2014 FA Cup R5 - Champions League & Europa 2nd Round L1

[Badman]

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

 

I forgot that was what football was about.

 

Building new stadiums.

 

As you were didn't wanna interrupt your afternoon lattes.

 

So does this hold truth to the 95% of football teams that have never won a cup?

 

What is football about for them then

[Benicio del Toney]

Mou just won't let it go that he got the Real job only after Captain failure turned it down.Plus the fact that even right now that even in his loser state Wenger would beat Jose to every post in football.

 

Classic inferiority complex

 

I couldn't see Wenger winning La Liga with Real dem times tbh.

[Heero Yuy]

That's a different argument all together though Tone, the fact is Mou was second choice to a man he classes as a failure.  

[Thizz]

 

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

 

I forgot that was what football was about.

 

Building new stadiums.

 

As you were didn't wanna interrupt your afternoon lattes.

 

So does this hold truth to the 95% of football teams that have never won a cup?

 

What is football about for them then

 

 

95% of those teams would sell there souls for an FA Cup.

[Mame Biram Diouf]

 

 

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

 

I forgot that was what football was about.

 

Building new stadiums.

 

As you were didn't wanna interrupt your afternoon lattes.

 

So does this hold truth to the 95% of football teams that have never won a cup?

 

What is football about for them then

 

 

sell there souls 

 

 

Too easy....

[Flojo]

Thizzle he's a c*nt and Chelsea are the equivalent of a sideman.

 

when he first went to England he only went to you lot because we turned him down and he's only there now because he got overlooked by Man Utd who favoured Moyes.

 

The fact that Bobby Charlton vetoed Mourinho at Man Utd because he thought he was too much of a c*nt despite Ferguson being their most recent manager should tell you a lot.

[Thizz]

Thizzle he's a c*nt and Chelsea are the equivalent of a sideman.

 

when he first went to England he only went to you lot because we turned him down and he's only there now because he got overlooked by Man Utd who favoured Moyes.

 

The fact that Bobby Charlton vetoed Mourinho at Man Utd because he thought he was too much of a c*nt despite Ferguson being their most recent manager should tell you a lot.

 

Yeah that worked out great for both of you didn't it.

[seven]

sterling ya nancy boy

Sdgfssfgfssdfvcsawwtdsxvxssdffsas

[Flojo]

 

Thizzle he's a c*nt and Chelsea are the equivalent of a sideman.

 

when he first went to England he only went to you lot because we turned him down and he's only there now because he got overlooked by Man Utd who favoured Moyes.

 

The fact that Bobby Charlton vetoed Mourinho at Man Utd because he thought he was too much of a c*nt despite Ferguson being their most recent manager should tell you a lot.

 

Yeah that worked out great for both of you didn't it.

 

 

Well Rafa won us the CL and knocked you out twice in the Semis in the process so it didn't go too badly did it?

 

When it's all said and done your greatest manager saw you as a second resort twice, he would have happily gone to either of the clubs you and your shitty fan base are so desperate to have a rivalry with.

[Yeshua]

 

 

 

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

 

I forgot that was what football was about.

 

Building new stadiums.

 

As you were didn't wanna interrupt your afternoon lattes.

 

So does this hold truth to the 95% of football teams that have never won a cup?

 

What is football about for them then

 

 

sell there souls 

 

 

Too easy....

 

[Yeshua]

 

Thizzle he's a c*nt and Chelsea are the equivalent of a sideman.

 

when he first went to England he only went to you lot because we turned him down and he's only there now because he got overlooked by Man Utd who favoured Moyes.

 

The fact that Bobby Charlton vetoed Mourinho at Man Utd because he thought he was too much of a c*nt despite Ferguson being their most recent manager should tell you a lot.

 

Yeah that worked out great for both of you didn't it.

 

 

LOL it didn't?

[Flojo]

That Moh brudda on Arsenal TV always talks sense, the rest of the fans on there are generally fucking clueless though.

[Rsonist]

Chelsea as a club and a fanbase will never be taken seriously regardless of how many trophies they win. No one really cares about them and thats what gets to their fans, even the most ardent Hitler loving, gas noise making, National Front shit cunts who support that daft little club get annoyed by that fact.

[Thizz]

 

 

Thizzle he's a c*nt and Chelsea are the equivalent of a sideman.

