Atletico and Juve). 

 

The other one which stands out to me is Group F, Barca and PSG have to be favoured but you can't count out Ajax. 

Atlético and Juve
Madrid and Liverpool
Leverkusen and Benfica

Dortmünd and Arsenal
Bayern and Man City
Barca and PSG

Chelsea and SL
Porto and Bilbao

 

Liverpool should get through pretty easy. The games again Madrid should be absolute crackers. If you guys can shore up your defence, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if you rolled them at Anfield. 

 

Man City as you said Smooth just have too much depth and talent.

 

Arsenal should make it, but just. Their defence has been shredded by injuries.

Balotelli will score his first goal for Liverpool against the Razgrad.

 

Juve, Arsenal, Atletico, Real Madrid, Chelsea and Liverpool to get off to winning starts.

Athletico and Juventus

 

Liverpool and Real Madrid

 

Monaco and Zenit

 

Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund

 

Bayern Munich and Roma

 

Barcelona and PSG

 

Chelsea and Schalke

 

SHatkar Donetsk and Porto 

Liverpool win with the last kick of the game. Looked pretty average for most of the game.

Arsenal brushed aside 2-0

It's pretty simple Brendan, you were successful playing 2 CF's and then having the rest drop behind and it was no surprise that we looked dangerous when the change was made. Maybe have one winger too many or one forward less.

 

Have to play the more traditional 4-1-3-2

 

LB CB CB LB

       CDM

LM   CM   RM

      CF  CF