UEFA Champions League 2019/20

[Loonerty]

A few nearly horrendous moments aside, Fikayo Tomori has been an absolute revelation this season. He cleans up so well, looks (again, aside from those few backpasses at the end) very composed on the ball and he has pace.

The most impressive of our academy squad so far for me.

 

[chef]

A few nearly horrendous moments aside, Fikayo Tomori has been an absolute revelation this season. He cleans up so well, looks (again, aside from those few backpasses at the end) very composed on the ball and he has pace.

The most impressive of our academy squad so far for me.

Its crazy hes gone from 5th in line CB to probably first name on the team sheet. Thank god we sold Luiz and didn't loan Tomori to Everton.

Should be close to starting for England too.

 

[Lebbo73]

Not sure what is more embarrassing, letting in 3 at home to Salzburg or 7 to Bayern.

View attachment 757636

That’s what happen when you switch off thinking that you can conserve energy for a fellow EPL title contender on the weekend. That isn’t something you have to worry about if you’re playing Spurs.

 

[jod23]

Madness at Anfield but again we got the job done. Needed that winner from Mo as it sets us up for the rest of the Group now.

Two matches against Genk now. We'd best be absolutely curb stomping them.

 

[Blueboys11]

Based on expected goals, Spurs actually were in front 1.77 - 1.57.

Backs the theory to a degree that Bayern just has one of those nights where all there shots seemed to find the corner. Bayern were better, but they were 3-2 better rather than 7-2.

 

[WealstoneRaider]

Thought Bayern utterly controlled the game from about the 35th minute. Masterclass in how to keep possession and nullify your opponent. Carved us up in that last ten minutes but we were already a well beaten side. We obviously underestimated them - and overestimated ourselves

 

[TubbsFarquhar]

Salzburg are a good team with very exciting forwards. Hwang and Minamino have been spoken about but Haland looks a world-class talent. It's no surprise that they've been bagging in goals every week with their line-up. Those three will move to a bigger league sooner rather than later you would imagine.

 

[RossFC]

Salzburg are a good team with very exciting forwards. Hwang and Minamino have been spoken about but Haland looks a world-class talent. It's no surprise that they've been bagging in goals every week with their line-up. Those three will move to a bigger league sooner rather than later you would imagine.

I find it interesting that we got drawn with Napoli last year in the CL. Knocked them out to Europa, Then Napoli beat Salzburg 4-3 in the EL round of 16.

Then all 3 of LFC/Napoli/Salzburg are drawn in the same CL group the next year.

 

[go you pups]

Are Salzburg like the new Basel?

Basel were hard to crack in Europe for a few years earlier this decade, they KOd United out of the CL IIRC one season, might've been 2011-12? and they made a EL SF the following season before Chelsea knocked then out (Basel beat us on penalties in the QF)

 

[moomba]

And people wonder why we don't warm to the competition.

 

[Zidane98]

And people wonder why we don't warm to the competition.

Meh. VAR isnt getting involved in anything. Its happened to us multiple times this season and many other teams. Dont buy all the consiracy theories about it.

As for your fans not warming to the competition it truly is bizarre. CL has the best players in the world and is a great comp. Maybe City not dominating the competition on the field and financially is the main reason for fans not "warming" to it.

 

[moomba]

Meh. VAR isnt getting involved in anything. Its happened to us multiple times this season and many other teams. Dont buy all the consiracy theories about it.

Since when has VAR not got involved in anything in the champions League? It certainly wasn't the case last year when you argued several times that VAR decisions against us were correct.

As for your fans not warming to the competition it truly is bizarre. CL has the best players in the world and is a great comp. Maybe City not dominating the competition on the field and financially is the main reason for fans not "warming" to it.

We've embraced competitions we didn't dominate on the field and financially for decades.

We don't embrace this competition for numerous reasons, none of which relate to whether we're dominant or not.

 

[Zidane98]

Since when has VAR not got involved in anything in the champions League? It certainly wasn't the case last year when you argued several times that VAR decisions against us were correct.

VAR is rarely intervening at all these days. All teams are copping it, also happening in the PL. It's not a valid reason to not "warm" to the competition.

We've embraced competitions we didn't dominate on the field and financially for decades.

We don't embrace this competition for numerous reasons, none of which relate to whether we're dominant or not.

What reasons would there be to not embrace CL?

 

[moomba]

VAR is rarely intervening at all these days. All teams are copping it, also happening in the PL. It's not a valid reason to not "warm" to the competition.

When VAR consistently intervenes when it's against you, but consistently fails to intervene when it's for you it"s a very good reason not to warm to the comp.

VAR doesn't intervene in the premier league because of Mike Riley. There's been no suggestion of any change in the policy in Europe.

What reasons would there be to not embrace CL?

Boring groups, boring games, UEFA banning our fans in Moscow but letting their fans in, officiating, television deciding groupings, ticket prices, UEFA fining the club more for coming out 1 minute late for the second half than they fined our opponents for racist abuse of one of our players., UEFA rankings rewarding old guard teams on their past success, consistent reinterpretation of the rules and VAR processes to justify bad decisions.

