UCL '04-'05: The Quest for Number 7

Preview

Here we go again. Another season, another year and another September has arrived and it brings with it the imminent commencement of the greatest club competition in world football.

What is even more exciting in this season's competition is the star cast present including Europe's greatest clubs all present to have a shot at being Number 1 in Europe.

Personally I feel that this competition will be tougher than it was last season considering the sides present. It doesn't end there as taking a look at the sides we can see their squads and notice that almost all the good players are playing for a known club (No disrespect to the smaller clubs but this is the UCL and it doesn't get bigger or better than this)


Just as an example I would like to put forward the names of Ronaldinho, Rooney, Mexes (court case but still), Alonso, Stam, Cisse, Kezman etc all present in this year's competition and they are all playing for sides who could end up as winners of this competition. Compare it to last season and see where these players were. Just illustrates the task at hand for Europe's top 32 in this year's competition. It NEVER was easy to win this competition but the task has become mammoth!


I always say that it promises to be a great competition but this season I am looking forward to the challenge that my side has as will fans of other clubs with regards to their respective clubs!

So let's start by previewing the sides one by one and looking at them (my point of view) at what they are capable of. I will try to be objective as always. The previews of the sides will be in this thread. Due to lack of time and my lack of knowledge of certain sides I will not be previewing all the sides.

The thread title does suggest that I will be previewing the sides with respect to us but the previews will also look into what those sides need to do. I mean who doesn't want to win the illustrious UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE?!

May the BEST side win this season's competition!

-------

FOR NOW I AM WRITING THE PREVIEWS IN A STANDARD FORMAT. IF I GET THE TIME I WILL ADD ADDITIONAL INFO IN THE TEAM PREVIEWS DISCUSSING THEIR POOLS etc.

Posting it a little late here ... my bad.

Real Madrid CF

Preview

UCL/ECC wins : 9

The Spanish Aristocrats are the most successful club in this competition's history! Real started a new era of victories in the UCL when they defeated Italian powerhouse Juventus FC in the 1998 final. They went on to win the trophy again in 2000 and 2002 making a strong claim to resurgence after a drought of 28 years in Europe's top competition. Re-elected president Florentino Perez has assembled a galaxy of stars in the Spanish capital. One would say he lost the plot by being carried away too much in this ONE star per year policy. Figo, Zidane, Ronaldo, Beckham and now Owen has joined an array of superstars at Real Madrid.

However this season Real Madrid took a step in the right direction by purchasing two defenders in the shape of Walter Adrian Samuel and Jonathan Woodgate from AS Roma and Newcastle United FC. All is not lost even though Real narrowly missed out on Vieira due to some strange actions on their part. Vieira was theirs for the taking but Real's wage offering was not on par with the other Galacticos. Anyways it is all water under the bridge. Real's main worry at this moment would be Samuel (The Real Galactico) getting fit quickly so that he can start contributing to the cause for Real.


Offence



-> Ronaldo
-> Raul
-> Morientes
-> Owen

Real Madrid has the best set of attackers in this season's competition. These four strikers are all brilliant on their day and Real can rightly claim to assembling the best set of strikers with regards to their competition. The scape goat in all this will be Morientes who will see most of the bench due to the other stars having a bigger name. Camacho can benefit from the options at his disposal as all four strikers can be effective in a multitude of scenarios.

Morientes is strong in the air, Raul has vision and cheekyness, Ronaldo is a devastating goalscorer and Owen has pace. It just depends on the coach to give these strikers opportunities at the right time and it could work out fine in this department.

The only concerns would be Raul being out of form and Owen with his groin problems. Other than that this fit quartet is going to be hard to stop for most teams.


Midfield



-> Zinedine Zidane
-> Luis Figo
-> David Beckham
-> Ivan Helguera
-> Santiago Solari
-> Guti (he can play as a forward as well)
-> Celades

The midfield has players with class and reputation. The starters will be the first four ones mentioned on most occasions. Zidane and Figo's age will be concerns no matter what as the seasons are long and hard nowadays and they are on the wrong side of 30. They are not defenders where 34 is still good to go. They are offensive midfielders and when crunch time approaches in March their stamina and resilience will decide Real's fate. Beckham should get a little more freedom now that his partner in the middle will be Helguera who is quite good.

A positive from Helguera pushing up into midfield will be his knack for scoring goals returns! That will help Real as he is good especially on set pieces (aerial ability)

Beckham cannot afford to have a season like he did in the latter part of the season. He got from bad to worse. It will be interesting to see what Camacho has in mind for Beckham.

