Football 16-17

[Hugh Jass]

Arsenal are going to draw Bayern or Real aren't they?

[big__phil]

13 minutes ago, Hugh Jass said:

Arsenal are going to draw Bayern or Real aren't they?

Yup. Standard.

Still, Bayern this year aren't quite the force they've been over recent years, although they are still very strong. The teams we could face are Benfica, Real, Leverkeusen, Porto, Sevilla or Bayern. Real and the two German teams are the ones you'd really like to avoid, the others I think we would have a decent chance of getting past.

[mjsell]

51 minutes ago, big__phil said:

Yup. Standard.

Still, Bayern this year aren't quite the force they've been over recent years, although they are still very strong. The teams we could face are Benfica, Real, Leverkeusen, Porto, Sevilla or Bayern. Real and the two German teams are the ones you'd really like to avoid, the others I think we would have a decent chance of getting past.

Not sure about Sevilla either. Obviously preferable to Madrid or Bayern but I'd put them on a par, if not slightly tougher than Leverkusen

Leicester have really been dicked over. They are more likely to get a tougher draw than City. But then again, maybe a tougher draw is what they would want.

Edited December 8, 2016 by mjsell

[big__phil]

7 minutes ago, mjsell said:

Not sure about Sevilla either. Obviously preferable to Madrid or Bayern but I'd put them on a par, if not slightly tougher than Leverkusen

Leicester have really been dicked over. They are more likely to get a tougher draw than City. But then again, maybe a tougher draw is what they would want.

Maybe, although really we should have enough to see off Sevilla.

Agree about Leicester, but they still dreamland really, and in a no-lose situation. Either they get a tough draw but a cracking day out for the fans, or a decent draw and the fairytale could go on...

[The Nal]

Would love to see Leicester vs Madrid. 

[mjsell]

I watched the Madrid v Dortmund game last night - which was a very good game, but both teams looked pretty beatable to me. I'm not saying they would be a good draw for anyone but I wouldnt put either of them on this pedestal of greatness. Got to say this new group seeding system has been a success in my eyes.

[pink_triangle]

50 minutes ago, The Nal said:

Would love to see Leicester vs Madrid. 

I agree, also Bayern Munich would be good. I would expect Leicester to lose over 2 legs to any of their potential opponents, so hope they get the experience of going up against one of the giants.

[TheGayTent]

1 hour ago, The Nal said:

Would love to see Leicester vs Madrid. 

Leicester can't draw Atletico.

[TheGayTent]

On 06/12/2016 at 9:05 AM, TheGayTent said:

I think there's 6 televised in the 3rd round? My guesses:

Chelsea v Notts County/Peterborough.

Everton v Leicester

Man Utd v Reading

Preston v Arsenal

Tottenham v Villa

West Ham v Man City

 

5/6 - must do better 

Cambridge v Leeds instead of Everton v Leicester. 

[GlastoSimon]

The televised ties are so bad.

Until the 3rd round BT at least have picked some semi-interesting ones, but as soon as the top clubs get involved it turns to turgid shite. 

Ooh, a Manchester City reserve side against West Ham! United at home to a Championship side!! Sutton - Wimbledon, Barrow - Rochdale could have got a look in. So much for the 'big money TV ties' non-league teams get to dream of. 

Edited December 8, 2016 by GlastoSimon

[TheGayTent]

8 minutes ago, GlastoSimon said:

The televised ties are so bad.

Until the 3rd round BT at least have picked some semi-interesting ones, but as soon as the top clubs get involved it turns to turgid shite. 

Ooh, a Manchester City reserve side against West Ham! United at home to a Championship side!! Sutton - Wimbledon, Barrow - Rochdale could have got a look in. So much for the 'big money TV ties' non-league teams get to dream of. 

I don't blame the tv companies 

[GlastoSimon]

1 hour ago, TheGayTent said:

I don't blame the tv companies 

I know what you're saying, but it'd be nice if the 'magic of the FA Cup' took precedence over viewing figures for once

[pink_triangle]

While I'm normally in agreement that the TV companies screw the small guys in the third round. On this occasion I think the draw has contributed. There's a lack of premiership v league 1 or below matches.

[kaosmark2]

I'm impressed they've done Cambridge Leeds not Everton Leicester. Not taken up one of the few all-Prem ties in favour of a L2 vs Championship tie.