 

[Zidane98]

When VAR consistently intervenes when it's against you, but consistently fails to intervene when it's for you it"s a very good reason not to warm to the comp.

VAR doesn't intervene in the premier league because of Mike Riley. There's been no suggestion of any change in the policy in Europe.

I'd like to see evidence of this.

Boring groups, boring games, UEFA banning our fans in Moscow but letting their fans in, officiating, ticket prices, UEFA fining the club more for coming out 1 minute late for the second half than they fined our opponents for racist abuse of one of our players., UEFA rankings rewarding old guard teams on their past success, consistent reinterpretation of the rules and VAR processes to justify bad decisions.

Officiating and ticket prices are a problem in all comps. Don't think theres much in the Moscow thing, only a handful of fans got in the stadium and they were then penalised by not being able to sell away tickets plus had a further crowd ban for 1 match suspended.

UEFA should have done something about the away fans but I guess its like any holiday - it can be cancelled without warning. Those that had travel insurance would have been paid out.

Haven't seen any reinterpretation of the rules myself personally, UEFA follow the IFAB guidelines. Would be interested to see if they did use their own interpretations for refereeing decisions.

 

[moomba]

Don't think theres much in the Moscow thing, only a handful of fans got in the stadium and they were then penalised by not being able to sell away tickets plus had a further crowd ban for 1 match suspended.

There were thousands of their supporters in the crowd, in a match played behind closed doors because of their racist behaviour.

And our supporters who had bought tickets, flights, hotels etc before the ban weren't allowed in. Nor were they compensated by UEFA.

The same thing happened to Bayern Munich supporters earlier in the competition.

Haven't seen any reinterpretation of the rules myself personally, UEFA follow the IFAB guidelines. Would be interested to see if they did use their own interpretations for refereeing decisions.

Have you seen the handball decision. By IFAB guidelines it's a clear and obvious penalty. UEFA said no. Last year the Otamendi handball where it was struck straight him and he was trying to move his arm out of the way UEFA said was a clear and obvious penalty.

They make it up as they go along.

Even Peter Walton said we should have been given two penalties by VAR and he rarely criticises a decision. How UEFA can say it was all correct is beyond me.

 

[Zidane98]

There were thousands of their supporters in the crowd, in a match played behind closed doors because of their racist behaviour.

And our supporters who had bought tickets, flights, hotels etc before the ban weren't allowed in. Nor were they compensated by UEFA.

The same thing happened to Bayern Munich supporters earlier in the competition.



Have you seen the handball decision. By IFAB guidelines it's a clear and obvious penalty. UEFA said no. Last year the Otamendi handball where it was struck straight him and he was trying to move his arm out of the way UEFA said was a clear and obvious penalty.

They make it up as they go along.

Even Peter Walton said we should have been given two penalties by VAR and he rarely criticises a decision. How UEFA can say it was all correct is beyond me.

Yeah I have seen the handball. Sure it would not have been reviewed if giving a penalty. UEFA did not say no either - they said that they were happy with the original decision. But this season it seems that VAR rarely intervenes in Europe as well as the PL. UEFA also would have said it was correct if the penalty was given. Nothing to take from that, happens in leagues everywhere that has VAR.

 

[moomba]

Yeah I have seen the handball. Sure it would not have been reviewed if giving a penalty. UEFA did not say no either - they said that they were happy with the original decision. But this season it seems that VAR rarely intervenes in Europe as well as the PL. UEFA also would have said it was correct if the penalty was given. Nothing to take from that, happens in leagues everywhere that has VAR.

They said there were no clear and obvious errors.

That was a clear and obvious error.

As was the foul on Aguero.

 

[Zidane98]

They said there were no clear and obvious errors.

That was a clear and obvious error.

As was the foul on Aguero.

Subjective decisions. Happens to all clubs. Not a reason to "not warm" to the competition.

 

[moomba]

Subjective decisions. Happens to all clubs. Not a reason to "not warm" to the competition.

You warm to it if you like.

Having subjective opinions consistently going against you is a very good reason for me not to.

 

[WealstoneRaider]

This is bordering on paranoia. Why would UEFA have it in for City?

 

[Zidane98]

You warm to it if you like.

Having subjective opinions consistently going against you is a very good reason for me not to.

Got stats on that? Seems like City get some that go for and against them just like every other club.

The inference here is that there is a conspiracy against City in the CL. Think that is absurd IMO.

 

[moomba]

Of course you do. I'd be surprised if you didn't think it was absurd.

I don't care about conspiracy theories or paranoia, they're terms used to make strawman arguments.

What I will say is that when your side is on the wrong end of blatant refereeing errors time and time again, many people will question why they are putting their time, money and energy into a competition that seems to have no real motivation to fix these errors.

I reached that stage about 5 years ago, and while it wasn't the reason I stopped going to champions league games it certainly had an influence. And I know plenty sit back after games like Tuesday night and think "why do I bother"?

 

[WealstoneRaider]

Hahaha priceless

 

[jod23]

Sounds bitter cos you just haven't won it yet.