UCL Knockout round thread

[Orangezoo]

Great first two games so far. I don't follow Shak Don. but didn't realize they had such a large contingence of Brazilian talent. They are making life tough on Bayern. PSG-Chelsea is just a dynamite matchup. The amount of money on that pitch...

and now Bayern down to 10 men with plenty to go...

 

[CanadianSU]

Too bad my Shakhtar boys couldn't get ONE.

On to Munich, Bayern looks very average, this was supposed to be a down year for Shakhtar as well, but never know...

 

[Orangezoo]

Too bad my Shakhtar boys couldn't get ONE.

On to Munich, Bayern looks very average, this was supposed to be a down year for Shakhtar as well, but never know...

Yeah gotta think they missed an opportunity though. A man up with 25 to go. They still having enough attacking talent to put one in.

 

[CanadianSU]

Yeah gotta think they missed an opportunity though. A man up with 25 to go. They still having enough attacking talent to put one in.

Definitely.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Wish we were still in it withour current form vs the form we were in when we limped out of the group stage. To me, its tough to see anyone but Real or Barca winning it this year.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Great first two games so far. I don't follow Shak Don. but didn't realize they had such a large contingence of Brazilian talent. They are making life tough on Bayern. PSG-Chelsea is just a dynamite matchup. The amount of money on that pitch...

and now Bayern down to 10 men with plenty to go...

That's Shaktar's business model. They import Brazilians when they are still teenagers. They have housing arrangements, translation and they try to "grow" these players into assets. They use Brazilians pretty much in all the attacking positions and have Ukrainians for the defensive spots in the lineup. Douglas Costa will be their next big sale. Chelsea bought Willian from them a couple years ago.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Wish we were still in it withour current form vs the form we were in when we limped out of the group stage. To me, its tough to see anyone but Real or Barca winning it this year.

Chelsea's form back in November was good enough to win the tournament, but they are looking a bit tired to me. Not enough one-two passing, not enough creativity and interplay in attack. It is too much Hazard or Willian standing statically with the ball and no movement by other players. It's kind of like basketball, when your offense stagnates and you wind up with players trying to make too many one-on-one moves.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Chelsea's form back in November was good enough to win the tournament, but they are looking a bit tired to me. Not enough one-two passing, not enough creativity and interplay in attack. It is too much Hazard or Willian standing statically with the ball and no movement by other players. It's kind of like basketball, when your offense stagnates and you wind up with players trying to make too many one-on-one moves.

I wonder if the lack of a true challenger in the domestic campaign has caused a bit of complacency. They are running away with the prem, and deservedly so, but I wonder if that is dulling their edge a bit similar to Bayern and the Bundesliga? La Liga is set up perfectly for the top teams. RM and Barca are never in risk of not making the CL next year, each push each other all season long, and have enuogh cupcakes that they can run squad players in league matches. Most Prem teams can't do the same because every team can win a game and every 3 points are vitally important.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I wonder if the lack of a true challenger in the domestic campaign has caused a bit of complacency. They are running away with the prem, and deservedly so, but I wonder if that is dulling their edge a bit similar to Bayern and the Bundesliga? La Liga is set up perfectly for the top teams. RM and Barca are never in risk of not making the CL next year, each push each other all season long, and have enuogh cupcakes that they can run squad players in league matches. Most Prem teams can't do the same because every team can win a game and every 3 points are vitally important.

This is the dog days of the calendar. Last year at this time, Oscar began phasing out of the team. I think we could have used him in Paris to generate some more offensive threat, but Mourinho's tendency is to play a bit conservatively away from home in these kind of home-and-home ties. Get the draw away and then come back home and win. That's always his template, and it's hard to argue with, when you consider that he made the semifinals of the Champions League last year with Fernando Torres, Demba Ba and Samuel Eto'o as his strike force. That's kind of remarkable, when you think about it. They were a goal away from making a final with those guys starting up front.

 

[ImperialOrange]

This is the dog days of the calendar. Last year at this time, Oscar began phasing out of the team. I think we could have used him in Paris to generate some more offensive threat, but Mourinho's tendency is to play a bit conservatively away from home in these kind of home-and-home ties. Get the draw away and then come back home and win. That's always his template, and it's hard to argue with, when you consider that he made the semifinals of the Champions League last year with Fernando Torres, Demba Ba and Samuel Eto'o as his strike force. That's kind of remarkable, when you think about it. They were a goal away from making a final with those guys starting up front.

