EPTI just hope Ajax makes the final. Looking at today's game, that spot is still up for grabs.
2018 - 2019 Football Thread - Page 216
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aseq
Netherlands3994 Posts
I just hope Ajax makes the final. Looking at today's game, that spot is still up for grabs. | ||
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Dante08
Singapore4139 Posts
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digmouse
China6330 Posts
On May 08 2019 12:42 Dante08 wrote: I think everyone is a little too harsh on Barcelona no? They just went in with a bad game plan and underestimated the effect of Anfield. Given a little luck they might have went through. No, there is ZERO excuse for blowing that big of a lead, for a team of that caliber, with the best player in the last two decades as your captain, against a team that was bruised heavily without their two main strikers. Barca deserves every single shit thrown at them, as both the victim and winner of two of European football's greatest comebacks, they should 1000% understand the risk and not be complacent. | ||
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Rebs
Pakistan10726 Posts
On May 08 2019 12:42 Dante08 wrote: I think everyone is a little too harsh on Barcelona no? They just went in with a bad game plan and underestimated the effect of Anfield. Given a little luck they might have went through. No they should be harsh, theyre game plan is bad because they arent capable of competing as a team any other way against a team like Liverpool. I dont know about shit being thrown at them. But they have been exposed as a team that is below the top tier being carried hard by one player. Frankly City and Liverpool in terms of the ferocity, pace and skill they play with are a cut above everyone in the world right now. Sure City lost and on another day Liverpool might have lost too. But those are the only two teams capable of doing something like Liverpool did today. Barcelona was fortunate to come out with a 3-0 after being visibly second best for large parts of the first game. The only difference is Liverpool was clinical this time and ofcourse Anfield. Barcelona are pretty much a shade away from what Messi has to deal with Argentina. None of the players they have brought in have excelled and the team doesn't play like anything they used to under Valverde, I dont feel any excitement to watch this team other than to see Messi create some magic and maybe some nice plays on the side Alba is on. Against league opposition its ok, but it doesnt vible like a world beating formula one can enjoy. I said earlier that I dont like the way they play atm but you cant argue with it because they were winning. Well now you can argue with it. | ||
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Dante08
Singapore4139 Posts
It's pretty interesting to see that if you asked this community just 2 years ago who the top 3 teams are going to be no one would have said City and Liverpool. But I don't foresee this to last long though, RM, Barca, Bayern, PSG and Juve are going to reinforce hard this summer. | ||
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WillyWanker
France1915 Posts
On May 08 2019 12:46 Rebs wrote: I said earlier that I dont like the way they play atm but you cant argue with it because they were winning. Well now you can argue with it. Pretty much. Valverde should be fired. The team's objective has been the CL for the last couple of years and he's failed to inspire a fighting spirit in the team when they needed to survive this kind of games, and I'm not even talking about how he's destroyed Barça's football identity. The fun part was that Barça should have had a couple of goals this game, and Liverpool basically scored all their chances. I guess that evens out the first leg xD Until the 2-0, I felt that Liverpool had gone down in intensity and were easier to manage. After the 2-0, Barça players shat their pants like they did vs PSG, Juventus, and Roma before. Sadly, it's nothing new that the team doesn't really have character, but before they didn't need because they had football... | ||
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Bacillus
Finland2015 Posts
On May 08 2019 13:01 WillyWanker wrote: Pretty much. Valverde should be fired. The team's objective has been the CL for the last couple of years and he's failed to inspire a fighting spirit in the team when they needed to survive this kind of games, and I'm not even talking about how he's destroyed Barça's football identity. I guess in a way Real got away with lackluster overall performances because of their UCL runs. At the same time Barca started losing grip on UCL, but had the excuse of performing way above Real in La Liga. And now the rest of the Europe has caught up and arguably got ahead of them. | ||
Liquid`Drone
Norway28738 Posts
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sharkie
Austria18573 Posts
Pep has been negative in every big match this season | ||
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digmouse
China6330 Posts
On May 08 2019 14:33 Bacillus wrote: I guess in a way Real got away with lackluster overall performances because of their UCL runs. At the same time Barca started losing grip on UCL, but had the excuse of performing way above Real in La Liga. And now the rest of the Europe has caught up and arguably got ahead of them. RM's 2nd and 3rd CL win were also very shaky. They were not as dominant as the result sounds like. On May 08 2019 15:28 sharkie wrote: No way city would have ever managed such a comeback against Barcelona. Liverpool won yesterday becsuse klopp sent them all guns blazing and accepting a very high scoring game on both ends. High risk, high reward style - nothing pep wouod ever do Pep has been negative in every big match this season Actually, Pep's City pulled a 3-0 on Barca after losing 1-4 at Camp Nou when they met in group stage two seasons ago. If it was a playoffs series City would have advanced. | ||
