UCL Draw Thread

[Jase 43,479]

4 hours ago, zekinjo said:

Oh dear... I think you should read again because I have never said they will win the CL.

I was thinking about the bigger picture, something similar to Atletico Madrid story. Once solid but mostly average Spanish football team (at the time) who managed in the last 8-9 years to skip that level from EL at best to the very top CL football club, now is playing on regular basis at highest level in one of the most beautiful stadiums in the world.

They (Tottenham) are not building a brand new + 60 000 seats stadium for playing in EL or watching other teams winning domestic titles.

All I'm saying is they (Tottenham) are growing fast in one healthy environment with so much potential. It's simple as that.

Yes, Spurs have the potential but how long more can people play that up? For years, people have been talking about Spurs having the potential, building something good, being one of the best English sides but what do they have to show for all that? Nothing. No Premier League title. No Champions League title. Not even the FA Cup or League Cup. Just some good results in Europe and putting the pressure on in the league. There's really no point if you have the quality but don't back it up with trophy(ies), even with one of the domestic cups. This Spurs team is on borrowed time. If they don't win something real soon, it won't take long for their big players to leave (Walker chose to leave them last summer and has already won 2 trophies. might even end up with 3!) and hell, Pochettino might even be tempted to leave if one of the bigger clubs come calling.

[Iggy Doonican 4,186]

On 3/8/2018 at 9:48 AM, zekinjo said:

Oh dear... I think you should read again because I have never said they will win the CL.

 

I never said you did I said someone rang up a phone in saying that Spurs would win the Champions League. Your vastly overestimating Spurs a couple of good seasons and a new ground does not make them a potential dominant force in European or even English football. Just look at Newcastle a couple of good seasons in the mid 90's get 52,000 every week yet they are perennial strugglers.

[Blue Armour 4,436]

On 3/8/2018 at 0:53 AM, manpe said:

I hope Juve clinch the whole thing. They showed quite some some spirit, their old guard deserves it. Fuck Real, Bayern and Barca and hopefully City characteristically choke.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
 

Too soon.

 

We are still in it.

[bigbluewillie 1,930]

On 3/7/2018 at 9:06 PM, zekinjo said:

When you are building your team, for a couple of years, around one coach in a stable environment you can play your best football against any opponent.

I’m actually envy Tottenham. How in the world they managed to be such a stable and actually successful, a CL club currently playing in front of 90 000 home fans at Wembley, teaching football Juventus who was 2 times a CL finalists in last 3 years. 

Every player is signed for the right position and tactically perfect for the coach and football they are playing for years.

Even if they lose they will be a success. I don’t know if people realize how big they become and they are constantly growing unlike Chelsea FC who looks like a club from pre Abramovich era.

Tottenham is and soon enough will be such a good football story.

 

Pray tell me where Spuds have been successful? they've won fuck all.

Yes they play lovely football, but that's about it. Oh and they were 3-2 up against Juve and fucked it up

[manpe 10,861]

Too soon.
 
We are still in it.

Lol

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

[the wes 7,212]

Chelsea have made a complaint to Uefa over the treatment of their fans at a Champions League match at Barcelona.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43759496

[Jase 43,479]

Confirmed pots for Friday's Europa League group stage draw (12pm BST)...

[Unionjack 7,531]

On 4/13/2018 at 6:11 PM, the wes said:

Chelsea have made a complaint to Uefa over the treatment of their fans at a Champions League match at Barcelona.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43759496

Anyone who travels away in Europe knows how heavy handed both the local 'security' and OB are.

They think of us still as we were in the good old days. And its not just us but every English club and national team. And its always been the same.

I'm not making excuses for fan behavior IN grounds but its very hard sometimes to take being threatened or hit with a baton from some  jumped up prat thinking they are all mighty because they're tin a bright colored coat and in numbers. They enjoy they're jobs far too much and nobody controls them.

[oxfordblues 299]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45367002

[Jase 43,479]

No one bothers about the Europa League, huh?

We got PAOK, Bate Borisov and Vidi in the group stage.

[Superblue 6,372]

Easy games on paper and should have no sweat dispatching these teams at home but that is a fair old bit of travelling to Greece, Belarus and Hungary. 

