₦airaland Forum

this is the begining of another trophyless season

The harshest truth is that our team can self implode against any team and there is no possibility of improving defensively sooner and with Wenger not intending to buy a defender in January, Bayern MUNSHIT can be a tougher opponent. The priority should be the league and FA cup. The carling cup is ours except them boys want 2 years loan to Swansea City

The harshest truth is that our team can self implode against any team and there is no possibility of improving defensively sooner and with Wenger not intending to buy a defender in January, Bayern MUNSHIT can be a tougher opponent. The priority should be the league and FA cup. The carling cup is ours except them boys want 2 years loan to Swansea City

@dayokanu. What do you reckon? Bayern disgracing Arsenal home and away or through away goals?

Arsenal vs Barca. 100% out in the next round. Arsenal vs Madrid. 40-60. Arsenal vs Bayern. 50-50. Arsenal vs Shalke. 60-40. With the new style of defending where clean sheet hardly comes by, it will be difficult to advance to later stage of the UCL

The undisputed originator of YEBARIBA SANBORIBOBO have my vote.

Nothing stopping the GUNNERS reaching the knock out stage.

Having won their first three group games, Arsenal have stuttered somewhat and now need a win to secure their place in the next round of the champions league. The odds heavilly favour Shaktar for finishing top of the group. One feels that Wenger would accept progress however it comes, even if that means a potential tie against the likes Barcelona, Real Madrid or Bayern, as his side have failed to score in the last four of their five champions league played in december and their home form has been scratchy this season.

3-3. No be small thing

U mean Martin Jol can do better than Chris?

High scoring match with Defoe brace so far

Anderson makes it 1-1. Victory on the card for Man U if they continue with the pressure. Guess tonight isnt meant for Berbatov to score

1-1 at half time

Half time

Curler by Rooney and it hit the bar and Nani fluffed the rebound

Pablo Hernandez scores for Valencia.

Man U have been poor in the final third of their attacking so far

Another miss by Berbatov

First real chance of the match missed by Anderson

Game on

Champions league debut for United's Amos. Both Da silva's brother also starts the match.

Wenger believes the defence is strong enough to win title

''I believe we have become stronger as a unit defensively because we feel that recently we have been punished a lot. Against Tottenham for example, you cannot say we conceded goals because they created the chances, it was goals we gave away. But, of course, we want to improve our defensive record. That is needed''.

I laugh in Partizan if he belief this is true

3 points GUARANTEED

Its shocking and un-expected. Newcastle board needs some spanking

Barca already guaranteed first place and Panathinaikos certain to finish bottom, the only remaining battle in Group D heading into the final round of matches is the race for second place.

FC Copenhagen currently occupy that spot and they boast a one-point lead over Rubin prior to the visit of a Panathinaikos side who have picked up just two points in five games.

That would suggest Copenhagen are firm favourites to join Barca in the next phase, but Rubin - who have the same head-to-head record against the Danish side with both clubs having won 1-0 against the other at home - will be hopeful of causing an upset at the Nou Camp, despite Barca's stunning form.

Pep Guardiola's troops are unbeaten in 19 competitive matches and in their last nine outings they have scored 36 goals in claiming eight wins - including a 5-0 mauling of bitter rivals Real Madrid in their last home match.

However, Rubin have a good record against the Catalan giants, drawing two of their three previous meetings with Barca whilst also claiming a shock 2-1 win at the Nou Camp in last season's group stages.

Another glimmer of hope for Kurban Berdyev's team is that Guardiola could opt to ring the changes for a match that has little riding on it for the Spanish champions.

In naming his squad for the encounter, Guardiola omitted David Villa, Xavi, Pedro Rodriguez and Dani Alves, along with the injured Gabriel Milito and Seydou Keita, and has called up five players from the reserves.

Nevertheless, the 18-man party still includes four Spanish World Cup winners, plus superstar Lionel Messi, who took his tally to 18 goals in his last 13 appearances with a brace in Saturday's 3-0 win at Osasuna.

Alves said of the Argentinian, who along with club-mates Xavi and Andres Iniesta was today shortlisted for the FIFA Ballon d'Or award: "For me he is a living legend for how he plays and how he surprises us day by day.''

Barca's win over Osasuna, which came after a frantic and controversial race to Pamplona by train and coach due to the air traffic controllers' strike in Spain, kept Guardiola's men two points clear at the top of the Primera Division standings.

