UEFA Champions League Group Stage Draw

[Evilo]

I can give you guys some PSG issues, but none of them fit some agendas here :
- If Verratti is still injured for a while, they have to play Marqui in midfield, and that's really a problem since they dont have an elite 6, besides out of position Rabiot.
- Verratti hasn't been as good since Blanc left. Maybe Tuchel will make him go back to his best level, but we'll see.
- Buffon is suspended for the first 3 CL games. I think Areola is a very good goalie, but if he goes down injured, or has a problem of confidence, PSG has nobody for those 3 games.
- Kurzawa is going under the knife. Bernat is decent but not starter quality (except in a 3-4-3), but the positive is that Nsoki has been extremely impressive.
- Alves/Meunier is a strong partnership, but both have somewhat similar profiles since they are extremely good offensively, but can have defensive lapses (though comparing to the other contenders, I laugh at the argument they're a weakness).
- If Cavani goes down, they're left with Mbappe alone up front (and he isn't used well in such a situation). Similar problem to last year, but Cavani is made of steel tbh.
- Rabiot sill hasn't signed a contract.

 

[Jussi]

You post this assuming Mou will be managing in Man U

Well who's going to be there if he isn't? Because there isn't exactly a long list of available replacements. And if you say Fat Sam's name, you're going to find yourself on The List.

 

[JJ68]

PSG would handle Liverpool. Not even a question.

 

[Evilo]

PSG would handle Liverpool. Not even a question.

Oh there's a question IMO. Liverpool are in great form. But somewhat saying they've been weak in Europe while topping Bayern and running into the 3 times winner, who needed two ridiculous ref decisions to beat them at home (after being completely robbed the year before in Barcelona) is hardly serious.

 

[Evilo]

(...)and Kimpembe are a bit too hesitant to push forward into defensive midfield positions and not creative enough to do some basic playmaking from deep.

Seems to me Kimpembe read that a few minutes ago and decided to show good ole Gary what he's made of

 

[Cassano]

Fraud like facing Real of Barca?

Right

For me they didn't put much of a fight last season vs. Real Madrid despite having a more in-form squad at the time. Juventus made RM shit bricks and their squad is clearly inferior to PSGs on paper. It's all about mentality - we also know PSG is a side historically known for their 4-0 collapse.

 

[Evilo]

They didn't put much of a fight in the return leg. They played just as well if not better than Real in the first leg, but what can you do against not called offside or imaginary cards?

The 4-0 collapse will be historically known as one of the most poorly reffed game in the history of the game. (BTW, I'm guessing you're young if you treat a European Cup winner as historically known for a reffing joke of a loss).

And besides the reffing, you again ignore the draws.

 

[Cassano]

They didn't put much of a fight in the return leg. They played just as well if not better than Real in the first leg, but what can you do against not called offside or imaginary cards?

Well CL football is played over 2 legs so....

The 4-0 collapse will be historically known as one of the most poorly reffed game in the history of the game. (BTW, I'm guessing you're young if you treat a European Cup winner as historically known for a reffing joke of a loss).

Poor reffing or not, blowing a 4-0 lead heading into a 2nd leg will go down historically as one of the worst collapses in the history of the competition.

And besides the reffing, you again ignore the draws.

That doesn't seem to bother Juventus that much who beat Real and Barca over the years. Unless you think Juve has a better squad than PSG...

 

[Evilo]

I think Juve is an elite squad, just like PSG.
And with fair reffing, PSG would have eliminated Barca two years ago, neglecting your whole propaganda. So you continue to ignore the obvious.


Good.

 

[Cassano]

I think Juve is an elite squad, just like PSG.
And with fair reffing, PSG would have eliminated Barca two years ago, neglecting your whole propaganda. So you continue to ignore the obvious.


Good.

There will never be fair reffing vs. Barca/RM in this competition - just the way it is. Just gotta work around playing against them + officials like Juventus did.

 

[Evilo]

Juventus never got the calls PSG had in the return leg.
So, once again nope.

 

[Cassano]

Juventus never got the calls PSG had in the return leg.
So, once again nope.

They never put themselves in a position to lose 6-1 though. Look at how effectively they shut-down Barca the year PSG had that collapse.

 

[Evilo]

PSG also never put themselves in a position to lose 6-1. They were treated with two joke of penalties, a red card and pen not called on Barca. Final score should have been 3-2, maybe 4-2 max.