There isn't enough depth in the Real midfield once again. It could come back to haunt them with makeshift arrangements in the form of Owen and Guti chipping in while playing out of position.

The starting midfield can be devastating on its day but the big question is can it be devastating for a good part of the season to take Real to the promised land? I think not.


Defence




-> Salgado
-> Carlos
-> Samuel
-> Woodgate
-> Bravo
-> Pavon
-> Mejia
-> Fernandez

The coach doesn't have much confidence in this area to put in 8 names for his squad. It has been Real's achilles heel for some time but this season two new addition to add strength in the middle whilst the fullbacks take a dive towards fading to black

Samuel on his day will not let the opposition score a goal. His performance in the Bernabeu a couple of seasons ago for Roma was master class. He shut up shop on his own. He ain't called THE WALL for nothing.

The rest of the Real defence has question marks. Woodgate is injury prone while Pavon, Mejia and Bravo are in a word BRAVO for the opposition


Goalkeeper

-> Casillas

The Real number 1 is pretty good so no worries there.


Starting Line-Up


4-4-2 / 4-2-3-1


---------------------Casillas--------------------------
-
--Salgado----Woodgate----Samuel-----------Carlos--
-
--------------Beckham-----Helguera-----------------
----Figo--------------------------------Zidane------
-
-------------------Raul-----------------------------
------------------------Ronaldo---------------------


There are multiple formations with which Real can play but this would be one of the popular ones I should think. Real will start with that 11 as the preferred starting 11 and then MIGHT change to bring in other starters depending on their performance. Depends on Camacho having the balls to bench the biggest names in football because of poor performance. Queiroz didn't have any. Time will tell whether Camacho has a pair or not.


The team when fresh and fit is match for anyone. But we are talking about a season here and the toughest club competition to win. On top of that Real has matched the other sides (Milan, Ajax, Bayern) of the modern era by winning THREE titles in an era. Only the Great Liverpool side won 4 in an era apart from Di Stefano's Real obviously who won 5 in one go.


So can Real match Pool and win 4 or will they disappear into the unknown to rise again another day? Personally I think Real has peaked for now and it would be a tough ask for them to win this competition this season. They needed to juice up their midfield (offensive deptt). They bought a striker at a discount price and who was not really needed whereas they could've spent that same money for buying for example Rosicky. Owen is going to start from the bench. Rosicky would've done the same but he would've subbed one of Zidane or Figo to give them the surge in the midfield.

Real doesn't have any backup for Zizou so they lose the central attack in Zidane's absence. It is all flank without Zidane. You can't win the UCL if there is no central attack.

AC Milan

Preview

UCL/ECC wins : 6

AC Milan went from the preliminary qualifier to European glory in a matter of 10 months. The team got stronger from that European victory campaign but then crashed out in the most unbelievable manner on a forgettable night for the Rossoneri where RC Deportivo La Coruna proved again for the umpteenth time that they don't have it to go all the way. It is customary for Super Depor to get rid of a favourite and then follow them shortly.

Milan however did win the Scudetto after a gap of five years in record breaking style bringing home a win that was wanted by many. Milan didn't show that league form in the UCL apart from two games (Sparta at home and Depor at home) Now that the Scudetto has been won Milan as always like Real will focus on the Big Kahuna. The current Milan side is well balanced in all areas so much so that it is close to perfection. It may sound good but it is also a dangerous thing as the best team on the field wins not the best team on paper. This competition is unforgiving. It is ruthless. The world's best side could win game after game but then a single goal is enough for elimination from this competition. One mistake and you're out!

That is why the league form cannot be compared to the UCL form. In the league coming back from 2 goals down to win 4-2 is something brilliant but in the UCL that means the opposition has two PRECIOUS away goals to take back with them which can haunt you big time!

Milan has to be careful. The team is extraordinarily well balanced and strong and there is ample backup for every position not affecting the overall performance but this can only give Milan a favourites tag. Living up to it is another thing entirely.


Offence



-> Shevchenko
-> Tomasson
-> Inzaghi
-> Crespo

Milan was lacking a striker and they got a good deal to get hold of Hernan Crespo on loan. There are rumours that Gilardino might come in January considering the injury situation in this department but Inzaghi resuming training is a positive sign so that rumour might be put in the shelf till next Summer. Milan has good mix of strikers and Shevchenko is once again in hot form carrying it over to this season. In his absence there can be trouble as Inzaghi and Crespo don't have enough mins under their belt. Tomasson is the silent performer who keeps doing his job effectively when called upon.

Big things are expected of Crespo as he has been brought here on special request of Ancelotti. Ancelotti has gained respect of the Milan management as he has won three main trophies in two full seasons in charge. Crespo has a chance to resurrect his sagging career so he will be motivated enough.

