Champions League 2018

[Nice One Cyril]

Cracking game between Juve and Spurs, had absolutely everything and could have gone either way. Draw was probably a fair result and puts Spurs in the box seat for the game at Wembley.

Apart from the first ten minutes, very happy with Spurs' performance, to go to Turin and essentially dominate the game is no mean feat.

I see Man City cruising in the other tie, KDB pulling the strings again.

[Con M]

Cracking game between Juve and Spurs, had absolutely everything and could have gone either way. Draw was probably a fair result and puts Spurs in the box seat for the game at Wembley.

Apart from the first ten minutes, very happy with Spurs' performance, to go to Turin and essentially dominate the game is no mean feat.

I see Man City cruising in the other tie, KDB pulling the strings again.

Yeah, gotta agree it was a good game to watch at dawn this morn, Not Nice. Thought Pochettino’s team were dead after 0-2 in the early minutes, but they came back.

Juve kicking themselves not going 3-1 with that penalty @ stroke of H.T.

Smart low goal by Eriksen when the wall jumped.

[ozzie owl]

Cracking game between Juve and Spurs, had absolutely everything and could have gone either way. Draw was probably a fair result and puts Spurs in the box seat for the game at Wembley.

Apart from the first ten minutes, very happy with Spurs' performance, to go to Turin and essentially dominate the game is no mean feat.

I see Man City cruising in the other tie, KDB pulling the strings again.

City could rest half their starters for the home leg, next round in the bag for them.

[Mápó Tòfu]

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[haywood djablowme]

Just finished watching the replay of the Spurs game.. very entertaining game with both teams doing enough to win it!

Dembele to me has to be the most underrated player in Europe.

Should make for an interesting return leg at Wembley

[Old Master]

Just finished watching the replay of the Spurs game.. very entertaining game with both teams doing enough to win it!

Dembele to me has to be the most underrated player in Europe.

Should make for an interesting return leg at Wembley

Dembele was being heavily criticised earlier in the season but his recent performances have been excellent.

[Nice One Cyril]

Just finished watching the replay of the Spurs game.. very entertaining game with both teams doing enough to win it!

Dembele to me has to be the most underrated player in Europe.

Should make for an interesting return leg at Wembley

Dembele was being heavily criticised earlier in the season but his recent performances have been excellent.

He was injured, just getting back to match fitness now.

[N5 1BH]

Just finished watching the replay of the Spurs game.. very entertaining game with both teams doing enough to win it!

Dembele to me has to be the most underrated player in Europe.

Should make for an interesting return leg at Wembley

Dembele was being heavily criticised earlier in the season but his recent performances have been excellent.

He was injured, just getting back to match fitness now.

He'd be due another injury right about now then

[Nice One Cyril]

Pissed off, but credit to Juve, outplayed for the majority of the match, but defended for their lives and found a way to score twice with only two attempts on target.

[Ga Pala]

Forza Juve! Too much experience and guile for Spurs.

[Facts and Stats]

Pissed off, but credit to Juve, outplayed for the majority of the match, but defended for their lives and found a way to score twice with only two attempts on target.

They may of course have missed it, but they should have had a penalty in first half. massive blunder by the ref, and his assistants

And why did Lloris not come out and save the second? You usually find fault with goals, he was majorly wrong in the decisive moment in the tie.

[Nice One Cyril]

Forza Juve! Too much experience and guile for Spurs.

I think you're right, they defended brilliantly and were cynical and professional when needed and Spurs showed a bit of naivety in defending. Higuain should have been hacked the second he turned for the second.

Juve should have had a penalty, but then again, so should Spurs for the obvious shirt pulling, but overall, Spurs' failure to score the second goal, despite plenty of chances, came back to bite them on the muscat.

[Nice One Cyril]

Pissed off, but credit to Juve, outplayed for the majority of the match, but defended for their lives and found a way to score twice with only two attempts on target.

They may of course have missed it, but they should have had a penalty in first half. massive blunder by the ref, and his assistants

And why did Lloris not come out and save the second? You usually find fault with goals, he was majorly wrong in the decisive moment in the tie.

Sorry, can't agree that Lloris was at fault for either goal. See my post to Ga Pala.

Re the Juve penalty, what is the point of paying extra officials if they can't see what's in front (literally in this case) of their faces?

[Mr Red]

[

They may of course have missed it, but they should have had a penalty in first half. massive blunder by the ref, and his assistants
.

VAR might of helped?

[Nice One Cyril]

[

They may of course have missed it, but they should have had a penalty in first half. massive blunder by the ref, and his assistants
.

VAR might of helped?

VAR would also have given Spurs a penalty and sent off Barzagli, but I still hate it.

[Facts and Stats]

Pissed off, but credit to Juve, outplayed for the majority of the match, but defended for their lives and found a way to score twice with only two attempts on target.

They may of course have missed it, but they should have had a penalty in first half. massive blunder by the ref, and his assistants

And why did Lloris not come out and save the second? You usually find fault with goals, he was majorly wrong in the decisive moment in the tie.

Sorry, can't agree that Lloris was at fault for either goal. See my post to Ga Pala.

Re the Juve penalty, what is the point of paying extra officials if they can't see what's in front (literally in this case) of their faces?

Lloris could have come out smarter made himself big and he would have probably saved it. But obviously it's not certain.
I am 100% with you re the extra officials. I though the ref was poor all first half - wasn't watching second closely to be able to comment.

[Nice One Cyril]

I am 100% with you re the extra officials. I though the ref was poor all first half - wasn't watching second closely to be able to comment.

IMO, the reason players theatrically enhance contact, is precisely because clowns like the fourth, fifth, sixth (which one was he?) official don't give obvious penalties, they almost force players to cheat.

