Champions League Thread (the dawn of time - 2014)

[War]

Mourinho playing a dangerous game - ESPNFC

Interesting assessment on Mourinho's tactical skills here.

 

[Epic]

Will read it in a bit, watching Chelsea vs Juve today btw.

 

[Epic]

That second goal from Oscar, absolute beauty, the touch, the turn, the shot, tremendous!

 

[JD10]

2 in 2 minutes on your debut ? Not bad if you ask me

 

[JBlues08]

2 in 2 minutes on your debut ? Not bad if you ask me

Definitely. His second goal was just a sublime goal. Pure genius. Did well in marking Pirlo too.

However, all of that was completely spoiled by us throwing away a 2-0 lead! Terry and Mikel...

 

[MasterBlaster76]

That wasn't too good. To be fair, Galatasaray played well and would've caused a lot of teams problems tonight, but we have to play better than that. They could've had at least two penalties, we could've had three - all in all a very scrappy performance. Good to see Fletcher back though, and the main thing is the three points.

 

[War]

After watching the opening two days of this competition, along with observing some of the big European clubs in the various domestic leagues in the last few weeks. I must say that standard of defending in world football is at an all-time low.

The amount of comical defensive errors i have seen so far this season from the so called "elite" modern defenders/defences this season i highly doubt stalwarts of the recent past such as Maldini, Arsenal's invicinbles, Cannavaro, Nesta, Hierro, Stam, Dennis irwin, zambrotta, paulo montero, desailly, blanc, lizarazu etc would be making.

 

[Epic]

I've noticed that as well, especially with City, we're playing with the same players but for some reason our defense just looks abysmal.

 

[puddleduck]

A lot of teams are playing very openly. It's a good thing. Football should always be about scoring more goals than your opponent rather than conceding less. I realise they're the same thing, but in an abstract romantic sense, there's a difference.

Also, it's a bit harder to be quite so good a defender these days, considering almost any player will look to get near you and promptly fall over. As well as most heavy tackles leading to free kicks and cards, one of the biggest changes, is that where once a defender would master the incredibly subtle shirt pull, these days the slightest attempt will be countered by an instant theatrical fall.

 

[Auwais]

Terry is completely out of his depth at this level. Marchisio gave another monster performance and Oscar's second was brilliant.

 

[War]

A lot of teams are playing very openly. It's a good thing. Football should always be about scoring more goals than your opponent rather than conceding less. I realise they're the same thing, but in an abstract romantic sense, there's a difference.

Also, it's a bit harder to be quite so good a defender these days, considering almost any player will look to get near you and promptly fall over. As well as most heavy tackles leading to free kicks and cards, one of the biggest changes, is that where once a defender would master the incredibly subtle shirt pull, these days the slightest attempt will be countered by an instant theatrical fall.

Ignoring the true fact that defenders have to deal with a lot of diving from players.

Most defenders these days are what i would call position defenders, who look to compensate for their lack of pace by playing for the off-side.

Few full-backs for eg, are equally good going forward and have sound defensive awareness and tackling skills like Lizarazu, Lauren, Thuram, Maldini, Irwin, Neville, Cafu, Zambrotta. Most of the best ones now are just good going forward.

While few center halves look comfortable vs pacy strikers if they have deal with them on a one-on-one foot race the way Desailly and young Sol Campbell for eg used to do.

 

[Lee1981]

Maldini, Cannavaro, Nesta, Hierro, Stam, zambrotta, paulo montero, desailly, blanc, lizarazu

Now that is a list of quality defenders, sorry had remove irwin from there, he just didn't look right next to these.

 

[thedon5]

I hope that performance allows Oscar more time on the pitch for Chelsea, he is a top talent and deserves to see a lot more time on the pitch than he is getting.

Bloody stunning goal.

 

[Haarithan]

I love Marchisio but it pisses me when he gives such a world class outing for Juventus, and fades away when it comes to playing for the Azzurri. Not that he's bad in Nazionale (Italian) colors, but he definitely isn't the monster he is at club level.

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And I'll never know why Chelsea got rid off Meireles instead of Obi Mikel...

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Saw that somewhere.

Ah I remember posting this gif following Barca's exit to Chelsea in the Champions League semis last season. Bloody brilliant, right?

 

[Bevab]

Meireles isn't a defensive midfielder, where as Mikel is. Although he's quite useless and Chelsea should have bought a defensive mid option or atleast kept Essien.