Hard to stop that. England hung on in there. Barnes says they were taught a lesson. Maybe they were but they stood up to it pretty well imo.
Oh definitely. I think the All Blacks just put teams under pressure for 80 minutes and you have to almost play a perfect game. Have to go out in a bit which is a shame as I was looking forward to the game in Dublin as well
There has never been a golden age of English football. When English clubs were at the forefront of European football in the 70s amd early 80s those clubs were filled with Scots, Irish and Welsh. The rest of the UK had to be drafted in to bring England's inferior players up to scratch. Look at Scottish clubs in the 60s and 70s. They dominated European football with homegrown players despite the cream being poached by English teams. Sad to say but when it comes to football Englanders are pish.
You also said Dortmund would win it. Chelsea have a good chance and Arsenal should reach the quarters.
The 2 London sides can hold their own every season pretty much. I am realistic enough to know that there are 2 good German sides 2 good Spanish sides 2 quite good French sides and 2 ok Italian sides . The venom from most on here are Scotch fans that have seen their best side destroyed by a Polish outfit and clearly will not be challenging in Europe ever again. Sad but true.
The Champions league was invented so teams from small countries like Scotland would never be able to challenge again. It's not just Scotland. countries like the Netherlands are in the same predicament. Football is now all about money and TV. The Champions league will eventually run it's course. It is already tedious as **** watching the same teams playing each other year in year out.
Not many Gooners think they can win it they came close in the last 17 years getting to a few semis and a final Man city are a new team and they are more suited to domestic football but Chelsea are not far away from Real, Barca or Bayern . The European cup has been won by ugly teams winning 1-0 and "haunting" the final like most Italian winners. Bayern got blown away by Madrid last year and the Spaniards don't mind playing silly money fof talent. No team can dominate year after year but since the Champions league was formed the English usually get to the last 8 or last 4. Mourinho could win it with his squad.
Yet they are all experts on the failings of our Premier lg sides, you know when your domestic league is dead when Celtic fans openly support German teams in the Champions league. I don't like Man U but i have seen them win it twice i was happy when Chelsea won it a few years back. I like Arsenal and would like to see them win it but they have only just started spending stupid money the last 2 seasons yet qualify every single season. That in itself is a massive achievement .
