Champions League Match Day 4 (part deux) Open Thread
The key to LFC's success...oh snap
Arsene Wegner hates November. Oh really? The only folks I know that like November are deer hunters and those who fantasizes about having intimate relations with the carcasses of fowl. Otherwise it’s a month that signifies to the northern hemisphere that it’s getting colder, and darker, and generally more miserable. Wegner adds his hatred to the month with his bemoaning of injuries. Didn’t he ever read “The Secret”? Thinking about injuries means you’re going to get them.
Also, today is the day we all might get to see Liverpool’s finances go down the drain. LFC essentially has to win today’s match to have any thoughts of progressing to the knockout stages of Champions League play and the filthy luchre that goes along with it. The Reds sit on 3 points from 3 matches. Lyon has 9 points and Fiorentina 6. Each both have a match remaining against Debrecen which is a likely 3 points. So, winning out will give the Reds 12 points total and shot of overtaking Fiorentina if a result goes LFC’s way. Which is all to say, it doesn’t look good for the Reds.
Liverpool has 12 first team players injured at the moment. Most importantly, captain Steven Gerrard is out and may have to go under the knife and wunderkind Fernando Torres is suffering from an injury and if rumors are to be believed may go under the knife as well after today’s match. So, LFC is looking at a very tough road ahead in CL and League play. Maybe crocked Alberto Aquilani can come through from his injury and be a new superstar, but don’t hold your breath.
Anyway, there are other matches out there today. Arsenal can lock up a knockout stage slot with a victory today and so could fellow Group H member Olympiakos. In Group G, Sevilla can assure its final 16 space with a victory as well.
Rubin Kazan vs. Barcelona: Fox Sports en Español/FSC (11/4/09, 12:30 PM EST), FSC (11/4/09, 7:00 PM EST)
Lyon vs. Liverpool: Fox Sports en Español/FSC (11/4/09, 2:45 PM EST), FSC (11/4/09, 9:00 PM EST)
Arsenal vs. AZ Alkmaar: Setanta (11/4/09, 2:45 PM EST), FSC (11/4/09, 5:00 PM EST)
Sevilla vs. VfB Stuttgart: DirecTV (11/4/09, 2:45 PM EST), FSC (11/5/09, 11:00 AM EST)
Dynamo Kiev vs. Inter Milan: DirecTV (11/4/09, 2:45 EST)
Fiorentina vs. Debrecen: DirecTV (11/4/09, 2:45 PM EST)
Standard Liege vs. Olympiakos: DirecTV (11/4/09, 2:45 PM EST)
Unirea Urziceni vs. Rangers: DirecTV (11/4/09, 2:45 PM EST)
Comments
There is also the random EPL Aston Villa v. West Ham match.
Random? My shit weekend result that dropped me 4 spots in the UF yahoo fantasy league depends on that match to be less shit.
<—- dead fucking last in the EPL league
I adblocked that Alonso picture, just can't deal with it.
Lyon’s warmups are eye gougingly bad.
Dear Job:
Fuck off. I want to watch football.
Goddamit,
Precious Roy
Courtesy of Arseblog: Almunia – Eboue – Gallas – Vermaelen – Gibbs – Song – Fabregas – Diaby – Arshavin – van Persie – Nasri
Mannone – Sagna – Senderos – Rosicky – Eduardo – Ramsey – Sylvester
I wouldn’t mind a sound Liverpool victory today.
Man they really like showing the jerseys set up.
Nice to see Nasri back. But is it really necessary to have Silvestre and Senderos on the bench?
@NYK: Do you know this guy?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s89FqNpXO4&feature=player_embedded
Lyon (4-3-3): Lloris, Reveillere, Cris, Toulalan, Cissokho; Pjanic, Makoun, Kallstrom; Gomis, Bastos, Lisandro.
Subs: Vercoutre, Ederson, Govou, Delgado, Tafer, Gassama, Gonalons.
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Reina, Carragher, Agger, Kyrgiakos, Insua; Lucas, Mascherano; Kuyt, Voronin, Benayoun, Torres.
Subs: Cavalieri, Aquilani, Babel, Ngog, Spearing, Darby, Ayala.
