The European Leagues & Competitions Thread V2

[Jase 43,479]

2 minutes ago, communicate said:

I don't understand playing Coutinho. Barcelona cannot do any build up since last week. Play either semedo or Arthur. Barcelona problem was their inability to feed their front player. This happened since last week.

Coutinho or not, Barcelona were utterly hopeless. I tuned it last night after they went 3-0 down and saw that they were so flat and got physically bullied by Liverpool. There was no urgency, no intensity and they looked clueless on what to do. That fourth goal they conceded was a disgrace. Quick thinking of TAA's part but for an experienced side to not be alert at the semi-final stage of a major competition was farcical. And what exactly is Barcelona's plan in building their squad? 8 of their 10 outfield starters from last night are over 30 years old and 1 of the non-30 years old is Coutinho, who might as well have not bothered turning up given his own hopeless display. 

[communicate 2,703]

1 hour ago, Jason said:

Coutinho or not, Barcelona were utterly hopeless. I tuned it last night after they went 3-0 down and saw that they were so flat and got physically bullied by Liverpool. There was no urgency, no intensity and they looked clueless on what to do. That fourth goal they conceded was a disgrace. Quick thinking of TAA's part but for an experienced side to not be alert at the semi-final stage of a major competition was farcical. And what exactly is Barcelona's plan in building their squad? 8 of their 10 outfield starters from last night are over 30 years old and 1 of the non-30 years old is Coutinho, who might as well have not bothered turning up given his own hopeless display. 

The problem is he provide nothing. If dembele is not injured I am pretty sure he will start because he will provide speed in counter. 

This barca team looks old, over two leg they are absolutely dominated. They are just lucky that they have messi, his ability to create chances is ridiculous. But that is it. Somebody need to give him the ball. It is similar to Hazard last season. 

[Special Juan 27,092]

Couldn't even watch the news this morning, I have avoided everything so I am not as furious as I should be.

[petre.ispirescu 4,928]

They say it's still one match left for the league title and nothing is decided yet, I say last night was only the SF and Ajax is going to save football. It is their story, three qualifying ties last summer so that in the end they defeat the trophy dodgers, the media darlings, the victims. 

How sweet it would be after all the celebrations and the worldwide coverage to finish empty handed haha

[Strike 6,952]

1 hour ago, petre.ispirescu said:

They say it's still one match left for the league title and nothing is decided yet, I say last night was only the SF and Ajax is going to save football. It is their story, three qualifying ties last summer so that in the end they defeat the trophy dodgers, the media darlings, the victims. 

How sweet it would be after all the celebrations and the worldwide coverage to finish empty handed haha

I mean the banter will be fun but beyond all that, gotta respect what this Liverpool side has achieved. 94 points in the league and a Champions League final for the second year in a row beating Bayern, Barca. Klopp is just the unluckiest manager 

[Vesper 27,272]

1 hour ago, communicate said:

The problem is he provide nothing. If dembele is not injured I am pretty sure he will start because he will provide speed in counter. 

This barca team looks old, over two leg they are absolutely dominated. They are just lucky that they have messi, his ability to create chances is ridiculous. But that is it. Somebody need to give him the ball. It is similar to Hazard last season. 

I see them doing a massive turnover (it has already started)

Valverde may be sacked (Barca president hinted at that last night)

I see the following out (or most of them)

24   Belgium   DF   Thomas Vermaelen

17   Colombia   DF   Jeison Murillo (on loan from Valencia) Will be allowed to go back
4    Croatia    MF    Ivan Rakitić

22    Chile    MF    Arturo Vidal
—    Portugal    MF    André Gomes (on loan to Everton until 30 June 2019)
—    Spain    MF    Denis Suárez (on loan to Arsenal until 30 June 2019)
—    Turkey    MF    Arda Turan (on loan to İstanbul Başakşehir until 30 June 2020)

7   Brazil   AMF   Philippe Coutinho

12   Brazil   AMF   Rafinha (If he is healthy, he will be sold)

14    Brazil    RW    Malcom (probably sold, not sure on this, AC Milan want to loan him)

19   Ghana   MF   Kevin-Prince Boateng (on loan from Sassuolo) (will go back)

 

coming in (predicted or already agreed)

Matthijs de Ligt    Centre-Back  Ajax Amsterdam  

   
Frenkie de Jong    DH DMF   Ajax Amsterdam   (signed already, Busquets replacement)

 

I predict  at lest one, maybe two of the following MF'ers (Rabiot is probably going to Juve)
 
Saúl Ñíguez    Central Midfield    Atlético Madrid
Paul Pogba    Central Midfield    Manchester United
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic    Central Midfield   SS Lazio
Tanguy Ndombélé    Central Midfield    Olympique Lyon
Houssem Aouar   Central Midfield  Olympique Lyon
Nicolò Zaniolo    Attacking Midfield  AS Roma 
Pablo Sarabia   Attacking Midfield   Sevilla FC
João Félix   AMF/SS Benfica 

 

If they go for wingers, I would think they are looking at Hirving Lozano for LW and at RW, Nicolas Pepe (grrr at both, as we all know those are my 2 favourites targets for us, but they are both perfect for Barca too and are cheaper than Martial or Sancho. Sancho and Dembele as their wingers, with Piatek or Griezmann as CF (or even Mbappe in 2 years or so) and Messi as a 10 (I think he can play still he is 35 or 36 or so at a top level there) is fucking terrifying. Suso in the mix too, and AC Milan need to sell a player or two. They still (insanely) want Willian as a backup too. I do NOT see them going for a Neymar return or making a move (this year) for Mbappe.

