OT: 2023 - 2024 Football / Calcio / Futbol / Fußball Thread

[JedB]

What good games yesterday.

[wc1934]

Originally Posted by JedB

What good games yesterday.

yup - hopefully today will be half as entertaining!

[wc1934]

Barce-PSG was good - my only complaint was that I had to listen to Ray Hudson's drivel.
Aside - has Mbappe lost a step?

[martl]

Originally Posted by echappist

The Arsenal Bayern match isn't half bad either. Looks like Bayern's starting CBs will be seriously tested on pace (Dier and De Ligt aren't the fleetest). I get that Upmecano might get his pocket picked (see last year vs Man City), but I'm not sure why Kim isn't starting.

The short version is that Bayerns back four had many injury situations this season, so Tuchel is struggling to get some stability there. Dier and De Ligt have played the last couple of games pretty well, Upa and Kim have failed to deliver arguments for their case against Heidenheim.

As the Arsenal match has shown, having not-so-fast CBs is not a problem if the team tactic works to force the attacks away from the center. Which is why Tuchel was lobbying hard to get a true holding #6 (=Declan Rice, in lieu of, Palinha) instead of an undeniably very good Kimmich, who is all over the pitch 90% of the time.

[wc1934]

Is it fair to say that Liverpool does not care about Europa?
Kinda of a curious starting 11 vs Atalanta.
Their main focus seems to be the Premier league standings - right or wrong.

[echappist]

Originally Posted by wc1934

Is it fair to say that Liverpool does not care about Europa?
Kinda of a curious starting 11 vs Atalanta.
Their main focus seems to be the Premier league standings - right or wrong.

I don't think that's quite the case. Perhaps Klopp underestimated the opposition, but I think resting certain players was an intentional decision. Just that it didnt quite work in the end. Depending on how alarmist one chooses to be, could even be early signs of wheels beginning to fall off. Being able to come back is generally a good sign, but doing it too often will eventually place a lot of wear and tear.

The squad has been somewhat restless, and coincidentally, it has also started games rather disjointedly, offering big chances to opposition in the first ten minutes before settling down. Add to that a lack a sharpness and composure in finishing, and it's been somewhat ragged of late. Perhaps a few more returning players would make a difference.

[Gsinill]

Originally Posted by wc1934

Is it fair to say that Liverpool does not care about Europa?...

I am sure Klopp does.

[martl]

Originally Posted by wc1934

Is it fair to say that Liverpool does not care about Europa?
Kinda of a curious starting 11 vs Atalanta.
Their main focus seems to be the Premier league standings - right or wrong.

my perception is that in England, and especially in Liverpool, the national title is more important than the european one. For one, it is not the CL, which no matter how much you market it, is only the second best price. Then, England doesn't consider itself as much being a part of Europe as Italians, spaniards or Germans do. An UEFA title is the icing on the cake, winning the PL is sweeter.
Then, there is the Liverpool trauma of the decades long drought without any domestic silverware. One 2018 title doesnt fill that gap

[Beldar77]

Ugh. Once I saw the liverpool score I feared for my Arsenal too. I was right. City and their 115 FA charges are going to win again.

Congrats to Leverkusen though!

[echappist]

Originally Posted by Beldar77

Ugh. Once I saw the liverpool score I feared for my Arsenal too. I was right. City and their 115 FA charges are going to win again.

Congrats to Leverkusen though!

Commiserations.

And yes, Leverkusen is a bright glimmer in a sport otherwise inexorably dominated by money...

[wc1934]

Man C - RM. Great game! Defending champs are sooo good, but......
RM are semi finalist for the 12th time in 14 seasons.

[martl]

Barclay Sheikh Investors PL : 50+1 Bundesliga 0:2

[echappist]

As much as I don't like Pep and his club, it feels like they were hard done. I never liked the one goal away-goal rule, but its complete removal seems like the other end of things.

Feels like a two+ away goal advantage might be a more fair way of doing things, and if a two-legged match is still tied at the beginning of AET, goals scored in AET shouldnt count toward away goals.

So say 3-3 and 1-1 are the two games of the two-legged tie, the team scoring 3 away goals in the first match wins, no AET needed.

But if it were 3-3 and 2-2, game goes to AET and no away goal rule applies.

Originally Posted by martl

Barclay Sheikh Investors PL : 50+1 Bundesliga 0:2

Technically only 0:1

Man Sheikhy lost to European Royalty, not to a 50+1 club.

[ltwtsculler91]

Originally Posted by echappist

As much as I don't like Pep and his club, it feels like they were hard done. I never liked the one goal away-goal rule, but its complete removal seems like the other end of things.

Feels like a two+ away goal advantage might be a more fair way of doing things, and if a two-legged match is still tied at the beginning of AET, goals scored in AET shouldnt count toward away goals.

So say 3-3 and 1-1 are the two games of the two-legged tie, the team scoring 3 away goals in the first match wins, no AET needed.

But if it were 3-3 and 2-2, game goes to AET and no away goal rule applies.



Technically only 0:1

Man Sheikhy lost to European Royalty, not to a 50+1 club.

So what is the difference between a "50+1" Bayern and Real Madrid? Their ownership structures are more similar than not, and both have illustrious histories in Europe. Score 2 for the traditional clubs.


I'm going the other way on the away goals rule. If two clubs draw two 90 minute matches I really don't care what the scores are as they were clearly equal home and away. If Vinicius could actually finish, we wouldn't even be having this discussion as it would've been more like 5-3 after the first leg.

[Pumablk]

Is Villa the lone English side in left in Europe? There goes the coefficient. Martinez’ PK antics are entertaining. He’s fun to watch play his mind games.

Speaking of EPL teams crashing out of Europe, this should make the run in that much more exciting where they all are just concentrating on the league.

Saddened Milan didn’t put up more of a fight vs Roma. They were up a man for about an hour.

Was really hoping to see Leverkusen play Liverpool in the final. That’s ok, though. I can still root for them to finish the season unbeaten.