This sort of piece is inevitable after last night and Liverpool’s probable exit from the Europa League, but I do think standards have dropped a bit this season.
https://www.theguardian.com/football...r-city-arsenal
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This sort of piece is inevitable after last night and Liverpool’s probable exit from the Europa League, but I do think standards have dropped a bit this season.
https://www.theguardian.com/football...r-city-arsenal
Liverpool were unlucky, missing a bucket full of decent chances, but Arsenal are striving to become the next Man City. That means innumerable passing in front of 10 man defences, trying to thread a needle through a haystack. They're excellent footballing sides but because their football puts teams on the back foot they are vulnerable to counter attacks.Quote:
Originally Posted by the other bob wilson
Yes it’s symptomatic of English arrogance.Quote:
Originally Posted by the other bob wilson
I don't think there's any issue.
Man city won it last season.
It's a knockout competition for European elite, some rich people have to end up sad every year.
This sort of article crops up whenever English clubs haven't had the most successful time in Europe. Give it a couple of seasons and there's an all PL Champions' League final and the articles will be about how the PL is the best in Europe.
The guardian, don't believe anything you read in there :hehe:Quote:
Originally Posted by the other bob wilson
:hehe: :hehe:Quote:
Originally Posted by A Quiet Monkfish
Or maybe pass a camel through the eye of a needle? (a quote actually based on solid fact btw) :hehe:Quote:
Originally Posted by Jamsarnie
Wrestling victory through giant haystacks is not a simple matter.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jamsarnie
Could it be that Pepball and his Arsenal clone are playing a sort of fantasy but non effective football and a different manager may get more from the money spent on these squads. Be interesting if Simone had their sort of budgets.
Harland is wasted at Citeh, the amount of time he is in and the ball is turned back unless KDB who looks like the only one allowed to go "long" finds him.
If we must proclaim a league as the world's best, and I think it's a natural and interesting thing to do, then there are numerous ways of looking at it.Quote:
Originally Posted by the other bob wilson
Do we look at the number of European champions? Do we look at all European trophies? Do we consider the strength throughout the league? Do we consider things like attendances too? How often do we award the prize? Strongest league that week? That month? That year?
It's clear that based on results the premier league isnt the strongest this year. But, I think we need to look over several years and on that basis I think the Premier League has it with 6 of the last 10 finalists in the champions league
The Haaland thing is so bizarre, he's scored 50 goals at nearly a goal per game but when City are playing at their most dominant they hardly use him, he's like the world's most expensive decoy out there. They dominated Real for 60-70 minutes and he barely touched it.Quote:
Originally Posted by llan bluebird
Guardiola got some stick for bringing him off and then failing to score and losing in a shootout but equally you can understand what he saw out there. He's the worlds best striker playing in a system that just doesn't look right for him.
edited to add - if he'd joined Liverpool instead of City, I think he'd probably have scored more and Liverpool might have already wrapped the title up. Just look at the number of chances Nunez et al have wasted the last few weeks as the wheels have fallen off.
Liverpool and West Ham gone from European competition and Villa only survive in the also rans competition on penalties - England’s fifth Champions League place becomes more threatened.
Yep, Real Madrid just have this knack of hanging in there, I’ve seen them do it countless times over the last 10 years….they did it again weds, Man City battered them 2nd half. Got a feeling PSG might finally do it this yearQuote:
Originally Posted by Trigger