Futbol 2021-22

[Antoine]

Hey surf', lutz, DA, long time no see!

Some probabilities for monday



For Europe League & Conference, it's more a "playoffs" round than the real "round of 16".

[DarkAttraktor]

This might now be a dialogue Lutz between you and I, with Antoine popping in now and again. Havent seen DA in a while and if Serbia's last minute winner to secure their place in Qatar isnt enough to get him to log in, then I dont know if he'll be back. The playoffs look exciting and I like that one of the last two European Champions will miss out on the WC. Probably Italy who seem to have lost their ability to put the ball in the net. I think Portugal are going through. The other two brackets I have no clue, they look extremely evenly balanced. Croatia got through on a 80th minute OG by a Russian defender in the pouring waterlogged barely playable pitch in Split. Croatia deserved the win but I'm not sure the match should have been played in the second half given the standing water and drainage of Pojud stadium.

hey guys sorry for dropping out. it's not only the predictor and forum that i have dropped out but more or less my life until i quit my current job.

but, yes surf - that Portugal-Serbia game was such a breath of fresh air. plus it was some classic Serbia shit - we can't make it to the 24 team super-expanded, super-inclusive EUROs for like a quarter of the century where we end up below the likes of Scotland (2020), Albania (2016) and Estonia (2012) in the group stage but regularly qualify for the 13 slots WC directly in front of the likes of Spain, France and Portugal. classic stuff

[Wombatz]

congrats re serbia! commiserations re atalanta! so, tedesco is the new rats manager. hm. i don't have the best impression of him from his time at schalke (but then of course he was at schalke). another of the young supposedly very talented but completely unproven coaches. probably strong on tactics but short of charisma, which latter quality i fear might be needed after marsch. i expect this to go wrong, though if he has it in him i guess this could be his breakthrough gig.

[Antoine]

ECL

15 February & 9 March
Sporting CP (POR) vs Manchester City (ENG)
Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) vs Real Madrid (ESP)

16 February & 8 March
Salzburg (AUT) vs Bayern (GER)
Inter (ITA) vs Liverpool (ENG)

22 February & 16 March
Chelsea (ENG) vs LOSC Lille (FRA)
Villarreal (ESP) vs Juventus (ITA)

23 February & 15 March
Benfica (POR) vs Ajax (NED)
Atlético (ESP) vs Manchester United (ENG)
---
Europa League Playoffs

First legs: 17 February

18:45 CET
Barcelona (ESP) vs Napoli (ITA)
Zenit (RUS) vs Real Betis (ESP)
Dortmund (GER) vs Rangers (SCO)
Sheriff (MDA) vs Braga (POR)

21:00 CET
Sevilla (ESP) vs Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
Atalanta (ITA) vs Olympiacos (GRE)
Leipzig (GER) vs Real Sociedad (ESP)
Porto (POR) vs Lazio (ITA)

Second legs: 24 February

18:45 CET
Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) vs Sevilla (ESP)
Olympiacos (GRE) vs Atalanta (ITA)
Real Sociedad (ESP) vs Leipzig (GER)
Lazio (ITA) vs Porto (POR)

21:00 CET
Napoli (ITA) vs Barcelona (ESP)
Real Betis (ESP) vs Zenit (RUS)
Rangers (SCO) vs Dortmund (GER)
Braga (POR) vs Sheriff (MDA)
---
ECL Playoffs
First legs: 17 February

18:45 CET
Fenerbahçe (TUR) vs Slavia Praha (CZE)
Midtjylland (DEN) vs PAOK (GRE)
Rapid Wien (AUT) vs Tottenham (ENG) / Vitesse (NED)

21:00 CET
Marseille (FRA) vs Qarabağ (AZE)
PSV Eindhoven (NED) vs Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR)
Leicester City (ENG) vs Randers (DEN)
Celtic (SCO) vs Bodø/Glimt (NOR)
Sparta Praha (CZE) vs Partizan (SRB)

Second legs: 24 February

18:45 CET
Qarabağ (AZE) vs Marseille (FRA)
Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR) vs PSV Eindhoven (NED)
Randers (DEN) vs Leicester City (ENG)
Bodø/Glimt (NOR) vs Celtic (SCO)
Partizan (SRB) vs Sparta Praha (CZE)

