I've always thought De Ligt is quite overrated when watching him. That said he's still only 23 and only watched him a couple of times at Bayern.
Champions League Round of 16 (14th Feb - 15th Mar)
- Thread starter Samid
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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.
They are more solid in defence with Konate starting, can defo see them progressing but pray they don't.
Of course it's possible. If they get two goals early ish it's game on. And they don't need to be dominating either. Look at what we did to PSG.
He's a beast, just like Upamecano but with less brain farts.
Add Lucas Hernandez, Pavard and Stanisic to the mix and i really cant remember a single one of our teams with better CBs.
Even prime Boateng, Hummels, Alaba and Süle werent that good at defending. They were/are better passers but judging pure defender skills, i cant think of a better squad than the current.
A complacent Real Madrid side with a very favorable result from the first leg and a Liverpool team coached by Klopp who just defeated United 7-0 and have nothing to lose.
Sounds like a perfect recipe for disaster.
Sounds like a perfect recipe for disaster.
Real Madrid are actually going through a goal drought.
Though it's hard to see it lasting all the way to the Liverpool game.
Boy is track and field stuff. Sick when fit.
Real front line are world class. They need two three chances to score and their midfield will always provide that and more. So i dont think they have any chance. If Liverpool full backs move up to attack Madrid wide players will rip them apart. It's over for Liverpool in my opinion.
Croatia played France not that long ago with Stanisic at RB against Mbappe. I think its his only game with Youtube compilations about it, he kept him in his pocket just like today.
He's a very unspectacular player, but very good at the basics, can play CB, FB and DM, doesnt complain when hes on the bench and almost always delivers a solid performance.
The perfect squad player basically.
You guys scored 5 at anfield. Of course in football anything could happen but logically your midfield too strong for Liverpool to dominate. Their only option for functional attack their fullbacks need to join in attack that will give path to your midfielders to pick any of vinicius or rodrygo. For me it's over. Liverpool gave three goal advantage to you in their home was suicidal.
They don't need to dominate, they just have to bypass the midfield and produce the chances with their frenetic intensity early in the game against a complacent Madrid, go 0-2 up, defend with a very low block (which Real is unable to break down this season) and play at the counter. Madrid will then doubt not knowing whether they have to attack or defend and will suffer in front of the fans.
As I said before, Liverpool morale is sky rocketing at the moment after the 7-0 result vs United and they have zero pressure as they have nothing to lose. Many teams made Madrid suffer immensely at the Bernabeu in the second legs when the result was negative in the first leg.
I would share your thoughts if the return leg was at Anfield.
But at the Bernabeu i cant see a Liverpool miracle happening.
Your squad is too experienced and calm. We saw it in the first leg after the early 0:2.
Madrid don't need to attack. They just soak up the initial pressure and counter attack. Madrid have all the tools to counter. So i dont think it's a match up. If red card like disadvantage happen to Madrid then Liverpool have chance. But at Bernabeu that won't happen.
And - you need a croatian to win the CL...
Choupo actually scores better in the final stages in the CL from open play than Lewy did...
Musiala wanted to have Messi's shirt - talked with him about it on the pitch. Later when asked by a reporter if he has it in his backpack he said "no - I could not find him in the catacombs" and told that it was a brezel he took home with him to eat that was in his backpack.
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Tried to watch today but football PTSD made me switch off early, again. I may have issues.
But isn’t going for the ball defined as interfering?
Agree. Usually there is nothing that excites you when you watch him play, but there must be a reason he gets so many minutes in a squad as high class as Bayern and even as a defender, a position where coaches hate to do experiments, when higher rated young players like Wanner don't. This guy has something about him. Just doesn't make mistakes.
Imagine if Germany faced arrogant loud talking teams in the WC at every level... They'd be world champions instead of Argentina probably. Mad.
It would take a ridiculous set of events for Liverpool to go through. The 7-0 win is a glitch in the matrix, not something Liverpool can use to beat Real Madrid IMHO
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Yes, but football is ridiculous.
