Champions League Draw

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Here is the Draw for the Group Stage of this season Champions League

Group A: Bayern Munchen, Olympic Lyonnais, Celtic, Anderlecht.

Group B: Arsenal, Internazionale, Dynamo Kiev, Lokomotiv Moscow.

Group C: Deportivo La Coruna, PSV Eindhoven, AEK Athens, Monaco.

Group D: Juventus, Galatasaray, Olympiakos, Real Sociedad.

Group E: Manchester United, Panathinaikos, Rangers, VfB Stuttgart.

Group F: Real Madrid, Porto, Marseille, Partizan.

Group G: Lazio, Chelsea, Sparta Prague, Bestiktas.

Group H: AC Milan, Celta Vigo, Ajax, Club Brugge.

I say the Group of Death is Group F, but the draw of the group stages has to be the REAL battle of Britian.

The Champions of England - Manchester United Football Club vs the The Champions of Scotland - Rangers Football Club. Far better than Celtic vs Blackburn or Liverpool.

This is the real thing Celtic fans.............











.......Sadly us 'Gers haven't got a hope

Though in our favour the last time the Champions of Scotland and England met in the then European Cup in 1992. Rangers beat Leeds on the way to the semi finals.
 

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Shinboners

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#7
Originally posted by robbieando
Group B: Arsenal, Internazionale, Dynamo Kiev, Lokomotiv Moscow.
I reckon Arsenal is going to find it hard to get out of this group with two trips out East.

Group E: Manchester United, Panathinaikos, Rangers, VfB Stuttgart.
Happy with that. I would have preferred not to play Rangers though - they and their fans will lift for this game.

I'm relieved that we don't have to take on the Italian and Spanish clubs. Without Veron, we're going to get caught out - you can't leave all the midfield invention and control to Scholes and (and 18 year old ) Ronaldo. Our squad is solid enough to get through the group stage, but not too far further after that.


.......Sadly us 'Gers haven't got a hope
It wouldn't surprise me if Rangers beat us at Ibrox and took a point off us at Old Trafford. I reckon your guys will lift for the game. However, you'll probably drop your points against Pananthinaikos and Stuggart.
 

Knowledge

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#9
Man United- Happy with that draw
Partizan- Look to be ****ed
Juve- Good draw happy with that
 
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Re: Re: Champions League Draw

Originally posted by Shinboners
Happy with that. I would have preferred not to play Rangers though - they and their fans will lift for this game.
No doubt we'll lift for this game and Keane can expect a hot reception at Ibrox. I'm happy with the draw, myself. All the Rangers fans I know, wanted Real or Manchester United, because while we don't think we have a chance against them, it helps when they play the other teams in the group, thus making it a bit easier for us to go though.

It wouldn't surprise me if Rangers beat us at Ibrox and took a point off us at Old Trafford. I reckon your guys will lift for the game. However, you'll probably drop your points against Pananthinaikos and Stuggart.
Thats the story of Rangers in Europe. Do well against the better team, **** up against the easy beats. Though I must say that under Big Eck we have improved a great deal. In the past Ranger have gone in expecting great things after buying up big and always failing. This season we have lost a fair few good players and have no money for replacements, except for Free Transfers.

I think we should be able to get a point off Manchester United at home, but there is no hope in hell of doing so away. They will rip up our defence. Craig Moore is our best central defender and his partner will either be a 21 year old Georgian who's name I can't spell or Henning Berg. Hopefully we get some players in before the deadline, but I don't think we have a squad to make it though. 3rd is what I'm looking for
 

GOALden Hawk

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#11
Originally posted by robbieando
Here is the Draw for the Group Stage of this season Champions League

Group A: Bayern Munchen, Olympic Lyonnais, Celtic, Anderlecht.
Fairly tough group for Celtic. You would think they will battle it out for 2nd with Lyon. Bayern should waltz through.

Group B: Arsenal, Internazionale, Dynamo Kiev, Lokomotiv Moscow.
VERY interesting group. Two good sides, two average sides, but the average sides have a big home ground advantage. Kiev aren't the side they were 3-4 years back, but are tough to beat at home.

Group C: Deportivo La Coruna, PSV Eindhoven, AEK Athens, Monaco.
Depor should be undefeated. 2nd could be a good scrap.

