GWT: CL Match Day 5

[Juve]

Horrible performance. I hated the part where Mandzu, Pjanic and Chiellini were fishing for penalties.
I hoped they get kicked out early because I don't want to lose in the finals again. I highly doubt this team will a Champions League.

 

[hatterson]

I mention that City will stay 1st regardless due to their GD, so they can lose the next game and still finish first...thus comfortable.

First tie breaker is head to head and Lyon hold that over City.

A City loss and a Lyon win would have Lyon top the group.

 

[hatterson]

Might want to check to game stats. Unless you mean "didn't deserve to win because they shot wide all the time"?

They bottled a lot of chances in the first half, but overall they were very poor. Especially after half. They needed de gea to make an unreal save and didn't really generate much in terms of chances in the second half.

 

[robertmac43]

Yes and you cheer for Milan

Seems rather risky seeing that I would not be in the Milan section

 

[Jussi]

They bottled a lot of chances in the first half, but overall they were very poor. Especially after half. They needed de gea to make an unreal save and didn't really generate much in terms of chances in the second half.

And Young Boys did?

 

[S E P H]

First tie breaker is head to head and Lyon hold that over City.

A City loss and a Lyon win would have Lyon top the group.

What? When did they change that?

 

[Evilo]

Guardiola implying only idiots would say L1 is only about PSG.
Farmer coach, all I have to say...

 

[Prntscrn]

It pretty much is though.. Unfortunately PSG got way too much money compared to the rest of the teams. Other teams might be able to challenge once in a while when they got everything going for them, but other than that it's going to be pure domination from PSG if nothing changes

 

[Corto]

Horrible performance. I hated the part where Mandzu, Pjanic and Chiellini were fishing for penalties.
I hoped they get kicked out early because I don't want to lose in the finals again. I highly doubt this team will a Champions League.

Because of how they looked when they beat Valencia? It's a group game, nobody cares, you get the job done and move on.
Real looked like couldn't be arsed to run last year vs Spurs and finished 2nd in the group, yet won the whole thing. The year before they drew 3-3 with Legia Warsaw and finished 2nd in the group to BVB - and they went on to absolutely mop up the competition beating Napoli, Bayern, Atleti and Juve.

It's not how you look in November, but the results you get in May.
You can't win jack s**t in November, you can only lose it... As long as you're in the running for trophies come April/May, you got time to sort out your game.

Are others looking infinitely better?
Liverpool lost to Red Star, Madrid to CSKA, City got 1 point out of the 2 Lyon games, etc.
Yet all are in the running, and as long as they go through, noone will care or ask about the group games.

 

[Evilo]

It pretty much is though.. Unfortunately PSG got way too much money compared to the rest of the teams. Other teams might be able to challenge once in a while when they got everything going for them, but other than that it's going to be pure domination from PSG if nothing changes

Which is hardly the point.
City is toying with the Prem.
Juventus is toying with Serie A.
Barca has easily dominated la Liga.
Bayern has toyed with the BL.

Does that mean only those teams have talent? Nope. That was Guardiola's point.

 

[Evilo]

Nothing outstanding but a nice little tactical summary of Liverpool's weaknesses.

PSG: Oui, Liverpool a des failles. Voilà comment les utiliser

 

[Corto]

Which is hardly the point.
City is toying with the Prem.
Juventus is toying with Serie A.
Barca has easily dominated la Liga.
Bayern has toyed with the BL.

Does that mean only those teams have talent? Nope. That was Guardiola's point.

City is all of 2 points ahead of Liverpool (and won the league last season for the first time since 2014), and Barca is 2nd in Spain.
They also compete in the same league with Real and Atletico, who between them have 6 CL finals and 2 La Ligas in the last 5 years (and two Europa Leagues, if anyone cares for those - to even compare that to the French league is beyond ridiculous.
Bayern has toyed with the BL, but since you're talking in the past here (as it certainly isn't the case in the present), BVB is not that far removed from a CL final.

Other teams in France obviously do have talent - that does not make the league strong by itself.
Most of the "rest of the talent" is scattered and since PSG turned into a Qatari superclub clubs the league (barring that one year before Monaco was dismantled) has been a walk in the park for PSG - but (most importantly) unlike PSG, clubs like Bayern and Juve go far in Europe, more or less on a yearly basis.

The French clubs have (shockingly) won 2 European trophies. In the history of football.
That's less that Scotland, Ukraine, Belgium, former Yugoslavia, and tied with Sweden, Romania, etc.
The league keeps producing great talent, but that talent goes abroad before mounting a serious challenge in Europe or right as they're looking ready to do it.
Lyon teams of the 2000s were perhaps the closest they got to making a sustained challenge in Europe.

TLDR; of course there's great talent in France. They produce quality players more than any other league, including Spain.
But that does not make the league competitive, nor the clubs competitive in Europe.

I have no idea why you're so touchy about it.

