Not sure if the CL game was "ever" on the table. So that is hardly "new" news. Apparently the police (and maybe also the club) do not like the idea of Arsenal being the first game. My guess would be Brighton or Huddersfield in April. Hardly matters much at this point. The season will be more or less over by the time it happens (if it happens at all this year).
Champions League last 16
- Thread starter Bon Esprit
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hatterson
Registered User
Well they hadn’t even officially moved the location for the United game as of like 4 weeks ago.
The entire thing has been hilariously mismanaged to this point and I think they’d be better to just say they’ll be in Wembley for the rest of this season and move into the new stadium next year.
Wee Baby Seamus
Yo, Goober, where's the meat?
Pavel Buchnevich
Drury and Laviolette Must Go
spintheblackcircle
incoming!!!
- Mar 1, 2002
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tony d
Registered User
I think PSG will be too much to handle for ManU. Mbappe alone will have their defense on the back foot for the entirety of the two legs.
At worst, they need to get rid of the away goals rules in extra time.
But I'm not against getting rid of it entirely, even though it will be weird at first.
maclean
Registered User
- Jan 4, 2014
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I think it's useful having a tiebreaker condition before extra time. Certainly without it there would be a lot more games going to extra time and penalties and I'm not sure how fondly teams (injury risk) and broadcasters (scheduling) would look at that. From the influence of those two players along I would expect it not to go through. From a fan's perspective there is the worry that the away team in the first game would have no reason not to bunker down and just wait to decide it in the home leg. On the other side... I can't really think of many positives to doing away with it. Don't particularly care one way or the other myself, it just seems like there are more arguments for keeping it than getting rid of it, other than perhaps a philosophical one.
Pavel Buchnevich
Drury and Laviolette Must Go
Reus won't play against Spurs. He's out for ten days with a muscle injury.
Its hard to tell how we'll line up.
Piszczek is questionable due to ongoing ankle problems. He's been really good this season, and having him out injured would be another big injury. They are easing Zagadou back in after he missed almost two months, but the backline has been terrible recently, so they might scrap that plan and throw him back in. Akanji returned to training yesterday, but won't be fit for tomorrow's game.
My preferred back line would be Piszczek-Toprak-Zagadou-Hakimi, but we could just as easily see Weigl-Diallo in central defense. If Piszczek can't play, Hakimi will play RB, and Schmelzer or Diallo will come in at LB.
The Reus injury should be a very easy situation to sort out, but Favre has been stubborn with where he uses Goetze. It should be Goetze takes Reus spot, and Alcacer plays from the start. Favre doesn't like using Goetze in his best position, so it might be one of Alcacer/Goetze as the striker. He's been using Philipp in the Reus role, but Philipp does nothing in that position, and it would be dumb to try it again. Guerreiro could play that role better, if he insists on not using Goetze there. We could then bring Pulisic or Philipp in at Guerreiro's LW position.
Its hard to tell how we'll line up.
Piszczek is questionable due to ongoing ankle problems. He's been really good this season, and having him out injured would be another big injury. They are easing Zagadou back in after he missed almost two months, but the backline has been terrible recently, so they might scrap that plan and throw him back in. Akanji returned to training yesterday, but won't be fit for tomorrow's game.
My preferred back line would be Piszczek-Toprak-Zagadou-Hakimi, but we could just as easily see Weigl-Diallo in central defense. If Piszczek can't play, Hakimi will play RB, and Schmelzer or Diallo will come in at LB.
The Reus injury should be a very easy situation to sort out, but Favre has been stubborn with where he uses Goetze. It should be Goetze takes Reus spot, and Alcacer plays from the start. Favre doesn't like using Goetze in his best position, so it might be one of Alcacer/Goetze as the striker. He's been using Philipp in the Reus role, but Philipp does nothing in that position, and it would be dumb to try it again. Guerreiro could play that role better, if he insists on not using Goetze there. We could then bring Pulisic or Philipp in at Guerreiro's LW position.
It's wonderful isn't it? Hard to believe the state of affairs for football on television.
I´m never happy to see injuries, but Reus being out does balance things out a bit. And hopefully both Reus and Kane are back for the return game.
I don´t know what to think about this game. Spurs without Kane playing some terrible football (even if they have been winning) would normally be slaughtered by BVB. But BVB not having won over the last three games, conceding a lot of goals and playing without Reus might be a different story. I haven´t watched BVB after Christmas, maybe the team is like Spurs? Playing badly?
I was quite certain Spurs would lose this as soon as Kane and Alli got injured, but now we might have a chance. Still think BVB will go through, but Spurs have been poor before for then suddenly to play proper football again. Can only hope. I almost can´t remember when Spurs played a really good game. Everton at the end of December I guess.
