CL Group Stage Final Round

[Theokritos]

I'm not falling for this "Madrid finish second in their group and barely squeak by as they struggle in their league" act. They did that last year and look where they ended up.

Real were #1 in La Liga almost through the entire season last year. When they weren't, they were #2. Right now they're #4 and have already dropped points in 6 out of 14 games. Not exactly like last year, eh?

 

[Deficient Mode]

Real were #1 in La Liga almost through the entire season last year. When they weren't, they were #2. Right now they're #4 and have already dropped points in 6 out of 14 games. Not exactly like last year, eh?

And if you watched their games, you'd see they were genuinely struggling last year. Saved by late goals that so far aren't coming this year.

Bayern's domestic campaign hasn't been a source of inspiration either.

 

[hersky77]

Spartak could and should have easily won their game today and it would have had them through if they had. Surprising they came out with such a poor effort and basically just gave up against a weaker club.

Your vendetta is showing again

 

[Theokritos]

Bayern's domestic campaign hasn't been a source of inspiration either.

It wasn't under Ancelotti. They're doing better since he is gone.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

And if you watched their games, you'd see they were genuinely struggling last year. Saved by late goals that so far aren't coming this year.

Bayern's domestic campaign hasn't been a source of inspiration either.

Those heroic goals have dried up. It's about time TBH. This is the beginning of the end for the greatest team of all time lool

 

[Deficient Mode]

People actually think this Madrid team is done? This isn't all just banter? Oh boy.

It wasn't under Ancelotti. They're doing better since he is gone.

And Madrid can turn around their disappointing domestic campaign overnight as well. And their CL campaign.

 

[Cassano]

Madrid weren't better than Bayern last year either with the refs intervening IMO. Their dominance has been overstated.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

People actually think this Madrid team is done? This isn't all just banter? Oh boy.



And Madrid can turn around their disappointing domestic campaign overnight as well. And their CL campaign.

Can but will they? I doubt it.

If by dome you mean they'll be trophy less than yeah, I think that's likely. Although, them winning anything last year was shocking given their play.

 

[Live in the Now]

I'll be the first to admit that I massively underrated Firmino.

 

[Evilo]

Come on, look at the opposition. Neymar, Firmino had cakewalk groups and scored at will on poor defenses. Neymar only 2 tough games out of 6.
Ronaldo and Kane had 2 easy ones.
Firmino? None?

 

[Bon Esprit]

Bosz, the inexperience of Leipzig n Hoffenheim, and last season's down years from Gladbach / Schalke / Leverkusen have really lead to a down campaign in europe this year. Hopefully BVB don't **** up the replacement, cause Hoffenheim should drop off post-Nagelsmann and it can't all lie on Leipzig, BMG & Schalke to carry the non-Bayern weight.

Fortunately I'm very excited by where Leipzig & Gladbach seem to be headed; especially if Leipzig can get the right replacement for Hassenhuttl; while Schalke has the best duo in charge of the club that they've had in recent memory.

One stage below (Euroleague) only Köln (last in the league without a single win so far) has a slim chance to advance today.
So (probably) only ONE Bundesliga team (Bayern) in TWO competitions might make it out of the group stage.
Dortmund - fail
Hoffenheim - epic fail in 2 competitions
Leipzig - fail
Berlin - fail
Köln - last game at Red Star

Only Bayern turned it around after firing Anchelotti.

This is a bad record.

 

[555Upstairs]

They were more clinical, in large part due to Dani Alves having a game for the ages... in the wrong sense of the word.
Bayern hardly dominated that game.
PSG was extremely disappointing, but Bayern certainly wasn't impressive.
In fact, I'd say only few players on the pitch were motivated. Hummels, Rudy, Tolisso, Coman and Ulreich showed will. Lewa for flashes too. For PSG, Mbappe and... well, Mbappe.

So only half the team was putting in effort and they still beat one of the best teams in the competition, seems rather encouraging to me...
Bayern didn't dominate the match, but they were in control most of the time and didn't give PSG much room to work with.
Obviously this won't go down as one of Bayern's best games ever, but claiming it was all just because Paris were so bad simply isn't true (and maybe them looking so bad had something to do with the team on the other end of the pitch...)
The only thing really disappointing with Bayern's performance was how they didn't go for those two goals towards the end of the game.

 

[joe89]

One stage below (Euroleague) only Köln (last in the league without a single win so far) has a slim chance to advance today.
So (probably) only ONE Bundesliga team (Bayern) in TWO competitions might make it out of the group stage.

Leipzig and Dortmund will join the EL playoffs as a 3rd place finishers in CL, though.

 

[Evilo]

So only half the team was putting in effort and they still beat one of the best teams in the competition, seems rather encouraging to me...
Bayern didn't dominate the match, but they were in control most of the time and didn't give PSG much room to work with.
Obviously this won't go down as one of Bayern's best games ever, but claiming it was all just because Paris were so bad simply isn't true (and maybe them looking so bad had something to do with the team on the other end of the pitch...)
The only thing really disappointing with Bayern's performance was how they didn't go for those two goals towards the end of the game.

If you think Bayern played well, then you settle yourself for disappointment. This was a friendly for PSG (those idiots) and Bayern had little motivation except pride to get one back after the first game.
Yes, half the team put up a real effort and as I said, PSG were even worse.
You say they didn't give up PSG room to work with, PSG had just as many chances; They simply lacked any sense of urgeny (which is why they're getting toasted in the media).
They didn't go for those two goals? Bayern didn't have much of the ball. They couldnt "go for two goals", they could only counter. With PSG trying to run out the clock, there wasn't much Bayern could do.

