The Footie Thread

[nickjdavis]

This morning is the first time I’ve really paid any close attention to the new Champion’s and Europa League formats, and I have to say I’m not in favour.

The first thing which really struck me is the application of goal difference. Given that GD is very likely to impact on which teams finish in the top eight places, and which then occupy the playoff spots from nine to twenty four, it hardly seems like a level playing field if every team is playing different opponents within the same league.

Just citing Dinamo Zagreb as the obvious example, if they continue to be the whipping boys throughout the league stage, then those who don’t play them are at a clear and obvious disadvantage.

No, sorry. Not for me. Bring back the old group stage.

Just had a look at Zagreb....they were placed in pot 3 of the draw along with Feyenoord, Sporting Lisbon, PSV, Red Bull Salzburg, Lille, Red Star Belgrade, Young Boys and Celtic. Just looking at the results of these other pot 3 teams...

PSV.....lost 3-1 away at Juventus (pot 2)
Young Boys... lost 0-3 at home to Villa (pot 4)
Zagreb...lost 9-2 away to Bayern (pot 1)
Lille...lost 0-2 away at Sporting (also pot 3)
Salzburg...lost 0-3 away at Sparta Prague (pot 4)
Celtic...won 5-0 home to Bratislava (pot 4)
Feyenoord...lost 0-4 home to Leverkusen (pot 2)
Red Star...lost 1-2 home to Benfica (pot 2)

So EVERY pot 3 team lost their matches with the exception of Celtic and Sporting

Looking at Pot 4 teams who don't feature above...

Monaco...won 2-1 home to Barcelona (pot 1)
Bologna...drew 0-0 home to Shakhtar Donetsk (pot 2)
Girona...lost 1-0 away at PSG (pot 1)
Stuttgart...lost 3-1 away to Real Madrid (pot 1)
Brest...won 2-1 home to Sturm Graz (also pot 4)

It is clear that pots 3 and 4 contain teams of wildly differing abilities, some of which are only in those pots because they have little recent European history and have a low "co-efficient. Any one of the pot 1/2 teams that have to play teams like Villa, Lisbon, Monaco, Lille, dare I say it even Celtic (especially away) are going to find it much tougher than playing Young Boys, Bologna, Brest etc.

Will be interesting to see how things look after 3 or 4 rounds of matches to see if there are any genuine whipping boys out there and whether there is an advantage in playing any particular teams.

UEFA are trying to mimic the Swiss format played commonly in Chess, which requires a new draw to be done after each round of matches, where players are matched against other players who currently have a similar record in the competition. Unfortunately, due to the logistics around scheduling football matches, this is simply not feasible....so UEFA have made their best fudge of the format.....in what is effectively the first step to a European Super League.

 

[Aztecs27]

As a fellow keeper I tend to disagree. I think the VAR break helped as Raya clearly got instructions on which way to go a nd so that definitely helped. The ball could have gone anywhere including back for a tap in and while the player had to wait for the ball to come down he hit the header down and into a corner which made it harder to get across to. Certainly one of the best saves from a penalty where reaction times are reduced given the proximity of the ball and striker. Still think the Montgomery save one of the best I've seen, especially in an era where arguably keepers weren't as well trained especially on recovery from a first save. All opinions of course

No he didn't - he hit it into the middle of the goal. It was barely a stretch for Raya - he just needed to make sure he got his hand behind it with enough strength to knock it clear of the goal mouth. If the ball had been hit to the corner, he'd have struggled to get near it (and had he saved it in that instance, it would have been much more impressive)

 

[Arthur Wedge]

I must be one of the only ones who wasn't super impressed by it (and I've only ever played in goal haha).

Penalty was rubbish (nowhere near the corner and an easy save for Raya after he picked the right side) and any top tier keeper would be getting up quickly anticipating the follow up. The header wasn't all that venomous, so although, yes, getting a strong hand to it was impressive (given his body angle), it was far from "one of the best saves of all time" which is how Savage was describing it

Great save? Yes, but one a lot of top level keepers would expect to make as they would be working on drills for quick recovery after rebounding shots all week in training.

It was a decent save but that’s it - poor penalty but decent reaction to the follow up

TNT going on as if he is the best in world - he isn’t even the best in the Prem

 

[Red devil]

Schmeichel used to do saves like that week in and week out. Best keeper I've seen.

 

[Aztecs27]

Schmeichel used to do saves like that week in and week out. Best keeper I've seen.

Certainly one of the best we've had in the Prem.

Gianluigi Buffon's the GOAT, however.

 

[clubchamp98]

No he didn't - he hit it into the middle of the goal. It was barely a stretch for Raya - he just needed to make sure he got his hand behind it with enough strength to knock it clear of the goal mouth. If the ball had been hit to the corner, he'd have struggled to get near it (and had he saved it in that instance, it would have been much more impressive)

Agree.
He was already on the floor so any height on the header the keeper has no chance.
Good save but a bad miss imo.
And shocking penalty .

 

[Bdill93]

Certainly one of the best we've had in the Prem.

Gianluigi Buffon's the GOAT, however.

Now there's a debate!

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Now there's a debate!