21:00 CET
Slavia Praha (CZE) vs Fenerbahçe (TUR)
PAOK (GRE) vs Midtjylland (DEN)
Tottenham (ENG) / Vitesse (NED) vs Rapid Wien (AUT)

[Wombatz]

so if this is the new-look spurs we're in for a fun second half of the season

[surfer]

Yeah what a match, lot of talking points. Its almost tempting to put aside the score and refereeing decisions and just talk about the play, because given a different set of calls, it couldve been anything from 4-1, to 2-4. Although Spurs won the xG by a lot. They played well and seemed to have a plan of attack, coordinated movement that's been lacking for years. Dele played "well" outside of two huge missed chances. Those late runs, finding himself in pockets of space, but its his touch that seems to have disappeared. Winks was fantastic, his tackle to blow up Naby Keita led directly to the first goal, and his progressive passing was excellent. Didnt miss Hojbjerg at all which is amazing. Sessegnon was great. Salah had no shots on goal, and wasnt a factor other than the handball for the second goal. Ndombele was good, they're trying to make him the next Moussa Dembele, and Tanguy is not as "press resistant" as Moussa was. He lost the ball in some key positions but overall played well and his pass for the first goal was excellent.

When Spurs could break Liverpool's midfield line, they were incredibly dangerous. Liverpool were playing a suicidally high line and acres of space for Son to run into. Kane looked better, the CBs were good - especially Davies who really thrives in the back 3. Royal is a work in progress.

Briefly: Kane should have seen red, Robertson correctly did, yes to the Winks penalty, No to the Dele penalty, and yes to the Liverpool penalty. And no handball on Salah due to change in handball rule, would have been ruled out last year.

Atalanta stunk up the Gewiss against Mourinho's side. I only watched about 30 minutes but Atalanta equalized in the 2nd, only to have it correctly ruled out for offside, and then Roma scored a few late on when Atalanta were pushing for the equalizer. Inter are setting a blistering pace and it doesnt seem like anyone will catch them. Atalanta drew today against Genoa so they have dropped down to fourth. I still think they have an outside shot at the title but its definitely harder now.

And Rayo Vallecano up to 4th in La Liga, ahead of Athleti, Barca, Valencia. Crazy story, although I have only watched their highlights, havent seen a full match yet. GREAT article on them here, highly recommended: https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... ur-la-liga

[Wombatz]

since the footie is a bit boring right now, here's a cool painting by dutch artist jeanne bieruma oosting (especially loving the studs like broken teeth)

[surfer]

Bit boring eh?! Well Mini Moura Miracle to the rescue. The latest a team has ever been losing a match in the PL era, and then came back to win. 94:50, eclipsing Aguero in 2012 with City on the last match of the year. As James Richardson put it, "Bergwijn is Dutch for Big Win". Crazy because he arguably could have been sent off for shoving Soyuncu, who was later the last goal line defender Bergwijn had to beat to score the winning goal.

Signature win of the Conte era and certainly positions them well for the spring. 1 game off fourth with 3 games in hand. Makes the Chelsea game a freebee where we can hopefully go in and get a point.

[Wombatz]

haha, i actually saw the second half, my boy telling me all the time that they'd been quite ok in the first, that finale was rather unexpected!

why not 3 points from chelsea. it seems the cl win got into a handful of players' heads and now they dream of greener pastures.

[surfer]

why not 3 points from chelsea.

Because they were thoroughly outplayed in the League Cup fixtures, and its the Bridge, we never win there. Leicester are so ropey at the back (and Chelsea can be too) but Teilemans giving the ball away after the kickoff like that, passing it directly to Hojbjerg is just a gift. Unforgivable, you'd be cut from my Sunday league team for that. Without Son, we'd need an amazing performance from our wingbacks to give us an attack from the flanks, and I just dont see it. Doherty had an OK match but Royal prob needs to be sold and Reguillon isnt a huge threat either. Not sure Dier or Romero are going to be fit. I dont know, maybe belief can win the day but I see a draw as our best hope.

[surfer]

my boy telling me all the time that they'd been quite ok in the first

Highest full match xG (4.5 iirc) recorded by any team in the PL all season, which is hard to believe. 27 shots, 10 on target

[surfer]

Just wanted to say to you that you're in luck with that Ndombele transfer. He's so electrical a player, even though his last year at Lyon was frustrating in a team that lacked direction most of the time.

