Who's going to challenge the big EPL boys?

come on guys, it can't be only Barcelona flying the flag for continental Europe, or AC Milan when they hit their stride! Things are becoming repetitive in the CL!

What is your team going to do to shake the status quo of the big 3 EPL teams up? Is an English team going to in the next 2-3 years? Inter/Juve or Milan again. Will Real finally get things right on the bigger stage? Or can they simply be caught out by a Porto, Lyon or Valencia? Who are the likely candidates...

or is nothing going to change for a number of years.

toon h wrote:come on guys, it can't be only Barcelona flying the flag for continental Europe, or AC Milan when they hit their stride! Things are becoming repetitive in the CL!

What is your team going to do to shake the status quo of the big 3 EPL teams up? Is an English team going to in the next 2-3 years? Inter/Juve or Milan again. Will Real finally get things right on the bigger stage? Or can they simply be caught out by a Porto, Lyon or Valencia? Who are the likely candidates...

EPL Big 3

You do realise Arsenal havent been knocked out by a non-english side the last 2 years and have reached the 1/4 and Semis. And 3 years ago we reached the final. And our currently ranked 6th in Europe.

Arsenal >>> Majority of Europe.

Inter can if they get some support for Ibra.

It's not that big a gap, Inter & Juve both ran Man Utd & Chelsea close this year.

Barca knocking us out was the first time an English side has been knocked out by a non-English team for 2 years. Mental.

it will be up to

inter, if they sort out their midfield

milan, if they are willing to spend on a few good players

real, if perez gets what he wants

to join barca to counter attack, the epl in the CL

S4P wrote:Barca knocking us out was the first time an English side has been knocked out by a non-English team for 2 years. Mental.

And all it took was a dodgy ref

Europe

Rosicky wrote:

toon h wrote:come on guys, it can't be only Barcelona flying the flag for continental Europe, or AC Milan when they hit their stride! Things are becoming repetitive in the CL!

What is your team going to do to shake the status quo of the big 3 EPL teams up? Is an English team going to in the next 2-3 years? Inter/Juve or Milan again. Will Real finally get things right on the bigger stage? Or can they simply be caught out by a Porto, Lyon or Valencia? Who are the likely candidates...

EPL Big 3

You do realise Arsenal havent been knocked out by a non-english side the last 2 years and have reached the 1/4 and Semis. And 3 years ago we reached the final. And our currently ranked 6th in Europe.

Arsenal >>> Majority of Europe.

Italians are no lesser evil than English if you ask me. I don't know what's stopping Real from being good in CL than feeder clubs like Arsenal.

Dragões azuis e brancos wrote:Inter can if they get some support for Ibra.

It's not that big a gap, Inter & Juve both ran Man Utd & Chelsea close this year.

Inter really needs some creativity in midfield because it is too easy to just mark Ibra and watch Inter run dry. However the biggest reason Inter has failed in the last couple of years is themselves and not the teams they have met which haven't blown them away in any way.

Juventus has much of the same problem and their match up with Chelsea this year was 50/50 imo. They could do with a new Cb and I don't think Cannavaro is enough. Other then that they should have a good chance to compete.

Milan is the only of the italian clubs that has the brains/talent but they lack a will to do what is needed. Berlu couldn't care less it seems.

Real is a bit like Milan but that will likely change aswell this summer.

Lyon were never special and never actually beat a big side(except a Real Madrid in caos) so im not surprised with their results. However once they lose the tag as one of the favourites and can return to being a underdog they have a better chance. The other spanish teams doesn't have the money needed and it would need a one off season.

In the end I don't think there is much seperating these teams to be honest and it is crazy that they have all been soo bad in recent years and have left it for the Big 4+Barcelona to dominate.

you say now there is not such a big difference but when it comes to the crunch, no one can actually beat Man U, Chelsea or Liverpool. And I even include Arsenal in here, who played great last year against AC Milan but since have had the luck of the draw and I think there are a number of other teams that could have knocked them out this season.

toon h wrote:you say now there is not such a big difference but when it comes to the crunch, no one can actually beat Man U, Chelsea or Liverpool. And I even include Arsenal in here, who played great last year against AC Milan but since have had the luck of the draw and I think there are a number of other teams that could have knocked them out this season.

