BlueLyon

If you wants tricks get Isco, if you want results get Koke.

No Jones, Blind, Carrick, Evans and Rojo. If we dont win this game, Im gonna be quite pissed.

I also doubt your average Spainard watches spurs games week in week out to know how Kane actualy plays.

21 years old french lb playing for Nice. I noticed this guy on whoscored being brilliantly rated almost every game (apparently best LB rated player in top leagues), so I decided to watch last 4 Nice games and man, he looks like a huge huge talent. Absolutely bossed it against lyon. If I ever saw successor to Ashley, I think it could be this guy. His ball control is great, I loved his runs through the left flank, he has pace and stamina, works realy hard and runs up and down all the time. BUT what realy makes him above the rest is his defending. What a player. He is so agressive in challenges that sometimes it seems he made a horror tackle or sth, but then you see he was clean as tackle can be. Realy remined me on Cole in his best days when he judged the situation and cleared the danger with one precise tackle. Amavi is similary no nonsense and has great timing when to tackle. His crossing, dribbling is equaly impressive. Physicaly, I think he could adopt realy well to PL, his physique is quite similar to Coles too. Players from ligue 1 usualy work very well in PL (Hazard, Azpi, Essien, Makelele, Anelka, Malouda, Drogba,...) and I think this guy is worthy to be targeted in near future before price goes too high or some big team gets him. If we ever plan to play Azpi on right, Amavi would be my top choice for long term full back. Watched him only 4 times so far, but he realy is special, I highly recommend you to watch few Nice games if you have time.

How is logical that someone wins player of the year award and is still young enough, but doesnt win young player of the year? I understand people might decide personaly, but if Hazard wins player of year, while Kane young poty, that literaly means that Kane is better u23 player than Hazard which means zero sense. Zero. Only reasonable way would be that Hazard wins both. You cant be best in country if you arent also best young if you are still under 23. If someone put logical explanation, I will be glad. But dont try the sentimental "Kane was voted because he is english and deserves it etc". If Hazard gets poty, he rightly so fits as best in all age categories, including u23, because he is still 23.

No Sandro and Danilo will be giant blow for porto. Do they even have decent backup fullbacks?

Monaco, Atletico, Porto all able to play high pressing with efficient and quite nice football, but we do fuck all in every big game we play. Sit deep and watch them overrun our team.

And Ribery and Alaba. I dont understand how people rate Ribery so low nowdays. He isnt what he was few years ago, but is still very much Bayern's Modric. Without him, Bayern plays alot worse. However bayern as a whole gone down ever since guardiola took over. Under heynckess it was probably best team of last few years, IMO equal or even better than barca 2010-2012. Guardiola obviously had to fuck them up with tiki taka bullshit. BUT what a brilliant game from Porto. Absolutely love such nights when small teams smack big ones. Atletico last year, BVB year before. Certainly very strong squad, this porto. Hope they keep the advantage in second game.

Porto intensitiy and pressing is amazing. Holding the ball well. Brahimi is such a wonderful player.

I hope Zouma starts. Either CB or DM.

IMO Oscar has higher ceiling than most people think here. But people will realise that only when he will play for PSG or somewhere else. That said, currently Koke is better than Oscar in most aspects of game.

There are some rumours that Klopp will go into TV bussiness for a year or take a year off and then return to coaching.

And there was this guy in another thread trying to convice me that Oblak is flop LOL. He aint no courtois, but he will get realy good.

Clyne-Sterling. One can dream.

Varane this Varane that... Anyone considered we have Zouma here who is developing greatly while buying Varane would surely stall his progress? I think it would be better to get experienced CB like Godin who will improve our defense, bring some leadership and wont stall Zouma due to his age (Godin is around 29 isnt he?, which is perfect age for Cb imo). I would love Varane here, but that was before Zouma came. Not that I would be pissed if we actaly get him, but it will definately stal zouma progress which is sad. Plus he is doing great for Madrid, you realy think we can get him?

Funny but the more he gets disrespected by media, the more Im interested in seeing him here. If anything he will create strong mentality to block off media blasts, same as Cole or Terry did and thats one step forward to bigger character which we need here. Or he will fall under pressure.

Moyes brought Fellaini and Mata. I guess he was genius after all

Greatest captain ever. I realy wonder who will replace him. Thought of Cesc as successor makes me cringe tbh.

I agree with you that Jose did great job on Hazard overall game; defending, awarness etc. But in big games, I think Hazard could do slightly better, but thats due to Jose tactics too. There is alot on character though. Pogba is very ''free minded'' player. He said few times he likes Arsenal and barca style. I have no doubt he could learn tactical part of game and improve defensively alot, but I wonder if he wants to do that. I see him as determined player who will say what he thinks. And I believe he wants a role when he has alot of freedom. Wasnt it case at juve that he told the board/coach to give him more freedom or sth? And like I said, the main problem in this trio wouldnt be Pogba, but Cesc. IMO he has certain flaws that can be covered only with two tacticaly reliable DMs in big match behind him.

Its Cesc that worries me not Pogba. Besides what are you implying with Hazard? For me, he was good from very beggining. Naturaly he developed even further. But its not like Jose made Hazard world beater. He was great before Jose and everyone knew he will improve greatly within few years.

IMO both Pogba and Cesc operate as free midfielders. They aint like Pirlo or Modric or Motta etc who can hold their position well and still operate brilliantly (or at least they used to). That leaves Matic bit too exposed IMO. Not to mention that our attack looks much worse organised when we play 4-3-3 and Pogba doesnt offer that much more creativity than Oscar in pure sense. But he offers more to overal game though.

If we keep him, he will be average, if we sell him he will turn into next De Bruyne.

Would he replace #10 Oscar in our lineup or what? I dont see him as CM anymore, he might have build, but he is 1.) far too talented with ball and creativity and 2.) he is far from tacticaly responsible CM/DM. i dont see us switching to 4-3-3 either. Only bad point of Pogba is that while he might give us strength, some drive and pace, he isnt one to sit back, cover up etc. Matic IMO needs someone next to him who can track back, close spaces etc. Neither Cesc or Pogba are that. Matic, Pogba and Koke would do, but its not fifa.

We were completely bullied last time in midfield and that was when Fellaini and co werent even in form. IMO we have to throw either Zouma or Mikel next to Matic or the story will be the same.

Last year, they almost won dutch league by big thanks to several chelsea loanees. And now they want to complain...