CL Round of 16----matches begin today

[Evilo]

Evilo must be grinning right now.

Haha, I am.
First nobody except United fans can support that team right now (sorry for them) given the sad state of Mourinho's coaching.
Second, I was in Sevilla last week and guys there were a bit disheartenned not to have won the first leg.
Third, I said three weeks agao that the first leg would have been won with Ben Yedder. Bang.
Fourth, we read here mlutiple times from a certain poster that EPL teams were back on top, with a good chance to qualify 5 teams in the QF. Well, except if Chelsea wins at Barca (I don't think they will honestly), EPL teams will have underachieved given their draws. Spurs and Chelsea were supposed to lose, the other 3 had gimme draws. Spurs showed some good stuff but lost, Chelsea played the bus at home, United are out, City had some reffing backing to win and still lost at home, Liverpool couldn't win at home in the return leg.

 

[Prntscrn]

City had some reffing backing to win and still lost at home, Liverpool couldn't win at home in the return leg.

But they could win away with 4-0 and 5-0. Both of those draws were over before the return leg even started and neither went on full speed

 

[Evilo]

And for City, reffing played a part.
And you think Porto and Basel went full speed with the tie over?

 

[Live in the Now]

Liverpool tried an experiment tactic in the home leg. The kind of plan B tactic people say teams should be play when they can't play on the ground, with both wide CM pushing up to try to cross the ball into the box. They definitely weren't playing at full speed either. Obviously the tactic didn't work, but also obviously they would have played different if they weren't ahead 5-0.

 

[Evilo]

And... Porto too.

 

[Evilo]

Did anyone actually say there would be 5 EPL teams in the quarters?

I wonder who posted that :
"The rise of the EPL in Europe again was predictable."
http://hfboards.mandatory.com/threads/cl-matchweek-4.2404989/page-8#post-137412823

"The scenes when all 5 EPL teams make it to the next round. It's very possible. "
http://hfboards.mandatory.com/threads/cl-round-of-16-draw.2420071/page-3#post-138925445

Nobody "predicted" or should I say "expected" all 5 to go through but some people sure thought it was "very possible" and that EPL teams' domination was "predictable" (not to be confused with "expected").

 

[spintheblackcircle]

With Kane looking like he's out for 6 weeks. Spurs would have lost in the quarters anyway.

(He says to make himself feel better)

 

[YNWA14]

So we're not seeing a rise of English teams in Europe? It wasn't possible that all 5 teams made it?

Funny how you say that Chelsea parked the bus in the first round yet they created the most dangerous chances against Barca and outside of a silly mistake where they gifted a goal to them they easily could have won that game even by more than one goal.

But this is like when you were saying Watford were better than Liverpool. People focus too much on the results without looking at the bigger picture. Not surprising in this case given the hate on a lot of people have for the PL.

Either way I don't care. I dislike United more than any sports team on the planet. I don't like Chelsea or Spurs either. City is alright; I mostly appreciate watching them play.

But it could be worse...English teams could have crashed out in the group stages in last place like Monaco (in a cupcake group) or been embarrassed like PSG (future top 4 team in the world 5 years running).

 

[Chimaera]

5 in the Quarters is still pretty impressive.

I think a few different draws and you could have had a few more through, but admittedly, United crapped the bed or performed closer to their level (depends on who you ask), Chelsea will probably go out, but Liverpool and City rightly went through. I do think some of it you can see the inexperience with some of the managers, players and the flaws of the teams.

The CL is always a crap shoot as far as who you get in the draw. If it went differently, a lot of other good clubs could have an argument that it would have been them in the finals or maybe even winning the trophy.

 

[YNWA14]

5 in the Quarters is still pretty impressive.

On point with everything you said except this. There were 5 in the Ro16, not the quarters.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

With Kane looking like he's out for 6 weeks. Spurs would have lost in the quarters anyway.

(He says to make himself feel better)

We'd still be favorites to beat Sevilla and Roma IMO.

 

[Evilo]

5 in the Quarters is still pretty impressive.

I think a few different draws and you could have had a few more through, but admittedly, United crapped the bed or performed closer to their level (depends on who you ask), Chelsea will probably go out, but Liverpool and City rightly went through. I do think some of it you can see the inexperience with some of the managers, players and the flaws of the teams.

The CL is always a crap shoot as far as who you get in the draw. If it went differently, a lot of other good clubs could have an argument that it would have been them in the finals or maybe even winning the trophy.

2 in the QF, not 5. And EPL teams had the easiest draws. In the group stage and in the KO stage. So different draws my ass.
Only team with an impressive run in the group stage was Spurs because BVB was seen as superior. BVB in fact are having a bad season overall, but still Spurs to come on top of the group was a performance.
Chelsea, United, City and Liverpool were always supposed to get out of their respective groups.
And only 2 teams in the QF while facing Basel, Barcelona, Juventus, Sevilla and Porto while escaping teams like Bayern, Real or PSG is in fact underachieving.

 

[hatterson]

I'd say the only real underachievement was United. Liverpool and City had easy draws and won them easily. Chelsea and Spurs were rightfully underdogs.

