So, we're through !!! But who's next in the knockout stage?

[kanooo]

Now that we've qualified as group winners (incrediblely), which of the following group runners up you'd want to avoid?

1) Stuggart (I see danger here)
2) Bayern Munich (Not as strong as before but still dangerous)
3) Deportivo (Don't be fooled by the thrashing they received from Monaco. I say - they are still very strong).
4) Sparta Prague
5) Celta Vigo
6) Real Sociedad and
7) Porto

 

[PolishGooner]

I really wanna Sparta Praga!!! It`s so close from Poland to go there!!!

 

[jc8gooner]

I would like Stuttgart I guess. Man Utd showed last night that they are really not that good and I think we could rip them to shreds. I always am fearful of Spanish opposition cos they are so technically sound, but I would quite like to play Celta Vigo, just cos I would like to see Silvinho again. Also, they are prob the worst of the Spanish sides that have qualified. Deportivo, Porto and Bayern Munich are the ones to avoid in my opinion. Deportivo always beat us, Porto are a useful side with players like Deco, and Bayern can never be underestimated with Makaay, Ballack, Ze Roberto etc in their team. Sparta Prague is an interesting one. They are probably the weakest of all those teams above, but it would be a right arse for the players to have to go all the way to Prague in the middle of winter! Nevertheless, I would be confident if we got them in the next round. I hope that Chelsea draw Depor, and Manure get Bayern. Roll on Friday lunchtime.

 

[kanooo]

I would like Stuttgart I guess. Man Utd showed last night that they are really not that good and I think we could rip them to shreds. I always am fearful of Spanish opposition cos they are so technically sound, but I would quite like to play Celta Vigo, just cos I would like to see Silvinho again. Also, they are prob the worst of the Spanish sides that have qualified. Deportivo, Porto and Bayern Munich are the ones to avoid in my opinion. Deportivo always beat us, Porto are a useful side with players like Deco, and Bayern can never be underestimated with Makaay, Ballack, Ze Roberto etc in their team. Sparta Prague is an interesting one. They are probably the weakest of all those teams above, but it would be a right arse for the players to have to go all the way to Prague in the middle of winter! Nevertheless, I would be confident if we got them in the next round. I hope that Chelsea draw Depor, and Manure get Bayern. Roll on Friday lunchtime.

You couldn't have said it better .... although I still think Stuggart should be respected (not feared) ... afterall, we have come though the hardest test so far in our Champions League history with flying colours.

Actually we cannot underestimate all the teams that have made it this far. Anyone can hurt anybody if you are not careful. But I really do believe that we have matured in Europe (as Wenger suggested after the game) and should not be fearful of anyone.

Oh! Chelsea Vs. Depor, and Manure Vs. Bayern? Not bad! Let's keep our fingers crossed.

 

[Mark]

i'd like us to beat a tougher team like bayern munich or deportivo so that we can show how good we are and go further and be more confident if we face the really big teams.

 

[lewdikris]

Well, everyone wants Prague now don't they?

Have this weird feeling United will get Bayern ... it just happens between those two.

Either of the Spanish clubs would be fine - although Celta do like a ridiculously defensive approach half the time, which is extremely dull, and potentially tricky.

Porto are the most dangerous of that lot.

But we could take any of them, frankly.

Thank god we won the group. Juventus are really quite frightening, and easy favourites to win the whole thing,

 

[JazzG]

Bayern Munich - Good players but once things go wrong they crumble, like Sammer said in another they don't have a leader on the pitch to drag them through. Still a jammy team, even more 'jammier' than us

Sparta Prague - Probably the weakest team in the last 16 on paper

Real Sociedad - Were stunning last season and pushed for the title right to the end, had 2 forwards in awesome form and Xavi Alonso who is one of the best young players in the world. This season they have lost the plot in the league and are 3rd from bottom :?

 

[jc8gooner]

You are spot-on. There are no easy games in the CL, esp when it gets to the KO stages. Once in the KO stages, anything can happen. I think KO suits us better too as we have proved by winning the last three CL games when we needed too. Also, our FA Cup record is excellent over the last 3 yrs too. I am hoping for Sparta Prague or Stuttgart, but wouldn;t mind if we drew Celta Vigo.

