Champions' League 2013/4

[bennocelt]

TBF the standard of a lot of the football I see these days even from Germany is pretty dire

[Closed Account 2]

TBF the standard of a lot of the football I see these days even from Germany is pretty dire

I think you have to bear in mind that Schalke (and Leverkusen to an extent) are significantly weaker than Bayern and Dortmund. Schalke have generally sold (or lost due to contracts running down) their best players over the last few years (Neuer, Holtby, Westermann, Rakitic, Rafiniha, even Kuranyi going back a few years). You can probably add Draxler to that list as it looks certain he will go this summer. Even the big signings they make tend to be opportunistic and they will buy a good player who doesnt quite fit at his current club, for example Huntelaar didn't really start for Real Madrid and even when he joined Milan Leonardo was picking Borriello and even Inzaghi ahead of him, Schalke were able to buy him for around half of what Real had paid 18 months earlier (14 vs 27, although that 27 was including various addons).

They have had a mixed season so far, and tend to stuggle against better sides. In the Bundesliga their record against strong sides isnt great, Wolfsburg (who have a degree of financial power in Germany) away lost 3-0, Gladbach away loast 2-1, Bayern Munich home lost 4-0, 3-1 defeat at home to Dortmund. They have had some impressive results doing the double over Leverkusen and beating Hertha in Berlin, but generally against the top teams domestically they havent really convinced. In Europe as well they haven't been that impressive, they made hard work of POAK (1-1 and 3-2) and I'm not convinced they would have beaten Metalist (which was the original tie before the Ukrainians were ejected). In the group stage they lost 3-0 home and away to Chelsea, beat Steaua home but only drew away, and beat Basel home and away, but you wouldnt say they were that impressive in Europe.

[bennocelt]

I was including Bayern and Dortmund in that as well!!!

[Closed Account 2]

I was including Bayern and Dortmund in that as well!!!

I think Dortmund have been pretty good, they topped one of the hardest CL groups in years. They have had massive injury problems especially with Subotic and Hummels being injured more often then they've been fit (at one stage their whole back line was out), Gundogan has also hardly played. They have a very strong first team and were even able to replace high class departures by bringing in players like Abeymueyang and Mkhitarian, but they dont quite have the resources to bring the rest of the squad up to very top level.

They play a very fluid game, and attack with a lot of pace and great support from midfielders, they instantly swarm the oppsitions defence with numbers, and Lewandoski's hold up play also lets them keep possession for a few seconds well these midfielders support him. They totally overwhelmed Zenit (who admittedly looked poor at the back and have since Denisov left) but to score 4 goals in St. Petersburg is a good achievement. The did conceed two, one was a bit of a weak penalty, the other may have been offside - although they still had time to clear the ball, but overall I was impressed with them espescially bouncing back after the bizzare defeat in Hamburg.

[Charlie Darwin]

Anybody watching the Europa League? Reina just pulled off an absolutely worldy to almost certainly guide Napoli in the next round.

[geysir]

When so many of the ties are one sided, the last 16 set up is bit drawn out, with 2 games an evening over 2 weeks, though this evening the rte panel are all psyched up for a Man City comeback. No doubt Barca have lost a bit of glitter but have City anything more than a snowball's chance? I suspect they lost the tie in the first half in Manchester.

The B section next week has a couple of exciting 2nd leg games in prospect.

[Charlie Darwin]

The Leverkusen fightback is on - 1-0 up in Paris.

[Charlie Darwin]

Didn't last long, 1-1.

[Stuttgart88]

That Barcelona "goal" looked good to me in real time

[Charlie Darwin]

It did to me too. Not sure what the linesman called it back for.

[geysir]

I thought it was pulled back because the other 2 Barca players were in an offside position when Neymar received the pass and they remained in an offside position during the whole move.

[geysir]

I enjoyed that game, if only Man City weren't so petrified in the first 45 minutes in Manchester, this tie could have gone to the wire.
Overall, there were no valid maybes for City, they were outplayed in every area, Barca were more than worthy winners with some scintillating play.

[OwlsFan]

That Barcelona "goal" looked good to me in real time

I am not sure if I totally understand the offside rule. According to all the pundits and commentators, the goal should have stood because the player running on to the ball was not offside. Yet the other two players, both of whom were offside by a mile must have been interfering with play as they started to head in towards the goal from the offside position once they saw they team mate was going to get on to the ball and cross it. They gained a huge advantage by being offside when the through ball to their team mate was played. Did the linesman flag them (one of whom scored) or mistakenly flag the crosser of the ball?

[geysir]

I think it was pretty much as I wrote earlier except I got the names mixed up
Neymar was the player who hit it into the net, he was in an offside position when when the pass was delivered by Fabregas? to Alba? on the the left.
Alba was onside but Neymar nr 11 was in an offside position all the time and he became actively offside when he received the pass from Alba.

Those 2 Barca players in the box who were in an offside position would need to have waited to be played onside before getting actively involved in the move.

I might have got it totally wrong but at least Pellegrini would agree.

[BonnieShels]

Well this is an enjoyable match.

[Charlie Darwin]

Oh ****, Dunphy was right. We're not going to hear the end of this.

[geysir]

His makeup must be an inch thick.

[Charlie Darwin]

I think he needs a bit extra to counter the glow from Kenny's scalp.

[geysir]

I think Kenny's hair is growing back, there's a sign of a crew cut coming.

[geysir]

Olympiakos missed a golden chance to get through to the last 8. It doesn't take much to make Man U look generally agricultural and workmanlike.

Though in his first season, Moyes has brought Manu to the last 8 after 2 dismal failures to do so by the previous manager