Fair enough but a lot of money was spent on those "wrong guys". Thanks for taking Torres BTW!

Mourinho's demeanor bothers me but he's obviously a great coach and will do what he thinks is proper regardless of what anyone else thinks. People like to argue his means, but results speak for themselves.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Fair enough but a lot of money was spent on those "wrong guys". Thanks for taking Torres BTW!

Mourinho's demeanor bothers me but he's obviously a great coach and will do what he thinks is proper regardless of what anyone else thinks. People like to argue his means, but results speak for themselves.

I love Mourinho's street fighter attitude, because I've got some of that in me, too. And as Syracuse fans, we should recognize that Boeheim has a bit of that in him, too. It's been 30 years since he's thrown a chair in a press conference, but that fire still burns inside him, and he lets out a snarl or two when he thinks it's appropriate. Not so unlike Mourinho, when you think about it.

 

[CanadianSU]

That's Shaktar's business model. They import Brazilians when they are still teenagers. They have housing arrangements, translation and they try to "grow" these players into assets. They use Brazilians pretty much in all the attacking positions and have Ukrainians for the defensive spots in the lineup. Douglas Costa will be their next big sale. Chelsea bought Willian from them a couple years ago.

luiz Adriano will be a bigger one I think.

 

[CanadianSU]

1-0 Bayern... red card 1st minute.. shouldn't have even been a penalty, lol typical uefa.

 

[NailstheCusefan12]

 

[CanadianSU]

View attachment 38082

Game was done when the ref called a red on Kucher when he missed his tackle... In the fourth minute. FCSD wouldn't have won anyway... Likely, but 0-0 to 7-0 lol

You can't play against Bayern with ten men.

 

[NailstheCusefan12]

Game was done when the ref called a red on Kucher when he missed his tackle... In the fourth minute. FCSD wouldn't have won anyway... Likely, but 0-0 to 7-0 lol

You can't play against Bayern with ten men.

Agreed. I would've been pulling for Shakhtar against literally anyone else in the competition. Was a shame we drew each other. A real easy team to root for, but so glad Bayern is safely through.

 

[CanadianSU]

Agreed. I would've been pulling for Shakhtar against literally anyone else in the competition. Was a shame we drew each other. A real easy team to root for, but so glad Bayern is safely through.

More than safely through aha. Normally root for Bayern when they had my dude Tymoshchuk... Love Alaba.

 

[CanadianSU]

Chelsea :O

 

[NailstheCusefan12]

Chelsea :O

That's almost better than seeing Bayern go through. Kick rocks Mou

 

[ImperialOrange]

Anyone see the red card on Ibra? Sounded suspect following the text updates.

 

[NailstheCusefan12]

 

[Alsacs]

The Zaltan red card was a horrible call by the ref. He did a sliding tackle into Costa and Costa was hurt but got right up. Ref gave Zaltan a straight red on a bad call.

PSG played a man down for 90 minutes and still scored 2 goals. Silva GW was awesome. David Luiz needs to be punched for a dive he took on Costa and both of them got yellows.

Chelsea straight choked. They are saying Zaltan will get an automatic 3 game suspension because of the red card and PSG will be in trouble in quarterfinals because of that.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Anxiously awaiting...

 

[CanadianSU]

Anyone see the red card on Ibra? Sounded suspect following the text updates.

Brutal. Chelsea (Oscar called the red card).

 

[ImperialOrange]

The Zaltan red card was a horrible call by the ref. He did a sliding tackle into Costa and Costa was hurt but got right up. Ref gave Zaltan a straight red on a bad call.

PSG played a man down for 90 minutes and still scored 2 goals. Silva GW was awesome. David Luiz needs to be punched for a dive he took on Costa and both of them got yellows.

Chelsea straight choked. They are saying Zaltan will get an automatic 3 game suspension because of the red card and PSG will be in trouble in quarterfinals because of that.

They could appeal the red and possibly have it overturned.

What happened with Costa shoving Marquinhos to the ground after not getting a call and the ref turning his back?