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Lord I wish I'd put money on Arsenal reaching the final at 16/1 months ago.  

I think the Barce will do them over unless they're Henry inspired and they take it to extra time where I'd quite fancy Arsenal's chances on penalties (may have a bet on that one).

Impressed with what old Arse & Vinegar  has done with the youngsters he's brought in but just as the league has shown they're seriously lacking in a bit of grit.  The difference for me with Chelsea is their strong English core and Premiership experienced players.

Think they'll be a decent shout for 2nd next season but I can't see them even  having the opportunity to add decent English players of the calibre they're going to require.

I've zig-zagged a bit in the last several years between supporting the english team and supporting their opposition. At the moment I've leveled out at pretty neutral (on the big sides, wouldn't have minded seeing everton doing a bit better). Actually scrap that. I was glas when Man U went out, don't really like Liverpool and was pretty neutral on chelsea and arsenal (although I think I prefer chelsea out of the two).

If the league goes the right way I'll probably edging for Barca slightly as I'd like to see how Carrick and co. do in the champs league. If Arsenal get 4th spot anyway then I'll probably just watch the game as a complete neutral fan. It would be nice to have a laugh at the expense of my two arsenal supporting housemates, but as one of them lives a tube station away when he's at home, I can't really do the glory supporting line (lack of games I always do, but with my non-attendance recently it's become a bit hollow).

Can't really remember when I lost the patriotism to support english club's in europe but it's well gone now. Think it stem's from realising how little passion the majority of the 'fans' of those clubs really feel compared to my joy when Invinsible kept us up, or when Swindon and Hartlepool guarenteed their play-off places by taking the ball to each other's corners for the last ten minutes.

I’m pretty neutral to the core borderline lethargic when it comes to the Premiership nowadays.  I like to see the likes of Bolton and Wigan do well just to stick it up them and Pearce’s Man City just for the bloke’s passion and honesty.

Love to see an outsider win it next season.  

Still like to see the English sides doing well if anything so the Spaniards and Italians aren’t dominant.  Same token, pity Everton didn’t get through as a bit of an underdog package.

Possibly when teams like Arsenal regularly go into european ties with out a single British player in they're starting line up, i know personally I dont see the point in getting behind a side for being English when this is the case

Looking at the amount of English talent available alone I don’t think they would have got anywhere near as far as they have had they spent the same amount of money they have on players over the past few seasons.

It’s a bit of a kick in the teeth but Spurs are doing a similar thing to Arsenal by scooping up every talented English youngster they can possibly get their mitts around on a ridiculous scale.  Not healthy for the likes of ourselves who don’t even get to see our brightest prospects turn out for the reserve team anymore let alone pull on the shirt.

That said in a few years if they stick with Jol they have the possibility of having an incredible side.

If the semi finals are anything to go by, it'll be the most boring "exciting" final in world history.

True Dave, that's what makes footie a shit sport sometimes.  But that's what you get when you can "win" by "drawing", unlike rugby for example.

Come on Barca!!!

Did everybody seriously expect the 'nervous' sides to play out 4-3 games in the Semi Finals?.  :nuts:

I think you're right there Dave, for once.

So there have never been any entertaining semi finals??  Palace v Liverpool, Man Utd v Oldham, Swindon v Tranmere.

Or were none of those teams nervous?

Maybe people are fed up with uninspiring football.

 :nuts:

The thing is there is so much money involved now,results are the only thing that matter not the way you play :( .I think you lot are being a bit harsh slating the final already,but its probably true that it will be boring, most finals seem to be these days.

This is the worst build-up to a champions league final ever. Barcelona and Arsenal OUT!

Although I wouldn't necessarily say that most finals are boring, take last years champions league final, surely one of the best ever.

Worse final ever had to be Barcelona v Red Star Belgrade.  Red Star turned up and defended for 2 hours then won on penalties.

Your right BWB,i forgot about it :oops: Most finals are pants though,last years Champions league was the exception rather than the rule sadly.

id be surprised if arsehole win it though. Barca will be too strong i think

I like the way you've compared an F.A Cup Semi to a CL Semi Final.  :mrgreen:

Any semi final is a nervous affair for the teams/players involved.  At any level.  Also Utd's semi final against Juve was a terrible affair in Turin wasn't it?  3-2 was it???  Absolute classic!

Well I see there was another boring semi final last night, Boro scraping through.

I nearly fell asleep towards the end of that one. :boring: