Champions League 2015/6 [Archive] - Page 3

geysir

19/03/2016, 3:16 PM

I think Roma and last year's Schalke are a similar level to Wolfsburg and they put it up to Real, Schalke in particular. You're right in that Wolfsburg are probably way too loose and defensively suspect, which even a misfiring Real will pick off, but they have the capacity to score enough to keep it interesting.....
That's a bit of a stretch Charlie. Roma were the serie a form team when they played Madrid and Wolfsburg are BL plodders who thought signing Bendtner was a good thing.

Madrid just have a peculiar trait with defending 2 nil first leg victories.

Charlie Darwin

19/03/2016, 10:05 PM

ellegrini has been tactically inept in a lot of big games in his time at Manchester City.

I'm not sure why you say Man. City are puke to watch though Charlie? If anything they're too open which can lead to decent spectacles?
Exhibit B is explained by Exhibit A. They're boring to watch, flat track bullies with the flair and creativity coached out of wonderful players like Silva and Aguero. They're so conservative they play with two defensive midfielders who are so similar they even have the same name, and still can't defend, which is why they give the illusion of being entertaining or spontaneous.

DeLorean

20/03/2016, 2:02 PM

I think they've gone a bit stale, especially since De Bruyne's injury. We're talking about a side that scored 102 league goals just two years ago with largely the same players under the same manager. I don't think the inclusion of two holding midfielders necessarily means they're conservative, they needed to take some precautionary measures when it became obvious that Toure hadn't the legs to cover back from that position, although it hasn't really improved things. As for coaching the creativity out of Aguero and Silva, I think that's beyond harsh.

geysir

21/03/2016, 11:59 AM

Man City were doing all right, well in contention and clear favourites for the league title before the announcement of Pellegrini's exit, after which they lost 3 in a row and they haven't regained that lost ground. Pellegrini has also gone more cranky.

OwlsFan

21/03/2016, 1:50 PM

Pellegrini has also gone more cranky.

Can you blame him? Who would be committed to an organisation who announced that it would be replacing you in a few months time?

geysir

21/03/2016, 5:56 PM

Can you blame him? Who would be committed to an organisation who announced that it would be replacing you in a few months time?
I wouldn't blame him as he's only human after all. But considering he's getting a Eur 4m contract termination payment, I wouldn't get too bothered about his plight.

Heynckes was in a similar situation with Bayern 2013 and he kept a very tight ship. Pellegrini's also answerable to the supporters to lead the club to the league title despite the board's untimely humiliating interference.
Somehow I think he'll give PSG a run for their money, that would be some run wouldn't it?

DeLorean

21/03/2016, 6:51 PM

I say the crankiness is because he really wanted to go out on a high and his squad just aren't delivering for him. At least he won the League Cup though to add to the achievements in his first season. Kompany, Yaya Toure, Silva and Aguero have been their go to guys for a long time now and, for various reasons, Aguero is the only one of them performing to anywhere near his genuine level this season. De Bruyne was the one player who was consistently compensating for a general lack of form in the side and I think even Aguero has suffered without him. The lack of depth in their squad is astounding though for the money they've spent. Hart and Sterling out for a month now as well to add to Kompany, Otamendi and De Bruyne. Five of their last eight PL games are away from home also and they haven't travelled well this season.

geysir

31/03/2016, 9:15 PM

Wolfsburg suffer a huge blow to their CL hopes

Wolfsburg look to terminate Nicklas Bendtner’s contract immediately (http://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/mar/31/nicklas-bendtner-wolfsburg-terminate-contract)

bennocelt

01/04/2016, 12:48 PM

Thats a blow?

(edit:LOL)

geysir

06/04/2016, 7:45 PM

I have to say, Wolfsburg are excellent so far and yet again our Charlie was on the ball, this time about their potential to cause Madrid problems.
They could be 3 up only for Shirley's powder puff effort, but he's not a real striker.

In the Paris game, 2 poor decisions by the ref, one not to give a penalty and the other to give a penalty to PSG. And the 2nd bad decision only compounds the first poor decision, not compensate for it.

Charlie Darwin

06/04/2016, 9:14 PM

Stick with me geysir, I'll teach you things.

Have to say I'm baffled by the PSG result. On the play and the chances they had, they should have won comfortably but somehow gave away two goals to a team who were barely in it. They'll still win it handy enough as that City side will just keep giving up chances.

geysir

06/04/2016, 9:47 PM

More like 2 bald men fighting over 7th and 8th place.

DeLorean

07/04/2016, 8:59 AM

Real Madrid looked like a team that celebrated too hard after their token win at the weekend. I didn't think Wolfsburg even needed to be very good to win, but they looked useful enough in the first half, particularly Draxler cutting in from the left and picking out some nice passes. In the second they just remained disciplined but I don't think Real ever injected enough pace or quick passing to really test them. They were totally disjointed, for all their possession they just couldn't seem to get into any kind of grove, very individualistic, Kroos trying shots with his weaker foot from ridiculous angles and distances, Marcelo going on mad solo runs and that Jese Rodriguez bloke rarely impresses me, doesn't look a Real Madrid player at this point in time anyway.

The game could have been very different though, if the 50/50 calls weren't pretty much all in Wolfsburg's favour, their penalty and Ronaldo's 'offside' goal. I heard that Bale was brought down in the box as well but missed it myself. Overall I think Real were well deserving of their 2-0 defeat and uphill task to come though. For the good of the semi finals I hope they turn it around as I don't think Wolfsburg would cause any more bother, especially now that their cover has been blown.

geysir

07/04/2016, 10:18 AM

One big difference between Barca and Madrid was clearly demonstrated over these first leg games.
Madrid's play was disjointed, players isolated. Ronaldo doing his hump, lost badly to a well organised but modest outfit.
Barca function as a team, rally around, team ethic, support each other and claw the game back into their control.

geysir

12/04/2016, 8:55 PM

Class tells in the end and I'm not referring to Madrid or Man City, but to those brave posters who put their neck on the line way back and predicted that Man City would put it up to PSG, that Pellegrini has form in these type of games, and predictably enough that Madrid would have too much for Wolfsburg.

Though Wolfsburg did cause Madrid plenty of anxious moments.

DeLorean

12/04/2016, 10:18 PM

Ha ha! Paul O'Shea would be proud. Real neck on the line stuff alright, a half arsed prediction where you didn't even say who you thought would go through! I'm disappointed with my own predictions though, too specific maybe. :)

Pellegrini's form in these type of games has been fairly mixed I would have thought, a couple of decent results with Villarreal/Malaga, never really threatened to do anything before with Man City and a disappointment with Real Madrid.

I thought Real Madrid were as comfortable as a team could be while knowing that one goal would see them eliminated. Did Wolfsburg even create a chance? They had some decent possession in the first half for a while alright but practically nothing in the second. It was quite similar to Man Utd's comeback against Olympiacos a couple of years ago, with Van Persie being the hat-trick hero that night, and the winning goal being a fairly flimsy looking free kick that somehow made it's way past everybody. Olympiacos were a lot more threatening than Wolsburg though.

That �55m for De Bruyne is starting to look very reasonable. Class act in every way it seems.

Charlie Darwin

12/04/2016, 10:36 PM

I was disappointed by how meekly PSG bowed out, then I remembered who they are and said "**** 'em." Wolfsburg were game but as soon as Draxler pulled up it was game over and they only once looked like scoring, from a 30-yard shot.

DeLorean

13/04/2016, 7:42 AM

Yeah I was taking PSG more seriously than I had done in the past. I think I probably gave them too much credit for their performance against Chelsea, naively ignoring the fact that Chelsea have been rubbish all season.

Draxler was a big miss alright, if anybody was going to do something it was him and he had started fairly well. It was impressive the way they regained their composure after being hit with two goals in a couple of minutes early on.

Pellegrini v Pep might be on the cards.

OwlsFan

14/04/2016, 9:42 AM

What a defensive performance by Atletico (ok lucky penalty not given in last minute). A masterclass in defending without the ball.

DeLorean

14/04/2016, 11:03 AM

Eamo and Gilesy agree with you OF. :) Brady preferred to focus on the negative, talking about how cynical Atletico are and how he'd much prefer Barcelona to go through because the play nice football (and aren't cynical at all of course!).

He also used they phrase "he was ball watching the ball" at one stage.

geysir

14/04/2016, 11:11 AM

That was one hell of a performance by Atletico and a great game of football in the 2nd half.

Some in rte panel afterwards were claiming that Atletico are virtually living off scraps, selling their best and replacing them with cheap signings.
This season they have sold for about Eur 145m and bought replacements for about Eur 135m. Of course they are not super rich, but upper middling rich.

The competitiveness of the other game was affected by Benfica having scored no away goal and the 3 Benfica strikers were suspended. All the same Benfica were a pleasant surprise over the 2 legs and could be a real contender next season, there's a lot to like about their football.

DeLorean

14/04/2016, 1:48 PM

Yeah I suppose Atletico's finances/tranfser activity were discussed with Real Madrid and Barcelona in mind. I think Dunphy went a bit far by calling them the Leicester of Spain alright. ;)

geysir

14/04/2016, 5:28 PM

Yeah I suppose Atletico's finances/tranfser activity were discussed with Real Madrid and Barcelona in mind. I think Dunphy went a bit far by calling them the Leicester of Spain alright. ;)
Atletico's finances/transfer activity were not discussed with Real Madrid and Barcelona in mind,
the comments by themselves were just downright wrong,
"selling their best players and having to buy economically" etc

BonnieShels

14/04/2016, 8:28 PM

If only it were true, but good Jesus the whinng about the "Barca dream" ending is as bad when they were all conquering.

A month ago this team were the greatest ever. Good Jesus.

Anyway, all the craic is over in the EL.
Coutinho makes it 2-3 now.

geysir

15/04/2016, 12:32 AM

If only it were true, but good Jesus the whinng about the "Barca dream" ending is as bad when they were all conquering.

A month ago this team were the greatest ever. Good Jesus.

Well Bonnie, it's time for the great Bayern Munchen and Pep to take up the gauntlet of being the first ambassadors of top quality modern european football.
I wasn't aware that Bayern took such a brave stand against the Nazis before and during WW2 when a minuscule act of perceived defiance, meant death
They were branded a Judenklub by the Nazis. (http://www.theguardian.com/football/2012/may/12/bayern-munich-anti-nazi-history)
I'm warming to this great German team, what a history they have.

DeLorean

15/04/2016, 9:45 AM

Manchester City v Real Madrid
Atletico Madrid v Bayern Munich

OwlsFan

15/04/2016, 11:14 AM

Good draw for City as they can score goals and Real can concede them. Mind you the reverse applies as well of course. Possibility of another Madrid Final though.

DeLorean

15/04/2016, 11:33 AM

Bit of a dream draw for Real Madrid all the same, especially having the home leg second. Atletico could probably have done with the home leg second, hopefully they don't picked up too many suspensions. Barcelona being taken out of the equation has opened it up... the bookies will indicate a Real Madrid v Bayern final, and it would be hard to disagree with them.

BonnieShels

17/04/2016, 7:56 PM

OwlsFan

18/04/2016, 10:14 AM

On what planet are the odds that Bayern aren't favourites for this fixture?

Out of the 4 teams remaining the only one to "hope" for are Atletico.

The other three for varying reasons are a pox on the game.

Why are Bayern a pox on the game? They are big but is it not mostly through self-generated wealth? I don't know so it's a genuine question.

bennocelt

20/04/2016, 7:12 PM

I really think Bayern and Real are the favourites to win the Champions League this year after Barcelona exit.

Really, you think?:p

geysir

26/04/2016, 10:35 PM

What a big yawn that game was, I ended up playing solitaire.
Jesus probably wept also.

Stuttgart88

27/04/2016, 7:55 AM

There was one great passage of play around 75 mins where Real worked the ball beautifully in a tight space deep in their own half and then a few passes later ended up heading the ball against the bar.

The Times was funny this morning. Headline all about Joe Hart saving the day. Big photo of him blocking Pepe's (?) shot from close range. Player ratings then gave him 6/10 but Navas 7!

Dull game, but sets up second leg well. Real are 18 for, zero against at home in the CL this season. Will City score?

Looking forward to tonight.

DeLorean

27/04/2016, 8:11 AM

I thought the second half was pretty good, well Real were good and City defended well. The first half was a bit disjointed, Real couldn't get anything going but always looked comfortable at the same time. Modric and Kroos were below par so there was no real link between defence and attack. They improved in the second half though and controlled the game really. It was never likely to burst into life too much without a goal being scored, with both teams reasonably happy with 0-0, but I didn't think it was boring either.

Will City score?

Quite possibly but I suspect they'll need more than one, particularly if Ronaldo is back. City have had some good away results in Europe this season despite being brutal on the road in the PL.

geysir

27/04/2016, 10:32 AM

While both teams were happy for most of the game with a 0 - 0 draw, I'd rather watch Ronaldo stretching out on the sidelines.
Marginally more interesting than watching Steaua Bucharest play for penalties.

