Champions League - Match Day 3

1

Spartak Moscow are at home to Chelsea in the 5.30pm kick-off tomorrow evening. Aiden McGeady will have a late check on the ankle knock he picked up on international duty last week but midfield playmaker Alex is definitely missing. The left winger Kombarov is also doubtful with a knee injury but Welliton, scorer of 16 league goals in 18 games, returned from a hamstring injury at the weekend. Chelsea will be without Lampard and Drogba, while Terry returns to the scene of the 2008 final where he shed all those tears. I’m looking forward to this encounter somewhat, along with Roma’s clash with Basle tomorrow night.

Tuesday, 19 October 2010
Spartak Moscow v Chelsea, GpF, 17:30
Ajax v Auxerre, GpG, 19:45
Arsenal v Shakhtar Donetsk, GpH, 19:45
Bayern Munich v CFR 1907 Cluj-Napoca, GpE, 19:45
Braga v Partizan Belgrade, GpH, 19:45
Marseille v MSK Zilina, GpF, 19:45
Real Madrid v AC Milan, GpG, 19:45
Roma v Basle, GpE, 19:45

Wednesday, 20 October 2010
Barcelona v FC Copenhagen, GpD, 19:45
FC Twente v Werder Bremen, GpA, 19:45
Inter Milan v Tottenham, GpA, 19:45
Lyon v Benfica, GpB, 19:45
Man Utd v Bursaspor, GpC, 19:45
Panathinaikos v Rubin Kazan, GpD, 19:45
Rangers v Valencia, GpC, 19:45
Schalke 04 v Hapoel Tel-Aviv, GpB, 19:45

2

I think Ill watch Real Madrid vs AC Milan tonight and Rangers vs Valencia tomorrow.

3

Bright opening from Spartak. Could easily be one up

4

He should have buried that, McGeady will have a tough time up against Cole.

5

Great save from Cech.

6

Kombarov should have put them ahead there. Lovely turn by Welliton for the Cech save and that was great play by Chelsea for the Malouda effort. Excellent start to the game.

7

Jesus what a fookin goal by Zhirkov :o

8

Stunning strike by Zhirkov. The Spartak supporters will be doubly seething.

9

2-0 Chelsea, Anelka with the second. McGeady having a quiet game, it took him 40 minutes to get around Cole.

10

Probably game over with the second goal before half time. Their defence is rubbish, as noted on the Spartak thread. I’m not sure how the defender could possibly have thought stepping up was the right thing to do there. Essien is playing brilliantly this evening.

11

Chelsea fortunate to be two up but they have been deadly in front of goal. McGeady quiet all right.

12

McGeady stated this half really well. Sparkak need a goal now though you feel.

13

3 chances for Spartak in the first 3 minutes of the second half though Chelsea should still have scored themselves on the break after more inept defending. McGeady involved with a cross for the Ari effort and then his run and deflected shot ended up with Cech tipping it over the bar on the stretch.

14

McGeady getting into gear alright, two soft efforts though. Terry and Ivanovich are steady enough for Chelsea.

15

More good play by McGeady and another shot saved by Cech from him. Spartak are a treat to watch - can’t defend for shit and just pile forward.

16

Cech is really earning his corn tonight.

17

Cech with a great, fingertip save from Ibson followed by quite a good save from the same player. I’d still fancy Chelsea to grab another on the break though - Spartak are all over the place defensively.

18

Aiden McGeady - what a joy to watch when he’s doing tricks like that. :clap:

19

Spartak played very well in the second half but I think Chelsea will overpower them in London too. They don’t defend well at all and are very weak from set pieces also. Marseille will be right back into the reckoning if they can take 6 points from Zilina over the next 2 weeks so that should set up a good fight for second place with Spartak at home to Marseille obviously being the key game. Interesting to see Chelsea bringing on a few young players - they’ve been sourcing them from all over the world and progressing to FA Youth Cup Finals in recent years so it signals a change in approach. Pat Dolan: “We should appreciate Aiden McGeady being Irish”. :clap:

I’m tempted to watch Real Madrid-Milan over my own beloved Roma. If anyone can put paid to Mourinho’s outstanding undefeated home record sequence, Zlatan can.

20

Great words from the esteemed Pat Dolan there.

Group is wide open alright. Spartak’s win in Marseille is crucial obviously but they’ve away trips to London and Zilnia to come. Order of games might suit them a bit in that a loss at home to Marseille and they’ll have a specific result in mind heading to Slovakia. And if they need 3 points they might be able to go get them.