Like I said I don't think there is a big difference at least between Inter/Juve compared to the Big 3. Milan only really needs a new Cb and a striker as I see it otherwise their first team is on par with the best.
Arsenal I haven't really seen as that strong a team to be honest allthough I don't know what they will do this summer.

Rosicky wrote:

toon h wrote:come on guys, it can't be only Barcelona flying the flag for continental Europe, or AC Milan when they hit their stride! Things are becoming repetitive in the CL!

What is your team going to do to shake the status quo of the big 3 EPL teams up? Is an English team going to in the next 2-3 years? Inter/Juve or Milan again. Will Real finally get things right on the bigger stage? Or can they simply be caught out by a Porto, Lyon or Valencia? Who are the likely candidates...

EPL Big 3

You do realise Arsenal havent been knocked out by a non-english side the last 2 years and have reached the 1/4 and Semis. And 3 years ago we reached the final. And our currently ranked 6th in Europe.

Arsenal >>> Majority of Europe.

As I said Arsenal being written off is the best thing

What big boys have Arsenal beaten over the past 4-5 seasons to deserve being up there with United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Barca


Just a question Arse fans so don't go mad. I'm not sure which good teams you have beat.

COTR wrote:What big boys have Arsenal beaten over the past 4-5 seasons to deserve being up there with United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Barca


Just a question Arse fans so don't go mad. I'm not sure which good teams you have beat.

they beat AC Milan last year. And quite comprehensively.

Madrid were still pretty decent. AC Milan, Juve.

Not saying we should be in that bracket but apart from the EPL top 3 and Barca I'd be pretty confident playing any other team in Europe.

Dragões azuis e brancos wrote:Inter can if they get some support for Ibra.

It's not that big a gap, Inter & Juve both ran Man Utd & Chelsea close this year.

I don't think Inter did. Sure they had a decent amount of play in manchester but they lost 2-0 and maybe hit the post but if they scored man utd could have uppe dit again. while in milan they were very fortunate with the 0-0. Maybe it's jyst me but if you're lucky to escape with a draw at home and lose 2-0 away then it's not close.

COTR wrote:What big boys have Arsenal beaten over the past 4-5 seasons to deserve being up there with United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Barca

Your beloved UEFA coefficients has us in 6th

But Madrid, Milan, Juve, Roma etc.

Only beat whats put in front of you, and we have lost to United and Pool the last two years. But have beaten you lot in the league

edit: im not trying to make out we are a great european team, that would be silly, just recognition that we are better then most of the teams in europe.

I agree, it's getting ridiculous this big 3 and Barca domination of the CL

We need smaller clubs like FC Porto, Arsenal and Deportivo to start growing some balls

Deportivo

Ray Parlour wrote:Deportivo

yes, and HSV and Steaua and Preston North End.

Rapid and Dinamo Moscow

Rosicky wrote:

COTR wrote:What big boys have Arsenal beaten over the past 4-5 seasons to deserve being up there with United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Barca

Your beloved UEFA coefficients has us in 6th

But Madrid, Milan, Juve, Roma etc.

Only beat whats put in front of you, and we have lost to United and Pool the last two years. But have beaten you lot in the league

Arsneal have beaten Liverpool in the league have they?

Ade wrote:

Rosicky wrote:

COTR wrote:What big boys have Arsenal beaten over the past 4-5 seasons to deserve being up there with United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Barca

Your beloved UEFA coefficients has us in 6th

But Madrid, Milan, Juve, Roma etc.

Only beat whats put in front of you, and we have lost to United and Pool the last two years. But have beaten you lot in the league

Arsneal have beaten Liverpool in the league have they?