I don´t know what to think about this game. Spurs without Kane playing some terrible football (even if they have been winning) would normally be slaughtered by BVB. But BVB not having won over the last three games, conceding a lot of goals and playing without Reus might be a different story. I haven´t watched BVB after Christmas, maybe the team is like Spurs? Playing badly?
I was quite certain Spurs would lose this as soon as Kane and Alli got injured, but now we might have a chance. Still think BVB will go through, but Spurs have been poor before for then suddenly to play proper football again. Can only hope. I almost can´t remember when Spurs played a really good game. Everton at the end of December I guess.
So Reus, Paco, Weigl and Piszczek out.
If Spurs had just been 80% of what they can be at the moment I would have said clear win coming up. That is some important players missing and with three fairly questionable results on the trot BVB should be up for taking. However, the way Spurs are playing themselves these days I still don´t feel any certainty of even drawing the game.
If Spurs had just been 80% of what they can be at the moment I would have said clear win coming up. That is some important players missing and with three fairly questionable results on the trot BVB should be up for taking. However, the way Spurs are playing themselves these days I still don´t feel any certainty of even drawing the game.
- Oct 3, 2013
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It is a sin they didn't add anyone in January. Would be a terrible thing to have cost them the league(s)
YNWA14
Onbreekbaar
- Dec 29, 2010
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At least, in a sense, Matip has a good amount of experience against Bayern (and that team hasn't changed much). But yes...missing van Dijk in the opening game is going to be a big miss (as it always would be when he is out). I can't believe there's nobody else to play CB but here we are.
Pavel Buchnevich
Drury and Laviolette Must Go
Injury issues look worse than initially thought.
Hakimi will have to play on the right, and then either Schmelzer or Diallo will be on the left. CB will be two of Diallo, Toprak and Zagadou. That only leaves one defender for the bench, so we are short on defenders. I guess Wolf can fill in at RB and Guerreiro at LB, but we don't want to have to use either at those positions. Alcacer out might force Favre to use Goetze as the CAM, unless he once again insists on Philipp as CAM and Goetze as CF, but those should be the two who play centrally in attack, unless somehow Guerreiro plays CAM, and then someone else comes in at LW.
Spurs also has a lot of injuries and I think we are the better team, so I don't think we'll do that poorly, but this'll likely be a 2-1 or 2-2 game. I don't think we'll be winning.
Edit: Balerdi traveled with the team, so he could make the squad for the first time as a Dortmund player. It would be insanity to play him, but he could sit on the bench.
Hakimi will have to play on the right, and then either Schmelzer or Diallo will be on the left. CB will be two of Diallo, Toprak and Zagadou. That only leaves one defender for the bench, so we are short on defenders. I guess Wolf can fill in at RB and Guerreiro at LB, but we don't want to have to use either at those positions. Alcacer out might force Favre to use Goetze as the CAM, unless he once again insists on Philipp as CAM and Goetze as CF, but those should be the two who play centrally in attack, unless somehow Guerreiro plays CAM, and then someone else comes in at LW.
Spurs also has a lot of injuries and I think we are the better team, so I don't think we'll do that poorly, but this'll likely be a 2-1 or 2-2 game. I don't think we'll be winning.
Edit: Balerdi traveled with the team, so he could make the squad for the first time as a Dortmund player. It would be insanity to play him, but he could sit on the bench.
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I gotta admit, those CL matchups might be some of the best in years. I think there is so much unpredictability before these matches even if all the big dogs win in the end.
I got...
Roma vs Porto
Man United vs PSG (barely)
Spurs vs BVB
Ajax vs Real Madrid (will be super close)
Lyon vs Barcelona
Liverpool vs Bayern (hoping for Munich, but just can't see it)
Atletico vs Juventus (will also be super close)
Schalke vs Man City
I got...
Roma vs Porto
Man United vs PSG (barely)
Spurs vs BVB
Ajax vs Real Madrid (will be super close)
Lyon vs Barcelona
Liverpool vs Bayern (hoping for Munich, but just can't see it)
Atletico vs Juventus (will also be super close)
Schalke vs Man City
- Jan 18, 2016
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East Coast Bias
Registered User
When the draw came out, my feeling was 'not in the face' for United against PSG.
But fast forward a couple months, and with form and injuries, I could see it competitive. They really have to win at OT though. On the road, with PSG getting guys back isn't the place to try to make up goals.
But fast forward a couple months, and with form and injuries, I could see it competitive. They really have to win at OT though. On the road, with PSG getting guys back isn't the place to try to make up goals.
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