Champions League 14/15 group stage matchday 2 (09/30 + 10/01)

PSG - Barca was one of the best group stage matches I've seen in a long time.

I have only seen the second half and was not that impressed. At the end Barca must have had something like 90 % Possession but had no clear Chance. Looked quite clueless. Iniesta was the only one trying to shoot once outside of the box.
I think Neymar was there best Player and showed some glimpses of Quality - on the other Hand van der Wiel stopped im most of the time without too much Trouble.
Paris had 2 or 3 chances but Cavani has been shockingly amateurish in front of the Goal.
 
Interesting match yesterday. Great atmosphere (without plastic flags), we tried to push the team during the 90 mins. This game just confirmed what i said before the match. Our defence has been terrible since we lost our previous manager (Leonardo Jardim) and Rojo. Naby Sarr is clearly a casting error. He may be a french u20 world champion but he isn´t good enough. Slow and his positioning is atrocious. Carvalho was also subpar. He simply isn´t the same player he was under Leonardo Jardim and is taking too long to regain form. This is the kind of games that he should show up. João Mário and Adrien were better than him. I thought our wingers (Nani and Carrillo) were also good and our goalkeeper was outstanding (as confirmed by the usual Mourinho show off of going to greet him). Chelsea are clearly the better team but we tried to put up a good fight with our "weapons". With the Schalke draw, i think we still have a chance. I just hope Schalke doesn´t regain form before we play them. Last note for the referee. Feck off you stupid spaniard bastard. As soon as i saw his stupid name, i knew nothing good would come from that nomination. He is atrocious in La Liga and just did what he usually does there, fecks up everything. De Espanha, nem bons ventos, nem bons casamentos. Useless.
 
But they've won 2 league titles in the last 3 seasons.

Both of those due to respective brainfarts from United and Liverpool. They arent anything like as much of a team or as dominant as we were during our title wins.
 
@kouroux Did you knew Naby Sarr at all? First i was struggling to understand why Lyon would sell us a french u20 world champion for 1 million euros. I thought it was because of financial difficulties but now i know it´s just because he sucks
 
Both of those due to respective brainfarts from United and Liverpool. They arent anything like as much of a team or as dominant as we were during our title wins.
Agreed. You've been consistent and a lot more dominant all season when you've won a title. City haven't.
 
@kouroux Did you knew Naby Sarr at all? First i was struggling to understand why Lyon would sell us a french u20 world champion for 1 million euros. I thought it was because of financial difficulties but now i know it´s just because he sucks

I heard and watch him a few times, he looked a lot worse than all the young talents at Lyon.
 
Some performance from Rui Patricio in Lisbon last night.

Can't recall a better goalkeeping performance in a long time.
 
Is that all Winter tweeted? Really weird conclusion to draw from that figure, especially without comparisons to last year (on nights when Utd played compared to nights they didn't)
 
Is that all Winter tweeted? Really weird conclusion to draw from that figure, especially without comparisons to last year (on nights when Utd played compared to nights they didn't)

He tweeted some figures before that comparing last nights games with one another and Eastenders, strangely enough. He's usually pretty good so I'd assume he knows the figure are down from last year and is trying to making a point. Whether it's a good point or not...
 
Some performance from Rui Patricio in Lisbon last night.

Can't recall a better goalkeeping performance in a long time.

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It was a memorable performance but at the stadium it appeared to me that Chelsea´s goal was somewhat his error with bad positioning.
 
Not sure what game to watch tonight. Maybe Atletico - Juve but I have a feeling it might be a boring one. Maybe Liverpool, first time in a while I don't really know which game I want to watch on a CL night.
 
Not sure if i want Liverpool to win tonight so they can finish 2nd rather than come 3rd and go in the Europa. Surely if they finish 2 in the group once they get one of the big guns they will get knocked out ?
 
I can't see Basle beating them. They are not the team they were.

I wouldn't be too disappointed with a draw to be honest. Don't think it's that important that we win, just avoid defeat and we're in a good position to qualify.
 
