Champions League 17/18 |
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Bob Hoskins
Moderator Group Joined: 29 Jul 2007 Status: Offline Points: 20175 |
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I'd expect Real to improve, but having watched them a few times this season, I haven't been a bit impressed. The Barca v Valencia top of the table league game was fairly rubbish, while the Napoli and Juve game last Friday was brilliant. Far to early to be writing teams off but it's definitely the start of the Spanish decline. Atletico and Sevilla have been crap in the CL |
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Romario 2016: And the ticket mafia gets caught! Well, four years ago I had already told the government.
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Reildogg
500 Club la la la Joined: 12 Feb 2016 Location: Limerick Status: Offline Points: 501 |
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Every single one of those teams won their domestic leagues. I think Platini's change to make champions play each other in the qualifiers was a superb idea aimed at spreading the wealth around was a superb one.
Arguably Liverpool/Spurs are far less entitled to be in the competition than Qarabag/Nicosia. The competition is the champions league rather than best of the best. |
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Territorial
Jack Charlton Joined: 25 Nov 2014 Status: Offline Points: 5817 |
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I really fail to see how he gets away with it time after time. Last night when Pougatch teed him up with an easy one about CR7 not getting much attention this season, despite being the first player to score in all six Group games in a campaign, RK didn't appear to know exactly how many CL goals he had actually scored in those games (nine). Worse still, he went on about how great a goalscorer he is (generally true, if obvious), but clearly didn't know that one of the reasons for Real's poor League form this season is that he has "only" scored twice in 10 La Liga games. Thing is, these guys get provided with briefing notes by the TV company, yet it seems RK doesn't read them, and nobody has the balls to take him up on it. P.S. Instead of his "exactly" reply, he might have pointed out that Liverpool lost to City by the narrowest of five goal margins earlier this season, and were also edged 4-1 by "spursy" Spurs.
Edited by Territorial - 07 Dec 2017 at 2:46pm |
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Territorial
Jack Charlton Joined: 25 Nov 2014 Status: Offline Points: 5817 |
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For unless you are, then why single out Spurs? They finished 8 points ahead of Man. City last season and 17 ahead of Man U! And their CL performances this season have been top class - eg dominating the holders and gaining more Group points than any other team. Meanwhile, Nicosia were dire against a second string Spurs team last night. In fact if that was anything to go by, they'd struggle to compete in the English Championship.
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Roberto Baggio
Robbie Keane UNBELIEVABLE JEFF Joined: 28 Jan 2010 Status: Offline Points: 37149 |
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They had only 6 points from 5 games before last night. Only themselves to blame. And couldn't even do their bit last night. Remind me of Dortmund. Hipster, fashionable club who all of a sudden its "cool" to like, but aren't actually as good as people think. |
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MC Hammered
Jack Charlton Joined: 05 Oct 2011 Status: Offline Points: 6833 |
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I've heard you bang on about this "hipster" term in relation to recently successful teams. It's hardly a surprise that neutrals are going to want to root for sides who play attractive football and are relative underdogs in comparison to the likes of Barca, Real, Bayern etc. Napoli would fall under that heading. Their style is good to watch and people hope that they can break the boring hegemony of the usual suspects always winning the big tournaments. It's nothing to do with trying to be hip.
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El Puto Amo
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Reildogg
500 Club la la la Joined: 12 Feb 2016 Location: Limerick Status: Offline Points: 501 |
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I'll update that then sorry: Arguably Man City/Liverpool/Spurs are less entitled to be in the competition than Qarabag/Nicosia (or any other domestic league winners. The competition is the champions league rather than best of the best. I am not suggesting that change whatsoever. It was the original poster who suggested a reduction in size. I was arguing for maintaining it as it is - rather than eliminating teams that won their domestic leagues (as suggested by the original poster). It is already sufficiently weighted in favour of the stronger leagues through the number of places and qualifying games. Nicosia played three ties to get to the group stages; Spurs played none.
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Roberto Baggio
Robbie Keane UNBELIEVABLE JEFF Joined: 28 Jan 2010 Status: Offline Points: 37149 |
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They couldn't even get a result against a poor Feyenoord side last night. City had enough chances in the second half to get a result last night, would have been unlikely and undeserved but you never say never in football. Napoli unable to do their bit means that I can have very little sympathy for them. They weren't unlucky or "fooked over". Just not good enough to go through.
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alihau41
Liam Brady Joined: 10 Mar 2016 Location: Paris Status: Offline Points: 1702 |
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atleti, Dortmund, Napoli. I wonder who's next on the hipster hit list...
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Territorial
Jack Charlton Joined: 25 Nov 2014 Status: Offline Points: 5817 |
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Nicosia came in in the 2nd Qualifying round, where they overcame the mighty F91 Dudelang (Luxemburgers, to save you googling) with two 1-0 wins. And in the 3rd Qualifying round, they triumphed over Viitorul Constanta of Romania - the pet project of Georgi Hagi which he founded in 2009, to play in a 4,500 capacity stadium in the countryside outside Ovidiu, a thriving metropolis of 12,000 people. (Saved you googling that one as well )
Edited by Territorial - 07 Dec 2017 at 4:00pm |
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BrendanD88
Jack Charlton 99% of my posts are emojis Joined: 29 Mar 2013 Location: Co Down Status: Offline Points: 9964 |
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Spurs |
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Devrozex
Jack Charlton Joined: 23 Oct 2010 Location: Dublin Status: Offline Points: 7671 |
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Of course they were fooked over - they had to play a full strength Man City side whilst their main rivals for qualification played the second string. No idea how you could argue otherwise. The Feyenoord result doesn't even come into it as they would have known before the game they had a negligible chance of qualifying.
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MC Hammered
Jack Charlton Joined: 05 Oct 2011 Status: Offline Points: 6833 |
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I'm not challenging the fact that Napoli weren't good enough to go through. I'm challenging the notion that neutrals who get want to see underdog teams (who play decent ball) succeed are all doing it for hipster appeal. That's a bit silly. As a football fan, I like to see a) attractive play. b) diverse winners. Relative new kids on the block like City and PSG are buying success and, while they play super stuff, for that reason they are harder to love.
Edited by MC Hammered - 07 Dec 2017 at 4:03pm |
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El Puto Amo
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Roberto Baggio
Robbie Keane UNBELIEVABLE JEFF Joined: 28 Jan 2010 Status: Offline Points: 37149 |
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Its got to come into it. Very unprofessional of them to not even do their bit. Shakhtar were the second best team in the group and deserved to go through.
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Territorial
Jack Charlton Joined: 25 Nov 2014 Status: Offline Points: 5817 |
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Tbh, if they hadn't spent so long in the shadow of their noisy neighbours, they'd be accorded a rather higher status than they currently receive - Arab money or no.
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Devrozex
Jack Charlton Joined: 23 Oct 2010 Location: Dublin Status: Offline Points: 7671 |
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I just don't think psychologically they can be in a great place going into that game knowing that Shaktar are almost nailed on at home to City. As I said earlier Napoli beat Shaktar on the head-to-head results so have ever right to be p*ssed off imo.
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Gary McKay
Roy Keane Yo Adrian Joined: 21 Jul 2007 Location: Ireland Status: Offline Points: 13816 |
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In fairness Dortmund reached a CL Final.
Something that Man City have failed to do to date. |
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Roberto Baggio
Robbie Keane UNBELIEVABLE JEFF Joined: 28 Jan 2010 Status: Offline Points: 37149 |
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That would have been a good point, if I'd have compared Dortmund to City or said they were better than them or something. |
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