Most open Champions League for a decade?

[Zin 'messiah' Zimmer]

I think the first round of matches backs up what I initially said. There is no clear favourite and any of 8 or so teams could win the CL. Match ups are going to play a huge part. Tuesday could prove to the world I am a fool, but I still have a strange feeling about Dortmund.

Who needs Tuesday to think that? Only jesting

I actually agree with you, go figure...... Though, as I pointed out to you last year, I fully expect Bayern to be in the top 2 this year.... People may laugh, however, if we do get the rub of the green, which is about time in Europe, and we can slip past barca, I think we'll go to the final.... We have become a momentum team over the last 2/3 years, if we hit it at the right time, with the form of key players correlating upwards, we could be very hard to stop

Obviously it depends on a fair few variables but doesn't it always??

City v Bayern final!!!

 

[Scaring Europe to Death]

God knows how we qualified after only playing well in the first half in Moscow and the second half in Rome.
I fear the worst for Tuesday, but quite often the most talented team doesn’t actually win the competition.

Hopefully Bayern will regret their elaborate showboating at the ETIHAD and if we can somehow overcome Barcelona then momentum will take control.

Otherwise I agree with the earlier suggestion that Chelsea look the most tactically balanced.

 

[supercrystal7]

I think the first round of matches backs up what I initially said. There is no clear favourite and any of 8 or so teams could win the CL. Match ups are going to play a huge part. Tuesday could prove to the world I am a fool, but I still have a strange feeling about Dortmund.

Who needs Tuesday to think that? Only jesting

I actually agree with you, go figure...... Though, as I pointed out to you last year, I fully expect Bayern to be in the top 2 this year.... People may laugh, however, if we do get the rub of the green, which is about time in Europe, and we can slip past barca, I think we'll go to the final.... We have become a momentum team over the last 2/3 years, if we hit it at the right time, with the form of key players correlating upwards, we could be very hard to stop

Obviously it depends on a fair few variables but doesn't it always??

City v Bayern final!!!

We will see, but Bayern actually have an average record against the big teams especially away. Lost 4-1 to Wolfsburg, lost 3-2 t City, drew 0-0 with Gladbach, drew 1-1 with Schalke and lost to Dortmund on neutral ground. Of course they had their spectacular result against Roma.

I am not a fan of Guardiola's tactics and think it has greatly weakened the team, but for me they still have by far the best squad and first 11 in the world. If they get it right they should win.

Chelsea of course can win it, but I don't share your optimisim. Fabregas is still very much an Arsenal player at heart; he has not performed well in any of the big games though he has had some excuses for some. Cahill has been poor this year.

Said it before, but I agree about City. If Aguero remains fit then I can see you having a great run to the semi or final. I don't see you winning it, because ultimately I think your lack of experience will be the factor at the last hurdle.

I know lots of people here are not too bothered by the CL, but I am really looking forward to the games on Tuesday and the return leg at the Bridge.

 

[BayernMan]

God knows how we qualified after only playing well in the first half in Moscow and the second half in Rome.
I fear the worst for Tuesday, but quite often the most talented team doesn’t actually win the competition.

Hopefully Boateng will regret their elaborate showboating at the ETIHAD and if we can somehow overcome Barcelona then momentum will take control.

Otherwise I agree with the earlier suggestion that Chelsea look the most tactically balanced.

Fixed

 

[supercrystal7]

God knows how we qualified after only playing well in the first half in Moscow and the second half in Rome.
I fear the worst for Tuesday, but quite often the most talented team doesn’t actually win the competition.

Hopefully Boateng will regret their elaborate showboating at the ETIHAD and if we can somehow overcome Barcelona then momentum will take control.

Otherwise I agree with the earlier suggestion that Chelsea look the most tactically balanced.

Fixed

Not fair to blame Boateng when he follows the instructions of the coach. Bayern foolishly kept trying to play possession football and pass it out of dangerous areas all game. This was risky but worked at the start yet it wouldn't work when the players tired. Alonso made a big mistake himself which led to a goal. Should have changed tactics and defended properly when the players started to tire.

 

[BayernMan]

God knows how we qualified after only playing well in the first half in Moscow and the second half in Rome.
I fear the worst for Tuesday, but quite often the most talented team doesn’t actually win the competition.

Hopefully Boateng will regret their elaborate showboating at the ETIHAD and if we can somehow overcome Barcelona then momentum will take control.

Otherwise I agree with the earlier suggestion that Chelsea look the most tactically balanced.

Fixed

Not fair to blame Boateng when he follows the instructions of the coach. Bayern foolishly kept trying to play possession football and pass it out of dangerous areas all game. This was risky but worked at the start yet it wouldn't work when the players tired. Alonso made a big mistake himself which led to a goal. Should have changed tactics and defended properly when the players started to tire.

