GWT: Champions League Matchday 4: 11/3 - 11/4

[Plato]

Just caught a replay of Alaba's goal.
Probably my favorite player at the moment.
Have been following as closely as possible since his loan spell at Hoffenheim.
Unbelievable player who doesn't get as much recognition as he should.

 

[The Examiner]

All I can say is Hulk is a beast.

Some might say he's Incredible.

 

[Alklha]

Just caught a replay of Alaba's goal.
Probably my favorite player at the moment.
Have been following as closely as possible since his loan spell at Hoffenheim.
Unbelievable player who doesn't get as much recognition as he should.

Totally agree. It's probably down to him being used as a full-back at Bayern, but his versatility is amazing.

I expect he'll get plenty of attention at Euro2016, with his more prominent role in the Austrian team.

 

[Ceremony]

Well it's not like Arsenal are on bad form either, they've made superior teams like Man Utd, Bayern, Everton look silly in recent weeks.

I think Arsenal are going to lay an absolute drubbing on them the final match - provided the expected results hold (Arsenal beat Dinamo, Bayern beat Olympiakos at Allianz)

Behave

More likely at this point of the competition is Arsene putting out the under 16s in a desperate attempt to finish bottom of the group to avoid any potential distractions in the already faltering title race, domestically

Listening to Lee Dixon and Roy Keane (read: listening to any Anglo-centric pundit) talking about the Europa League makes my blood boil, as if it's an affront to Arsenal to play in and that they should completely forgo a chance (a very legitimate chance) to win a trophy because the games are on funny days. Horrible, horrible priorities for a footballing country.

 

[The Examiner]

Behave

More likely at this point of the competition is Arsene putting out the under 16s in a desperate attempt to finish bottom of the group to avoid any potential distractions in the already faltering title race, domestically

Listening to Lee Dixon and Roy Keane (read: listening to any Anglo-centric pundit) talking about the Europa League makes my blood boil, as if it's an affront to Arsenal to play in and that they should completely forgo a chance (a very legitimate chance) to win a trophy because the games are on funny days. Horrible, horrible priorities for a footballing country.

Said the defeatist.

 

[Virtanen18]

WOWllian. Funny, I went into the game thinking we're ****ed if Willian doesn't do anything, and he makes both goals and generally had a lively match.

 

[cgf]

Just caught a replay of Alaba's goal.
Probably my favorite player at the moment.
Have been following as closely as possible since his loan spell at Hoffenheim.
Unbelievable player who doesn't get as much recognition as he should.

Here, Here. I love me some Alaba. And the way Pep's recognized his class and utilized him cleverly has really raised my appreciation of the Spaniard's tactical mind. The position he created for him last year was just beautiful. I hadn't seen a b2ber/defender playing with that sort of freedom and all-field responsibility since before Sammer's knee exploded.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

2009 CL: Olympiakos 1-0 Arsenal
2011 CL: Olympiakos 3-1 Arsenal
2012 CL: Olympiakos 2-1 Arsenal

Not sure how any Arsenal fan can think going to Greece is a formality.

Not sure how any fan of any team can think going to Greece is a formality.

2013-14 CL: Olympiakos 2-0 Man United
2008-09 CL: Olympiakos 0-0 Real Madrid
2008-09 CL: Olympiakos 0-0 Chelsea
2013-14 CL: Olympiakos 1-0 Benfica
2014-15 CL: Olympiakos 3-2 Atletico
2014-15 CL: Olympiakos 1-0 Juventus
2011-12 CL: Olympiakos 2-1 BVB

 

[Power Man]

Erh, no? Are you saying the best team always scores more goals than the weaker opponents????



In the first leg, easily. In the second leg, the opposite.


Yes, and PSG missed MANY KEY PLAYERS too. Stop with the injuy excuse. Real was outplayed plain and simple. And BADLY outplayed to boot. At HOME.
And yes, Real looked like a division 3 team, parking the bus, scoring on a fluke goal and then defending at 11.


No need for moral victory. As I said, it's just a proof that PSG is now a better team than Real. Heck, even your own spanish papers used the word "miracle" to explain yesterday's result.

But hey, as a Real fan, if you're happy with your team being humiliated on the pitch for 90 minutes at Bernabeu, be my guest.

Naaah Madrid was coasting.

 

[Savi]

People will see the Gent/Valencia result and be surprised. Truth is, Gent looked like a Liga team and dominated that game from start to finish. The Valencia midfield were nowhere. After 30 minutes Gent already had a 12-0 shots on goal advantage. They should have had the 3 points secured at halftime, they just lack a good finisher (as we've seen in previous CL games when they didn't reward themselves).

As for Valencia, surely Nuno won't last very long anymore.

 

[Plato]

So things got a bit hairy in Greece between Ultra groups leading up to and following the Oly-DZ match with Zagreb fans pairing up with Panathinaikos fans and Red Star fans making the trip to pair up with Olympiakos fans...

Police apparently raided Panathinaikos and Olympiakos clubs and made arrests of supporters of all four clubs. They confiscated these from a bus of Dinamo Ultras:

And then today 70 or so Red Star and Olympiakos fans attacked and 30 or so Dinamo fans at the airport, with several stabbings. 10 hospitalized with 3 suffering very serious injuries.

http://www.sport24.gr/football/ella...o-anamesa-se-kroates-kai-servoys.3756348.html

Jesus ****ing christ.

 

[Ceremony]

Said the defeatist.

