Champions League Matches 6/7th Dec

[kompressaur]

GMT +1

Tuesday, December 06, 2005
8:45 PM AC Milan 1.45 X 4.00 FC Schalke 04 6.25
8:45 PM Artmedia Bratislava 2.50 X 3.45 FC Porto 1.90
8:45 PM Betis 1.40 X 4.00 RSC Anderlecht 7.25
8:45 PM Chelsea FC 1.55 X 3.50 Liverpool FC 5.75
8:45 PM Glasgow Rangers 2.60 X 3.55 Inter Milan 2.30
8:45 PM Olympiakos 3.60 X 3.20 Real Madrid 1.95
8:45 PM Olympique Lyonnais 1.25 X 5.00 Rosenborg 10.00
8:45 PM PSV Eindhoven 1.55 X 3.75 Fenerbahce 5.25

Wednesday, December 07, 2005
8:45 PM Arsenal FC 1.65 X 3.40 Ajax Amsterdam 5.00
8:45 PM Benfica Lisbon 2.75 X 3.40 Manchester United 2.25
8:45 PM FC Brugge 5.00 X 3.40 FC Bayern Munich 1.65
8:45 PM SK Rapid Vienna 6.25 X 3.65 Juventus 1.50
8:45 PM Sparta Prague 1.80 X 3.40 FC Thun 4.00
8:45 PM Udinese 2.95 X 2.90 FC Barcelona 2.40
8:45 PM Villarreal 1.65 X 3.35 Lille 5.00
8:45 PM Werder Bremen 1.40 X 4.00 Panathinaikos 7.15
odds from betandwin

[Beanie]

Not giving much away with those prices...I'd only look towards PSV at the moment but I'd be wanting a better price than that.

[GaNgStA kEeKs]

I think its all going to come down to the sides that have qualified now playing weakened sides.

They have nothing left to play for now and i doubt they would risk their best players for meaningless games especially when they will be involved in domestic action a few days later.

Take Inter Milan for example. They have qualified now and have what looks like being a tough and physical game away to Rangers.

Nothing to gain from playing their best players incase they get injured or suspended for future games in the CL.

They also have a very big important match against rivals AC Milan a few days later so you have to question their commitment to this game.

I think this should stand for most other teams also.

The teams that have qualified so far are...

Group A

Bayern Munich
Juventus

Group B

Arsenal
Ajax

Group C

Barcelona

Group D

All to play for

Group E

All to play for

Group F

Lyon
Real Madrid

Group G

Liverpool
Chelsea

Group H

Inter Milan

So they all have nothing to play for. You can also add to that list Rapid Vienna, Anderlecht, Olympiakos who all can't even qualify for the Uefa cup now for finishing in 3rd spot.

Going by that i would say only Rangers are the only worthwhile bet here against Inter but i will wait until we are closer to kick off to get the managers thoughts and ambitions, or lack of ambitions, for their games.

Of the games where everything to play for you have to fancy Porto to do the business against Artmedia.

Since that hammering of Celtic a couple months back this side have been very poor and done nothing imo and its unbelievable to think they are still in with a chance of qualifying as they realyl have been that bad in all games i have seen.

Last game out against Inter they were completely dominated with Inter doing what Porto and Rangers had failed to do and finish the side off.

Porto have been impressive and should have accumulated more points. Quality home win against Inter they got and that shouldve been followed by another against Rangers where they completely outplayed them only for Rangers to snatch a late goal for the equaliser.

Artmedia beat them 3-2 away though in what i would call a freak result. 2-0 down Artmedia turned it around and fair play to them for taking their chances as they scored their only 3 chances of game.

Going to give the 0-0 and 1-0 Man Utd victory correct scores a bash.

Man Utd have only scored 3 goals in their last 9 champions league games which is a very poor return.

2 of them goals were in the 2-1 defeat of Benfica earlier in the group. Away in Portugal is never an easy fixture regardless of who you are playing and it will be a real struggle for Man Utd.

Nothing else really stands out for me although Udinese at home to Barcelona could interest me come kick off.

[Beanie]

Originally Posted by Kiko

The teams that have qualified so far are...

Group A

Bayern Munich
Juventus

Group B

Arsenal
Ajax

Group C

Barcelona

Group D

All to play for

Group E

All to play for

Group F

Lyon
Real Madrid

Group G

Liverpool
Chelsea

Group H

Inter Milan

Cheers Kiko...thats handy.

