Champions League

Russian Scientists guarentee there will be no rain for the CL Final

Rob — Fri, 16 May 2008 18:36:10 +0000

Wouldn’t it be awful if Europe’s premier showdown got ruined by rain, and just turned into a long-ball defensive fest? Well Russian scientists clearly agree, and in a move that shatters any Cold-War sterotype about Russian Science has devoloped a technique which will guarentee it won’t rain on the Luzhniki Stadium.

Today’s Guardian carries the story, with a cute diagram (can’t find it on thier website, but there is an article about the history of the process on Wiki) which basically explains the process, which is called Cloud Seeding.

The principle, from what I can gather (and bear in mind, I failed Science at school) is that an aeroplane will fly up to the clouds blowing them downwind from today untill Tuesday, filling them with chemicals causing it to rain just outside the stadium.

Apparently the planes drop a flare into the cloud which is filled with silver iodine in, something which apparently has a structure similar to ice (can you tell I’m utterly out of my depth here?) the iodine attracts water into the cloud and crystalise when they freeze.

The particles get heavy, and half hour later, the fall as ice. When they reach 0C they turn into rain, and bingo, you’ve made it rain and you are offically God.

The technique has apparently been around a while, but this is the first time someone will be using it to stop it raining in a certain area, rather than trying to make it rain during a drought. Apparently the chinese are so enamoured with the idea they are going to use it at the summer’s Olympics. Not that you’ll be watching that, cos you’ll be watching Euro 2008. Obviously.

Well I feel like I’ve learned something. Or at least grasped a basic principle. Who says football isn’t educational huh?

Michael Ballack on Jose, Making it into the Chelsea team, and always coming second

Rob — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:51:18 +0000

Midfielder Michael Ballack has been the centrepiece to the Chelsea revival. At the begining of the season, Chelsea looked lethargic, and had two players considered by many to be the best in the world, sat on the bench on the whim of the manager. That manager was Jose and he was soon out the door. His replacement Avram Grant turned Chelsea around and fought back into the title race, and took Chelsea to the Champions League final. His genius was his new “Wishbone” midfield. Where Jose only had eyes for Frank Lampard and used Ballack as a somewhat expensive back up, Grant has used - and Fabio take note - either Makelele or Essien deep and used both Lampard and Ballack as attacking midfielders. Speaking today though, Ballack had some kind words of respect for his former manager.

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The Final Choice. Who will Manage YOUR CL XI

Rob — Wed, 14 May 2008 20:59:10 +0000

So all week, you’ve been voting for the players you want to make up your CL XI. There have been some fun, interesting and insightful results all of which you will see soon. But first we need you to choose the manager to lead this team, by voting for who has been the best manager of the tournament HERE.

Will Avram Grant’s turnaround from chump to champ convince you to vote for him? Will it be Zico, who remided us a small but talented side could go a long way. Or will it be Arsene Wenger for getting his young guns firing? Its really up to you.

All the other polls will stay open untill Friday. You can find them HERE We could do with a vote in the Goalkeepers section, otherwise we may have to draw straws.

Thanks for taking part everyone, it really wouldn’t have worked without you.

Choose the best strikers for you 2008 CL XI

Rob — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:07:39 +0000

So here we are. All week you’ve been picking your favourite players to make up the Readers Annual Offside XI. Today you get the chance to vote for the striker who you want to lead the line. You can do that here.

So, will SuperPippo breaking Gerd Muller’s European Cup goals record be enough to get him a place? The highest scoring striker is Didier Drogba, will he nab a spot? Or will Fernando Torres or Adebayour pip him to the post? Its all, all up to you.

You can only vote one striker, but the two with the most votes will find themselves in your team of the season. Third will only get a place on the bench.

All the other votes:

Chelsea try ‘cheeky’ Torres bid

Rob — Tue, 13 May 2008 12:35:57 +0000

With Didier Drogba seeming likely to get the move out of London he’s wanted since the day after he arrived, and Chelsea’s general unwillingness to play Andriy Shevchenko, they need a striker. Apparently Roman Abramovich has decided that Fernando Torres is the answer, and has reportedly tabled a £40m offer for him.

