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"Back of the net!": The Football Thread

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  • jobojobo
    Posts: 7,507
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    jobo wrote: »
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    jobo wrote: »
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    jobo wrote: »
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    jobo wrote: »
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    @jobo must be loving this game by Barca.


    Probably the best game we have played in 2018, maybe all season! Which prompts the question why we saved it for the Copa del Rey and not the Champions League? A nice consolation, although that abysmal Rome debacle will taint this season for ever...

    Barca has had a good season anyway, though - with both the league and the cup?
    Iniesta leaving? Didn't know that.
    barryt007 wrote: »
    I'm off chaps...watching Amir Khans fight live,just starting now.

    Enjoy the game/fight!


    Of course it has been a good season! But it is frustrating thinking of what could have been... Chasing the Copa and the unbeaten record in the League left the team exhausted for the essential CL matches this spring. It is nice winning the CDR for a fourth consecutive time, but I would claim on all accations the maraton it is to play so many matches in the new year (in Spain all ties have home and away games) hampered our form in the latter stages of the season. I don't want is to become the Copa del Rey team. I would actually prefer if we get knocked out early next year and focus on the Champions League, hopefully peaking top form at the right moment for once which has been Real Madrid's recipe for succes the last couple of seasons.

    But next season looks promising. Both Griezmann and the very promising midfielder Arthur Melo will likely arive, and Coutinho and Dembele will finally be fully integrated. Messi deserves more CL titles before he quits. (So did Don Andres, sadly...)

    Hitting form at the right time seems the crucial element. A bit out of form, and you don't stand a chance - at that stage of the CL at least. Does Barca always go for a best possible starting eleven in the cup competitions, or do they field a team of youngsters and squad players?

    How likely is Griezmann to join Barca next season? Seems to be linked with many teams.


    Far too many matches have been with a top line up.

    It seems very likely to happen, yes.

    That may be one of the factors behind Barca's season in the CL, then. The English teams usually field weaker starting elevens for as long as possible. Spurs even used their second goalkeeper against United yesterday!


    There has no doubt been a problem with fatigue this spring. It was visible already against Chelsea. At that point I wasn't too concerned because I thought they would be able to save up for a new form top in late spring. But they kept on not resting key players. One of the advantages of signing Coutinho was presumably that he would help giving Iniesta a rest in the league. But Andres still kept on playing most league games. Piqué kept on playing regular 90 minutes although he was half injured, so did Messi and Suarez.

    I don't blame Valverde too much. He has never managed a club of such stature before and I think the unbeaten record in the League mattered quite a lot to him. It was telling that when the record was finally in the bag after the win against Valencia last weekend, he finally had the courage to rotate almost the entire eleven this midweek, even though it was a potentially very tricky away game against Celta. The result of that was a fantastic display yesterday! The experience from this season should help him. Next year the rotation policy has to be better.

    Have Coutinho played much at all after signing for Barca? Haven't heard his name mentioned at all after he left Liverpool.

    Why has the unbeaten record in the league mattered so much for Valverde? Point to prove?


    Don't know? Maybe it is a unique spin on his Barca career? Winning the treble in his first season wouldn't be so unique. Two guys already did that...

    Coutinho has played quite a lot in the League. And he has been performing well, although it is hard to outshine some of the other guys he's playing with, obviously... He was magnificent yesterday. But if you are not registered to play in the Champions League, one tends to disappear from the limelight. At least in the anglomaniac coverage in Norwegian and English media.
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,924
    jobo wrote: »
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    jobo wrote: »
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    jobo wrote: »
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    jobo wrote: »
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    jobo wrote: »
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    @jobo must be loving this game by Barca.


    Probably the best game we have played in 2018, maybe all season! Which prompts the question why we saved it for the Copa del Rey and not the Champions League? A nice consolation, although that abysmal Rome debacle will taint this season for ever...

    Barca has had a good season anyway, though - with both the league and the cup?
    Iniesta leaving? Didn't know that.
    barryt007 wrote: »
    I'm off chaps...watching Amir Khans fight live,just starting now.

    Enjoy the game/fight!


    Of course it has been a good season! But it is frustrating thinking of what could have been... Chasing the Copa and the unbeaten record in the League left the team exhausted for the essential CL matches this spring. It is nice winning the CDR for a fourth consecutive time, but I would claim on all accations the maraton it is to play so many matches in the new year (in Spain all ties have home and away games) hampered our form in the latter stages of the season. I don't want is to become the Copa del Rey team. I would actually prefer if we get knocked out early next year and focus on the Champions League, hopefully peaking top form at the right moment for once which has been Real Madrid's recipe for succes the last couple of seasons.

