Champions League Thread

[Jase 43,479]

33 minutes ago, killer1257 said:

And who scores those goals? Zouma? He is probably our only reliable scorer right now. Every other of our strikers needs too many chances.

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You're making it sound like they are very prolific. Only 4 Atletico players have scored at least 3 goals this season - the rest are either on 1 or haven't scored - and their top scorer has 8 goals, which IIRC is the same as ours. 

As @The Skipper mentioned above, our players could become more prolific by February. Who knows? Heck, maybe someone will be super clinical on the night for us like Giroud was at Sevilla recently. 

[Jase 43,479]

Look at this way, if we get KOed in the Round of 16, we can focus on the title race. 

[Jase 43,479]

 

[Laylabelle 9,711]

It be lovely to get further then the last 16..definitely been a stumbling block for a years now

[Fernando 6,723]

I don't think we have a chance. 

But this is in February so a lot of things can happen between then. 

[NikkiCFC 8,516]

Oh irony, Sevilla got easier opponent..

Worst possible draw but it is all in our hands. Play like Leipzig last season and be clinical. Big test for Lamps.

[Jase 43,479]

39 minutes ago, NikkiCFC said:

Oh irony, Sevilla got easier opponent..

No guarantee we would have gotten Dortmund anyway because say Sevilla had finished 1st and they were drawn in our place, they couldn't have gotten Atletico due to the draw rules and subsequent draws would have turned out differently.

And besides, Dortmund are also tough opponents in their way - e.g. way more firepower than Atletico - and god knows how will they fare under their interim manager. Could be even better than they were under Favre. 

[King Kante 1,643]

I think this is a worse draw than Bayern for us. The problem with AM is that they're the best drilled side in Europe. They aren't the type of team to beat you 5-0 but they can do a 1-0 job in both legs fairly easily and completely stifle you. Bayern on the other hand will fly and you and provide you with counter opportunities. 

My biggest worry with AM is that we are still a little open to the counter as we haven't got anyone to sit in there and break up their play when they counter. Simeone will be rubbing his hands if we have to play Jorgi or Kante there. 

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

Rather have Atlético than Dortmund tbh. Dortmund have insane pace and can really hit you on the break. Atlético are quality but quite slow and predictable too. Dortmund are hit and miss. They have so much talent of Harland is fit and gives one of his crazy performances he can put 2 past you in a blink of an eye. Atlético will let’s US play out game mostly and we either use our chances and win or don’t and deservedly go out. 

[Jase 43,479]

The dates for the tie has been confirmed:

Feb 23 - Atletico (a)

Mar 17 - Atletico (h)

When seen with our league schedule, it looks like this...

Feb 20 - Southampton (a)
Feb 23 - Atletico (a)
Feb 28 - Man United (h)

Mar 6 - Everton (h)
Mar 13 - Leeds (a)
Mar 17 - Atletico (h)
Mar 20 - Liverpool (a)

[Tomo 21,751]

Damm, second leg inbetween Leeds and Liverpool is rough, are the latter on the same week as us? 

United after the first leg however is fine as it will get moved to Sunday anyway due to them in Europa.

[Jase 43,479]

28 minutes ago, King Kante said:

I think this is a worse draw than Bayern for us. The problem with AM is that they're the best drilled side in Europe. They aren't the type of team to beat you 5-0 but they can do a 1-0 job in both legs fairly easily and completely stifle you. Bayern on the other hand will fly and you and provide you with counter opportunities. 

Bayern may give opposing teams more chances than Atletico - don't know what the exact stats are - but at the same time, Bayern also have more attacking firepower than Atletico. They have goals from their attacking players and midfielders. Different case with Atletico. 

Not sure how will Atletico approach the two legs because Simeone has been trying to make them more of a possession based side, an attacking side since last season but like facing Tony Pulis, Sam Allardyce's teams or Burnley etc, we at least absolutely know what to expect from Atletico.

Moreover, if you look at Atletico results and performances in Europe in recent seasons, they have not been all that impressive. Not saying they will be easy but you would think they are some sort of dominant European champions with the way some people are talking about them. 

33 minutes ago, King Kante said:

My biggest worry with AM is that we are still a little open to the counter as we haven't got anyone to sit in there and break up their play when they counter. Simeone will be rubbing his hands if we have to play Jorgi or Kante there. 

Compared to last season, this hasn't really been an issue for us. We have been involved in next to zero basketball games this season and if the games against Sevilla, United, Spurs etc are anything to go by, they showed we can be defensively solid in these big games and try to eek out the wins.

