2023-24 UEFA Champions League Discussion Thread

Post #181 » by **magik9113** » Thu Nov 30, 2023 12:39 pm

Lol Joao Mario really scored a hattrick against his old team (Inter) ... only for Inter to come back and tie 3-3.
Benfica used to be really good. I haven't paid any attention -- other than adding Di Maria went happened to them?

MaliBrah · Post #182 » by **MaliBrah** » Thu Nov 30, 2023 5:36 pm

magik9113 wrote:Lol Joao Mario really scored a hattrick against his old team (Inter) ... only for Inter to come back and tie 3-3.
Benfica used to be really good. I haven't paid any attention -- other than adding Di Maria went happened to them?

Lost Goncalo Ramos and Enzo Fernandez in the last two windows. After January they weren't as good as before but they had such a lead for the title race that they were in a good place. New season now though.

MaliBrah · Post #183 » by **MaliBrah** » Thu Nov 30, 2023 5:37 pm

Man I love the UCL. Teams actually going at us. Wolves are going to play a nasty nasty deep block this weekend though.

We better make the damn QF this year man . We haven't won a knockout UCL tie since 2010 :lol:

. A bendtner Hatrick to win 5-0 against Porto was the last one wow.

SgtPepper · Post #184 » by **SgtPepper** » Fri Dec 1, 2023 3:03 pm

Would love to see Real vs Arsenal this year - the levelling is as close as ever. It's been 13+ years since that matchup happened partially because the latter has made a religion of getting smashed by one of the FCB's.

MaliBrah · Post #185 » by **MaliBrah** » Sat Dec 2, 2023 3:32 am

SgtPepper wrote:Would love to see Real vs Arsenal this year - the levelling is as close as ever. It's been 13+ years since that matchup happened partially because the latter has made a religion of getting smashed by one of the FCB's.

Would be a nice change for us too. I want to face clubs we haven't really faced much before namely Inter and Madrid to see how we stack up against them and their experience.

I think we're good defensively but Madrid's explosive wingers might be a bad matchup for us lol.

El Turco · Post #186 » by **El Turco** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 8:17 pm

Would love to see United take the lead so that Copenhagen cant park the bus, it would risk Europa league chances but still.

Baseline81 · Post #187 » by **Baseline81** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 9:57 pm

Comical how a giant like Manchester United fails to advance in a group stage with FC Copenhagen and Galatasaray.

Better yet, the club finishes bottom of the group, meaning no Europa League.

El Turco · Post #188 » by **El Turco** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 10:06 pm

Yeah United fans were celebrating about how easy this group would be.

Gala and United going out sucks in terms of entertainment value though, both had really good attacks and comically bad defenses which led to some great games until this last matchday.

MaliBrah · Post #189 » by **MaliBrah** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 10:13 pm

El Turco wrote:Yeah United fans were celebrating about how easy this group would be.

Gala and United going out sucks in terms of entertainment value though, both had really good attacks and comically bad defenses which led to some great games until this last matchday.

How do you feel about Gala's EL chances?

MaliBrah · Post #190 » by **MaliBrah** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 10:14 pm

Potential Opponents in Ro16 for us

Inter
Napoli
RB Leipzig
Copenhagen

That aint easy man... I dont want to see inter lol

El Turco · Post #191 » by **El Turco** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 10:36 pm

MaliBrah wrote:
El Turco wrote:Yeah United fans were celebrating about how easy this group would be.

Gala and United going out sucks in terms of entertainment value though, both had really good attacks and comically bad defenses which led to some great games until this last matchday.

How do you feel about Gala's EL chances?

I think they should be among the favorites, they have the quality up front and maybe more importantly they'll prioritize it unlike some teams like Liverpool and Leverkusen.

A lot depends on Icardi's health too, his form dipped after he got injured last month and he refuses to sit or get substituted. Outcome of especially Bayern matches would've been different if he had been fit imo.

wco81 · Post #192 » by **wco81** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 11:13 pm

Arsenal won their group but drew 1-1 at PSV.