 

[JazzG]

Juventus are really quite frightening, and easy favourites to win the whole thing,

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=131511&cc=5739
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=131570&cc=5739
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=131658&cc=5739



They are a good side though, got some great attacking players in that team. Their defense is abit suspect though, their defenders are quite slow and old. Still they are very good and know what it takes to grind out the result.

AC Milan have scored 4 goals in the champions league, they have conceded 3. They topped their group with 10 points. Unbelievable.......

R.Madrid look rubbish in defense and without Makelele shielding their defense they look even more dodgy! Still have the firepower to shoot any team down.

This season the CL all the teams are so evenly matched.

You are spot-on. There are no easy games in the CL, esp when it gets to the KO stages. Once in the KO stages, anything can happen. I think KO suits us better too as we have proved by winning the last three CL games when we needed too. Also, our FA Cup record is excellent over the last 3 yrs too. I am hoping for Sparta Prague or Stuttgart, but wouldn;t mind if we drew Celta Vigo.

Yep, when you get to the KO stage anything can happen. Also as we won the group our first match will be away from home. So the team will attack us and we should be able to take them out with our counter attacks.

 

[jc8gooner]

Good point Jazz. The format now does suit us in that way too.

 

[USArsenal]

Quote from Soccernet:

"What a difference a month makes. For Arsenal, with a new stadium to fund, this was truly a night in which they arrived at the Champions League crossroads and took a decisive turn in the right direction. "


damn right!

 

[Anonymous]

Different kettle of fish the knock out stage, i hope you get Stuggart after the comment above.

 

[Henry's Girl]

I know it's not possible but I want Real Madrid, i'm so confident we can kick their spanish arse

 

[VCC]

I'm gonna say that we will get Real Sociedad.

 

[jc8gooner]

Maybe I was a bit over-zealous with my Stuttgart comment, Myth, but I am confident that we could beat them over two legs, as you did. To be honest, you played dire against them in Germany, but shat on them at home.

 

[Anonymous]

i thought we played ok in the first half but went to pieces in the second, but thats football.
hope you go though really do, and a Arsenal Man U Final, now thats what i call hoping.

 

[Incubus]

I hope we get either Stuggart, Sparta Prague, Celta Vigo, Real Sociedad. I want to avoid Deportivo at all costs.

 

[Superdudes]

well i think celta vigo and real sociedad form are not good at the moment.. eventhough champions league and la liga is different.. i think they are of the few teams that arsenal can beat without any worries..

bayern just got through to the second round by scoring a penalty against anderlecht.. even with top players in its' squad, bayern team spirit have been found wanting on many situations..

sparta prague as many are you says are the weakest of the lot, are not to be underestimated.. their home form is good with 2wins, over lazio and besiktas, and just a loss to chelski.. though i rate sparta prague the same as celta vigo and real sociedad..

porto and stuttgart will be the team to avoid though.. make no mistake about it.. stuttgart loss to man u does not mean anything.. they have already qualified thus the last match wasn't that important.. and they left panathinaikos and rangers behind by a long mile.. same as in the case of porto..

deportivo should also be the team to avoid as their form against us is quite good..

and i think that loko are the worst team that qualified through.. they just got a bit if help over the milan vs kiev match..and the loko was lucky.. though i don't think they'll be lucky by the next round..

nevertheless, i won't be losing sleep even if arsenal were to get drawn with the 'to be avoided teams'.. i say.. bring on the next draw..

 

[satan_beckham]

i really hope we dont face spanish oponents,we always struggled against them,anyway it always seemed that english clubs always struggled against them,glad this time valencia is out!

 

[Andrew]

Different kettle of fish the knock out stage, i hope you get Stuggart after the comment above.

Yep... Inter in one phase and Sparta Prague or Stuggart the next. I think we should qualify for the knockout stages more often.

All teams will be tough. But we've shown that we can thrash a team with the likes of Canavaro, Vieri, Zanetti etc. It's in our own hands. If we play our best we will at least reach the semis I am sure of that.