Champions League Knock Out Stages Draw - 16 Dec 2011 - Nyon

[Letters]

If we didn't settle for 4th place all the time we might actually have an outside chance, but hey ho it's not meant to be.

Yeah, if only we as ambitious as City or Utd.


Hmm.

[Özim]

Yeah, if only we as ambitious as City or Utd.


Hmm.

We just make up the numbers in this competition, as far as I'm concerned it's totally pointless, yeah sure we get there every season and make money but how does that help the ordinary fan exactly?

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Bollocks, Gervinho is going to be knackered by the time he gets back. Although I suppose the same might be true of 'Prince'.

He's retired from international footie

[Letters]

I've enjoyed it so far. Last year wasn't much fun as we got pub teams in the group and while we conspired not to win the group we were always going to qualify. This year has been much better group, a tougher group and winning it showed we've not fallen as far as some people on here (at times including me) thought.

I agree we won't win it but I'm not a glory hunter who is only interested in the end result of a season, I'm there for the journey. A better draw would have been nice but at least this is a draw where I can get excited about the games. I enjoyed the Barca tie last year despite the result, the game at the Emirates was the best one there so far IMO, and I'm sure I'll enjoy this tie too.

The end result is not irrelevant but it's not the be all and end all either. Were it so no-one outside the top few would have any fans.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

He's retired from international footie

What? After such a successful career I suppose he deserves it.

[Özim]

I've enjoyed it so far. Last year wasn't much fun as we got pub teams in the group and while we conspired not to win the group we were always going to qualify. This year has been much better group, a tougher group and winning it showed we've not fallen as far as some people on here (at times including me) thought.

I agree we won't win it but I'm not a glory hunter who is only interested in the end result of a season, I'm there for the journey. A better draw would have been nice but at least this is a draw where I can get excited about the games. I enjoyed the Barca tie last year despite the result, the game at the Emirates was the best one there so far IMO, and I'm sure I'll enjoy this tie too.

The end result is not irrelevant but it's not the be all and end all either. Were it so no-one outside the top few would have any fans.

There's a difference between not winning and having no chance of winning for a big club (which is what we are, we're not a small club so can't be compared to one).

The fact is whilst we play in it every season we never have a hope of winning it and hope is all important even if it comes to nothing in the end. It's about belief in the manager and the team, I don't believe in the manager he's proved he can't hack it anymore, he should have moved on but unfortunately he hasn't and until he does I fear we will always have no chance of winning a trophy.

[Letters]

I wouldn't say we have no chance of winning it. There are better sides around - Barca beat us relatively comfortably but they handed ManYoo's arses to them too. They're better than both of us. In that sense ManYoo have no chance either. If Barca happen to get knocked out before we play them then it would give other teams a chance. Realistically you'd expect one of the Spanish sides to win it but hey, if I thought we had no chance I wouldn't bother watching. In sport you never really know.

[Coney]

I wouldn't say we have no chance of winning it. There are better sides around - Barca beat us relatively comfortably but they handed ManYoo's arses to them too. They're better than both of us. In that sense ManYoo have no chance either. If Barca happen to get knocked out before we play them then it would give other teams a chance. Realistically you'd expect one of the Spanish sides to win it but hey, if I thought we had no chance I wouldn't bother watching. In sport you never really know.

Indeed. The probability of Barca winning the trophy is certainly higher than for us, but we are not without a chance. If we were to get to the final and meet them there, in a one-off match we could still sneak it.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

There's a difference between not winning and having no chance of winning for a big club (which is what we are, we're not a small club so can't be compared to one).

The fact is whilst we play in it every season we never have a hope of winning it and hope is all important even if it comes to nothing in the end. It's about belief in the manager and the team, I don't believe in the manager he's proved he can't hack it anymore, he should have moved on but unfortunately he hasn't and until he does I fear we will always have no chance of winning a trophy.

Being 1-0 up in the final 06 showed we had every hope of winning it, and we would have won it if Henry took his chances. too say we have no hope is rubbish its a cup competition and the best don't always win, you need luck to win it in reality.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I wouldn't say we have no chance of winning it. There are better sides around - Barca beat us relatively comfortably but they handed ManYoo's arses to them too. They're better than both of us. In that sense ManYoo have no chance either. If Barca happen to get knocked out before we play them then it would give other teams a chance. Realistically you'd expect one of the Spanish sides to win it but hey, if I thought we had no chance I wouldn't bother watching. In sport you never really know.

Yeah we were possibly a Dennis Bendtner away from going through last season. Not that it would've taken us to the final of course but it would've been a big step. I always want us to get to the QFs at least because then we can see what path we would have to go down to reach the final. If, like the Spuds we have Real Madrid and then Barcelona, it's hard to see us getting through. Always a chance of fluking an easier draw though.