You love to see it.What a glorious feeling. Christian kills Ramos.
You love to see it.What a glorious feeling. Christian kills Ramos.
That’s two years out of threeUnbelievable. All English final.
This is true. Hazard has been a disaster the entire timeTbf bale was a huge success in his first five years or so
I haven't been able to watch all of it, but possession was like 64% Madrid and they had twice as many passes--was Madrid just unable to get anywhere?Impressive win for Chelsea. Controlled the game wire to wire and created plenty of chances and were very calm despite the big stage.
Chelsea still looked way more dangerous and really should've scored several times.I haven't been able to watch all of it, but possession was like 64% Madrid and they had twice as many passes--was Madrid just unable to get anywhere?
Yes ... knocked it about but with no penetration.I haven't been able to watch all of it, but possession was like 64% Madrid and they had twice as many passes--was Madrid just unable to get anywhere?
It is the least threatening 64% you will ever see. It looks like Chelsea v BrightonI haven't been able to watch all of it, but possession was like 64% Madrid and they had twice as many passes--was Madrid just unable to get anywhere?
The funny part is that until he got hurt, Kovacic was consistently starting over Kante. Will be interesting to see what happens in the final as Kovacic will likely be back by then.Legitimately worried about playing this Chelsea in a final. They barely broke a sweat holding Madrid scoreless. There aren’t a lot of tactical wrinkles to combat a high quality back 5 with superhuman Kante closing the middle. City are not a clinical side and this Chelsea team concedes so few chances. If it weren’t my team I think I’d predict a Chelsea win as their form right now is incredible
Shame Kante was also a little banged up most of the season. Healthy Kante is such a game changer.The funny part is that until he got hurt, Kovacic was consistently starting over Kante. Will be interesting to see what happens in the final as Kovacic will likely be back by then.
Indeed KTBFFH, Sam Kerr does not suck.That was enjoyable.
Chelsea Women also in the Champions League final & could clinch the league with a win this weekend. They’ve already won the Community Shield and League Cup this season.
Carefree.
Just catching up in this thread now, and boy this is a doozy in hindsight. TT masterclass.Ooofff, that's inviting pressure and relying on the Jorginho-Mount-Havertz trio to control the ball for good stretches. Werner better have his finishing boots on today.
Jeez, that's a toss-up. Zidane is the muscly final boss from a video game, whereas TT is the 'Le Schiffre' mastermind type. It's gotta be both working in tandem--I can't pick!Who looks more like a Bond villain - Zidane or Tuchel?
Madrid is in a similar position to Barca with aging legends hanging on for too long. Madrid have definitely done a better job of infusing young talent (at least until this year). Why are they in such a financial mess? I know Barca's story well (TL;DR: the Bartomeu administration) and Flo is a piece of work for sure, but I didn't think he was incompetent criminal like his Barca counterpart. What's the story here?Madrid look old and slow.
Ramos is already on a yellow, now that the game is gone he's definitely getting a second one in the last few minutes, right?
Yeah I was pissed Pulisic wasn't starting, and then he came on and just ran around Real's defense. If the game was tied or they were behind, that would have really worked even better. As is, I think Pulisic finished with the most chances created for the day.Just catching up in this thread now, and boy this is a doozy in hindsight. TT masterclass.
Jeez, that's a toss-up. Zidane is the muscly final boss from a video game, whereas TT is the 'Le Schiffre' mastermind type. It's gotta be both working in tandem--I can't pick!
Just catching up in this thread now, and boy this is a doozy in hindsight. TT masterclass.
I don't know why Real Madrid is in a financial mess. I imagine that it is largely driven by paying the players they want with the highest wages in the sport.Madrid is in a similar position to Barca with aging legends hanging on for too long. Madrid have definitely done a better job of infusing young talent (at least until this year). Why are they in such a financial mess? I know Barca's story well (TL;DR: the Bartomeu administration) and Flo is a piece of work for sure, but I didn't think he was incompetent criminal like his Barca counterpart. What's the story here?
