Champions League - Matchday 3
The matches are coming thick and fast these days, while the crisis-ridden clubs (Liverpool, Middlesboro and the like) would probably like to have a week out of the limelight. No chance. We've got the top side of the draw of Champions League groups up tonight including Shakhtar Donetsk and Eduardo returning to the Emirates and well as a full slate of Championship matches highlighted (for me, at least) by Leicester's trip to Elland Road. Join me for some banter as an alternate to on-line Solitaire.
posted by The Blue Devil @ 2:15 PM
117 Comments:
In the early kick-off, Chelsea have scored an impressive 0-2 away win at Spartak Moscow with a volleyed goal from Yuri Zhirkov and a sharp finish from Nic Anelka. The Blues keep rolling on.
It's a home fixture against a team in the relegation zone so I want the full three points tonight for LUFC. No slip-ups, lads.
Good luck Bob and Leeds.
Cheers, mate! If you've got a chance to follow along, check out this website:
http://mypremium.tv/
And choose the Arsenal match. Good luck to the Gunners!
Kick-off time - come on, you Whites!
I'm currently watching the Gillette Soccer Special on:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/vmriapcwp
A controlled start for the Arsenal side against Shakhtar according to Charlie Nicholas.
Real Madrid v. AC Milan is the glamor match in the Champions League tonight.
Here's the Leeds side running out against Leicester tonight:
Brown, Connolly, Naylor, Collins, McCartney, Snodgrass, Howson, Faye, Watt, Becchio, Somma
The rumors of Sanchez Watt having broken his ankle on Saturday were obviously just that - rumors. He's in the starting XI tonight.
Cardiff have scored an early penalty away to Coventry after Michael Chopra was hauled back.
Scunny have scored an early away goal at PNE. 0-1 there.
Good chance for the Arsenal there. Nasri played the ball in for Chamakh but the striker just couldn't latch onto it.
Ajax have scored early against Auxerre through De Zeeuw.
The Gillette Soccer Special link has packed it in so I'm turning my attention to the match at the Emirates.
Cristiano Ronaldo has opened the scoring for Real against AC Milan.
Bloody hell - it looks like Leicester are all over us at Elland Road. Five shots in the first fifteen minutes!
2-0 Real Madrid! Mesut Ozil with the second one. They're running away with it!
I'm onto a Veetle link for the Real v. Milan match, as none of the Arsenal links are working.
The replays of the goals here show that they were both fairly jammy efforts. Ronaldo's free kick went right through the wall and Ozil's effort took a wicked deflection.
Way hay! Alex Song has opened the scoring for the Arsenal on 19 minutes. Well in, lad!
Craig Moore has fired Derby County into the lead over Doncaster Rovers.
That Derby goal pushes us down to 10th.
Finally found an Arsenal link that's working for me:
http://www.sportztv.net/
Jack Wilshere goes lunging in there and gets a bollocking from the referee. I wonder what he's thinking after getting thrown out on Saturday for a similar challenge. He got away with one there. The kid's going to gain a reputation if he keeps thugging it up.
Leicester have now racked up seven shots to our nil in the opening twenty minutes! What's going on at the Elland?!
Rosicky goes down under a challenge on the top of the box - ref waves on.
Two quick goals in Rome have left that match between Roma and Basle at 1-1.
Oh - Neill Collins with a header from a corner just wide.
Cluj have taken a shock 0-1 lead at Bayern through Cadu.
Unusual - there have been lots of goals flying in during the mid-week Championship matches but tonight we've only seen three goals in the first thirty minutes.
Bristol City have taken a 1-0 lead over Reading through Haynes.
Braga have taken the lead through Lima (Bean?) against Partizan Belgrade.
Goalscorer Cadu has added another goal, albeit in his own net!
1-1 now Bayern v. Cluj.
It sounds like things have settled down at Elland Road now. Still 0-0 and Leicester haven't had a scoring chance in about five minutes.
Bloody hell - another o.g. from the Cluj boys has Bayern in front now. 2-1.
In the Blue Square, East Anglian favorites Luton Town are 3-0 up over Forest Green! I really would love to see the Hatters back up in the Football League next season.
Bradley Johnson's had a header whistle just past the post. We're getting closer as the first half winds down.
Oh - a peach of a goal there through a team move for the Arsenal. Nasri received the ball from a cross from Song. Took it down beautifully and smashed it home.
2-0 Gunners!
Luis Suarez has added a second goal for Ajax now. 2-0 over Auxerre. Loads of goals in the CL tonight.
