Leichester up 2-0 on Sevilla. Pretty cool. Could root for them out of remaining teams. They still can't give up a goal or it would be dead even on aggregate and away goals
Sevilla have to play the extra time a man down? If so I think that's wrong since the extra time is it's own game and not an extension of the second leg
took it to Sevilla and outworked them. They had no answer for the press. Defense was solid, work rate everyone on the field was terrific, even Marhez was tracking back. You can talk about the missed chances for Sevilla all day but the Foxes deserve to advance.
As far as terps comments - there's obviously a gulf of class between Leicester and those remaining, but if there was ever a team that has continued to prove those who underestimate them wrong, its LCFC. Bring on Bayern!
I enjoyed them last year, but what they did to Claudio Ranieri, who was the mastermind behind their remarkable run is a joke. A month ago, Mahrez wasn't even tracking back on defense, and now all of a sudden he has his legs back after the manager is sacked.
A Jamie Vardy is a flopping cunt. He was acting the same way as Mahrez was and how has a spring in his step after the sacking of Ranieri.
No class whatsoever, and I'm hoping they get mauled next round against whomever they play.
What they did to Rainieri was criminal. Without him most of those guys would be known as what they are: undeserving of the stage. That Leicester won last year is indicative of the sorry state of the quality of the BPL.
If Ranieri gets ALL the credit for last season, then he gets all the blame for this season too. Prior to the firing, LCFC hadn't won a game in league in the calendar year, nor scored a goal. Something had to change or it was looking like relegation was inevitable. The owners have a responsibility to look out for their team, and Leicester cannot afford to drop down to the Championship (with zero guarantee for a quick promotion) where there'd be a firesale and they'd be in a slog - the last time that happened it took over a decade to get back to the premier league. With the amount of money coming into the league only growing, the difference between the haves and have nots will only grow.
Dopes talk about how Leicester is suppose to just be happy with what happened and loyal to Claudio, at the expense of every thing else. This is a team that spent almost 100M pounds on new players in the past two windows since the championship - that warrants a better performance than relegation, which he wasn't delivering. Are the players partly to blame? Undoubtedly, but you can't fire all of them. Strikes me as odd as you can be so ruthless pragmatic when it comes to coaches/players on the Giants but fail to do so when something clearly was wrong with a team. Again, these overly-sentimental laments are only from non-Leicester fans, to whom it means jackshit if Leicester were to be demoted and fade away forever. As today and the last two league games demonstrate, it's sure looking like the hard, but necessary choice was made - you can call the players snakes all you'd like. If Bayern or whoever oblierates them, it'll be a gulf of class - not some karmic nonsense passengers along last year's ride feel is deserved.
Leicester is that they have the talent, and those talented players decided to run off a coach who led them to a title the very next year. You can blame their Board for sacking him, but it is clear that when the players want to play, they can. They basically shat all over the guy who delivered something they probably won't see again in their lifetimes.
It would be like a team winning a SB, all the players get fat and happy and the next year they act like they don't want to even be on the field. Raineri was trying to keep them as consistent contenders, but the players only cared about grabbing the ring once.
If this is referring to the Nasri head butt, Vardy did what 99.9% of players would do if another player made a head butting motion at them. And it was a red cartable offense even without Vardy flopping.
To suggest they quit on Ranieri and were no longer giving maximum effort. If anything their sudden turn in form towards resembling last season spotlights this. What, I'm supposed to believe they all randomly and at the same time broke out of a slump and all at once regained last season's form? And this is just some random coincidence? It's pathetic quite frankly. You can't fire the players so the manager is the fall guy. But make no mistake they quit on Ranieri.
Stones is a Fucking disaster. He never marks anyone on set pieces. The only defender who performs halfway decently is Sagna. The rest are shit. For all the money they spend their defense is a disgrace.
It isn't at the standard yet of the BPL, but people hold the BPL in way too high an esteem. It is a clear step below the football being played in Spain and Germany right now. No question about it.
And the reason why is that the BPL is a buying league. By and large they buy the most expensive players without actually creating anything of their own. Instead of creating top managers they just buy them from Spain and Germany, and they do the same with the players. The result is that the top teams lack any identity or style at all, and they look like a collection of good players (some of whom have grown lazy with the cash) instead of a well trained team.
The one guy that's been in the mix a while and tries to implement a clear philosophy - Arsene Wenger - is constantly shit upon for it. And another guy that brilliantly elevated mediocre players to a title (Ranieri) with his tactics was fired not a year later primarily by a bunch of fatter, wealthier players.
MLS doesn't have the BPL's riches and I couldn't argue it's a better league, but I like watching it better. At least the teams have identities.
