Champions League Final | Pre-Match Thread

[Brendan110_0]

I was worried that playing games without really needing to win would hurt us. You can’t just switch that shit on and off, whilst chavs are still at it every match. Tonight could be a blessing in disguise, bit of injustice and anger will do no harm.

I think a sending off can also sharpen us up for the final, can't be getting a red as it almost certainly spells the end.

 

[DMA's]

UEFA Champions League Predictions

FiveThirtyEight's UEFA Champions League predictions

projects.fivethirtyeight.com

Interesting that it has go it so close almost a flip of a coin. Incidentally do you know how they work the predicted probabilities etc? Be interesting to know

 

[Cobwebcat]

Interesting that it has go it so close almost a flip of a coin. Incidentally do you know how they work the predicted probabilities etc? Be interesting to know

How Our Club Soccer Predictions Work

References Engsoccerdata / Opta / Transfermarkt Harmonic mean / Massey’s method / Monte Carlo method / Poisson process / Ranked probability score The Details We…

fivethirtyeight.com

Its complicated but interesting. Quite accurate in the end too. In the thread “how many points to win the league“ nearly all blues were going for 80 -90 points six months ago (some as late as a couple of weeks ago)

538 pretty much said 75 from the start and didn’t change much throughout the season.

If you tap on SPI you will see it’s 1st vs 4th so it’s quite close.

 

[supercity88]

I know our form hasn't been great but we'll step up for the final. It's natural to drop off slightly with such a key game on the horizon. And I don't think we have particularly dropped off. We've made a lot of changes and last night were two up despite having ten men (wrongly) from the 10th minute. I think we'd have cruised that game otherwise.

Everton is a trial run. If we win 4-0 we'll be nervous and if we lose 4-0 we'll be nervous. But Pep will be meticulous in his preparation for the final.

On Chelsea, I've noticed they still struggle under a high press. Chilwell and Rudiger I'd be targeting as well as the keeper. If the ball comes into the middle, Jorginho and Kante aren't as good at turning out of danger and facing forwards. PSG with Verratti (who is much better on the ball than any of Chelsea's deeper central players) did manage to thread some passes through but we still managed to block off their shots.

I think our false 9 system with our semi final lineup will manage to turn the ball over in dangerous areas and create enough chances to win. But it's such fine margins in these games. One 50/50 call the wrong way... one poor refereeing decision... Werner staying onside and timing his runs... lots of variables.

I do think the fact we've conceded and lost games recently will ensure we aren't complacent.

I'll risk sounding like a Liverpool fan here, but I just feel like this is our year with the CL. I think Pep will nail the formation and I think the team are at an age and experience level where they are ready to go and win it too.

I hope I'm right.

 

[Cornish_Blue]

If we thought the officiating and comedy VAR was bad v BHA, just wait til this game.

I honestly believe that we will be literally kicked off the park and the officiating will be like watching a dad ref his sons team.

Dreading it. The fcuking melts in the media are too scared to tell the truth for what it is. The tackle on Gundo was a disgrace and could have finished his career.

 

[G-Star Medium Rare]

For the sake of the players , Pep, all the support staff and owners I hope we win the Chumps Cup final, but personally I won't be that bothered if we don't. From drawing us against the other " upstarts" PSG in the semis, to UEFA selecting a Spanish ref for the final + last night's blatant attempts to undermine City with outrageous officiating on pitch and by VAR I think the Blazers are conspiring against us and can't stand the thought of their old favourites losing out again !

 

[DMA's]

For the sake of the players , Pep, all the support staff and owners I hope we win the Chumps Cup final, but personally I won't be that bothered if we don't. From drawing us against the other " upstarts" PSG in the semis, to UEFA selecting a Spanish ref for the final + last night's blatant attempts to undermine City with outrageous officiating on pitch and by VAR I think the Blazers are conspiring against us and can't stand the thought of their old favourites losing out again !

Yes because I’m sure uefa knew Bayern would lose to PSG. Cmon mate thats just ridiculous and undermines your understandable gripe re the ref. Not to mention Chelsea are hardly darlings of uefa either

 

[G-Star Medium Rare]

Yes because I’m sure uefa knew Bayern would lose to PSG. Cmon mate thats just ridiculous and undermines your understandable gripe re the ref. Not to mention Chelsea are hardly darlings of uefa either

Yes but Chelski winning ( hardly darlings of UEFA as you say) would be a one off and slow the City group from their inexorable rise to dominate world football. ( in my dreams!)

 

[cibaman]

How do you work that out after the past few performances. ? We’ve lost 3 of the last 6 league games and Everton will be no push overs. Ancelotti will have a game plan and now Pep is forced to play his champs league team to somehow find some form and confidence from somewhere. I can only hope the training sessions have been amazing.

I don’t think there will be any issues at all regarding confidence. The players will absolutely know that if we play well we will win. I don’t think there‘s any need to play a full strength team against Everton. we can lose 0-4 playing an under strength team and it wouldn’t make the slightest difference to the players mindset. Yesterday’s strenuous workout means that most of the starting line up will not need another game before the final.

When Chelsea beat RM my biggest concern was that we would be over confident playing them In the final. Now I don’t have any worries on that score

 

[HarrytheBlue]

The key is not letting Kante face our goal. Let him have the ball but keep him facing his own goal and press him. He isn't the best under that pressure. Stop Chelsea turning and playing through us and they'll be limited to hopeful balls forwards or slow passes wide and back from their centre backs.

Leicester's shape gave me a lot of confidence today.

Kante is arguably their best player in his own way. I don't see a weakness. Imagine him in our team - ideal Pep player. We have Fern - does a similar job in a different way - the best in the Prem at what he does.