The European Leagues & Competitions Thread V2

[Special Juan 27,424]

Brilliant how much the commentators were willing them on, and then they sounded as deflated as the players looked at FT.

:lol:

[Reddish-Blue 2,347]

Expecting a good game between Dortmund and Juve

Come on Klopp, get the 1-0 and you're through to the quarter finals

[Special Juan 27,424]

I'm all over that Barca and City game, cannot wait. I think Pellegrino's men will get a hiding tonight.

[hamad138 190]

City will get destroyed omg. English teams are too bad and then they face top 3 club.

7:0 barcelona

[Fernando 6,456]

City will get destroyed omg. English teams are too bad and then they face top 3 club.

7:0 barcelona

They have nothing to play for now and no pressure.

I don't like those combinations, crazy things can happen...

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

That's not very far from what I wrote, so how is that "shameful" or worse than losing 3-1 at home to Monaco?

I think you've got me mixed up with someone else. I never used the word "shameful"

About the bolded : You did read the part about us getting dominated by 10 men at home right ?

2-2 might look better then 3-1 but our performance in that 2-2 was absolutely dreadful (apart from the opening 30 minutes).

Arsenal were the better team in Monaco and at home they were the better side aswell. Monaco were just very clinical with their chances while Arsenal were very wasteful with theirs.

Arsenal performance in both games > Our performance in both games.

[Special Juan 27,424]

Whilst they were knocked out last night some of the football Arsenal played was brilliant. There was a move in the first half and I was gobsmacked at the sheer pace, not only that but sheer quality of the passing.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

I think you've got me mixed up with someone else. I never used the word "shameful"

About the bolded : You did read the part about us getting dominated by 10 men at home right ?

2-2 might look better then 3-1 but our performance in that 2-2 was absolutely dreadful (apart from the opening 30 minutes).

Arsenal were the better team in Monaco and at home they were the better side aswell. Monaco were just very clinical with their chances while Arsenal were very wasteful with theirs.

Arsenal performance in both games > Our performance in both games.

Against a much weaker team with a lot less quality. Again we did NOT get dominated at home. They literally had 10 minutes where they managed to pin us back. We played badly but we were not humiliated in any way like Arsenal were when they lost 3-1 at home to Monaco.

I know that it's 'in' right now to exaggerate in criticizing the team and the manager even though we've already won a trophy and are on track to completing an excellent season and winning back the league after 5 years, but seriously some are acting we should pack it up and just close the club down after a poor performance and elimination from Europe.

And this was only highlighted yesterday with incredible double standards by football fans including our own and the blatant media hypocrisy when dealing with Arsenal's exit to a lesser team as compared to us. They employed insane tactics in the first leg and basically committed suicide and knocked themselves out of Europe, yet get portrayed as courageous fighters.

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

Against a much weaker team with a lot less quality. Again we did NOT get dominated at home. They literally had 10 minutes where they managed to pin us back. We played badly but we were not humiliated in any way like Arsenal were when they lost 3-1 at home to Monaco.

I know that it's 'in' right now to exaggerate in criticizing the team and the manager even though we've already won a trophy and are on track to completing an excellent season and winning back the league after 5 years, but seriously some are acting we should pack it up and just close the club down after a poor performance and elimination from Europe.

And this was only highlighted yesterday with incredible double standards by football fans including our own and the blatant media hypocrisy when dealing with Arsenal's exit to a lesser team as compared to us. They employed insane tactics in the first leg and basically committed suicide and knocked themselves out of Europe, yet get portrayed as courageous fighters.

We did get dominated at home. It was a lot more then 10 minutes. They had the better chances.

Neither Arsenal nor us were "humiliated".

An excellent season ? I'd have to disagree with that. We were having an excellent season until new year. From there on we've only had 1 game where we actually played well for the majority of the game, Swansea. That's it.

All the other games we've had to grind out results. Most of the games we've done just enough to get the win but we've been cutting it way too close.

If Man City weren't bottling it we'd be in big trouble for the title.

Honestly this slump isn't something we should be ignoring or just disregard as the competitiveness of the PL.

There are real problems at the root of our slump. Players that aren't good enough to be starters. Lack of rotation ( fatigue and players not getting replaced when they are off form for a while).

Also our tactical approach after we take the lead needs to be looked at. I'm sick and tired of us taking the lead and then watch us sit deep, invite pressure and not be able to handle it.

Imo one of the worst things we can do is get complacent and think everything is all right just because we've won the PL and the League cup this season.

If we want to win the PL, FA cup, League cup and have any hope of winning the CL again, in the seasons to follow then we are going to have to take lessons from our mistakes and shortcomings this season.

Instead of pretending like we don't have any.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

We did get dominated at home. It was a lot more then 10 minutes. They had the better chances.

Neither Arsenal nor us were "humiliated".

An excellent season ? I'd have to disagree with that. We were having an excellent season until new year. From there on we've only had 1 game where we actually played well for the majority of the game, Swansea. That's it.

All the other games we've had to grind out results. Most of the games we've done just enough to get the win but we've been cutting it way too close.

