Well, we made it through the qualifiers, and we made it through the draw and now it’s here–the first matchday of the Champions League proper. Since TSE is somewhere in or over the flyover states right now, we shall cede the floor to that other UF team: Spurs.
It’s a Group A matchup today for Tottenham, and I’m going to go ahead and reintroduce a word I coined in the comments of the group draw–Frings’d. As in, “You’re gonna get…”
Because it’s gonna happen. He’s a dirty, dirty man who should be banned from breathing.
The upside, though, is I don’t think it happens today, Spurs fans. Nope, Frings will break your hearts on the return date, November 24. You’ve been forewarned.
Enough chatter, let’s get to the schedule. All matches at 2.45 EDT
Group A
Tottenham Hotspur-Werder Bremen (Fox Soccer Plus)
Spurs-centric preview here, Werder-centric preview here. My prediction: 2-2
FC Twente-Internazionale (FSC)
Twente are unlikely to have anything going for them other than the gaffer on the opposite side. An Inter-centric preview is here. My prediction: 0-1
Group B
Benfica-Hapoel Tel Aviv (DirecTV)
Pass. Israeli newspaper preview. My prediction: 3-0
Olympique Lyon-Schalke 04 (DirecTV)
This could actually be fun. Most likely it will not. Lyon preview, Schalke version. My prediction: 1-1
Group C
Manchester United-Rangers (FSN)
Well, this should be titillating. And a rout. A Man U take on the game. My prediction: 4-0
Bursaspor-Valencia (DirecTV)
The one I will be watching when I fire up the DirecTV. An overarching preview. My prediction: 3-1
Group D
Barcelona-Panathinaikos (DirecTV)
I’m calling it here–upset alert. Previewed from the Barca point of view, and (amazingly) from the Greek side. My prediction: 0-1
FC Copenhagen-Rubin Kazan (DirecTV)
With all due respect, how did two Pot 4 teams get in this group? Another short, overarching preview. My prediction: you won’t watch. Also: 2-3
No prizes for winning the guessing game, but do give it a shot. Oh, and try not to break the site please.
Valencia up through Costa in the 16th
Gorgeous equalizer for Twente at home to Inter…
And Sidney Govou gives Pana a lead over Barcelona!
Barca down 0-1 to Panathiokos. Twente ties it up with Inter.
@JT: I knew you’d come around sooner or later. ;)
@JT
I can see the obvious attempted jinx, and I don’t appreciate it.
Bastos for Lyon in the 20th
@Anonsters
For today, and today only, consider me a “JFRA” fan. (Just F**king Run About)
WB are fouling the s**t out of us on the left, with calls.
And now that niggling s**t gets called. F**k you, ref.
Oh, took 2 mins for Messi to equalize at the Nou Camp. Well then
@Tno
I’d never jinx Spurs. Promise.
Lyon gets an own goal on loan from ManU. Up 1-0 on Schalke. Benfica up 1-0 now too. All sorts of goals being scored today. Except by United. That’s what happens when you loan out one of your leading scorers.
Corluka, you are not BAE or Bale you can’t take te ball up and challenge people.
Marin is a very impressive player.
What minute are we in? Fox doesn’t like showing it, apparently.
WTF is Corluka doing today?
I;m with JT, domestically I hate Spurs, but just like I hate the Steelers, I respect both teams if they aren’t playing mine.
vdv likes to roll about a bit.
@TFA – it was a poor backpass (header) that Bastos got a foot onto, and then he ran onto it to finish. Might have come off the defender, but Bastos pressured him the whole way. I’d give the goal to the Brazilian
@LE: Playing every position but RB.
Then again, I’ve seen Lennon everywhere except on the RW.
I really shouldn’t skip my 4 pm, but I can’ resist the allure of European Soccer, regardless of the team
Pretty clear handball on Hudd. Should be a PK.
Close to a handball.
Lucky, lucky Spurs. Arm raised in the box and it blocks the shot.
@NYK: The jokes don’t work if it’s not an own goal.
That’s a handball
Lennon has been invisible all season.
Is it raining there?
Wac–you should probably go. Save the 4 o’clock skip for a Tuesday when your team are playing.
@wac: Skip! :P
VDV is awesome man.
I’m calling it now: VdV = brilliant acquisition.
Twente go up.
Oooh, s**t, almost had 3.
Milito (you guessed it) OG.
Lennon needs to work on his off the ball movement. He only ever looks comfortable when he has the ball at his feet with space in front of him. Otherwise he just looks lost.
Ah crouch almost got there. That’s the beauty of having a LB playing LM, ball winnning you just wouldn’t get from Kran or VdV.
Twente gets ManU’s prolific goal scorer to go up 2-1 on Inter. How can that guy get transferred so frequently? I think that violates the transfer window and the UEFA player registration rules.