In fact, PSG thoroughly dominated Barca in the first leg. Something you seem to forget.

 

[gary69]

Seems to me Kimpembe read that a few minutes ago and decided to show good ole Gary what he's made of

Sorry, I wasn't watching the game live and can only comment now. Yep, that was good breakthrough pass from him.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

Poor PSG is the victim of UEFA and refs? ...

 

[gary69]

That's weird to say that, they have barely played 3-4-3 as of now because Verratti and Kurzawa have been injured.
So the sample size you've used to make your opinion has been particularly small (One game?)
Right now they are playing 4-2-3-1 with Rabiot/Marqui in midfield, ADM-Neymar-Mbappe and Cavani up front.

I'm more commenting on their supposed favoured 3 cb formation based on what we have seen during the last couple of seasons, not just based on one game played this season. Like you said, Verratti hasn't been at his best for quite some time, and therefore I don't fancy the 2 man midfield of him and Rabiot.

I must admit though, that personally I think it's better to concede the extra space for opponents on the flanks than in the center, thus I'd rather see an extra midfielder there in the middle (just not a Motta/Diarra level player). Verratti would be fine playing as a CM, rabiot in a more advanced role (which he seems to prefer), but I'd compliment them with a more defence-oriented player, or with b2b player at least. Obviously Marquinhos isn't an ideal option there.

 

[gary69]

I can give you guys some PSG issues, but none of them fit some agendas here :
- If Verratti is still injured for a while, they have to play Marqui in midfield, and that's really a problem since they dont have an elite 6, besides out of position Rabiot.
- Verratti hasn't been as good since Blanc left. Maybe Tuchel will make him go back to his best level, but we'll see.
- Buffon is suspended for the first 3 CL games. I think Areola is a very good goalie, but if he goes down injured, or has a problem of confidence, PSG has nobody for those 3 games.
- Kurzawa is going under the knife. Bernat is decent but not starter quality (except in a 3-4-3), but the positive is that Nsoki has been extremely impressive.
- Alves/Meunier is a strong partnership, but both have somewhat similar profiles since they are extremely good offensively, but can have defensive lapses (though comparing to the other contenders, I laugh at the argument they're a weakness).
- If Cavani goes down, they're left with Mbappe alone up front (and he isn't used well in such a situation). Similar problem to last year, but Cavani is made of steel tbh.
- Rabiot sill hasn't signed a contract.

Oh, I'm not arguing that PSG are even remotely bad, they could probably play with the worst tactics imaginable, and still reach the CL semis on talent alone. I just don't think that their tactics and formation is the best possible one and they could have done with a different type of player in the middle, but we'll see how it works out at the end of season.

 

[Evilo]

Poor PSG is the victim of UEFA and refs? ...

Last two years definitely.

 

[HoseEmDown]

Sucks FOX gave up coverage of this. Now there will only be one game on TV a day.

Wish there was a group of death, the cloest thing is maybe for that Liver team from England but that could be a stretch.

Who has the rights? Thought ESPN grabbed it and they have multiple channels as well.

 

[YNWA14]

PSG is just not as good as people think they should be. It goes back to when even a fairly average City knocked them out, and Chelsea.

 

[Cassano]

Poor PSG is the victim of UEFA and refs? ...

Evilo keeps going on how they've had bad draws - but fails to mention that they didn't even win the group vs Arsenal the year of their epic Barca collapse. Could've been avoided a bad draw altogether if they won their group.

 

[Evilo]

Evilo keeps going on how they've had bad draws - but fails to mention that they didn't even win the group vs Arsenal the year of their epic Barca collapse. Could've been avoided a bad draw altogether if they won their group.

And they beat Bayern to the top of the group last year. What's your point there?

 

[Evilo]

PSG is just not as good as people think they should be. It goes back to when even a fairly average City knocked them out, and Chelsea.

Haha, lost on away goals ot Chelsea, beat them the year after.
And that City team was thoroughly dominated. Sometimes the better team doesn't win. They probably were cocky too.

 

[Cassano]

And they beat Bayern to the top of the group last year. What's your point there?

PSG were the most in-form team in Europe at the time - they should've beaten them.

 

[Evilo]

WTF does that mean? Most in form? But your whole argument is that they're not good enough.