Is it that PSV is pretty decent or that Arsenal's attack is nowhere near where it was last season?

I mean early last season, Saka and Martinelli were slicing through teams along the wings but that isn't happening any more because teams don't leave their backs one on one with them.

So now that they can't rely on either to get to the baseline or the box and make tons of centering passes consistently, it seems a lot more difficult for them to generate as many scoring chances as the first 1/3 of the 2022-2023 season.

MaliBrah · Post #193 » by **MaliBrah** » Wed Dec 13, 2023 3:41 am

wco81 wrote:Arsenal won their group but drew 1-1 at PSV.

Is it that PSV is pretty decent or that Arsenal's attack is nowhere near where it was last season?

I mean early last season, Saka and Martinelli were slicing through teams along the wings but that isn't happening any more because teams don't leave their backs one on one with them.

So now that they can't rely on either to get to the baseline or the box and make tons of centering passes consistently, it seems a lot more difficult for them to generate as many scoring chances as the first 1/3 of the 2022-2023 season.

Played a weaker team today and PSV did too but tbh both teams were qualified and it was a boring match. PSV haven't lost at home in a very long time too.

But yeah we are getting way more respect defensively from other teams and have to figure it out.

The_Brecht · Post #194 » by **The_Brecht** » Wed Dec 13, 2023 2:13 pm

Arsenal still create a lot of chances though.
There just not that relentless as last season.

Hence the stupig mistakes that lead to goals.

Baseline81 · Post #195 » by **Baseline81** » Wed Dec 13, 2023 10:48 pm

Newcastle United follows Manchester United's lead, knocked out of Europe competition. The English coefficient continues to erode.

Hellcrooner · Post #196 » by **Hellcrooner** » Thu Dec 14, 2023 3:13 am

wco81 wrote:Arsenal won their group but drew 1-1 at PSV.

Is it that PSV is pretty decent or that Arsenal's attack is nowhere near where it was last season?

I mean early last season, Saka and Martinelli were slicing through teams along the wings but that isn't happening any more because teams don't leave their backs one on one with them.

So now that they can't rely on either to get to the baseline or the box and make tons of centering passes consistently, it seems a lot more difficult for them to generate as many scoring chances as the first 1/3 of the 2022-2023 season.

it was the easiest group.
Its ashaming sevilla didnt go trough.
Im very pissed that the refs screwed up in game 5 and alllowed psg to go trough today,

Post #197 » by **magik9113** » Thu Dec 14, 2023 3:40 pm

Inter are certainly the team to avoid in the next round, but they may end up kicking themselves for not starting Lautaro and Barella the other day...the only team to avoid would have been PSG.

Whichever first place teams get Copenhagen, PSV, or Lazio will be feeling quite lucky. I believe the draw is on Monday.

Post #198 » by **magik9113** » Thu Dec 14, 2023 3:41 pm

Gala, Lens, Braga, Benfica, Feyenoord, Milan, Young Boys, and Shakhtar to the Europa League.

Amazing that Sevilla miss out on their tournament

SgtPepper · Post #199 » by **SgtPepper** » Thu Dec 14, 2023 9:31 pm

^^No Serie A team has won the UCL since 2010. I still see no reason to rate them in Europe. As for PSG - you give them too much credit. PSG has been progressively declining since Tuchel was sacked. I didn't even realize Enrique took over after failing with Spain till I saw their last match report. That team's going to get smashed in one of the next 2 rounds.

Post #200 » by **magik9113** » Fri Dec 15, 2023 1:09 pm

SgtPepper wrote:^^No Serie A team has won the UCL since 2010. I still see no reason to rate them in Europe. As for PSG - you give them too much credit. PSG has been progressively declining since Tuchel was sacked. I didn't even realize Enrique took over after failing with Spain till I saw their last match report. That team's going to get smashed in one of the next 2 rounds.

when I say Inter are the team to avoid, I should've specified that I mean for the teams who finished first place. Inter and PSG are far superior to the other 2nd place teams. that is all.