Champions League Round of 16 fixtures

I also think it's lazy to put all of our this season's success down to strikers. Yes, against minor sides it will be enough but playing top sides require quality all over the pitch. We've scored one goal in Madrid, what impressed me more, is that we let them virtually no clear-cut chances (bar Ronaldo's header on the stroke of half-time). We're talking about the pinnacle of attacking football there, surely if the midfield was as shit as it's presented we wouldn't see such situation.

EDIT: Fwiw I learned we are 3rd/4th best passing side in Europe this season. It includes league competitions. Not so bad for a team with no CM.
 
Jayvin said:
So did Blackburn. Also, Schalke's form has deteriorated badly since then. In fact, since they beat Olympiakos 1-0 in the final CL group game, Schalke have won only 1 game in 12 attempts.
Click to expand...

They tied Mainz last week away. Does not sound much but that is one of the matches the even do not like in good form. And I remember two years ago when they have been near the relegation ranks in the league and at the same time made the semi finals. They have not played well against Manchester United and not shown what they did in the matches before - in this matches they showed their league form - but before they really had great matches.

That is what I meant with that they leave you hot and cold. It would not surprise me if they would have a decent result tonight - and then in three weeks make a great match.

They had the best start ever into the league this year and got out of their CL group first - until they started to really bottle everything in the league. It is still the same team.
 
Tomuś said:
I also think it's lazy to put all of our this season's success down to strikers. Yes, against minor sides it will be enough but playing top sides require quality all over the pitch. We've scored one goal in Madrid, what impressed me more, is that we let them virtually no clear-cut chances (bar Ronaldo's header on the stroke of half-time). We're talking about the pinnacle of attacking football there, surely if the midfield was as shit as it's presented we wouldn't see such situation.

EDIT: Fwiw I learned we are 3rd/4th best passing side in Europe this season. It includes league competitions. Not so bad for a team with no CM.
Click to expand...

We sat deep in the second half, that's all we did!
 
Does anyone hold much hope for Milan tonight?

Can't see it but would make this years CL wide open if Barca went out

and by wide open I mean more of a chance for us!
 
I can see Barcelona being wasteful enough for a low-scoring draw at the San Siro, 0-0 or 1-1. They haven't really impressed lately, but then again they're usually up for the big games.
 
Jaap said:
Galatasaray to beat Schalke and Barcelona to beat Milan by two goals.
Click to expand...

Schalke is in a pathetic freefall.

Love that to be true at the San Siro but after such a high octane match last night with Bayern, I suspect the Rossoneri are more intent on not embarrassing themselves tonight - which means mass gridlock on the pitch. I fear it will be borrrring

Of course, I have this suspicion that the imperious performance from the Bavarians last night will perhaps serve to further motivate the Catalans to make a statement match of their own - we'll see. This is their 10th straight season in the knockout phase so I imagine both the coaching staff & players have been preparing for this run of tough matches in advance - which might also explain their less than stellar form recently
 
A Gala win for sure. Three German teams in the next round would annoy me.

Don't know if El Shaarawy is fit to start the game tonight. Last heard he had some injury issues.

Milan to win the game 2-1 and the tie 3-2 on aggregate.
 
Schalke reached the semi-finals in a season on which they ended 14th in Bundesliga. Don't write them off on basis of current form. The team is the same that started Bundesliga so well. Motivation is key, and in the CL it will be different than it has been on the league.

They're more experienced than Galatasaray at overcoming this level of pressure.

Favourites? Perhaps no, but at the very least it's a close tie on paper.
 
We thumped them that season 6-1 (on agg.) in the semis with Gibson starting in the midfield at OT. We eventually got mauled by Barca in the final though. :(

Gala were good against us in the group stages. Sneijder and Drogba give them a legitimate chance. I am pretty confident that they'll get a win tonight.
 
Arruda said:
Schalke reached the semi-finals in a season on which they ended 14th in Bundesliga. Don't write them off on basis of current form. The team is the same that started Bundesliga so well. Motivation is key, and in the CL it will be different than it has been on the league.

They're more experienced than Galatasaray at overcoming this level of pressure.

Favourites? Perhaps no, but at the very least it's a close tie on paper.
Click to expand...

