UCL Group Stage MW 3: Going into Half

[Zososoxfan]

UCL starts right back up this week:

Tuesday 04/10 (home team first):
Liverpool-Rangers
Ajax-Napoli

Brugge-Atleti
Porto-Leverkusen

Inter-Barca
Bayern-Pilzen (early window)

Marseille-Sporting (early window)
Frankfurt-Spurs

Wednesday 05/10:
RB Salzburg-Zagreb (early window)
Chelsea-Milan

RBL-Celtic (early window)
Real-Shakhtar

MANC-Copenhagen
Sevilla-Dortmund

Benfica-PSG
Juve-Haifa
--

• Ajax-Napoli could be a real fun one in Group A.
• Can Brugge keep it up in Group B (6 points already). Can Leverkusen advance to the knockouts while also getting relegated?!?
• The Inter-Barca matchup in Group C will be huge, and I believe they play each other in the reverse fixture next week as well. Hugely important for advancing since both already have a loss to Bayern, and a win over Pilzen.
• Spurs desperately need a win in Group D to get things back on track. We'll see if Sporting buries Marseille in this group, or if Marseille can throw this group for a loop.
• Chelsea-Milan should be a lot of fun, and that group is not following script so far.
• RBL need a win to get into a position to advance--pressure is on.
• Sevilla has one last realistic chance here to make a push for 2nd against Dortmund at home. Lope is certainly on the hot seat.
• Juve need 3 points, and it will be fun to see if Benfica can push PSG at all. Keep an eye out for Enzo Fernandez--21-year old Argentine CMF who got his first cap for country over the break and has been playing big minutes for 1st place Benfica.

 

[Kliq]

Spurs are playing Frankfurt, not Stuttgart.

 

[Zososoxfan]

Spurs are playing Frankfurt, not Stuttgart.

D'oh! Fixed, thanks.

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

LFC lineup


Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Henderson, Thiago; Salah, Jota, Diaz; Nunez.

Subs: Adrian, Kelleher, Gomez, Fabinho, Konate, Milner, Firmino, Elliott, Ramsay, Carvalho, Bajcetic, Phillips.

Looks like a 4-2-3-1

 

[67YAZ]

LFC lineup


Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Henderson, Thiago; Salah, Jota, Diaz; Nunez.

Subs: Adrian, Kelleher, Gomez, Fabinho, Konate, Milner, Firmino, Elliott, Ramsay, Carvalho, Bajcetic, Phillips.

Looks like a 4-2-3-1

I've been thinking about this hyper-attacking set up with Salah at the 10. Will be interesting to see where he actually lines up vs Jota.

Mo generally gets more room to dribble at guys out wide, but I think he'd thrive running off Nunez through the middle and spraying passes to in-cutting wingers.

Either way, Klopp is putting the heavy hitters up top, which should relax some pressure on the fullbacks. If they don't concede first again...

 

[CodPiece XL]

Marseille are up 3.1 on Sporting at the half…. Sporting down to 10 and possibly the worst goalkeeping displays I’ve seen.

 

[Zososoxfan]

Conte StIcKiNg WiTh WhAt WoRkEd in the NLD and not changing anything. In Conte we trust(?)

Barca going with:

MATS
Roberto-Garcia-Christensen-Alonso
Gavi-Busi-Pedri
Raphinha-Lewa-Dembele

 

[SocrManiac]

Darwin starts with a hamstring concern?

TAA is allowed in the building?

Yikes.

 

[allstonite]

TAA is allowed in the building?

That’s why

 

[allstonite]

I’m already sick of Nunez shit. Relax. We’re up 1-0 super early. Don’t risk a yellow by being a prick

 

[67YAZ]

Change the narrative, Trent!

 

[CPT Neuron]

Oh Mo....nice finger tip diversion there

 

[67YAZ]

I’m already sick of Nunez shit. Relax. We’re up 1-0 super early. Don’t risk a yellow by being a prick

I've spent the past 6 months watching Jhon Duran act like this for the Fire, though Duran is only 18 and will hopefully grow up a lot by age 23. Either way, you can see how this kind of shit wears on teammates over time. No one likes this immature shit.

 

[allstonite]

I've spent the past 6 months watching Jhon Duran act like this for the Fire, though Duran is only 18 and will hopefully grow up a lot by age 23. Either way, you can see how this kind of shit wears on teammates over time. No one likes this immature shit.

Absolutely. The red card earlier this season was frustrating but almost excusable because he was getting picked on all game and finally got baited. Still shouldn’t happen but understandable. This one they were just off a goal and he stands over a free kick 100 yards away from your own goal and gets mad when he gets pushed off and does the dumb stare down fake tough guy thing. What good does that do anyone?

 

[CPT Neuron]

Several good saves by the keeper to keep Nunez off of the score sheet so far.

