The media have built Bellend into what he's perceived as. However, if there was one player I didn't want to score last night, it was Hey Jude!I just want Khusanov starting at theirs to break that odious Cnut Bellingham in half
115?How old does a professional member of a premier league and chumps' league squad need to be before they tip over the threshold of slagoffability?...
Well their defence is a bit questionable, yes, our first goal proved that .... and they only have the 5th best 'goals against' column in La Liga, which is a bit surprising seeing as they're top of the table.Agree mostly.
Disagree with your praise of Madrid. Madrid are pretty shit - as top sides go. They're in the playoffs just like we are (unlike actual top sides).
Madrid's main problem, IMO, is that they're full of egotistic offensive players who are fantastically gifted but who can't follow directions from their manager to pitch in once the ball turns over.
Madrid is going to knock us out - and depending on whom they draw - they might advance further. But Madrid are totally shit on defense. They're very, very unlikely to win the C/L this year.
Well City can definitely turn it on in any given game, or situation, and i agree that Real Madrid aren't clear of us yet, and a quick City goal may see them show a few nerves ...... but Madrid know the tie is theirs to lose now, and they know we have to go hunting for goals in the return leg, which could amount to us leavin' a few gaps at the back .. and they also know how many chances they had the other night, especially in that opening 15-20 minutes when they seemed to just open us up at will, so we can only hope that they get too cocky, or over confident, and drop their guard a bit next Wednesday ... but only time will tell.Madrid - a young, elite, athletic, world star galactico side with an elite coach who has won significantly fewer trophies than Pep in about twelve/thirteen years longer in coaching. They play in a much easier league - just ask Gareth Bale - so topping La Liga is nothing special. Taking that into account, why did they only finish eleventh in the CL league - no ifs, buts, maybes, wuddas, cuddas, shuddas, false positions? When the Madrid excitement dies down, they'll realise they're only one up against a side handing chances to them on a plate. Imagine the reverse if was the first leg - we go over there and get handed two goals on a plate. We'd be told in no uncertain terms that we were lucky. We'd be nervous about having a one goal lead - a two goal lead even. Will Madrid plan to face our old guard or will they anticipate changes. Either way, I always realistically expected us to go over there needing a win. I'm glass half full - the greatest out and out striker on the planet has stepped up his game recently, Phil looks to be close to the old normal, Gvardiol looking immense, Jack superb until the injury and John looking back to his best (injury permitting). Maybe time to put Jack in the middle because he'd run the show. If I was a Madrid fan, I'd be secretly very nervous about facing a team with Haaland in it - especially given our lack of form, which at some point, even with its ageing limitations, has to deliver a stellar performance at some point. Even during the dark days all those decades ago, we'd deliver one stellar performance a season.
Having this many games against other top 4/5 contending teams this close together makes this a nervy stretch.Pep said this is a season to suffer.
Going out the CL wouldn’t be bad. We play once a week, hopefully allows us to get our players fit. We were never ever competing in it anyway.
One game a week is a nice intensity for this current squad, especially when you consider that we have a CWC to play in the summer too.
Focus on T4/5. This next batch of fixtures could be painful but the final ten games aren’t so bad. That’s when the T4 race will de decided
Voice of reason. Not much to look forward to for the fans but this is probably for the best considering the squad we now have. Still amazed that we’re involved in this ridiculous competition in June!Pep said this is a season to suffer.
Going out the CL wouldn’t be bad. We play once a week, hopefully allows us to get our players fit. We were never ever competing in it anyway.
One game a week is a nice intensity for this current squad, especially when you consider that we have a CWC to play in the summer too.
Focus on T4/5. This next batch of fixtures could be painful but the final ten games aren’t so bad. That’s when the T4 race will de decided
Pep said this is a season to suffer.
Going out the CL wouldn’t be bad. We play once a week, hopefully allows us to get our players fit. We were never ever competing in it anyway.
One game a week is a nice intensity for this current squad, especially when you consider that we have a CWC to play in the summer too.
Focus on T4/5. This next batch of fixtures could be painful but the final ten games aren’t so bad. That’s when the T4 race will de decided
That's pretty much my take on it. Yes, the financial hit won't be nice. But re the actual football, we didn't have a hope in hell of winning it. Going out now will make the fixture list somewhat easier; a few blank midweeks to help rest weary bones. Top 4/5 is the priority now.I said before the Brugges game id rather we just went out, instead we earnt ourselves a two legged tie with even more energy sapping minutes to be put into the legs.
Then we go 2-1 up and actually look similar to the City of old but then we just completely burn the house to the ground. Its a shambles.
We are a bit shit. Think it's just 4 clean sheets in the last 24 games and those were against Salford, Ipswich, Leicester and Forest. We've also conceded 3 plus goals in 6 of those games, and 2 goals multiple times.Ha ha... Let's just say we're just not at levels we're used to. I think we're far from shit... Lol :-)
Yep. Then penalties if needs be....If we win 1nil does it go extra time?
Yes. The away goals rule was binned a few years ago.If we win 1nil does it go extra time?
Tough ask for us to limit any team to nilIf we win 1nil does it go extra time?
Yes, but apart from all that?We are a bit shit. Think it's just 4 clean sheets in the last 24 games and those were against Salford, Ipswich, Leicester and Forest. We've also conceded 3 plus goals in 6 of those games, and 2 goals multiple times.
That is a very sobering thought .We’re not really shit but we would be lucky to play Thursday nights on current form
You'll have to wait for the next transfer window - got any youtube clips of them in action ?