I'd take out those that are playing at home, as they will often go out to do a job infront of the fans, and take out Liverpool as they won't be keen on being turned over by Chelsea.

Take out Rapid Vienna and Olympiakos as they don't give a toss either...

8:45 PM Glasgow Rangers 2.60 X 3.55 Inter Milan 2.30
8:45 PM FC Brugge 5.00 X 3.40 FC Bayern Munich 1.65
8:45 PM Udinese 2.95 X 2.90 FC Barcelona 2.40

Those are the games where the home side do care, and the away side might not.

As you mention Kiko Rangers and Udinese worth another look depending on who the away teams field(Inter have already mentioned that they will use the game as a nice wee holiday for the players) and its worth throwing in Bayern there, especially if the exchanges go heavily odds on.

Brugge are 6-0-1 at home this season, beat Vienna 3-2 and only lost 2-1 to Juve, so if Bayern send out a second string I'd fancy the Belgians to take atleast a point.

[MickeyPaul]

I think Rangers will probably win that one. Their players don't often seem able to rasie their game but that is one where I think they will. It's massive isn't it? Huge. A must win. I could well be on the home.

[kompressaur]

so hows it all going folks?

[Keith]

Originally Posted by Kiko

Nothing else really stands out for me although Udinese at home to Barcelona could interest me come kick off.

Not too many bookies have priced this up so far. They are probably waiting until after todays games in Serie A and La Liga.

3.1 was available at Betfair on Udinese though.

If I understand things correctly the home side only need 1 point to qualify but hopefully they will not take a chance and play for the draw with the risk of it all going wrong in a flash.

Barcelona have already qualified and it is interesting to look back to see what they did when they were in a similar position last year.

Their final group match was away to Shakhtar Donetsk. Although Barca sent a strong squad to the Ukraine the actual starting line up contained only about 5 first choice players and they were mainly in defence.

Barcelona lost 2-0

[wazik]

Rangers 11/10 in Ladbrokes today.....
From what I see here some folks like the look of that.
Rangers havent won a game in.....how many is it now? 11?
Surely this must be a lay, ok Inter are through already, coming here for a holidayand will prolly play their under 13s but I still couldnt back rangers to beat em

[GaNgStA kEeKs]

Agree Wazik.

It is going to be very very tough to back Rangers even though Inter probably will play a reserve side etc.

If i was seeing some potential in Rangers play i would take it but their performances have been poor and no better.

How often have we seen Scottish football get so close, but always fail at the final hurdle.

Im a Celtic fan but would love to see them do it for Scottish football and McLeish himself as im starting to feel sorry for him.

But as much as i try to support backing them i just can't find any.

I actually think it could work against Rangers playing a reserve side in all honesty as it could get their arrogance levels up a couple of nothces thinking all they have to do is show up and they have a result.

Bah - i dunno what to do. Anyone convince me?

[Keith]

Udinese v Barcelona

It seems that this game may have a bit of a whiff about it and a friendly draw is suspected by the layers.

2.9 is the best that you can get and some bookies have the draw on offer as low as 2.62.

I must say that I am surprised. I wouldn't put anything past The Italians but Barcelona. I wouldn't have expected that they would be tainted with something underhand. Am I being naive?

[MickeyPaul]

Hmmm, I just think we'll see a slightly different Rangers for this match although I agree they are shit in the extreme. I think these are the only matches the players seem able to motivate themselves for. Christ, what happened to the odds? That 2.6 didn't last long did it? You know what? I spit on the odds I'm seeing. I think Rangers have a decent chance of edging it but I was hoping for around 2.8 somewhere. Ah well. It'll still be exciting to watch.

[wazik]

I would need 5/1 to back Rangers, wouldnt back them at the current price with stolen money

[archaeus]

lolz, they are so bad?

[MickeyPaul]

Well, yes they are but, errrrm, not all the time. Ok, forget I ever mentioned them.

[scoopdaddy]

Originally Posted by Was

Udinese v Barcelona

It seems that this game may have a bit of a whiff about it and a friendly draw is suspected by the layers.

2.9 is the best that you can get and some bookies have the draw on offer as low as 2.62.

I must say that I am surprised. I wouldn't put anything past The Italians but Barcelona. I wouldn't have expected that they would be tainted with something underhand. Am I being naive?

To be honest I can defo see the Italians fiddling with this game and the draw is a very good bet for me. It does indeed have a nice whiff