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Ligue 1 - 2017-18

Bus-Conductor

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Oct 19, 2004
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Bonsoir mon amis

The league that churns out talent by the shitload came back tonight with the champs hosting last years youngest team in Europe's big 5 leagues, Toulouse.

This game pretty much followed last years DNA for both clubs with Monaco dominating and playing on the front foot, but showing some defensive frailty, Toulouse grafting hard, bright eyed and bushy tailed but lacking finesse in the final third and quality in most areas, especially CM.

Julien the Toulouse CB continues to remind me of a young Curtis Davies. Jorge had a decent game stepping into Mendy's LB shoes for Monaco. Hoping to see Tielemans but he didn't get on until the 85th minute or something.

I got a little look at Toulouse's Machach last season, the boy has a little talent in his boots, not sure he has it in his head though and not sure where his best position is, (he's also a bit lazy without the ball), I would have said wide right or left in a front three but he seemed to play on the right of the middle 4, somewhere between the middle and forward lines today as Toulouse played a kind of 4411.

As it was Toulouse gave Monaco a bit of a fright, taking the lead twice, the only two spells when Toulouse tried to play, trouble was after each time taking the lead (1-0 and then 2-1) they tried to shell it and just got overwhelmed and out gunned.

I think Monaco will struggle to finish above PSG this year, having already lost a couple of key components, Silva being a big loss, Mendy and Bakayoko aren't irreplaceable, Fabinho I don't think is much worse as a CM/DM and in Teilemans and Moutinho they have a good looking CM, Jorge also looks like a very promising LB, only 21.
 

Bus-Conductor

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Oct 19, 2004
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Just switched on the Marseille game and realised Luis Gustavo is now playing for them. Very decent busy **** in his heyday. Just what Marseille needed. Interesting front three as well with the much improved (last season) Thauvin and Payet either side of Germain.


Edit:

Stopped watching this at half time to watch something else, finally watching the second half now. Njie on for Payet at half time, curious sub but it seemed to work, as Marseille switched from 433 to 4231 I think, Njie scored early in the second half following a lovely bit of work in midfield by the afore mentioned Gustavo. The Lamela doppelgänger Thauvin scored a good second (two years ago his attitude seemed to be preventing fulfilling bis potential but the close brush with the dystopian nightmare of having to exist in Tyneside seems to have given him the life wake up call he needed and the kid really seems to be buckling down down and he's played well again tonight, he works hard for the team and his game and demeanour is so similar to Lamela it's scary). Njie then added a slightly fortuitous third (his second) as a shot looped up over the helpless keeper.

I think Marseille still have weaknesses, tactically I don't think Garcia's a genius, but Gustavo looks like a great addition, they seem to be defending better as a team immediately, with the experienced pair of CB's. They have two young kids either side of Gustavo - Lopez (19) in midfield looks promising. Didn't see enough of Sanson (22) to form much of an opinion. If they can get their dshit together they should be duking it out for 3rd place, maybe even second if Monaco lose Mbappe and Lemar.
 

heelspurs

Le filet mignon est un bastion de rosbif
Jul 25, 2012
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Just switched on the Marseille game and realised Luis Gustavo is now playing for them. Very decent busy **** in his heyday. Just what Marseille needed. Interesting front three as well with the much improved (last season) Thauvin and Payet either side of Germain.


Edit:

Stopped watching this at half time to watch something else, finally watching the second half now. Njie on for Payet at half time, curious sub but it seemed to work, as Marseille switched from 433 to 4231 I think, Njie scored early in the second half following a lovely bit of work in midfield by the afore mentioned Gustavo. The Lamela doppelgänger Thauvin scored a good second (two years ago his attitude seemed to be preventing fulfilling bis potential but the close brush with the dystopian nightmare of having to exist in Tyneside seems to have given him the life wake up call he needed and the kid really seems to be buckling down down and he's played well again tonight, he works hard for the team and his game and demeanour is so similar to Lamela it's scary). Njie then added a slightly fortuitous third (his second) as a shot looped up over the helpless keeper.

I think Marseille still have weaknesses, tactically I don't think Garcia's a genius, but Gustavo looks like a great addition, they seem to be defending better as a team immediately, with the experienced pair of CB's. They have two young kids either side of Gustavo - Lopez (19) in midfield looks promising. Didn't see enough of Sanson (22) to form much of an opinion. If they can get their dshit together they should be duking it out for 3rd place, maybe even second if Monaco lose Mbappe and Lemar.
BC wtf? I finished watching this about 2 hours ago. Time warp again? I picked it up 2nd half. Saw N'Jie's goals. Nothing special really. Marseille should definitely be better than last year. Look forward to watching Lille this year. That is until Bielsa decides to fuck off because, well, for whatever reason he dedices. We all know it will happen.
 

