CL: Real Madrid vs Arsenal/AFC vs RM | 21/02/06 & 08/03/06

[daniel]

we have weaknesses but if we are capable of beating chelsea in the next match then im 99.999% sure we can beat real, the other 0.1% is injuries
btw by the time we play with real, cole will be back and hopefully our team will be full power

Hope so!!! Wold love to see us crash them in our first european meeting!

 

[Asterix]

I would have preferred an easier team, like Rangers, but this will be a cracking tie. In fact the round will be full of them. Half of us, Chelsea, Barca, Madrid, Milan and Bayern will not be in the quarters. Plus no Manure of course!

 

[nazo]

I would have preferred an easier team, like Rangers, but this will be a cracking tie. In fact the round will be full of them. Half of us, Chelsea, Barca, Madrid, Milan and Bayern will not be in the quarters. Plus no Manure of course![/quote]

that part is the best isnt it

 

[YeahBee]

A good draw for us and plus other intressting matches the Italy vs Germany thing was cool but will surely be boring, Vorsprung durch teqnich vs Catenaccio. Juve thru and Probably Milan(better defense) PSV vs Lyon is a tough one. Amazing by PSV to continue there succes from last year with losing, Bommel, Vogel and Hiddijnk

Lets just all cheer for Barca vs Chelski. I do want them in the finals. But I want our old team back in shape and on a great run in fantastic form
I know some of them are still here in body but not in mind and Kolo wasn't in our old team but I call the shots here punks. Go on make my day ;D
Jens (feels that his attitude would be great in a finale)
Lauren, Kolo* Sol, Cole
Freddie, Paddy, Gilberto, Pires
Henry Dennis

vs
Valdes
Belleti Marques, Puyol, Silviniho
Xavi, van Bommel
Giuly Deco Ronaldinho
Eto'o

Both teams in a good mood would make this the best CL finale ever, probably penatlties after 9-9 or something because when these team flow no defence can stop them

 

[invisibleman18]

I think it will be very difficult to keep it close in Spain. I really do.

call me a pessimist but thats what i think too, i really didnt want to draw Real, and i just have a feeling its going to be very similar to last season against bayern (ie, lose the away leg 3-0 or 3-1 leaving too much to do at home).
maybe i have always seen real madrid on this pedestal above the rest, i dont know, but they are the one team along with bayern i really wanted to avoid. my head actually dropped when i heard our name come out.

 

[Canuck]

See, the tricky bit about getting 'Gers would be that we would have come out of 2 matches with at least 1 injury to carry into the next round. At least 1...so it's nice that didn't happen.


It should be a nice open match against Madrid. Obviously it will come down to who outscores the other. Like I said it shouldn't be a problem to get Reyes, Cesc, Thierry and Robin, up for it. Plus if we have Lauren-Kolo-Sol-Ashley all fit we have a very nice chance of having the better defence on the day.

Won't be suprised if Bergkamp starts the Highbury match regardless of anybody's form...

 

[RocktheCasbah]

f

Flights booked - Madrid here I come! £47

Tottenham watching Eastenders!

:cry: Lucky bastard, oh what i'd do to get a chance to be at highbury for that game...
OH and wtf? tottenham wont be watching eastenders, they'll be watching us beat the s**t outta real madrid while still thinking they are the "Top North London club" HAHAHA!!!

It's an Arsenal chant. :roll:

 

[Biggus]

I would have preferred an easier team, like Rangers, but this will be a cracking tie. In fact the round will be full of them. Half of us, Chelsea, Barca, Madrid, Milan and Bayern will not be in the quarters. Plus no Manure of course!

Oh come on Asterix this is why we bother watching football for...dream ties like this one....besides, there are no sure things in the CL...or life

Canuck-I am now a proud dad of future Gooner-Sebastien

 

[_scorpion_]

I can't believe people are doubting us.

Come Feb we could be on fire, so could they.. but there defence is still awful.. I'm confident we can turn it on.

Come Feb you can guarantee they will have new players in the squad. Unlike us, they spend money.

That being said I'm happy we drew a big team for a change and I wasnt confident of us doing anything special in the CL this year anyway, so if we can 'show up' on the big stage and play ell, win lose or draw i'll be satisfied.

