The European Leagues & Competitions Thread V2

[Weckerz 3,781]

Reading this thread you'd think City got crushed, thought it was a pretty close game up until the red card...

Was rooting for City, ah well.

[Sheva. 5,373]

Barca have been more direct this season tbf, but Martino played 4 CM's against City and that obviously affected their attack.

Next game when they use Neymar alongside Messi and Pedro, I can see City put to the sword.

[Alan Partridge 1,124]

I hope Bayern destroy Arsenal

[Fernando 6,376]

Pellers is an idiot for those comments. Yeah it wasn't a penalty but to say that Barcelona won because the referee was on their side is bogus. Barca created enough to score at least 3.

Hardly, he is just following the Mourinho guideline of blaming everyone else.

But if that's an idiot thing to do then I assume that also makes Mourinho an idiot.....

[Jase 43,479]

But their possession still tires out opponents especially when they make the CM run around all game. Its more like how spain NT do, they hold aimless possession waiting for you to come out but tiring you out and ending up going all out in the 2nd half when opposition can't run as fast or cover as much space.

Point I'm trying to make is their not the same level as before, (which was arguably the top 3 best ever footballing side and best in that 2009-2012 era) but they still end up being the 2nd best club in the world right now.

Get your point about such teams holding possession to tire teams out etc but not sure that can be applied at all to yesterday's game when what eventually tired City, if anything, was because they had to chase the game with 10 men for nearly 40 minutes. You're right in saying City are not necessarily used to playing on the counter, pressing and all that but despite that, they did pretty well till Demichelis's brainfart moment early in the second half which obviously changed the game. They only pressed once the one ball reached certain areas and it's not like Barcelona were relentlessly passing the ball around to really tire City out. Watching Barcelona at times, you do wonder if that is actually their purpose or are they just afraid of losing possession (given their obsession) and passing it around for the sake it (sterile possession) or doing so because there no space allowed by opposition for them to create (which was the case yesterday at 11 v 11).

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

Reading this thread you'd think City got crushed, thought it was a pretty close game up until the red card...

Was rooting for City, ah well.

In fact, after the red card, City had about as many chances as Barca did too. One horrible decision cost them badly. It' be better for us if City and Arsenal go through but they got brutal draws so it was always unlikely.

[communicate 2,703]

Reading this thread you'd think City got crushed, thought it was a pretty close game up until the red card...

Was rooting for City, ah well.

They were actually the "better" team, they didn't look like conceding and they had the better chances.

But there is no controversy for me, it was red card any day and if you watch the replay in real time, it was a penalty.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Hardly, he is just following the Mourinho guideline of blaming everyone else.

But if that's an idiot thing to do then I assume that also makes Mourinho an idiot.....

When had Mourinho blamed the referees this season?

[Alan Partridge 1,124]

Apparently Giroud has been left on the bench?

[lucio 5,397]

In fact, after the red card, City had about as many chances as Barca did too. One horrible decision cost them badly. It' be better for us if City and Arsenal go through but they got brutal draws so it was always unlikely.

i dont really agree with it. i think the confidence and momentum they would get by going through, would far outweight having to play a few extra matches

[Fulham Broadway 16,396]

Nice to see Arsenal get completely fucked tonite

[Mohammed Seif 1,451]

Any expectations for Bayern vs Arsenal game?

[Alan Partridge 1,124]

Wenger is mental, unless Giroud is injured.

[didierforever 7,349]

Reading this thread you'd think City got crushed, thought it was a pretty close game up until the red card...

Was rooting for City, ah well.

^This.

Barca had nothing until the penalty , which was a poor call ( another one). Infact city had a couple of decent oppurtunities. Be it the one which clichy fucked up or the exquisite move which ended in valdes stopping a volley from silva. Kolarov was a massive fuck-up by pele except for that city were good. Showed som e real character

[iceboy 992]

Pep is cool.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

i dont really agree with it. i think the confidence and momentum they would get by going through, would far outweight having to play a few extra matches

I don't think it's even close. It's not just a few matches. It's a couple of massive games and it means they have to rest players in the league. You can't get to the CL semi-finals and be resting your best players. Momentum and confidence are overrated in football and sports in general. (In fact, momentum really doesn't exist from game to game(. We had our biggest win of the year against City, killed Newcastle, and then couldn't beat WBA at home and looked limp against City..Shouldn't we have been riding our momentum and confidence?

[mediator 2,026]

haha saved

[Thendo 1,088]

Really bad penalty from Özil...