Anyone looking forward to any matches in particular? Obviously Bayern vs Arsenal will be fantastic I'm backing Bayern to get to the final with United. And the 2nd legs of the Europa are on thursday so hopefully some penalty shoot outs will ensue.
being pedantic it's Arsenal v Bayern! Arsenal to scrape a 2-1 win tonight but get well beaten 3-0 in the return leg.
That is an intriguing tie. Arsenal did surprisingly well against Barcelona a couple of years ago, so you never know. Wilshere might hold the key to them getting through, or they could get stuffed and not offer any real resistance. Bayern are certainly in good form so it won't be easy for Arsenal, that's for sure.
But you think they will score twice? I suppose stranger things have happened, but as Wenger said in his press conference, perversely a 0-0 would not be a bad result at home.
Well, Arsenal will be Bayern's toughest opponents this year so far. Bayern have been playing the ****ter teams in the Bundesliga of late (apart from Schalke but they are really underachieving) so their defence hasn't been hugely tested.
Well, I think that's it for Arsenal! They probably have to score 3 now to have any chance of progressing and I can't see that happening.
Here's something to ponder: is Bayern's current team better than the 1999 team that lost to United? Tonight's lineup: ---------------Neuer Lahm---Van Buyten---Dante---Alaba --------Martinez----Schweinsteiger Muller-----------Kroos---------Ribery -------------Mandzukic Subs: Starke, Rafinha, Shaqiri, Dias, Tymoschuk, Robben, Gomez 1999 CL final: -----------------Kahn -------Linke---Matthaus---Kuffour Babbel----------------------------Tarnat ----------Effenberg---Jeremies ----Basler-------------------Zickler ----------------Jancker Subs: Dreher, Helmer, Scholl, Strunz, Fink, Salihamidzic, Daei
I don't think so no. Schweinsteiger, Lahm and Ribery on his day would definitely improve the 99 team, but not sure about the rest. Kahn, Matthaus and Effenberg were brilliant players. They probably are better than Arsenal though...
Muller might get in there as well, and I think they have more strength on the bench than they did then, but they've got nothing on that '99 defense for sure. Also Basler was great.
Mandzukic is good [a bit like a new Olic] but I really don't rate Gomez, if they had a van Persie they would be frightening! Still think the side is a little weaker but it is generally younger and will improve. I don't know why people are surprised English football is far weaker, Bayern are a quality side, and it is much less well managed.
I know it looks like I'm saying this just because he scored. But I rate Kroos as probably the brightest prospect on the planet if you can still call a 23 year old a prospect. He's better than Neymar, Wilshere, Erikson, Gotze, Isco and James Rodriguez who are in my opinion the next best prospects.
I haven't seen him play a great deal but I have to say Kroos never really impressed me but maybe that is because of the company in midfield he keeps for Bayern and Germany.
He's not the best dribbler of the ball and as such isn't really glorified or covered by the press. But his technical skills are astronomical, he's fairly versatile as well he can play CAM CM or CDM. Dreadful hair though, looks like the ugly (and slightly camp) member of a boyband.