It’s tough to see anyone above him

Days gone by there was

Banks , Yashin , Zoff

Then recently

Casillas , Neuer ,


Would have Buffon above them though

 

[Billysboots]

Now there's a debate!

There is no debate.

Massimo Taibi is the GOAT.

 

[nickjdavis]

It’s tough to see anyone above him

Days gone by there was

Banks , Yashin , Zoff

Then recently

Casillas , Neuer ,


Would have Buffon above them though

Sepp Maier?

 

[Swango1980]

This morning is the first time I’ve really paid any close attention to the new Champion’s and Europa League formats, and I have to say I’m not in favour.

The first thing which really struck me is the application of goal difference. Given that GD is very likely to impact on which teams finish in the top eight places, and which then occupy the playoff spots from nine to twenty four, it hardly seems like a level playing field if every team is playing different opponents within the same league.

Just citing Dinamo Zagreb as the obvious example, if they continue to be the whipping boys throughout the league stage, then those who don’t play them are at a clear and obvious disadvantage.

No, sorry. Not for me. Bring back the old group stage.

Not paid much attention to it. But, in fairness, randomness will always play a part. You could get an easy group, or group of death (before the new format). You could have Man Utd as one of the top seeds in group, thus have an easier ride

Just touched down in Malaga, so my task will be to find somewhere to watch footy this weekend

 

[Billysboots]

Not paid much attention to it. But, in fairness, randomness will always play a part. You could get an easy group, or group of death (before the new format). You could have Man Utd as one of the top seeds in group, thus have an easier ride

Just touched down in Malaga, so my task will be to find somewhere to watch footy this weekend

I don’t disagree but, UEFA greed aside, I can see absolutely no rhyme or reason in having a league of 36 teams where each team only plays 8 others.

That’s not a league, it’s a mess.

 

[Swango1980]

I don’t disagree but, UEFA greed aside, I can see absolutely no rhyme or reason in having a league of 36 teams where each team only plays 8 others.

That’s not a league, it’s a mess.

Nobody really understands it. They needed a computer to do the draw because it is that complicated.

I suspect fans will just resign themselves to the fact the new way is the way it will be. Not sure there will be much other choice? I'm sure Bayern fans are loving it, Villa fans to

But it'll all kick off if a highly supported side gets eliminated on dodgy grounds

One thing I was wondering. Top 8 get through automatically. Then next 16 in some sort of play offs. Does that mean Top 8 sides get a big rest in the middle, while next 16 will have loads of games to play?

I can also see why they fixed EFL ties this round. Would have been a nightmare sorting fixtures had, say, Utd drawn Liverpool

 

[Billysboots]

Nobody really understands it. They needed a computer to do the draw because it is that complicated.

I suspect fans will just resign themselves to the fact the new way is the way it will be. Not sure there will be much other choice? I'm sure Bayern fans are loving it, Villa fans to

But it'll all kick off if a highly supported side gets eliminated on dodgy grounds

One thing I was wondering. Top 8 get through automatically. Then next 16 in some sort of play offs. Does that mean Top 8 sides get a big rest in the middle, while next 16 will have loads of games to play?

I can also see why they fixed EFL ties this round. Would have been a nightmare sorting fixtures had, say, Utd drawn Liverpool

I think the 16 just get drawn in eight playoff games, played over two legs, to find the other sides who go into the knockout stages. So the top eight get at least a fortnight off.

And you’re spot on about the Carabao Cup draw - too many failed to grasp the impact the brave new European world was going to have on the domestic schedule.

 

[Norrin Radd]

They changed the format ,now change the name as it's far from a champions league.
Let's call it the the make more money league .

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Still rate this -

 

[Arthur Wedge]

The better half is watching the WSL , whilst I’m not a fan of it and just struggle to watch it I was impressed with the size of the crowd at the game - it’s good to see the game growing for the ladies

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

I think YOB, If there is one term which rankles Football fans, it’s when the term “ Soccer” is used to describe football.

Americans know, i think, that association rules football is "football" across the entire planet except here.
I don't know where "soccer" comes from.

I guess to imagine why we have a word of our own,
unnecessary as it may seem,
you must try to imagine, Tash, living in a place where the word "football" DOES NOT instantly conjure up the game you know as football.

We have elevators, you have lifts.
You have rubbish, we have garbage.
We have French fries, you have chips
You have flats, we have apartments.

There's no need to be sensitive about it.
By this point, we BOTH know exactly what the other is saying.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

The better half is watching the WSL , whilst I’m not a fan of it and just struggle to watch it I was impressed with the size of the crowd at the game - it’s good to see the game growing for the ladies

They are being clever with the ticket pricing. Very cheap to go, just get people in the ground. Hook people in, create an atmosphere. At some point they will have to charge more but they need to develop the fan base before then.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

They are being clever with the ticket pricing. Very cheap to go, just get people in the ground. Hook people in, create an atmosphere. At some point they will have to charge more but they need to develop the fan base before then.

Guess it will depend on how much revenue the club or ladies side is bringing in

The tickets shouldn’t be silly pricing anyway but no idea on the level of wages the ladies are on