Milan's quartet is pretty good. Apart from Inzaghi who is over 30 now the others are all at a good age for a striker so the goals should be there.

Midfield



-> Pirlo
-> Kaka
-> Seedorf
-> Gattuso
-> Rui Costa
-> Ambrosini
-> Dhorasoo
-> Brocchi
-> Serginho

It is a world class midfield that has won the UCL and Scudetto in two seasons. There are replacements / back-ups for every position and the starting midfield is composed of players who are yet to hit their peak considering their age. It is an improving group of players who play very well as a UNIT.

The midfield has goalscorers, visionaries, tacklers and good passers. IMO nobody in the midfield stands out as superior. All of them are very good and that is the reason the absence of one from the group doesn't hurt the side that much as the reliance on any one player does not exist.

I hope Ambrosini and Rui Costa get more minutes in this campaign with good rotation to not tire out the players. That would be the only concern.


Defence




-> Maldini
-> Nesta
-> Stam
-> Cafu
-> Costacurta
-> Pancaro
-> Kaladze
-> Simic
-> Colloccini

It is the best defence in this competition at least on paper. Three of the world's best defenders are lined up at Milan. The difference between Real's defenders and Milan's defenders here is that the players are backed up at every position at Milan whereas they are not at Real. Saying that the left side seems to be stacked with one too many players as my gut feeling suggests that in a big game and if the conditions of the players are optimum then Maldini will play at left back. IF that happens then Kaladze and Pancaro are going to be on the bench. However I also feel that we will see Kaladze playing left midfield in this campaign from time to time.

Cafu and Pancaro's age becomes a concern as they will have to run up and down the flank like crazy. Left side is covered for that and for the right there is not much back up except that Dhorasoo can play there or Stam can shift there to share the games with Cafu. Cafu is an important player for the squad as he gives depth but his services have to be utilized carefully to gain maximum benefit.

Goalkeeper

-> Dida

No problems here.


Starting Line-Up


4-1-2-1-2


---------------------Dida--------------------------
-
--Cafu-------Nesta-------Stam-----------Maldini--
-
---------------------Pirlo-------------------------
-
------Gattuso---------------------Seedorf--------
-
---------------------Kaka------------------------
-
-----------Tomasson------Shevchenko------------


I would think this would be the line-up that Milan would play in the big game. The big question mark will obviously be whether Maldini sticks to that flank or not. I don't think Maldini will play most games in that position leaving it open for Pancaro / Kaladze depending on the situation but when we can afford to field the ideal line-up the above 11 will walk on to the pitch.

IMO Shev and Tommo work brilliantly together so the season should start with them starting and then slowly Crespo and Inzaghi can make the transition into the 11 and see how it goes from there.

Strong and solid starting 11, backups for every position and class players present on the pitch. Only concern of mine would be rotation in defence. That is not a good idea. Rotation in defence is not good ... it never is. The shape of the defence is changed only when necessary. It isn't like the midfield or attack where it can be changed frequently.

Other than that the team looks set to make a serious challenge for the UCL title. Bring it on!

Arsenal FC

Preview

UCL/ECC wins : 0 (Semis = 0)

I don't know much about Arsenal's history except the fact that they have Never reached the semi-final of this competition and have under-achieved in this competition having strong seasons in the EPL. Arsenal have just enjoyed their greatest season ever going undefeated in style and shattering records in the EPL. 'Bout time they improve on the above figure as well to strike a balance between league and Europe. They have set the EPL on fire and started right where they left off scoring goals for fun. The team is even more rounded this time with very talented and bright youngsters joining the experienced campaigners to add much wanted depth at Arsenal. Arsenal missed out one transfer and that is the right back spot. Trabelsi (if his fuss ever stopped) or Sagnol would've been brilliant additions but it didn't happen so Arsenal will have to do with the most amazing own goal scorer ever in the shape of Lauren

Offence



-> Henry
-> Reyes
-> Bergkamp
-> Van Persie
-> Lupoli

Very good offence with diversity. New signing Van Persie and rising star Reyes take pressure off Henry as they contribute a lot to the side. It is a pacy offence utilizing pace combined with vision to rip apart defences. The downside is that this plan falls flat when a defence is sitting back not allowing the counter attack to take place. Wenger should by now do something to fix this hoodoo of Arsenal flopping in the UCL. If Arsenal doesn't reach the semis in this season's competition then it would be .... a case of choking if not already.