Interesting match yesterday. Great atmosphere (without plastic flags), we tried to push the team during the 90 mins. This game just confirmed what i said before the match. Our defence has been terrible since we lost our previous manager (Leonardo Jardim) and Rojo. Naby Sarr is clearly a casting error. He may be a french u20 world champion but he isn´t good enough. Slow and his positioning is atrocious. Carvalho was also subpar. He simply isn´t the same player he was under Leonardo Jardim and is taking too long to regain form. This is the kind of games that he should show up. João Mário and Adrien were better than him. I thought our wingers (Nani and Carrillo) were also good and our goalkeeper was outstanding (as confirmed by the usual Mourinho show off of going to greet him). Chelsea are clearly the better team but we tried to put up a good fight with our "weapons". With the Schalke draw, i think we still have a chance. I just hope Schalke doesn´t regain form before we play them. Last note for the referee. Feck off you stupid spaniard bastard. As soon as i saw his stupid name, i knew nothing good would come from that nomination. He is atrocious in La Liga and just did what he usually does there, fecks up everything. De Espanha, nem bons ventos, nem bons casamentos. Useless.
I think its time to let young Paulo Oliveira a chance he was good in Guimaraes and deserves a chance. As for Naby Saar its true that he has not been good but neither has Mauricio Naby Saar needs time to adapt at the club on top of that him and Mauricio simply don't make a good partnership and we don't have the same defensive stability as of last season. Clearly Naby Saar has not been at the level desired for a club like Sporting but he is still only 20 years of age I wont write him off yet we have to remember Rojo in his first season was terrible. I have not been pleased with the way Naby Saar has played but he is still young and needs time to develop nonetheless I think Paulo Oliveira should be starting I see good potential in him.

Side Note: Joao Mario is pure class good performance ( seems to be this years William). Also Rui Patricio was incredible he's been very secure this season. Lastly I still think we can get out the group quite simply we must win our home games vs. Schalke and Maribor and try to get at least a draw in Germany ( I don't think we have a chance in Stanford Bridge)
 
I´d be willing to give him the benefit of the doubt (not only his fault, Marco Silva defensive setups have been very poor with the defensive highline that doesn´t work with players like Sarr) but he has been so goddam useless (except for the game against Benfica). I was not encouraged by Kouroux words and he knows french football. I hope i´m wrong but i think he was a casting mistake.
 
After a successful trip to a bowling alley last Champions League round, I'm now going to a mixed martial arts class tonight.

Much rather get out and do something healthy than sit in watching a bunch of average teams, many of whom are nowhere near "champions".
 
Scholes really laid into City last night didn't he?

The former Manchester United player Paul Scholes summed it up during his role as a pundit on ITV.

“It just doesn't have a European night feel to it,” said Scholes. “You go to Liverpool, you go to Old Trafford, you go to Chelsea, they have a special feeling for it.

“Tonight I don't think there is (a special atmosphere). I don't think they realise what a big game this is.

“They've got the team, they've definitely got the players, the quality is definitely there, but do the crowd realise how lucky they are to be in this competition? I don't think they do.”
 
Liverpool's line-up is Mignolet, Manquillo, Skrtel, Lovren, Enrique, Gerrard, Henderson, Coutinho, Marković, Sterling, Balotelli

Bit surprised. Hopefully Marković does a lot better than before, don't think it's the right call to start him though. Not sure if Moreno is rested or Rodgers just wants a more defensive full back, probably the latter.

Also, Chicharito starts for Real Madrid for those who want to keep track of him...
 
Zenit have got to be one of the most appalling teams to watch in the history of the Champions League.
 
No Pirlo, who holds for Juve, Pogba?

He's been injured, Marchisio's been playing instead of him. Will be a shame for Pereyra who'll get less game time now Pirlo's almost back though as he's been quality too so far.
 
Dortmund, Real Madrid, Basel, Atletico all not to lose their games, and Arsenal to win tonight. Which one lets me down?
 
Dortmund, Real Madrid, Basel, Atletico all not to lose their games, and Arsenal to win tonight. Which one lets me down?
Think the Scousers will scrap a win, Basel don't seem like the team of a few years back.

Atleti - Juve should be a good watch as well, lot of switching between games for me I reckon.