Bayern were comfortably passing around Man C even after going down to 10 men. Would it have been better to to park the bus and hold? You made a very valid point and the result kind of speaks for itself, but I wouldn't/don't blame pep to much since he saw that Bayern could pass around Man C regardless so he went with it. "The opponent can't hurt you if he doesn't have the ball" is Pep's style of defense so one could argue he did use a defensive approach but not a traditional one. In this case I think hindsight just prevails because the score is what it is. If Boateng had not goofed Pep's decision wouldn't have looked so dumb. I think me and many other fans who watched that game would say Boateng lost(or gifted ;))that game.

 

[supercrystal7]

Fixed

Not fair to blame Boateng when he follows the instructions of the coach. Bayern foolishly kept trying to play possession football and pass it out of dangerous areas all game. This was risky but worked at the start yet it wouldn't work when the players tired. Alonso made a big mistake himself which led to a goal. Should have changed tactics and defended properly when the players started to tire.

Bayern were comfortably passing around Man C even after going down to 10 men. Would it have been better to to park the bus and hold? You made a very valid point and the result kind of speaks for itself, but I wouldn't/don't blame pep to much since he saw that Bayern could pass around Man C regardless so he went with it. "The opponent can't hurt you if he doesn't have the ball" is Pep's style of defense so one could argue he did use a defensive approach but not a traditional one. In this case I think hindsight just prevails because the score is what it is. If Boateng had not goofed Pep's decision wouldn't have looked so dumb. I think me and many other fans who watched that game would say Boateng lost(or gifted ;))that game.

It was the right thing to do initially, but it takes a lot of effort and movement to keep the ball so well. It was the right way to play initially, but not as the team were tiring and City were getting more desperate. At the very least Alonso's mistake should have been the warning sign that the players did not have the energy to keep it up.

 

[Scaring Europe to Death]

Not fair to blame Boateng when he follows the instructions of the coach. Bayern foolishly kept trying to play possession football and pass it out of dangerous areas all game. This was risky but worked at the start yet it wouldn't work when the players tired. Alonso made a big mistake himself which led to a goal. Should have changed tactics and defended properly when the players started to tire.

Bayern were comfortably passing around Man C even after going down to 10 men. Would it have been better to to park the bus and hold? You made a very valid point and the result kind of speaks for itself, but I wouldn't/don't blame pep to much since he saw that Bayern could pass around Man C regardless so he went with it. "The opponent can't hurt you if he doesn't have the ball" is Pep's style of defense so one could argue he did use a defensive approach but not a traditional one. In this case I think hindsight just prevails because the score is what it is. If Boateng had not goofed Pep's decision wouldn't have looked so dumb. I think me and many other fans who watched that game would say Boateng lost(or gifted ;))that game.

It was the right thing to do initially, but it takes a lot of effort and movement to keep the ball so well. It was the right way to play initially, but not as the team were tiring and City were getting more desperate. At the very least Alonso's mistake should have been the warning sign that the players did not have the energy to keep it up.

Football is not an exact science so you need to kill-off your opponent if the opportunity arises.
The problem with that particular game is that Bayern didn't even look for opportunities. They had City on the ropes, but preferred to play within themselves and save energy. Complacency led to sloppiness and eventually they paid the price.

Bayern were the better team, but City had a World Class striker. I just hope that it proves to be a catalyst.

 

[supercrystal7]

Watching the Dortmund game and it seems I am a fool. I have no idea why Klopp changed the team and brought back the rubbish signings like Immobile and and Mkhitaryan. No idea why Kagawa as poor as he is did not start.

Weidenfeller is an awful keeper. He needs to be replaced. Sahin was the wrong choice for a game like this and they were cut open so easily on the counter. If Bender is still not fit then should have started Ginter instead of Sahin.

Gundogan is getting his form back, but still not what he was.

As for Reus he is just one of the best players in the world. Only Robben, Messi and Ronaldo are better than him.

 

[bluechampion7891]

Watching the Dortmund game and it seems I am a fool. I have no idea why Klopp changed the team and brought back the rubbish signings like Immobile and and Mkhitaryan. No idea why Kagawa as poor as he is did not start.

Weidenfeller is an awful keeper. He needs to be replaced. Sahin was the wrong choice for a game like this and they were cut open so easily on the counter. If Bender is still not fit then should have started Ginter instead of Sahin.

Gundogan is getting his form back, but still not what he was.

As for Reus he is just one of the best players in the world. Only Robben, Messi and Ronaldo are better than him.

Aguero?