Group D: Juventus, Galatasaray, Olympiakos, Real Sociedad.
Apart from the trip to Greece, shouldn't be any real dramas for Juve and Gala.

Group E: Manchester United, Panathinaikos, Rangers, VfB Stuttgart.
Easy draw for ManU, 3 pretty average teams by CL standards. Away trip to Greece again a tough one.

Group F: Real Madrid, Porto, Marseille, Partizan.
Tough group! I'll back Real and Marseille, but very hard to call.

Group G: Lazio, Chelsea, Sparta Prague, Bestiktas.
All too easy for Lazio and Chelsea.

Group H: AC Milan, Celta Vigo, Ajax, Club Brugge.
Can't see Brugge doing much, could be close between Celta Vigo and Ajax.

I say the Group of Death is Group F, but the draw of the group stages has to be the REAL battle of Britian.

The Champions of England - Manchester United Football Club vs the The Champions of Scotland - Rangers Football Club. Far better than Celtic vs Blackburn or Liverpool.

This is the real thing Celtic fans.............











.......Sadly us 'Gers haven't got a hope

Though in our favour the last time the Champions of Scotland and England met in the then European Cup in 1992. Rangers beat Leeds on the way to the semi finals. [/B][/QUOTE]
 

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Shinboners

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#12
Re: Re: Re: Champions League Draw

Originally posted by robbieando
I think we should be able to get a point off Manchester United at home, but there is no hope in hell of doing so away.
I still reckon you're a good chance to get 3 points at home.

It's been years since we've played Rangers, but I remember you guys got a good win against us in a pre-season tournament (94? 95? something like that....I remember Eric Cantona got sent off) and if you ignore the recent US tour, Celtic seem to always beat us in Testimonial matches whether it's played in Glasgow or Manchester.

The media will build it up to an England vs Scotland match rather than a Manchester United vs Rangers one (ironic considering the "You Can Shove Your F*cking England Up Your Arse" chants that still get the odd airing at Old Trafford).


They will rip up our defence. Craig Moore is our best central defender and his partner will either be a 21 year old Georgian who's name I can't spell or Henning Berg. Hopefully we get some players in before the deadline, but I don't think we have a squad to make it though. 3rd is what I'm looking for
As long as the Rangers players are willing to run and deny United space, you will have a bloody good chance. In the past, clubs like Bolton, Boro, and City have taken points off us simply because they work their arses off. I can't see Rangers going into this game and not putting up a fight.

If you took the Rangers best 11, transferred them to some French or Portugese team, I'd be counting on 6 easy points. But these same players will be in Rangers shirts with the Scottish media and public pushing the "Playing for Scottish pride" line behind them.

I reckon that Ibrox will give us the most hostile reception since Galatasaray back in '93.
 

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#13
Re: Re: Champions League Draw

Originally posted by GOALden Hawk
Easy draw for ManU, 3 pretty average teams by CL standards. Away trip to Greece again a tough one.
United have got a surprisingly good recent record against Greek sides.

I think we might be 6 wins from 6 games in the last 5 years or so.
 

Knowledge

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#14
This is directed at golden hawk- About that Juve and Galatasary group. Walz through? I think they will make it but Walz through i doubt it. Real Sociadad is a good team man. Panathinakps arent exactly ****.
 
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#15
Group A: Bayern Munchen, Olympic Lyonnais, Celtic, Anderlecht.


Bayern should have no problems winning this one, second place anyone's guess.

Group B: Arsenal, Internazionale, Dynamo Kiev, Lokomotiv Moscow.


On paper: Arsenal and Inter to walk through.

In reality: Lokomotiv can't be counted out, not after their escape act last year. Dynamo Kiev have been rebuilding in the post-Lobanovsky period. Both will be very tough to beat at home.

Group C: Deportivo La Coruna, PSV Eindhoven, AEK Athens, Monaco.


Anyone's guess really.

Group D: Juventus, Galatasaray, Olympiakos, Real Sociedad.


Juventus will win this but second place will be a tussle.

Group E: Manchester United, Panathinaikos, Rangers, VfB Stuttgart.


Man U will should this without too many problems.

Group F: Real Madrid, Porto, Marseille, Partizan.


