Finnegan Posted 12 March 2015 Posted 12 March 2015 Regardless of where you stand in the league vs league arguments, I'm not sure how anyone can say with a straight face that they don't think the top English clubs are behind the top German or Spanish clubs. Real are admittedly on a wobbly run of form but look at them then back to Arsenal, United, City, even Chelsea. Then Bayern and back to the above. Then Barcelona, who are currently on another absolute planet in terms of Messi, Suarez and Neymar. Not sure you can watch England's four clubs bomb out this early in the cup and say with a straight face that you think they're on a par with Europe's top, top clubs.
Guest Col city fan Posted 12 March 2015 Posted 12 March 2015 I concur that the big three are probably the best teams in Europe..Real, Barce and Bayern. IMO Chelsea SHOULD represent pound for pound, a better team than any in Italy and certainly in France. Who, hand on heart, thought that Chelsea would lose last night? Especially being up in numbers. As for Man City, with the money they have spent in the search for the Holy Grail, they seem to be failing pretty dismally. The team I genuinely thought would make it through this time round was Chelsea and I fully expected them even to give the top trio a run for their money in this year's competition. Real Madrid are clearly off - form and leaking goals like a sieve. Atletico aren't the team they were last season. And we all know that Barce can lose due to defensive frailties. So yes, I felt Chelsea this season were looking pretty strong...until last night
Finnegan Posted 12 March 2015 Posted 12 March 2015 France and Italy don't have (PSG aside) anyway near the budget that the prem does so that should be obvious.
Guest Col city fan Posted 12 March 2015 Posted 12 March 2015 Really? I'd say they were vastly inferior to the top European teams. Aside from Chelsea's flukey CL win in 2012 English teams have been pretty much wiped out recently. Atletico Madrid took Chelsea apart last season, and Chelsea were, as you say, not at the races this season. This is a Chelsea who had whole week to prepare for the fixture. Real Madrid dismantled Liverpool this season Manchester City have been no match for Barcelona in the last two years Arsenal are picked apart on a regular basis by any team that can stop their attack. Granted, who else thought that Paris would go through after Ibra went but they have a superbly strong squad and bought Lavezzi off the bench. They never let Chelsea get away and remember they managed to recover from being behind twice to go through. A pretty sterling effort all round I'd say. Real Madrid proved before they finally got going under Mourinho that a top squad doesn't guarantee success, yet last night JM, once again, didn't seem to gee his team up, underestimating the opponents and the quality they have. One thing seems to becoming clear that there will be no dynasty in the top competitions, not for a while yet. We all though Barcelona would get going and that almost happened. They were so dominant and their peak of 2009-2011 was astonishing, but didn't yield consecutive titles. We then all thought Bayern, who ripped Barcelona to shreds, would take the mantle after winning in 2013. The King is dead, long live the king. Then Pep came in, made Bayern better and an actual dynasty was beginning surely? Step forward Real Madrid and Ancelotti. Absolutely destroying Bayern in last season's semi-final. It truly shows that anyone can beat anyone in the top echelons of European football. Would you expect Bayern to rip Barcelona open like that again, or Real to do that to Bayern? Unlikely. Now Real might buck their ideas up and go on to create a dynasty, but you wouldn't bet on it based on their recent performances. Last season they were a team, now they seem like individuals. But I wouldn't class any English team in that league. I wouldn't trust Manchester City as far as I could throw them, nor Arsenal, and Chelsea, who you'd say are closest, were outclassed and outfought in last season's semi-final and yet again in the second round this time. Personally for me English teams are a way off the top eight in Europe, and they've got a long way to go before getting anywhere close yet. I just can't agree that Paris are a better footballing side than Chelsea. Last night they were. For sure. But if Chelsea played Paris every week, I'd back the former to win three games out of five. So I don't agree that Chelsea are somehow 'worse' than Paris...Not per se. Which begs the question of why did Chelsea lose last night? As I said earlier, they looked tired and jaded. They lacked fight. Very unusual for a Mourinho side. But in terms of defensive ability I'd take Terry over Luiz every day. I'd pick Hazard over Lavezzi and even Costa over big Ibra, at present. For some reason, last night Chelsea didn't click, whereas Paris did. I don't think that's due to Paris being a better team. Some other factor (s) must be in play and for me that's the interesting question.
C-man Posted 12 March 2015 Posted 12 March 2015 I just can't agree that Paris are a better footballing side than Chelsea. Last night they were. For sure. But if Chelsea played Paris every week, I'd back the former to win three games out of five. So I don't agree that Chelsea are somehow 'worse' than Paris...Not per se. Which begs the question of why did Chelsea lose last night? As I said earlier, they looked tired and jaded. They lacked fight. Very unusual for a Mourinho side. But in terms of defensive ability I'd take Terry over Luiz every day. I'd pick Hazard over Lavezzi and even Costa over big Ibra, at present. For some reason, last night Chelsea didn't click, whereas Paris did. I don't think that's due to Paris being a better team. Some other factor (s) must be in play and for me that's the interesting question. 3/5... The other two being draws in this case? Tired and jaded? Despite Chelsea not playing at the weekend whilst PSG did?
Dan Posted 12 March 2015 Posted 12 March 2015 For all your raving about decent and likeable characters not soiling the game you're bigging up that monumental turd. Simeone's a genius. Best manager on earth.
Dan Posted 12 March 2015 Posted 12 March 2015 Chelsea have played PSG four times in the last year, won one, drawn two and lost one. Equal on goals scored/conceded.
