Champions League Semi Finals (30th April - 8th May)
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
...in a dead rubber game for Barca playing their B squad.1 - 1 at the Camp Nou
I'm not comparing ability, Dembele is outstanding. Did you watch lallana for us when he came back this season? Yeah, neither did we much - he's injured again.
I would love to watch Dembele play. I think many of us without ten sports would. It would help if he actually played some minutes in Europe.
1 - 1 at the Camp Nou
Extra-time and penalties, then.
Or more like Madrid-Atlético 4-1 2014 extra-time.
Its because Spurs are decimated by injuries, Aurier, Dier, Lamela, Winks, Kane, Sissoko all injured. Son suspended. Wanyama just back from injury doesnt look match fit once the game goes past 60mins. All the other long term injury players will have the same problem. Alli playing with a cast and not 100%, this is why people think Ajax will progress. Id fancy Spurs if they had everyone fit and ready, but they dont.
We have other goal-scorers besides Kane and Son you know. Lucas Moura has scored 12, for example.
History-wise Ajax is an European power house. But history doesn't win you matches. History doesn't win you trophies.
So ya, off course Spurs are favorites (even without Son and Kane imo).
Do we care ? not at all.
Ajax seem to play better when they are the underdog. So let keep it this way
So ya, off course Spurs are favorites (even without Son and Kane imo).
Do we care ? not at all.
Ajax seem to play better when they are the underdog. So let keep it this way
At this stage, people are looking at banker players deciding these ties. The random variables, like Moura, aren't really players to put the house on, but we'll see, perhaps he steps up. Just that if he doesn't, nobody will be surprised.
I'm not comparing ability, Dembele is outstanding. Did you watch lallana for us when he came back this season? Yeah, neither did we much - he's injured again.
I would love to watch Dembele play. I think many of us without ten sports would. It would help if he actually played some minutes in Europe.
Dembele is light years ahead of Lallana though. And Lallana’s injuries were far worse. Dembele has looked solid since his return, Valverde is just being careful with him. He’ll most likely start both matches against Liverpool.
I really think Liverpool has a lot of what it takes to trouble Barcelona. The strength, movement and speed of that front 3 will cause all kinds of chaos to Barca's shaky backline and they can press the hell out of them too. Rakitic/Busquets/Arthur while technically incredible, they are physically weak, very slow and could be taken advantage of as we've see in the past. Of course Messi could be in god mode and that would be the end of it, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Liverpool through.
Suarez will be working to get your players in trouble with cards and pens.
Liverpool could easily knock out Barca but I just think Messi is on it at the moment and unstoppable. Maybe I’m just hoping. A Barca - Ajax final would be incredible too.
Again any blind man can see Dembele is light years ahead of Lallana. That was not the point being made.
Alba and Dembele will be destructive on their left (our right). Do TAA and Salah have match fitness and pace to handle them? Well, yes.
Let's flip it around: TAA and Salah will be destructive on our right. Do Alba and Dembele have the match fitness and pace to handle those two. Only partly as Dembele 1) is coming back from yet another lonnng injury and 2) doesn't work anywhere near as hard as Salah at the best of times. Think Douglas Costa.
If Dembele plays the other wing, then swap the above names with Robertson/Mane.
Barcelona won too much. Liverpool is more of a newcomer in recent years. I could not stand Barcelona, a spanish team, winning it again. From the pointview of a neutral, Liverpool is far more interesting than Barcelona.
Nice post.
This isn't about pressing the entire Barca team for me, rather, it's cutting things off at source and preventing the chain from starting, in turn forcing the whole midfield, and Messi, back to help out. The further away from goal, the harder it is for a slow team to break as they have to go as a unit. Dembele supposedly starting this game will make him the outlet ball, rather than Alba as I put forth earlier, but that's risky in what will be such a high intensity game as a player coming back from so long out injured should not be exerting himself to such an extent.
People think I'm talking up Liverpool and playing Barcelona down, but rather than that, I'm looking at the two sides objectively, assessing what I think is needed from one side to beat the other, and drawing my conclusion. I'm not saying Barca cannot win; if Messi is in an unplayable mood, so much of what has been said becomes redundant, but if he isn't, then the tie, imo, simply favours them over Barca and they really will make them work harder than they like, which is not at all desirable.