 

finally at CF I expect one of the following

Antoine Griezmann    Centre-Forward   Atlético Madrid    (already turned down, BUT I think they move again)

or

Krzysztof Piatek   Centre-Forward   AC Milan    

or

Iñaki Williams    Centre-Forward   Athletic Bilbao

or

Alexandre Lacazette    Centre-Forward   Arsenal FC (I cannot see this but the papers are pushing it hard)

 

they are going to be FAR better next year, with or without Valverde as a manager (probably going to be board-lynched for this, BUT, if I were them, I would grab Poch)

 

[Vesper 27,272]

1 hour ago, Mana said:

Barca are a glorified version of Chelsea the way I look at it. Poor squad with one special class attacking player (Messi/Hazard). If these two aren't performing, both squads hugely dip in performance.

 

Now come on Ajax...the last thing we want is a Spuds v Pool final...otherwise I'll have to support Liverpool...SHIT

IF Spuds win the CL

Poch will surely leave (he knows it is only downhill from here, they have ZERO chance to win the EPL, not with Shitty and the Dippers and the other 3) and the team will be even more quickly broken up and Victimpool will spend even more than they would have in the quest

so it may be the first time in my 27 years on planet (other than a title race) where I MAY be going for Spuds (purely on long wave thinking)

still unsure

let us ALL hope Ajax win the trophy (THAT would be wonderful for world football)

[Laylabelle 9,293]

54 minutes ago, Strike said:

I mean the banter will be fun but beyond all that, gotta respect what this Liverpool side has achieved. 94 points in the league and a Champions League final for the second year in a row beating Bayern, Barca. Klopp is just the unluckiest manager 

That's it. He's got them playing such amazing football as well. League isn't won yet either. Unlikely but so was last night. Only takes one moment from city. 

Didn't go out with a whimper and all that. Its now theirs to lose. 

Just bored of it now lol. Even general just music radio stations blah blah Liverpool let's go to fans..no play a song! 

[Atomiswave 6,072]

The Spanis press have utterly lynched Barca and rightly so. That was a horrible team effort from everyone, from start to finish. Roma did the same last season, pool didt beat some monster but credit they deserve. They remind me of us 04-07. Direct and pacy footy.....its a sure method if you can pull it off. We would rather stop, wait for the opponent to settle in and pass the world to death just for the sake of it. Chels was always about fast direct football, physical. And we will never have it under Sarri, its not a diss, I just much much prefer option A.

[Vesper 27,272]

1 hour ago, Mana said:

Noooo.

Spuds must not in ANY circumstances win the CL. You think Pool is insufferable? Spuds will take it up a notch against us, Arsenal and West Ham fanbases. Just look at this season, with those dumb "The only stadium to see Champions League" posters in London Underground.

I cannot fathom how I can suffer a whole season listening to those Spuddie nutheads singing Champions and rubbing it in our faces.

I am basing it off of the medium to long term event horizon. Spuds are by far the most precariously-perched big 6 team. Anything that helps hasten their fall is a good thing in my book. Getting Poch out (which I think will happen IF he did win the CL, as, like I have previously stated, it is all downhill from there due to a cheap as fuck owner, (just look at the salaries of those top players, they are a joke, plus NO transfers the past two windows, and the probable loss of Eriksen (RM), Trippier (Napoli) and maybe two of their top 3 CB's) is a good thing to me.

[!Hazard! 3,394]

Just imagine how shit Liverpool would look like if they were playing Alonso/Emerson and Azpi instead of their current world class fullbacks

[BlueLyon 9,359]

4 hours ago, petre.ispirescu said:

They say it's still one match left for the league title and nothing is decided yet, I say last night was only the SF and Ajax is going to save football. It is their story, three qualifying ties last summer so that in the end they defeat the trophy dodgers, the media darlings, the victims. 

How sweet it would be after all the celebrations and the worldwide coverage to finish empty handed haha

Yesterday match will obviously inspire spuds to overcome Ajax tonight.

Lets just hope Ajax is up for it or they will lose. I feel Spuds will go full power at them from the start.

[Special Juan 27,092]

Ajax will be too much for them tonight, Spurs have looked tired the last few weeks, these big games have caught up with them.

2-0 Ajax.

[Fulham Broadway 16,382]

So Liverpool fans set off fireworks outside the hotel for an hour where Barcelona players were sleeping at 4 am. Well done, more Dignity and Respect. 

[Johnnyeye 7,402]

13 minutes ago, Fulham Broadway said:

So Liverpool fans set off fireworks outside the hotel for an hour where Barcelona players were sleeping at 4 am. Well done, more Dignity and Respect. 

fucking scousers, they can do no wrong in the media's eyes right? hypocrites the lot of them. Credit to Pool yes, but i hate that Barca threw away this tie just like that, im sorry but for a club of their pedigree in this competition its an epic collapse, no other way around it. I hope Ajax can go to the final and beat the scousers, im rooting for them all the way.

[Special Juan 27,092]

The times I have heard today the line "Even if you weren't a Liverpool you must of enjoyed that, if you didn't you don't like football"

No, no I fucking didn't, stop talking absolute shite. It fucking killed me, I hated it from start to finish and you wanted me to of enjoyed it? Fuck off.

[Vesper 27,272]

15 minutes ago, Fulham Broadway said:

So Liverpool fans set off fireworks outside the hotel for an hour where Barcelona players were sleeping at 4 am. Well done, more Dignity and Respect. 

[Johnnyeye 7,402]

Valverde is a joke of a coach, heavily exposed 2 seasons in a row in the Champions League, 1st by Roma and now by Liverpool, that is a sackable offense all day long, just like that epic bottle job by PSG against Barca under Emery.