Midfield



-> Pires
-> Vieira
-> Ljunberg
-> Fabregas
-> Flamini
-> Edu
-> Gilberto
-> Djourou

This midfield did not lose a game all season long. It is yet to lose a game. But in Europe it was a different case showing the difference in the quality of the UCL where a team has to shift gears to really win things. I consider the UCL tougher to win than any league. Arsenal has improved their showing in the competition by getting away wins under their belt. Now they have to fix the problem of advancing further in the competition which is easier said than done. It is a burden to get rid of this hoodoo. Wenger is the ideal coach for them and the team is in the best shape possible. The group is also a good platform to slowly build the momentum. If this ain't the time to break it then I don't know when it will be.

Arsenal are lucky to still have their FAITHFUL captain. He better raise his game to another level in Europe especially because he is the one who is supposed to be controlling the midfield proceedings. A UCL winning side always has a leader in the middle of the park to control the tempo. Vieira hasn't done diddly squat in the UCL. There is a gulf of difference btw Vieira of the EPL and Vieira of the UCL. I am not going to bother on Henry as my views on him are clear. Reyes and Van Persie should help take off the pressure from Henry so that he can choke less.


Defence




-> Campbell
-> Toure
-> Cole
-> Lauren
-> Senderos
-> Clichy
-> Cygan

The Campbell-Toure duo is wicked. Both of them have vision, pace and anticipation and are the reason for Arsenal's improved defence! Cole does a fine job on the left but there are better players than him. He is still one of the best fullbacks out there.

The Arsenal defence is one of the best ones in this competition and it will be hard to crack open. Arsenal as a TEAM looks very strong indeed as well. Good backups who are young and talented. The backups do lack in experience and that can be a cause for concern in an emergency.

Goalkeeper

-> Lehmann

Slight concern over him. He does make a mistake here and there and the UCL doesn't allow you to do that often. He has to be careful.


Starting Line-Up


4-4-2


---------------------Lehmann--------------------------
-
--Lauren-------Toure-------Campbell-----------Cole--
-
-
--Ljunberg-----Gilberto------Vieira---------Pires------
-
-
----------------Reyes------Henry--------------------


The team is strong just like it was last season. The re-inforcements bring that extra kick with them and provide options for Wenger to play with. That was something missing. Personally I have serious question marks over both Vieira and Henry delivering in crunch time. Let's see what happens with that. I don't think it would hurt Arsenal this time as much because they have able backups to fill in those roles.

Arsenal do tend to slaughter sides but If I was the opposing coach I would field a 4 man flat backline and a 5 man midfield. Tell the defence to not push for the offside trap and then see how Arsenal react. I am not saying that Arsenal will be neutralized. I am saying they will be vapourized Joking aside I think Arsenal's effectiveness can be REDUCED with that ploy.

I don't feel comfortable to bet on Arsenal (because they under-perform -- they have the team and skill but miss the mentality) making the top 4 but who knows ... maybe they will finally take that step forward this season and prove their critics wrong this time (new players hold the key IMO).

Chelsea FC

Preview

UCL/ECC wins : 0

The new kids on the block are spending cash like there is no tomorrow. Wholesale changes from one Summer to the Next until something is won. Chelsea are surely the worst negotiators in the market as they don't have the concept of bargaining. Then again winning is important to them and the price at which the victory comes is insignificant. New coach arrived in the Summer -> A winner. New players arrived and a new philosophy is introduced at the Bridge now which is to win first and then worry about the other factors. It works in Europe as well. Chelsea are Arsenal's direct rivals this season for the EPL title as well as Europe in a way.

Chelsea did eliminate Arsenal last season but they went out in the very next round themselves while Arsenal rejoiced in their historic record breaking season. This season both London clubs are on a roll and winning their games. The London Derby will be special.

Abramovich wants to spend his hard earned WHITE MONEY ( ) but he also wants to be the next Berlusconi in footballing terms with success and also copy Perez' marketing policy to make Chelsea one of the most renowned names around. Chelsea does not have the pulling power YET to attract ambitious world class players (already big names) and that is a bit of a problem for them. They can get a world class player like Carvalho as he is just beginning an adventure but it is hard for them to get Samuel because Chelsea lacks the history and pedigree. Abramovich is trying to change that.


Offence

1/2

-> Gudjohnsen
-> Drogba
-> Kezman
-> Mutu

All players are young and good. Apart from Eidur it will be interesting to see how the others perform in Europe. Eidur has been there and done well. Kezman, Drogba are in a new side with a stronger midfield supporting them now. Mutu is more or less fourth choice unless he does great things when given the chance. Drogba can be dangerous as he is talented but I would still like to see him to do what he did in the UEFA Cup in this competition. That was one season. It is better to see out a player for a couple of seasons first.

