UEFA Champions League 16/17

[Falastur]

Between the CL money and the parachute funds, they could spend ridiculously and kill it in the Championship for a year before popping back up.

It would actually be interesting to see whether the financial gain of Leicester winning the CL would be greater or lesser than the financial loss of not competing in the PL for a season.

Still, I'm still waiting to see how Leicester do when they come up against the likes of Real. So far, they've been given just about the easiest ties they could've been given at every stage.

 

[Ulrich]

It would actually be interesting to see whether the financial gain of Leicester winning the CL would be greater or lesser than the financial loss of not competing in the PL for a season.

Still, I'm still waiting to see how Leicester do when they come up against the likes of Real. So far, they've been given just about the easiest ties they could've been given at every stage.

True, there's no question losing the PL money would be a loss, but no teams that drop have it, so the extra CL funds would allow them to be an unbeatable team in the Championship.

 

[ChelseaKidd]

It would actually be interesting to see whether the financial gain of Leicester winning the CL would be greater or lesser than the financial loss of not competing in the PL for a season.

Still, I'm still waiting to see how Leicester do when they come up against the likes of Real. So far, they've been given just about the easiest ties they could've been given at every stage.

A team like Sevilla who literally wins European trophies very often I would never call easy team ever. But yes against a team like Real or Bayern would be fun too see how they fare.

 

[LionNYC]

Will Man City vs. Monaco be as great of a two-leg series as PSG vs. Barcelona?

Kickoff at 3:45.

 

[Falastur]

A team like Sevilla who literally wins European trophies very often I would never call easy team ever. But yes against a team like Real or Bayern would be fun too see how they fare.

True, but don't forget that Sevilla have lost Unai Emery since their three EL wins on the trot. I'm not sure if they are made of the same stuff in European games this year. They only scored 7 goals in the group stage earlier this season, which sounds more impressive until you realise that four of that seven came in one single game against Dinamo Zagreb, and two more came in their other home games.

 

[LionNYC]

Monaco up 2-0 on Man City, lead 5-5 on away goals after 29'

City look dead out there...

 

[NYCFC_Dan]

Monaco up 2-0 on Man City, lead 5-5 on away goals after 29'

City look dead out there...

Someone needs to investigate placed bets. City players literally look like they're trying to lose. Debruyne and silva with poor passing, when does that ever happen?

 

[Ulrich]

Someone needs to investigate placed bets. City players literally look like they're trying to lose. Debruyne and silva with poor passing, when does that ever happen?

It's like first Barca comes back from an absolute impossible deficit + away goal, and now Monaco too (minus the away goal dilemma)? Def investigate

 

[Shawn Ryu]

LOL Man City.

Really like the Atleti. Hope they win the Champion's League and have a nice send off for their old stadium.

 

[NYCFC_Dan]

It's like first Barca comes back from an absolute impossible deficit + away goal, and now Monaco too (minus the away goal dilemma)? Def investigate

I was being sarcastic but the first half was very strange.
Played much better the second half but again tons of missed opportunities. Sterling over shot a couple crosses and debruyne had a poor game. Missed just about every free kick and cross he hit.
Why not use your substitutes?! Monaco get fresh legs in their midfield and we sub off a defender for a striker and leave it at that?
Should of brought on Navas and Yaya

 

[Taurus]

Entertaining soccer. First PSG, now Man City. If you can't beat them, join them.

 

[Davo15]

I Personally do enjoy the pace of play, modern stadia, slick tv production etc of the EPL but we are once again reminded it's more style than substance.

 

[Ulrich]

I Personally do enjoy the pace of play, modern stadia, slick tv production etc of the EPL but we are once again reminded it's more style than substance.

You need to remember that EPL teams beat each other up every single week - with the exception of maybe 4-5 teams, any one of them can knock off a top 5 team. By the time they get to their Champ League game, they're limping in while selecting their lineup. No other league has that sort of pressure week in and week out. The French league especially.

 

[NickA]

I Personally do enjoy the pace of play, modern stadia, slick tv production etc of the EPL but we are once again reminded it's more style than substance.

You are spot on. After a few teams, the league gets really subpar play-wise. Some games are almost unwatchable. Take away all the glitz and fanfare, some games make MLS look like La Liga.

You need to remember that EPL teams beat each other up every single week - with the exception of maybe 4-5 teams, any one of them can knock off a top 5 team. By the time they get to their Champ League game, they're limping in while selecting their lineup. No other league has that sort of pressure week in and week out. The French league especially.

Are you saying that the PL competition is so tough that that is the reason they can't win more titles? The PL teams that have won it in the past were all strong, in fact if you look at all the past winners, it's very hard to argue with any of them. Unless I'm reading your post wrong, I'd say you are overrating the play in the PL.

