The European Leagues & Competitions Thread V2

[DYC. 7,542]

6 minutes ago, Blue-in-me-Veins said:

Would you fancy Willian in the RWB role next season? 

Nahh, we would've seen it this season if that was an option. Don't think he possesses the defensive nous and power for the role.

[BlueStorm1003 539]

2 hours ago, OhForAGreavsie said:

Clubs collect coefficient points based on their performances in Europe's two completions. More points are available to be gained in the CL than in the EL but a good run in the EL will earn more points than an early departure from the CL.

These points are aggregated for each country and a table is produced based on points accumulated of the five most recent seasons. The top three nations in this table are awarded a fourth CL entrant. Before this round of matches Spain led, by a mile, Germany were second and we were third though only three points ahead of Italy. The points gained gained by United if they progress, and especially by Leicester, are vital.

Previously the allocation of CL places was made annually. So if a nation fell out of the top three it could at least hope to recover its place during the following season. From now on however, the assessment will be made once every three seasons. This means if we lose our fourth Champions League place, it will be gone for at least three years. Worse, with only three clubs competing in the CL, that means only three lots of CL points which can be added to the total instead of four, and remember more points are gained per round in the CL than in the EL. Over the course of three years we will have nine chances to collect Champions League points while the top three nations will have 12. So to overtake them we would have to score more points than they do despite having 3 fewer CL attempts than they will.

What is more, in another change, the fourth entrant from the top three countries will no longer need to qualify for the group stages.  Instead they will automatically enter the tournament in the last 32. No chance of a team failing to qualify for the group stage, as Everton once did, and missing out on the group stage coefficient points. From now on, once you fall out of the top three it'll be harder to get back in.  The scramble for the top four in the Premier League, will become the scramble of the top three.

It's not only that however. Fewer games for city helps them be competitive in the league and The Cup. I would have loved to see them distracted by Europe, while we ran away with the two domestic trophies. Unfortunately that hope bit the dust tonight.

Nor is it only those two things. Defeat for Monaco would have made it more likely that their players would be ready to move on this summer and that would increase our chances of getting some of the talented footballers we are all raving about. The further Monaco progress this season the more likely the stars are to consider it worth sticking with their current "project". This last bit isn't an exact science and the money offered by Europe's bigger clubs would obviously be a factor but whichever way you cut it, elimination in the last 16, gives players less reason to stay optimistic and continue in the south of France.

Thanks for the explanation mate!

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

13 hours ago, DYC. said:

You can't upgrade your entire XI in one summer. You're lucky if you get two. Three at a stretch. If  And if I could only pick two positions, I'd go for replacing Matic and Moses. For me it's CM>RWB>RW>CB>LWB in terms of importance.

True but i think 3 would be reasonable since we've gotten a significant amount of money to spend. For me it would be CM>RWB/LWB>CB>RW. Looking at the players we'd want to replace Pedro for me is the least of our worries.

12 hours ago, DYC. said:

I actually disagree. Moses has been far more disappointing for me. Sometimes he looks completely out of his depth. His decision-making just isn't good enough for me. And he's often left unmarked because of it. And his positional sense is off. At least you can count on Alonso doing the basics right. Great legs, good positioning and distributes the ball well. Players will outpace him from time to time but the left flank is never (too) exposed. And he's very helpful when it comes to defending set-pieces.

Alonso is like Ferreira. If a true upgrade can be acquired, great. If not, no worries.

Both are given lots of time and space on the ball. Alonso can't go past players as he just doesn't have the skill or pace to do it while Moses might go past players from time to time but then he struggles to play that final ball.

For me both are an issue and both need replacing.

 

[Special Juan 28,100]

City totally out played and schooled in that first half by Monaco and this against the total football god Guardiola.....Not surprised they got knocked out and beaten

[-Kaplan- 410]

Mourinho using 3-4-3 yet again. I don't know why, but it fucking irritates me. After talking all that shit about us being defensive, he's using our same formation against fucking Rostov. 

 

 

[Yeboii 1,844]

2 hours ago, -Kaplan- said:

Mourinho using 3-4-3 yet again. I don't know why, but it fucking irritates me. After talking all that shit about us being defensive, he's using our same formation against fucking Rostov. 

 

 

Then beating them with one goal. IT'S ROSTOV!!! not Juventus!

[communicate 2,703]

Please give us different tie almighty draw ball.

I don't want RM-Barca or Atletico-RM, i can just watch them in la liga.

RM - Bayern should be fun, Barca - Dormund is another one Juve - Atletico and Leciester - Monaco. 

[Special Juan 28,100]

Atl Madrid v Leicester City

Dortmund v AS Monaco

Bayern Munich v Real Madrid

Juventus v Barcelona

[communicate 2,703]

Finally good draw

[communicate 2,703]

Just now, Special Juan said:

Atl Madrid v Leicester City

Dortmund v AS Monaco

Bayern Munich v Real Madrid

Juventus v Barcelona

Finally, good draw. Should be fun games

[Jase 43,479]

Cracking quarter final ties. Looking forward to Dortmund v Monaco the most. Two sides with brilliant young players going at it and there should be plenty of goals.

And no way Atletico will make the same mistakes Sevilla did against Leicester.

Atletico, Monaco, Bayern and Barcelona to go through to the semis.

[Cosmin 2,484]

Anderlecht - United

Ajax - Schalke

Celta - Genk

Lyon - Besiktas

Funny how United always get the 2nd leg at home this season.

 

Regarding UCL, I really really hope Leicester and Monaco go through, but I don't think both of them will make it. This might be Juve's year after all.

[DYC. 7,542]

Last season it was Ousmane Dembélé, now it's Kylian Mbappé. Teenage superstars in the making popping up from French football like it's nothing. Both possess an amazing blend of skill and power. And they're both so direct and always want to make things happen in the final third.

How I would love to see them sporting Chelsea colours in the very near future.

(Not mentioning Martial because he never impressed as much at Monaco. His debut season at Man Utd was his most impressive personal campaign.)

Monaco have to win the title now. Failing to win it after such a campaign would be so painful.

 

[Kieran. 6,317]

Holy shit, Dortmund-Monaco postponed after an explosion near the BVB team bus and Bartra has been taken to hospital.

[Laylabelle 9,534]

Dortmund game called off after explosions round team coach..let's hope that's all it was