I don't follow

 

[The Examiner]

I don't follow

The thing is, I'm an idiot. I read your 2nd paragraph as your personal position on Arsenal playing is the Europa League. I agree that the pundits' priorities are awful. I always look at it as an excuse or having a "defeatist attitude". The fact is, in general, it's hard for English clubs to compete in Europe as the style of play in the BPL is not conducive to success abroad.

 

[Ceremony]

It's not just pundits, it's clubs and players and managers too that view it as an inconvenience. Liverpool and Spurs could quite easily win the Europa League, and if they make it to the last 16 I'll be surprised.

 

[Cassano]

It's not just pundits, it's clubs and players and managers too that view it as an inconvenience. Liverpool and Spurs could quite easily win the Europa League, and if they make it to the last 16 I'll be surprised.

It's a trophy for the best losers essentially, so I can see why players at the top teams in the world would neglect it as such. Bigger priorities domestically.

 

[Live in the Now]

It's a trophy for the best losers essentially, so I can see why players at the top teams in the world would neglect it as such. Bigger priorities domestically.

That's the stupidest logic I've heard. Anti-logic if there is such a thing.

It's a trophy on offer. Players do not neglect it. Managers sometimes do at the insistence of their board, but it's a trophy that you can win, be remembered at your club for winning, and kick on to the next season in the Champions League. People who discount that and don't find it important are absolutely incredible. The kind of people and clubs that will never win at anything.

 

[Savant]

It's a trophy for the best losers essentially, so I can see why players at the top teams in the world would neglect it as such. Bigger priorities domestically.

This is why 3rd place CL teams shouldn't be allowed to drop in.

 

[Virtanen18]

I enjoyed Chelsea's Europa League win quite a bit tbh

 

[Ceremony]

It's a trophy for the best losers essentially, so I can see why players at the top teams in the world would neglect it as such. Bigger priorities domestically.

This is more a comment on the ludicrous system of European (in terms of European competition and the individual countries within Europe) club football than anything else, but you're still wrong.

It's also a trophy Arsenal have never won before and would be their most prestigious European trophy should they win it, so the dismissive attitude of the competition (in general) is quite silly, really.

 

[Edo]

So things got a bit hairy in Greece between Ultra groups leading up to and following the Oly-DZ match with Zagreb fans pairing up with Panathinaikos fans and Red Star fans making the trip to pair up with Olympiakos fans...

Police apparently raided Panathinaikos and Olympiakos clubs and made arrests of supporters of all four clubs. They confiscated these from a bus of Dinamo Ultras:

And then today 70 or so Red Star and Olympiakos fans attacked and 30 or so Dinamo fans at the airport, with several stabbings. 10 hospitalized with 3 suffering very serious injuries.

http://www.sport24.gr/football/ella...o-anamesa-se-kroates-kai-servoys.3756348.html

Jesus ****ing christ.

Greek + Serbian fans continue to act like idiots.

 

[Cassano]

That's the stupidest logic I've heard. Anti-logic if there is such a thing.

It's a trophy on offer. Players do not neglect it. Managers sometimes do at the insistence of their board, but it's a trophy that you can win, be remembered at your club for winning, and kick on to the next season in the Champions League. People who discount that and don't find it important are absolutely incredible. The kind of people and clubs that will never win at anything.

If players do not neglect it, explain the stance of the tournament by the likes of Keane and Dixon as Ceremony mentioned, former players who played on the very top clubs in the world. It's a 2nd tier tournament essentially.

This is why 3rd place CL teams shouldn't be allowed to drop in.

Absolutely agreed.

This is more a comment on the ludicrous system of European (in terms of European competition and the individual countries within Europe) club football than anything else, but you're still wrong.

It's also a trophy Arsenal have never won before and would be their most prestigious European trophy should they win it, so the dismissive attitude of the competition (in general) is quite silly, really.

I mean I'd obviously be happy if Arsenal won any trophy, but I just don't really see the appeal with the Europa League if you're likely already qualified for UCL the next season. Maybe if they had a really bad season and if it looked like they couldn't make top 4, then I can see the appeal in it. But if the team is battling for domestic trophies (especially the league), I probably wouldn't watch as attentively.

 

[Live in the Now]

Roy Keane's a half-wit.

 

[cgf]

English fans like that are a big part of why I will enjoy seeing Serie A take their 4th CL spot...if the italian clubs can deliver this season and next.

 

[HajdukSplit]

Qualification chances for each of the eight groups, not the SPI btw

Group A
Both Real Madrid and PSG are given 100%, although PSG are not mathematically through it would take something spectacular

Group B
Most balanced group with all four teams still having good chances

Manchester United (73), PSV Eindhoven (59), Wolfsburg (42), CSKA Moscow (26)

Group C
Benfica and Atletico given 90%+ chances with them two fighting for first. Gala with only 10% chance

Group D
Same as the previous group, Man City and Juve all but through but fighting for first, Sevilla with even less of a chance than Gala with only 5%

Group E
Barcelona (100%) while Roma made the huge jump from 37% to 71% while Leverkusen fall to 23%

Group F
Bayern through, Olympiakos big favorites over Arsenal for second (71 to 21%). All in all Arsenal will have to go to Greece and win by two goals

Group G
Both Chelsea and Porto have about 80% chance to advance, these statistics still give Dynamo Kiev a 40% chance but they have to pretty much win in Porto

Group H
Zenit already through, Valencia with 88% chances, Gent given higher chances than Lyon