Champions League, Europa League & Europa Vauxhall Conference League 25/26

[genome]

That was quite good

[WestYorksRoyal]

Clarence Seedorf on Amazon complaining about the defending. Bet he's fun at parties.

[BRO_BOT]

Clarence Seedorf on Amazon complaining about the defending. Bet he's fun at parties.

It wasn't great tbf

[BRO_BOT]

...and I'm great fun at parties!

[Pepe the Horseman]

Clarence Seedorf on Amazon complaining about the defending. Bet he's fun at parties.

Clarence See(yourselfoutthere'sthe)d(o)orf more like.

[katweslowski]

That Olise performance is the best I have seen for years. Every single thing he does is brilliant. Effortless too.

I've not watched him much but I agree based on this and the 1-2 times I've watched him properly before in Bayern games. It almost redefines football for me, seeing him CONSTANTLY surging effortlessly up the wing or cutting inside.

[katweslowski]

As I did in the last Champions League game, a few random observations - some obvious, none that insightful, but general musings.

1) Watching it almost makes me regret watching it - as it just ruins "normal" football. I don't mean the result - more so the endless action. Premier League games (let along the shitty League One games) are just like watching another sport. Premier League is so dull these days - just slow, goal keeper and defence passing it around a bit, and then VERRRRRYYYY SLOWLY walking up the pitch.

2) I kind of want Arsenal to get through to the final, just to watch them get absolutely torn apart by one of those teams.

3) Shearer is so hard to listen to. A few things he said were insightful, but so often he just growls some meaningless nonsense. Very little of what he says adds anything.

4) Another thing about the game last night is just how much the players wanted to play. Sounds silly, but there was very little "games", stupid fouls, play acting, stoppgages. Even the first half had just a single minute of extra time played.

5) There was one "professional foul", where a defender purposely blocked the attacking player aroudn the half way line as they were about to attack. It resulted in a yellow card. I really find it annoying when football commentators or pundits (just like Shearer) say things like "He had to do it" or basically commending it. I've said before but it's anti-football, it's cycnical, it's not good. I know why they do it but it's just so annoying to see

[Winston Biscuit]

5) There was one "professional foul", where a defender purposely blocked the attacking player aroudn the half way line as they were about to attack. It resulted in a yellow card. I really find it annoying when football commentators or pundits (just like Shearer) say things like "He had to do it" or basically commending it. I've said before but it's anti-football, it's cycnical, it's not good. I know why they do it but it's just so annoying to see

For some reason I never actually mind a professional foul. I think its that its done so blatantly and with the knowledge the person will get booked or sent off, that I just accept it as one of those things that will always happen. Can actually be quite exciting. I think it was Soljskaer that did one of the best ones ever.

[South Coast Royal]

As brobot posted, where was the interminable waiting for long-throws and corners?
Where was the keeper passing it square and back to his defenders?

What energy levels there were last night-I have felt for a long time that many of the players in our football are lazy of mind and lazy of action.
Diaz and Olise still going hard in the final minutes, both sadly missed from our game.

I agree with the previous poster about Shearer.
He says nothing much of note and just tried to squeeze in anything about Harry Kane when so many others were doing so much more.

What we will be watching on Saturday at home will almost be a different sport.

I don't think that this game was an advert for a European League-I feel that the fact that top teams from different countries only play against each other now and again these games do have a winner takes all cup tie feel about them.
A reminder that it isn't always like this will probably be served up tonight by Arsenal and Athletico, even if Athletico are more expansionist in their play than they have been in the past.
Is Griezeman still there (or has he already gone to the States?)-if so, I will enjoy watching him in one of his last performances.

[WestYorksRoyal]

I remember in the final last year, Inter simply couldn't match the relentlessness of PSG. Khvaratskhelia embodies it; so talented but also hard working and insatiable appetite just to play. He'll run at defenders all day, but also track back and help the team for 90 minutes. I think he celebrated winning a defensive throw in at 4-0 up in the final last year.

Last night they came up against the only team capable of matching them at their own game and it was glorious. As said, it's a different sport to what we normally watch.