And it would not be the first time Ancelotti loses a 3-0 advantage vs Liverpool.
Would include Blind in that list as well as he was brought in to play a LCB role after Lucas' injury. CB options are great at the moment.
Though I definitely don't agree on the comment that Boateng and Hummels weren't as good at defending. They were great players and individually better than any defender Bayern has now, only Lucas would have a debate.
If you're saying generally in terms of the squad of CBs then yes I would argue this batch is better simple because of numbers really. Boateng and Hummels never got to play as much together because of injuries so you would always have Alaba or even Martinez playing at CB at times, this squad has much more options.
Cannot see Real giving up a three goal advantage, they are just too experienced. Dippers may give them a game but that'll be about it, imo.
I fecking hope so. I have this horrible feeling this tie is not over. The only good thing is, this game is not at Anfield.
If they do the unthinkable, they will end up wining the CL. No standout teams this year apart from Napoli.
You’re not alone.
maybe it was that
but matter of the fact is, Bayern have several players who have their heart in the club. Players like Müller or Kimmich. This, i feel, is what PSG is lacking and is the same City struggled for a long time to build.PSG is just a collection of individuals, Bayern is a institution.
maybe it was that
Well you have to start somewhere, don't you?
Oh right, only traditional big clubs allowed in.
I didn't say anything about that. You saw the body language of the PSG players after min 70? Did you get the impression they were willing to go 110% to turn the match around? I didn't. But i see that in other teams, yes Bayern among them, but also Frankfurt, for example. Or Union Berlin - by no means old european nobility. Taking german clubs as example but that's because i don't follow other leagues that much, i'm sure there are some in every league. Villareal, Atleti... and PSG reminds me a lot of the City team when they started to pump money in.
I'm confident that Liverpool will give RM a torrid time at the Bernabeu, but I cannot see them overturning a 3 goal deficit. I can picture Liverpool being ahead 4-1 in the 82nd minute and Modric, Kroos and Benzema looking at each other and saying " are we going to do this or what?" and score 2 quick goals in succession.
I'd say 0-2 in the first half and 3-2 at FT.
Honestly yeah. We've been wallopped at home before after a first leg lead, but the only time we actually went out was to ajax in the cursed 18/19 season under Solari
Just in general, the CL is very open this year. The teams through so far are:
Benfica, Milan, Chelsea, Bayern
Then after that, there is (imo):
Real, Inter, City, Napoli
For me, with the exception of Napoli and Benfica, all of those teams are having below par seasons. However, even Benfica and Napoli (the two form teams) have little, recent, experience of the latter stages of the CL. Depending on how the draw pans out this could be a season where we see a sort of 2003 situation or at least a final where a team reaches it whilst being well below par domestically.
Benfica, Milan, Chelsea, Bayern
Then after that, there is (imo):
Real, Inter, City, Napoli
For me, with the exception of Napoli and Benfica, all of those teams are having below par seasons. However, even Benfica and Napoli (the two form teams) have little, recent, experience of the latter stages of the CL. Depending on how the draw pans out this could be a season where we see a sort of 2003 situation or at least a final where a team reaches it whilst being well below par domestically.
Well, Benzema is probably injuried, so remove him from the equation.
We are doomed now.
Real Madrid without Benzema are half the team.
And Vinicius has proven this season he gets easily frustrated when he has to do things on his own.
Klopp, who is an expert tactician, will be very aware of this and will prepare a trap for him.
Ancelotti will have to decide if he wants to use the young Alvaro or an out-of-position Rodrygo. Both options are bad for different reasons. This is the Champions League.
We will suffer a lot.
You're playing at home, and all you need to do is not getting thrashed
Real fans are actually scared after winning 5-2 at Anfield. Such weird fans for a club that has won like every other CL in history.
While I get where you are coming from, I have a hard time saying a team that defeats each of Inter, PSG and Barca twice without conceding a goal is having a below par season.