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The Readers CL XI - Central Midfielders

Rob — Mon, 12 May 2008 21:50:07 +0000

We’re begining to get to the buisness end now. If you haven’t been paying attention, at the CL Offside, we’ve been offering you the chance to vote for players in each position to decide who will make up the Offside.com’s first annual offical Champions League 11. We’ve gone through various positions, where the voting is still open, but today we move on to possibly the hardest - the centre of midfield.

Whereas strikers used to be the glory position, this season has season a plethora of talented central midfielders in the Champions League. Cesc Fabregas spectacularly came of age in the group stage, and led brilliantly in the San Siro against Milan. Alex speaheaded Fener’s amazing run grabbing himself more assists than anyone else. Steven Gerrard grabbed goal after goal as he dragged Liverpool to another semi final. Frank Lampard overcame incredible emotion to score against Liverpool just after his mothers death.

But why am I rambling? If you CLICK HERE you can choose yourself who has been the best midfield player this season.

Previous Votes Which You Can Still Vote On:

Comments, Debate and Bribary is always welcome.

Day 4 of the Readers CL XI - Wingers

Rob — Sun, 11 May 2008 20:34:58 +0000

All wekk we’ve been giving you the chance to vote in your CL team of the season. On paper this might be the most one (well two) sided battle of all time (fittingly perhaps for wingers). With two of the best players in the world playing on the wings, maybe this will be a forgone conclusion. But maybe not, because YOU the humble reader decides, not me. And if you all want to vote J.S Park ahead of Lionel Messi then thats the power of democracy. CLICK HERE to have your say.

Previous Votes that Are Still Open:

Keepers

Wingbacks

Centre-Halves.

Wenger to sue Hleb?

Rob — Sat, 10 May 2008 20:54:28 +0000

I’ll let you re-read that title. It seems that Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has finally snapped. Annoyed at the potential exodus at the Emirates, starting with Matthieu Flamini and heavily rumoured to include Hleb, Fabregas, Gallas, Lehman, Giberto Silva and Theo Wallcott, the frenchman has decided he’d rather sue Hleb than let him just leave.

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Day 3 of Voting for your Champions League XI - Today, Wingbacks.

Rob — Sat, 10 May 2008 20:12:26 +0000

All week here on the Champions League Offside, we’ve been giving you the chance to vote in the players you want to appear in the first ever Offical Offside Champions League Readers Team Of The Season (snappier name needed.) Two days ago it was keepers (currently a dead heat between Cech and Van der Saar, change that HERE) yesterday, Centre-halves (HERE) Today, that less glamourous, but equally important position, wingbacks.

So CLICK HERE if you want to have a vote and tell us who you think the best wingback of the season has been. You only get one vote, but the two best will get voted into the XI. So will Maldini make it at what could be his last opputunity? Did Wes Brown impress you enough? Or will Micheal Essien’s incredible performance against Liverpool be enough to give him a space at right-back? Only you can decide.

Pick the Centre-Halves for the first Offside Readers CL XI

Rob — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:59:52 +0000

Yesterday, we gave you the chance to vote for who you think has been the best Goalkeeper in this season’s Champions League. That poll is still open HERE. Now you have to chance to pick the best Centre-Halves of the tounament so far, by clicking HERE. You get to chose the defender you think has been the best this season, from a shortlist we have drawn up. If you don’t agree, there’s an ‘Other’ option. Don’t go for Maldini though, he’ll be in the wing-back section tomorrow.

The two defenders with the most votes will make the XI while the third will make the subs bench.

Who will you choose. Will you put Chelsea’s charge to the final down to Carvalho? Or has Terry been fit long enough to demand a place? Has the goal-repelling Vidic and Fedinand combination done enough to get into the CL XI? Or will an outsider from the final, like the often outstanding Mexes or the solid Toure make it in? The choice, is yours. Just click that link to vote, it’ll make your life better. Before you fill it in, you might want to check here to see which defence has conceeded the least.

Debate away in the comments section, you might be able to convince someone to vote for your favourite.

Check back tommorrow and we’ll debate wingbacks.