Leicesterpool Posted 12 March 2015 Posted 12 March 2015 What gets me about Chelsea is when Bentiez was in charge they criticized him to hell even when they won games, under Bentiez they did play some exciting football and his reign they did win the europa league. Jose has gone back in there, playing so much boring football and yet the fans love him to bits. Last night Chelsea were prepared to sit back for ninety minutes at home and play on the away goal rule, no attempt to win the game. Chelsea maybe top of league and well ahead of Man City but I don't believe they've been convincing leaders, it'll be down to the fact how poor Man City have been this season. Now Mourhino maybe one of the top coaches in the world, but the reason they lost last was purely down to Mourhino's naivety.
Webbo Posted 12 March 2015 Posted 12 March 2015 Sorry we can't be talking about the same Chelsea. The Russian-owned, Portuguese-managed side with the almost exclusively non-English playing staff and sh1thouse fans? Thank fvck they don't represent me. I don't pretend to like PSG either so I had absolutely zero preference about who went through last night. I just can't understand why Leicester fans would actively hope that Chelsea, Arsenal et al are successful because they feel represented by them. It's weird. They're based in England so they're English as opposed to PSG who are French based, arab owned with players from all over the world. Why should I prefer them?
Corky Posted 12 March 2015 Posted 12 March 2015 What gets me about Chelsea is when Bentiez was in charge they criticized him to hell even when they won games, under Bentiez they did play some exciting football and his reign they did win the europa league. Jose has gone back in there, playing so much boring football and yet the fans love him to bits. Last night Chelsea were prepared to sit back for ninety minutes at home and play on the away goal rule, no attempt to win the game. Chelsea maybe top of league and well ahead of Man City but I don't believe they've been convincing leaders, it'll be down to the fact how poor Man City have been this season. Now Mourhino maybe one of the top coaches in the world, but the reason they lost last was purely down to Mourhino's naivety. It's because of his past, it earns him leeway. Same as if O'Neill came back and we lost four on the spin, you'd hear little against him and more criticism of the players than with other managers.
Leicesterpool Posted 12 March 2015 Posted 12 March 2015 It's because of his past, it earns him leeway. Same as if O'Neill came back and we lost four on the spin, you'd hear little against him and more criticism of the players than with other managers. That is true some could say it's going on now with Pearson.
bmt Posted 12 March 2015 Posted 12 March 2015 Chelsea were horrendous last night. Was watching it with a Chelsea fan who claimed they had dominated both legs. Also had an argument with a Real Madrid fan who claimed Madrid weren't 'lucky' to go through. Sometimes I am glad I am a Leicester fan. As deluded and fickle as we can be, we are a far less repulsive bunch than most of the 'big club' fans.
Tielemans63 Posted 12 March 2015 Posted 12 March 2015 Glad Chelsea lost and glad they lost for the reason that they did...For me PSG were the stronger side mentally, losing Ibra so early just seemed to 'steel' them even more. I always used to back the English teams in Europe, but not any more. It always seems to be 'our' teams who are indisciplined whingers. Think we have taken intimidation of officials to a level far above any 'cheating Johnny Foreigner'. Way too much aggressivity last night.
ScouseFox Posted 17 March 2015 Posted 17 March 2015 i haven't a clue why but i'm finding myself wanting arsenal to win and go through this more than i've wanted any neutral team to win anything in the history of time. come on arsenal. i nearly celebrated that giroud goal.
AKCJ Posted 17 March 2015 Posted 17 March 2015 i haven't a clue why but i'm finding myself wanting arsenal to win and go through this more than i've wanted any neutral team to win anything in the history of time. come on arsenal. i nearly celebrated that giroud goal. Arsenal are probably the most likeable out of the 4 champions league teams from England this season. chelsea = racists and jose mourinho man city = loads of money liverpool = liverpool
ScouseFox Posted 17 March 2015 Posted 17 March 2015 Arsenal are probably the most likeable out of the 4 champions league teams from England this season. chelsea = racists and jose mourinho man city = loads of money liverpool = liverpool yeah probably but usually i'd not really care either way, and i thought it was quite funny when they got battered in the first leg. but like i say for some reason i really, really want them to go through.
isaidno Posted 17 March 2015 Posted 17 March 2015 Monaco playing a dangerous game by sitting back and inviting Arsenal to attack. Arsenal should be 3-0 up
AKCJ Posted 17 March 2015 Posted 17 March 2015 yeah probably but usually i'd not really care either way, and i thought it was quite funny when they got battered in the first leg. but like i say for some reason i really, really want them to go through. Yep, feel exactly the same. Laughed my arse off when they conceded that 3rd goal in the first leg. I think it's because i'm up for seeing a really good game tonight.
Corky Posted 17 March 2015 Posted 17 March 2015 Was it just me or was there another Townsend "GET IN" when Giroud headed wide after in the first 15 minutes?
Mrfox452 Posted 17 March 2015 Posted 17 March 2015 Swapping shirts at half time, really pisses me off!
Corky Posted 17 March 2015 Posted 17 March 2015 Swapping shirts at half time, really pisses me off! I'd rather someone broke my leg than swapped shirts near me.
AKCJ Posted 17 March 2015 Posted 17 March 2015 Is that Emmanuel Petit? Can't work out if he's a giant of if it's just because he's next to Scholes. I thought Townsend got the boot an all? This new bloke is infinitely better than Chiles.
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