The European Leagues & Competitions Thread V2

[Blue-in-me-Veins 4,067]

I love how LvG can play "archaic" football by throwing on Fellaini and telling his wingers to lump it in the box.

But when David Moyes does it, he has 'small club mentality' and Rio Ferdinand (or whoever it was) says that Man United deserve to play better football.

And LvG has been at united for 2 years now.

Got to love that hypocrisy from United fans and the media.

[kellzfresh 7,226]

What games? FA Cup hasn't started so you're talking about League + League Cup games, of which there have been two I think. Too competitive doesn't make sense either. Everyone has a hard time winning bar Barca, Real, Bayern (and PSG). And even they often experience a tough time over the full 90 min but mask it with their firepower as they are capable of scoring at any time and score 3 goals in the space of 15-20 min. They trash teams in the CL as well.

English teams suffer because they're normal teams nowadays, capable of winning or losing any game. Which wasn't the case in 04-09.

We don't have creative goalscorers(like Suarez, Neymar, robben, Lewandowski, Griezmann, Ibra etc) in England anymore. Aguero is the last breed.

Other teams can easily turn on the style and score goals for fun while English teams struggle compared to them.

[DYC. 7,542]

We don't have creative goalscorers(like Suarez, Neymar, robben, Lewandowski, Griezmann, Ibra etc) in England anymore. Aguero is the last breed.

Other teams can easily turn on the style and score goals for fun while English teams struggle compared to them.

Aguero lost all his creativity years ago imo. He's become a finisher, just waiting for moments to strike. It's a shame because I loved him in his Atletico days. Of course he can still create his own chances by creating space for himself, if that's what you meant.

English teams just keep spending money but the football and the system doesn't improve. I guess that's bound to happen when you can just spend 27 mil on a player like Cuadrado and just shrug your shoulders when he flops and move on the next buy. You become careless. You buy Pedro and all of a sudden he becomes a poor imitation of last year's Hazard. Can you perhaps explain to me why he is dribbling and taking so many touches? They'd chop his feet off at Barca if he did that there.

[Magic Lamps 11,446]

Aguero lost all his creativity years ago imo. He's become a finisher, just waiting for moments to strike. It's a shame because I loved him in his Atletico days. Of course he can still create his own chances by creating space for himself, if that's what you meant.

English teams just keep spending money but the football and the system doesn't improve. I guess that's bound to happen when you can just spend 27 mil on a player like Cuadrado and just shrug your shoulders when he flops and move on the next buy. You become careless. You buy Pedro and all of a sudden he becomes a poor imitation of last year's Hazard. Can you perhaps explain to me why he is dribbling and taking so many touches? They'd chop his feet off at Barca if he did that there.

So it is because English teams have money that Pedro is out of form?

It doesn't matter how dumb English teams buy, in the forseeable future they can buy anyone they want and they will get lucky with their purchases more often than not. 80m€ for KDB? NO problem. Any decent player outside the top3 teams will want to come to the epl to earn better money, so even barca, bayern will need to get their players early or develop themselves cos epl teams will price all established targets away from them.

[stroey 2,525]

You buy Pedro and all of a sudden he becomes a poor imitation of last year's Hazard. Can you perhaps explain to me why he is dribbling and taking so many touches? They'd chop his feet off at Barca if he did that there.

He had a different role at Barca. Iniesta, Xavi and mainly Messi were the kings with most freedom, everyone else had to play their role in the system. Pedro was a winger with fixed tasks, like Cesc and Alexis, they all had limited freedom. Neymar also has a different role when Messi plays.

At Chelsea he is brought as a big name, as a game changer, a starter. So that means a bigger role, more responsibility and more freedom, like Cesc last year.

I have faith he will important for us, I think he was good in the last few games after his injury.

[DYC. 7,542]

So it is because English teams have money that Pedro is out of form?

It doesn't matter how dumb English teams buy, in the forseeable future they can buy anyone they want and they will get lucky with their purchases more often than not. 80m€ for KDB? NO problem. Any decent player outside the top3 teams will want to come to the epl to earn better money, so even barca, bayern will need to get their players early or develop themselves cos epl teams will price all established targets away from them.

No. My question was how come Pedro joins Chelsea and all of a sudden plays a completely different type of football. He's doing things he's not supposed to do. I don't get it.

How marvelous that sounds. Random buys and crap football. Maybe soon the majority of players will end up with a nomad career like Anelka.

Nothing lasts forever though.

[DYC. 7,542]

He had a different role at Barca. Iniesta, Xavi and mainly Messi were the kings with most freedom, everyone else had to play their role in the system. Pedro was a winger with fixed tasks, like Cesc and Alexis, they all had limited freedom. Neymar also has a different role when Messi plays.

At Chelsea he is brought as a big name, as a game changer, a starter. So that means a bigger role, more responsibility and more freedom, like Cesc last year.

