The European Competitions Thread

[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 28,141]

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 28,141]

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 17,314]

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 17,314]

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 28,141]

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

[nyikolajevics 2,698]

Monaco-Anderlecht might be interesting to watch. Many of Europes top prospects are starting: Dendocker, Praet, Tielmanns, Fabinho, Bernardo Silva, Pasalic, Traore, El Shaarawy.

[KevinAshburner 1,270]

UEL Result : Tottenham Hotspur won 1 - 0. With a 78 minute Goal from HARRY KANE.

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

Monaco-Anderlecht might be interesting to watch. Many of Europes top prospects are starting: Dendocker, Praet, Tielmanns, Fabinho, Bernardo Silva, Pasalic, Traore, El Shaarawy.

Ha, Anderlecht won (in an almost empty stadium sadly).

This season we played 4 games against French teams and 1 game against their NT: Belgium 11 points, France 2.

Not too shabby. ^^

[zolayes 14,489]

World class REFEREE .. Possibly one of the best reffing in a big match Ive ever seen ,, Liverpool V Bordeaux

Keeper penalised for holding the ball too long ,, Bordeaux score .. Massive call CORRECT

slight pull on attacker in area ,, Penalty given and SCORED BIG call CORRECT

Benteke has a small push on defender and SCores ... Ref spotted the push Goal disallowed ,, Massive call CORRECT

MOTM THE REF

[samzilla 517]

We're the only group with teams to have 10 points or more and not be guaranteed to progress to the knockout stage.

[Jase 43,479]

We're the only group with teams to have 10 points or more and not be guaranteed to progress to the knockout stage.

It's similar to what happened just 2 seasons ago in the group containing Dortmund, Napoli, Arsenal and Marseille. The first 3 teams there ended up with 12 points each but Napoli got KOed due to their inferior H2H record.

[Johnnyeye 7,509]

Hi everyone, i don't know if anyone as seen this, but just hear me out on this one, please don't criticize me for it, some interesting facts: Mourinho won his first Champions League with Porto in 2004 and 6 years later he won it with Inter Milan in 2010, that makes a span of 6 years in which Mou reaches 2 finals and wins with different clubs. Now 6 years later the final in 2016 is at the San Siro, destiny maybe? i don't know, but now comes the interesting part: Chelsea reached their first final in 2008 and lost, then 4 years later they reach the final again in 2012 and win, now 4 years later in 2016? can you see the connection i'm trying to make here? with what happened to us in 2012, qualifying in the last group game, being knocked out early in the capital one cup to eventual winners, we could say it's written in the stars and all, i'm not saying it implies anything , it's just coincidences, and Stoke might not even win the COC and we don't know if we will even reach the final of the FA Cup and meet Stoke there, but nothing surprises me anymore in football, to be fair and us having a troubled season now just like back then i wouldn't bet against it, it's an assumption, but for that to even happen we have to win the last game against Porto first. What do you all think? Cheers

[stroey 2,525]

Hi everyone, i don't know if anyone as seen this, but just hear me out on this one, please don't criticize me for it, some interesting facts: Mourinho won his first Champions League with Porto in 2004 and 6 years later he won it with Inter Milan in 2010, that makes a span of 6 years in which Mou reaches 2 finals and wins with different clubs. Now 6 years later the final in 2016 is at the San Siro, destiny maybe? i don't know, but now comes the interesting part: Chelsea reached their first final in 2008 and lost, then 4 years later they reach the final again in 2012 and win, now 4 years later in 2016? can you see the connection i'm trying to make here? with what happened to us in 2012, qualifying in the last group game, being knocked out early in the capital one cup to eventual winners, we could say it's written in the stars and all, i'm not saying it implies anything , it's just coincidences, and Stoke might not even win the COC and we don't know if we will even reach the final of the FA Cup and meet Stoke there, but nothing surprises me anymore in football, to be fair and us having a troubled season now just like back then i wouldn't bet against it, it's an assumption, but for that to even happen we have to win the last game against Porto first. What do you all think? Cheers

I'd love to think like that but I can't, I am still a little worried about qualifying for the last 16!

Let's qualify first, after that we can start dreaming