GWT: UCL R16 First Legs

[luiginb]

I wonder what UEFA is going to do with the remaining Russian teams playing in the Europa League

Hopefully kick them out of the competition.

 

[Mount Suribachi]

Are United fans ready to have the conversation that Ole might have been better suited to this team than Ragnick is? I just saw the second half but man United look lost, and this is against a terrible Atletico team this year. Your defense made Felix look like Messi out there. And speaking of terrible, I don't know what happened to Oblak but this year he has a Karius level drop.

Life under Ole was not a linear experience. When he came in, the atmosphere at the club was absolutely toxic due to the death throes of the Mourinho era. He immediately set about (and did) improve morale on and off the pitch, which coupled with the talent that we had allowed us to play "Inshallah and Vibes" football for a bit, and play it well.

Many of the problems then still persist now - lack of a proper DM, too many mediocre squad players etc - which Ole didn't help by offering extensions to the likes of Jones and other squad players/backups.

After the first season, teams began to figure out that we were a lethal counter-attacking team and started playing the low block against us, which we really struggled to break down. The arrival of Bruno provided an immediate filip, but we still struggled to break teams down that defended deep.

Last season we overachieved, thanks in part to poor seasons by Liverpool and Chelsea, to finish 2nd, and lost the Europa League final on pens. Then we added Varane and Sancho and Ronaldo, and on paper things were looking up. Ole tried to implement a more front foot, aggressive pressing style, and it failed miserably. Whether that was because Ole lacked the skills and knowledge to implement it, the players were unable/unwilling to do it, or both - it failed, and failed spectacularly as we started getting gubbed week after week after week.

Ole was sacked, and deservedly so at that point. I never expected him to be the man who would lead United to the top of the mountain, but I thought he would lead us to Base Camp as it were, and IMO, he did.

United fans as a whole are very happy with Ragnick. First and foremost he's called players out publically, and all the leaks of unrest show the players aren't happy with him putting an end to Vibes FC. Good. They were mollycoddled for too long under OGS.
Even if the results haven't always shown it in the number of wins, the team has been playing better. We're no longer shipping tons of goals. xG For is up, xG Against is down. He's promoted Alanga based on his work in training, he's shipped out unhappy players, he's stated the squad is too big.

The biggest issues right now are missing too many chances, and the inability to put two good halves together. But we've lost just one game in 90 minutes under him, and we're still in 4th.

 

[Say Hey Kid]

A football match as a chess game: Ajax Amsterdam vs Benfica Lissabon

 

[robertmac43]

It was the only decision, they needed to change the location;

 

[Evilo]

Hopefully kick them out of the competition.

What?

 

[bluesfan94]

Hopefully kick them out of the competition.

Yep. There’s no reason to keep Russian teams in at this point.

 

[Savi]

What?

It's possible. If international organisations want to isolate Russia, the same thing could happen in sports.

 

[luiginb]

What?

Why did they kick Yugo out in 92? This is even worse.

 

[al secord]

I wonder what UEFA is going to do with the remaining Russian teams playing in the Europa League

Be swift and remove them. Putin is a sport fan (and a superior athlete from the hockey footage i've seen).

Let this mad man know that he does not have the support of the football world.

 

[gary69]

Be swift and remove them. Putin is a sport fan (and a superior athlete from the hockey footage i've seen).

Let this mad man know that he does not have the support of the football world.

They probably hope Zenit lose today against Betis. Betis fans will probably give them hell all match. Wonder what Zenit's Ukrainan player Rakitskyi will do, probably won't play today and he might not want to travel with them back to Russia.

Shakhtar's Brazilian players have left Donetsk with their families and are pleading for help to get them out of the country.

 

[luiginb]

Betis' supporters are far right so I expect them to side with Putin.

 

[Islay1989]

They probably hope Zenit lose today against Betis. Betis fans will probably give them hell all match. Wonder what Zenit's Ukrainan player Rakitskyi will do, probably won't play today and he might not want to travel with them back to Russia.

Shakhtar's Brazilian players have left Donetsk with their families and are pleading for help to get them out of the country.

He's a persona non grata in Ukraine.

 

[Juve]

wrong thread

 

[Evilo]

Why did they kick Yugo out in 92? This is even worse.

Because Yugoslavia was filled with players fighting each other?
What have Russian footballers done?

 

[Live in the Now]

 

[Savi]

Parc des Princes, or Saint Denis?

 

[Incubajerks]

Lol Ceferin!

 

[Evilo]

Parc des Princes, or Saint Denis?

St Denis unfortunately. Plastic stadium.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

Of course. Paris are the new UEFA best friends.

 

[Evilo]

It's not PSG's stadium.

 

[Say Hey Kid]

It's not PSG's stadium.

Champions League final moved from Saint Petersburg to Paris, UEFA announce

This is a great decision. I used to be a Parisian, it's a much nicer city, and you can watch the game live.

 

[Chimaera]

They probably hope Zenit lose today against Betis. Betis fans will probably give them hell all match. Wonder what Zenit's Ukrainan player Rakitskyi will do, probably won't play today and he might not want to travel with them back to Russia.

Shakhtar's Brazilian players have left Donetsk with their families and are pleading for help to get them out of the country.

I don't think they've been in Donetsk for a while now. It's been more or less under separatist control for a while. Not that it makes it any better... Being in Kyiv right now is tough.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

It's not PSG's stadium.

Shit. My snarky comment makes no sense then ;(

 

[Power Man]

Champions League final moved from Saint Petersburg to Paris, UEFA announce

This is a great decision. I used to be a Parisian, it's a much nicer city, and you can watch the game live.

Have you been to St Petersburg?
It’s a beautiful city

 

[These Are The Days]

Reds fans when they see it's Paris, Istanbul and Wembley for the next 3 years