I have faith he will important for us, I think he was good in the last few games after his injury.

I don't doubt Pedro's quality as a player but he'll never come good playing the way he's playing right now. He looks like a sad version of Hazard.

Not every player should have or deserves freedom. Some can't handle it, others don't know what to do with it. Restriction and guide lines aren't bad things.

[Jase 43,479]

No. My question was how come Pedro joins Chelsea and all of a sudden plays a completely different type of football. He's doing things he's not supposed to do. I don't get it.

Maybe that's because Mourinho is asking him to do different things? I'm sure Pedro is intelligent enough to not suddenly change his style of play.

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

United's last 8 results in all competitions:

1-1

0-0

0-0

0-0

1-0

2-0

2-1

0-0

Some genuine LVG magic. One great half against Spain and he's a Messiah again for 4 years

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

Utd should be ashamed. The difference between the two teams in terms of quality is gigantic. PSV's first XI players aren't even good enough to be squad players at a top side. They lost Depay and Wijnaldum in the summer as well. Willems isn't even playing. Same goes for Lestienne. That's their left flank.

Massive credit to PSV. Talk about punching above your weight.

And they look even better if you know Bruges got absolutely butchered by Utd in the games before the group stage. Talentwise Bruges and PSV are probably as good as equal, but damn that mentality...

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

So it is because English teams have money that Pedro is out of form?

It doesn't matter how dumb English teams buy, in the forseeable future they can buy anyone they want and they will get lucky with their purchases more often than not. 80m€ for KDB? NO problem. Any decent player outside the top3 teams will want to come to the epl to earn better money, so even barca, bayern will need to get their players early or develop themselves cos epl teams will price all established targets away from them.

They can buy anyone they want except for the absolute best. They will always go to either Barca or Real (and in earlier days Juve & Milan). No need to beat around the bush.

None of the English teams have the same attraction value and Messi and Ronaldo still make more than anyone in the PL.

[stroey 2,525]

I don't doubt Pedro's quality as a player but he'll never come good playing the way he's playing right now. He looks like a sad version of Hazard.

Not every player should have or deserves freedom. Some can't handle it, others don't know what to do with it. Restriction and guide lines aren't bad things.

I see it like this:

His role at Barca in the last few years was like Schurrle's role at Chelsea. A super sub but with limited gametime and freedom.

At Barca there were simply better creators than him: Xavi, Iniesta, Messi (and Cesc). So they didn't need him to drop deep to create, as there were better players for that. He was there for the goals.

But at Chelsea, only Hazard, Cesc and Willian are creative. But with these players out of form, and none of them having the "king" role, it's good to have one more player that wants to take responsibility and make our game less predictable.

I am sure he likes it, he joined Chelsea to have a big role and wanted to feel more important like Cesc did. He is also older and more experienced than many guys in our team, so I also think he feels that it is his task to lead and create.

I actually think this game suits him well, his goal vs WBA and in the league cup were both created from deep by himself. His dribbling skills and close control were always overlooked and underrated.

I really like his direct dribbling/running towards the goal, it's different from Hazard's and Willians's style.

Give him more time, I think he will be very good for us.

[Special Juan 27,093]

United woeful again last night and City, well just being City in Europe again.

Roy Keane is fucking spot on about Rooney too.

[Rmpr 8,977]

United woeful again last night and City, well just being City in Europe again.

Roy Keane is fucking spot on about Rooney too.

What did he say?

[Special Juan 27,093]

What did he say?

Start acting like a leader, start focusing. He's not leading by example, he looks mentally not sharp and physically. Berated for slapping a wrestler at an event.

'It's certainly not helping him. I wouldn't begrudge him going out and enjoying himself, but if you're not at it yourself you've got to have a look and lead by example. He didn't do that tonight. He doesn't look sharp, he looks awful

[Fulham Broadway 16,387]

Kiev to play behind closed doors next two games

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34921849

Sickening racist attacks on black geezers, Ukrainian Chels by all accounts.

Funny I must have missed the Prime Minister talking about it, TV, radio and celebrities condemning it

[Fulham Broadway 16,387]

Start acting like a leader, start focusing. He's not leading by example, he looks mentally not sharp and physically. Berated for slapping a wrestler at an event.

'It's certainly not helping him. I wouldn't begrudge him going out and enjoying himself, but if you're not at it yourself you've got to have a look and lead by example. He didn't do that tonight. He doesn't look sharp, he looks awful

Roy Keanes is a bit thick about that wrestler thing though -its a running joke between Rooney and the wrestler.

Keane probably thinks wrestling is proper scrapping

[Special Juan 27,093]

Roy Keanes is a bit thick about that wrestler thing though -its a running joke between Rooney and the wrestler.

Keane probably thinks wrestling is proper scrapping

Nobody thicker than Rooney, I think he thinks that the English Channel is two buttons below BBC1