And you talked about Atletico and their counter attacks, ironically, they haven't scored a single goal from counter attacks in La Liga since the start of last season. Think they have scored 2-3 in Europe during that time but nothing too wow to suggest they are super dangerous on counters. They aren't exactly a team blessed with pacey players. 

[Jase 43,479]

4 minutes ago, Tomo said:

Damm, second leg inbetween Leeds and Liverpool is rough, are the latter on the same week as us? 

United after the first leg however is fine as it will get moved to Sunday anyway due to them in Europa.

Nope. Liverpool play on Feb 16 and Mar 10.

[Jase 43,479]

28 minutes ago, Jason said:

The dates for the tie has been confirmed:

Feb 23 - Atletico (a)

Mar 17 - Atletico (h)

When seen with our league schedule, it looks like this...

Feb 20 - Southampton (a)
Feb 23 - Atletico (a)
Feb 28 - Man United (h)

Mar 6 - Everton (h)
Mar 13 - Leeds (a)
Mar 17 - Atletico (h)
Mar 20 - Liverpool (a)

Just noticed that the FA Cup quarter finals are scheduled on that March 20 weekend. So, that game at Liverpool will be postponed if one or both of us reach the last 8.

Also if United reach the League Cup final, then that game on Feb 28 will be postponed.

[Atomiswave 6,120]

33 minutes ago, Jason said:

The dates for the tie has been confirmed:

Feb 23 - Atletico (a)

Mar 17 - Atletico (h)

When seen with our league schedule, it looks like this...

Feb 20 - Southampton (a)
Feb 23 - Atletico (a)
Feb 27 - Man United (h)

Mar 6 - Everton (h)
Mar 13 - Leeds (a)
Mar 17 - Atletico (h)
Mar 20 - Liverpool (a)

That looks brutal

[Jype 6,398]

18 minutes ago, Jason said:

Just noticed that the FA Cup quarter finals are scheduled on that March 20 weekend. So, that game at Liverpool will be postponed if one or both of us reach the last 8.

Also if United reach the League Cup final, then that game on Feb 28 will be postponed.

Yea, it's likely the Liverpool game won't be on that date which would be good. Also wouldn't mind the United game being moved so the team can focus fully on beating Atletico that week and not have to worry about another big game a few days later.

Then again, if we progress in the CL and both Man Utd, Liverpool games get pushed back the schedule will be even more ridiculous later on. 

[MoroccanBlue 5,399]

1 hour ago, Jason said:

The dates for the tie has been confirmed:

Feb 23 - Atletico (a)

Mar 17 - Atletico (h)

When seen with our league schedule, it looks like this...

Feb 20 - Southampton (a)
Feb 23 - Atletico (a)
Feb 28 - Man United (h)

Mar 6 - Everton (h)
Mar 13 - Leeds (a)
Mar 17 - Atletico (h)
Mar 20 - Liverpool (a)

Wonder how many games Pulisic will feature....

[Jase 43,479]

2 minutes ago, MoroccanBlue said:

Wonder how many games Pulisic will feature....

[R2D2 368]

Dunno why people are pessimist against Atletico, I saw their matches against Salzburg and Lokomotive, they can barely score goals, sure it will be hard to crack them down but I've no doubt if Ziyech, Pulisic and Werner are fit we will be up for it. Think we will qualify.

[Vesper 31,037]

8 hours ago, Jason said:

Looking from a pessimistic POV, it'd be less of an embarrassment if we lose to Atletico than say Porto, Gladbach or Atalanta. 

But either way, the tie will be good learning curve for this team and their development. If we can get past Atletico, it'd give the players confidence for the quarter finals etc.

I think we can take these fuckers out, especially if they have injuries

José Giménez has missed more games than he has played so far (is out atm as well) although some of that was COVID-19 at the beginning

without him they are down to only 3 CB's on the roster

they also, atm, have zero backups LB's (Saul as an emergency one)

they have no true DMF's at all, unless you count the cuntish dwarf on loan from Arsenal, Lucas Torreira, who I think we can overrun if he plays there

strong as hell at CMF

but again, zero AMF's on the roster

they also have zero backup RWers, so would have to pay the bust Thomas Lemar or Vitolo there if Correa cannot have a go

SS and CF they are loaded

Felix and Suarez and Marcos Llorente (the huge wild card, if he is on and playing great they are almost unbeatable, ask Victimpool) all can do mad damage (Diego Costa is out injured yet again)

key to stopping them is to contain Saul, Felix, and Suarez

if José Giménez is healthy, their defence is world class as well