In the past 4-5 seasons we have. Read cotrs post before trying to be a smart arse.

Yeh 3 seasons ago

Rosicky wrote:

Ade wrote:

Rosicky wrote:

COTR wrote:What big boys have Arsenal beaten over the past 4-5 seasons to deserve being up there with United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Barca

Your beloved UEFA coefficients has us in 6th

But Madrid, Milan, Juve, Roma etc.

Only beat whats put in front of you, and we have lost to United and Pool the last two years. But have beaten you lot in the league

Arsneal have beaten Liverpool in the league have they?

In the past 4-5 seasons we have. Read cotrs post before trying to be a smart arse.

Calm down.

Correct me if I'm wrong COTR. But it looks like COTR is talking about the Champions League and Arsenal's performances againist the big name teams. Weird what with it being in the European Cup section of the board.

Also he gets responses relating to Arsenal in Europe.

Luis wrote:I agree, it's getting ridiculous this big 3 and Barca domination of the CL

We need smaller clubs like FC Porto, Arsenal and Deportivo to start growing some balls

it is good to see even the fans of the top teams starting to agree. I want to see more versatility. I actually hope they change the format to a league format with only one (home or away) game between each team so we get to play more teams. Like 8 groups of 11 teams with only the winners of each league then qualifying for a little final tournament between them in KO format. Not that that would necessarily change the teams that end up in that tournament but it would at least make for more permutations (you may have Aston Villa or Everton having the opportunity to play teams like Barcelona and Porto as well).

Ade wrote:

Rosicky wrote:

Ade wrote:

Rosicky wrote:

COTR wrote:What big boys have Arsenal beaten over the past 4-5 seasons to deserve being up there with United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Barca

Your beloved UEFA coefficients has us in 6th

But Madrid, Milan, Juve, Roma etc.

Only beat whats put in front of you, and we have lost to United and Pool the last two years. But have beaten you lot in the league

Arsneal have beaten Liverpool in the league have they?

In the past 4-5 seasons we have. Read cotrs post before trying to be a smart arse.

Calm down.

Correct me if I'm wrong COTR. But it looks like COTR is talking about the Champions League and Arsenal's performances againist the big name teams. Weird what with it being in the European Cup section of the board.

Also he gets responses relating to Arsenal in Europe.

Yeah i know he was talking about Europe, thats why i put the wink in there, too show i was joking.

Next time ill make it clearer for the people who are little slower on here. jesus.

Rosicky wrote:

Ade wrote:

Rosicky wrote:

Ade wrote:

Rosicky wrote:

COTR wrote:What big boys have Arsenal beaten over the past 4-5 seasons to deserve being up there with United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Barca

Your beloved UEFA coefficients has us in 6th

But Madrid, Milan, Juve, Roma etc.

Only beat whats put in front of you, and we have lost to United and Pool the last two years. But have beaten you lot in the league

Arsneal have beaten Liverpool in the league have they?

In the past 4-5 seasons we have. Read cotrs post before trying to be a smart arse.

Calm down.

Correct me if I'm wrong COTR. But it looks like COTR is talking about the Champions League and Arsenal's performances againist the big name teams. Weird what with it being in the European Cup section of the board.

Also he gets responses relating to Arsenal in Europe.

Yeah i know he was talking about Europe, thats why i put the wink in there, too show i was joking.

Next time ill make it clearer for the people who are little slower on here. jesus.

L-r d wrote:

Dragões azuis e brancos wrote:Inter can if they get some support for Ibra.

It's not that big a gap, Inter & Juve both ran Man Utd & Chelsea close this year.

I don't think Inter did. Sure they had a decent amount of play in manchester but they lost 2-0 and maybe hit the post but if they scored man utd could have uppe dit again. while in milan they were very fortunate with the 0-0. Maybe it's jyst me but if you're lucky to escape with a draw at home and lose 2-0 away then it's not close.

WHAT?