The OTF Champion of Champions League

[tee rex]

Group D (is this the weakest group?)

X: Denmark 1986* v Uruguay 24-30
2: Ipswich Town 76-82* v Marseille 90-91

1: Denmark v Ipswich Town
2: Uruguay v Marseille

X: Denmark v Marseille
1: Ipswich Town v Uruguay

[tee rex]

Group H
1: Ajax 1995** v Lincoln City 75-76
1: Brazil 1970 v Tottenham Hotspur 60-63

2: Ajax v Brazil
2: Lincoln City v Tottenham Hotspur

X: Ajax v Tottenham Hotspur
1: Lincoln City v Brazil (already qualified, unfit reserves chosen for Brazil, plus Felix who chucks in the winner)

[Sean of the Shed]

Group D (is this the weakest group?)

No offence to the participating teams but it's a bit of a dog isn't it. As often happens in World Cups in particular there always seems to be a dross group, usually involving Greece or Serbia, all of whom could easily be beaten by any of the four teams in another of the groups, or in this case most of them.
I had hoped that starting with group stages, as opposed to immediate knock out, might lessen the chances of really good sides going out early on, but it would appear not (see Group G).

[elguapo4]

Denmark v Uruguay x
Ipswich v Marseille 1

Denmark v Ipswich x
Uruguay v Marseille 2

Denmark v Marseille x
Ipswich v Uruguay 1


Ajax v Lincoln 1
Brazil v Spurs 1

Ajax v Brazil x
Lincoln v Spurs 2

Ajax v Spurs x
Brazil v Lincoln 1

[Sits]

Lincoln City v Brazil must be the best pairing of this tournament.

[Sporting]

[3 Colours Red]

Group D
Denmark 1986* v Uruguay 24-30 - X
Ipswich Town 76-82* v Marseille 90-91 - X

Denmark v Ipswich Town - 1
Uruguay v Marseille - 2

Denmark v Marseille - X
Ipswich Town v Uruguay - 1


Group H
Ajax 1995** v Lincoln City 75-76 - 1
Brazil 1970 v Tottenham Hotspur 60-63 - 1

Ajax v Brazil - X
Lincoln City v Tottenham Hotspur - 2

Ajax v Tottenham Hotspur - X
Lincoln City v Brazil - 2

[Sits]

Group D
2 Denmark 1986* v Uruguay 24-30
1 Ipswich Town 76-82* v Marseille 90-91

2 Denmark v Ipswich Town
1 Uruguay v Marseille

1 Denmark v Marseille
1 Ipswich Town v Uruguay


Group H
1 Ajax 1995** v Lincoln City 75-76
1 Brazil 1970 v Tottenham Hotspur 60-63

2 Ajax v Brazil
2 Lincoln City v Tottenham Hotspur

1 Ajax v Tottenham Hotspur
2 Lincoln City v Brazil

[Arturo]

Group D
1 Denmark 1986* v Uruguay 24-30
x Ipswich Town 76-82* v Marseille 90-91

x Denmark v Ipswich
x Uruguay v Marseille

x Denmark v Marseille
1 Ipswich Town v Uruguay


Group H
1 Ajax 1995** v Lincoln City 75-76
1 Brazil 1970 v Tottenham Hotspur 60-63

x Ajax v Brazil
2 Lincoln City v Tottenham Hotspur

x Ajax v Tottenham Hotspur
2 Lincoln City v Brazil

[Sits]

Very magnanimous of you Arturo, Tractorboys unbeaten.

[DPDPDPDP]

Group B - Final table

France 82-84* - 116pts
Juventus 96-98 - 52pts
Leicester City 15-16* - 49pts
Aberdeen 83-85 - 37pts

Gutted that Aberdeen finished bottom of the group. As well as domestic exploits, not sure how a team that beat Bayern Munich (with Breitner, Rumenigge, Augentaler etc) and then beat Real Madrid to win the Cup Winners Cup and then win the Super Cup can finish bottom. If it was my ball, I’d have a right strop and take my ball home with me.

[Sits]

I have been wondering while entering my votes whether this is more about “which team is best, in your opinion?” or “which team do you prefer?” and I think it’s this combination of factors which means that teams with whose exploits people perhaps aren’t so familiar (Aberdeen, Dundee Utd, Leeds et al) suffer.