[Facts and Stats]

I am 100% with you re the extra officials. I though the ref was poor all first half - wasn't watching second closely to be able to comment.

IMO, the reason players theatrically enhance contact, is precisely because clowns like the fourth, fifth, sixth (which one was he?) official don't give obvious penalties, they almost force players to cheat.

I see where you are coming from.
The ones at Anfield were at least debateable , this one wasn't. Should he have gone down after the first contact? Maybe. But the second one ensured it was a pen!

[Con M]

Pissed off, but credit to Juve, outplayed for the majority of the match, but defended for their lives and found a way to score twice with only two attempts on target.

They may of course have missed it, but they should have had a penalty in first half. massive blunder by the ref, and his assistants

And why did Lloris not come out and save the second? You usually find fault with goals, he was majorly wrong in the decisive moment in the tie.

Sorry, can't agree that Lloris was at fault for either goal. See my post to Ga Pala.

Re the Juve penalty, what is the point of paying extra officials if they can't see what's in front (literally in this case) of their faces?

He’ll, don’t faint Not Nice. I’M agreeing again with you after watching the game live this morn. It was right under the nose of the 5th official.

So why is UEFA persisting in deploying these goal-line assistant ref cowards who won’t make an instant recommendation to the central ref?

And UEFA is also persisting in not going with VAR which would have fixed this.

Personally I’m wavering about VAR. What if Gianni “the infant” Infantino is right about VAR decisions only taking an average of 55 seconds? There’s plenty of other delays in the game taking that long - injuries, subs taking an eternity to walk off, goal kicks, short corners to run the clock down etc etc.

[Facts and Stats]

He’ll, don’t faint Not Nice. I’M agreeing again with you after watching the game live this morn. It was right under the nose of the 5th official.

So why is UEFA persisting in deploying these goal-line assistant ref cowards who won’t make an instant recommendation to the central ref?

And UEFA is also persisting in not going with VAR which would have fixed this.

Personally I’m wavering about VAR. What if Gianni “the infant” Infantino is right about VAR decisions only taking an average of 55 seconds? There’s plenty of other delays in the game taking that long - injuries, subs taking an eternity to walk off, goal kicks, short corners to run the clock down etc etc.

Nothing wrong with agreeing with me My only big issue with VAR is the fans (at the game) don't know what is going on. It has teething trouble but I am confident it will be acceptable in the future.

[maxin in the shade]

Spurs all but guaranteed top four, exiting the CL at the round of sixteen stage and the FA Cup is their only chance of a trophy.

I remember when Arsenal was deemed in crisis for similar reasons.

Yet everyone loves Tottenham cause they have 'so much potential'.

Still waiting on that first piece of silverware though

[Nice One Cyril]

Spurs all but guaranteed top four, exiting the CL at the round of sixteen stage and the FA Cup is their only chance of a trophy.

I remember when Arsenal was deemed in crisis for similar reasons.

Yet everyone loves Tottenham cause they have 'so much potential'.

Still waiting on that first piece of silverware though

Perspective depends on where you've come from and Arsenal are getting worse whilst Spurs are improving. Not much to choose between them at the moment, but long may that momentum continue.

[Ga Pala]

Credit to Spurs and their manager who is building a fantastic TEAM. They are heading in the right direction and will gain invaluable experience from these pressure cooker matches. IMO If they can keep this team together and continue to strengthen in areas they need to, I can see them having some real success and progressing to the final stages of the Champions League.

[Facts and Stats]

Credit to Spurs and their manager who is building a fantastic TEAM. They are heading in the right direction and will gain invaluable experience from these pressure cooker matches. IMO If they can keep this team together and continue to strengthen in areas they need to, I can see them having some real success and progressing to the final stages of the Champions League.

TBF what you have written is true about LFC CFC and MUFC

[Nice One Cyril]

Credit to Spurs and their manager who is building a fantastic TEAM. They are heading in the right direction and will gain invaluable experience from these pressure cooker matches. IMO If they can keep this team together and continue to strengthen in areas they need to, I can see them having some real success and progressing to the final stages of the Champions League.

TBF what you have written is true about LFC CFC and MUFC

Perhaps true about the modern LFC, but the latter stages of the European Cup are not exactly virgin territory for Chelsea and United.

[Facts and Stats]

Credit to Spurs and their manager who is building a fantastic TEAM. They are heading in the right direction and will gain invaluable experience from these pressure cooker matches. IMO If they can keep this team together and continue to strengthen in areas they need to, I can see them having some real success and progressing to the final stages of the Champions League.

TBF what you have written is true about LFC CFC and MUFC

Perhaps true about the modern LFC, but the latter stages of the European Cup are not exactly virgin territory for Chelsea and United.

Is man utd one QF in 7 years? Since they lost to Barcelona they have not really performed or qualified.

[Nice One Cyril]

Chelsea getting flogged by Barca (although tbf they should have had a penalty), United parking the bus against a pretty average Sevilla and losing, Spurs outplaying but being knocked out by Juve. It will be interesting to see how Liverpool and City, who haven't really played anyone decent yet, get on in the next round. They'll both be hoping for Roma or Sevilla I reckon and I'm not overly impressed with Bayern this year.

[Bomber]

When's the draw?

[Facts and Stats]

When's the draw?

9-30 PM Friday night.

[Nice One Cyril]

When's the draw?

9-30 PM Friday night.

Some interesting ties.

City v Liverpool - City over two legs for me.
Sevilla v Bayern - close one this, Bayern are not playing well (which illustrates the weakness of the Bundesliga atm) and I reckon it might go to penalties. Ze Germans never lose on penalties :wink:
Barca v Roma - Barca comfortably.
Juve v Real - Neither team at their best, but Real look to be finding some form and should progress.