Champions League 2018/19

[mistermagic]

Before the game it was suggested it's a good time to play Barca..

Well maybe if Spurs had a defence ...

Lloris has to take most of the blame. He is completely at fault on the opening goal (conceding a goal in the opening minute at a packed Wembley vs Barca isn't really the way to go) and had a couple of heart-in-mouth moments. Thought Alderweireld was so used to play on the right of a back 3 that he played that position in the first half but forgot that he was supposed to be deeper. When he switched with Sanchez he became more disciplined. Thought he had a decent second half. Didn't find the Spurs defence as bad as you're making it to be. Barca's goals were well-worked by Suarez's dummies.

Ehm.. Are you sure?

I'll have to give Napoli a closer look during our double-header (watched them just once against Milan and it didn't look as good as last season) but I reckon ourselves and Liverpool will progress. Still, Napoli beating Liverpool came as a big surprise to me.

 

[Super_horns]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45843131

Anything noticeably suspicious about the goals etc ?

 

[Ale18]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45843131

Anything noticeably suspicious about the goals etc ?

I cannot believe that PSG be so stupid.. sure that when these amounts move, £4.3m for lose by five goals. I think it is a difficult and a strange situation

 

[SALTIRE]

Hopefully points get docked.

 

[TerryD]

Man U - Juve - Any thoughts?

 

[Super_horns]

Easy for Man City .

Man U did ok and had their chances but you felt Juve were a step ahead and De Gea made a few saves .

 

[SALTIRE]

Give De Gea Sanchez's money, no surprise he was their best player again; they wouldn't even be in the CL if not for him.

 

[Benji]

Mourinho had to walk among the fans to get to the game. Nobody recognised him, bunch of plastics.

 

[Stevencc]

Give De Gea Sanchez's money, no surprise he was their best player again; they wouldn't even be in the CL if not for him.

It would be well hard to play without a keeper to be honest, mate.

 

[SALTIRE]

It would be well hard to play without a keeper to be honest, mate.

If you had an average keeper like Pickford or Lloris, you wouldn't be there imo. Give him a million a week, he's the only player of yours that consistently performs excellently.

 

[Benji]

This Spurs kit is revolting.

 

[mistermagic]

Went Hoffenheim last night with two Lyon mates. Place sure is a dump. We stayed at Heidelberg as it was the only decent place to drink after the game (didn't last long as it was a 9pm kick-off) and sleep. We ended up doing everything by car. I didn't go to this ground whilst living in Germany for this very reason. Just seems very hard to get to.
Game was great though. 6 goals, teams coming from behind, decent ground (not much atmosphere from the home fans though) but yeah, bang in the middle of nowhere. Don't think I'll be doing this again anytime soon.

 

[snortingfrogs]

4-0, the second pen was weak, but Mane scored, and Salah 2, neat.

 

[SALTIRE]

Wanted a good win and performance, and the lads responded. Perfect night, especially with the draw in the PSG v Napoli game. Back top of the group!

 

[Dirk]

Wanted a good win and performance, and the lads responded. Perfect night, especially with the draw in the PSG v Napoli game. Back top of the group!

I really hope that your actual group standings will be the final standings coming December with Liverpool and Napoli advancing and ****ing PSG down into the EL. That would be hilarious and Tuchel will be on his way back to Germany

Dortmund actually unreal. 3 matches 9 Points and winning 4-0 against Atletico. Can't remember the last time the Spaniards got 4 Goals (in LaLiga they only got 5 Goals in 9 Games at all). Brilliant.

Jadon Sancho again with a goal, I bet he's glad to be in Germany, where he gets the needed playing time in a good team. Will be benefitting England in the future too (same for Reiss Nelson at Hoffenheim (2 Goals in the last Bundesliga match, I mentioned it already in the Bundesliga thread just in case all you guys missed to read it )

 

[mistermagic]

I doubt we'd sack Tuchel if we finish 3rd.

He showed serious limits last night though. We started in a 433 but Mbappé was doing zero defensive work on Mario Rui while Di Maria was playing somewhere but certainly not as a LW. This left loads of space for Napoli down the wings which deported Rabiot and Verratti which made life much easier for Allan and Hamsik. We were completely unbalanced without the ball and I'm actually disappointed we didn't lose. At some point, the Qataris will have to face the fact that changing the manager every other season isn't getting us anywhere and that the real problem lies with them and their diabolical management of the club.
Anyway, Tuchel did see sense in our shocking first half display and changed to 352 (or maybe 343 but it wasn't that clear whether Neymar was still in the hole or up top). The balance was back but Ancelotti replied by putting on Zielinski (really good player) which packed the Napoli midfield. We did equalise but I'd rather we did by working hard on our passing and our cohesion rather than a nothing cross by Meunier turned in his own net by Mario Rui.

An underwhelming performance which should have seen us lose. I'd like to state that I would be absolutely over the moon with 3rd. It would enable me to do a proper European away day without the daytrippers just like the old days. Fingers crossed we get beat by Napoli and Liverpool.

 

[Ale18]

I doubt we'd sack Tuchel if we finish 3rd.