[fatbear]

Group D
Denmark 1986* v Uruguay 24-30 - 1
Ipswich Town 76-82* v Marseille 90-91 - 1

Denmark v Ipswich Town - x
Uruguay v Marseille - 2

Denmark v Marseille - 1
Ipswich Town v Uruguay - 1

[fatbear]

Group H
1 Ajax 1995** v Lincoln City 75-76
1 Brazil 1970 v Tottenham Hotspur 60-63

2 Ajax v Brazil
2 Lincoln City v Tottenham Hotspur

1 Ajax v Tottenham Hotspur
2 Lincoln City v Brazil

[Sporting]

Group D
Denmark 1986* v Uruguay 24-30 - 1
Ipswich Town 76-82* v Marseille 90-91 - X

Denmark v Ipswich Town - 1
Uruguay v Marseille - 1

Denmark v Marseille - 1
Ipswich Town v Uruguay - X


Group H
Ajax 1995** v Lincoln City 75-76 1
Brazil 1970 v Tottenham Hotspur 60-63 1

Ajax v Brazil 2
Lincoln City v Tottenham Hotspur 2

Ajax v Tottenham Hotspur 1
Lincoln City v Brazil 2

[Sporting]

I have been wondering while entering my votes whether this is more about “which team is best, in your opinion?” or “which team do you prefer?” and I think it’s this combination of factors which means that teams with whose exploits people perhaps aren’t so familiar (Aberdeen, Dundee Utd, Leeds et al) suffer.

I'm trying to be as objective as I can, based on direct knowledge/seeing them with varying amounts of frequency on the TV:

Those teams I'm judging entirely on reputation (save for a handful of full matches and a few clips) are USSR, NIgeria, Dundee, Aberdeen, Romania, Denmark,, Marseilles, Real Madrid, Hungary, Ajax (anyone here seen extensive coverage of their league games from the time?), Dynamo Kyiv, Lincoln and Spurs.

I am most familiar with Barcelona, Ipswich, Liverpool, Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Barcelona, Everton and Man Utd, as I have seen a whole load of their domestic matches.

[DPDPDPDP]

I have been wondering while entering my votes whether this is more about “which team is best, in your opinion?” or “which team do you prefer?” and I think it’s this combination of factors which means that teams with whose exploits people perhaps aren’t so familiar (Aberdeen, Dundee Utd, Leeds et al) suffer.

Sits, totally agree, especially with the lack of familiarity with Scottish football, especially in the 1980’s when Scottish football was competitive,both domestically and in Europe.

I already mentioned some of Aberdeen’s exploits (beating Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, winning Cup Winners Cup and the Super Cup in 1983 (even as I’m typing this, I’m asking did that really happen or did I dream it). Aberdeen reaches the semi final of CWC in 1984, losing to Porto (the ref was banned from reffing years later). In 1981, Aberdeen beat UEFA cup holders Ipswich (Robson’s team).

Dundee United reached the semi final of the European Cup in 1984 and the UEFA cup in 1987. They beat Borussia twice and beat EL Tel’s Barcelona (home and away).

hard to believe now that the above really happened! Oh for a return for those days!

[Sean of the Shed]

I am most familiar with Barcelona, Ipswich, Liverpool, Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Barcelona, Everton and Man Utd, as I have seen a whole load of their domestic matches.

Over familiar with Barcelona it would seem...

[Arturo]

Very magnanimous of you Arturo, Tractorboys unbeaten.

I actually had a lot of time for that Ipswich side even if they did routinely hammer us, but I think I was too young to really get the rivalry. Frans Thijssen was also one of my favourite players as a kid.

A match between themselves (especially the 1981 side) and Denmark 86 would potentially be an attack fest to behold.