    But next season looks promising. Both Griezmann and the very promising midfielder Arthur Melo will likely arive, and Coutinho and Dembele will finally be fully integrated. Messi deserves more CL titles before he quits. (So did Don Andres, sadly...)

    Hitting form at the right time seems the crucial element. A bit out of form, and you don't stand a chance - at that stage of the CL at least. Does Barca always go for a best possible starting eleven in the cup competitions, or do they field a team of youngsters and squad players?

    How likely is Griezmann to join Barca next season? Seems to be linked with many teams.


    Far too many matches have been with a top line up.

    It seems very likely to happen, yes.

    That may be one of the factors behind Barca's season in the CL, then. The English teams usually field weaker starting elevens for as long as possible. Spurs even used their second goalkeeper against United yesterday!


    There has no doubt been a problem with fatigue this spring. It was visible already against Chelsea. At that point I wasn't too concerned because I thought they would be able to save up for a new form top in late spring. But they kept on not resting key players. One of the advantages of signing Coutinho was presumably that he would help giving Iniesta a rest in the league. But Andres still kept on playing most league games. Piqué kept on playing regular 90 minutes although he was half injured, so did Messi and Suarez.

    I don't blame Valverde too much. He has never managed a club of such stature before and I think the unbeaten record in the League mattered quite a lot to him. It was telling that when the record was finally in the bag after the win against Valencia last weekend, he finally had the courage to rotate almost the entire eleven this midweek, even though it was a potentially very tricky away game against Celta. The result of that was a fantastic display yesterday! The experience from this season should help him. Next year the rotation policy has to be better.

    Have Coutinho played much at all after signing for Barca? Haven't heard his name mentioned at all after he left Liverpool.

    Why has the unbeaten record in the league mattered so much for Valverde? Point to prove?


    Don't know? Maybe it is a unique spin on his Barca career? Winning the treble in his first season wouldn't be so unique. Two guys already did that...

    Coutinho has played quite a lot in the League. And he has been performing well, although it is hard to outshine some of the other guys he's playing with, obviously... He was magnificent yesterday. But if you are not registered to play in the Champions League, one tends to disappear from the limelight. At least in the anglomaniac coverage in Norwegian and English media.

    Was Valverde the expected choice, or the guy fans were hoping for? If not, then an unbeaten run would be a way to prove himself to the fans and critics.

    Last I heard about Coutinho was that he'd been used as a sub mainly. That may have changed, though.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    Come on lads...win this for Arsene !!!
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,924
    barryt007 wrote: »
    Come on lads...win this for Arsene !!!

    They better!
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    Worrying start here once again.

    Man,that defence is shit.
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    edited April 2018 Posts: 17,924
    barryt007 wrote: »
    Worrying start here once again.

    Man,that defence is shit.

    Yeah. Need to do better than that if they're going to win this.

    Oh, Claudio Ranieri is at the stadium!
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    barryt007 wrote: »
    Worrying start here once again.

    Man,that defence is shit.

    Yeah. Need to do better than that if they're going to win this.

    Oh, Claudio Ranieri is at the stadium!

    He wont be there as the new incoming manager,just scouting or having a day out.
  • vzokvzok
    Posts: 4,046
    barryt007 wrote: »
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    barryt007 wrote: »
    Worrying start here once again.

    Man,that defence is shit.

    Yeah. Need to do better than that if they're going to win this.

    Oh, Claudio Ranieri is at the stadium!

    He wont be there as the new incoming manager,just scouting or having a day out.

    You could do worse.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    vzok wrote: »
    barryt007 wrote: »
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    barryt007 wrote: »
    Worrying start here once again.

    Man,that defence is shit.

    Yeah. Need to do better than that if they're going to win this.

    Oh, Claudio Ranieri is at the stadium!

    He wont be there as the new incoming manager,just scouting or having a day out.

    You could do worse.

    And a lot better though,also he is too old.
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    Love the fact the Emirates is rammed for once. All the fickle gooners eulogising over Wenger, despite calling for his head the last few years.
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    edited April 2018 Posts: 17,924
    barryt007 wrote: »
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    barryt007 wrote: »
    Worrying start here once again.

    Man,that defence is shit.

    Yeah. Need to do better than that if they're going to win this.

    Oh, Claudio Ranieri is at the stadium!

    He wont be there as the new incoming manager,just scouting or having a day out.