Drogba, Sneijder, Altıntop, Riera, Eboue, don't know if they all play, but that's plenty of experience.
 
The Germans are entering a cauldron tonight and are already at an unfair disadvantage with the Turkish reinforcements

BDivPz4CIAAntXl.jpg
 
Moonwalker said:
Drogba, Sneijder, Altıntop, Riera, Eboue, don't know if they all play, but that's plenty of experience.
Click to expand...

It certainly is. Let's see how they are working out as a unit.

Dealing with pressure is also a collective ability, this is a team sport. Malaga probably had more experience than Porto in the pitch yesterday, with the likes of Santa Cruz, Joachim, DeMichelis, and many others. Yet Porto was clearly better suited to perform at their best and our players were more confident.
 
Inspectah deck said:
Oh it will alright! The most likely teams in the last 8:

Bayern
PSG
Juventus
Barcelona
United or Madrid
Porto
Dortmund
Schalke or Galatasary.

For the first time in feck knows how long, there will be seven very strong teams emerging from their ties. Any of those 7 teams have the quality to make the semi finals of the competition without it being a shock/fluke. Heck, forget the strongest teams, even the "weakest" team can boast Drogba and Sneijder in their starting lineup!
Click to expand...

That would be a hell of a cast for the quarter finals...

However, if we can manage to get past Real Madrid, and somehow Milan play like their past legendary teams and get rid of Barcelona it really will be anyones.
 
He held out for massive wages at a top club, didn't get them, got forced out anyway and now plys his trade in one of the worst professional leagues in Europe?
 
Nothing wrong with it, but he could've played for a team who actually stood a chance of winning the competition if his wage demands weren't so high (if the story was true).
 
Sandikan said:
That would be a hell of a cast for the quarter finals...

However, if we can manage to get past Real Madrid, and somehow Milan play like their past legendary teams and get rid of Barcelona it really will be anyones.
Click to expand...

Milan won't get past Barca.

If United are serious about winning it this year, they'll have to face the Catalans at some point. The only other team that have a remote chance of knocking them out is Bayern, so you better hope they face each other before you have to face either.
 
Fergus' son said:
Nothing wrong with it, but he could've played for a team who actually stood a chance of winning the competition if his wage demands weren't so high (if the story was true).
Click to expand...

He's won the competition. Galatasaray are unlikely to win the trophy but if he carries them far, that's a good outcome.

Skorenzy said:
Lol.
Click to expand...

Basically.
 
I can't be arsed sitting through another Barca v Milan yet again.

Schalke v Galatasaray all the way for me.
 
antihenry said:
Milan won't get past Barca.

If United are serious about winning it this year, they'll have to face the Catalans at some point. The only other team that have a remote chance of knocking them out is Bayern, so you better hope they face each other before you have to face either.
Click to expand...

Barca will beat Bayern if they are in decent form. Need some more defensive team to do them. Psg maybe?
 
Bayern looked pretty good to me last night, I think it's close even tho 'Messi probably clinches it.
 
Bayern's defence can be dodgy tbh and Arsenal were OK against them in the midfield plus they don't do that well against Barca type of teams.
 
Arsenal controlled possession in the game last night. If only they had sacrificed some that possession and had Giroud instead of Ramsey, things could have been different. Wenger fecked up with this team selection last night.
 
Forevergiggs said:
Arsenal controlled possession in the game last night. If only they had sacrificed some that possession and had Giroud instead of Ramsey, things could have been different. Wenger fecked up with this team selection last night.
Click to expand...

Bayern changed their tactics after they went 2-0 up, so I wouldn't read to much into the second half. Arsenal's defense didn't look like they could withstand even more pressure from Bayern, so giving Bayern more possession in the beginning might have lead to an even worse outcome.
 
Cevno said:
Bayern's defence can be dodgy tbh and Arsenal were OK against them in the midfield plus they don't do that well against Barca type of teams.
Click to expand...

Is this the defence that has conceded the fewest shots per game in Europe this season?
 
Forevergiggs said:
Arsenal controlled possession in the game last night. If only they had sacrificed some that possession and had Giroud instead of Ramsey, things could have been different. Wenger fecked up with this team selection last night.
Click to expand...