Kezman has pace and is a prolific goalscorer. He has his chance now to do special things. It is a good offence and Mourinho should stick with a definitive starting partnership rather than shuffling the strikers every other game. Too much rotation is not good.



Midfield

1/2

-> Lampard
-> Duff
-> Robben
-> Makelele
-> Smertin
-> Parker
-> Tiago
-> Geremi
-> Cole

It is a very good set of midfield players for Mourinho's system. It has options and diversity. However looking at the list there is no one who is a leader in the midfield. Real has Zidane, Milan has Pirlo, Barcelona has Ronaldinhos, Arsenal has Vieira, Juve has Nedved, Bayern has Ballack, Liverpool has Gerrard, Roma has Totti etc. Lampard is good .. make no mistake but he is not a leader in midfield. I have said this before and will repeat that a leader in midfield is required to get your hands on the UCL. Chelsea's midfield SET of players is good as a group but there is not a leader there. That is their weak point at this moment.

Hence the reliance will be on the midfield group as a whole to perform so that they can cover up the missing link that is the midfield maestro how controls the game for them.


Defence




-> Terry
-> Carvalho
-> Gallas
-> Bridge
-> Johnsen
-> Ferreira
-> Babayaro
-> Morais

It is one of the best defences in this tournament. Players for specific positions and good ones at that! The fullbacks are good and the defenders are pacy so won't get caught out. Good in the air and physically strong enough as well. Chelsea was tough to break down but with Mourinho they will have more discipline. They will keep things tight at the back with the midfield also helping them out to shut out shop. Their new scorelines reflect that already.

I wonder if Mourinho would experiment with a 3 man backline with Gallas-Carvalho-Terry. He has plenty of options looking at the squad.


Goalkeeper

-> Cech / Cudicini

Well covered.


Starting Line-Up


4-1-2-1-2

This line-up is not certain as Mourinho will play the players on merit. I have just picked the starting 11 randomly.


-----------------------Cech--------------------------
-
--Ferreira-----Carvalho------Terry---------Bridge-----
-
---------------------Makelele------------------------
-
---------Robben-------------------Duff--------------
-
----------------------Lampard-----------------------
-
--------------Gudjohnsen------Drogba----------------




Multiple options so this cannot be a definitive line-up. I put Robben there so that he can cut in and take a shot as he is good at it. Smertin can play in place of Duff to provide the solidity that Mourinho will require from his team so that it doesn't over indulge in attacking outright. It depends on the situation and game so it will change from time to time. It is a good side and a young side that can improve. There is no leader in midfield in this squad and that should be Chelsea's next signing.

Mourinho has been extremely successful in his short stint as coach. His track record shows that his sides don't lose many games. So he will be a handful for his opponents. One goal let alone one defeat is enough to exit the UCL. Mourinho better make sure that the game his side loses comes at the worst possible time. Chelsea should have a good run in the competition.

Haroon, you are the pride of MilanMania! Great job!

Thats a really excellent piece of work there.

BRILLIANT Haroon!!!....as usual. Excellent analysis

looking forward to your matches previews

Excellent reviews mate

I dont disagree with much at all in there, except that maybe Real's defence is potentially 4 star? Samuel and Woodgate are both proper stoppers If they can keep them fit long enough for them to form a partnership then they could have a very solid defence in time for the knock out stages.

If I was the opposing coach I would field a 4 man flat backline and a 5 man midfield. Tell the defence to not push for the offside trap and then see how Arsenal react. I am not saying that Arsenal will be neutralized. I am saying they will be vapourized Joking aside I think Arsenal's effectiveness can be REDUCED with that ploy.

Exactly. The Eastern European sides that Arsenal have played used this (or 5 - 4 - 1) and manage to neutralise Arsenal well. Arsenal go all out for an early goal and when they get it they can afford to sit back and punish the opposition on the break, the best way to stop them is to not attack them from the start but to frustrate them

Originally Posted by Stezagud

...
Exactly. The Eastern European sides that Arsenal have played used this (or 5 - 4 - 1) and manage to neutralise Arsenal well. Arsenal go all out for an early goal and when they get it they can afford to sit back and punish the opposition on the break, the best way to stop them is to not attack them from the start but to frustrate them

Arsenal were always tended to seize ball possession, with such good players in midfield, they were able to do so.
I was interested on Arsenal - Blackburn game, particularly the 1st half. Arsenal were quite frustated because Blackburn tried to play "patient football". But they ain't a strong team to do that and eventually lost.