[ad hoc]

Group D
1 Denmark 1986* v Uruguay 24-30
2 Ipswich Town 76-82* v Marseille 90-91

1 Denmark v Ipswich
2 Uruguay v Marseille

x Denmark v Marseille
1 Ipswich Town v Uruguay


Group H
1 Ajax 1995** v Lincoln City 75-76
1 Brazil 1970 v Tottenham Hotspur 60-63

2 Ajax v Brazil
2 Lincoln City v Tottenham Hotspur

1 Ajax v Tottenham Hotspur
2 Lincoln City v Brazil

[Satchmo Distel]

Gutted that Aberdeen finished bottom of the group. As well as domestic exploits, not sure how a team that beat Bayern Munich (with Breitner, Rumenigge, Augentaler etc) and then beat Real Madrid to win the Cup Winners Cup and then win the Super Cup can finish bottom. If it was my ball, I’d have a right strop and take my ball home with me.

Only 15 points between 2nd and 4th so I think those positions are reversible in a set of tight contests. I also wonder whether that France team is over-rated given that we know it could be fragile in pressure games. It won one tournament, on home soil, and lost two SFs to a fairly mediocre West Germany (and I'd argue that Brazil should have beaten them in 1986, when they were already showing cracks). Very reliant on Platini.

[tee rex]

Gutted that Aberdeen finished bottom of the group. As well as domestic exploits, not sure how a team that beat Bayern Munich (with Breitner, Rumenigge, Augentaler etc) and then beat Real Madrid to win the Cup Winners Cup and then win the Super Cup can finish bottom. If it was my ball, I’d have a right strop and take my ball home with me.

I watched their CWC Final on German TV, as a student, and loved it. But I can't remember seeing any Aberdeen games of that time on English TV. Whereas I probably saw a dozen games by that France team (including their least impressive, losing to England at the 82 World Cup). International teams of that era will have the advantage here, given so much club football was confined to highlights, even big European games.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Group D

Denmark 1986* v Uruguay 24-30 Uruguay take the game to Denmark and score early on but the Danes get into their stride. Elkjaer and Laudrup grab a brace apiece. 4-2 Denmark.

Ipswich Town 76-82* v Marseille 90-91 Ipswich play the ball around beautifully in midfield but always look likely to struggle to contain Papin, Waddle and Abedi Pele when they lose possession. A good game finishes 1-1.

Denmark v Ipswich - a fascinating game sees Denmark race into a 2-0 lead but Ipswich get back into it and almost snatch it late on as Eric Gates hits a post. 2-2.

Uruguay v Marseille - Uruguay's passing is rapid but they are perplexed by Pascal Olmeta in the Marseille goal, who not only comes off his line but dives to save shots. Waddle creates a good chance for Papin early in the second half and it is enough. 1-0 Marseille.

Denmark v Marseille - the game turns as Basile Boli is sent off for hauling down Michael Laudrup. Molby converts the penalty and Denmark add a late second to seal a 2-0 win.

Ipswich Town v Uruguay - Ipswich match Uruguay blow for blow as both teams throw everything forward. 3-2 Ipswich.


Group H

Ajax 1995** v Lincoln City 75-76 - Lincoln stun the hosts with a goal after five minutes but normality is restored and Ajax win 5-1.

Brazil 1970 v Tottenham Hotspur 60-63 - Brazil have most of the ball but always look vulnerable at the back. A hugely entertaining game finishes 1-1.

Ajax v Brazil - Brazil win 2-0 as Ajax gamble on pushing forward and Pele finds holes in their defence.

Lincoln City v Tottenham Hotspur - Lincoln gamefully stay in the game after two early Spurs goals but Spurs win 3-2.

Ajax v Tottenham Hotspur - Ajax learn their lesson from the previous game, lie deeper and Rijkaard controls midfield. Ajax win 1-0.

Lincoln City v Brazil - Lincoln go out determined to have fun and the fans at Sincil Bank are treated to an exhibition as Brazil win 10-0.

[Sits]

Nicely done Rogin, although you could have thrown the Imps a few crumbs home to Brazil.

[Lobachevsky]

denmark - Uruguay 2
ipswich - marseille 2
denmark -ipswich 2
uraguay - marseille 2
denmark - marseille 2
ipswich - uraguay 2

ajax - lincoln x
brasil - tottenham 2
ajax - brasil x
lincoln - tottenham 2
ajax - tottenham 2
lincoln - brasil 2

tottenham end up as convincing group winners proving that this is the greatest side ever to play the game.