 

[imbak]

Omg this is a great draw, I can not wait. The best part of it is that the home leg is being played on my birthday, 8th March

 

[BreakAway]

Where is there captain,Raul?where is there coach? :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

 

[asajoseph]

This is a fantastic draw for football, although I'd rather have played Benfica!

Seriously though, it's fascinating for so many reasons - Arsenal and Real Madrid are two clubs who've had very different philosophies when it's come to building teams over the years, but seem to have ended up in very similar predicaments this season - both have had a number of poor performances this season, in which senior players have failed to step up to the task and young talents have failed to live up to their hype. Both, once so dominant in the middle of the park, seem desparate to regain something in central midfield that's been lost since selling talismanic players. And both were out of the title running last season. Then there's all the ties between the clubs - Real wanting our players, Real wanting our manager, Real signing our players, Reyes' record against them and the animosity that Fabregas is likely to feel.

The game is a long way away, and difficult to call at this stage - neither side has been playing well, although Real have been making a much better fist of keeping up in the title chase in Spain (although to a less dominant team in a better overall leauge). Much can change between now and then, and Real Madrid are still in relative turmoil - they could sign some superstars in January, or they could completely implode before Christmas. We are unlikely to be much different come febuary, barring the inevitable injuries that will come our way and improvement expected in a team that'll have played together for a few months more.

From this vantage point, I'd hazard a guess at Real winning at the Bernabeu, and a draw at Highbury - I don't expect to beat them, but really, it's nothing more than a guess.

That said, beating Real Madrid over two legs, no matter how poor they are at the moment, would do a heck of a lot to restore our diminishing credibility.

 

[AFCFan4Ever]

Wenger, Henry, and Arsenal as a whole have been waiting for this tie for years...there is no way we will be unprepared and get steamrolled, this will focus all our big stars and force the team to come together. This was the perfect tie for us...it was better to draw a team like Real who are no more physical than us and will play open football rather than drawing a team that'll play boring, frustrating defensive football like say Benfica for instance. Our technical players will get time and space to operate against Madrid (esp. in the midfield) and I'll take Henry, Van Persie, Cesc, Reyes, Hleb, etc. in any game that is an openly offensive contest against ANY team, even Madrid. These two games could make or break Arsenal for the next several seasons, we'll put everything we have into beating Real and I think we'll come out on top...just too much riding on this for us. A win against a Europen giant like Real could really propel us to great things but a loss could just add to what has been a miserable season. Come on you Gunners!!!!

 

[invisibleman18]

i agree with your post asa, cant see us getting anything in the away leg, im expecting something similar to bayern last season, possibly leaving too much to do at home.
and like you say, beating them would do a lot, and it would probably be one of the greatest victories we have ever had. i just cant see it happening.

 

[LeTallec]

well most of you guys want Real and got it.. Im glad we didnt get Real... looks like a European Cup will not be going to London again at the end of this season.. Ill be cheering you guys because for me Madrid are one of the favourites and Arsenal knocking them out can only help us

 

[thierrys_girl]

Im happy with the draw. The lads have the chance to show Europe what they are made off in particular Thierry has the chance to shine and show that he can be just as good in the CL as the premiership.

Aussie gooners- One thing that is guaranteed is that the fixtures will be on tv :wink:

 

[Canuck]

Aussie gooners- One thing that is guaranteed is that the fixtures will be on tv Wink

Was thinking that too.
No ManUre and it's Madrid so we'll get it here too. Though they've been showing a disturbing amount of Liverpool matches recently. :|

 

[invisibleman18]

yep we will certainly get it in NZ. espn have never missed a live Real Madrid game.

 

[sabret00the]

it's quite interesting to see how many people are dismissing the talent and class of Real Madrid, they go through alot of **** but they do have a decent team and some very very good players, including one who we were looking to break the bank for.

anyway i got on to my ticket guy for tickets for the home leg

 

[whoztheman]

this really is great news. no point being pessimistic about our chances. i feel its 50-50. even if they buy players we can be assured they'll be famous but **** players. it will have to be a team effort rather than individual brilliance. hopefully our self belief which is absolutely lacking now will be back by then.