October 18, 2024Oct 18 The new format is too easy. 24 out of 36 teams go through. They are trying to make finishing Top 8 out to be some real big thing because it skips a round, but majority of teams will be happy to finish 24th. If you roughly try and convert this season's format to last season, United and Newcastle would have gone through. Edited October 18, 2024Oct 18 by CarefreeMuratcan
October 18, 2024Oct 18 16 minutes ago, CarefreeMuratcan said: The new format is too easy. 24 out of 36 teams go through. They are trying to make finishing Top 8 out to be some real big thing because it skips a round, but majority of teams will be happy to finish 24th. If you roughly try and convert this season's format to last season, United and Newcastle would have gone through. Yep, it's going to lead to some really dull matches in the second half of this phase, once the bigger teams have secured the top 24 finish. The result of the new format is going to be more one-sided games with massive scorelines and a really dull second half to the league campaign. UEFA, will have pocketed more money though, so they'll be happy. It is a tournament designed by business people rather than football people.
November 27, 2024Nov 27 City seem to be in trouble looks to me like without Rodri or Kovacic they are weakened. Kind of reminds me of a couple of seasons back where our wide backs were both out and Kova was also in and out with injuries. So Pep is not a football messiah just very good when his first team is available.
November 28, 2024Nov 28 1 hour ago, jasonb said: City seem to be in trouble looks to me like without Rodri or Kovacic they are weakened. Kind of reminds me of a couple of seasons back where our wide backs were both out and Kova was also in and out with injuries. So Pep is not a football messiah just very good when his first team is available. This is the first time he's been challenged as a coach and he's already self-harming 🤷🏻♂️
November 28, 2024Nov 28 I think we'd be silly to write Man City off, purely because of the talent they have within the squad, but they do look like they're a Haaland injury away from being in quite a bit of trouble this season. I fully expect them to get themselves back on track and finish in the top 2, however, they are very clearly in need of a rebuild and it's probably a bigger one than I actually realised when you look at the age of some of their key players. With the charges still hanging over them and the outcome not expected until the end of if not after the end of this season, then a rebuild could be very tricky. Pep possibly signed the extension a bit too early. Is this the start of the implosion? Maybe, but I don't think so.
December 11, 2024Dec 11 Man City lost again and are in real danger of being knocked out as they play PSG next, who also need a win. As far as I know, this is the first time Pep has faced a run of form as bad as this and as of yet, he seems to have no real answers. He’s also never been sacked and I’m not expecting that to change either, but how bad do you think it would need to be for them to pull the trigger? Especially given the charges they’re facing as well.
February 11Feb 11 Have to admit, watching the City-Real game, that I really miss going to big knock out CL games.
February 11Feb 11 7 minutes ago, thevelourfog said: Have to admit, watching the City-Real game, that I really miss going to big knock out CL games. I was thinking exactly the same when watching it as well! The excitement of CL knockout matches is immense. Feels like so long ago since we properly got to enjoy it, the last time we were in it barely counted for me. I really miss the days when we could go toe to toe with any team in the world. Watching this also makes me realise how far behind the top teams we are. This Madrid team would absolutely destroy us.
February 11Feb 11 1 hour ago, My Blood Is Blue said: I was thinking exactly the same when watching it as well! The excitement of CL knockout matches is immense. Feels like so long ago since we properly got to enjoy it, the last time we were in it barely counted for me. I really miss the days when we could go toe to toe with any team in the world. Watching this also makes me realise how far behind the top teams we are. This Madrid team would absolutely destroy us. Absolutely agree with the statement about us trying to play teams such as Real Madrid. We are two seasons away at least, and that would be with our management changing course and getting in some experienced players. Plus Real Madrid aren’t the best team in it currently. PSG in the form they seem to be in currently might be the form team going into the knockout stages. They looked scary good.
February 18Feb 18 Bayern are an absolute shadow of the side they were. old guard completely overstayed their welcomes. Kane is clearly carrying them like he used to with Spurs.
February 18Feb 18 11 minutes ago, Bert19 said: Bayern are an absolute shadow of the side they were. old guard completely overstayed their welcomes. Kane is clearly carrying them like he used to with Spurs. Cannot believe they squeezed through. Beyond harsh on Celtic
February 18Feb 18 Bayern were awful and sounds like they have been for a while. Just reading a few comments from their supporters and they're sick of Kompany.