    Haha, don't think so, either. Just fun to see him. Class manager.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    RC7 wrote: »
    Love the fact the Emirates is rammed for once. All the fickle gooners eulogising over Wenger, despite calling for his head the last few years.

    I know,...the disgusing 'Wenger Out' idiots all cooing over him now..bloody hypocrites.

  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,924
    barryt007 wrote: »
    RC7 wrote: »
    Love the fact the Emirates is rammed for once. All the fickle gooners eulogising over Wenger, despite calling for his head the last few years.

    I know,...the disgusing 'Wenger Out' idiots all cooing over him now..bloody hypocrites.

    It's incredible isn't it.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    Monreal !!!!

    He is playing so well this season.


    1-0
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,924
    Nacho!
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    Nacho!

    Bollocks.
    1-1
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,924
    barryt007 wrote: »
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    Nacho!

    Bollocks.
    1-1

    Well that was hardly surprising. He has all the space he wants in the box…
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    Ow Declan Rice what have you done,why the hell did you duck ?!

    2-1 to us.
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,924
    Ramsey!! Nice.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    3-1 Lacazette !!

    Game over.....
  • barryt007barryt007
    edited April 2018 Posts: 19,339
    4-1.

    Ruthless.

    Lacazette's confidence will be sky high on Thursday.

    Rambo man of the match for me,followed by Xaka.
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    edited April 2018 Posts: 17,924
    barryt007 wrote: »
    4-1.

    Ruthless.

    Lacazette's confidence will be sky high on Thursday.

    Rambo man of the match for me.

    Rambo on fire! Now wrap him and Lacazette in bubble wrap, and don't open before Thursday night!

    Merci, Arsène.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    Looks like WBA,Stoke and Saints for relegation...thats 2 matches in a row that Stoke have lost winning positions late on .
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,924
    barryt007 wrote: »
    Looks like WBA,Stoke and Saints for relegation...thats 2 matches in a row that Stoke have lost winning positions late on .

    Wasn't at all surprised that Burnley got an equalizer. Dyche doing so, so well with that team. Saints can catch up with Swansea, but I doubt it. Carvalhal should keep them up. They even play Stoke and Saints in the last two fixtures.
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    edited April 2018 Posts: 17,924
    Oooh, that's a nice effort by Giroud! 1-0 Chelsea.
    Playing Morata must have cost Chelsea. About time Giroud starts for them.
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    edited April 2018 Posts: 17,924
    And then he's injured. Damn.

    Edit: looks alright.
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,924
    Chelsea through to the final, then. As a mate of mine wrote in a message right now, the Chelsea-United game might be a great fixture to watch, or a very boring final.

    No surprises in the Man City-Swansea game, either. City played for fun out there.
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    edited April 2018 Posts: 17,924
    Rosenborg struggled against a Start team that parked the bus at Lerkendal this evening. Rosenborg did not impress, but managed a 2-0 win in the end, climbing up to fourth place on the league table. "Little brother" Ranheim won too, and have placed themselves third, with one less game played than Rosenborg. Just incredible.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    Wenger's brain really doesn't operate by normal standards of logic. What level of sanity can make him decide to not play Aubameyang from the start?

    Why are you resting your best player and a bloke who can't even play on Thursday?

    All the mug fans cheering from the rafters that he's a genius for putting the shambles that is London Utd to the sword when the decision not to start Aubameyang shows what an absolute joke of a manager he has turned into.*

    *Obviously I brought Aubameyang into my fantasy team and clown Wenger has just killed my title challenge stone dead.
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    edited April 2018 Posts: 17,924
    TheWizardOfIce wrote: »
    Wenger's brain really doesn't operate by normal standards of logic. What level of sanity can make him decide to not play Aubameyang from the start?

    Why are you resting your best player and a bloke who can't even play on Thursday?

    All the mug fans cheering from the rafters that he's a genius for putting the shambles that is London Utd to the sword when the decision not to start Aubameyang shows what an absolute joke of a manager he has turned into.*

    *Obviously I brought Aubameyang into my fantasy team and clown Wenger has just killed my title challenge stone dead.

    From what I read from the press conference earlier this week, he wanted to start as many as possible of those who are eligible for EL play on Thursday, like Lacazette, for example.*

    *For that reason only, I brought Lacazette on Free Hit for this gameweek. He more or less told Aubameyang wouldn't start.

    Also, regarding FPL: Have you ever seen the Twitter account Anfield Express, @TheWizardOfIce? That account has posted spot on line ups for weeks now, the day before the games. Liverpool insider?
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