CL games 8/9 December

[Mustard]

Surely Arsenal staying in has to be a bonus. Extra games to play + injuries to deal with.

They've only got two games left mate.

Be serious.

 

[yankspurs]

They've only got two games left mate.

Be serious.

Im kinda hoping all 3 remaining English teams make it through to the round of 8 so the prem can pick up some extra coefficient points on Italy. I would still laugh if Arsenal crash out though.

 

[nightgoat]

Leverkusen are a good side on their day. They went toe to toe with Barca in both ties and should have won both too.

To be fair, Barca's team tonight was Ter Stegen, Alba Rakitic and Messi, the rest was a second string. Leverkusen had so many chances to win the game but didn't finish them. Bellarabi in particular played really well until the final pass or finish.

On the plus side, the CL results this week (including the bonus for three clubs making the knock out rounds) has seen our coefficient rise by 2.25, compared with just 1.495 for Italy. Which I think as things are would have our coefficient ahead of Italy's even taking next season's deductions into account.

 

[Lufti]

Which means they're inconsistent...which kinda means they're generally not very good.

Could say the same about any CL team who doesn't win their national league. Arsenal aren't very consistent, doesn't mean they're not very good. Wouldn't fancy Leverkusen in a draw.

 

[Lufti]

To be fair, Barca's team tonight was Ter Stegen, Alba Rakitic and Messi, the rest was a second string. Leverkusen had so many chances to win the game but didn't finish them. Bellarabi in particular played really well until the final pass or finish.

First leg they dominated a Barca side at home which had everyone in place bar Messi.

 

[Shadydan]

Could say the same about any CL team who doesn't win their national league. Arsenal aren't very consistent, doesn't mean they're not very good. Wouldn't fancy Leverkusen in a draw.

But you know Arsenal are better than Leverkusen though so I don't see you point?

They're languishing in mid table in the Bundesliga and they couldn't even qualify above a very average Roma team, they're just not very good.

 

[Mustard]

These games do not indicate the strength of the teams that will play in Feb.

But you can say the teams that dropped out will still be poor unless they re arm in Jan.

Most, if not all, won't if they are in the EL.

 

[Lufti]

But you know Arsenal are better than Leverkusen though so I don't see you point?

They're languishing in mid table in the Bundesliga and they couldn't even qualify above a very average Roma team, they're just not very good.

'Midtable' yet only 5 points off third. A 'very average' Roma team who are above Juventus and fourth in serie A, just 5 points off first. Both not very good either no doubt. Can't accuse Juventus of being on a run of bad form or being inconsistent though because that just means they're not very good

If Roma are very average and Leverkusen are 'not very good', how do you see us out of interest? Because both those teams are similar in ability to us...

 

[beats1]

Bayer Leverkusen would be the one team I would be hoping to avoid with Dortmund

They press very well and the best way to beat a pressing system like is to out press your opponent. It was what undid the barca and bilboa team in spain at their peak under pep and Bielsa

 

[Shadydan]

'Midtable' yet only 5 points off third. A 'very average' Roma team who are above Juventus and fourth in serie A, just 5 points off first. Both not very good either no doubt. Can't accuse Juventus of being on a run of bad form or being inconsistent though because that just means they're not very good

If Roma are very average and Leverkusen are 'not very good', how do you see us out of interest? Because both those teams are similar in ability to us...

Have you actually seen Juventus play this season, have you actually watched any football, Juventus haven't been at their best they are struggling for form and consistency, hence why they finished 2nd in their CL group.

We are better than Roma and Leverkusen, we have better team cohesion, we are better arguably on and definitely off the ball and mentality wise we are miles ahead, Leverkusen are naive they, they lack maturity and any sort of game management, they're a talented bunch and will get better but at this moment in time they are struggling.

But yeah you carry on referencing the games against Barca as a yardstick, outplaying a top team is one thing, doing it consistently is another.

Rather than get hyped up over teams with reputations you should try and watch these teams for their strengths and their weaknesses particularly when you're trying to present an argument.

 

[beats1]

Have you actually seen Juventus play this season, have you actually watched any football, Juventus haven't been at their best they are struggling for form and consistency, hence why they finished 2nd in their CL group.

We are better than Roma and Leverkusen, we have better team cohesion, we are better arguably on and definitely off the ball and mentality wise we are miles ahead, Leverkusen are naive they, they lack maturity and any sort of game management, they're a talented bunch and will get better but at this moment in time they are struggling.

But yeah you carry on referencing the games against Barca as a yardstick, outplaying a top team is one thing, doing it consistently is another.

Rather than get hyped up over teams with reputations you should try and watch these teams for their strengths and their weaknesses particularly when you're trying to present an argument.

