CL: Round of 16 Draw

[cgf]

Porto tried to park the bus against Besiktas and couldn't, but they have individual quality going forward. They probably will try to retain possession and have some players who may be capable of doing so against pressure.

It failed against Besiktas but infuriated Leipzig & Monaco...who are both more similar to LFC than Besiktas with regards to playing style and player types

 

[Live in the Now]

It failed against Besiktas but infuriated Leipzig & Monaco...who are both more similar to LFC than Besiktas with regards to playing style and player types

They still gave up some goals to Leipzig. I think their best shot is to retain the ball and not be afraid to pass it around to the back if necessary. They're also at risk of losing players in January because they have a lot less financial resources than the big boys. It'll be interesting to see if they maintain their full complement heading into the game, and similar for us obviously. One of the front three getting hurt or Coutinho leaving could present some problems. If I had to guess, 5-3 high scoring type of tie.

 

[Evilo]

Porto is well organised. Play an efficient counter attack game. They had a great game at Monaco (though Monaco tried for the most dumb defensive bloopers in history). I wouldn't look at the return game since Monaco was already out and played lots of backups.

 

[cgf]

They still gave up some goals to Leipzig. I think their best shot is to retain the ball and not be afraid to pass it around to the back if necessary. They're also at risk of losing players in January because they have a lot less financial resources than the big boys. It'll be interesting to see if they maintain their full complement heading into the game, and similar for us obviously. One of the front three getting hurt or Coutinho leaving could present some problems. If I had to guess, 5-3 high scoring type of tie.

I don't disagree with Porto's best bet being to use their possession to starve your attackers of the ball rather than throwing themselves into every chance to counter; but they put a frustrating bus out there in the second Leipzig match that I watched. Timo is just unstoppable...so they didn't have the option of keeping a clean sheet ;-)...but other than that Werner goal they kept Leipzig quiet.

Monaco on the other hand, they did shut out in the one match, and outscored by three before conceding in the other...in a match that Monaco had nothing to play for in. I didn't watch either of their matches with Besiktas; but in the matches with Monaco & Leipzig, the only one where they weren't able to frustrate their french & german opponents' attacks was the 3-2 loss in Leipzig when RB was rolling and had just outplayed BVB when they were still playing well and Bosz hadn't yet had time to do his dirty work.

 

[maclean]

Don't think Chelsea can beat Barca. Really don't.

Barca sometimes has bad nights. If Chelsea could suddenly find their form from last year, maybe? But over two legs it'd be a pretty big upset

 

[YNWA14]

I don't see why Porto would try to play possession. Liverpool certainly have had a better time against teams that have tried to play against them than teams that play defence first and try to counter attack.

 

[Evilo]

Yeah don't see Porto having possession.

 

[cgf]

I assume LitN meant for them to play a hyper-cautious and conservative game with the ball; like that hyperbolic version of Tiki Taka that some folks enjoyed tilting at. BMG would do that against Dortmund & Leverkusen to run those hyper aggressive pressing units a little ragged...with mixed effects...

I dunno if Porto has it in them to execute that against LFC's press over two legs, but if they can I think it's a good strategy.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

We're at home in the league both weekends before playing Barca; WBA before the first leg, Crystal Palace before the second. Assuming we rest players for those fixtures, I could see us putting up a fight.

 

[Live in the Now]

I assume LitN meant for them to play a hyper-cautious and conservative game with the ball; like that hyperbolic version of Tiki Taka that some folks enjoyed tilting at. BMG would do that against Dortmund & Leverkusen to run those hyper aggressive pressing units a little ragged...with mixed effects...

I dunno if Porto has it in them to execute that against LFC's press over two legs, but if they can I think it's a good strategy.