 

[Evilo]

City is all of 2 points ahead of Liverpool (and won the league last season for the first time since 2014), and Barca is 2nd in Spain.
They also compete in the same league with Real and Atletico, who between them have 6 CL finals and 2 La Ligas in the last 5 years (and two Europa Leagues, if anyone cares for those - to even compare that to the French league is beyond ridiculous.
Bayern has toyed with the BL, but since you're talking in the past here (as it certainly isn't the case in the present), BVB is not that far removed from a CL final.

Other teams in France obviously do have talent - that does not make the league strong by itself.
Most of the "rest of the talent" is scattered and since PSG turned into a Qatari superclub clubs the league (barring that one year before Monaco was dismantled) has been a walk in the park for PSG - but (most importantly) unlike PSG, clubs like Bayern and Juve go far in Europe, more or less on a yearly basis.

The French clubs have (shockingly) won 2 European trophies. In the history of football.
That's less that Scotland, Ukraine, Belgium, former Yugoslavia, and tied with Sweden, Romania, etc.
The league keeps producing great talent, but that talent goes abroad before mounting a serious challenge in Europe or right as they're looking ready to do it.
Lyon teams of the 2000s were perhaps the closest they got to making a sustained challenge in Europe.

TLDR; of course there's great talent in France. They produce quality players more than any other league, including Spain.
But that does not make the league competitive, nor the clubs competitive in Europe.

I have no idea why you're so touchy about it.

City toyed with the Prem last year, set record after record. Yet couldn't cope with the CL (see your point about european competitions somehow indicating the quality of the league).
Barca won with ease last year. Bayern for years. Juve as well.

As for the whole point, once again you moved the goal posts. People here continue to say (plenty of them) that the league is weak, filled with "farmers". Guardiola's point was that idiots don't look past PSG for talents, even though L1 is filled with it.
Lots of people here check that box, that's for sure.
Yet Lyon, 15 points behind PSG in the league, filled with undeniable talents, but hardly consistent (hence their league results) dominated City not once, but twice. Won one game and should have won the second.
Yesterday there was a gulf of class between Ndombele and any City midfielder. That's what Guardiola is pointing at. F. Mendy is also tremendously talented. Aouar, Fekir, Depay, Lopes are all very talented. Inconsistent sure, but when you compare Mahrez to Fekir or Aouar yesterday it's scary.

I'm touchy when idiots are idioting.

 

[Evilo]

Scary stat : City has surrendered 8 goals this season in competitions. 3 by Maxwell Cornet. Not even a usual starter for a meager L1 team. But even more impressive, the other scorers include Belfodil (OL academy), Fekir (OL academy) and Martial (OL academy). The two others were Yedlin and Ings (penalty).
City has played 17 competitive games for 14 wins, 2 ties and a loss. Ties were Liverpool and Lyon (lucky tie again) and the loss was Lyon's.

 

[Savi]

Anderlecht defender Ognjen Vranjes (who played for AEK last year) posted that pic of the 'fan' throwing a flare into the Ajax stand on his instagram and captioned it with "Welcome to hell"

Now the whole club is super pissed at him, the fans (having a well known friendly connection with the Ajax fans) want him out asap

The guy has proven to be an extremely dumb human being on the field in his first couple of months, including some very stupid red cards, seems like now he has taken away all doubt about his intelligence off the field as well

 

[Corto]

City toyed with the Prem last year, set record after record. Yet couldn't cope with the CL (see your point about european competitions somehow indicating the quality of the league).
Barca won with ease last year. Bayern for years. Juve as well.

First of all, City were knocked out by Liverpool last season, so I have no idea what your point is with them not coping in the CL.
Because Liverpool's in the same league, and beat them in the return leg in the EPL as well... TBH, Liverpool's looked just as good as City ever since Klopp started playing his fullbacks lower and VVD came in.

Second... Are you seriously comparing the competition in La Liga to that of the French league?
4 different spanish clubs have won 9 out of the last 10 European competitions. In 5 years.
French teams have 2 titles in Europe. In the entire history of football.

A couple of games of Lyon vs City does not somehow magically make Ligue 1 on the same level as the EPL or La Liga.

 

[Evilo]

First of all, City were knocked out by Liverpool last season, so I have no idea what your point is with them not coping in the CL.

Yeah and Monaco the year before.... ding, ding....

Second... Are you seriously comparing the competition in La Liga to that of the French league?

No, I'm not?
Are you even reading?
Did you even watch Guardiola's interview?

Seriously?

A couple of games of Lyon vs City does not somehow magically make Ligue 1 on the same level as the EPL or La Liga.

Where did I state that?
Hello? Earth speaking?

 

[maclean]

It pretty much is though.. Unfortunately PSG got way too much money compared to the rest of the teams. Other teams might be able to challenge once in a while when they got everything going for them, but other than that it's going to be pure domination from PSG if nothing changes

Thumbs up for the teletext

 

[koyvoo]

That thing looks like a Microsoft Dos page from the early-mid 90s

 

[Corto]

I honestly don't understand your point.

You're harping on people who say that the French league is the weakest out of the "big 5", is in no way competitive and is basically there to feed talent to bigger clubs.
Case in point, the same Monaco team you're citing as example - didn't last a single season after their CL run, they got picked apart by bigger clubs the same summer.