“Torres is the only one who can score”
“Here’s a video of Kuyt scoring”
Good call.
@Goat – yes, we all know each other. His name is Jean.
Goddamnit the middle guy is stupid. Sortiros starting means Carragher is playing bad? Actually it means Carragher is starting too idiot.
I fail to see how a Lyonnais line led by Michel Bastos, Gomis, Pjanic and Lisandro doesn’t utterly slaughter Carragher, Agger, Kyrgiakos and Insua.
To put it bluntly: fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck
No Carlsberg logo on Liverpool shirts today? WTF. I thought they drink a shitton of alcohol in France.
Yep, not advertising for booze. Confusing, right?
Did he just use the word “gastronomic?”
This is ugly thusfar. Come on, I don’t feel like drinking today.
RvP just misses after they completely slice up AZ with one-touch passes…
Terrific right-footed strike by RVP from just outside the box sails just wide.
@NYK: I knew it. Come on Arsenal! I’m forced to watch the replay–stupid fucking home computer.
Ticky tacky on Carragher. Let them play.
Diaby and Song continue to look lost out there… when Fab has the ball they run AT him…
The constant half-second hiccups in my stream are starting to piss the shit out of me. Come on illegal feed pirates, get this under control!
Check out the picture of the new Sweden boss
Stone cold badass.
Stupid play by the AZ keeper on a back pass gives Arsenal an early indirect FK just outide the box.
Arsenal indirect FK from the 6…
Damn damn damn
Predictably hits the wall for a corner.
Georger, would you rather have NGog or Voronin starting? Quite a few people are telling the BBC live text they’d rather have NGog, which I find slightly curious.
Cokehead scores for Fiorentina.
eh Ngog isn’t fully fit, so no.
What a shot and what a save.
ahh gotcha. Robbie Keane might be useful right now, at least in guaranteeing that Liverpool are as good as Lyon.
Injury sub for Lyon arleady. Reveillere off Gassama on.
Steve: no, Robbie Keane would absolutely not be useful, thanks. He’s fucking awful this season.
Voronin looked confused and out of sorts at Fulham over the weekend, so if he was healthy, I would have gone with Ngog
I do believe we have scored
FABREGAS!!!
WE’VE GOT CESC FABREGAS!
Poor goalkeeping btw.
nice!
Sheva has Kiev ahead of Inter.
And settle down ladies, there are some games that actually have an impact on something today.
Keeper should have had that one… did anyone realize that Cesc scored?!?! Weak save attempt by the goalie and weaker celebration from Arsenal.
Voronin: king of the 1v1
*single gunshot*
@Hock
Surely they were too embarrassed to celebrate
@Georger: Couldn’t hit water falling out of a boat.
Which would be an improvement.
Particularly with an anvil tied to his ankle.
someone is going to end up with something broken in the his Lyon v Liverpool match
Good foul by Agger.
“someone is going to end up with something broken in the his Lyon v Liverpool match”
My will to live was broken a long while ago actually.
I’m sure sheva wouldn’t mind sticking it to Inter
Dammit Diaby… GET OUT OF THE WAY…
Fuck. Debrecen goal.
From Jonny in Birmingham, via text on 81111: “I like seeing Voronin play. It gives me hope that I might one day play in the Champions League.” chuckle.
At least we’re winning in injuries inflicted! 2-0 2-0 2-0
we appear to have scored again
NASRI!!
NASRI!!!! 2-0
I just started watching this match, and my stream’s cut off half the scoreboard. It’s either 8-0 or 0-0…and, really, neither would surprise me.
Nasri with a sweet move to turn his defender … check that replay shows pretty weak defending. Nice finish.
Just a note to Diaby and Song… did you see how Nasri ran _away_ from Arshavin on that play? Towards the goal and on an angle… it is pretty simple.
Why the fuck is Voronin handling our set pieces?
Georger….
I am not able to watch at work, but what you just posted…
“Why the fuck is Voronin handling our set pieces?”
made me throw up in my mouth a little…
Two minutes stoppage time when there were two players who had to get subbed for injuries. What the fuck.
Does a draw really help Liverpool at this point?