Half time at the Emirates and Arsenal are cruising it so far. Andy Gray was just making the point that Arsene might use this lead as an opportunity to give some bench players like Nik Bendtner a bit of playing time.
Basle go into the interval with a shock 1-2 lead over Roma. Alex Frei and some bloke named Inkroom with the goals there.
Half-time at Elland Road. At least we're not trailing but I expect better. It's strange that our away form is better than our home form. We have the best attendances in the division - why can't we make ER a fortress this season?
It's a real goalkeeping howler that presented Alex Song with the opportunity for the first goal.
The teams are back out for the second half. Rob Hawthorn and Andy Gray on the commentary tonight.
Good chance there from Adriano but he spurned it.
Gary McSheffrey, who was on loan with us last season, has equalized for Coventry against Cardiff. That puts them back up into the playoff spots. Cardiff still in second.
Watford have jumped out to a 2-0 lead over the Tractor Roys.
Marseille have taken the lead through Diawara against Zilina.
Shakhtar had a chance from a free kick there but squander it. They really have looked toothless going forward.
Chamahk is probably the first player Arsenal have had since Ian Wright who can actually hold up the ball and play the midfielders in. What a buy he's been for the Gunners.
Grant Holt (who else?) has given Norwich a 1-0 lead over the woeful Palace. They're going down for sure this season.
It's Boro's first match after wee Gordon's exit. A tasty one for them against Forest, who have also flattered to deceive this season. Still 0-0 there.
The Blades have taken a 0-1 lead over Hull City.
No real chances as yet at Elland Road in the second half.
Chris Eagles has given Burnley a 1-0 lead over Barnsley.
Oh dear - Forest have taken the lead against Boro. The caretaker manager won't be pleased.
Free kick now for the Gunners. A pile of players go down in the area and it looks like he's given a penalty!
Yes - it's Adriano who's hauled down Djourou. Ridiculous challenge there. He's picked up a yellow.
Fabregas steps up to take....
And scores easily. High in the left corner. 3-0 Gunners!
And he lifts his shirt to reveal a birthday message to his mum. What a lovely lad.
With one more goal, Arsenal could break the record set by Real Madrid of 12 goals in their first three CL games.
Palace have equalized against Norwich.
That third goal is the spark for two changes for Arsene Wenger. Fab is going off to be replaced by Denilson.
And that's nice - Eduardo gets a warm reception as asked for by the PA guy as he comes on.
Sanchez Watt has been substituted. Obviously still nursing that sore ankle.
Oh - Becchio goes close with a header.
Come on, you Whites!
PNE have equalized against Scunny at home.
Another great team goal there, this time from Jack Wilshere.
4-0! Fantastic!
A new Champions League record for the Arsenal - 13 goals in three matches!
Third change for the Arsenal. Chamakh coming off for Bendtner.
Actually - Chamakh's stayed on and a good thing to. He's just broken through the offside trap (so to speak) and slotted home the fifth!
5-0 Gunners!
BUGGGGGERRRRRRRR!
Just as I had feared, Leicester have made their dominance pay and taken taken the lead through McNaughton.
0-1 Leicester. Come on!
Twenty five minutes to rescue something here. It's typical for us to go from a great away win on the Saturday to a miserable home loss on the Tuesday. Makes no sense but that's the kind of erratic form we've been in this year.
So Arshavin and Walcott on finally.
Still more than fifteen minutes to play at the Emirates. Plenty of time for more goals. Shakhtar have completely thrown in the towel.
Burnley now 2-0 up - a brace for Chris Eagles.
2-2 between Doncaster and Derby now.
We've slipped to 11th on the strength of that Leicester goal.
Palace have taken the lead against Norwich now. That will dent their promotion hopes.
Amdy Faye have been replaced by Neil Kilkenny and Snoddy has come off for Max Gradel.
Auxerre have pegged Ajax back to 2-1.
It's carnival time at the Emirates now with the "Oles" ringing out round the ground.
The Shakhtar lads are at least giving it a go. They're mostly shirtless; apparently London is a bit warmer this time of year than Donetsk.
Down to fifteen minutes at Elland Road now. Come on you Whites!
Ah - that's nice. Eduardo has popped up with a consolation goal for Shakhtar and he gets a warm round of applause from the home faithful.
5-1 Arsenal.
It doesn't seem as if we're piling on the pressure. I wonder how Simon Grayson will deal with this one in the post-match presser. Fatigue?
ARGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!
0-2 Leicester. WTF!