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sharkie
Austria18573 Posts
On May 08 2019 15:43 digmouse wrote: RM's 2nd and 3rd CL win were also very shaky. They were not as dominant as the result sounds like. Actually, Pep's City pulled a 3-0 on Barca after losing 1-4 at Camp Nou when they met in group stage two seasons ago. If it was a playoffs series City would have advanced. Barca already had Advanced at that stage no? Also comparing group stage to knockout stage lol | ||
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Twisted
Netherlands13554 Posts
Frenkie de Jong next season coupled with Arthur will make them fearsome again, if Valverde has the guts to play them both in important matches. Loving Liverpool though and happy for Wijnaldum and van Dijk! Dutch pride :D. Gogo Ajax tonight! | ||
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Jockmcplop
United Kingdom9768 Posts
On May 08 2019 15:28 sharkie wrote: No way city would have ever managed such a comeback against Barcelona. Liverpool won yesterday becsuse klopp sent them all guns blazing and accepting a very high scoring game on both ends. High risk, high reward style - nothing pep wouod ever do Pep has been negative in every big match this season Man City 4-3 Spurs https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47953693 Tottenham overcame Manchester City in a classic encounter at Etihad Stadium to reach the last four of the Champions League for the first time. Fernando Llorente's goal, bundled in from a corner and confirmed by VAR 17 minutes from time, gave Mauricio Pochettino's side victory on away goals on a night of tension, attacking quality and defensive frailty that ended City and Pep Guardiola's quest for a historic quadruple of Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup. In a game of relentless drama, City even thought they had won it in injury time only for Raheem Sterling's goal to be ruled out for offside by VAR. Spurs were protecting a 1-0 lead from the first leg but an opening 21 minutes of chaotic brilliance saw City lead 3-2 on the night as both teams exchanged goals at will. Your constant shitting on Pep is great and all but you forgot that you are completely wrong. | ||
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sharkie
Austria18573 Posts
On May 08 2019 16:14 Jockmcplop wrote: Man City 4-3 Spurs https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47953693 Your constant shitting on Pep is great and all but you forgot that you are completely wrong. City didnt lose that game because they went all guns blazing but because of shitty defending by Laporte (who was not under pressure). If you had at least watched that game you'd know that | ||
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Jockmcplop
United Kingdom9768 Posts
On May 08 2019 16:43 sharkie wrote: City didnt lose that game because they went all guns blazing but because of shitty defending by Laporte (who was not under pressure). If you had at least watched that game you'd know that Its not about why they lost the game, but the manner in which they played the game, which was attacking (ie not defensive) | ||
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Harris1st
Germany7046 Posts
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Twisted
Netherlands13554 Posts
Being as dominant in a league as City is, with players who have improved tremendously since Pep has become coach, is in my opinion a far better measurement tool for how good a coach is. Sure he has spend a lot of money, but every top team has done that. They haven't broken transfer records though like PSG, but Pep has forged a team that is playing attractive football capable of beating any team in the world and being favourite to win it all. Just because they got unlucky against Spurs (and his defender derped in two instances which led to 2 goals, which you can't put on Pep) doesn't make Pep a bad coach at all. Pep is an amazing coach, just like Klopp is. Different styles, but both very effective. The fact he's about to win the PL over this fantastic Liverpool squad with the points gathered by both teams is equally, if not more, impressive as winning the CL. It's the same with Ajax this season. I'm pretty sure that next season or the season after that, they'll lose most of their core, but even if they win the CL this season, I have doubts that many of the instrumental players will become starters at the top flight clubs (except for de Jong and de Ligt). Tactic wise though, the team is playing great football and it makes players look better. I believe the same is true for City. People scoff at the depth of the Liverpool squad, but they lose a couple of starters and they still play with the same ferocity and their replacements didn't look worse than the starters. Origi was fantastic. Wijnaldum comes of the bench and scores 2 great goals. That's on the coach and tactics. | ||
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WillyWanker
France1915 Posts
Liverpool went "all guns blazing" at the end of the first leg, not this time. Pep "negative", alright sure. Don't mistake other teams parking the bus and City taking a more patient approach to not concede on the counter, for "negative" football. Not like you would understand anyway. | ||
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sharkie
Austria18573 Posts