@Magna: it does if Fio draw or lose. If Fio win, we’d be 5 points adrift in 3rd place with 2 to play. Would need Lyon to beat Fio, and we’d need to beat both Fio and Debrecen.
Fouls against Torres: 4
Fouls against the rest of Liverpool: 3
Holy crap.. just saw a reply of Sheva’s goal…. take THAT Jose!
just saw both arsenal goals…keeper could have done a lot better on both of them. Cesc’s was horrible – have to imagine he was thinking far post – and he could’ve had stronger hands on Nasri’s.
I have seen nothing. I am following on gamecast, and the only thing I can see for sure is that Rangers suck total ass.
Fabregas from Arshavin 3-0 Arsenal…
Good, now pile on. And do it ruthlessly.
that’s what she said
So Lyon signed a shirt sponsorship with a gambling company, but you can’t advertise gambling there either. I really hope someone lost their job over that.
Was wondering why the hell they had blank shirts.
This last goal was no gimmie… Arshavin sliced them open with a through ball and Cesc left footed it into the top of the net. AW should consider subbing some of the guys out, now.
I’m not watching this (at work – booo!) but following several gamecasts. Is Van Persie playing? haven’t had his name pop up more than once or twice
Fiorentina back up.
whiz: only time I saw it was because he was offsides and it killed an attack.
bad news, pool fans
RvP _is_ playing… he’s drawing a lot of coverage up top and they are scoring through the mids. Not a bad game for him, in fact, he almost scored about 3 mins in.
As it stands:
Lyon – 10
Fiorentina – 9
Liverpool – 4
Debrecen – 0
I wonder if Maarten Martens’ parents were Jonathan Richman fans.
@Georger – online gambling will be legal in France starting in January, so Lyon will be able to have the BetClic logo after that
Thankfully Lyon play Fiorentina next, so they will still need to win.
Ah. Well as long as they didn’t cancel the check.
Almunia makes a nice reaction save on a shot to deflect it off the crossbar… could have gone it for sure.
Fuckity fuck fuck fuck.
Fiorentina just added a third…
“Good, now pile on. And do it ruthlessly.”
“that’s what she said”
Christ, I need to meet some French girls.
Fiorentina two up, not shocking.
4-1.
Christ, I need to meet some
Frenchgirls.Fixed.
Eduardo and Ramsey in for vanPersie and Fabregas… good subs.
Not sure how Lyon has a dead Romanian Communist playing for them.
@Hockalees
I’m somewhat surprised Wenger didn’t wait until the 85th to do that. He’s usually late with garbage time subs.
@HL — got that big trip to Wolves on Saturday to worry about
Time to earn that money Babel Fish.
Gibbs almost hits the same goal Fabregas hit earlier.
GOD FUCKING DAMNIT
Important football news flash. Norwich youth team are beating Dulwich 1-0 in the FA youth Cup. Get it canary babies!
Diaby just scores on a counterattack, 4-0 Arsenal (Diaby scores… I did not expect to type that today)
Silly goal. That’s 4-0 to the Arsenal.
don’t count your chicks till they’ve hatched, Neddy
Dulwich? Exciting place, I imagine.
Debrecen pulls to within 2… 2-4 in Italy.
I like Bafetimbi Gomis, incidentally.
here come Debrecen! 4-2!
The Broodwich > Dulwich
Weak ass call on Torres. Cris is a bitch.
Arshavin gets a well deserved rest… 3 assists today… Mozart on in his place.
You stupid Greek bastard!
bad news using the 3rd sub on rosicky…odds are he’ll need replacing
Salieri put on to defend Mozart…. ha. ha.
Ok, I quit.
And its 5-2 Fiorentina… sorry Reds…
just caught cesc’s 2nd….very well taken by el capitan
@Anonsters. Yet they play at a place called ‘champion hill’
Still one nil to my Norwich super kids.
Is Rafa saving his subs for extra time and penalties?
Good god, thank you for Lisandro muffing two sure goals.
Subs Rafa? No?
AND THE RANGERS, ARE STILL STANDING!
Hey, Rangers get off the mat.
If he gets a second yellow for that …..
