Eastern Europe a booby trap for Europe’s giants
Roar Pro
By David V., 17 May 2009 The Crowd is a Roar Pro
- Tagged:
- Arsenal, Champions League, Chelsea, European football, football
While the Champions’ League of the past few years all but confirms what seems to be a three-league hegemony over European football, they are by no means guaranteed an easy ride in the earlier stages of the competition.
Club sides from Russia, Ukraine, Poland and Romania among other countries have the capabilities to mix it with Europe’s big guns. Their high standard of passing, a high level of tactical awareness and organisation allows them to provide a stern test to the continent’s finest.
Arsenal and Chelsea have found, and may well continue to find, life difficult against such opponents, particularly away from home where an intimidating atmosphere makes it difficult for even the most formidable opponents to cope.
The possibility of a humiliating defeat is never far away.
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- Explore:
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Slippery Jim said | May 18th 2009 @ 11:32am | Report comment
Disagree that the mighty Chels have much to fear from the likes of Russia, Ukraine, Poland and Romania, but this article gets my cheer for gratuitious use of the word booby
David V. said | May 18th 2009 @ 12:21pm | Report comment
Ahhh but Chelsea’s failure to win in Romania, and then only scrape past the same side at home, proves the point.
Slippery Jim said | May 18th 2009 @ 1:05pm | Report comment
Quite the contrary, David V, the exception proves the rule! By the way, how did that particular Romanian team fare in the knockout stages?
David V. said | May 18th 2009 @ 2:34pm | Report comment
OK so they didn’t make it. But you see the potential to cost valuable points.
Would you be interested in actually making the trip over there to watch a game? Cyprus wouldn’t be too hard these days with Emirates flying there!
Slippery Jim said | May 18th 2009 @ 3:17pm | Report comment
David V, always up for a Champions League game! Unfortunately the last time I was in Europe I timed it all wrong so I was a week out and missed the Juventus game (against Chelsea of course). Maybe next time, although tickets can be tricky to get hold of.
Viscount Crouchback said | May 19th 2009 @ 3:26am | Report comment
This article is risible.
David V. said | May 21st 2009 @ 12:21pm | Report comment
Shaktar Donetsk just won the UEFA Cup. So it confirms, more or less, what I’ve tried to convey- these teams can be pretty good.