 

[Theokritos]

And Madrid can turn around their disappointing domestic campaign overnight as well. And their CL campaign.

Sure. As of now that's a mere possibility though while Bayern has actually stepped up.

That said, I'm not among those saying Real Madrid are done. I just don't see any reason to rate them a tier over Bayern this season.

 

[YNWA14]

Come on, look at the opposition. Neymar, Firmino had cakewalk groups and scored at will on poor defenses. Neymar only 2 tough games out of 6.
Ronaldo and Kane had 2 easy ones.
Firmino? None?

This kind of comment is unsurprising.

Every team in the group stage had easy teams they could have 'scored at will' against. Also not sure why Sevilla wouldn't be considered a 'tough' team. They've got a ton of European experience and are doing well in La Liga. Firmino had 3 goals and and 1 assist in the two games against them and was MotM.

Firmino on top of being the second most productive player in the CL group stages also provides, by far, the most work off the ball and does the most to create space for his teammates.

Maybe the world will wake up and recognize this player. I'm fine with him continuing to be underrated though if it means he'll stay at Liverpool.

 

[Bon Esprit]

Leipzig and Dortmund will join the EL playoffs as a 3rd place finishers in CL, though.

This is true, but that was not my point. Only one team (Bayern) or two (Cologne) are good enough to be competaive on their level internationally. Pretty slim if you ask me.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

During the game yesterday Rose threw a bit of a fit and went off the pitch. Twitter and the commentators thought that he was done with the club. Before the game ended he was back on the bench with a bloodied shirt and stitches, and everybody looked like dummies.

Rose stated today that all the speculation from the media is just silly. "There is no issue between me and the manager. There never will be an issue".

Still think he's off to United sooner or later though.

 

[555Upstairs]

If you think Bayern played well, then you settle yourself for disappointment. This was a friendly for PSG (those idiots) and Bayern had little motivation except pride to get one back after the first game.
Yes, half the team put up a real effort and as I said, PSG were even worse.
You say they didn't give up PSG room to work with, PSG had just as many chances; They simply lacked any sense of urgeny (which is why they're getting toasted in the media).
They didn't go for those two goals? Bayern didn't have much of the ball. They couldnt "go for two goals", they could only counter. With PSG trying to run out the clock, there wasn't much Bayern could do.

Müller said after the game the coach told them after the third goal to make sure they bring it home and the players just sort of settled for the 3-1 and that kind of showed (link to that interview: Bayern-Ärger trotz Sieg über PSG: Heynckes zieht die Handbremse - SPIEGEL ONLINE - Sport (hope this works)). That's what I meant when I talked about them not going for two more goals (should have clarified that).
The thing is, you make sound like Bayern only won because PSG had a bad day and weren't taking it seriously, which is simply not true.

 

[YNWA14]

Also if people are also looking into the non-flashy side of things Wijnaldum has quietly been so, so effective. He's perfect for Klopp's midfield and provides that calming presence. Great at absorbing pressure and slowing the play down when needed, but also has the legs and speed of thought to jump in on attack when needed. He seems to always make the right decisions (minus a few brainfarts that seem to be increasingly disappearing from his play). Such a flexible and intelligent player; his transition to the double pivot and his ability to move further back as his career goes on has been really impressive.

 

[Evilo]

This kind of comment is unsurprising.

Every team in the group stage had easy teams they could have 'scored at will' against. Also not sure why Sevilla wouldn't be considered a 'tough' team. They've got a ton of European experience and are doing well in La Liga. Firmino had 3 goals and and 1 assist in the two games against them and was MotM.

Firmino on top of being the second most productive player in the CL group stages also provides, by far, the most work off the ball and does the most to create space for his teammates.

Maybe the world will wake up and recognize this player. I'm fine with him continuing to be underrated though if it means he'll stay at Liverpool.

Yes it's so damn surprising that some good players score in bunches against small teams...

So surprising.

Also you comparing Sevilla to Real, Bayern, Tottenham, Dortmund...

Yup.

 

[YNWA14]

Yes it's so damn surprising that some good players score in bunches against small teams...

So surprising.

So what was the purpose of your post exactly? (Besides attempting to say Firmino didn't play any tough games, which isn't even true, in an attempt to discredit his production)

 

[Evilo]

You don't get the point?

Well....

 

[cgf]

One stage below (Euroleague) only Köln (last in the league without a single win so far) has a slim chance to advance today.
So (probably) only ONE Bundesliga team (Bayern) in TWO competitions might make it out of the group stage.
Dortmund - fail
Hoffenheim - epic fail in 2 competitions
Leipzig - fail
Berlin - fail
Köln - last game at Red Star

Only Bayern turned it around after firing Anchelotti.

This is a bad record.

It is a bad record, but again you are ignoring inexperience that undermined Leipzig & Hoffenheim’s campaigns and the damage Bosz did to BVB’s campaign. Throw in Hertha being Hertha and Köln’s implosion and it becomes tough to expect much more from any of those teams this season.

 

[Bon Esprit]

It is a bad record, but again you are ignoring inexperience that undermined Leipzig & Hoffenheim’s campaigns and the damage Bosz did to BVB’s campaign. Throw in Hertha being Hertha and Köln’s implosion and it becomes tough to expect much more from any of those teams this season.

What I accept is RB Leipzig's campain. Hoffenheim failed twice and they are supposed to have the next best thing in Nagelsmann and be one of the better teams in the league.
Dortmund has a good team, but remember this: They got a draw vs. Nikosia (no ffence to Nikosia) twice and only got their EL spot because Nikosia got trainwrecked by Real.
This is a crap performance of the country that holds the World cup.