 

when he first went to England he only went to you lot because we turned him down and he's only there now because he got overlooked by Man Utd who favoured Moyes.

 

The fact that Bobby Charlton vetoed Mourinho at Man Utd because he thought he was too much of a c*nt despite Ferguson being their most recent manager should tell you a lot.

 

Yeah that worked out great for both of you didn't it.

 

 

Well Rafa won us the CL and knocked you out twice in the Semis in the process so it didn't go too badly did it?

 

When it's all said and done your greatest manager saw you as a second resort twice, he would have happily gone to either of the clubs you and your shitty fan base are so desperate to have a rivalry with.

 

 

 

But he also took you from 4th to 7th.

 

And also blew your biggest chance of winning your first ever Premier League.

[Thizz]

Right on cue Rsonist to make some noise.

[Flojo]

 

 

 

Thizzle he's a c*nt and Chelsea are the equivalent of a sideman.

 

when he first went to England he only went to you lot because we turned him down and he's only there now because he got overlooked by Man Utd who favoured Moyes.

 

The fact that Bobby Charlton vetoed Mourinho at Man Utd because he thought he was too much of a c*nt despite Ferguson being their most recent manager should tell you a lot.

 

Yeah that worked out great for both of you didn't it.

 

 

Well Rafa won us the CL and knocked you out twice in the Semis in the process so it didn't go too badly did it?

 

When it's all said and done your greatest manager saw you as a second resort twice, he would have happily gone to either of the clubs you and your shitty fan base are so desperate to have a rivalry with.

 

 

 

But he also took you from 4th to 7th.

 

And also blew your biggest chance of winning your first ever Premier League.

 

 

He made us the number one ranked team in Europe and took us to two Champion's League Finals in 5 years, that's as many CL finals as your club has been to in it's entire existence and again I'd like to point out at your's and Mourinho's expense.

 

Benitez is a top manager and a class act, Mourinho is unquestionably a top manager but a top, top, top c*nt as well.

 

His ego would never be tolerated at Liverpool as we're too big a club for that, him and Abramovich are your club so of course he can get away with talking a load of bollocks and taking stamford bridge for the set of a reality TV show.

[Thizz]

 

 

 

 

Thizzle he's a c*nt and Chelsea are the equivalent of a sideman.

 

when he first went to England he only went to you lot because we turned him down and he's only there now because he got overlooked by Man Utd who favoured Moyes.

 

The fact that Bobby Charlton vetoed Mourinho at Man Utd because he thought he was too much of a c*nt despite Ferguson being their most recent manager should tell you a lot.

 

Yeah that worked out great for both of you didn't it.

 

 

Well Rafa won us the CL and knocked you out twice in the Semis in the process so it didn't go too badly did it?

 

When it's all said and done your greatest manager saw you as a second resort twice, he would have happily gone to either of the clubs you and your shitty fan base are so desperate to have a rivalry with.

 

 

 

But he also took you from 4th to 7th.

 

And also blew your biggest chance of winning your first ever Premier League.

 

 

He made us the number one ranked team in Europe and took us to two Champion's League Finals in 5 years, that's as many CL finals as your club has been to in it's entire existence and again I'd like to point out at your's and Mourinho's expense.

 

Benitez is a top manager and a class act, Mourinho is unquestionably a top manager but a top, top, top c*nt as well.

 

His ego would never be tolerated at Liverpool as we're too big a club for that, him and Abramovich are your club so of course he can get away with talking a load of bollocks and taking stamford bridge for the set of a reality TV show.

 

 

F*cking hell I know new signings get briefed up to throw this out there at every opportunity but now the fans as well.

 

Your a spent force.

[Lieutenant]

Am I the only one that thinks barca are really gonna give city that work?

[Mame Biram Diouf]

Fernandinho is set to return to the Manchester City squad for the Champions League last-16 tie against Spanish champions Barcelona on Tuesday.

 

The midfielder has missed City's last three matches with a muscle problem but took part in training on Monday.

 

However, striker Sergio Aguero remains out with a hamstring injury.

 

"He is not fit. We will see if he can be fit for Saturday [to play Stoke] but maybe that is difficult." said City boss Manuel Pellegrini.

