European Champions League 2020/21

[gumboots]

9 hours ago, speeeeeeedie said:

City were the better team over 2 legs and deserve to be in the final. 

PSG were a bit of a disgrace, especially before and immediately after Di Maria's sending off. I thought that City would have taken their foot off the pedal after that but they still went for it. It looked like they were trying to score more to rub it in. 

 

PSG are inconsistent. They have too many players who sulk when its not going their way instead of trying twice as hard. For all their faults and failings (I can't stand City or their incomprehensible manager, who speaks good English, but somehow manages to annoy me every time he opens his mouth) City have developed the winning mentality and sheer determination that makes the difference between winners and nearly teams. PSG don't have that. 

[riverholmes]

I hope it doesn't get forgotten that Man City's owners, with others, just attempted a coup of the professional game and are part of the problem of devastating inequality in the game. (Of course, Rovers were part of the Premier League which widened the gap greatly and must accept responsibility for that too, with the other clubs).

I'm pleased for Riyad Mahrez. I think many would have, like me, thought that he'd gone to City to be a bit-part player - at best. He represents a dying art of skilful wing play which I really admire. He has been in and out but, for now, is a main man. Foden, De Bruyne et al are great players and Guardiola deserves a lot of credit too.

 

[AllRoverAsia]

3 hours ago, riverholmes said:

I hope it doesn't get forgotten that Man City's owners, with others, just attempted a coup of the professional game and are part of the problem of devastating inequality in the game. (Of course, Rovers were part of the Premier League which widened the gap greatly and must accept responsibility for that too, with the other clubs).

I'm pleased for Riyad Mahrez. I think many would have, like me, thought that he'd gone to City to be a bit-part player - at best. He represents a dying art of skilful wing play which I really admire. He has been in and out but, for now, is a main man. Foden, De Bruyne et al are great players and Guardiola deserves a lot of credit too.

 

We got promoted into the PL

We were not a driving force behind the set up.

Without checking the instigators were the usual suspects of Arsenal, Man U, Liverpool, Spurs and coat-hangers. Urban myth has it was all sketched out on Arsenal letter-headed paper.

Edited May 5, 2021 by AllRoverAsia

[speeeeeeedie]

An all English Champ League final awaits. The second in 3 years.

Chelsea should have won by 4 or 5. Mount, Kante, and Werner all missed sitters. Real hardly got a sniff of goal either. 

Hazard was anonymous. He is getting pelters from the Madrid press for his post game smiling and chatting to Chelsea players. 

I was impressed with Havertz. He started his Chelsea career quietly, got Covid, and disappeared for a few months. He returned looking 3 inches taller with a lot more muscle.

[rigger]

I would have thought under present circumstances, with an all English final, the game would have been held in England rather than Turkey.

[only2garners]

The only way the game will be moved from Istanbul will be if the Turkish authorities go to UEFA to say they can't put it on.

Miguel Delaney made a good point on the radio this morning - after the Super League shambles UEFA is not going to easily agree to moving a game between 2 of the 6 English clubs involved to a country where 6 of the 12 are based.

[speeeeeeedie]

1 hour ago, rigger said:

I would have thought under present circumstances, with an all English final, the game would have been held in England rather than Turkey.

That makes a lot of sense. Unfortunately there are all sorts of stakeholders involved so moving it looks impossible.

If if was to happen it wouldn't be at Wembley as it's play off final weekend. 

Cardiff or Hampden Park maybe?

[Jimbobololo]

Its just a replay of the 1986 Full Members Cup final.

How times (and club fortunes) change.

Still I hope its a similar scoreline.

Edited May 6, 2021 by Jimbobololo
missed a word out

[Claytons Left Boot]

Can’t stand either of them and I won’t be watching.

[bazza]

8 hours ago, rigger said:

I would have thought under present circumstances, with an all English final, the game would have been held in England rather than Turkey.

Turkey seems fine for Arabs v Russians.

[Sparks Rover]

7 hours ago, speeeeeeedie said:

Cardiff or Hampden Park maybe?

The Bescott is about half way....👍

[AllRoverAsia]

in other news, in the Europa Cup, Villareal CF from a Spanish provincial of just 50,000 population see off the mighty Arsenal, whose main claim to fame is an overinflated ego and a nice shirt.

There but for a coat of paint.

[Darrenbot]

Government telling fans not to travel to Turkey for the final.Turkey now on the red list,will be interesting to see what UEFA decide now there will be little fans from the two teams there for the final.

[joey_big_nose]

Fines for 9 of the ESL teams announced. 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/football/2021/may/07/nine-of-european-super-league-rebel-clubs-commit-to-uefa-competitions

The retrospective fines seem pretty pitiful. £2m roughly per club which is probably around their weekly wage bill.

