The European Leagues & Competitions Thread V2

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

Jesus Christ, this is just embarrassing. They should be able to beat Feyenoord with their worst possible team. It's not even a top team in Holland anymore and their league is now worse than our Belgian one (they're 14th in Europe...).
They'd probably play better without a manager. 

[Special Juan 27,101]

Paul Scholes saying Pogba needs someone of much higher quality next to him to flourish What the fuck....Spend 90M on him and then need more money to get the best out of him? Fuck off

[DYC. 7,542]

3 hours ago, Special Juan said:

Paul Scholes saying Pogba needs someone of much higher quality next to him to flourish What the fuck....Spend 90M on him and then need more money to get the best out of him? Fuck off

Quote

Scholes added Mourinho should consider signing a controlling midfielder to benefit Pogba but suggested Michael Carrick as an interim alternative.

"Mourinho needs to find the right partner or partners," Scholes explained. "I'd have liked to see Michael Carrick tonight.

"I think he [Pogba] needs, I think he's shown at Juventus, he needs a controlling midfielder next to him and I think Michael's got that controlled ability on the ball. Schneiderlin, especially, that was his job tonight.

"He was too far back for me, he kept picking the ball up in the middle of defence. In that position it is your duty to get the team to play football, you go and get the ball, you pass it forward, you link the team together. Schneiderlin is more concerned about his defensive role rather than being the playmaker in the team, whereas at Juventus he had Pirlo, one of the best playmakers in the world.

"And I think he [Mourinho] needs to go in the transfer market for somebody like that. Michael's capable of it but I still think they need a controlling midfielder, who can control where Paul goes and can control a game of football.

"I know he's happy with his four players [signed in the transfer window] but I still think they need that type of player. A Luka Modric or a Toni Kroos, and I think these players are available. Paul Pogba would be a lot better playing alongside these types of players.

"[Bastian] Schweinsteiger could have been a good partner, his legs aren't great, don't get me wrong."

That's not what he said. There's actually a lot of sense in what he said. He's specifically talking about a certain type of player. When Pogba signed, I immediately questioned how he was going to fit in Mourinho's system. And in his current role, I'm not surprised by him looking out of place.

Paying whatever silly amount of money on a player doesn't mean that player should be capable of doing everything. If a team were to buy let's say Diego Costa for 70 mil and then asked him to drop deep in midfield and exchange short passes like a false 9, I ask you, who is failing? Diego for playing a role that does not suit him or the team that bought a finisher to turn him into Franceso Totti?

Pogba is a midfielder in the ilk of Lampard and Gerrard. They possess some fantastic qualities but they are anything but tactically astute. Play Lamps in any other role than that of a #8 and he looks like a (much) lesser player, which was proven in his performances for England and his performances for Chelsea when different systems were deployed. Same for Gerrard at Liverpool. Benitez even had to play him on the wing for a time to fit him in his team. They can only truly excel in a certain role, more specifically playing with certain amount of positional freedom. Pogba is a #8. He's now playing the #6 position. He won't be (nearly) as good in that role. Simple as. You can fault him for that but then you have to do the same with Lampard and Gerrard, both considered bonafide legends.

Pogba isn't the superstar midfielder who would come in and save Utd, regardless of the money it took to get him, which is not his fault or problem btw. He isn't even a genuine world-class player. But he definitely possesses the talent to become one. But even if he was world-class, he'd still need a proper system and team to excel. You're always depedent on those around you in a team sport.

[cosmicway 1,252]

I did n't like Mourinho's slow build up tactics in the championship year either.
Recall also what happened against PSG.
It became so easy to win that championship because there was no strong opposition.
The year before, the first Mourinho year, there was strong opposition, City and L'pool, but we failed through lack of stamina. In 2013-14, the old guard Eto-Torres-Ramirez were still going strong though and the effects of the Mourinho system could not be seen.
The alleged "parking of the bus" was not really what he was doing and when he did it for once in the Vincente Calderon against Atletico it was actually brilliant. What he did wrong was the passing game, no imagination, nothing could be produced. And he did not have a Messi either who can dribble twentyfive opponents at a time.

 

[Special Juan 27,101]

Dortmund v Real Madrid will be the only game on in my house tonight

[Special Juan 27,101]

What a game of football this Dortmund game is....1-0 Real Ronaldo.

[kmk108 1,186]

The way Dortmund plays really keeps the match open. This is exciting stuff.

[xPetrCechx 13,546]

16 minutes ago, kmk108 said:

The way Dortmund plays really keeps the match open. This is exciting stuff.

and still real will win...

[kmk108 1,186]

4 minutes ago, xPetrCechx said:

and still real will win...

Schürrle makes it 2-2. I always liked him. 

[xPetrCechx 13,546]

6 minutes ago, kmk108 said:

Schürrle makes it 2-2. I always liked him. 

Hhaha...

One more player that we missed... KDB,Mata,Luis,Lukaku etc etc...

[Chelsea4 1,521]

Great game from Dortmund,unlucky not to win the game.Tuchel is doing a great job.

[Special Juan 27,101]

Some team Dortmund. Proving work ethic and desire over millions of pounds worth of big games.

[xPetrCechx 13,546]

2 minutes ago, Special Juan said:

Some team Dortmund. Proving work ethic and desire over millions of pounds worth of big games.

like A.Madrid?...

[Special Juan 27,101]

Just now, xPetrCechx said:

like A.Madrid?...

Yeah and Leicester.

[AWorriedChelseaFan 151]

Good to see our old boy scores against Real...hope he does well at Dortmund.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

When you watch this kind of games and see that Varane or Schmeltzer offer more in attack than Willian, Oscar and Matic combined...

[BlueLyon 9,359]

1 hour ago, Special Juan said:

Some team Dortmund. Proving work ethic and desire over millions of pounds worth of big games.

Well to be honest, Atletico and Bvb have put themselves on the map by developing their own players, but in past few years, they spent quite alot themselves. No way they would be still this good without Griezmann or Aubameyang and so on.

They started differently, but today they are same like any other big club. And to remain on top, they have to be.

Leicester will soon follow that road, they signed Slimani and wanted Silva etc...

They no longer buy players for peanuts and develop them in world beaters.

Now obviously they dont splash 80m on individuals, but neither do we for example.

I truly respect them and their runs (bvb in 2013) and Atletico year later, but today they are simply a big clubs with lot of money. 

Same could be said for us these years when we follow ffp like crazy, try to balance the expenditures and revenues from player sales, but majority of fans still consider us as buying club. Meanwhile when bvb signs Auba for 30 or Atletico Griezmann for 30m, they are respected and called club with working ethics and desire etc., grooming their own players etc. After Tibo left, they paid 30m or so for Oblak instead of going after another less known GK and thats a pretty clear example. Atletico spent over 80m on players this summer. 

I know where you are getting, and much like u I respect Bvb and Atletico alot (tbh they are clubs I follow most after Chelsea), but dont get confused by their rise in past few years with "small, cheap" teams and their buy policy today. Today they are in the same boat as any other top team in europe. Pay top price for the players they want. And they pay.

The pshychology is spot on here. No matter what, the first impression is damn important in world football. Atletico and Bvb will be known as small clubs who got big with their own players, we will be always known as big spending club. Even if today roles of the clubs are much more similar than they were in 2003 or 2013, people will still judge us based on those first impressions. 

[Fernando 6,376]

15 hours ago, Special Juan said:

Some team Dortmund. Proving work ethic and desire over millions of pounds worth of big games.

All because of Klopp. He build that blueprint. And now he will do it with Liverpool. 

Conte Juventus ain't like that, but if we are close to them I won't complaint.