[ThomThomDrum]

Utd looking for a good draw in the Europa now Decent way for them to get CL footie next season

 

[Wooderson]

8 hours ago, ThomThomDrum said:

Utd looking for a good draw in the Europa now Decent way for them to get CL footie next season

 

Utd will prolly finish 4th in the league chief.

[eFestivals]

16 minutes ago, Wooderson said:

Utd will prolly finish 4th in the league chief.

I can't see that happening at all.

All of Chelsea, City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs are indisputably better teams, and while form can go up or down there's no reason to think any of those teams will dip in form by enough over the rest of the season for Utd to have improved and come past them.

I just can't see anything better than 6th this season for Utd.

[Wooderson]

4 hours ago, eFestivals said:

I can't see that happening at all.

All of Chelsea, City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs are indisputably better teams, and while form can go up or down there's no reason to think any of those teams will dip in form by enough over the rest of the season for Utd to have improved and come past them.

I just can't see anything better than 6th this season for Utd.

Only City have a better squad on paper Neil. Utd's first XI might be stronger than even them. Theyve spent a scandalous amount of money (.5 of a billion?) since Alex left.

Before this season no one was tipping LFC to be in the top 4. Most people had Utd in there. Lot of ground to cover before things are decided.

[eFestivals]

1 hour ago, Wooderson said:

Only City have a better squad on paper Neil. Utd's first XI might be stronger than even them. Theyve spent a scandalous amount of money (.5 of a billion?) since Alex left.

Despite that spending, they did fuck all last season. And despite more spending they don't particularly look a better side now. I reckon they were playing better at the end of last season than they're playing now.

They might get their shit together soonish, perhaps, but even if they do I can't see them getting it together enough to be better than one or more of those 5 I named, so that they might get above them before the finish.

 

1 hour ago, Wooderson said:

Before this season no one was tipping LFC to be in the top 4. Most people had Utd in there. Lot of ground to cover before things are decided.

But it's turned out differently, and no one is particularly surprised at how its turned out.

There was plenty good to see in Liverpool last season, and if Kloop is anything like his rep then seeing an improvement when he's had more time with the team and brought in a few players isn't really a surprise. 

And who in the world didn't say that they thought Moaniho would be a bad fit for Utd? We all did, tho mostly we also credited him with improving them when that's not really happened. It looks more like he's disrupted them, which is part of the bad fit we all predicted.

I wouldn't be too surprised if Moaniho got something better from Utd over the rest of the season, tho there's nothing in their play now to suggest where a significant improvement might come from. And this time last season we were all thinking he'd get Chelsea going, too.

Long way still to go, but i don't think utd are going anywhere.

[zahidf]

Utd will get a couple of encouraging results, but i cant see them overtaking the 5 teams in front of them, unless one massively collapses. 

Chelsea seem extremely impressive and i would be surprised if they get anything other than top 2 now. Liverpool have defence issues but wont drop that many points as they did this weekend. Arsenal always get top 4. 

City could drop down more, and Spur have dropped points, but City will get better soon i think once they get back in their ryrhthm, and Spurs missed Kane's goals, and he is back now.

 

[pink_triangle]

Can I check, is John Stones really a great centre back? It seems we are in an era where if a defender can play the ball, then they are considered a great defender. To me he is a player who has a reputation built on hype and not performance. Am I missing something?

[Comfy Bean]

29 minutes ago, pink_triangle said:

Can I check, is John Stones really a great centre back? It seems we are in an era where if a defender can play the ball, then they are considered a great defender. To me he is a player who has a reputation built on hype and not performance. Am I missing something?

Know what you mean pt.

Similar thing seems to be happening with how a keeper is judged these days.

[TheGayTent]

2 hours ago, pink_triangle said:

Can I check, is John Stones really a great centre back? It seems we are in an era where if a defender can play the ball, then they are considered a great defender. To me he is a player who has a reputation built on hype and not performance. Am I missing something?

Welcome to the party

[Wooderson]

6 hours ago, comfortablynumb1910 said:

Know what you mean pt.

Similar thing seems to be happening with how a keeper is judged these days.

Generally speaking, unlike all other positions, the keepers from the 80s so much better than current crop of goofballs. 

[lost]

The boots and ball are a different material to the 80's though so you get less water absorption (the ball stays the same weight through the game) and greater energy transmission from a kick. It's much harder being a keeper now.