IdleRich

IdleRich
And they spent more this close season too. Basically they bought Ronaldo to bring them the Champs League and on those terms you would have to say that, so far at least, it's a failure. They are one of the top five or six teams on paper, a team who COULD win it but Ronaldo's specific job is surely to push them those final few inches to the top. We'll see I guess.
 

baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
There's this idea that Ronaldo somehow won Champions' Leagues almost on his own. In all but one season, he wasn't even the main factor. Ajax murdered them in that quarter final, way more than 2-1 would suggest. They were so superior, rarely seen an elite team bossed at home like that. Ronaldo was an irrelevance, as he was in a couple of those finals, I think the ones vs Atletico in particular (before slotting away a penalty and claiming glory).

In other news, I'm glad that Leicester are showing up this season again. They're so good to watch when on song. Brendan Rodgers may be annoying personally, but he seems so underrated as a manager - that Liverpool team of 2013-4 was sublime, and would be rated amongst the best the PL has ever seen if not for Gerrard's slip.
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
There's this idea that Ronaldo somehow won Champions' Leagues almost on his own. In all but one season, he wasn't even the main factor. Ajax murdered them in that quarter final, way more than 2-1 would suggest. They were so superior, rarely seen an elite team bossed at home like that. Ronaldo was an irrelevance, as he was in a couple of those finals, I think the ones vs Atletico in particular (before slotting away a penalty and claiming glory).
Well, basically it's a team sport and you forget that at your peril. Ronaldo obviously has a winning mentality and has scored lots of goals and also important goals and, to some extent at least, appears able to imbue a winning mentality into other players in his teams. But still, it doesn't just work that if you take a very good team (Juventus) and insert one of the best players in the world (Ronaldo) then you will automatically end up with a team as good as Liverpool. I mean, it wasn't really obvious that what they lacked was a player in whatever position it is Ronaldo plays. The sad fact is that often, if you have two teams and one is slightly better than the other, catching up might still involve a complete overhaul cos the stronger team might just be a little bit better all over.

In other news, I'm glad that Leicester are showing up this season again. They're so good to watch when on song. Brendan Rodgers may be annoying personally, but he seems so underrated as a manager - that Liverpool team of 2013-4 was sublime, and would be rated amongst the best the PL has ever seen if not for Gerrard's slip
I actually watched Chelsea vs Leicester today and after Chelsea dominated the first fifteen twenty minutes Leicester came more and more into the game and should have won really. I've got a feeling it's gonna be a long and difficult season for Chelsea… ha ha
 

baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
Absolutely, just as Messi looked very normal when Liverpool started to click in the CL semi. And why comparing Messi to Maradona or Zidane will never work - surely it's only a playmaker or an exceptional defensive midfielder who is positioned in such a way that they can make a difference when all is crumbling around them.

I didn't see more than the highlights, but from what I gathered Chelsea were incredibly dominant in the first half but fell apart when Leicester started to play. That whole idea about Lampard repeating his mistakes/shortcomings as a player is seductive. For Leicester, Maddison and Tielemans and the other guy I can't remember looked awesome in the game I saw in full at the end of last season - could be such a good team, but I guess they have one season to prove it before Man City come knocking
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
Maddison certainly looked good. But he did blast one miles over where he should have kept his composure and scored. Tielemans came on in the second half and did alright from what I saw.
Honestly, I dunno if it's Lampard to blame. Hazard has gone, Luis too (many might think of him as a joke but I think that if there is any truth in that it's only at a level higher than he will be required to play ninety percent of the time) and they are banned from transfers to replace them. Morale can't exactly be good you'd think. Especially when you think about Jorginho who was brought in by Sarri and who seemed to be blamed by the fans every time they lost - now Sarri has been fired where does that leave him? Except starting every game obviously.
 

baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
Let's just blame Lampard though. It's what the papers would want.

Chelsea fans now alleging their squad is threadbare, I notice.
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
I think Griezmann's going to do well in Barcelona.
He's a great player at a team who are still surely in the top five or so in the world, why wouldn't he? It doesn't always work out as you'd expect of course but odds are in his favour I think. Hope he cuts out that shitty celebration though.
 

version

Well-known member
Because he likes to play through the middle and they've already run into problems with both Messi and Suarez wanting to do the same. I think the three of them are good enough to adapt to each other but it's going to be interesting to see a front three with no wingers.
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
Fair points. He scored two last night or whenever it was but maybe it's noteworthy that Messi and Suarez were out. Obviously when all are fit he won't be the main man so he will have to fit around Messi. Some rumours are suggesting that they are still interested in Neymar but surely that can't be true, where the fuck would he fit in? From the highlights I saw the problem is more the defence, on the evidence I saw next time they play Liverpool they will concede five or six so they should be strengthening that not getting a spoiled galactico who can't fit in the team.
 

version

Well-known member
A Neymar-Suarez-Messi front three with Griezmann sat just behind and putting in a defensive shift when required might work but it would be a ridiculously unbalanced team.
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
A Neymar-Suarez-Messi front three with Griezmann sat just behind and putting in a defensive shift when required might work but it would be a ridiculously unbalanced team.
They could bully some teams ten nil... but I fear if they played City or Liverpool with that line-up they might lose by more than that.
 

version

Well-known member
I think if you were to drop one of the four it would have to be Suarez although his movement off the ball is brilliant.
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
I think if you were to drop one of the four it would have to be Suarez although his movement off the ball is brilliant.
Harsh, I dunno, I'd drop Neymar for being a prick and fucking off and then agitating to move back. Depending on how Griezemanm works out obviously. But at the moment I'd pick him and Suarez before Neymar although I get that some of the fans have been pissed off with Suarez over the last few years - but I'm with you, he works hard and pulls defenders all round the pitch and he's so deadly at snapping up chances when he does get 'em. As long as he can stop biting people for a few minutes...
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
Cantona raised some important and thought provoking points during his speech at the Champions League draw last night....

“As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods, they kill us for their sport. Soon the science will not only be able to slow down the ageing of the cells, soon the science will fix the cells to the state and so we will become eternal. *Only accidents, crimes, wars, will still kill us but unfortunately, crimes, wars, will multiply. I love football. Thank you.”
 

IdleRich

IdleRich
It's like at the end he suddenly thought "Wait a minute this is the Champions League thing, not that other event, better say something about football". Messi looks a bit nonplussed anyway.
 
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