No doubt Ramsey was miscast, but IMO the bigger problem is Wilshere. As great a player he is, he isn't going to work as what is nominally a holding midfielder, he's far too indisciplined for that role, or if I want to be generous I could say he's too complete to be limited to that role. It was all very flashy and noticeable, those driving runs of his, only problem is that when he inevitably conceded possession there was a sea of space behind him with poor old Arteta the only one on mopping up duty. Wilshere's average position was noticeably advanced compared to the other three holding mids in the game. According to WhoScored.com he was dispossessed 4 times and had 2 turnovers (ie, heavy touch or miscontrol which cedes possession); those are woeful numbers for what is supposed to be a holding mid (and the 2nd worst for anyone in that match, by the way)!

That, and not solely the quality of their backline, is a major cause of Arsenal's fragility IMO. Ramsey getting far too centrally in this game didn't help anything in an offense sense either, but the defensive concerns will always be there because they lack discipline and tactical nous in the defensive end of midfield (same story with Fàbregas before that). They've never recovered from the loss of Vieira.
 
Poxbo said:
Is this the defence that has conceded the fewest shots per game in Europe this season?
Click to expand...

Ole's_toe_poke said:
Wish our defense was as dodgy as Bayern.
Click to expand...

Yep, the same Bayern who conceded 7 goals in a weak group and lost 3-1 to Bate Borisov in the 2nd round of games.

They are also the Same Bayern who have Van Buyten, Dante and Alaba in their back 3 while Lahm despite being a great fullback isn't the best defensively.
 
Milan line-up (official): Abbiati - Abate Mexes Zapata Constant - Montolivo Ambrosini Muntari - Boateng Pazzini El Shaaraway

FC Barcelona's starting XI: Valdés, Alves, Piqué, Puyol, Alba, Sergio, Xavi, Iniesta, Cesc, Pedro and Messi

Probably the strongest team that Barca could have put out. Expecting a borefest but hope I'm wrong.
 
Cevno said:
They are also the Same Bayern who have Van Buyten, Dante and Alaba in their back 3 while Lahm despite being a great fullback isn't the best defensively.
Click to expand...

Lahm's brilliant defensively.

Van Buyten and Dante were pretty good last night too. Alaba might not be the best defensively but that's the way the full back position is going now. It's all about players who can get forward and support so I don't think criticism is warranted.

Bayern's defence is fine. Got one of the best if not the best goalkeepers in the world and the best full back in the world. Not bad.
 
Balu said:
Bayern changed their tactics after they went 2-0 up, so I wouldn't read to much into the second half. Arsenal's defense didn't look like they could withstand even more pressure from Bayern, so giving Bayern more possession in the beginning might have lead to an even worse outcome.
Click to expand...

Arsenal were dominating before Bayern scored the first goal and even after that they were doing pretty decently for a mentally shot team, but being Arsenal they didn't have penetration or anyone in the box when Walcott/Cazorla ran into the channels to cross and also Arsenal's defence is shaky as we've seen in all big games.

For the much vaunted Bayern midfield Arsenal's midfielders ran past them well.
 
Pink Moon said:
Milan line-up (official): Abbiati - Abate Mexes Zapata Constant - Montolivo Ambrosini Muntari - Boateng Pazzini El Shaaraway

FC Barcelona's starting XI: Valdés, Alves, Piqué, Puyol, Alba, Sergio, Xavi, Iniesta, Cesc, Pedro and Messi

Probably the strongest team that Barca could have put out. Expecting a borefest but hope I'm wrong.
Click to expand...

That Milan lineup inspires no confidence against this Barcelona side.
 
Pink Moon said:
Lahm's brilliant defensively.

Van Buyten and Dante were pretty good last night too. Alaba might not be the best defensively but that's the way the full back position is going now. It's all about players who can get forward and support so I don't think criticism is warranted.

Bayern's defence is fine. Got one of the best if not the best goalkeepers in the world and the best full back in the world. Not bad.
Click to expand...

Lahm is not brilliant defensively. He is a great all round fullback for the most part but he isn't awesome defensively.

Euro 2008 final, he got done over by Torres for the winning goal. Euro 2012 the ball over the top did him which Balotelli chased down.

And Neuer is prone to making errors as much as any other goalkeeper. See last night even where he flapped 2 corners.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.