He showed serious limits last night though. We started in a 433 but Mbappé was doing zero defensive work on Mario Rui while Di Maria was playing somewhere but certainly not as a LW. This left loads of space for Napoli down the wings which deported Rabiot and Verratti which made life much easier for Allan and Hamsik. We were completely unbalanced without the ball and I'm actually disappointed we didn't lose. At some point, the Qataris will have to face the fact that changing the manager every other season isn't getting us anywhere and that the real problem lies with them and their diabolical management of the club.
Anyway, Tuchel did see sense in our shocking first half display and changed to 352 (or maybe 343 but it wasn't that clear whether Neymar was still in the hole or up top). The balance was back but Ancelotti replied by putting on Zielinski (really good player) which packed the Napoli midfield. We did equalise but I'd rather we did by working hard on our passing and our cohesion rather than a nothing cross by Meunier turned in his own net by Mario Rui.

An underwhelming performance which should have seen us lose. I'd like to state that I would be absolutely over the moon with 3rd. It would enable me to do a proper European away day without the daytrippers just like the old days. Fingers crossed we get beat by Napoli and Liverpool.

As i have still write, Napoli and Ancelotti are prepared to face these difficult matches.

This is a team born from the times of Benitez where there were 7-8 / 11 of the players we see today.

The growth has been constant and Ancelotti is gathering what the club and the squad has sown in the past and is adding his experience and his tactical skill.

However it goes, everyone will have to deal with Naples.

 

[SALTIRE]

Shaqiri not travelling with the squad due to this Serb/Albanian nonsense. Shame, would like to have seen him get another run out.

 

[slaphead]

Probably a good time for the server to explode for Liverpool fans TBH.

 

[Redpelt]

My biggest nightmare at the close of last season was to enter into a new one with a 32 year old Milner inclusive in our first choice eleven.

If we don't start integrating the new players we procured with the express intention of improving our midfield then we will fall out of contention in both Europe and the league it really is that simple ,the manager was charged for this season with improving our midfield and procuring the players to enhance our play and add more expansive and inventive football and yet his preference is to drag out the familiars who made our middle so porous ,pale and uninspired.

As for the game itself I dont believe I've ever witnessed a midfield who failed to make one solitary tackle or interception in the entirety of the 90 mins. Its a performance I will find hard to expunge from memory and one consigned and filed with the other aberrations I've been unfortunate to witness over the years.

 

[SALTIRE]

We were rubbish, no excuses. Missing an attacking mid badly at the moment. Hopefully Keita will hit a bit of form when he's back as we need it currently.

 

[mistermagic]

I can finally write about our game at Napoli which ended 1-1.
Thought Tuchel did well to start with a 352 (yes, everyone's saying it's a 343 but I won't have it Di Maria was playing closer to Verratti and Draxler than Mbappé and Neymar all game long so it wasn't a 343!) as it worked quite well. As expected, I thought the pressure was more on Napoli as they were at home and it made the game easier for us. First half saw very little chances but still high-quality football. We scored thanks to a goal gained from pure grit by Mbappé and Bernat (I think he'd do well to make this LWB spot his own as he has less defensive duties than at LB where he just can't be trusted). 1-0 up at half-time knowing that Liverpool 0-2 in Serbia. Perfect.
Second half was the turning point. Napoli came back all guns blazing but we held firm. We defended like lions which is something I never really saw from us ever. Until our captain and supposedly the guy who has the responsibility to lead us through those tough games conceded a penalty. Insigne equalises from the spot and the game finishes 1-1.

Very frustrating result as this could have been this much sought-after solid away performance in the CL against a quality side. Still 1-1 ain't a bad result against this side but we could have won that. Maybe the draw will make us more mentally resilient or maybe it'll be same old later in the competition (if we get that far; anyone can progress at this stage, even Red Star). Big game at home to Liverpool next. Let's try and win this one otherwise I'd rather we didn't progress to the KO stages if we're not capable of winning any game home or away against 2 decent sides.

We shall see then.

 

[G.B]

We were rubbish, no excuses. Missing an attacking mid badly at the moment. Hopefully Keita will hit a bit of form when he's back as we need it currently.

told you there was a crisis at anfield mate

 

[SALTIRE]

told you there was a crisis at anfield mate

Hardly a crisis, third in the league within touching distance of top; still in it with the CL. Lets not go ott.

 

[Stevencc]

The comeback in Turin and Liverpool's shocking loss.

This is LIFE.

 

[Dirk]

I can finally write about our game at Napoli which ended 1-1.

yeah, finally

Big game at home to Liverpool next. Let's try and win this one otherwise I'd rather we didn't progress to the KO stages if we're not capable of winning any game home or away against 2 decent sides.

We shall see then.

If Liverpool plays the same shite as in Belgrade, PSG will win it but I don't think they'll do it again.

The comeback in Turin and Liverpool's shocking loss.

This is LIFE.

and life's wonderful, right, steven?

 

[SALTIRE]

I'm sure it is wine and roses with cheery Jose and his merry men dominating every game and never fluking it, oh no.

 

[Stevencc]

I'm sure it is wine and roses with cheery Jose and his merry men dominating every game and never fluking it, oh no.

Listen to me you punk, there are two types of teams in this world - those that beat Juventus at their own place, and those that give Red Star Belgrade their first ever win in the Champions League proper.

 

[SALTIRE]

Listen to me you punk, there are two types of teams in this world - those that beat Juventus at their own place, and those that give Red Star Belgrade their first ever win in the Champions League proper.

There are those that get to Champions League Finals and those that get beat at home to Sevilla too.

 

[Stevencc]

There are those that pay their future opposition's opposition to injure £450m worth of talent just before a big Champion's League game out of fear.

This is a sickening development.