I think Luiz and Silva were both mocked during the summer, no?
Penalty decisions, sending offs and goals/disallowed where there is a question of offside/fouls should be reviewed at the request of a captain (two reviews like in cricket). Fans wouldn't mind a game being held up to get a decision correct since so many crucial decisions are often incorrect. I know we'll miss the instant delirium of a goal if the opponent decides to review it but just think PARIS.Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
I thought Silva was almost single handedly (well, Neymar as well I suppose) responsible for Brazil going as far as they did. He was suspended for the Germany game so was exempt from that criticism and it would have probably been a more normal scoreline had he been there anyway I'd imagine. He was back for the poor showing in the third place match but I can't really remember him getting mocked like Luiz does, or at all really.
Joey Barton said he looks like a "tranny".
The panel on TV3 called Monaco's stadium a "church". Have they ever been to The Emirates?
Sometimes people underestimate psychology in football or sport in general. Last night I saw on TV one of the most one sided football games you're ever likely to see. Monaco 0-2 Arsenal with the possession something like 30/70%. Why? Because Monaco reckoned the tie was in the bag and all they needed to do was defend and they just handed the game to Arsenal. Having also seen the first leg it was bizarre. It reminded me of our play-off game against France. They won the first leg against us comfortably enough and thought the tie was over and handed the initiative to us. People said after that game that it showed how Ireland could play if left off Trap's leash. The truth was France just handed us the initiative like Monaco did to Arsenal and both almost paid the price. To a lesser extent the Chelsea vs PSG was also similar. The home side thought they did enough in the away leg but this time they paid the price. Offence, not defence, is the best form of attack and if I may end with another sexist and fattest cliche, it ain't over until the fat lady sings.
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
I don't think they thought it was won - I think they just recognised Arsenal are a much better team and their best chance of winning is to defend deep.
For all the belittlement of Monaco and posturing about how superior Arsenal are from English pundits, Arsenal's goals came about from silly individual errors from Monaco players, not from their own "superiority".
I think the truth is somewhere in the middle. It's fashionable for the Sky Sports merchants to big up the Premier League and it seems fashionable for some to knock it. It's a bit selective to point to two French team's narrow wins (both on away goals) as some sort of indication of Ligue 1 superiority and ignoring the fact that the PL has had by far the better performers in the majority of the previous seasons. I think Arsenal would go through against Monaco nine times out of ten to be honest. PSG have a lot more pedigree I feel and would hold their own against the top English sides every time. I'd expect any of the heavy hitters to make light work of Monaco in the quarters but PSG would be a different story. That said, the heavy hitters would probably make light enough work of Arsenal too.
This could become a very embarrassing night for City. Barca are so superior it's ridiculous.
Messi and Neymar f***ing unreal. Such an unselfish player too, unlike Ronaldo; with his skulking after Bale "stole" his goal against Levante. You could cut the tension with a knife.
Rakitic and Alba having unreal games too. Nasri being shown up! Kompany looking very average at this level too, again.
What is Fernandinho for, exactly?
Really poor penalty. What a chance to get City back into the game.
It was poor but well-saved by Ter Stegen. Such a strange game, Barca should be about 15 up.
The CL is thee world football competition, it has everything that we love about football. I suppose it also has a good deal of what we don't like about football but fortunately Mourinho has been consigned to CL 2014/15 history
I'd put Monaco's performance down to nerves and as a team hadn't the nous to know how to play the 2nd leg when 3-1 up after the first leg,
With their nerves shot they just kept giving the ball back to Arsenal in their own half, set themselves up to be kept under pressure and ended up gifting them the important 2nd goal.
When it comes to Barca, we have a team that has revolutionised defending, in that active defending starts by winning back possession of the ball as soon as you have lost it. And Messi, 10 seconds of Messi at his best is worth the 90 minutes, on its own.
I enjoy the rte coverage/pundit debate so much more now that Bill has departed, such a positive difference it is to have Maloney in the chair.
Best league in the world, innit?
Messi was amazing but as Geysir says, Barcelona's ability to win the ball back within seconds of losing it was unreal.
And as for the criticism of Arsenal's goals being the result of opposition errors, can't one say the same thing about Monaco's goals in London? The tie was basically about one team in each leg being pretty poor.
Q/F's
PSG v Barca
Atletico v Real
Porto v Bayern
Juve v Monaco
Gary Neville in full bull**** mode, claiming Verratti doesn't work hard off the ball.
And Porto 2-0 up against Bayern.
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