BonnieShels

27/04/2016, 7:07 PM

What a goal from Saul. Great start to the game.

Bayern look out of sort. Long may it continue.

DeLorean

27/04/2016, 9:05 PM

Every team are out of sorts against Atletico!

BonnieShels

27/04/2016, 9:15 PM

Every team are out of sorts against Atletico!

70% possession and not an iota of what to do with it.

There was a great passage of play that summed up Atletico in the last 3 min; Koke got on the end of a a ball in his own box and headed it out and away. He then proceeded to follow the ball and ended up trying to stop the Bayern player who received it. Great stuff. They're relentless in defence. Love it.

OwlsFan

28/04/2016, 8:44 AM

70% possession and not an iota of what to do with it.

There was a great passage of play that summed up Atletico in the last 3 min; Koke got on the end of a a ball in his own box and headed it out and away. He then proceeded to follow the ball and ended up trying to stop the Bayern player who received it. Great stuff. They're relentless in defence. Love it.

As a neutral though would you like to watch two Atletico type teams playing each other? I am not so sure. If the Atletico systems proves to be successful, will other coaches decide to follow it ? Good for Atletico. Not sure that will be great for football if the main object becomes to stop others scoring and hope to nick one. They've only scored something like 57 goals in 37 games in La Liga.

DeLorean

28/04/2016, 8:45 AM

They're relentless in defence. Love it.

Yeah it's brilliant to watch. "Look at them", said Dunphy, "they're like dogs after a bone". :D

Pity Torres didn't make it two but I suppose they got a couple of breaks as well. Do Bayern have it in them to keep a clean sheet next week? They'll probably need to.

DeLorean

28/04/2016, 8:59 AM

As a neutral though would you like to watch two Atletico type teams playing each other? I am not so sure. If the Atletico systems proves to be successful, will other coaches decide to follow it ? Good for Atletico. Not sure that will be great for football if the main object becomes to stop others scoring and hope to nick one. They've only scored something like 57 goals in 37 games in La Liga.

Wouldn't bother me at all. Defensively minded teams have come up against each other from day one really, it takes all sorts. They played against a Chelsea side that weren't overly expansive themselves a couple of years back and it was a good tie. Their relentless aggression makes it easier on the eye than just your average defensive team getting numbers back and sitting deep anyway I think. They pressed high up the pitch in the first half last night and retreated, or were forced to retreat, somewhat in the second half. They can mix it up.

geysir

28/04/2016, 10:35 AM

That was some game, nicely embellished with two Barca-esque moments of brilliance from Saul and Torres. And that cxnt Alaba can certainly strike the ball sweetly from distance.
I don't think the one goal lead will be enough for Atletico.

DeLorean

28/04/2016, 11:12 AM

And that cxnt Alaba can certainly strike the ball sweetly from distance.

Some strike, unfortunately for Alaba it was just lacking a lucky touch off Sean St. Ledger's arse.

DeLorean

30/04/2016, 11:25 AM

Johnny Giles mentioned before the AM-BM game the last night that Mark Clattenburg referring the game may be a disadvantage to Atletico. He was saying that you get away with more on the continent than you do in England. I always thought they general consensus was that 'European' referees were far more fussy? It's possible he was talking specifically about yellow cards though, that you get away with more fouls without being booked on the continent, but maybe you get away with tougher challenges in England.

While I'm at it, I saw something a few weeks ago I found kind of strange. I was watching some of the Bundesliga derby between Schalke and Dortmund and as the game was moving into injury time the commentator was saying that we'll probably only have two additional minutes, despite there being four goals in that half, six substitutions and a sizeable delay for an injury. He was spot on and proceeded to mention that there's never much injury time in the German league.

geysir

30/04/2016, 7:50 PM

I watched that Schalke Dortmund derby on my laptop while supervising a class. There was a german woman from Gelsenkirchen attending and a long time Schalke season ticket holder.
The class were doing a test of sorts. She had to put the game out of her mind. But at 1-2 Schalke were awarded a penalty late on, I put the game up on a screen that she could see and gave her the nod to watch the silent screen. The rest in the room were quietly distracted and totally oblivious to what was going on in this screen. In one second she grasped the score, the penalty, the entire drama and she was transported to another universe. As soon as the penalty hit the net, she leaped up out of the chair and let out this almighty roar of YESSSSSSS along with some choice words in german, frightening the cr�p out of the rest in the room.