Re: The Champions League Thread

[Helmer]

yeah Ifti, all the four teams in that group are   

[BeautifulGame]

Dont like Athletico much(too dirty and negative) but Roma and Dortmund are   

[Nishankly]

Thursday 4.45 onwards. Damn we are back in this, unreal feeling.

[Art Morte]

Can't wait for the draw!

[Helmer]

why is the description of the thread is like 'one down, one to go'

[iftikhar]

why is the description of the thread is like 'one down, one to go'

'Cause at the time of creation, we were in the running for the EPL too .

[iftikhar]

What time is the draw? 12 PM (CET) or 17:45 (CET)???

[Helmer]

I dont remember if it was already posted here:

Matchday 1 16–17 September 2014
Matchday 2 30 September–1 October 2014
Matchday 3 21–22 October 2014
Matchday 4 4–5 November 2014
Matchday 5 25–26 November 2014
Matchday 6 9–10 December 2014

almost two more weeks to go

[Art Morte]

Real Madrid, Basel and Ludogorets, I like that draw

Can't wait to play Madrid, last season's winners, to see where we are compared to them!

[McAgger]

Great draw. Could've been MUCH MUCH worse. Could've been better also, but meh I love this.

Think we can even top this group if we have a belter at the Bernabeu.

[Curtinho]

Nothing wrong with this draw, or been much a better one. Realistically there's no reason to not go at least to the knockout stages. Basel is a decent team but they are not the type of team we should lose to with any CL ambitions.

Madrid will be a fun test. I think we can beat them at home, but I doubt we will beat them away. Bale and Ronaldo will have a field day with our fullbacks since Rodgers won't use Enrique for some reason and Moreno right now just looks too inexperienced/unfocused going backwards.

[McAgger]

Moreno has played 1 game after training for less than a week. lol calma.

And Enrique has just come back form a long knee injury. All in due time my friend.

[Curtinho]

Moreno was weak defensively last year, and in european competition as well. It's not something new. I hope that Rodgers can help with that. I prefer Manquillo/Enrique TBQH (or Flanagan when he's healthy).

[McAgger]

http://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/competitions/Draws/02/13/80/00/2138000_DOWNLOAD.pdf

The schedule is out as well.

Matchday 1: LFC vs Ludogorets
Matchday 2: Basel vs LFC
Matchday 3: LFC vs Madrid
Matchday 4: Madrid vs LFC
Matchday 5: Ludogorets vs LFC
Matchday 6: LFC vs. Basel

Fantastic schedule for us. Basel at home on the last day gives us a good advantage over them.

[RedOranje]

Quite happy with that draw for Liverpool, honestly.

Madrid should finish top of the group comfortably and our main goal will likely be to ensure they can't exact "Revenge" for the last meetings between the two clubs. Still having such a big club (and last season's winners) coming to Anfield will ensure that we truly experience the return of CL footy to the club and will provide great experience for our squad.

With all due respect to Ludogorets Razgrad, I'll be quite shocked if they get more than a point or two in the group stages. They have no real home stadium and have the makings of the 7th club since the 11/12 season to lose all of their group stage matches. They should finish bottom by a similar margin to Madrid finishing top.

That leaves Liverpool and Basel to battle it out for 2nd and 3rd, and both clubs are pretty well matched in my eyes. I'll be looking forward to seeing Basel's tactical approach and staunch defense up against our attacking options and think both clubs will consider themselves favourites at home but be wary of the away matches. If may indeed come down to whether either side gets held by Ludogorets and I fancy Liverpool's chances against them due to our more prolific attack.

Even if we do finish third (a real possibility) I'd consider it an acceptable showing so long as we don't get embarrassed in any of the matches and it will provide fantastic experience and lessons for both our squad AND Rodgers himself who has no real experience at this level yet. I would fancy us to make a good run in the EL as well... while the same can be said for Basel, I assume.

About the only thing I would possibly change is replacing Madrid with Bayern or Barca... simply because I'd love to have an Anfield reunion with Alonso (likely) and Reina or Mascherano and Suarez respectively. It's only a minor gripe though, and I'm just ecstatic to be back in the CL and in what should be an interesting and well-situated group.

[RedOranje]

All of that said, I am a bit worried about the Madrid matches.

They may want revenge for our last meeting(s) and they're well built to really hurt us if Rodgers doesn't adjust our approach a bit for them. So far he's shown reasons for both hope and concern for adapting to European matches in his tactical choices in the league... let's just hope we play Madrid on one of his good days.

[McAgger]

August 31 - Spurs (A)

-----International Break---------

September 13 - Villa (H)
September 16 - Ludogorets Razgrad (H)
September 20 - West Ham (A)
September 23 - Middlesbrough (H)
September 27 - Everton (H)

October 1 - FC Basel (A)
October 4 - West Brom (H)

-----International Break------

October 19 - QPR (A)
October 22 - Real Madrid (H)
October 25 - Hull (H)

November 1 - Newcastle (A)
November 4 - Real Madrid (A)
November 8 - Chelsea (H)

-----International Break------

November 23 - Palace (A)
November 26 - Ludogorets Razgrad (A)
November 29 - Stoke (H)

December 2 - Leicester (A)
December 6 - Sunderland (H)
December 9 - FC Basel (H)
December 13 - United (A)
December 20 - Arsenal (H)
December 26 - Burnley (A)
December 28 - Swansea (H)


And some more COC games should we progress

[Art Morte]

Quite happy with that schedule, nice to have a home game in the Prem after each of our CL away games.

[RedOranje]

That Chelsea visit to Anfield after playing at The Bernabeu worries me a bit... that could very easily end up stalling any momentum/form we have going into those matches or alternatively give the media a chance to paint us as a club on the slide if we don't pick up all 3 points before/after those two matches.

[McAgger]

Madrid also face Barcelona right after their visit to Anfield. Might play some part in how Ancelotti decides to field his players.

[RedOranje]

They'll rest Falcao, Ronaldo, and James Rodriguez... leaving them to field Benzema, Bale, and Isco (or Modric/Kroos at CAM).

[iftikhar]

Don't know about you guys, but I'm a bit 'disappointed' with the draw. I would have preferred a 'grander' group on our return, perhaps a 'bigger' club from the Pot 2.

Moving on, I think we ought to qualify for the R16. No disrespect to any of our opponents, but with the kind of squad we have, we must have the assertiveness to qualify.

[Ciprian]

Ludogorets is better than Basel this season. I think it will rather be a fight between Ludogorets and Basel for the 3th place than a fight between Liverpool and Basel for the second place.

[McAgger]

Let's hope you are right Ciprian. I rather wish we can fight Madrid for the top place in this group rather than battling to get 2nd.

[iftikhar]

Ludogorets is better than Basel this season. I think it will rather be a fight between Ludogorets and Basel for the 3th place than a fight between Liverpool and Basel for the second place.

Any players to watch out for???

[Ciprian]

Younes Hamza, their recent transfer.
They are not a very good team, but I said they are better than Basel this year only because Basel is weaker. They(Basel) sold some key players. The point is I don't think Basel would be a threat for Liverpool.

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