Real Madrid will win this, second place a tussle but Porto will just pip it.

Group G: Lazio, Chelsea, Sparta Prague, Bestiktas.


Lazio and Chelsea to walk it on paper, but Sparta have defied odds in the past and Besiktas have all to prove.

Group H: AC Milan, Celta Vigo, Ajax, Club Brugge.
Milan will win this one and I think Ajax will pip second.
 

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#16
Why is it that every year that Man u get a nice cushy first group draw & Arsenal get a dodgy one?OK when we weren't seeded it was to be expected but even now we're seeded it still happens, we get the best of the non seeds & 2 trips out east.

The big problem with the trips to Kiev & Moscow is how tiring it is & we may suffer on the Premiership games straight afterwards on the good side at least we get the trips to those 2 out of the way fairly early on before the weather turns really cold out there.
 
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#17
I'm not sure how it affects teams, but a lot of Russian and Ukrainian stadiums are vast arenas and the pitches as such aren't tight. So maybe teams with ageing or more suspect defences are more likely to struggle there.
 
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Champions League Draw

Originally posted by Shinboners
I still reckon you're a good chance to get 3 points at home.

It's been years since we've played Rangers, but I remember you guys got a good win against us in a pre-season tournament (94? 95? something like that....I remember Eric Cantona got sent off) and if you ignore the recent US tour, Celtic seem to always beat us in Testimonial matches whether it's played in Glasgow or Manchester.
Our squad is the weakest its been in a fair few years, how we got here is beyond me after drawing at home. Pre Season matches to Champions League is a HUGE difference. The thing going in our favour is that when Moore last played RVN a few years back when RVN was at PSV, over 2 matches he didn't play well and could only get a penalty.

The media will build it up to an England vs Scotland match rather than a Manchester United vs Rangers one (ironic considering the "You Can Shove Your F*cking England Up Your Arse" chants that still get the odd airing at Old Trafford).
True, but the way we are seen in Scotland's media, it will be more like England vs England.

As long as the Rangers players are willing to run and deny United space, you will have a bloody good chance. In the past, clubs like Bolton, Boro, and City have taken points off us simply because they work their arses off. I can't see Rangers going into this game and not putting up a fight.
Our main problem will be is that we are not use to working that hard for a win, we expect to and always win (Old Firm matches not included). We'll put up a fight, but weather if it will be enough is another question. Heck I couldn't even give you an idea of what sort of line up we'll play, because we are still buying and selling players.

If you took the Rangers best 11, transferred them to some French or Portugese team, I'd be counting on 6 easy points. But these same players will be in Rangers shirts with the Scottish media and public pushing the "Playing for Scottish pride" line behind them.
True we'll be wearing the blue, but playing for scottish pride??? Come on we think we are English.

I reckon that Ibrox will give us the most hostile reception since Galatasaray back in '93.
True, but watch out for the treatment Keane gets from the crowd during the match. For a self confessed Celtic fan, he is in for a rough time.
 
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#19
And then there's the case of the manager of that early 90s Rangers side, Walter Smith. Some five years later he moved south of the border to manage Everton... and almost succeeded in taking us down with his poor tactics, poor team selections, poor training methods and zero man management skills! :mad:

At least he had an eye for good signings even if he didn't know how to use them!

In contrast, David Moyes has been such a huge improvement for us that it isn't even funny. Look at how much better we've been playing under him.
 

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#20
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Champions League Draw

Originally posted by robbieando
Our squad is the weakest its been in a fair few years, how we got here is beyond me after drawing at home. Pre Season matches to Champions League is a HUGE difference.
True enough.

But I don't take any wins for granted.


The thing going in our favour is that when Moore last played RVN a few years back when RVN was at PSV, over 2 matches he didn't play well and could only get a penalty.
I think RVN has develop a bit since then. ;)


True, but the way we are seen in Scotland's media, it will be more like England vs England.

True we'll be wearing the blue, but playing for scottish pride??? Come on we think we are English.
And Celtic think they're Irish.

Is there any team that think they're Scottish? :p


True, but watch out for the treatment Keane gets from the crowd during the match. For a self confessed Celtic fan, he is in for a rough time.
I don't think Keane will give a sh*t. ;)
 
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