Broadfoot woozy.
seeing Gourcuff in a Lyon shirt makes me ill
David Villa puts Barca 2-1 up
Damn!!!! Bale wondergoal soo close.
OOOOOOOH! Schalke down to 10 men after a high boot into the shoulder. Howedes sent off in the 37th minute
Jenas, with a hell of a challenge in the box.
Wow nice tackles from BAE and JFJ.
It’s crazy that Marin wasn’t good enough to start for Germany.
vdV really should have fed Bale there..
Rooney just pulled up lame….Time to break out the shotgun!
@wac: Let Colleen do the honors.
You’re kidding me.
Kaboul, you are one stupid sonofabitch.
F**k.
Should be a cracking 2nd half now
Paging Carlo, Carlo Cudcini…please report to any ball in the 6 yard box that hangs more than 30 seconds.
Well it was fun while it lasted. Good job this year guys, you fookin ran about well.
Inter equalize through Eto’o'o’o'o’o
That was an MLS goal…..or at least, a goal an MLS team would concede
Motherf**k. I’m gonna blame BAE for his retarded clearance. And then his s**tty marking.
It’s amazing how quickly Almeida has recovered from the devastating neck injury he sustained moments ago. Really remarkable.
@Tno
Cheer the f**k up! It’s CL Matchday 1, and you’re still winning!
I’d be watching this, but the carrot stick attached to a string that is my pay check prevents me from doing so. Work is overrated.
Cudicini has also been good for about one solid blunder that results in a goal in each of his games since Gomes got hurt.
Ah, that’s the vintage Jenas I know. Pass ahead to Lennon or Crouch? No, silly, pass backwards!
Messi scores Barca’s third on the cusp of HT, and they’re home safe.
Messi trying to catch up with the day’s leading scorer, Own Goal, with his second against Pana. 3-1 Catalans.
Hey, we’re still up 2-1! And I also blame BAE on the goal.
So far, Fergie’s rotation has not worked out…
Jenas and Kaboul off at the half for Niko and Gallas, please.
Or the goal on BAE. Whatever.
@phil: Kaboul hasn’t been bad. Jenas either, for that matter. Of course, Jenas hasn’t stood out, but he hasn’t been as bad as we know he can be.
@JT
Look at my avatar, consider my sports fan psychology, then talk to me.
So wait, leave for a meeting and we’re up 2-1 thanks to an own-goal? Excellent, Jenas hasn’t had much of a chance to gift the opposing team with a quality pass for scoring then?
HTs:
Group A
Werder Bremen 1, Tottenham H 2 (you kinda knew that)
FC Twente 2, Internazionale 2
–
Group B
Benfica 1, Hapoel Tel Aviv 0
Lyon 1, Schalke 0
–
Group C
Bursaspor 0, Valencia 2
Manchester U 0, Rangers 0
–
Group D
Barcelona 3, Panathanaikos 1
FC Copenhagen 0, Rubin Kazan 0
@Tno
I’m an LFC and Chicago Cubs fan. I get it.
LOL. I just saw the little shrug that the dude gave to the GK after he OG’d. That was awesome.
Damn. I’d have rawdogged Auld Slapper for a 2-0 halftime score line.
@ Anon: They haven’t been as bad as they can be, but both look real shaky. Jenas made one nice volley to VdV for the goal, and while he amde a nice tackle in the box, it was only necessitated by his typically inept play at the other end, where he gifted possession and set up a break by Werder. BAE was bad on the goal, sure, but if you take him out, you have to slot Bale back there and bring Niko in on the elft. And Niko loves to crash down inside, so now you’ve neutralized Bale a bit and destroyed your width.
@phil: I didn’t suggest taking BAE out. That would be dumb.
@Anon: that was a Pete Campbell-esque shrug.
@phil: I’d honestly just leave well enough alone. Goal aside, we’ve looked really good this half. I don’t see a need to shake anything up.
FYI, our comments are having issues, so we’re moving to a new thread… come upstairs to Bootroom II!
As they show WB’s goal, I am reminded that I miss Gomes.
@JT
Saturday I thought we would win the World Series, Sunday we were going to have 15 losing seasons in a row, last night innings 1-4 we were going to win 3 world series in a row, then Tulo went deep then I cried. Then we won now I’m confused.
@Anon: Oh, I realize that. I just think one of them has to come to solidify that back line, and Kaboul seems the more logical choice.
@LE: I’m all about a proactive sub strategy. I’m not waiting to get opened up in the middle before I take Jenas or Kaboul out. But that’s just me. I think you’re right that we haven’t looked bad, but those two have given enough nervy moments to make me want to make a change.
I guess I’m staying, if only to finish the film assignment due at 6pm I’ve been putting off all week. Also, I’m only missing a guest lecture, so I’m not too concerned
Man U don’t look good to me, I won’t put it past Rangers to pull this one out
Yes, Younes, giving Marko Marin all the space he wants seems to be a good choice.