Having seen Bayer this season I would argue we aren't definitely better off the ball but definitely better on it as they have struggled to capitalise with the good work they done off it under Schmidt with their pressing

 

[yankspurs]

To be fair, Barca's team tonight was Ter Stegen, Alba Rakitic and Messi, the rest was a second string. Leverkusen had so many chances to win the game but didn't finish them. Bellarabi in particular played really well until the final pass or finish.

On the plus side, the CL results this week (including the bonus for three clubs making the knock out rounds) has seen our coefficient rise by 2.25, compared with just 1.495 for Italy. Which I think as things are would have our coefficient ahead of Italy's even taking next season's deductions into account.

Unfortunately, Italy has been doing well in the Europa which has cancelled out alot of gains we've made through CL. United's CL elimination hurts since Roma snuck through. IMO, the PL needs all 3 remaining English clubs to go through to the round of 8. And they need either us or Liverpool to make a run in the Europa.

 

[Luka Van der Bale]

But you know Arsenal are better than Leverkusen though so I don't see you point?

They're languishing in mid table in the Bundesliga and they couldn't even qualify above a very average Roma team, they're just not very good.

They've finished third the last two years, and are well in a very tight scrap for the top four this season.

 

[Davo99]

You have to understand that Shadydan always has a condescending nature to his posts - even if he is talking uninformed bullshit.

 

[Metalhead]

They've only got two games left mate.

Be serious.

ha ha ha

 

[Lufti]

Have you actually seen Juventus play this season, have you actually watched any football, Juventus haven't been at their best they are struggling for form and consistency, hence why they finished 2nd in their CL group.

We are better than Roma and Leverkusen, we have better team cohesion, we are better arguably on and definitely off the ball and mentality wise we are miles ahead, Leverkusen are naive they, they lack maturity and any sort of game management, they're a talented bunch and will get better but at this moment in time they are struggling.

But yeah you carry on referencing the games against Barca as a yardstick, outplaying a top team is one thing, doing it consistently is another.

Rather than get hyped up over teams with reputations you should try and watch these teams for their strengths and their weaknesses particularly when you're trying to present an argument.

You do realise you've just proved my point? Juve are inconsistent and struggling for form, that doesn't make them 'not very good' either. Same goes for Leverkusen.

Saying Leverkusen lack game management is hilarious btw, Roger Schmidt is a top coach but they've just had a bad start to the season. I love how you claim I'm basing my argument on their reputation too, what reputation would that be exactly? If you actually watch them yourself, and look at the quality in their side you wouldn't dismiss them as 'not very good'. They're young and therefore with that comes inconsistency. If you look at Leno, Jedvaj, Tah, Kramer, Bellarabi, Calhanoglu, Brandt - their team reads like a collection of some of the best young players in Europe, similar to ourself.

 

[Lufti]

Having seen Bayer this season I would argue we aren't definitely better off the ball but definitely better on it as they have struggled to capitalise with the good work they done off it under Schmidt with their pressing

Because they couldn't replace Castro and Son. Kampl and Mehmedi are both a grade lower

 

[mpickard2087]

If we apply ourselves then we are capable of competing against any of the teams we come up against. However I wouldn't be dismissing any of the teams mentioned above. I'd still say that tactically other European teams are ahead of English teams, particularly in soaking up pressure and then being far more lethal on the counter attack and the 'transitions'. We have seen this ourselves in previous Europa campaigns. Benfica did us for pace and quality. Fiorentina too after strangling us out of the game. Even this year teams have grown into games against us and then caused us problems.

 

[Lufti]

If we apply ourselves then we are capable of competing against any of the teams we come up against. However I wouldn't be dismissing any of the teams mentioned above. I'd still say that tactically other European teams are ahead of English teams, particularly in soaking up pressure and then being far more lethal on the counter attack and the 'transitions'. We have seen this ourselves in previous Europa campaigns. Benfica did us for pace and quality. Fiorentina too after strangling us out of the game. Even this year teams have grown into games against us and then caused us problems.

I remember a lot of people being way too over confident with the Fiorentina games. We probably should have won on the balance of things and weren't helped by Soldado, but it doesn't change the fact that we seem to underrate a lot of European opposition.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

If we apply ourselves then we are capable of competing against any of the teams we come up against. However I wouldn't be dismissing any of the teams mentioned above. I'd still say that tactically other European teams are ahead of English teams, particularly in soaking up pressure and then being far more lethal on the counter attack and the 'transitions'. We have seen this ourselves in previous Europa campaigns. Benfica did us for pace and quality. Fiorentina too after strangling us out of the game. Even this year teams have grown into games against us and then caused us problems.

You only have to look at how Anderlecht outplayed us at WHL, and in other recent seasons teams like Lyon (who nearly knocked us out) and Basel (who did) because they were tactically proficient, despite having tiny resources compared to us.