Champions League 2017/18

[The Paranoid Pineapple]

Yeah, we're predictably out. I mean, we gave it a bit of a go (no weird character assassination from Liverpool fans as per when we elected to set up defensively vs Man City, which is a relief).

Basically though, we're just not good enough. And whilst some of the criticism is justified - Conte does have a habit of setting teams up quite negatively, his game management is questionable - I think he's mostly been hamstrung by our lack of willingness to spend. What can you do when most of the goals you concede come courtesy of individual mistakes? Our individual players simply aren't that great. Where we are in the PL is about where you'd expect us to be given our net spend over the last 5 years...

Good luck to Courtois in getting a better gig. He's just really not that good...

 

[Pagnell]

(no weird character assassination from Liverpool fans as per when we elected to set up defensively vs Man City, which is a relief)

Come on, that went beyond a mere defensive setup.

 

[Lionel Messi]

“Lack of willingness to spend?” Chelsea have spent big, but they’ve bought horribly. Chelsea’s signings have been so underwhelming this season.

Morata hasn’t filled the hole Diego Costa left. Morata is no killer. Bakayoko, Drinkwater, Zappacosta, Giroud and Barkley are all simply not good enough. Have any of those players stengthened Chelsea’s starting XI? Rudiger may have a future at Stamford bridge, but Azpilicueta, a defensive fullback still remains their best centre back

 

[The Paranoid Pineapple]

Come on, that went beyond a mere defensive setup.

Yeah, it was horrible (though still unsure as to why anyone other than a Chelsea fan should feel aggrieved!)

“Lack of willingness to spend?” Chelsea have spent big, but they’ve bought horribly. Chelsea’s signings have been so underwhelming this season.

Morata hasn’t filled the hole Diego Costa left. Morata is no killer. Bakayoko, Drinkwater, Zappacosta, Giroud and Barkley are all simply not good enough. Have any of those players stengthened Chelsea’s starting XI? Rudiger may have a future at Stamford bridge, but Azpilicueta, a defensive fullback still remains their best centre back

I mean, yeah, we've spent money but we've sold players too. Our net spend is negligible. Last year we had the advantage of not participating in European competition. This year, there was no way we could compete on four fronts without significantly strengthening what we had. We needed to bulk out the squad but we could also have done with adding a couple of quality signings - as you suggest, none of the players we've signed fulfil that particular brief.

 

[Lionel Messi]

A club the size of Chelsea shouldn’t be talking about “Net Spend” either It sounds like Conte wasn’t properly supported and backed so I feel sorry for him. I think he’ll leave with his head held up high

 

[Stevencc]

In a nice turn of phrase, Marca referred to Manchester United and our performance in the tie against Sevilla as 'a walking monument to mean spiritedness'.

 

[Bilo]

still lmao at bilo’s economics for dummies theories, mmmm capitalism is bad so much inequality mmmm

Who the fuck are you

 

[Pagnell]

Yeah, it was horrible (though still unsure as to why anyone other than a Chelsea fan should feel aggrieved!)

Nah, every fan of football as a game should have felt an element of annoyance seeing that. Even United fans and that's saying something!

 

[St. Juste]

BBC article on the game stating:
"La Liga sides have now beaten Premier League opponents in 22 of their past 26 European knockout ties."

You have to admit that is quite comprehensive. Still TBLITW.

 

[Pagnell]

He's still going for it.

 

[Ale18]

Lionel Messi scored the fastest goal of his career tonight (first goal) and his 100th goal in the Champions League (second goal)!

Add an assist for Dembele too!

We fear no one.

great match and great victory

but be careful ... even last year you reached the quarters after a great victory (PSG 6-1) and then ..

 

[Bilo]

Ok so I'm hoping for:

Roma-Liverpool
Real-Juventus
Sevilla-Bayern
Barca-City

Please come true. I just want to See Barca-City tbh the rest is ok either way.

 

[Dirk]

1st try was actually Spurs. Who also failed.

