Liverpool FC Forum

[Ola Mr Benitez]

....does that mean Chelsea are out?

[azriahmad]

No, ola...unfortunately.

If that happens, Chelski and Betis will be tied on points at 10 apiece by Chelsea would go ahead based on their stronger/better head-to-head on aggregate in the 2 matches against Betis. Chelski have a 4-1 head-to-head advantage.

As it is, Chelski are already through. Let's hope they draw Milan or Barca next...

[AussieKopite]

No, ola...unfortunately.

If that happens, Chelski and Betis will be tied on points at 10 apiece by Chelsea would go ahead based on their stronger/better head-to-head on aggregate in the 2 matches against Betis. Chelski have a 4-1 head-to-head advantage.

As it is, Chelski are already through. Let's hope they draw Milan or Barca next...

Well, Chelsea due to its lack of European history will be in a lower seed teir I think. LFC is in the highest tier with Milan, Real Madrid & Bayern Munich; which is why we didn't draw Milan until the final.

Chances are Chelsea my face Barca in the quarter-finals, depending on the draw obviously.

[Dannyboy]

When will the draw be boys does anyone know.

[AussieKopite]

December 16 I think.

Not sure though, I think I read it somewhere today.

[AussieKopite]

I checked on UEFA.com, its definitely the 16th.

[MilitiaRusher]

No, ola...unfortunately.

If that happens, Chelski and Betis will be tied on points at 10 apiece by Chelsea would go ahead based on their stronger/better head-to-head on aggregate in the 2 matches against Betis. Chelski have a 4-1 head-to-head advantage.

As it is, Chelski are already through. Let's hope they draw Milan or Barca next...

Well, Chelsea due to its lack of European history will be in a lower seed teir I think. LFC is in the highest tier with Milan, Real Madrid & Bayern Munich; which is why we didn't draw Milan until the final.

Chances are Chelsea my face Barca in the quarter-finals, depending on the draw obviously.

No, the drawing would be seperated into 2 pots according to your placement in the group stage. It has nothing to do with your seeding unfortunately, so its crucial for us to secure top place if we want to avoid the likes of Barcelona etc.

[AussieKopite]

I sit corrected.

[MilitiaRusher]

I sit corrected.

I'm not sure whether I understand you here?

[Gracias King Rafa]

I can't help thinking(although it depends on the final group matches) that we'll be paired with Lyon.....

[XSD]

nm someone else touched on it.

[Lando_Griffin]

A draw against Sh*tski is definately achievable, but I'd rather use the game to bring experience to certain players, and give the usual starting 11 a well-earned rest.
Yes it's Sh*tski, but so f*cking what? They're a bunch of b*stards, and it'll p*ss them off so much if we put a second-string team out against them, showing all of Europe we couldn't give a toss who we meet. (Be that the case or not!)
A move like that would really put a seed of doubt in all the 15 other teams' minds - LFC, holders, and cool as a cucumber.
I know that most people will disagree, but thats my view on it.
I also believe that if we put our best side out and lose, it'll affect our entire season a la Scum in FA cup c.1998/9.

[azriahmad]

Easy, Lando...we all hate them but they are still a class act because of the squad depth they have.

Just wonder how long it will last.

In the late 80s, a Bernard Tapie backed Marseille became a big force in European football but they were still bundled out of the European Cup by Benfica (if I am not mistaken) who then was soundly thrashed by AC Milan in the final, then lost a final on penalties to Red Star Belgrade and finally won against AC Milan in the revamped competiton in 1993 but was tainted by bribery scandals involving match officials along the way.

Tapie was jailed for fraud and Marseille lost their way. There is lettle chance of Abramovic succumbing to that as he just sold off his ownership in Sibneft to avoid falling foul of the Putin government but still, one wonders how long his interest in splashing out at Chelsea will last.

One thing for sure, the CL is such a tough competition where the element of luck in the draw can still wreck havoc to the best well laid plans and well funded clubs in a way a domestic league can't. In the EPL, you get tough opponents who sometimes play above their abilities by summoning collective will and energy to sometimes register the upset but in the CL, you get either champions of their own leagues or the top teams with top quality and just need a good day or two to bundle even the best side out at the knock-out stages.

There are no really easy draws in the last 16, just some sides who we may fancy more to face. Coming out as group winners will mean that we avoid other group winners in the next draw.

[liamac]

azriahmad  sumed it up well . You only have to have a bit of luck and you avoid  the "big" teams , take Porto from 2004 for example, they avoided just about anyone and everyone to get to the final.............the special one my @rse !!!

[azriahmad]

Liamac, Porto had some help from one Silvio Berlusconi.

In the QF (if I am not mistaken), Deportivo was going to play the second leg at home after trailing the then defending champs AC Milan 1-0 from the first leg. Berlusconi said that his team "plays to entertain, and must field 2 strikers" which Ancelotti proceeded to ditch his normal plan/tactics and followed and Milan were soundly beaten 4-0 in Portugal. How often do you see or hear AC Milan, like Juve who are masters of closing down games completely, concede more than 2 goals (of course we did score 3 against them and so did Fiorentina just last week) in a match? After that, Porto had the much easier task of disposing Deportivo rather than Milan in the semis.

Also, Porto avoided big names and only had Manure in their way to the CL final. Monaco did more work in disposing the big boys.

Last season, we had some luck, no doubt in avoiding Barcelona but we had a much more difficult task of drawing Juve and Chelsea after Bayer Leverkusen.