Spurs played a close tie and loss, Chelsea has played a close first leg and we'll see what happens today. I'm not expecting them to win, but if they keep it close again I'd say that's about as much as you could reasonably expect them to do.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

I'd say the only real underachievement was United. Liverpool and City had easy draws and won them easily. Chelsea and Spurs were rightfully underdogs.

Spurs played a close tie and loss, Chelsea has played a close first leg and we'll see what happens today. I'm not expecting them to win, but if they keep it close again I'd say that's about as much as you could reasonably expect them to do.

Spurs were the best team for 150 out of 190 minutes. Should have won, they are better.

 

[Evilo]

I'd say the only real underachievement was United. Liverpool and City had easy draws and won them easily. Chelsea and Spurs were rightfully underdogs.

Spurs played a close tie and loss, Chelsea has played a close first leg and we'll see what happens today. I'm not expecting them to win, but if they keep it close again I'd say that's about as much as you could reasonably expect them to do.

I agree, but that does sum up as underachiving.
Saying it's impressive when 2 teams that should win do win, 2 teams to should lose lose and 1 team that should win actually lose is just false.

 

[YNWA14]

Considering that Spurs won their group with Real Madrid and BVB when very few gave them a chance to advance (and nobody expected them to win) and then they were clearly the better team against Juventus (despite the result, where their inexperience showed) is pretty impressive despite their ultimate defeat. Chelsea also looked pretty good against Barcelona despite their defensive style; it wasn't a Mourinho style bus parking and they had more scoring chances than Barcelona did.

A team can still be impressive in defeat. Liverpool and City both took care of their jobs easily. Meanwhile the runner up in Liverpool's group is now in the QFs (beating United) and the runner up in Spurs' group knocked out PSG.

To try and use how the CL has gone so far to discredit the PL is a bit...weird.

It's certainly possible that City, Liverpool and Chelsea could be out of the CL by the end of the QFs but that doesn't mean the teams overall didn't perform well.

 

[Evilo]

Erh correction.
Some have stated "the rise of EPL in Europe was expected".
Facts have ONCE AGAIN proven them wrong.

 

[hatterson]

One team underachieved: United

Two teams did what they were supposed to do in the group stage and R16: Liverpool and City

One team overachieved in the group stage and either did what they were supposed to or slightly overachieved in R16: Spurs

One team has thus far done about what they were supposed to and we'll see how R16 ends: Chelsea

 

[Chimaera]

2 in the QF, not 5. And EPL teams had the easiest draws. In the group stage and in the KO stage. So different draws my ass.
Only team with an impressive run in the group stage was Spurs because BVB was seen as superior. BVB in fact are having a bad season overall, but still Spurs to come on top of the group was a performance.
Chelsea, United, City and Liverpool were always supposed to get out of their respective groups.
And only 2 teams in the QF while facing Basel, Barcelona, Juventus, Sevilla and Porto while escaping teams like Bayern, Real or PSG is in fact underachieving.

You're right, I misspoke in saying QF, but I disagree with the concept that different draws don't matter.

I think if you give Spurs, Chelsea or United - Basel, Besiktas, Porto, Shaktar, and probably Roma, most of them go through. Similar to that, I think an argument could be made that Spurs/Chelsea could go through against Sevilla as well.

 

[Il Mediano]

City , Liverpool and Spurs are on the rise , for sure. The rest remains to be seen.

Anyone think Chelsea can beat Barca today?

 

[Il Mediano]

You're right, I misspoke in saying QF, but I disagree with the concept that different draws don't matter.

I think if you give Spurs, Chelsea or United - Basel, Besiktas, Porto, Shaktar, and probably Roma, most of them go through. Similar to that, I think an argument could be made that Spurs/Chelsea could go through against Sevilla as well.

You do know Roma kicked Chelsea’s ass in the group stage, right?

 

[Chimaera]

You do know Roma kicked Chelsea’s ass in the group stage, right?

I also think that a Group stage is different than a knockout match.

I think Conte, in two legged match, with everything on the line might be able to pull it off.

I wouldn't be shocked if they won today (though I don't expect it to happen).

 

[Evilo]

You're right, I misspoke in saying QF, but I disagree with the concept that different draws don't matter.

I think if you give Spurs, Chelsea or United - Basel, Besiktas, Porto, Shaktar, and probably Roma, most of them go through. Similar to that, I think an argument could be made that Spurs/Chelsea could go through against Sevilla as well.

Of course they matter.
If City or Liverpool draws Real or Bayern what happens?
City Liverpool, Spurs and United could have drawn Real, Bayern, Juventus, Porto, Shaktar, Sevilla and Basel.
And you DARE to say with a better draw they could have had more teams? Seriously? They scored on 3 out of 4 in the easy opponents column.

 

[Chimaera]

If we're being honest, City should be the favorite with Pep and how they're playing against anyone.

Knowing Liverpool's luck, we'll see how it goes if they draw one of those. It should be interesting.

 

[Il Mediano]

I also think that a Group stage is different than a knockout match.

I think Conte, in two legged match, with everything on the line might be able to pull it off.

I wouldn't be shocked if they won today (though I don't expect it to happen).

Of course they’d be able to , they have a better roster and a really good manager.

But, we played them off the park for the majority of the 2 legs.

I’m not sure the players want to play for Conte anymore (at least a few bigger names) and I don’t think Conte really wants to be there anymore, either.