This analogy is perfect.Jeez, that's a toss-up. Zidane is the muscly final boss from a video game, whereas TT is the 'Le Schiffre' mastermind type. It's gotta be both working in tandem--I can't pick!
They tried to get younger and and spent a ton of money on Jovic, Mendy, Vinicius, Militao, and Rodrygo but only Mendy has established himself in the first XI.I don't know why Real Madrid is in a financial mess. I imagine that it is largely driven by paying the players they want with the highest wages in the sport.
As for the first part about "hanging on for too long" with the aging legends, Real Madrid's core has been so successful that they've been slow to adapt. Ramos (35), Kroos (31), Modric (35), Marcelo (32), Isco (29), Benzema (33), Nacho (31), Lucas Vazquez (29), Casemiro (29), Hazard (30!!!), and Carvajal (29) all may have gas left in the tank, good games and strong stretches, and the ability to still control matches, but they're not growing and emerging. For each, they're more on the downswing rather than young and fresh and getting better and better.
I think Vinicius is pretty much first team isn't he? He played both legs against Liverpool and Chelsea.They tried to get younger and and spent a ton of money on Jovic, Mendy, Vinicius, Militao, and Rodrygo but only Mendy has established himself in the first XI.
I think he's more on fringes of first-choice? He's 11th on the team in minutes, with 27 starts and 18 sub appearances in all comps. He's definitely been useful and he's only 20, so there's still a lot of growth. But he hasn't really lit it up there yet.I think Vinicius is pretty much first team isn't he? He played both legs against Liverpool and Chelsea.
Similar to Barca, each one of those guys has good games left in their legs. I'd go so far as to say that Ramos, Benz, Kroos, and Casemiro are still elite players. But you can't have such an old team I-XI, not in the modern club game. Messi, Pique, Alba, and Busi are all still very good--but when you play them all together, their collective age puts them at a huge disadvantage against bona fide competition. The difference between Madrid and Barca recently has been Valverde, Vini, Mendy, and even Militao versus Dembele, Firpo, and...ALL OF BARCA'S OTHER DISASTROUS SIGNINGS. Although this year has been incredibly encouraging for Barca with Pedri, Mingueza, Dest, Trincao, and Araujo (not to mention Ansu pre-injury) really coming on and showing the future.I don't know why Real Madrid is in a financial mess. I imagine that it is largely driven by paying the players they want with the highest wages in the sport.
As for the first part about "hanging on for too long" with the aging legends, Real Madrid's core has been so successful that they've been slow to adapt. Ramos (35), Kroos (31), Modric (35), Marcelo (32), Isco (29), Benzema (33), Nacho (31), Lucas Vazquez (29), Casemiro (29), Hazard (30!!!), and Carvajal (29) all may have gas left in the tank, good games and strong stretches, and the ability to still control matches, but they're not growing and emerging. For each, they're more on the downswing rather than young and fresh and getting better and better.
I'm surprised by those numbers, as he's always been excellent every time I've seen him. I think he's clearly in the XI for them going forward.I think he's more on fringes of first-choice? He's 11th on the team in minutes, with 27 starts and 18 sub appearances in all comps. He's definitely been useful and he's only 20, so there's still a lot of growth. But he hasn't really lit it up there yet.
Figure Tuchel is planning for City to attack them consistently through the first half, while they defend and try to counter. Pulisic as the “super sub“ works very well strategically if they withstand it and Chelsea needs a spark.Pulisic on the bench. Boo.
but Cancelo starts on the benchPep playing a really attacking side, no Rodri and Gundogan (their leading scorer on the season) as assumedly the most defensive midfielder. I didn't see that coming, nor did I think he would start Sterling.
Compared to some of his setups with a player like Bernardo Silva as "striker"/false nine, from a personnel perspective its basically putting Sterling into the side instead of Rodri, then playing relatively defensive fullbacks.