The tournament format has been changed a bit to get more teams from the big leagues. We're moving closer to the Super League that has been rumored for years.
In transfer news, Arsenal is about to close the signing of Lucas Perez from Deportivo for 20 million euros. This is a very good player that should adapt quickly to England. As a Depor fan I'm sorry to lose him but the club needs the money desperately as it tries to climb out of administration.
Terry Gibson made a point on the excellent Sky Sports La Liga podcast, and it's a good one. We've all spent the summer watching soccer: Copa, Euros, Olympics. And in some cases here, MLS.
Watching Barcelona play at the start of this season I'd like being hit in the face with a shovel. Their quality of play and the quality of their goals is an order of magnitude higher than everyone else. The difference is startling.
No Chelsea or Man United. What is the world coming to!!
Keep an eye on Sevilla. Their new manager is the Chilean wild man Jorge Sampaoli. As manager for the Chilean national team he earned a reputation for having his teams press like crazy and hold almost suicidally high defensive lines. He had some great success with it.
He stated before the Liga season that he would field an offensive team this year and he was true to his word in week one. Sevilla beat Espanyol 6-4 in a crazy match this past weekend. The announcers were having a hard time determining what formation Sevilla were using because there didn't seem to be one.
I don't know if they'll get through the group (though they have some really good players), but they should be fun to watch.
I agree with Terps that Sevilla in their Group stuck out as a team that should make some noise. Dortmund and Madrid is a nice tasty group stage matchup.
And there must be a rule that Celtic must play Barcelona - seems to happen a lot and it's much fun.
I would prefer it if each European country only sent one rep to the UCL. It would make for a far more interesting tournament. As it is you don't have to start paying attention until the semifinals.
I would prefer it if each European country only sent one rep to the UCL. It would make for a far more interesting tournament. As it is you don't have to start paying attention until the semifinals.
Really I'd prefer they get rid of a lot of the lower seeded leagues.
Just la liga, premier, seria a, bundesliga, ligua 1, premeria liga
But more EPL focused, City make it official and sign Claudio Bravo from Barca, ending the Joe Hart Era at the Etihad. Love Joe, but he doesn't fit the transition model Pep favors.
But more EPL focused, City make it official and sign Claudio Bravo from Barca, ending the Joe Hart Era at the Etihad. Love Joe, but he doesn't fit the transition model Pep favors.
Weird to see him play his last game yesterday.
Jury is still out on Pep in my non-expert opinion.
And let's hope Nacho is ok after his injury yesterday in a relatively meaningless game.
A bit of an anticlimactic end for Hart. But I concur that City is still trying to find its identity. No real flow yet, I expect things to round into form in the next 4-6 weeks. I do hope Iheanacho is okay, but how nuts was it to see a guy like Delph finally contribute? I think Pep is giving a lot of guys a longer leash/2nd chance. As I said, he seems to like Kolarov, and unusual suspects seem to have a chance to earn some burn. But I want to see that rhythm we've seen before and hope to see. I do think KDB will flourish in the new scheme.
IMO the position to watch under Pep is the defensive midfielder. I don't know if it's going to be Fernando, Fernandinho, or someone else...but whoever that ends up being will be the fulcrum of the whole thing.
I would prefer it if each European country only sent one rep to the UCL. It would make for a far more interesting tournament. As it is you don't have to start paying attention until the semifinals.
Really I'd prefer they get rid of a lot of the lower seeded leagues.
Just la liga, premier, seria a, bundesliga, ligua 1, premeria liga
I think what they are doing in the interim is evening up across the main leagues - England maybe losing its 4th spot and Italy getting a third. Because where do you draw the line with the major leagues - is Ligue 1 that much better than the Erividersie, for example?
I'd prefer the smaller teams stay in for the fun of Real Madrid playing at Apoel Nicosia or Barcelona/Celtic.
In transfer news, Arsenal is about to close the signing of Lucas Perez from Deportivo for 20 million euros. This is a very good player that should adapt quickly to England. As a Depor fan I'm sorry to lose him but the club needs the money desperately as it tries to climb out of administration.
I think City is close to breaking into that Real/Barca/Bayern axis. I'd still expect them to get through.
Quote:
gets fucked.
I think City is close to breaking into that Real/Barca/Bayern axis. I'd still expect them to get through.
Agree. It actually turned out ok.
Watching Barcelona play at the start of this season I'd like being hit in the face with a shovel. Their quality of play and the quality of their goals is an order of magnitude higher than everyone else. The difference is startling.
Quote:
gets fucked.
I think City is close to breaking into that Real/Barca/Bayern axis. I'd still expect them to get through.
City can get through that group. They should beat Gladbach and Celtic twice
No Chelsea or Man United. What is the world coming to!!
No Chelsea or Man United. What is the world coming to!!
Keep an eye on Sevilla. Their new manager is the Chilean wild man Jorge Sampaoli. As manager for the Chilean national team he earned a reputation for having his teams press like crazy and hold almost suicidally high defensive lines. He had some great success with it.
He stated before the Liga season that he would field an offensive team this year and he was true to his word in week one. Sevilla beat Espanyol 6-4 in a crazy match this past weekend. The announcers were having a hard time determining what formation Sevilla were using because there didn't seem to be one.
I don't know if they'll get through the group (though they have some really good players), but they should be fun to watch.
I agree with Terps that Sevilla in their Group stuck out as a team that should make some noise. Dortmund and Madrid is a nice tasty group stage matchup.
And there must be a rule that Celtic must play Barcelona - seems to happen a lot and it's much fun.
Really I'd prefer they get rid of a lot of the lower seeded leagues.
Just la liga, premier, seria a, bundesliga, ligua 1, premeria liga
Weird to see him play his last game yesterday.
Jury is still out on Pep in my non-expert opinion.
And let's hope Nacho is ok after his injury yesterday in a relatively meaningless game.
It'll be interesting to see how he deploys YaYa moving forward. If at all.
I can see Sterling doing really well under Peps guidance.
Quote:
I would prefer it if each European country only sent one rep to the UCL. It would make for a far more interesting tournament. As it is you don't have to start paying attention until the semifinals.
Really I'd prefer they get rid of a lot of the lower seeded leagues.
Just la liga, premier, seria a, bundesliga, ligua 1, premeria liga
I think what they are doing in the interim is evening up across the main leagues - England maybe losing its 4th spot and Italy getting a third. Because where do you draw the line with the major leagues - is Ligue 1 that much better than the Erividersie, for example?
I'd prefer the smaller teams stay in for the fun of Real Madrid playing at Apoel Nicosia or Barcelona/Celtic.