Rubin are unbeaten in their last 14 matches in all competitions since losing to FC Copenhagen away in mid-September, although they did not play this weekend as their Russian Premier-Liga season finished on November 28.

Rubin drew their final game 0-0 against Lokomotiv Moscow, leaving them in third place in the standings, 10 points behind champions Zenit St Petersburg.

Opinion polls in Spain are tipping Xavi to win it but its going to be Messi

Harry Redknapp is destined to become England manager, Peter Crouch declared tonight.

Tottenham and England star Crouch joked the only way his club boss will not manage his country is if the Spurs players deliberately start losing games.

Redknapp has long been the favourite to succeed Fabio Capello, whose contract expires in a year and a half, and Football Association general secretary Alex Horne confirmed yesterday the 63-year-old would be on a "not very long'' long list when the job becomes vacant.

Redknapp has made no secret of his desire to take charge of his country but has always maintained he will cross that bridge when he comes to it.

But Crouch was in no doubt this evening where his manager's future lay.

"It's inevitable, to be honest,'' he said.

"He's been fantastic at Tottenham, ever since he came in.

"He took over a side that was struggling and now he's turned them into a team that's playing full of confidence and in the Champions League, and maybe expected now to finish in the top four.

"That's testament to the manager and it's only a matter of time, with him being English as well, that England come knocking on the door.

"But we want to keep him here for as long as possible, so maybe we should start losing a few games!''

An embarrassed Redknapp rejected Crouch's assessment, saying: "I don't know where Crouchie got that one from.

"It's not inevitable, that's for sure.''

A Tottenham win tomorrow in their final Champions League Group A game at FC Twente would simply add to the 'Redknapp for England' clamour.

Victory for the already-qualified Spurs would see them finish top of a pool containing the Dutch champions, European champions Inter Milan and German heavyweights Werder Bremen in what has been their maiden season in the competition.

The outcome also is a far cry from being 3-0 down after 30 minutes of their qualifying-round tie at Young Boys.

Redknapp said: "If you'd have said to me when we were 3-0 down at Young Boys of Bern that we'd be sitting here today definitely qualified, I'd have thought we were all off our heads.

"So it's been great to have done what we've done but we've got to come here tomorrow and try to finish the job if we can.''

While Spurs prepare for the knock-out stages, Twente will drop into the Europa League.

Despite having already qualified for the knockout phase of the Champions League, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has promised to field a full strength side against Valencia in order to collect the point he needs to top Group C.

If United finish in pole position they will avoid some big names in the next round as they are drawn against group runners-up. "The sensible approach is to avoid the bigger hitters like Real Madrid and Barcelona and Bayern Munich, they are the teams that are No. 1 in their groups at the moment," said Ferguson.

The fact that United could also become the first team in Champions League history to complete an entire group phase with six straight clean sheets is also good motivation for selecting a strong side.

All of that means striker Michael Owen will not make his long-awaited return from a hamstring injury, despite resuming full training. Defensive duo Jonny Evans and Wes Brown failed to train ahead of the final group game and, other than long-term casualty Owen Hargreaves, Ferguson has all his senior figures available.

Valencia have also already qualified for the next phase but have a better goal difference than United, who won the reverse fixture 1-0 at the Mestalla, and can still top the group with a victory at Old Trafford.

However, given that the Spanish side cannot be pitted against either Barcelona or Real Madrid in the seeded first knock-out round draw, it could be argued that Valencia do not have the same incentive to win as United, but coach Unai Emery disagrees.

"We want to show to the rest of Europe that we can produce a top performance at a big club," he said.

Los Che have quite a few injury problems with goalkeepers Cesar Sanchez and Miguel Moya out injured and defensive duo David Navarro and Jeremy Mathieu also sidelined.

Manchester United player to watch: Dimitar Berbatov - Spared the humiliating Carling Cup defeat at West Ham in midweek, Berbatov comes into this game fresh from his five-goal haul in the 7-1 mauling of Blackburn Rovers. With United's Premier League match against Blackpool postponed at the weekend the Bulgarian should be rested, raring to go and eager to score his first goal in this season's competition.

:d ;d ;d

Rafa Benitez is not doing a good job for now. LVG can still last the season at bollywood fc barring reaching quarter or semi final of the UCL

Slipping further away from champions league spot

Yebariba SANBORIBOBO