February 19Feb 19 15 hours ago, Bison said: Bayern were awful and sounds like they have been for a while. Just reading a few comments from their supporters and they're sick of Kompany. Kane (who is a fading power outside of the Bundesliga) and Olise aside, their recruitment over the last few years has been pretty shocking. That Korean lad at centre back was garbage last night. Their young players coming through don't really seem great tbh - Musiala is clearly a bright spot, but he seems like the only one. The old guard have all been kept around far too long. Neuer, Muller, Goretzka are all past it - Coman, Gnabry, Sane, Pavlovic are really underwhelming and Kimmich should have gone abroad 2-3 years ago. It's probably only Leverkusen's CL campaign and them expending so much energy fighting on all fronts over the last 18 months that has got them back to top spot in the League tbh. I wonder how difficult it would be for a club like us to get Joao Palhinha out of there though? He clearly didn't go there to sit on their bench. Could he do a good job for us in an area we're desperate for a bit of nous and game management? Edited February 19Feb 19 by Bert19
February 19Feb 19 1 hour ago, Bert19 said: Kane (who is a fading power outside of the Bundesliga) and Olise aside, their recruitment over the last few years has been pretty shocking. That Korean lad at centre back was garbage last night. Their young players coming through don't really seem great tbh - Musiala is clearly a bright spot, but he seems like the only one. The old guard have all been kept around far too long. Neuer, Muller, Goretzka are all past it - Coman, Gnabry, Sane, Pavlovic are really underwhelming and Kimmich should have gone abroad 2-3 years ago. It's probably only Leverkusen's CL campaign and them expending so much energy fighting on all fronts over the last 18 months that has got them back to top spot in the League tbh. I wonder how difficult it would be for a club like us to get Joao Palhinha out of there though? He clearly didn't go there to sit on their bench. Could he do a good job for us in an area we're desperate for a bit of nous and game management? I think the horrifically overrated as a player and coach Kompany is also massively to blame
February 20Feb 20 10 hours ago, Bison said: Real have battered Man City tonight. Total mismatch. Mbappe hattrick in an hour , you know what this will mean to the UK press? Jude Bellingham is the greatest midfielder in the world.
February 20Feb 20 We would get bullied if we manage to qualify for CL. And I don't mean the Real Madrid result. I mean the Benelux teams beating the Italian teams. There's a lot of quality in there. If we hopefully qualify for CL we need to seriously bolster the squad.
February 20Feb 20 19 minutes ago, CarefreeMuratcan said: We would get bullied if we manage to qualify for CL. And I don't mean the Real Madrid result. I mean the Benelux teams beating the Italian teams. There's a lot of quality in there. If we hopefully qualify for CL we need to seriously bolster the squad. I wouldn’t worry, I honestly can’t see us getting CL next season. Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City, Newcastle and Forest will all finish above us and Bournemouth may as well. Europe League next season is a more likely reward for this season, which to be honest, I wouldn’t be too upset with as that was my expectation before the season started. Either way, the squad needs bolstering for next season, but with so many due to return in loan with high wages, it could be a challenge. Sigh.
February 20Feb 20 1 minute ago, My Blood Is Blue said: I wouldn’t worry, I honestly can’t see us getting CL next season. Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City, Newcastle and Forest will all finish above us and Bournemouth may as well. Europe League next season is a more likely reward for this season, which to be honest, I wouldn’t be too upset with as that was my expectation before the season started. Either way, the squad needs bolstering for next season, but with so many due to return in loan with high wages, it could be a challenge. Sigh. I'd probably prefer the Europa League in fairness. I could see the CL being too big of a jump, and if we do struggle it'll just cause additional grumbling and divide. We sort of need steady progress opposed to a giant leap that's unlikely sustainable.
February 20Feb 20 41 minutes ago, xceleryx said: I'd probably prefer the Europa League in fairness. I could see the CL being too big of a jump, and if we do struggle it'll just cause additional grumbling and divide. We sort of need steady progress opposed to a giant leap that's unlikely sustainable. I agree, but many won’t because it’s not where a club like Chelsea ‘should be’.
February 20Feb 20 53 minutes ago, My Blood Is Blue said: I wouldn’t worry, I honestly can’t see us getting CL next season. Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City, Newcastle and Forest will all finish above us and Bournemouth may as well. Europe League next season is a more likely reward for this season, which to be honest, I wouldn’t be too upset with as that was my expectation before the season started. Either way, the squad needs bolstering for next season, but with so many due to return in loan with high wages, it could be a challenge. Sigh. 50 minutes ago, xceleryx said: I'd probably prefer the Europa League in fairness. I could see the CL being too big of a jump, and if we do struggle it'll just cause additional grumbling and divide. We sort of need steady progress opposed to a giant leap that's unlikely sustainable. 8 minutes ago, My Blood Is Blue said: I agree, but many won’t because it’s not where a club like Chelsea ‘should be’. My head says yes, a prime example perhaps is Newcastle last season for jumping to the CL too quickly (although I suppose Villa show an opposite this season, albeit perhaps the new format helped them avoid a Newcastle-like group of death). But my heart says no, let's get in there asap and have those special nights under the lights at the Bridge again.
February 20Feb 20 13 minutes ago, CarefreeMuratcan said: My head says yes, a prime example perhaps is Newcastle last season for jumping to the CL too quickly (although I suppose Villa show an opposite this season, albeit perhaps the new format helped them avoid a Newcastle-like group of death). But my heart says no, let's get in there asap and have those special nights under the lights at the Bridge again. I desperately want those European nights at the bridge again, but I also don’t want morale destroying defeats against the teams we used to rival in this competition. I am very confident we’ll be back in the CL in the next couple of seasons, I just hope when we do return we have a squad and manager that are ready to deal with it. As it stands, the only players in our squad that will have experience in that competition are Reece James, Nkunku and Sancho (unless I’ve forgotten someone).
Create an account or sign in to comment