Futbol 2020-21

[surfer]

Forget about defensive shape, how about not falling down, fer chissakes . . . . . .

[surfer]

Well, not much to say about that. They take their chances (two one-on-ones with the keeper, and hit the inside of the post in the 5th minute) and stop falling over and gifting Liverpool goals and Rats would have won. They were loose at the back anyway, but still should have won.

[Wombatz]

yeah they shouldn't have lost, liverpool were pretty useless, but rats looked uncomfortable over long stretches trying to play out the back, and in the end the lack of a striker did matter. they got no swag right now ...

[Wombatz]

useless was a bit much, liverpool looked containable. still more mature, even if it's only because rats change systems too much so when things get scruffy players don't automatically know what to do.

psg riding on the ole effect.

[surfer]

Well I thought we played well for large stretches on Sunday, including most of the second half. Very unlucky and wasteful with our chances. The basic problem with the Mourinho era is that

On defense he overestimated his ability to solidify the defense around Dier/Sanchez/Toby/Tanganga and bought a player Rodon who he doesnt play. The players arent good enough and they commit too many individual errors.

On offense the players are good enough, but the manager cant organize an attack and is overly reliant on individual talent and brilliance. Their off the ball movement is poor and they move the ball too slowly. They have given up on pressing and any kind of urgency. When they press and have some positive energy the look much better.

If Spurs crash out of Europa, regardless of what happens in the League Cup final, he ought to be sacked before it gets toxic, because if he isnt going to win a trophy or get us into Europe for next year there is no point in him being here, next year will only get worse.

In any case, I do think he will be gone this summer, as I said previously Levy wont fire him before that I dont imagine.

[surfer]

Atalanta will beat Madrid today 3-1

[Antoine]

Argh, that red card + zapata out...

[surfer]

and the late late away goal, what a bitter taste left

[surfer]

Argh, that red card + zapata out...

Antoine do you think that was red card worthy?

[Antoine]

I didn't see well on the replays, but on the moment I was expecting a yellow card. Sure, it's a silly foul, but I didn't see it as a clear annihilation of a chance... Seems to me he was maybe going a bit on the left and that there was another defender coming back in the axis. But again, just my feeling on the moment... The ref saw it in a different way!

[surfer]

My thoughts too are same

[roger.haddad.]

Just came here to gloat about how I called that the team I support would implode before they actually did.

But ya know, maybe they'll win the champions league

[Antoine]

Europa League, round of 16

Ajax (NED) vs Young Boys (SUI)
Dynamo Kyiv (UKR) vs Villarreal (ESP)
Roma (ITA) vs Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)
Olympiacos (GRE) vs Arsenal (ENG)
Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) vs Tottenham (ENG)
Manchester United (ENG) vs AC Milan (ITA)
Slavia Praha (CZE) vs Rangers (SCO)
Granada (ESP) vs Molde (NOR)

[surfer]

As a Hajduk / Spurs supporter, this tie does double duty for me.

[Wombatz]

two good wins for rats (despite mostly dreadful finishing), especially the comeback against gladbach. it looks like they're working on the right stuff. chelsea should give werner back, can't they find a flaw in the contract or something, such a waste ...

[surfer]

two good wins for rats (despite mostly dreadful finishing), especially the comeback against gladbach. it looks like they're working on the right stuff. chelsea should give werner back, can't they find a flaw in the contract or something, such a waste ...

I missed the stirring comeback on the weekend. They have to be (cough) favorites for the Pokal no? The treble is still on!

[surfer]

Gutting for Dortmund, I know they were in Munich but quelle collapse. After Meunier had a chance to put them up 0-3, they didnt create much after that.

[DarkAttraktor]

i know that saying something along the lines of 'liverpool are injury plagued' is still a huge understatement of the kinds of troubles they were facing in the last couple of months but damn, nobody expected this. beaten by fulham at home and it wasn't even close.

if january was just a typical shitty livpool january now you can say it is a full-blown implosion. poor kabak, wherever he went this season it was just an endless, record extending free fall. damn.

[surfer]

Yeah, credit to Roger for predicting this, I admit I thought they had steadied the ship but they seem like they will finish mid-table. I dont think this is an implosion like Klopp's end at Dortmund, but who knows. I think FSP will chalk it up to injuries and compressed schedule and keep him for next year,

Spurs win a fun one against Palace, the Kane goal made me realize how much I love goals where the ball hits the side netting with so much spin that it careens around the back of the goal. One of Kane's greatest goals ever imo, very Glenn Hoddle like. Bale looks great too, better first step and acceleration. They played without a #10 for much of the match, using Moura's pressing to create chances off turnovers, but I think Lamela is a better option though he dwaddles on the ball. Defense is still a shambles, Sanchez has terrible footwork undoubtedly.

[Wombatz]

But ya know, maybe they'll win the champions league

still very much on, everyone looked beatable so far, just avoid city or bayern rats weren't a proper test, though, another lukewarm performance despite having nothing to lose. i wasn't quite convinced by the team selection/substitutions: sabitzer, kampl, and poulsen promise an axis of high-energy holders, diggers, and carriers but not much attacking shape or variety. then throwing that all out the window to go for inexperienced speed ... i guess it makes sense on paper, and of course rats simply lack a fearful striker (and angelino), but i still feel there'd be some untapped potential chemistry in a better mix. 2 points behind bayern is very flattering, nothing doing there, while of course the domestic cup is a real chance now (though probably that's already bookmarked as haaland's farewell gift to dortmund, whose choice of a new manager was pretty badly timed for instilling loyalty in their star players).