Just spotted Fergie

[Bold Seagull]

Can't make my mind up on whether or not Taggart was being graceless, but this part is bollocks. The Champions League is MILES harder to win now than when it was a knockout tournament. In case you hadn't noticed, the competition now features the best 3 or 4 teams from the best 5 or 6 leagues. You forget that old Euro ties were always a bit shit until the last 16 or even last 8.

Exactly. Look at the ties Liverpool, Forest, Villa, ManU had from 1968, and you had tough games, but nothing like the Champions league of today. It was a great competition back then as you could get the likes of Malmo in the final, and it had more of the romance of the old FA Cup when a bit of luck could win you through. Now after the group stage it is massive game after massive game against Europe's absolute best.

 

[User removed 4]

A lot harder to win!? You have to be kidding right!?

To win in 1984, Liverpool had to beat over 2 legs, Odense (Denmark), Athletic Bilboa, Benfica, Dynamo Bucarest and Roma.
In 1979, Forest had to beat, Liverpool, Athens, Grasshopper, Koln and Malmo.

Compare that to who you have to beat in todays champions league, you're having a bloody laugh! From the end of the group stage, you are basically playing the best 16 in Europe regardless of whether they were champions or not. You only had 1 champion from each league back in those days, the competition was just 5 x 2 legged ties.

Harder to win you numpty!

Then if we win on saturday I trust NSC will be congratulating chelsea on their efforts and not carping on about it being the "champions and 2nd, 3rd and 4th placed league" ?

 

[Simster]

Well we'll find out on saturday ! but when it was a knockout competition they were always two legs , so freak results were rare , i also think the winners could be described as true champions of europe , even if we win on saturday , i am not foolish enough to claim that chelsea are the best team in europe.

Maybe not the best, but you will be "Champions of Europe" if you win.

On the subject of Taggart's record, I didn't realise it was so superior to that of Paisley or Shankly. The trophies he won at Aberdeen alone mark him out as an incredible manager, never mind the Man Utd dynasty he has built.

 

[Simster]

Then if we win on saturday I trust NSC will be congratulating chelsea on their efforts and not carping on about it being the "champions and 2nd, 3rd and 4th placed league" ?

Well you'd be Champions of Europe but not Champions of England this season or last, so I'd have thought there would be a fair smattering of both, not unreasonably.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Then if we win on saturday I trust NSC will be congratulating chelsea on their efforts and not carping on about it being the "champions and 2nd, 3rd and 4th placed league" ?

I'm no Chelsea fan Bushy, but if they win on Saturday it will be an absolutely incredible achievement. To beat Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Benfica, Napoli, and to get through a tough group with Valencia and Levekusen, they will deserve all their plaudits. When you think it will be 13 matches to get through compared with 9 in the old format, and you've basically separated the wheat from the chaff at the end of the group stage, it is a tougher competition to win.

 

[User removed 4]

I'm no Chelsea fan Bushy, but if they win on Saturday it will be an absolutely incredible achievement. To beat Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Benfica, Napoli, and to get through a tough group with Valencia and Levekusen, they will deserve all their plaudits. When you think it will be 13 matches to get through compared with 9 in the old format, and you've basically separated the wheat from the chaff at the end of the group stage, it is a tougher competition to win.

I agree mate, and best of all i'll be there !!

cant f**king wait !!

 

[Bold Seagull]

I agree mate, and best of all i'll be there !!

cant f**king wait !!

It's almost got the added pressure of effectively being a play-off final for you lot as well. Lose, and you're not in it next year. It really is a massive game CFC.

I will end by saying I have my German phrase book out, will be drinking Becks all week, and calling the wife Fräulein.....Viel glück FC Bayern München!!

 

[User removed 4]

It's almost got the added pressure of effectively being a play-off final for you lot as well. Lose, and you're not in it next year. It really is a massive game CFC.

I will end by saying I have my German phrase book out, will be drinking Becks all week, and calling the wife Fräulein.....Viel glück FC Bayern München!!

I gave up on next years champions league in february, so did the chelsea hierachy as well i think, but winning would also have the added bonus of relegating spurs to thursday night , channel 5.

 

[Tooting Gull]

I'm no Chelsea fan at all, but I don't think where you finished last season is that relevant and it will be a great achievment if they win, with a tough draw. In fact it is precisely because the best leagues have 2, 3 or 4 teams that the tournament is much harder to win now. I wouldn't say better - I used to like it that a team like Malmo, Red Star Belgrade or Hadjduk Split could do well. But it is harder to win.