It isn't at the standard yet of the BPL, but people hold the BPL in way too high an esteem. It is a clear step below the football being played in Spain and Germany right now. No question about it.
And the reason why is that the BPL is a buying league. By and large they buy the most expensive players without actually creating anything of their own. Instead of creating top managers they just buy them from Spain and Germany, and they do the same with the players. The result is that the top teams lack any identity or style at all, and they look like a collection of good players (some of whom have grown lazy with the cash) instead of a well trained team.
The one guy that's been in the mix a while and tries to implement a clear philosophy - Arsene Wenger - is constantly shit upon for it. And another guy that brilliantly elevated mediocre players to a title (Ranieri) with his tactics was fired not a year later primarily by a bunch of fatter, wealthier players.
MLS doesn't have the BPL's riches and I couldn't argue it's a better league, but I like watching it better. At least the teams have identities.
A lot of what you described sounds like Real Madrid to me. I'm not saying you are wrong but they are a collection of really good players, several that are bought as well.
It isn't at the standard yet of the BPL, but people hold the BPL in way too high an esteem. It is a clear step below the football being played in Spain and Germany right now. No question about it.
And the reason why is that the BPL is a buying league. By and large they buy the most expensive players without actually creating anything of their own. Instead of creating top managers they just buy them from Spain and Germany, and they do the same with the players. The result is that the top teams lack any identity or style at all, and they look like a collection of good players (some of whom have grown lazy with the cash) instead of a well trained team.
The one guy that's been in the mix a while and tries to implement a clear philosophy - Arsene Wenger - is constantly shit upon for it. And another guy that brilliantly elevated mediocre players to a title (Ranieri) with his tactics was fired not a year later primarily by a bunch of fatter, wealthier players.
MLS doesn't have the BPL's riches and I couldn't argue it's a better league, but I like watching it better. At least the teams have identities.
A lot of what you described sounds like Real Madrid to me. I'm not saying you are wrong but they are a collection of really good players, several that are bought as well.
You're absolutely right. And sadly, Barcelona. But that's only two teams. And to be fair, Real Madrid's been producing some fantastic talent through their academy. The problem has been their idiot president likes to buy shiny toys. But Carvajal, Asensio, Morata, Kiko Casilla, Nacho, and Lucas Vazquez all came up through their youth ranks.
And the other clubs in Spain buy players too of course, but they also produce them. Atletico has produced a bunch. Sevilla produces a bunch AND buys productive players for pennies on the dollar from giant clubs (many in England). Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad have produced tons of excellent players that have filtered out into Europe.
Who is being produced now in England? How are they putting their stamp on the game instead of just buying up players and fielding all-star teams?
I think everyone is just harped on winning the champions
to a Sevilla type team. Their backbone (Kane, Alli, Walker, Rose, Dier) is all homegrown, and they complimented it with some smart signings (Alderweireld, Lloris, Vertongen, etc.)
I watch mostly La Liga and Bundesliga action due to my
Subscriptions and I am always very disappointed in the comparative level if Premier League play. I'm with Terps on this one.
A couple of weekend ago I watched two games: first, a barnburner between Atletico and Barcelona. Barca won 2-1 although they didn't probably deserve it but anyway the speed, passing skills and aggressiveness of both teams was otherworldly. Then I tune in to a Man United vs Hull game and it looks like plodding minor league football. The difference was stark.
Champions League is the best. I thought last springs CL elimination round was the best sports event -- after the Giants Super Bowl runs -- I'd ever seen. This round is turning out to be just as special. I haven't even seen a BBI thread on the Barca-PSG tie, which was some kind of phenomenon. When are we going to talk about it, guys?
Most of the teams cannot defend to save their life, goalkeeping is inconsistent and basically 2/3 of the league is running the exact same system which only duplicates the problems. The best two teams are in the top two spots and it's not an accident. Chelsea and Tottenham are more complete and superior to everyone else in my opinion. I also don't think it an accident that probably the best game of this BPL season was Tottenham vs Chelsea back in January. And yet all that being said Tottenham got slaughtered in European play and did not represent the BPL well at all.
As for Man City, for the love of god, Pep needs about as many defenders as he can find if he is going to have any success at all in England. Stones has fallen off the cliff into the abyss somewhere and Otamendi is total dogshit. They might as well play with no defenders and put two extra strikers on the field if they're going to defend like that.
RE: I watch mostly La Liga and Bundesliga action due to my
Subscriptions and I am always very disappointed in the comparative level if Premier League play. I'm with Terps on this one.