He looked incredible yesterday. In his first minute on the field, he had an amazing interception and his next touch was a perfectly weighted assist to Moura. Had another nice shot on goal seconds later. All the press has been about Kane's wonderchip, but I was more excited about Ndombele, who is like Sissoko + technique. What a debut!

He missed the game again but what's the take on him from a spurs fan these days?

Ndombele back to Lyon with a 65mil option to buy, I guess is the sad end to his Spurs' story. As enigmatic a player as I can ever remember putting on the shirt. Talented undoubtedly, but seemed to lack the requisite will and desire at times to elevate himself into an elite player. Wish him the best at Lyon. And Dele at Everton. (Dele is a player of whom I thought the same for a while, lacked the will or desire, but I dont think that's the case anymore. He certainly gave it his all under Mourinho and Nuno, just wasnt working for him at Spurs anymore, alas godspeed and best of luck)

[Wombatz]

urgh, that was even worse than against southampton, who were a very organized team bossing the midfield, but at least spurs' attack clicked into gear now and then ... this was nothing (moura nonexistent and son making wrong decisions only) while wolves weren't even very good, just somewhat interested in where the ball went ... my boy now prays for the return of oliver skipp and thinks betancur will do fine.

rats have stabilized. still very stupid in their loss to bayern but the new coach seems to know how to fit things together. so they might make 4th (and then be bought empty again ... looking at the struggles of upamecanu at bayern (and konate at liverpool) that's such a waste).

what i saw of afcon was pretty depressing (like everyone says), so much talent so little play (so much playacting). one tends to root for african teams in the world cups, but there doesn't seem much hope in the years ahead.

[surfer]

I didnt watch the second half of Wolves, but the mistakes playing the ball out the back, or at the very least, clearing the ball out of danger, are just killing us. Winks was horrible for a guy whose calling card is supposed to be ball handling, recycling, and progressive passing. He just turned it over non-stop. I agree with your son, WHERE IS OLLIE SKIPP? if he is out with an injury, I'd prefer to play a midfield duo of Hojbjerg and Betancour. Davidson Sanchez, Ben Davies, both pretty bad, and Lloris didnt cover himself in glory. In the race to see if Conte breaks Spursiness, before Spurs break Conte, advantage Spursiness.

And CIty awaits . . . . . . . . . . .


PS I realize a classic #10 is now tres passe, but why we arent all in for Ward-Prowse I have no idea.

[surfer]

Thomas Müller accused of animal cruelty by PETA over horse semen incident


https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer ... 2nqsv9-aik

I have no desire to know what the details are or to read the actual article. Best left to the imagination.

[Wombatz]

oh my, that was fun! obviously after that silly penalty we had lost believe (first city goal so cheap too) but somehow the usual narrative didn't apply. even with hojberg/betancur giving the ball away on every occasion (suicidally against city), unflagging energy still when ahead and kane carrying the team like only basketball stars are supposed to do made for a deserved win. if only spurs played city every matchday.

[surfer]

Ah Spurs, dont ever change. Beat the best team in Europe and four days later lose at Burnley in the pouring rain. For all the superlatives I was prepared to write, this match saved me the time by cancelling them all out. In the race to see if Conte breaks Spursiness, before Spurs break Conte, advantage once again swings back to Spursiness.

[roger.haddad.]

It's almost becoming a tradition to watch PSG crash out of the CL in spectacular fashion. What a game though.

[Wombatz]

It's almost becoming a tradition to watch PSG crash out of the CL in spectacular fashion. What a game though.

yeah, that was epic ... and so delightful in its final predictability. poch was right that not calling a foul on benzema's intervention before real's first goal decided the tie, but only because he has no hold over the team whatsoever. (in the articles on psg it was mostly not mentioned that they actually had the perfect coach for their dilemma and fired him ... tüchel did unflake their dna for a moment. the adventures of tt are something else anyway, from the team bus bombing at dortmund battling all the board rooms up to the current situation of steering a vehicle with all the wheels off, that's a feature film rather than an amazon doc.)

[surfer]

36 year old Modric with the ball is faster (apparently) than Neymar without the ball.