PSG is walking all over it with nothing to show for it in Europe - unlike Bayern or Juve.

You're comparing PSG and other clubs and the competition in the leagues but when you're called out for it you're saying... "where did I state that?"
What is your point then?
That the French league has talent? Of course it has. It's also a playground for PSG, who have no results in Europe, and historically, French clubs have done horribly in Europe (compared to the amount of talent they produce).

Oh, one more thing. I'm a nice person, and I try and put forward arguments for any case I'm making.
Even if I'm wrong.
Never once did I try and bully someone in my post or talk down to them for whatever reason. So kindly take you "Hello? Earth speaking?" etc. rubbish to someone else. Either we talk football, or we don't.

 

[Juve]

Because of how they looked when they beat Valencia? It's a group game, nobody cares, you get the job done and move on.
Real looked like couldn't be arsed to run last year vs Spurs and finished 2nd in the group, yet won the whole thing. The year before they drew 3-3 with Legia Warsaw and finished 2nd in the group to BVB - and they went on to absolutely mop up the competition beating Napoli, Bayern, Atleti and Juve.

It's not how you look in November, but the results you get in May.
You can't win jack s**t in November, you can only lose it... As long as you're in the running for trophies come April/May, you got time to sort out your game.

Are others looking infinitely better?
Liverpool lost to Red Star, Madrid to CSKA, City got 1 point out of the 2 Lyon games, etc.
Yet all are in the running, and as long as they go through, noone will care or ask about the group games.

It's not just the Valencia game, it's other games too. Sloppy passing, no creativity, etc.... We may be winning, but it's no pretty. For example, about a month ago we played Empoli. We scrapped out a 2-1 victory with a late goal to win(sloppy victory), the following weak Napoli beats them with ease 5-1. We tied with Genoa 1-1 where Inter beat them 5-0. There are games where we have a hard time scoring goals when it's a game where we should be pumping goals in the net. Juve is not going to win anything with a mediocre midfield and an overrated manager.

 

[Evilo]

I honestly don't understand your point.

Yes, everyone could see that since you're making some stuff up..
Case in point :

You're harping on people who say that the French league is the weakest out of the "big 5"

Can you linke me to ONE post I made harping on someone who said L1 was the 5th best league?
ONE. a SINGLE ONE.
No you can't. Becuase I do too think L1 is the 5th best league.
Can you sto making some stuff up? You continue to do so all the time.

You're comparing PSG and other clubs and the competition in the leagues but when you're called out for it you're saying... "where did I state that?"

No I said the idiots who say there's nothing but PSG in L1 don't say the samething in those other 4 leagues even though one team is dominating.
Case in point : "the farmers".

What is your point then?

Well read my posts.
Listen to Guardiola's interview linked above.

Oh, one more thing. I'm a nice person, and I try and put forward arguments for any case I'm making.
Even if I'm wrong.
Never once did I try and bully someone in my post or talk down to them for whatever reason. So kindly take you "Hello? Earth speaking?" etc. rubbish to someone else. Either we talk football, or we don't.

Thing is I try to talk football and you keep saying I said things I never said. At some point I'm talking A and you're telling me to stop taking B. No discussion is possible. Just here, your sentence about me harping on people saying it's the 5th league. It's just crazy. It's like you make up some stuff in your head and you can't realize it's not even true.

 

[hatterson]

What? When did they change that?

Been a few years at least

a. higher number of points obtained in the group matches played among the teams in question;
b. superior goal difference from the group matches played among the teams in question;
c. higher number of goals scored in the group matches played among the teams in question;
d. higher number of goals scored away from home in the group matches played among the teams in question;
e. if, after having applied criteria a) to d), teams still have an equal ranking, criteria a) to d) are reapplied exclusively to the matches between the remaining teams to determine their final rankings. If this procedure does not lead to a decision, criteria f) to l) apply in the order given to the two or more teams still equal;
f. superior goal difference in all group matches;
g. higher number of goals scored in all group matches;
h. higher number of away goals scored in all group matches;
i. higher number of wins in all group matches;
j. higher number of away wins in all group matches;
k. lower disciplinary points total based only on yellow and red cards received in all group matches (red card = 3 points, yellow card = 1 point, expulsion for two yellow cards in one match = 3 points);
l. higher club coefficient (see Annex D).

 

[Burner Account]

Anderlecht defender Ognjen Vranjes (who played for AEK last year) posted that pic of the 'fan' throwing a flare into the Ajax stand on his instagram and captioned it with "Welcome to hell"

Now the whole club is super pissed at him, the fans (having a well known friendly connection with the Ajax fans) want him out asap

The guy has proven to be an extremely dumb human being on the field in his first couple of months, including some very stupid red cards, seems like now he has taken away all doubt about his intelligence off the field as well

Sometimes, being dumb on the pitch isn't enough.

 

[Prntscrn]

Thumbs up for the teletext

That thing looks like a Microsoft Dos page from the early-mid 90s

Only way to follow standings in different leagues I have yet to find a cleaner and more simple site for it. + you have all leagues in one place