2014/15 Champion's league

[NJSeahawk]

So Bayern....

Porto got pottied!

 

[Seabhac]

That boy Messi ...I reckon he's got a future.

 

[Uncle Si]

That boy Messi ...I reckon he's got a future.

Fun to watch the worlds best go at it. Been a great first leg of the semis. Tactical, technical, cagey, imaginative. I reckon Barca-Bayern is over, but we will see. Would love to see Juventus v Barca.

 

[Seabhac]

Unfortunately it all just undelines how far United have to come to get to that level....

 

[Uncle Si]

Unfortunately it all just undelines how far the rest of the world have to come to get to that level....

to be honest...

 

[Seabhac]

The question is...is he the best player ever? Could be.

 

[knownone]

Ever? no...

 

[Uncle Si]

Ever? no...

why not? There are maybe 4 other players in that discussion right now, and I would not put CR7 in it.

Pele, Maradona, Brazilian Ronaldo, Zidane, Messi. Could put Best, Cruyff, Ronaldinho, CR7 just behind that group.

Any others?

For me... Ronaldo at his peak was incredible. I think Messi is there with him now. His single-handedly driving Argentina to the final in the summer, and now this run, puts him there, in my opinion.

Let's see some lists

 

[Seabhac]

Ever? no...

why not? There are maybe 4 other players in that discussion right now, and I would not put CR7 in it.

Pele, Maradona, Brazilian Ronaldo, Zidane, Messi. Could put Best, Cruyff, Ronaldinho, CR7 just behind that group.

Any others?

For me... Ronaldo at his peak was incredible. I think Messi is there with him now. His single-handedly driving Argentina to the final in the summer, and now this run, puts him there, in my opinion.

Let's see some lists

Best should be on the list for sure...but he never played in a World Cup (and was more interested in Booze and Birds than football)
Cruyff just magnificent on the big stage.
Giggs - So good for so many years - never played in a World Cup though.
Boniek, Platini, Savicevic, Van Basten, Brady, Di Stefano (who was a little before my time) CR7, Pirlo, Socrates - so many brilliant players.

Still - I think Messi may be better than all of them.

 

[knownone]

Ever? no...

why not? There are maybe 4 other players in that discussion right now, and I would not put CR7 in it.

Pele, Maradona, Brazilian Ronaldo, Zidane, Messi. Could put Best, Cruyff, Ronaldinho, CR7 just behind that group.

Any others?

For me... Ronaldo at his peak was incredible. I think Messi is there with him now. His single-handedly driving Argentina to the final in the summer, and now this run, puts him there, in my opinion.

Let's see some lists

My top 5 is Pele, Maradona, Zidane, Maldini and Cruyff.

Messi is not quite there for me. I would argue over the past 10 years Messi wasn't even the most important player on his own team. Xavi and Iniesta drive that team and set Messi up for a lot of his success. That's in no way a knock on Messi, he's one of the best to ever play, but he's not the best.

I'd like to see him do more internationally. I know you think he "single-handedly" drove Argentina to the final, but it's not like Argentina is devoid of talent they have 5 of the best attacking players on the planet and Mascherano and Di Maria were equally important in the WC.

I don't think Ronaldinho is even in the conversation.

 

[NJSeahawk]

Juve vs Barca

rooting for the forza Juve!

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Juve vs Barca

rooting for the forza Juve!

Me too, anyone else remember last time Barca played RM in the finals? It was a 90 minute flop fest of biblical proportions.

 

[NJSeahawk]

Juve has no chance. I'm thinking something like 4 or 5 nil.

:13:, I'm afraid.

Barca needs a real team to step up and bring them down. A working man's team, a blue team from London, a team that rhymes with Wesley.

I won't name any names, carry on.

 

[Uncle Si]

Juve has no chance. I'm thinking something like 4 or 5 nil.

Disagree..

Juve have a superior midfield and no one closes space like an Italian team. Barcelona are built to counter teams pressure..Juve won't bite.

This will be an epic chess match and I'm taking Juve to stun

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Juve has no chance. I'm thinking something like 4 or 5 nil.

Barca's definitely the favorite, but Juve's backline and midfield made RM's attack very pedestrian. So much so in fact that this series probably was the last we'll see of Bale in a RM kit.

 

[Uncle Si]

Juve has no chance. I'm thinking something like 4 or 5 nil.

Disagree..

Juve have a superior midfield and no one closes space like an Italian team. Barcelona are built to counter teams pressure..Juve won't bite.

This will be an epic chess match and I'm taking Juve to stun

'fraid not Simon, old chum. Juve's midfield can only do so much, they don't have the horses to stop Neymar, Suarez and Messi, especially in the kind of form they've all been in. this one will be a proper bollocking and no mistake.

Interesting side story is Barca has no matches between now and the final...pro or con?

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Juve has no chance. I'm thinking something like 4 or 5 nil.

Barca's definitely the favorite, but Juve's backline and midfield made RM's attack very pedestrian. So much so in fact that this series probably was the last we'll see of Bale in a RM kit.

RMs attack isn't even close to Barca's right now. Juve have no chance.

But is that because Juve did a great job neutralizing RM's attack, or is that because RM was in poor form?

Soccer is definitely a momentum sport, but RM scored just as many goals in La Liga as Barca did, yet only one team looked dangerous in the semi's. I'd argue Juve's defense has something to do with that.

But we shall see won't we.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

See I'm more worried about how Juve's going to score, than their defense stopping Barca. Barca scores goals, that's what they do, so I'm not saying Juve's going to shut them down.

But can they get the forward/mid play they need out of Vidal, Pirlo, Pogba, Morata and Tevez to not have to start pushing numbers forward and take chances because they're down 1-0 or 2-1 in the 65th minute?

Morata's on form, and I think Pogba has the length and speed to be the wildcard here.

In the end I do think Barca wins, but I'm far more excited about this matchup (and not just because I'm Italian!) than another RM Barca flop/yell at the officials fest.

 

[Smurf]

See I'm more worried about how Juve's going to score, than their defense stopping Barca. Barca scores goals, that's what they do, so I'm not saying Juve's going to shut them down.

But can they get the forward/mid play they need out of Vidal, Pirlo, Pogba, Morata and Tevez to not have to start pushing numbers forward and take chances because they're down 1-0 or 2-1 in the 65th minute?

Morata's on form, and I think Pogba has the length and speed to be the wildcard here.

In the end I do think Barca wins, but I'm far more excited about this matchup (and not just because I'm Italian!) than another RM Barca flop/yell at the officials fest.

I'm with Si on this one. Juve win a chess match. They can bunker and take pressure for 90 minutes. They don't need much of the ball. As for their goals, they will come from a set piece almost guaranteed. Barca's set piece defending is atrocious and Juve have Pirlo serving the ball for the first 65 minutes.

Should be a good match. The slower the flow of the game is, the more it suits Juve I think.

 

[Smurf]

i mean, I see what you're saying, I just don't think Juve will be able to bunker down against Suarez and Messi. The two of them together just carve defenses apart, and Neymar is always there to fetch the scraps and make goals with them. Just too much for them to handle. Yes, Barca's set-piece defending is woeful, but in the end, I just see them as being too much for Juve to handle.

Why not? There will be 9, 10 men behind the ball at all times. Juve have some of the most experienced defenders in Europe.

Going into the Semi's Juve had the best defense of the 4, and that hasn't changed. They are a solid unit with a tremendous work rate midfield in front of them....and Buffon is still at a high level.

You can't stop Messi, I get that. you can only contain him. Limit his touches, and limit the length of time he has the ball.