DebSchiff

Thing is, you could have started this thread with the exact opposite title tonight. Rosenborg winning at crappy Valencia, Schalke outplaying Chelsea.

I think the massive amounts of TV money the CL brings inevitably evens things out between competitors in the competition, while creating inequalities in their domestic leagues between those who are in the cl and those who aren't.

retired_corzawoodja

Schalke did not outplay us.

retired_ishmael

Yeah agree with that. The thing is in the champions league the so called smaller teams will raise their game. The big teams in general feel pretty safe that they will go through well at least for the first couple of match days.
I do think that Platini's proposed rule would be fantastic for football all over Europe. At the very least though there should be rules to stop players under a certain age playing in another country. Fair enough the best players can go abroad but too many of them are.

DebSchiff

I'm judging from the highlights, granted, but they had several guilt edged chances to score, Chelsea looked poor and even the little engerlander's at ITV said Chelsea were "disorganised" and "had a hard day at the office", with which Frank Lampard agreed.

But they didn't outplay you?

SO ****ing defensive the lot of you. No-one mentioned russian oil millions y'know.

BobbyK

these are how the groups ended up last year and I pretty much can say that 7/8 of the groups go through as accordance to what you would expect. </BLOCKQUOTE>

Nelly 100% right. Only qualifier that looks even remotely out of place is Celtic and that's debatable.

retired_corzawoodja

We were poor and they had easily the better chances hitting the bar and the post, but we must have comfortably had the lion's share of possesion. For a home team it was ridiculous how deep in their own half they sat. A constant chorus of whistles emanating from the stands as we passed it along the back four. So no, not outplayed. We were rubbish, but then so were they.


Not commentating on your last paragraph as it looks like you've got a chip on your shoulder that needs attending to.

retired_Fit

Dont worry, it'll be more competitive when the domestic cup winners get in as well

retired_sacclover@yahoo

Bring back the Cup Winners Cup

retired_v_meenucancer

chelsea fans such a joke

retired_bball3378

rather than gaps growing between countries, I think the bigger issue is going to be the CL becoming more and more of a closed shop as the extra revenue streams make it easier and easier for the regular faces to qualify year in, year out...it's a trend that already very obvious and it's just going to get worse.