And that's allowed the villainous Millwall to jump over us on goal difference. We're in 12th now. On 17 points. 33 points to safety. That's the goal.
Ipswich have nicked one back. 2-1 Watford there.
YESSSSSS!!!!!!! I should speak to soon. Becchio has got one back in the 83rd minute!
GAME ON!
That's Luciano's sixth goal of the season. What I wouldn't do for a seventh in the next ten minutes.
That's nice. Pompey have scored a penalty late on. That's three valuable away points for them against the villainous Millwall.
Back up to 10th now! Come on!
Chris Iwelumo has added a third goal for Burnley.
Derby are now 2-3 up away to Doncaster.
Full-time: 5-1 Arsenal. They've gone goal crazy in the Champions League this season. Three wins in three games and a new CL record. Fantastic!
Btw, ManYoo hold the record of goals in the group stage: 20. Arsenal could easily beat that this season with three more matches to come.
Wahey!!!! Absolutely my favorite scoreline. A resounding victory with a goal for the returning Eduardo. Couldn't be happier.
I even made it into the Guardian's MBM commentary. Someone's infant was griping through the match and they asked for parenting tips. Here's mine.
89 min: A Walcott cross is cleared at the near post. Meanwhile, another parenting tip from Steve Dahlgren. "White noise did the trick to quiet our colicky infant son," reveals Steve. "I taped the sound of a hair dryer onto a cassette tape and ran that in his room. He's eighteen now, and speaks with a Gorbals accent, but not to the BBC."
We're certainly giving it a go here. Max Gradel with a blocked shot.
Nice one, Gooner! Well in getting onto the Guardian site. And well done the Gunners!
Oh man, sorry to see you behind on this one. C'mon you whites!
Too little, too late, I'm afraid. We've gone down at least fighting at the end. 1-2.
Three points lost, I reckon. Still on 17.
I'm off home to grab a bite to eat before my late class and to catch up with the "Rents too Damned High" Party campaign for NY Governor.
Anybody here or going to be for United v Bursa or Inter v spuds?
3-0 Inter with a quarter hour gone and the spuds down a keeper, sent off for a foul as last man. Eto'o is running around Huddleston, Gallas and Assou Akoto like he was on FIFA10 on low difficulty.
United up 1-0. Nani.
It's a busy Wednesday afternoon for me but I'm back at my class break to take note of the scores coming from the bottom half of the CL draw.
ManYoo have bounced back from a few days of negative press and are currently 1-0 up to Bursaspor due to an early goal from my boy Nani.
Spurs on the other hand are getting absolutely hammered by an Inter side that has exploded with three early goals from Zanetti, Eto'o and Stankovic.
Afternoon, Gooner. I'm sure that that Spurs scoreline is bringing a smile to your face.
As I type, Rangers have taken the lead through American international Mo Edu over Valencia. They've done really well so far in this tournament.
Leo Messi has just fired Barca into the lead against Copenhagen. No surprise there.
4-0 Inter in 30 minutes. A glimpse of the future for England under Harry Redknapp?
Hi Bob,
Nothing less than I expected really. spuds have been flattering to deceive all season. VDV's good form delaying in inevitable, but what's happening in Milan is high comedy for me
At the half it's:
Inter 4 spuds 0
Twente 0 Bremen 0
Lyon 1 Benfica 0
Schalke 1 H Tel Aviv 0
Man Utd 1 Bursaspor 0
Rangers 1 Valencia 0
Panath... 0 Kazan 0
Barca 1 Copenhagen 0
Monkey boy Bale gets one back for the spuds. Game...er..on? 4-1
Back after my class. Thanks for the updates, Gooner.
I noticed that Mo Edu's having an up and down match. He's knocked one in his own net in the second half. 1-1 there. Wonder if he's selling the programs at half-time as well?
ManYoo still hanging on for a 1-0 win here with what must be just seconds left to play.
Gareth Bale has just given Gooner a heart attack by completing a second half hat-trick in the San Siro with extra time goals. The referee finally blows up and Spurs have lost their first match in the CL 4-3. Sounds like a thriller!
Rangers have dropped two points against Valencia at home.
United just about done with the Turks now.
Leo Messi has got a brace against Copenhagen today.
Oh man, this is one to watch. Injury time spuds down 4-1, the shaved ape Bale scores 2 in less than two minutes to nearly steal this one. And it would have been theft. It ends 4-3 Inter.
Replay tonight on some Fox affiliate at 7pm. Worth watching.
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