A couple of weekend ago I watched two games: first, a barnburner between Atletico and Barcelona. Barca won 2-1 although they didn't probably deserve it but anyway the speed, passing skills and aggressiveness of both teams was otherworldly. Then I tune in to a Man United vs Hull game and it looks like plodding minor league football. The difference was stark.
Champions League is the best. I thought last springs CL elimination round was the best sports event -- after the Giants Super Bowl runs -- I'd ever seen. This round is turning out to be just as special. I haven't even seen a BBI thread on the Barca-PSG tie, which was some kind of phenomenon. When are we going to talk about it, guys?
I wonder if that game will be remembered as the day Barcelona became Neymar's team. He was stellar, and from afar it seems like some planets are aligning for Messi to move to Man City and help rescue Guardiola.
its hard to take anything said here seriously when the epl comparison
And let me ask you... Were you a fan of Leicester before last year? Did you suffer with them in the Championship in 2013? If so, I respect that. If not, you're a joke.
like La Liga or the Bundesliga are superior in the level of play is that it rarely extends past the top 3-4 teams. I watched Darmstadt beat Mainz last weekend and the level of play was pretty poor, as might be expected from two bottom teams. And you will routinely see 5-0, 5-1, 6-1 scorelines in either of those leagues when Barca, Real or Bayern play even mid-table teams.
The standard of play in the BPL isn't what it used to be, but top to bottom, they are still a tremendously strong league. Chelsea isn't destroying Middlesborough routinely or Arsenal isn't laying 7-0 beatings on Hull City.
And I also think the MLS isn't even close to being in the realm of the European leagues. Did you see the quality of play in the recent playoffs? It was horrid. It's tough to have access to the European games these days and then put on a MLS match and not see an extreme difference. Touches, scoring strikes and overall speed are lagging behind. It's like watching a minor league hockey game vs. the NHL. The difference is evident immediately.
Juve had a nice 1st half.
As far as terps comments - there's obviously a gulf of class between Leicester and those remaining, but if there was ever a team that has continued to prove those who underestimate them wrong, its LCFC. Bring on Bayern!
A Jamie Vardy is a flopping cunt. He was acting the same way as Mahrez was and how has a spring in his step after the sacking of Ranieri.
No class whatsoever, and I'm hoping they get mauled next round against whomever they play.
Bayern will make short work of them.
Dopes talk about how Leicester is suppose to just be happy with what happened and loyal to Claudio, at the expense of every thing else. This is a team that spent almost 100M pounds on new players in the past two windows since the championship - that warrants a better performance than relegation, which he wasn't delivering. Are the players partly to blame? Undoubtedly, but you can't fire all of them. Strikes me as odd as you can be so ruthless pragmatic when it comes to coaches/players on the Giants but fail to do so when something clearly was wrong with a team. Again, these overly-sentimental laments are only from non-Leicester fans, to whom it means jackshit if Leicester were to be demoted and fade away forever. As today and the last two league games demonstrate, it's sure looking like the hard, but necessary choice was made - you can call the players snakes all you'd like. If Bayern or whoever oblierates them, it'll be a gulf of class - not some karmic nonsense passengers along last year's ride feel is deserved.
It would be like a team winning a SB, all the players get fat and happy and the next year they act like they don't want to even be on the field. Raineri was trying to keep them as consistent contenders, but the players only cared about grabbing the ring once.
Juve had a nice 1st half.
If this is referring to the Nasri head butt, Vardy did what 99.9% of players would do if another player made a head butting motion at them. And it was a red cartable offense even without Vardy flopping.
Don't you watch the mls?
And the reason why is that the BPL is a buying league. By and large they buy the most expensive players without actually creating anything of their own. Instead of creating top managers they just buy them from Spain and Germany, and they do the same with the players. The result is that the top teams lack any identity or style at all, and they look like a collection of good players (some of whom have grown lazy with the cash) instead of a well trained team.
The one guy that's been in the mix a while and tries to implement a clear philosophy - Arsene Wenger - is constantly shit upon for it. And another guy that brilliantly elevated mediocre players to a title (Ranieri) with his tactics was fired not a year later primarily by a bunch of fatter, wealthier players.
MLS doesn't have the BPL's riches and I couldn't argue it's a better league, but I like watching it better. At least the teams have identities.
And the reason why is that the BPL is a buying league. By and large they buy the most expensive players without actually creating anything of their own. Instead of creating top managers they just buy them from Spain and Germany, and they do the same with the players. The result is that the top teams lack any identity or style at all, and they look like a collection of good players (some of whom have grown lazy with the cash) instead of a well trained team.