 

The Argentine, who has 26 goals in 25 City appearances so far this season, came off just before half-time against Spurs and was expected to be out for a month.

 

The 25-year-old had only just returned from an eight-game absence with a calf injury before suffering his latest injury setback.

 

Manchester City have never reached the last 16 of the Champions League before and will be facing Barcelona, who are top of the Spanish league, for the first time in a competitive match.

 

The return of Fernandinho will help bolster Pellegrini's options in midfield.

 

"He has a chance. He is in the squad list," said the Chilean.

 

"We will see on Tuesday who can start but he has worked without any problem."

 

City have scored 68 goals in 25 league games so far this season, the highest in the English top-flight, and Pellegrini wants his team to continue to show their attacking intent against Barcelona.

 

"Of course when you play against Barca you always must consider important things," said Pellegrini.

 

"But the most important thing is to continue being the same team you see every week in Premier League, to continue having the same style of play and the personality.

 

"We are not just going to think about defending, but what we can do with the ball. That is the most important thing."

 

[Zizouz]

Am I the only one that thinks barca are really gonna give city that work?

 

 

an inplay thing I'm thinking, but yes

[The Infamous]

Am I the only one that thinks barca are really gonna give city that work?

u are not alone no MJ

Messi and Pedro/Neymar are gona ride vicious i can tell

[Zizouz]

 

Am I the only one that thinks barca are really gonna give city that work?

u are not alone no MJ

Messi and Pedro/Neymar are gona ride vicious i can tell

 

 

[Mame Biram Diouf]

TEAM NEWS - BARCELONA

 

Gerardo Martino travelled to Manchester today with a 23-man squad that will obviously be cut down to just 18 on the night itself which can be fairly easily deduced, but the identity of his starting XI is a mystery. There are so many variables, so many key decisions to be made and so many possible permutations that he could opt for. I have my own hunch about his game plan, but I could be wrong -- really, only Martino knows what Martino is going to do tomorrow evening.

 

We thought that we had the line-up for El Clasico sussed out, only for Tata to surprise us with an unorthodox selection that won us the match. Cometh the hour, cometh the man and make no mistake, Gerardo Martino is the man at the moment. As Guardiola would say, Martino is El Puto Jefe; he went toe-to toe-to with one of the modern era's greatest managers in Carlo Ancelotti and scored a knockout victory. In three electrifying bouts with the talented Diego Simeone, Martino's supposedly frail defense have lifted as many trophies as they conceded goals.

 

Quite a record for a coach that should still be adjusting to European football.

 

He'll be keeping his cards close to his chest, hoping to call Pellegrini's bluff; the wily veteran is a formidable opponent for our chief, but Martino has a few aces up his sleeve in the form of his superstar squad.

 

Victor Valdés will start in goal, against one of the very clubs rumoured to be interested in securing his services this summer -- a link that was quickly dismissed by Pellegrini. The Catalan shot-stopper will have to be at his best to deny a rampant Ciy attack that has scored an incredible 117 goals in all competitions thus far this season. They will create chances after all, but if it's his night, we know Valdés can be equal to their very best efforts. His composure under pressure will also be key up against a home side that will surely look to press from the front if they have designs on securing a win.

 

Thankfully, Valdés has a trustworthy defense in front of him. Well, not so much from a defensive perspective, but technically and offensively, Barça's defense is amongst the best in the world. And all jokes aside, they turn up on the biggest occasions under Martino. In 360 minutes against the two main Madrid outfits, Barcelona have conceded twice, and one of those came at the tail-end of a comfortable win over Real Madrid. The potential loss of Javier Mascherano is a bitter blow to Barça's chances, but the improvement displayed by Marc Bartra and the return of Carles Puyol has eased fears somewhat.

 

Bartra started alongside Gerard Piqué in the Bayern Munich debacle, but has matured considerably ever since, to the extent that some Culés have campaigned for him to replace Mascherano in the defense on a permanent basis. Perhaps that is a little premature, especially for matches of this stature, but it’s still an option – a better option than it was last year. Carles Puyol on the other hand continues to struggle with injuries, but only a fool would question his commitment.

 

Puyol would battle all night long and jump through walls for this team, to represent the colours, to play for his fans. What he may lack in pace, he makes up for in timing and understanding, while the absence of Sergio Aguero will certainly play into his hands. Alvaro Negredo possesses great technical ability, but has made his mark in England and indeed throughout his career with his physical style – a style that tends to struggle against players like Puyol – and Mascherano if he can make the starting XI.