Even the future £100M contract break clause seems hardly much of a barrier. They'll be looking for bigger numbers.

I'm interested to see if the PL takes a harder line. Looks doubtful to me.

[roverandout]

On 06/05/2021 at 16:03, speeeeeeedie said:

That makes a lot of sense. Unfortunately there are all sorts of stakeholders involved so moving it looks impossible.

If if was to happen it wouldn't be at Wembley as it's play off final weekend. 

Cardiff or Hampden Park maybe?

Not holding it in foreign countries 

[Stuart]

On 06/05/2021 at 15:50, only2garners said:

The only way the game will be moved from Istanbul will be if the Turkish authorities go to UEFA to say they can't put it on.

Miguel Delaney made a good point on the radio this morning - after the Super League shambles UEFA is not going to easily agree to moving a game between 2 of the 6 English clubs involved to a country where 6 of the 12 are based.

Yes. Much better that they ignore the covid crisis.

UEFA are a pathetic organisation.

[only2garners]

The fact that Turkey has just gone on to the Red List might change things.

[arbitro]

Despite the tub thumping by Infantino about the ESL UEFA have let down supporters all over with the paltry fines handed out. These clubs will reach down the backs of their sofa's for the money. Here was a real opportunity to stamp their authority on the game and hammer these clubs but once again the weaknesses of football governance is exposed.

Shame on them.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57031372

[Stuart]

1 hour ago, arbitro said:

Despite the tub thumping by Infantino about the ESL UEFA have let down supporters all over with the paltry fines handed out. These clubs will reach down the backs of their sofa's for the money. Here was a real opportunity to stamp their authority on the game and hammer these clubs but once again the weaknesses of football governance is exposed.

Shame on them.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57031372

Everyone at UEFA makes money as long as those very same clubs making money so they have to keep them happy while being seen to be punishing them.

In effect, their wife just told them they’ve reconsidered leaving them for another man she’s been having an affair with, because their new house isn’t as comfy as they thought it would be. On her return not only did she not find the locks changed, or her clothes on the lawn but her husband has “laid down the law” by making her spend one night in the spare room to think about her actions. Next week she’s going to move the ‘other man’ into the marital bad with her, and put the husband in the spare room. But… “they still love each other”.

[arbitro]

16 minutes ago, Stuart said:

Everyone at UEFA makes money as long as those very same clubs making money so they have to keep them happy while being seen to be punishing them.

In effect, their wife just told them they’ve reconsidered leaving them for another man she’s been having an affair with, because their new house isn’t as comfy as they thought it would be. On her return not only did she not find the locks changed, or her clothes on the lawn but her husband has “laid down the law” by making her spend one night in the spare room to think about her actions. Next week she’s going to move the ‘other man’ into the marital bad with her, and put the husband in the spare room. But… “they still love each other”.

You're not Ian Holloway with that analogy are you?

😂😂😂

[Stuart]

2 hours ago, arbitro said:

You're not Ian Holloway with that analogy are you?

😂😂😂

 

[speeeeeeedie]

Not Champs League but it fits here.

I watched the last 20 mins plus extra time of the Europa league final last night. It was turgid stuff. 

The penalty shootout was good though. All of Villareal's were top notch. Their keeper got close to about 4 of Man U's before saving De Gea's attempt. 

4 titles now for Emery. He could be on 5 if his Arsenal team would have turned up against Chelsea 2 years ago.

[Darrenbot]

I read today that De Gea has now failed to stop the last 36 penalties taken against him,if Ole was a good manager he would know this and should have subbed De Gea before the penalty shoot out.

[speeeeeeedie]

1 hour ago, Darrenbot said:

I read today that De Gea has now failed to stop the last 36 penalties taken against him,if Ole was a good manager he would know this and should have subbed De Gea before the penalty shoot out.

I read the same. Was it the Guardian? Solskjær’s lack of a cohesive attacking structure has been brutally exposed | Manchester United | The Guardian

What made it worse is that Man U could have made another sub, and Henderson has saved almost half of the penalties he's faced. 

What I read was pretty scathing toward Solskjear. He isn't up to it. I've said that since he was appointed. His squad is paper thin and he relies on Fernandes for everything. 

 

 

[ben_the_beast]

I watched the whole game last night. Mainly because I've a soft spot for Villareal. My main takeaway from the game however, was watching United equalise, move into the ascendancy, look like the only team who were going to win it, to then watching Villareal make 5 subs in normal time and wrestle the game back. 

Solskjaer didn't make a sub until the 110th minute when it was clear his side had been running on empty since the 70th. It was ridiculous. You've only got to look at how Lingard has performed since leaving United and its embarrassing for Solskjaer. His reluctance to use any of his subs shows just how limited and lacking in faith he is.