Champions League 25/26

[Barcaman]

Mighty EPL getting their asses handed to them left right and center.

 

[te amo barca]

City way too slow and cautious. Pep has shat himself once again, went back to his traffic cone byline wingers instead of playing the narrow diamond with wide fullbacks as he was playing for most of the season.

RM look fully up for the challenge and deservedly in the lead

 

[Maradona37]

Bodo to the CL.

Book it!!

Looks like I have this outcome right anyway.

 

[JamDav1982]

Pep has moved towards physical/transition players and it worked for a while when had peak Rodri running the ball and KDB with the freedom.

He reacted after teams were man marking City more and more and tried to get back into team more physical players and ball carriers but havent bought many decent players really.

 

[serghei]

City aren't really facing in EPL teams of the stature of Madrid in CL. Nowhere near.

 

[JamDav1982]

City aren't really facing in EPL teams of the stature of Madrid in CL. Nowhere near.

We shall see if that proves correct.

 

[serghei]

We shall see if that proves correct.

Again? City got sent home from CL by Madrid 4 times in the last 5 ties no? Or 3 of the last 4. Something like that.

This was supposed to be their moment and they are fucking it up royaly.

 

[Maradona37]

Pep has moved towards physical/transition players and it worked for a while when had peak Rodri running the ball and KDB with the freedom.

He reacted after teams were man marking City more and more and tried to get back into team more physical players and ball carriers but havent bought many decent players really.

Yeah said he had adapted to trying to get more physical players in and adapt to the more physical times. But as you and I said, these new guys aren't anywhere near as good in the main as his all-conquering sides at City.

I mean Doku and (even though I rate him) Semenyo don't seem to have the ability of Mahrez, even though he frustrated City fans sometimes.

They're also missing the leadership, experience and brilliance that prime Rodri, KDB, David Silva, Aguero, Yaya Toure and Kompany provided.

I know it feels like I am digging him out, and it's probably correlation not being causation, but they do seem to have got steadily worse since Haaland signed and they started messing with their style. But that could be Guardiola just longer in the job and more stale, too.

 

[Temptation]

can we now talk about the mighty EPL?

Sure.

Spurs are in the relegation zone.
Newcastle got a great result against Barca.
Liverpool have the Slot tax unfortunately.
Arsenal should win easily.
Chelsea doing what's expected against PSG.

City is the only surprise really.

 

[JamDav1982]

Again? City got sent home from CL by Madrid 4 times in the last 5 ties no?

And Arsenal are 1v1 v Real no?

What does all this prove about current teams?

 

[Givenchy]

What has happened to City, though?

They seemed invincible for many years (not in Europe, but they ran the PL and did well enough in the CL).

Now they look like an ordinary team. The charges dropping their focus or just not replacing previous players with a better new generation and signings?

Are they not playing enough of their possession game with more direct players like Haaland, Doku and Savinho in the team?

Pep looks done, probably going through the motions and has been this season and last.

Will be interesting when he (most likely) leaves this summer. City have money to spend but they've replaced the old guard with midtable PL players and it's showing at the elite level. They might bounce back and challenge for the title next season as the PL is lacking in a lot of quality at the top - see Arsenal but Pep basically is City, an unquestioned authority at the club. They will lose a lot of pull when he goes.

 

[jamrock]

A little birdie told me all EPL teams to be knocked out this round.

All Spanish teams to go through.

Is a little birdie right?
A big birdie, a little birdie will be

 

[serghei]

And Arsenal are 1v1 v Real no?

What does all this prove about current teams?

It doesn't prove anything you didn't know already. Madrid are a far bigger club than the competition in EPL.

 

[MonteCuler]

EPL finally getting exposed

City getting mauled by Madrid
Tottenham.. well ok that was expected
Arsenal outplayed by Leverkusen
Chelsea losing
Pool lost to Galata

 

[Maradona37]

Pep looks done, probably going through the motions and has been this season and last.

Will be interesting when he (most likely) leaves this summer. City have money to spend but they've replaced the old guard with midtable PL players and it's showing at the elite level. They might bounce back and challenge for the title next season as the PL is lacking in a lot of quality at the top - see Arsenal but Pep basically is City, an unquestioned authority at the club. They will lose a lot of pull when he goes.

Yeah agree with all that, great post.

I think the common thread is they're trying to buy mid-table players and hope they can step up. Back in the day they bought so clearly elite players from other leagues who were ready to explode eg Silvas, Ederson, KDB, Rodri, Aguero and so on.