I know.

So, both PL vs LaLiga duels ended in favour of the Spaniards. Now they have 3 teams again in the Quarterfinals. Hopefully Liverpool and ManCity will deal with 2 of them (and Bayern with the 3rd one). All 3 are not better than the rest but it seems they got all the luck (in one way or the other ) . My dream would be a Semi-final with no LaLiga. I know it's not that realistic but that's what dreams are for.

Second try today: Chelsea... but tbh here I can't bring myself to keep my fingers crossed for the Londoners (it's the same whenever Arsenal is playing in Europe). I want to see the genius of Messi in the quarterfinals.

Yesterday again a joy to watch him play, his sprint and then the pass to Dembélé, fantastic. He made the difference again.

 

[Lionel Messi]

The best Champions League player of all time!

Goalscorer, playmaker and match winner!

 

[Bilo]

Saw some stats yesterday regarding Messi that was interesting. First, out of the top four clubs in La Liga that he has scored the most goals against, three were Real Madrid, Atlético and Valencia. It's quite amazing that he scores more against the top clubs than the bottom clubs. Secondly, splitting the games into 15 minute periods, the far and away most effective time zone for Messi is the final 15 minutes, he's so very often there to score the winner right at the death.

He's just an absolutely amazing footballer and performances like yesterday show, again, that while Ronaldo was and still is a fantastic footballer, you'd never have him over Messi.

 

[Pagnell]

Something which I'm sure Ronaldo is aware of deep down and seriously fucks him off.

 

[Dziga Vertov]

He's still going for it.

there's a reason why almost everyone on the continent wants english teams to lose, after years and years of failure maybe some humility is a bit overdue

 

[Pagnell]

Whoosh.

 

[epic73]

I'd like to see

Barca-Liverpool (sorry salty)
Bayern-City
Roma-Sevilla
Real-Juve

 

[Bilo]

Barca-Liverpool

why though

 

[Pagnell]

Because he wants an English team to take revenge for United's embarrassment in 2009 and 2011.

 

[epic73]

Actually it's because I want Saltire to feel deep internal conflict.

Because he wants an English team to take revenge for United's embarrassment in 2009 and 2011.

I wasn't alive in 2011.

 

[Stevencc]

I'd like City to draw Liverpool so we can have a repeat of the league match. Liverpool can draw a Bayern or a Barcelona and get slaughtered in the semi-finals.

 

[epic73]

I'd love a Roma-Sevilla match so one of them would go through.

 

[Bilo]

I'd love a Roma-Sevilla match so one of them would go through.

This I actually sort of agree with BUT we're also kind of newcomers here (it's been a decade, after all) so from a strict feel god perspective you'd root for us too.

Do it epic. Root for us.

 

[epic73]

This I actually sort of agree with BUT we're also kind of newcomers here (it's been a decade, after all) so from a strict feel god perspective you'd root for us too.

Do it epic. Root for us.

Only if you beat City.

 

[SALTIRE]

Ok so I'm hoping for:

Roma-Liverpool
Real-Juventus
Sevilla-Bayern
Barca-City

Please come true. I just want to See Barca-City tbh the rest is ok either way.

I'll be happy with anyone bar Bayern. Bring 'em on!!

 

[SALTIRE]

Actually it's because I want Saltire to feel deep internal conflict.

Liverpool all the way in the event of that matchup happening. Want to see Coutinho cry into his paella when we gub them.

 

[SALTIRE]

I'd like City to draw Liverpool so we can have a repeat of the league match. Liverpool can draw a Bayern or a Barcelona and get slaughtered in the semi-finals.

Fuck playing City Stevie, there's no romanticism in that tie. And bring on Barca, you keep Messi quiet, you stand a chance, especially with their back line. Chelsea had them at sixes and sevens a lot last night, just poor finishing let them down.

 

[epic73]

I'll be happy with anyone bar Bayern. Bring 'em on!!

You'd rather have Barca or Real than Bayern?