The one guy that's been in the mix a while and tries to implement a clear philosophy - Arsene Wenger - is constantly shit upon for it. And another guy that brilliantly elevated mediocre players to a title (Ranieri) with his tactics was fired not a year later primarily by a bunch of fatter, wealthier players.
MLS doesn't have the BPL's riches and I couldn't argue it's a better league, but I like watching it better. At least the teams have identities.
A lot of what you described sounds like Real Madrid to me. I'm not saying you are wrong but they are a collection of really good players, several that are bought as well.
Quote:
It isn't at the standard yet of the BPL, but people hold the BPL in way too high an esteem. It is a clear step below the football being played in Spain and Germany right now. No question about it.
And the reason why is that the BPL is a buying league. By and large they buy the most expensive players without actually creating anything of their own. Instead of creating top managers they just buy them from Spain and Germany, and they do the same with the players. The result is that the top teams lack any identity or style at all, and they look like a collection of good players (some of whom have grown lazy with the cash) instead of a well trained team.
The one guy that's been in the mix a while and tries to implement a clear philosophy - Arsene Wenger - is constantly shit upon for it. And another guy that brilliantly elevated mediocre players to a title (Ranieri) with his tactics was fired not a year later primarily by a bunch of fatter, wealthier players.
MLS doesn't have the BPL's riches and I couldn't argue it's a better league, but I like watching it better. At least the teams have identities.
A lot of what you described sounds like Real Madrid to me. I'm not saying you are wrong but they are a collection of really good players, several that are bought as well.
You're absolutely right. And sadly, Barcelona. But that's only two teams. And to be fair, Real Madrid's been producing some fantastic talent through their academy. The problem has been their idiot president likes to buy shiny toys. But Carvajal, Asensio, Morata, Kiko Casilla, Nacho, and Lucas Vazquez all came up through their youth ranks.
And the other clubs in Spain buy players too of course, but they also produce them. Atletico has produced a bunch. Sevilla produces a bunch AND buys productive players for pennies on the dollar from giant clubs (many in England). Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad have produced tons of excellent players that have filtered out into Europe.
Who is being produced now in England? How are they putting their stamp on the game instead of just buying up players and fielding all-star teams?
A couple of weekend ago I watched two games: first, a barnburner between Atletico and Barcelona. Barca won 2-1 although they didn't probably deserve it but anyway the speed, passing skills and aggressiveness of both teams was otherworldly. Then I tune in to a Man United vs Hull game and it looks like plodding minor league football. The difference was stark.
Champions League is the best. I thought last springs CL elimination round was the best sports event -- after the Giants Super Bowl runs -- I'd ever seen. This round is turning out to be just as special. I haven't even seen a BBI thread on the Barca-PSG tie, which was some kind of phenomenon. When are we going to talk about it, guys?
As for Man City, for the love of god, Pep needs about as many defenders as he can find if he is going to have any success at all in England. Stones has fallen off the cliff into the abyss somewhere and Otamendi is total dogshit. They might as well play with no defenders and put two extra strikers on the field if they're going to defend like that.
A couple of weekend ago I watched two games: first, a barnburner between Atletico and Barcelona. Barca won 2-1 although they didn't probably deserve it but anyway the speed, passing skills and aggressiveness of both teams was otherworldly. Then I tune in to a Man United vs Hull game and it looks like plodding minor league football. The difference was stark.
Champions League is the best. I thought last springs CL elimination round was the best sports event -- after the Giants Super Bowl runs -- I'd ever seen. This round is turning out to be just as special. I haven't even seen a BBI thread on the Barca-PSG tie, which was some kind of phenomenon. When are we going to talk about it, guys?
I wonder if that game will be remembered as the day Barcelona became Neymar's team. He was stellar, and from afar it seems like some planets are aligning for Messi to move to Man City and help rescue Guardiola.
here's to more 11 man parked buses as eibar and alaves act as practice cones for messi & co
here's to more 11 man parked buses as eibar and alaves act as practice cones for messi & co
Alaves beat Barcelona this season, so...
I don't know what you're talking about.
And let me ask you... Were you a fan of Leicester before last year? Did you suffer with them in the Championship in 2013? If so, I respect that. If not, you're a joke.
The standard of play in the BPL isn't what it used to be, but top to bottom, they are still a tremendously strong league. Chelsea isn't destroying Middlesborough routinely or Arsenal isn't laying 7-0 beatings on Hull City.
And I also think the MLS isn't even close to being in the realm of the European leagues. Did you see the quality of play in the recent playoffs? It was horrid. It's tough to have access to the European games these days and then put on a MLS match and not see an extreme difference. Touches, scoring strikes and overall speed are lagging behind. It's like watching a minor league hockey game vs. the NHL. The difference is evident immediately.