2014/15 International Football

[VictoriaGooner]

It wouldn't be the CL if Basel hadn't picked an English team to run over this season.

Oh how I love how Basel pretty much outplayed Liverpool today. Just shows that Liverpool is not even close to the same club as last season.

So some other UCL MD2 highlights...all you can say is if you like goals being scored, there were lots today! Anyone else

Can't complain about eight goals being scored in 2 group G matches...

Arsenal 4-1 Galatasaray

Anderlecht 0-3 Dortmund

Ludogorets 1-2 Real Madrid (The hero Moti was the villan

Atletico 1-0 Juventus (Atleti gets a 75' winner from a beautiful cross)

Other results are Malmo FF winning 2-0 against travelling Olympiacos. Zenit and Monaco end in a boring nil-nil match.

Matchday two is in the books!I know the competition is young but who is impressing you the most right now (club and individual players?)

[IanC]

Liverpool fans got cocky about their group and underestimated Basel.

[UnclearInitial]

Kind of disappointed Roma drew when they were in control for much of the game and got the better chances, but I guess I couldn't ask for much more when they were playing with 8 players out and the midfield had played a game every three days for the past 3 weeks. Its always pleasurable to outplay an oil club. I knew Roma could hang with City technically and especially tactically, but I was very surprised to see how a team from a more physical league that isn't Arsenal got out-muscled. I still don't think we'll make it out of the group, but these kind of performances show we can competete with the big boys.

[Sanic]

At this point, they're either gonna make it or lose it by a close second.

[VictoriaGooner]

Kind of disappointed Roma drew when they were in control for much of the game and got the better chances, but I guess I couldn't ask for much more when they were playing with 8 players out and the midfield had played a game every three days for the past 3 weeks. Its always pleasurable to outplay an oil club. I knew Roma could hang with City technically and especially tactically, but I was very surprised to see how a team from a more physical league that isn't Arsenal got out-muscled. I still don't think we'll make it out of the group, but these kind of performances show we can competete with the big boys.

I have been really impressed with Roma this season, an actual contender to Juventus for the Scudetto. They have been a well oiled machine this early in both domestic and European competitions. I think their next tow matches v Bayern will be huge for the Romans. I think the Romans will do well against the Germans, especially if Gervinho starts firing on all cylinders again.

[IanC]

Solid win today for Spurs against an in form Southampton side. Signs are there that we are heading in a positive direction under Pochettino.

The way Chelsea are playing I can't see many teams getting the better of them.

[VictoriaGooner]

Well today was another let down by Wenger's tactics and lack of creativity on the pitch by the Gunners. We were never really a threat going forward, Sanchez and Wilshere had a couple chances but nothing really emerged. We were okay on the counter-attack but as soon as Chelsea got back behind the ball we didn't know what to do, no ideas. What I am getting tired of mostly is the lack of shots on target by us. We are always trying to produce the perfect beautiful goal. And now with Welbeck in the ranks, he is also doing the same. Everytime I received the ball today from a through ball from Ozil or Cazorla, he would automatically turn around and lay it off to someone else. Smash that ball! You were paid £16m as a CF to score goals. Chelsea was quite good today, especially Hazard and Costa in the second half (helps my fantasy league team off the Board). Enough lamenting about that match, international break now and to lick our wounds.

Anyone catch the Juve-Roma match? Wow! Goals galore, heated arguments on and off the pitch, including a 30-man melee at the end...including two players sent off (Manolas and Morata). Tevez scoring twice and Totti once from the penalty spots...Bonucci with the winner. This new rivalry between La Vecchia Signora and i Giallorossi is going to be electric.

[Jaffa]

Anyone catch the Juve-Roma match? Wow!

Mrs Jaffa and Ms Jaffa left me to my own devices this afternoon, so I was able to enjoy most of Chelsea/Arsenal before switching over to Ajax/PEC Zwolle, followed by the absolutely cracking Juventus/Roma. I've also just been able to catch 20 minutes of Fiorentina/Inter before handing over the remote at the pre-arranged time.

A decent afternoon of football-based telly, all things considered.

[UnclearInitial]

It's too bad that the ref absolutely lost control of the game, because the endless scuffling got annoying fast. Both of Juve's penalties were iffy, (especially the first), but Rocchi showed insecurity and Juve pounced on that, convincing him to give them, and he would have never dared call off the third goal for Vidal's offside. It's still mind-boggling how he was sent there when that specific ref had always been overtaken by high-pressure games. No wonder people call it Rubentus.

I don't care how much they win, I'm never going to understand how people can root for such an immoral club

Anyone catch the Juve-Roma match? Wow! Goals galore, heated arguments on and off the pitch, including a 30-man melee at the end...including two players sent off (Manolas and Morata). Tevez scoring twice and Totti once from the penalty spots...Bonucci with the winner. This new rivalry between La Vecchia Signora and i Giallorossi is going to be electric.

not really a new rivalry, just one which has found new life. The early 00's and especially the eighties were the apex of the rivalry, but it's always been there

[VictoriaGooner]

Anyone catch the Juve-Roma match? Wow! Goals galore, heated arguments on and off the pitch, including a 30-man melee at the end...including two players sent off (Manolas and Morata). Tevez scoring twice and Totti once from the penalty spots...Bonucci with the winner. This new rivalry between La Vecchia Signora and i Giallorossi is going to be electric.

not really a new rivalry, just one which has found new life. The early 00's and especially the eighties were the apex of the rivalry, but it's always been there

That's what I mean anythinglogos...new life in this rivalry. It has always been there but nothing like the last couple seasons in a long while.