There goes the shut out… weak goalkeeping from Almunia on that shot. 4-1
I don’t see how you’re going to sub Rafa out, Georger. Daglish isn’t just sitting there in a warm up Armani, is he?
Oh for fuck’s sake. Can we keep a clean sheet, ever?
We were playing really well until five minutes ago. Good time to slow up.
What the fuck, Almunia? Boyfriend pound you in the ass too hard and render you anable to bend down?
Roy: No. Next question.
Hmm, wasn’t Dalglish a failure last time? Aim higher pool fans. Great players make shite managers.
I guess I should have said, “No. Unless you’re playing Spurs.”
Arsenal appeal for a handball on a corner, while everyone is standing around with their hands in the air, AZ are off to the races a score on a poor shot. Only fair, really, our first two were dubious as well.
EARN THAT MONEY BABEL FISH!
nice.
awesome, just awesome.
no let’s not fuck it up
BTW, 34 shots attempted, 2 pennos (one missed by Webcam) and 17 corners in the Villa/WHAM! match. 1-1 at 80′.
Ramsey clangs number 5 off of the crossbar.
“Hmm, wasn’t Dalglish a failure last time?”
Really? REALLY?
Three league titles with them, two FA cups, won the league with Blackburn, took them to runner up as well, took Newcastle to runner up.
Liverpool should just start every match down a goal or at the bottom of the table… they play better when they HAVE to have something.
How was Babel’s goal? Fucking customers keep calling and I missed it.
Oh and during his six years, guess how many times they finished lower than second? None.
For someone that took over immediately after Heysel, and was in charge during Hillsborough as well, it’s a miracle he did as well as he did.
when does rambo get to replace diaby in the starting XI?
I do apologize. You are indeed correct. Confused with the Souness spell. Now there was a peach. Nice player though.
@MH: stunning
Oh god yes he was horrific, no doubt about that Ned!
Ngog for Torres? Are there even words to describe the talent dropoff Liverpool just undertook with that change?
and we just might see Rangers in the Europa
“Ngog comes on in place of Torres as Benitez looks to give him some much-needed rest.”
…in the 87th minute. Insightful commentary there, ESPN.
“Gastronomical” perhaps?
Guess what, Rangers are level again.
and Beye gets a late sending off. Luke Young makes his return to the pitch to shore up the back line.
WSR: you may mock, but 9 of our starting XI today were responsible for pantsing your team a fortnight ago. Think on that for a minute.
OF FUCKING COURSE
FT at Emirates… 4-1 in a game never in doubt.
Inter sneaks ahead, and Rangers are shite again. The world turns.
holy shit (re: ‘pool)
The defending on that entire sequence was fucking terrible. God damnit this is ridiculous.
Van der Sar’s on the take, JT.
The sheer joy in the announcers voice is awesome.
sneijder…how was there not room for him at Madrid again? He’s been a beast at Inter
Was that a Yankees hat on Fabregas? I thought I saw it and they cut away.
CRAP.
since Lucas got better once he shaved his head, someone should tie down the Greek and do it. Maybe then he wouldn’t be such shite defender.
besides needing to win out, what is the help that Liverpool now need to advance?
If Fiorentina beat Lyon, Liverpool are out no matter what.
If they draw Lyon, Liverpool have to beat Fiorentina on goal differential.
If they lose to Lyon, Liverpool advance by winning out.
Paul Tomkins just called Henry Winter a cunt on twitter.
I’m going to guess from Keith’s reaction that Villa is no longer tied 1-1.
That’s a pretty hefty GD, tho, after Fio’s drubbing of Drebe today.
Yeah they pretty much need to beat Deb. by four at least.
yeah, PR, Zavon Hines in freaking stoppage time.
Well at least Keith is miserable too.
calmer than you are, Mike.
Georger: Do let us Spurs fans know if you’d like lessons in whinging and self-loathing.
GD is currently 7 in favor of Fiorentina. That’s not something that can be easily overcome, but Debrecen looked to be pretty charitable today. Not an easy hill to climb, but possible.
oh my god why did you use a picture of xabi for this thread :@
it was nice knowing you all!!!!!!!!
Stupid Habib Beye.