For me, it's absolutely paramount Barca score first, or at the least keep the score level. It would be a genuine surprise to me if Barcelona win at Anfield.
What could be crucial in this tie is what's going on in the league for Liverpool. City are likely to redouble their efforts now and that distraction in the midst of a big CL semi-final may well play its hand in this tie - if forced to take one over the other, they would opt for the league almost to a man in their fanbase. Not sure what the players, management or chairpeople desire more, but one campaign could easily disrupt, or even derail, the other.
It's too bothersome to be an interesting tie because I think the winner of this takes the CL this year, so by hook or crook I hope Barca put them to the sword as I don't think either of the others can.
2-0 at Anfield is not bollocks when you consider Liverpool beat Man City 3-0 at this stage of the competition last year and Barca only scored once against a ropey United defence in Old Trafford. Barcelona's record away from home in the knock out stages has not been good in recent years sure even Roma,PSG had healthy home wins against Barca. I do hope to be proved wrong but IMO for Barcelona to go through to the final they will need to win the first leg by 2 or 3-0 to stand a chance of reaching this final.
And Liverpool aren't much better away from home. They got some goals at Bayern but after Bayern had to chase the game. If Pool had to play away legs first they wouldnt have scored as much since both Bayern and Porto had to chase the game. Liverpool have also had several losses away from home in CL this year, Barca have had zero.
I'm not comparing ability, Dembele is outstanding. Did you watch lallana for us when he came back this season? Yeah, neither did we much - he's injured again.
I would love to watch Dembele play. I think many of us without ten sports would. It would help if he actually played some minutes in Europe.
I think
Alba is the best LB in the world, he'll be fine. Dembele will cause issues to whoever is on him, no one has been able to picket dembele consistently so far. His pace is fantastic.
I also think the same applies to Mane and a lesser extent Salah. Salah has been poor against the better teams this season but Mane and Firminio will be a handful.
Why do you consider Piqué, Roberto, Lenglet and Ter Stegen as shit?
Nah mate .. Robertson.
Textbook PL watcher opinion.
On form Sandro is king for me, but Robertson/Alba are both top 5.
I watch La Liga .. I still think Robertson is better.
They're pretty much neck and neck in terms of attacking output but Robertson is the better defender in my opinion.
I'd say Alba is comfortably the best LB in the world due to the role he plays. He is basically a left back and left winger for Barca because whoever is on the left is usually tucked in and is not a genuine wide player.
I wasn't saying you don't watch La Liga, but that the PL is your bread and butter league to watch. Maybe I was wrong but I remember you saying that you predominantly watch the PL.
Attacking output yes, but not attacking influence. Alba is so important for Barcelona's attack, to the point that he is a key player to nullify (especially due to his unreal connection with Messi). Robertson is an excellent left back, but he is very clearly a fullback, whereas Alba could very well play as an attacker (and often does for Barcelona).
Barca only hope from stopping the scouse and Juergen Klubb from lifting the trophy. If they let us down I'll despise them for the rest of my life. 
Barca only hope from stopping the scouse and Juergen Klubb from lifting the trophy. If they let us down I'll despise them for the rest of my life.
I absolutely hate their 'Mes que en club' bollocks, but I'll love them if they knock out Liverpool. Messi will win another CL I think.
Yeah, I used to watch a lot more of other leagues when I had a (slight) betting addiction, but these days only really watch the bigger games abroad.
He has a fantastic relationship with Messi on the pitch, but personally if I had to pick one or the other for Spurs it would be Robertson. He's incredibly athletic, solid defensively and has incredible delivery, for me he's a more complete 'fullback' whilst Alba is more technically accomplished, I suppose it depends on what you prefer in a player.
We'll see who impresses more in the tie, I guess.
It's also fair to note when comparing the two that there's a 5~ year age gap between the pair of them. Alba is unlikely to get any better, while Robertson has plenty of time to improve having not long turned 25 if I remember right.
Barca need a big win at home or they will be in trouble. With the way they played at OT I'm worried about their trip to Shitefield. That tie is literally 50/50.
Ajax are 2006 Arsenal(still remember Capello saying backing them to win the CL after they smashed juventus and italian media snickering about those comments). Most people don't give them much of a chance and underestimate them, completely ignoring the reality that they might just be the most in form team left in the competition, extremely well coached and capable of playing 90 minutes at a 1000 miles per hour. I think they're not only favourites against spurs, i think they're favourites to win the CL full stop
No way, it’s definitley Alba, only in England would they think it’s Robertson. He’s top 5 for sure but Alba is above the rest. Robertson has also fallen off a bit recently in regards to current form but obviously still a fantastic player.