[IanC]

Well today was another let down by Wenger's tactics and lack of creativity on the pitch by the Gunners. We were never really a threat going forward, Sanchez and Wilshere had a couple chances but nothing really emerged. We were okay on the counter-attack but as soon as Chelsea got back behind the ball we didn't know what to do, no ideas. What I am getting tired of mostly is the lack of shots on target by us. We are always trying to produce the perfect beautiful goal. And now with Welbeck in the ranks, he is also doing the same. Everytime I received the ball today from a through ball from Ozil or Cazorla, he would automatically turn around and lay it off to someone else. Smash that ball! You were paid £16m as a CF to score goals. Chelsea was quite good today, especially Hazard and Costa in the second half (helps my fantasy league team off the Board). Enough lamenting about that match, international break now and to lick our wounds.

Anyone catch the Juve-Roma match? Wow! Goals galore, heated arguments on and off the pitch, including a 30-man melee at the end...including two players sent off (Manolas and Morata). Tevez scoring twice and Totti once from the penalty spots...Bonucci with the winner. This new rivalry between La Vecchia Signora and i Giallorossi is going to be electric.

I think you are being harsh on Welbeck especially after his performance for you against Galatasary. I hate to say it but I was severley gutted he went to the Goons as on his day is one of the best English players in the Prem. At United he was regularly played out of position and that affected his goalscoring opportunities. He will be one of your best players over the season. At least he gets involved in the games unlike Ozil who constantly goes missing.

The match that was most entertaining for me was the P.S.G V Monaco last night. Yet again Paris showed how good they are going forward but yet again lost momentum in the final minutes and threw the lead away to a very attacking Monaco side. This is the sixth time this year in Ligue 1 that Paris have thrown away a lead.

[VictoriaGooner]

On this past Wednesday yes Welbeck had a smashing match against Galatasaray. But unfortunately it is Galatasaray and their defending is haphazard at the best of times. It was like a constant leak. But as soon as that match was done, the press and pundits were all asking would this Welbeck show up v Chelsea. And the answer was no! I agree, Danny is one of the better English players in the Premier League. But Wenger is finally playing him in the center forward position he wants to play in and what does he against a top side? He doesn't take a shot in goal...zero. He would rather lay it off than take a shot. He he would rather setup a goal then play on the wing. Agreed with you Özil is missing most matches but I think Wenger should start Joel Campbell once or twice in the next few PL matches. It would give Welbeck some competition. Campbell was impressive in Spain on loan and in the World Cup this summer.

[TorinK92]

Ozil's gone out for three months with a knee injury. Sort of kind of a devastating blow for the Gunners. Maybe by the time he's come back there'll be enough uninjured and in form depth that he can be converted back down the middle again. Either that or back in Spain/Germany for a net loss.

[VictoriaGooner]

Ozil's gone out for three months with a knee injury. Sort of kind of a devastating blow for the Gunners. Maybe by the time he's come back there'll be enough uninjured and in form depth that he can be converted back down the middle again. Either that or back in Spain/Germany for a net loss.

The only good thing about this Ozil injury is the depth the Gunners have in the midfield, especially on the wing. Oxlade-Chamberlain will most likely be coming off the bench to replace Ozil. Great news for Ox.

In UEFA EURO 2016 Qualifying...England wins again and all is right in the world Though Rooney scores his 42nd goal for England (yet again from the penalty spot, don't know if he can score from anywhere else ). What is everyone's thoughts of having a player being selected for their national team even though they have a lengthy suspension (especially being suspended for violent conduct)?

[waltere]

Rooney's suspension was/is for a standard red card, that shouldn't affect national team presence at all. If it had been something off the field, or something above and beyond like a Suarez-type situation then by all means leave him out; but as of now, there's nothing to see there.

Also today's goal was only his third penalty for England, and none of the three goals he's scored for United this season have been from the spot, so I'm not entirely sure where you're coming from on that either.

[VictoriaGooner]

Rooney's suspension was/is for a standard red card, that shouldn't affect national team presence at all. If it had been something off the field, or something above and beyond like a Suarez-type situation then by all means leave him out; but as of now, there's nothing to see there.

It was just a question to spark a debate on the matter...nothing more

[ElwoodCuse]

Real Madrid's next game is at Levante, if Keylor Navas doesn't play I'm going to fly to Spain myself and whap Ancellotti upside the head with a copy of Marca

[sportstar1212]

Watching the Poland-Germany match and this game feels weird as :censored: with a Scottish commentator.

[VictoriaGooner]

I think the Poland v Germany qualifier is tie of Matchday 2 hands down. Unfortunately Germany has a wide number of injuries going into Matchday 2 & 3, with the World Cup holders only dressing 8 substitutes.

As for the commentators, it's always better hearing an Englishman and a Scot commentate than two Americans who barely know anything about football.

[lordsketor]

And Polska defeats Deutschland 2-0.