IMO the best way to fight Arsenal is playing a possession football and controlling the tempo as much as possible. It needs excellent and skillful players in midfield.
Apparently, Milan is the best to do that. We got Pirlo, Rui Costa, Kaka', Gattusso, Seedorf, Ambrosini and Serginho. to do that such thing isn't a big deal for us.
The only matter I fear most is about their striker's speed. We all know how quick are Henry, Reyes and Ljungberg. Our full-backs should NOT let 'em out of their sight, even for once.

Can't wait for the game...

FORZA MILAN!!!

Originally Posted by Stezagud

Exactly. The Eastern European sides that Arsenal have played used this (or 5 - 4 - 1) and manage to neutralise Arsenal well. Arsenal go all out for an early goal and when they get it they can afford to sit back and punish the opposition on the break, the best way to stop them is to not attack them from the start but to frustrate them

And if Milan plays like this and win; The news headlines for the next day would be:

Italian teams are defensive; again..

Mighty Arsenal was unlucky not to win although having possession

Milan: Anti-football

etc

Amazing posts Haroon!!

Pretty much agree with what most have said.

Real are gonna be reasonably tough to beat. Had certain players (Zidane and Figo) been in their prime, then Real would have been fearsome, but teams won't fear them as much with the players getting older. The attackers are definately threatening, with Ronaldo looking like he's getting back to his best and Raul being a major threat in CL, on top of Morientes and Owen who can cause huge problems. Defensively they have gotten much more solid with Samuel who needs no introduction and Woodgate, who many consider as potentially England's best defender were it not for injuries. Also, this mean Helguera can push forward into midfield which should help the balance in the side a lot more. Playing a high pressure game, particularly in the midfield will cause them problems as they are not used to not having time and space. Defensively, playing tight and being well organised is likely to stop them and when attacking them, it is a good idea to really use wide areas well and try to stretch the team.


Arsenal look incredible in the Premiership and are definately a major threat. As pointed out rightly, they are major underachievers in the competition and so are hungrier than ever to do well. Henry can be a player who can make a huge difference in a match, but as many have said, he does have a tendancy to fail in times of need. Reyes is the new boy in town and looks like he's worth every penny they spent on him. Scoring goals for fun in the Premiership and with good teamwork, he is a massive threat to opposition. However, he is relatively unproven at this level so its difficult to say how big a problem he is. The defence looks strong, but there are some weaknesses in wide areas as Cole and Lauren like to push up a lot. Personally, I agree with others in that dominating the midfield and disrupting their game is key to stopping them in the fast, flowing and passing game, which will help isolate the forwards as well. Keeping posession is a great importance as it frustrates the team and using wide areas effectively will cause damage as the wingbacks push forward a lot and the central pairing will be stretched.

As for us, were looking extremely well balanced this year. There are some fears of teams looking to utilise us on the counter attack which can be very effective and on set plays. However, we are looking incredible and the fact were not favourites is beneficial as it means we have less pressure.

If I owned a football team, I would hire Haroon as a highly paid analyst. Congratulations on a professional preview. My hat off to you, young man.

I agree with most of the statements. My personal feeling is that Barcelona with Edu, Giuly, Larrson and Eto'o (newcomers) plus Ronaldinho and Co. are going to be a great competitor this year. At least on paper, they are a match to us, Real Madrid, Artsenal, Manchester United, etc.

Last year was the year of the "smaller teams". No one would bet in September 2003 that we would have a Monaco/Porto final. We may have a few surprises along the line this year as well: there is only one "group stage" , the rest being "elimination" stages. While group stages will benefit the stronger teams (6 chances to make it to the next step), elimination is always tricky: one stubborn team playing total defense, an accidental goal, a key injury, or a bad day, and you are out (remember the disaster at Deportivo).

Milan has clearly the best defense anyone could dream of (6 stars if applicable). The rest will depend on Sheva repeating his last year's form and the Coach going for an open/offensive game. When you have Nesta, Maldini and Stam guarding the gate, you do not have to play "catenaccio" with 8 defenders if you are leading 1-0. Beyond that, I feel Rui Costa can and will contribute more this year. It would be fantastic if Kaka can repeat his brilliant first season, but I am afraid he will be very tightly marked and targeted by the defenders in Italy and Europe.

See what happens.

Again, Haroon, you have my nomination as Milan's analyst and tactical director.

IMO the best way to fight Arsenal is playing a possession football and controlling the tempo as much as possible. It needs excellent and skillful players in midfield. Apparently, Milan is the best to do that.

The only matter I fear most is about their striker's speed. We all know how quick are Henry, Reyes and Ljungberg. Our full-backs should NOT let 'em out of their sight, even for once.