 

Look at Diego Costa for instance; the Spanish forward has set La Liga alight with 21 goals this season, but the brutish striker was shut down with ease by Mascherano a month ago. The timing of Mascherano’s interventions were impeccable, and without a real second dimension to his game, Costa couldn’t adapt and find a way past the Argentine. Similarly, it’s tough to anticipate Negredo developing an elusive dribbling game in case his athleticism doesn’t trouble Puyol or Mascherano.

 

At full-back, Dani Alves will start on the right hoping to continue his recent run of good form with another impressive – and maybe even decisive – performance. The Brazilian is under pressure to deliver at both ends in this crucial match, as the tactical battle may well be won and lost on that right flank. On the one hand, Barcelona will have Dani Alves and an as yet unnamed winger, while on the other, City will boast Aleksandr Kolarov and a winger of their own choosing. Maybe it will be Samir

Nasri, who marked his return on Saturday with a goal, or maybe it will be David Silva, or even James Milner.

 

The winner might not even be the side that makes the other adjust; it might just be the side that takes advantage of the one that doesn’t. If City don’t curb Kolarov’s offensive runs, and if they don’t force Nasri, or whoever may start further forward, to track back, there will be space for Alves to exploit. And in the final third, there are few better than the former Sevilla full-back. Conversely, if Alves leaves Piqué susceptible, City can take advantage, especially if Kolarov does start. The Serbian full-back can make the difference with his fearsome left-boot; a boot that has already created seven goals for his colleagues this season.

 

Jordi Alba is favourite to start on the other flank despite Adriano Correia’s opening goal in the weekend’s win over Rayo Vallecano; the Brazilian may appear to be the safer option, but tactically, Alba is crucial in one of Martino’s systems in particular – that’s the very system that the team played in the Clasico, and just a week ago against Real Sociedad. Four defenders, four midfielders and just two attackers – usually sans a left-winger; freeing Alba up to maraud up and down the touchline.

 

That does leave gaps in behind, which Puyol may struggle to cover if he does get the nod to start – but offensively, it keeps the Barça system as symmetrical as possible, ensuring that the club maintains a healthy balance to its attack, all the while strengthening the midfield and allowing Martino to field Cesc Fàbregas, Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta in the same line-up.

 

Personally, that’s the system I would opt for. Maybe I would lean towards selecting Adriano in place of Alba, and there remains a question mark over who would be best suited to starting with Lionel Messi in attack, but I simply cannot and refuse to choose between Xavi, Iniesta and Fàbregas. After all, Sergio Busquets is untouchable, and with good reason. His tactical nous completes the Barcelona machine, and it’s easy to see when Busquets is either missing, or simply has a bad game, because it’s usually visible on the scoreboard. Like against Valencia; Busi had a rare off-day, Barcelona lost. Busquets was carrying a knock against Bayern Munich last season, Barcelona lost.

 

The pattern continues, and Busquets will have to be at the peak of his powers tomorrow; not to exert control over possession – that will come naturally for the Blaugrana – instead, Barcelona need Busquets to curb Manchester City’s midfield; stay calm, stay disciplined...stay focused. We cannot afford to allow David Silva a chance to search for a killer pass, nor can we allow Sami Nasri a chance to dribble at the defense, while it would be suicidal to let Yaya Toure attack the backline with momentum on his side.

 

Busquets will have to be everything to everyone, the yin to every yang; he needs to be omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent – so it’s just as well that he is as close as it comes to being a midfield deity. Busquets after all, is the reason why Barça agreed to let Yaya Toure move to Manchester – we can’t have Toure showing us up with a dominant performance now can we?

 

And for the rest of the Barcelona midfield, this game could be their finest hour. Manchester City are dangerous going forward, but they don’t have a Busquets. They had to settle for a Yaya Toure, which is fine if you’re on the offensive, but not so great if you’re on the retreat. Toure fouls more often than Busquets, gets dribbled more often than Busquets and in the UEFA Champions League, picks up more bookings than Sergio Busquets.