If Man City weren't bottling it we'd be in big trouble for the title.

Honestly this slump isn't something we should be ignoring or just disregard as the competitiveness of the PL.

There are real problems at the root of our slump. Players that aren't good enough to be starters. Lack of rotation ( fatigue and players not getting replaced when they are off form for a while).

Also our tactical approach after we take the lead needs to be looked at. I'm sick and tired of us taking the lead and then watch us sit deep, invite pressure and not be able to handle it.

Imo one of the worst things we can do is get complacent and think everything is all right just because we've won the PL and the League cup this season.

If we want to win the PL, FA cup, League cup and have any hope of winning the CL again, in the seasons to follow then we are going to have to take lessons from our mistakes and shortcomings this season.

Instead of pretending like we don't have any.

It really wasn't more than 10 minutes. As I said, the few chances they got were from set pieces they won on the counter attack, and you can go back and check if you wish.

An excellent season as in winning the league cup and the league.

Of course there are issues and our current form is worrying, but all that does not even begin to justify the completely meltdown that has happened. I'm not saying to address them just to put things into context. Two years ago we were in the Europa League and struggling to make top 4 with Victor Moses and Fernando Torres as two of our key players. Yet some act like 6 points clear at the top instead of 8 is below Chelsea standards. Really, if anything, all the insults and disrespect to the players and manager are what are preventing genuinely discussing the issues.

But honestly, the biggest issue I see right now, is the attitude of our spoiled drama-queens of fans.

[Magic Lamps 11,653]

My brother who is a big Dortmund fan is confident BVB will turn it around today. Juve are usually shit on German soil and the Signa Iduna Park with it's amazingly loud 80k crowd, the Yellow Wall has really pushed them at big occassions against vastly superior teams often enough.

I am a bit sceptical though. Dortmund have an error-prone defense, so I don't see them winning it 1-0. But I don't see them winning it by 2 goals either.

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

It really wasn't more than 10 minutes. As I said, the few chances they got were from set pieces they won on the counter attack, and you can go back and check if you wish.

An excellent season as in winning the league cup and the league.

Of course there are issues and our current form is worrying, but all that does not even begin to justify the completely meltdown that has happened. I'm not saying to address them just to put things into context. Two years ago we were in the Europa League and struggling to make top 4 with Victor Moses and Fernando Torres as two of our key players. Yet some act like 6 points clear at the top instead of 8 is below Chelsea standards. Really, if anything, all the insults and disrespect to the players and manager are what are preventing genuinely discussing the issues.

But honestly, the biggest issue I see right now, is the attitude of our spoiled drama-queens of fans.

They were the better side in that second half. They had the biggest chance of the game with Cavani that hit the post.

For me a season isn't just defined by trophies. How we performed during the season matters. First half of the season was excellent but the second half has been poor.

Yes there's been an overreaction after our CL exit but i think that's understandable given our form since new year and the way we went out against PSG. Giving away a lead twice at home. Against 10 men, minutes before the end of extra time.

It hurt like hell.

Our team is better then it was 2 years ago so it's only logical people have higher expectations.

I don't think the criticism has really been about the loss of points. The criticism has been more about our performances . They simply haven't been anywhere near the level we were performing at in the beginning of the season.

Well i do agree that some people have indeed crossed the line but ,in the aftermath of our exit, there have also been a lot of good, reasonable, points raised aswell.

Lack of rotation, our approach after we take a lead, players starting while they're simply not good enough,

players that keep starting even though they've been underperforming for a while.

Overreactions have happened but there have also been proper discussions about what people think are the reasons for our slump.

Honestly think your being too harsh on our fans. Most of us "spoiled drama-queens fans" just believe this squad can do better (performance wise).

[LAB 1,030]

Don't write City off yet. They will give it a try.

[Magic Lamps 11,653]

Don't write City off yet. They will give it a try.

Like last season? They had almost the same preconditions and still failed dismally. They are just a pathetic bunch of chokers. No way in hell they are gonna outscore Barca at the Camp Nou. It is gonna be Messi/Sauarez/Neymar vs Martin Demichelis and co. Their task is not to get embarrassed.

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

Don't write City off yet. They will give it a try.

Burnley would have a better chance

I'm okay if they could make it though, anything to make them more busy.

[LAB 1,030]

Like last season? They had almost the same preconditions and still failed dismally. They are just a pathetic bunch of chokers. No way in hell they are gonna outscore Barca at the Camp Nou. It is gonna be Messi/Sauarez/Neymar vs Martin Demichelis and co. Their task is not to get embarrassed.

Burnley would have a better chance

I'm okay if they could make it though, anything to make them more busy.

Come on, a 1-2 is not improbable, isn't it? Who knows in football...

[Magic Lamps 11,653]

Come on, a 1-2 is not improbable, isn't it? Who knows in football...

I wish, I really do. I like to have City busy to eliminate any danger of them catching us and for england to still have one CL representant. But for a dismal City to beat a decent Barca side with the best offense in the world it would take a minor miracle.

[iseah100 5,612]

PORTO FOR THE CL!