The final will be interesting. Chelsea did manage to stop PSG at the CWC last summer, though the climate probably helped slow them down too. I do think playing effectively anti football is probably the best strategy against these teams, even if it kills the spectacle. If Arsenal or Madrid try to go toe to toe with the winner of this SF, they will lose, so trying to stifle is the only option in play. I'll just enjoy the 2nd leg for now.

[Greatwesternline]

As brobot posted, where was the interminable waiting for long-throws and corners?
Where was the keeper passing it square and back to his defenders?

What energy levels there were last night-I have felt for a long time that many of the players in our football are lazy of mind and lazy of action.
Diaz and Olise still going hard in the final minutes, both sadly missed from our game.

I agree with the previous poster about Shearer.
He says nothing much of note and just tried to squeeze in anything about Harry Kane when so many others were doing so much more.

What we will be watching on Saturday at home will almost be a different sport.

I don't think that this game was an advert for a European League-I feel that the fact that top teams from different countries only play against each other now and again these games do have a winner takes all cup tie feel about them.
A reminder that it isn't always like this will probably be served up tonight by Arsenal and Athletico, even if Athletico are more expansionist in their play than they have been in the past.
Is Griezeman still there (or has he already gone to the States?)-if so, I will enjoy watching him in one of his last performances.

They asked Shearer whether playing in games with 9 goals was fun for a player, and his response was, "yes, because you don't know which way it will go". Which i thought was particularly un-insightful. I then wondered whether it possible that Shearer had ever played in a game where both teams scored 4 or more goals. They don't come along very often.


About the energy levels, i think we have to be honest and say for almost all professional footballers, they are very capable of running around like this, when all is said and done they are young athletes who are doing a series of short sprints spread over 45 minutes, with gaps in between. I represented Berkshire at cross country throughout the age groups and have no difficulty doing fartlek training for 45 minutes which is what a football match amounts to. And almost all pro footballers have the time and instruction to achieve that level of fitness.

But what happens is at the moment any english league team once winning is instructed to take open playing time out of the game to mitigate risk of conceding, so the players pretend to be tired from the second they take the lead. It's awful to watch.

[Greatwesternline]

That Olise performance is the best I have seen for years. Every single thing he does is brilliant. Effortless too.

I've not watched him much but I agree based on this and the 1-2 times I've watched him properly before in Bayern games. It almost redefines football for me, seeing him CONSTANTLY surging effortlessly up the wing or cutting inside.

Bayern truly have had a style for the last 15 years, which was, get the two best wingers you can afford, and dribble down the wings and cut inside.

Started with Robben and Ribery, but when they got old they tried to replace it with Kingsly Coman, Douglas Costa and Leroy Sane, all of whom were a bit meh. Now they seem to have struck gold again with Olise and Diaz. It's so fun to watch.

And what i miss about Reading. Convey, Little, Kebe, McAnuff, Soul ( i was too late for gilkes). We used to have an emphasis on tricky wingers.

[katweslowski]

And what i miss about Reading

At this point I'd settle for just a couple of decent shots on target. I am so uninterested in watching this team it's very sad now. I am also absolutely delighted the season is virtually over.

[Beaulux]

Wtf is Harry Kane doing in goal for Athletico Madrid?

[Brum Royal]

That Olise performance is the best I have seen for years. Every single thing he does is brilliant. Effortless too.

I've not watched him much but I agree based on this and the 1-2 times I've watched him properly before in Bayern games. It almost redefines football for me, seeing him CONSTANTLY surging effortlessly up the wing or cutting inside.

Bayern truly have had a style for the last 15 years, which was, get the two best wingers you can afford, and dribble down the wings and cut inside.

Started with Robben and Ribery, but when they got old they tried to replace it with Kingsly Coman, Douglas Costa and Leroy Sane, all of whom were a bit meh. Now they seem to have struck gold again with Olise and Diaz. It's so fun to watch.

And what i miss about Reading. Convey, Little, Kebe, McAnuff, Soul ( i was too late for gilkes). We used to have an emphasis on tricky wingers.

Peak wing play is a joy to watch, no matter the level. It was one of my frustrations with Seol that he didn't take on the fullback enough, when he was clearly talented enough to do so. At with DK in the team currently with have someone of that ilk.

[BRO_BOT]

Standard prem wing play is to move forward a bit, stop, turn around, and then pass it inside to your full back...rinse and repeat.