 

Tactically, he can wreak havoc against opposing sides, but he can cause chaos internally as well. I eluded to it earlier, Fernandinho has been rushed back into contention for a reason, but even he is not the solution to all of Manchester City’s problems. He can pressure the Barça midfield, but he is not a "true" holding midfielder either; there will be gaps, there will be space and oh boy, who better to have on the field to exploit those gaps than an inform Cesc Fàbregas, the majestic Xavi Hernández and the magical Andrés Iniesta?

 

Three players who can not only pick out a pass, but who can create space for one another and their colleagues with their intelligent movement, not to mention dribble past defenders themselves. Imagine a scenario, not too farfetched in which Barcelona catch Toure and Fernandinho out of position. They are streaking forward on the counter attack with Iniesta, Fàbregas, Messi and possibly Pedro, Alexis Sánchez or Neymar bearing down on the retreating Manchester City defense. The same Manchester City defense that looked so out of depth against Chelsea.

 

Cesc Fàbregas in particular has been unlocking even the tightest of defenses, the master-class he put on against Rayo Vallecano demonstrated the damage he can do against teams that elect for a more "open" approach – while Andrés Iniesta return to top form has been an utter joy to watch. His trickery in the dribble could make the difference against a City backline that has repeatedly shown it’s frailties in dealing with technically gifted attackers.

 

The four-time Ballon d’Or winner is back on form, but not yet back to his very best – that’s still to come, and thankfully for Culés, Messi often reaches his peak at this very stage of the competition. It’s always around February or March that Messi really joins the party – four goals against Arsenal, five goals against Bayer Leverkusen; a brace against AC Milan just last season. In three Champions League appearances this season, Messi scored an incredible six goals, including a hat-trick against AFC Ajax.

 

The novel thing with Lionel Messi is that it doesn’t matter about the calibre of the opposition. Ajax, Rayo Vallecano, Real Madrid; it’s all the same. Messi could score a hat-trick against any team on the world if he’s feeling up to it, and he is surely relishing the chance to shine on English soil. He’s done it at Wembley, but at a partisan venue, Messi is yet to really set the country alight. If Manchester City are as open as some expect, Messi will get chances – can he take them?

 

Or will he take a backseat, draw the Manchester City pressure and create for his teammates instead? With 11 assists in 27 appearances, this has been one of Messi’s more creative campaigns to date and given the clinical form displayed by Pedro, Alexis Sánchez and of course, Neymar, Messi doesn’t have to be the one to score the goals anymore.

 

Which leads us on nicely to one of Martino’s biggest decisions: Alexis Sánchez, Pedro or Neymar? The Brazilian was out of the reckoning entirely until the closing moments of the weekend’s match against Rayo when he suddenly fired himself right into the spotlight with a sensational golazo. Off the back of that goal, Neymar arguably showed that he is ready to start and make a difference – he has that special talent that Alexis and Pedro probably don’t possess.

 

Pedro however is a big-game player. Scorer in six competitions in a single season. Scorer in multiple finals, multiple Clasicos and countless other important matches, Pedro is probably the one player after Lionel Messi that I would want to see one-on-one with Joe Hart tomorrow. Alexis Sánchez on the other hand doesn’t possess that game-winning ability all too often and wasn’t very clinical at all heading into this season.

 

But something has changed. Alexis has confidence, he has talent; he has it all, or at least some of the time. Against Real Madrid, he spotted a chance out of nothing, and made it work against all the odds. Increasingly when one-on-one with the keeper, I feel like Sánchez is a dead-cert to score, even after a couple of seasons where I wondered if he knew where the goal even was...

 

In that sense, is there even a wrong answer? Probably not, but there is a right answer that will make more sense than the others, and I can’t wait to see who Martino thinks that individual is. Maybe there is a final option as well; drop a midfielder and keep three up front perhaps?

 

[Fearless-Guy]

#PLhype vs #laligahype

Can't wait

[Mame Biram Diouf]

Surely City have to go either

 

A) ------------Garcia-----Fernandinho---------

    ------------------Toure------------------------

----Navas------------------------------Silva-----

------------------------Negredo-------------------

 

---------Fernandinho----Toure---------------

------------------------Silva------------------------

----Navas------------------------------Nasri/Milner

------------------------Negredo-----------------------

 

If they go with Negredo and Dzeko/Jov they are going to get wounded