As an Arsenal fan, I’m not turning cartwheels. The mechanics of the draw meant that Arsenal had to be in the same group as Roma and couldn’t get Real Madrid. But I think Barcelona would have been more vulnerable than Valencia and Ajax may be a bit (but not much) tougher than Lokomitiv Moscow or Basel.
A reasonably tough draw for United but it had been largely pre-determined.
Yep, it is a tough group for Arsenal. I actually reckon that Newcastle have the easiest run, but there really isn’t much in it between the four groups at all.
The worst bit of playing Lokomotiv Moskva is actually going all the way to bastard Moscow to bastard well freeze to death.
I think perhaps that Hapoel might just be reviewing their criticisms of Alan Smith’s playing ability now.
2 games 8 goals, we are getting to be like Keegans version of Newcastle.
Our centre-backs look too vulnerable to go much further eithr in the Premiership or the UEFA cup.
El-Tel is back to his style it seems, good wins here and there, and frustration everywhere else.
I have to congratulate Bobby Robson and his boys, great stuff even if it was nerve wracking.
I believe they still have one or two players who are short of full match fitness so it would seem there is more to come from them.
Although Arsenals group looks tough, I would bet that all the other teams in it will be seeing them as a tough nut to crack, I’d have thought the Ajax are the weakest team, I think they stand a good chance of qualifying, especially if Henry is fully fit, has to be said that Arsenal need another front line striker with experience at this level, or Jeffers needs to suddenly hit form.
Well I’m back from Blackburn - what an experience. I had been optimistic about our chances but I never expected to beat them that soundly. What a great response to Souness’s comments after the first leg (which admittedly were deserved, but were still just … rude).
Obviously Celta will be a much more difficult proposition. But in the past 15 months we’ve managed to beat Ajax, Juventus, Porto, Rosenberg and Valencia as well as Blackburn in competitive games. OK we’ve lost to most of them as well, but the point is, it is within our abilities to win against teams of that calibre. I feel OK about our chances, not great but OK.
Still reeling over the shock of Didier Agathe having Damien Duff in his pocket … 
Forgot to mention one of the funniest parts of the trip.
Picture the scene: 25 very pished Irish Celtic fans in the lift at Manchester Airport the day after the game. So pished they don’t even notice when the lift stops at their (5th) level and they have to keep going all the way to the top (13th) level and back down. The lift seems to be stopping at every level along the way.
At one stop, the doors open and who walks in but Paul McGrath. The lads don’t even bat an eyelid but just start singing “ooh ah Paul McGrath”. He smiles, congratulates us on the performance and then gets off the lift.
It was surreal.