 

[allstonite]

Be nice if Nunez could pick a corner too

 

[Kliq]

Spurs have had a lot of chances but yet to score against Frankfurt, 0-0 at halftime. A rollick atmosphere at the Waldstadion.

 

[HowBoutDemSox]

Barca controlled the ball for most of the first half but Inter get one against the run of play in stoppage time just before halftime.

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

Be nice if Nunez could pick a corner too

I think it will come with some rhythm. I really like his movement. He’s been getting into really good positions. .

 

[SocrManiac]

His finishing rate was one of the red flags with his signing. This isn’t new, at least.

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

Diaz gets an elbow to the head in that challenge. No flopping or dramatics .. Safe to say his earlier reputation has been rubbished.

 

[Zososoxfan]

Barca finally break through....

Edit: Chalked off for a handball on Ansu. Legit call.

 

[Kliq]

Bryan Gill on to win it for Tottenham.

 

[Zososoxfan]

Nice to see that Conte recognizes that Bryan Gil is on the squad. He's a necessary creative element, especially when Deki's out.

 

[Zososoxfan]

Roberto had no idea there was a trailer behind him. Pique makes a bigtime defensive header to keep Barca in it.

 

[Joe D Reid]

We're on to the Fields of Athenry part of the proceedings at Anfield.

 

[Zososoxfan]

Gavi's a terrific player, but he runs himself ragged and usually can't keep it up for a full 90. Xavi opting to keep him out there instead of giving Kessie or Ferran any run.

 

[Zososoxfan]

And there's Kessie for Gavi.

To my eye, Lewa's getting drawn too far out to the wings. I know he's trying to create an overload, but Inter have 11 behind the ball.

 

[CPT Neuron]

Not fully switched on at Anfield at the moment.....

 

[OCST]

That Brugge-Atleti line is a shocker

 

[Zososoxfan]

Looks like a handball by Inter in the box. Under VAR review.

Edit: Baffled it got left uncalled. Looked clear and obvious to me. And I'm close to neutral here. Inter's my Serie A side. I enjoy Barca more, but I can't root against the Nerazzuri.

 

[allstonite]

Good game for TAA I thought. Obviously the goal was nice but he also seemed to stay back a lot more unless they were building down his side and even then seemed more cautious than normal. I didn’t pay attention 100% but I noticed less of him randomly wandering through midfield. Hopefully he can build on this and get confidence back

 

[Zososoxfan]

Lotta credit to Inter for some primetime defending. Barca were bereft of ways to get Lewa involved, and it's not like they didn't have threats on the wings stretching Inter wide. Roberto still doesn't look comfortable as a RWB, and in a game like this it showed. De Vrij, Skriniar, Bastoni are a formidable defensive bunch, and to have Gosens, Dumfries, Darmian, and others shows a club with really strong depth.

 

[shawnrbu]

Brutal error by Joe Hart. As bad as you will see at this level.

 

[67YAZ]

Leao looking fiesty already, maybe trying to convince Chelsea to rethink their Nkunku bid?

 

[67YAZ]

Dest has been fine so far, but am heartened to see Pioli's tactics look generally similar to Gregg's. If our guy can find form in Milan over the next few weeks, he should be able to carry that into Qatar.

 

[tmracht]

Leao looking fiesty already, maybe trying to convince Chelsea to rethink their Nkunku bid?

Why not both?

 

[67YAZ]

Why not both?

That you, Todd?

 

[tmracht]

That you, Todd?

I don't have nearly that nice of hair, but based on his spending habits, I wouldn't be shocked if he shuffles out a few more this summer and brings in both of them. Lukaku still has to be dealt with, and I'm guessing Pulisic as well. That'll bring in some amount of money to balance it. Maybe a swap of Puli plus a farm team for Leao or something.

 

[67YAZ]

I don't have nearly that nice of hair, but based on his spending habits, I wouldn't be shocked if he shuffles out a few more this summer and brings in both of them. Lukaku still has to be dealt with, and I'm guessing Pulisic as well. That'll bring in some amount of money to balance it. Maybe a swap of Puli plus a farm team for Leao or something.

There was some article this summer that passed along a Pulisic for Leao swap rumor, but apparently, Leao has a €150m release clause. So Maldini has a lot of leverage, though next summer Leao will enter the last year of his current deal.

 

[Jimy Hendrix]

whoof, Milan midfielder blasted a rebound tap-in into row Z there

 

[tmracht]

A striker that scores yay!

 

[dirtynine]

Just tuned in to Milan/Chelsea around 75', it's sleep-inducing

 

[Jimy Hendrix]

Just tuned in to Milan/Chelsea around 75', it's sleep-inducing

Improvement in Chelsea's overall game to grab 3 goals and then be boring. They were skipping the first part under Tuchel.

 

[OCST]

Brutal error by Joe Hart. As bad as you will see at this level.

Evergreen tweet