Champions League - Round of 16 - 2nd Legs 5/6/12/13 March

[Red Regista]

I think Inter failed to finish Atletico off. Thuram and Barella had clean shots on goal, but boy o boy does that Atletico team have some fighting spirit in them!
Reminded me of SAF's United teams. Depay looked like a completely different player than I can remember from his United days. He was confident, sharp, hard working and a genuine threat.
Simeone - think about him what you want, but his teams always do fight like mad men are are very very tough to beat in the UCL.

I believe that of all the 7 teams they could play, Pep doesn't want to see Atletico. The rest he doesn't care about I'm sure, but Atletico with their style and fighting spirit could outlast City.

I'm 99% sure Dortmund are gone next round, they looked very pedestrian in both legs against PSV.

 

[Oranges038]

I miss the '1 goal changes all' part of the experience but the current rules are more fair and civilized. That Atletico tie would have been all but over after Inter scored otherwise.

Aye, still I think when games are close, it adds something extra to the occasion and makes the games more interesting.

Like I said above, without it, may as well just make these 1 legged ties and the first name out of the hat plays at home or play it at a neutral venue.

 

[Rojofiam]

Why would Arsenal be favorites against Inter?

And not 100% sure they would be favourites against PSG either.

Looks like Rojofiam will be left shocked if Arsenal make their exit in the next round. If he has money on them I hope for his sake it's was a small amount.

They were bad against Porto and also not very impressive in maybe the weakest CL group.
They are a talented but inexperienced team that so far couldnt translate their PL performances into the CL.

No one outside England or die hard PL fans would rank Arsenal 3rd for winning the CL.

Odds are out

 

[RoyH1]

Odds are out

That's because more people in the UK bet and that affects the odds.

 

[Rojofiam]

That's because more people in the UK bet and that affects the odds.

You're wrong

These are the opening lines from Pinnacle, the sharpest bookmaker in the world, that's not even available in the UK

 

[carvajal]

Atlético had a good game yesterday. Simeone has enough credit (if he didn't have enough) to spend another five years on the bench.
For different reasons my preferences for the quarters are Bayern, Barcelona or City.

 

[giorno]

I miss the '1 goal changes all' part of the experience but the current rules are more fair and civilized. That Atletico tie would have been all but over after Inter scored otherwise.

Case in point

 

[Powderfinger]

Arsenal looked nervy across both legs against Porto - lots of uncharacteristic poor touches and miscontrols - and also clearly struggled a bit to adapt to a different to the combination of Conceicao's tactics and the way the matches were being refereed.

I think what Arsenal does have in their favor is a setup that, inexperience aside, is pretty well suited to cup football. We don't concede very often, especially when we line up with Kiwior or Tomiyasu at LB, and the side is very big and physical overall. Having a defensively solid, physical side got us through that Porto tie (barely) when our entire possession game essentially ground to a halt.

All that said, I can't imagine us progressing further unless we get over the nerves, adapt a bit tactically, and play better in the next round with the ball at our feet. A lot really just depends on how steep the learning curve is for the squad.

Arsenal having better odds than Real Madrid or Bayern may say more about the latter two having down years/injury issues than the former.

 

[RoyH1]

You're wrong

These are the opening lines from Pinnacle, the sharpest bookmaker in the world, that's not even available in the UK

Ok. I'm wrong. I'll take pleasure in seeing the mighty Woolwich Arsenal in the final after disposing of those pesky continental teams that don't really have that much experience in the competition.

 

[always_hoping]

Odds are out

As I said already if you or anyone else has money on them I hope for your sake it was just a small amount cash.

 

[Rojofiam]

Ok. I'm wrong. I'll take pleasure in seeing the mighty Woolwich Arsenal in the final after disposing of those pesky continental teams that don't really have that much experience in the competition.

As I said already if you or anyone else has money on them I hope for your sake it was just a small amount cash.

Where did I say they'll win it or that they're definitely making the final?

No one can predict the future, not even the biggest geniuses in football, or even the bookmakers.

I'm just talking about probabilities. Arsenal are among the 4 most likely teams to win the Champions League. You disagreed with me, but the bookmakers didn't, and they very rarely get it wrong on huge markets, like the Champions League.

@always_hoping I don't have any money on them. It's just tiring to see how delusional this forum can be regarding certain topics, and Arsenal's true level under Arteta since the beginning of last season is definitely one of them. 1 year ago I was defending them against claims that 22/23 was their Leicester season and they wouldn't come close to winning the league again. 12 months later, those predictions couldn't have been further from the truth.

 

[always_hoping]

Can't imagine us progressing further unless we get over the nerves, adapt a bit tactically, and play better in the next round with the ball at our feet. A lot really just depends on how steep the learning curve is for the squad.

Arsenal having better odds than Real Madrid or Bayern may say more about the latter two having down years/injury issues than the former.

Hard to disagree with any of that. The worst thing about Madrid, Bayern in their current state means Man City will likely retain the Champions league

Where did I say they'll win it or that they're definitely making the final?

No one can predict the future, not even the biggest geniuses in football, or even the bookmakers.

I'm just talking about probabilities. Arsenal are among the 4 most likely teams to win the Champions League. You disagreed with me, but the bookmakers didn't, and they very rarely get it wrong on huge markets, like the Champions League.

@always_hoping I don't have any money on them. It's just tiring to see how delusional this forum can be regarding certain topics, and Arsenal's true level under Arteta since the beginning of last season is definitely one of them. 1 year ago I was defending them against claims that 22/23 was their Leicester season and they wouldn't come close to winning the league again. 12 months later, those predictions couldn't have been further from the truth.

That's good to hear, a sensible choice.