Exactly. It isn't in them to park the bus against a team with players like Liverpool has either. They have too many midfielders and forwards who would want to go forward. Liverpool has problems with the types of players who don't really desire to go forward at all as if they played West Brom in this kind of competition.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

 

[maclean]

Wow. It's seeing pictures likes this of Mbappe "as a kid" that make you realise how much of a kid he still really is

 

[YNWA14]

I assume LitN meant for them to play a hyper-cautious and conservative game with the ball; like that hyperbolic version of Tiki Taka that some folks enjoyed tilting at. BMG would do that against Dortmund & Leverkusen to run those hyper aggressive pressing units a little ragged...with mixed effects...

Well, I mean I would absolutely welcome them trying to play open and try to keep the ball against Liverpool. Preseason doesn't mean much but since Klopp has come to Liverpool teams that have tried to play that way have had a very hard time. Even Pep's City was looking pretty vulnerable until Mane turned into the Karate Kid on Ederson's face. I'm much more confident in Liverpool advancing if Porto try to play out from the back than if they bunker down (regardless of what kind of players they have).

 

[cgf]

Well, I mean I would absolutely welcome them trying to play open and try to keep the ball against Liverpool. Preseason doesn't mean much but since Klopp has come to Liverpool teams that have tried to play that way have had a very hard time. Even Pep's City was looking pretty vulnerable until Mane turned into the Karate Kid on Ederson's face. I'm much more confident in Liverpool advancing if Porto try to play out from the back than if they bunker down (regardless of what kind of players they have).

The same could be said of Leipzig since Hassenhuttl came aboard and bolstered their already high level pressing further. I b*tch about how he organizes their possession game all of the time; but like Schmidt he is an excellent klopp knockoff when it comes to structuring their pressing. Now you have even more firepower up front, but Porto may have it in them to pull it off...even if parking the bus is the most common way to frustrate Klopp's teams.

 

[Savant]

Liverpool is better than Porto on paper, but it’s been proven that they can be nullified with certain tactics. Porto has good personnel to frustrate them at the minimum.

 

[bluesfan94]

Wow. It's seeing pictures likes this of Mbappe "as a kid" that make you realise how much of a kid he still really is

True. That picture is actually from last year

 

[Evilo]

Haha not quite, those pictures are from when he was 14.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Sevilla accusing Manu of inflating their price of tickets towards Sevilla fans. Shameful if true, should be docked points next year.

 

[East Coast Bias]

Sevilla accusing Manu of inflating their price of tickets towards Sevilla fans. Shameful if true, should be docked points next year.

Thats bullshit.

Sevilla initially priced the away tickets at 89 euros while away tickets at Old Trafford were around 55 euros. United complained to Sevilla and were told to do one. So they adjusted the away seats at OT to 89 euros, and are using the 35 euro increase to subsidize those traveling to Sevilla.

 

[maclean]

Thats bull****.

Sevilla initially priced the away tickets at 89 euros while away tickets at Old Trafford were around 55 euros. United complained to Sevilla and were told to do one. So they adjusted the away seats at OT to 89 euros, and are using the 35 euro increase to subsidize those traveling to Sevilla.

Yeah, pretty sure teams try to gouge visiting English fans pretty regularly. Though... I don't actually blame them?

 

[East Coast Bias]

Yeah, pretty sure teams try to gouge visiting English fans pretty regularly. Though... I don't actually blame them?

I'm not going to pretend United is morally superior here. But if you pull this, and then it blows up in your face, don't cry. Sevilla is ultimately screwing their own fans. Reporting United to UEFA. lol. get lost.

 

[Burner Account]

Just came across this gem

 

[spintheblackcircle]

Matuidi to miss Champions League tie with Tottenham

 

[spintheblackcircle]

Toby Alderweireld not included in Tottenham squad to face Juventus

 

[Live in the Now]

Going to have to pick Juve to smash at home then. Of relevance in that article.

Alderweireld’s £50,000-a-week deal contains a one-year extension option, which is scheduled to activate in the summer of 2019 and would see him contracted until 2020. But it also features a £25m release clause. In the summer of 2019 he would be permitted to leave if a rival club were to pay £25m and complete the transfer at least 14 days before the closure of the window.

He gone.