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Last year we were also supposed to watch a Liverpool vs Barça semifinal (only one step away from a Barça vs Madrid final!) but Roma had to play one of their very best matches of all time, giving Barcelona the most severe belting in a UCL knock-out match since Valencia 4-1 Barça from 2000.
This year is the real deal.
This year is the real deal.
Exactly, let’s keep being underestimated by teams if they say “didn’t fancy us winning against Real or Juve, luckily we just have to play the team that schooled them: they stand no chance”.History-wise Ajax is an European power house. But history doesn't win you matches. History doesn't win you trophies.
So ya, off course Spurs are favorites (even without Son and Kane imo).
Do we care ? not at all.
Ajax seem to play better when they are the underdog. So let keep it this way
Man the ignorance and arrogance of some people. Spurs looked dramatically unorganized against City (while City at times did as well). In the knock-out matches against the Germans Spurs looked lucky to have a scoring ex-Ajax defender than “by far” the better team.
I have absolutely no fears for Spurs as a team in all honesty and doubt Ajax would feel intimidated rather than emboldened. And that would be without injuries on Spurs’ side. I expect a two goal difference win away for Ajax and a 1 goal difference at home when Tottenham is back to full strength and Ajax played (and probably won, since Willem II didn’t stand a chance in the competition few weeks ago) the Dutch cup final in between...
Personally I’d fancy Spurs to be the underdogs this time, but by all means, keep placing Ajax in that position and hope the non-ex-Ajax part of Tottenham underestimates them too, because at least those four know what is coming.
Some of the papers are running a story that Spurs and liverpools league games before the second leg of champions league will now be changed.
I'd say it's 55-45 in favour of Liverpool. despite City being the best team in EPL last year, they (Liverpool) always seemed like a perfect team to beat them. this year I feel the same about them, almost like they're built to beat Barca. those chances we got in first 10 minutes at Camp Nou Liverpool most likely won't waste the same way I'm afraid. Barca have more quality on paper but Liverpool's system just look 'healthier' in my opinion. they won't depend on their midfield having the ball neither they will depend on one player only. in general, I think it's healthier to have three good attackers than have the best one, but hoping he'll play like against us. if Dembele is fit to play and Suarez starts scoring, then everything changes obviously. if it's Coutinho again and Suarez with his usual CL form, I'd back Liverpool to just about edge them in the end, even if they lose the first game.
That could hinder Liverpool in the league as they’ll have to shoehorn that extra fixture in somewhere in an already-packed domestic calendar.
The tie is extremely hard to predict. Liverpool have the exact tools to cut Barca apart, but Barca also have the tools to control Liverpool and negate their attack to an extent. Valverde will have to overcome his natural instincts I think, because Barca will need to score at Anfield, barring some kind of miracle collection of events taking place in the first leg. This might be decided late on in the second leg by one goal.
Exactly, let’s keep being underestimated by teams if they say “didn’t fancy us winning against Real or Juve, luckily we just have to play the team that schooled them: they stand no chance”.
Man the ignorance and arrogance of some people. Spurs looked dramatically unorganized against City (while City at times did as well). In the knock-out matches against the Germans Spurs looked lucky to have a scoring ex-Ajax defender than “by far” the better team.
I have absolutely no fears for Spurs as a team in all honesty and doubt Ajax would feel intimidated rather than emboldened. And that would be without injuries on Spurs’ side. I expect a two goal difference win away for Ajax and a 1 goal difference at home when Tottenham is back to full strength and Ajax played (and probably won, since Willem II didn’t stand a chance in the competition few weeks ago) the Dutch cup final in between...
Personally I’d fancy Spurs to be the underdogs this time, but by all means, keep placing Ajax in that position and hope the non-ex-Ajax part of Tottenham underestimates them too, because at least those four know what is coming.
I'd be very surprised if that happens, even tho' Son and Kane will be absent. If Ajax were playing in the Prem they'd struggle to finish in the top 6 IMO, so if you wish to view Spurs as "under-dogs" in this tie then good luck to you.
He's absolutely correct.