There were discussions over the likes of CHO and Ampadu getting game time. I think that is almost certain to happen as if I was Sarri I would take it in turn leaving 3 or 4 of the main players out of the squad entirely for each of those games so they don't need to travel. 

[Milan 17,955]

19 minutes ago, Jason said:

No one bothers about the Europa League, huh?

We got PAOK, Bate Borisov and Vidi in the group stage.

Well there is some discussion in the other European thread. Two very similar topics, must be said.

[Jase 43,479]

Just now, milan.cech said:

Well there is some discussion in the other European thread. Two very similar topics, must be said.

This one is meant to be more Chelsea related but whatever I guess.

[Tomo 21,751]

26 minutes ago, Superblue_1986 said:

Easy games on paper and should have no sweat dispatching these teams at home but that is a fair old bit of travelling to Greece, Belarus and Hungary. 

There were discussions over the likes of CHO and Ampadu getting game time. I think that is almost certain to happen as if I was Sarri I would take it in turn leaving 3 or 4 of the main players out of the squad entirely for each of those games so they don't need to travel. 

Slightly paranoid side is worrying Cahill and Moses will get the nod, maybe put Amps in DM and try CHO false 9. Someone on another forum suggested leaving the entire first Xl out of the group stages to train them for Sarri ball which sounds like a good shout.

Caballero, Zappa, Christensen, Cahill, Emerson, Ampadu, RLC, Barkley, Moses, Hudson Odoi, Willian.

SUBS: Bulka, 2 youth defenders, Drinkwater, youth midfielder, Abraham, Giroud.

Should be more than enough.

[Unionjack 7,531]

9 minutes ago, Tomo said:

leaving the entire first Xl out of the group stages to train them for Sarri ball which sounds like a good shout.

Sounds daft to me.

Surely the best way to train is game time. You're putting everything they have trained for during the week into practice against a team doing all they can to beat us.

[Tomo 21,751]

2 minutes ago, Unionjack said:

Sounds daft to me.

Surely the best way to train is game time. You're putting everything they have trained for during the week into practice against a team doing all they can to beat us.

Sarri has said himself at the early stage it's better to train. Furthermore, we benefited well from 1 game a week season before last, it can't hurt putting our main players in that exact situation again for half a season.

[Unionjack 7,531]

Just now, Tomo said:

Sarri has said himself at the early stage it's better to train. Furthermore, we benefited well from 1 game a week season before last, it can't hurt putting our main players in that exact situation again for half a season.

But dont you thimk its much more difficult for the lads to get used to this system than Contes 1st year?

This time its more of the technical side of things as well as positional.

They're passing it about ok but it needs to be faster and flatter. As well as moving in unison.

I'm all for rotation but not as extreme as you suggested. And I'm pretty sure Sarri wont.

If hes not trusting to give CHO a few minutes in the squad I cant see him doing that lineup.

BUT IF I was to throw caution to the wind it would be summet  similar like

              CHO Pedro William
Kovacic (instead of Jorgi) RLC Barkles
       Emerson Ampadu AC Zappa
                          Willy

[Superblue 6,372]

39 minutes ago, Tomo said:

Slightly paranoid side is worrying Cahill and Moses will get the nod, maybe put Amps in DM and try CHO false 9. Someone on another forum suggested leaving the entire first Xl out of the group stages to train them for Sarri ball which sounds like a good shout.

Caballero, Zappa, Christensen, Cahill, Emerson, Ampadu, RLC, Barkley, Moses, Hudson Odoi, Willian.

SUBS: Bulka, 2 youth defenders, Drinkwater, youth midfielder, Abraham, Giroud.

Should be more than enough.

The problem with this is that Sarri will be travelling for the game anyway so who will train the boys for Sarri ball during the away games?

I think what you have posted above with regards to line ups will be sufficient to get through the group comfortably and as I said some of the more important players like Hazard, Jorginho, Kante don't even need to bother travelling to some of these away games. Keep them fresh for the league. If we need them we can use them in some capacity in the home games to sit on the bench as a plan B.