Its true, on paper Milan are well set up to beat Arsenal as the mix of midfielders at Milan is second to none. The only potential weakness for Milan would be Cafu pushing up to much as he would be facing Arsenals left wing, the strongest part of their team. Henry, Reyes, Pires and Cole all work extremely well together here so denying them space is crucial. I might be tempted to play Stam at Right Back if i were in charge

And if Milan plays like this and win; The news headlines for the next day would be:
Italian teams are defensive; again..
Mighty Arsenal was unlucky not to win although having possession
Milan: Anti-football

oh yes, Milan would have to be anti-football to beat "The Invincibles"

FC Barcelona

Preview

UCL/ECC wins : 1

FC Barcelona is back where it truly belongs -- Europe's biggest stage and they are hell bent on making one big splash. The most explosive offence in Europe is making its way into the UCL and one of the greatest football venues in the world (Camp Nou) promises to be the home of fireworks once again! Laporta's new look Barcelona with a purpose is aiming to win a trophy after half a decade of watching their eternal rivals Real Madrid CF dominate Europe and Spain.

The restructuring is done and the team is there ... now comes the hope for the deliverance, the killer punch and the final blow. FC Barcelona had a shaky first part of the season and then went on a whirlwind 15 game win streak that made them come close to making a serious challenge for the league. There are additions to the squad and this revitalized squad will be hot to handle.

Barcelona's worry will be their defence that can be vulnerable but then again when a side has an offence that can rip apart defences the opposition will have to be special to deal with that and attack on their part as well. Not many sides can do that.

Barcelona is one of the great European sides that has not done justice to its reputation and history failing to win continent's most prestigious trophy on more than one occasion and yet they should have more UCL titles under their belt. The only side in Europe to play in European competition every single season has to step up and the Barcelona fans should be optimistic because this side has the ingredients for success and it is only on the verge of starting a cycle.

Offence

1/2

-> Eto'o
-> Larsson

Barcelona is a thin in this department as they have two strikers only. Although their strategy is dependent on having a single striker but it is a long season so having two players for that position is a little tricky. Other players in the squad can chip in that position but a third player would've been a better. Larsson brings with him not only experience but a goal scoring prowess and Eto'o has shown his class in previous seasons. He looked a bit too excited vs. Sevilla yesterday overdoing it. He needs to be a little more calm and his time will come. For now he has to keep things simple and get into a rhythm first.


Midfield



-> Ronaldinho
-> Deco
-> Giuly
-> Iniesta
-> Xavi
-> Edmilson
-> Gerard
-> Motta (sidelined due to injury for approx six months - twisted knee)

I have no doubt that Barcelona's offence is the most explosive one in this competition. There are one too many match winners present there. Deco was leading his Porto side to the winner's podium while Giuly led his Monaco side to the final and Ronaldinho is welll ... wait and see how he lights up the UCL. Iniesta could well be starting games coz he has spark to his game. Xavi is the main man in the midfield who is stringing up the moves and the central guy in the equation. It would be interesting to see how well Edmilson is with him. If he can striker a good partnership with him doing most of the donkey work effectively then Barcelona is a ball of fire. Motta's injury is a bad one for Barcelona as they lose out on a player long term.


Defence


1/2

-> Puyol
-> Marquez
-> Belletti
-> Sylvinho
-> Oleguer
-> Van Bronckhorst
-> Gabri
-> Navarro

Good defenders there. What they are missing is a world class act in the middle to partner Puyol. If Barcelona can get hold of a World Class defender then the team will be on another level. I think missing out on Cannavaro was a golden opportunity. Just imagine Cannavaro partnering Puyol in the middle and Barcelona is on another level totally. I am sure Barcelona could have offered somebody of Carini's credentials to Inter knowing that they wanted a third choice goalkeeper for the Italian captain and a world class defender.

However there are good backups and it depends on how well Puyol marshalls his defence. He is a natural leader so he has to lead from the front playing at the back.

Goalkeeper

-> Valdes

He was amazing vs. Real in the Bernabeu. The saves he made that night were fantastic. The kid's got skillz.