Bus-Conductor

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Oct 19, 2004
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BC wtf? I finished watching this about 2 hours ago. Time warp again? I picked it up 2nd half. Saw N'Jie's goals. Nothing special really. Marseille should definitely be better than last year. Look forward to watching Lille this year. That is until Bielsa decides to fuck off because, well, for whatever reason he dedices. We all know it will happen.


Yeah really looking forward to seeing what Bielsa can do with Lille, in some ways I think a club like Lille is ideal for him, they are a well run outfit, fourth best supported in France I think, but less fanfare and crazy expectation that comes with a basket case like Marseille (even more so under the previous ownership regime when Bielsa was there). The more common academy integration and faith in young players in France also suits him I think. The last thing he needs is old pro's with their own ideas..
 

Bus-Conductor

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Caught a little glimpse of Bordeaux's 20yo Brazilian - Malcom - playing as a wide right forward in their 433 or maybe ARM in a 4231 it's hard to tell from the highlights of the game I saw, but looked quite interesting, pace, tricky and seemingly able to use both feet.
 

Bus-Conductor

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Brilliant ending to the Strasbourg/Lille game (Strasbourg were pretty impressive it has to be said) hilarious sending off by Lille's keeper, basically threw the ball at an oppo's head and bounced it off. He got sent off, they'd used all their subs so their CF went win goal, he conceded a softy so the CF had to come out to try and get one back and then they conceded a very harsh pen and then another softy by the CB stand in keeper.
 

heelspurs

Le filet mignon est un bastion de rosbif
Jul 25, 2012
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Nice goal by Toulouse. Just turned it on as I have cooled down from our game and I get treated to footballers actually being able to display rudimentary footballing skills. It was awesome. And the goal scorer you might wonder? Max Gradel the castoff from Bournmouth with a delightful volley/half-volley. Emery is not long for this job I think. but as long as he give us Aurier I don't care.
 

heelspurs

Le filet mignon est un bastion de rosbif
Jul 25, 2012
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Neymar breaks his duck. Rebound from a Rabiot blast but he did set up the initial attempt. Not worth 200M but I guess he has time to 'repay' that.


Edit: Rabiot decided he wanted his own. Nice goal. Elegant player.
 

heelspurs

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Verraati off, 2nd booking.. Dodhy pen to Neymar

ggame on...tfc pulls 1 back




edit NVM pastore & kurzawa
 
Last edited:

ghjk_91

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Jan 27, 2011
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I love watching Rabiot play - he just glides past players. He just makes it look so easy. Fantastic player.
 

Bus-Conductor

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Oct 19, 2004
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That was an awful penalty decision, but Toulouse were fucking terrible for most of the game to be fair. The 4411 formation and leaving Bodiger and Cahuzac on the bench was piss poor tactically and the schoolboy way not to play 433. Rabiot and Verrati breezed through that game.
 

Bus-Conductor

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Bordeaux fella (Malcom) who caught my eye a couple of weeks ago scored a cracker this weekend to equalise 3-3 away at Lyon. Fekir had started the scoring with a shot (and I mean a shot, not a floaty lob) from the halfway line.
 
Last edited:

Bus-Conductor

SC Supporter
Oct 19, 2004
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50,713
Bordeaux fella (Malcom) who caught my eye a couple of weeks ago scored a cracker this weekend to equalise 3-3 away at Lyon. Fekir had started the scoring with a shot (and I mean a shot, not a floaty lob) from the halfway line.


You need to youtube that Fekir goal by the way, it was sublime. 55 yards, with his "weaker" foot, sees keeper off his line and hits an absolute beauty, not a lob, it's like an Exocet.
 

heelspurs

Le filet mignon est un bastion de rosbif
Jul 25, 2012
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Here you go, you will not see a better half way goal than this:


Meh, run of the mill :D

Monaco vs Marseille on in a bit take the sour Burnley taste out of my mouth.

Edit: re-read your earlier post as I had remarked during the video "holy shit he did that on his right". Wonder how much Aulas would want? He did have an indifferent season last year.
 

heelspurs

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Jul 25, 2012
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Lille v Bordeaux going on now. For those that didn't know (and that would be surprising if you are in the Ligue 1 thread) Marcelo Bielsa manages Lille. On the Bordeaux side there is that left-footed attacking mid Malcolm who was talked about during the transfer window. Apparently Bordeaux have jeremy toulalan as well (always wanted him at Spurs after he left Lyon...and when he wasn't 147 years old).

Spectacle has been somewhat ruined due to a sending off for Lille in the first half for 2 bookables. Didn't see the first but considering the circumstances the second may have been harsh. Cafu just came on for Bordeaux. Considering Toulalan is still playing perhaps you might think it is that Cafu. It is not.
 

heelspurs

Le filet mignon est un bastion de rosbif
Jul 25, 2012
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Game was lacking any semblance of quality. On to Metz (and BAE) vs PSG. C'mon you little Englanders join along. Otherwise you will be oblivious the next time we another N'Winger.
 
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