 

[Ulrich]

Are you saying that the PL competition is so tough that that is the reason they can't win more titles? The PL teams that have won it in the past were all strong, in fact if you look at all the past winners, it's very hard to argue with any of them. Unless I'm reading your post wrong, I'd say you are overrating the play in the PL.

No, you're interpreting what I'm saying correctly. With the total influx of TV money to the EPL, every team can spend ridiculously on players. Those bottom teams, while not deep, have the strength in their starting 11 to cause problems for any other team in the league, including the top 5. Contrast that with some other leagues like the French, or Italian, or Spanish, where once you get past the first 4-5 team, the next 75% of the league doesn't stand a chance in matches against the top 5. Hence, those teams playing in the UCL can easily rest before their UCL matches. In many ways, it's also why Leicester is the last EPL team left - while they don't want to be relegated, they are definitely putting their efforts towards their UCL matches since it's effectively the only superlative left they have to play for save staying above he bottom 3.

 

[ChelseaKidd]

True, but don't forget that Sevilla have lost Unai Emery since their three EL wins on the trot. I'm not sure if they are made of the same stuff in European games this year. They only scored 7 goals in the group stage earlier this season, which sounds more impressive until you realise that four of that seven came in one single game against Dinamo Zagreb, and two more came in their other home games.

Tough luck on the CL Exit brother, I think Pep touch still hasn't been put on this squad just yet.

 

[Midas Mulligan]

I actually don't think it's the PL being so competitive at the bottom. I think it's more that the top of the other leagues are just that much better most of the time.

Maybe at the very bottom, PL is a higher standard. But I'm not even sure of that. Hell, I don't think Swansea would necessarily be able to do shit against Hamburg or even Ingolstadt.

The problem with the PL is that it's English. And they don't know how to do anything but buy talent for the most part. BL, they sell Sanes to MCFC, there's 3-4 more of him popping up. That's what BL and La Liga do.

Player for player, pl may have the best individuals. But they don't have better football teams. I can make jokes about why, but I don't really know the reason. And neither do people making millions more than me. If they did, the English clubs would stop getting abused in continental competitions.

It'll probably change some with Pep and Klopp, after they have some more time and more better coaches join the league. I guess I think it's the general shit level of coaching that doesn't prep PL teams for European cup play. That's what I'd go with if forced.

Yeah. I'm rambling. Time for bed.

 

[Midas Mulligan]

It'll probably change some with Pep and Klopp, after they have some more time and more better coaches join the league. I guess I think it's the general shit level of coaching that doesn't prep PL teams for European cup play. That's what I'd go with if forced.

I want to clarify this part of my post since upon a second reading, I realized it at least partially implied the opposite of what I meant. I did not intend my comments to mean the top clubs have shit coaching, as that's obviously not true. I was more referring to the fact that the shit clubs in the PL aren't nearly as interesting tactically as the shit clubs in other leagues, which I put on the shit PL clubs having shit managers.

Particularly in La Liga, you have newly promoted teams who will just say "to hell with your world class players, we're about to get into your asses". Of course, when you do that to Barca and Real and any of the rest of the top teams in Spain, you are opening up to the possibility of a red wedding. But I think that week-in and week-out challenge of facing new, dynamic tactical approaches better prepares players and teams and even top coaches to adapt to the rigors of Champions League football.

I mean, how much does it help the likes of Man City to face a low block, packed defense 2 of every 3 games? Not much, honestly. Because no matter how great Pep is as a manager, he's not going to be able to replicate putting his team under the pressure of facing a moderately less talented bunch who is hellbent on coming right down their throats when he has no chances to cultivate and evaluate and tweak his team's tactical response in live match action.

So that's my theory. Of course, it could just be that the pendulum hasn't swung back yet. No way to really tell, is there?

 

[NickA]

I actually don't think it's the PL being so competitive at the bottom. I think it's more that the top of the other leagues are just that much better most of the time.

Maybe at the very bottom, PL is a higher standard. But I'm not even sure of that. Hell, I don't think Swansea would necessarily be able to do shit against Hamburg or even Ingolstadt.

The problem with the PL is that it's English. And they don't know how to do anything but buy talent for the most part. BL, they sell Sanes to MCFC, there's 3-4 more of him popping up. That's what BL and La Liga do.

Player for player, pl may have the best individuals. But they don't have better football teams. I can make jokes about why, but I don't really know the reason. And neither do people making millions more than me. If they did, the English clubs would stop getting abused in continental competitions.

It'll probably change some with Pep and Klopp, after they have some more time and more better coaches join the league. I guess I think it's the general shit level of coaching that doesn't prep PL teams for European cup play. That's what I'd go with if forced.

Yeah. I'm rambling. Time for bed.

This was actually perfectly said. Well done.

 

[Midas Mulligan]

This was actually perfectly said. Well done.

Thank you, good sir. I appreciate the compliment.