On May 08 2019 17:02 Twisted wrote: Many people overestimate the Champions League as a measurement of how good a team is. It's a knock-out tournament where a single shred of luck can make the difference in advancing or not. Real Madrid 'undeservingly' won their last 2 CL's based purely on luck and some referee decisions that fell their way. Chelsea won the CL in 2012. Greece won European Championship in 2004. Etcetera etcetera. If Barca had some luck thrown their way last night, they could've scored a goal in the 90th minute and they would've been through to the final. But Barça's success this season (and the last couple of seasons) is because of Messi, not Valverde, but that's another discussion. Being as dominant in a league as City is, with players who have improved tremendously since Pep has become coach, is in my opinion a far better measurement tool for how good a coach is. Sure he has spend a lot of money, but every top team has done that. They haven't broken transfer records though like PSG, but Pep has forged a team that is playing attractive football capable of beating any team in the world and being favourite to win it all. Just because they got unlucky against Spurs (and his defender derped in two instances which led to 2 goals, which you can't put on Pep) doesn't make Pep a bad coach at all. Pep is an amazing coach, just like Klopp is. Different styles, but both very effective. The fact he's about to win the PL over this fantastic Liverpool squad with the points gathered by both teams is equally, if not more, impressive as winning the CL. It's the same with Ajax this season. I'm pretty sure that next season or the season after that, they'll lose most of their core, but even if they win the CL this season, I have doubts that many of the instrumental players will become starters at the top flight clubs (except for de Jong and de Ligt). Tactic wise though, the team is playing great football and it makes players look better. I believe the same is true for City. People scoff at the depth of the Liverpool squad, but they lose a couple of starters and they still play with the same ferocity and their replacements didn't look worse than the starters. Origi was fantastic. Wijnaldum comes of the bench and scores 2 great goals. That's on the coach and tactics. I agree with all except your statement of Pep's transfer policy. He is the king of buying players Pretty sure no club in the world has bigger net spend than City since he took over. Also as you said CL is at least 50 luck, 50 skill. Liverpool had all the bad luck in the competition in the first leg. They turned it around though and shifted that more to 80 skill - 20 luck | ||
Pandemona
Charlie Sheens House51493 Posts
On May 08 2019 16:13 Twisted wrote: Obviously Liverpool deserved to advance after last nights performance (and the week before), but man, Valverde sucks. You need to score one goal. One. And you start with Vidal / Rakitic / Coutinho (who underperforms every match). The instant Arthur came on they had more control in the midfield. He should be playing at all times. Still, Barcelona could've scored a goal easily with the chances they had. Frenkie de Jong next season coupled with Arthur will make them fearsome again, if Valverde has the guts to play them both in important matches. Loving Liverpool though and happy for Wijnaldum and van Dijk! Dutch pride :D. Gogo Ajax tonight! I agree with this, the best way for Barca to play this match before a ball was even kicked was to just go for it. Play offensively, take the game to Liverpool, ship a couple of goals so what, if you score 1 or even 2 its GAME OVER. Crowd would have instantly fallen flat but instead they looked like to sit back and counter which was not working at all, only Suarez wanted it upfront it felt and Messi wasn't in the game at all. Arthur had to play and probably put Coutinho on the bench and bring him into the game after 60 minutes, same with Vidal. Defo the wrong tactics for me as well. Oh well, Valverde probs goes now and Barca going to throw money at it, which in reality they need to do. They don't have a Suarez replacement at all which is crazy. On May 08 2019 17:06 WillyWanker wrote: Liverpool didn't go "all guns blazing". They scored early and maintain a high press like they do every game, but they never fully committed. I didn't see more space than there was in the first leg. At 3-0 they even "parked the bus", probably because they saw Barça was folding and they only would need a couple of counter-attacks to finish the job. Liverpool went "all guns blazing" at the end of the first leg, not this time. Pep "negative", alright sure. Don't mistake other teams parking the bus and City taking a more patient approach to not concede on the counter, for "negative" football. Not like you would understand anyway. 3-0 they dropped off because they couldn't continue this high press for 90 minutes they are too tired and two the job was "done" they are now the favorites to advance due to pure emotion of the game, everything is with them at this point. Barca also were going to be coming at them from then and could just counter if they wanted too which is the way Mane would have hurt them. Scouse wanted it more in this game is all i knew from the first goal. Henderson barging his way through and throwing himself at the ball and scoring that way, just way more aggressive and physical. Commentators mentioned it a lot all be it they are English so they would allude to this point more, but it felt like a 2000s game where the English side were just able to physically bully their opponent again. That added together with some finishing for once and you get 4 goals. | ||
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