Starting Line-Up


4-2-3-1


-----------------------Valdes--------------------------
-
--Belletti-------Puyol----------Marquez-------Sylvinho--
-
----------------Edmilson------Xavi----------------------
-
----------Giuly----------Deco---------Ronaldinho--------
-
------------------------Eto'o---------------------------


Barcelona has options in defence where Oleguer can play in the middle and GVB can play as LB. Edmilson I would think will start as he would provide the balance by winning balls and then passing it on to Xavi or the rest to do their stuff. The offensive trio is well balanced and extremely dangerous. Deco would be the least flashy of the trio but then again he will help the defence the most as well so he has his plus points. Ronaldinho is explosive and vying to take Barcelona to the promised land ... a land where they have been to through a Ronald Koeman screamer in Wembley 12 years ago. It is a great feeling. He still has to do it in the UCL. His name and skills are not enough. He has to do it on the pitch and make his plays do the stuff that will guarantee deliverance. It is tougher than it seems to be. Rivaldo and Figo combined could not do it for Barcelona in Europe. There is huge expectation on this wonder kid's shoulders. He has to boldly go where no man (in the last decade for Barcelona) has gone before (and take his teammates with him)!

Barcelona is in a tight group and they have failed on their promise many times before so the side needs to know EXACTLY how difficult it is to get out of a rut and Barcelona is in ONE when it comes to the UCL. The side has played in many semis and quarters but WINNING is one thing and playing semis is another.

Juventus FC

Preview

UCL/ECC wins : 2

The Old Lady of Turin returns to Europe's competition with one of Europe's greatest coaches at the helm which is not a comfortable thought for opposition. Stubborn he may be, arrogant he may be but the Don is one hell of a coach who has a winning track record. He has gone on record as saying that the UCL is Juve's top priority this season. The Juve management made a coup by getting Capello from bitter rivals Roma but then made a mess of it by letting go of Maresca and Miccoli. If they had kept hold of those two then the Juve side would be a up a notch or two for sure but their absence will hurt their cause because both players are good at what they do.

Juve is Benfica Part 2 with a long list of failures in the final of the UCL. They have a good record in Europe of reaching the finals otherwise but the conversion rate of finals to wins is piss poor. They will win the next final they get to but only time will tell which year will that be. It might not be this season as Capello's first aim will be to get Juve into the knock-out keeping in mind that he failed to do with it Roma and it has been a while since he tasted the drama of a knock-out tie in Europe's grand competition.

Offence

1/2

-> Trezeguet
-> Ibrahimovic
-> Del Piero
-> Zalayeta

Trezeguet and Zlatan are not likely to create something for themselves and are dependent on the supply considering that they are more of target men. Del Piero is on a constant decline and he can have a brilliant moment. It will be interesting to see if Capello can wave his magic wand and turn DP into something that he WAS. Zalayeta's only famous exploit will be the winner in the Camp Nou a couple of seasons ago. It was important to keep hold of Miccoli and convince him that he was needed even if he wanted to leave.

Midfield

1/2

-> Nedved
-> Emerson
-> Tacchinardi
-> Camoranesi
-> Kapo
-> Tudor
-> Olivera
-> Blasi

The midfield doesn't exactly strike fear into the opponents. It is workmanlike with a conventional look. Nedved and Emerson are the guys to control and more so Nedved. It also lacks creative spark and there is a lack of pace in the midfield. Selling Maresca is beyond me. And Capello prides in building strong midfields for his teams. It is hard to believe that he is satisfied with the squad he has.


Defence



-> Thuram
-> Cannavaro
-> Ferrara
-> Zambrotta
-> Birindelli
-> Zebina
-> Legrottaglie
-> Juliano
-> Pessotto

The defence is the healthiest in the team. It has world class names present and Capello's sides don't have a habit of leaking too many goals so with the players available in this area his side will be hard to break down if he plays the right players and leaves out clowns like Juliano.

Goalkeeper

-> Buffon

World's Best Goalkeeper.


Starting Line-Up


4-4-2

Capello should play this line-up as I believe this is the most productive line-up for Juve considering their dire lack of personnel.

-----------------------Buffon--------------------------
-
--Birindelli------Thuram------Cannavaro-----Zambrotta--
-
--Olivera-------Emerson------Tacchinardi----Nedved----
-
-------------------------------Del Piero----------------
----------------Trezeguet------------------------------


This side can be a handful for the opposition but over a season especially in Europe where the match winners a required to lift the team to another level ... will the team suffice?

The positive would be that Capello knows what he is doing and he has seen the team in trainings so he should know what he has to offer with his Juve side. Juve has a reputation of a club that makes good value for money transfers. In years I think this Summer's transfers were far from good for them but the Cannavaro transfer was Juve like!!! Inter proved once again that they can take it to another level without moving a muscle!

Been 10 years since Capello lifted his solitary UCL title. Football has changed and evolved during this time and he has failed to win the European cup with other sides. Been a while since he took reigns of a European powerhouse and the last time he coached an Italian giant he conquered all. Can history repeat itself? It may but this squad does not seem to have it to WIN the European Cup but a serious challenge cannot be discounted. If they get to the final they will win it.