CL knockouts

[Toby Gymshorts]

Keep the ball, break up opposition possession. It's a simple mantra, but Pep's teams seem impressively suited to it. Whether fair or not.

I'm not saying it's a bad thing, necessarily.

[Satchmo Distel]

I thought Man City's final ball was rather poor, especially from the right wing - a bit too frantic. They badly miss a fit De Bruyne. Spurs deserved the 1-0 and Son deserves the plaudits.

[Tony C]

See also: Barcelona, Bayern Munich.

It's almost like there's a link.

This just isn't true at all.

[Jah Womble]

Just seen what looked a far more obvious handball and penalty for Porto in Liverpool's match.

But it's their season, eh?

(Winky thing.)

[Tony C]

Just seen the Salah challenge for the first time. Shockingly bad.

[anton pulisov]

What kind of piss arse of a handball call was that against Danny Rose?!

[3 Colours Red]

EDIT: though I'm not sure it was that nervy, in truth.

I though Rogin meant that the second leg at the Dragao would be the nervy one.

[Toby Gymshorts]

Oh, yeah, so he did.

[hobbes]

Just seen what looked a far more obvious handball and penalty for Porto in Liverpool's match.

But it's their season, eh?

(Winky thing.)

Only the ball was already out of play.

[hobbes]

Just seen the Salah challenge for the first time. Shockingly bad.

It should probably have been a red card, but it was hardly "shocking." He had no momentum given that he was being pulled over backwards from behind by the other defender. And no intent given the same.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

I'm now conflicted about the City-Spurs second leg. I don't really care who wins, as long as whatever result leads to Spurs going back there 4 days later in the league and tearing City apart. Do you think that's more likely to be a triumphant Spurs or a defeated one hell-bent on revenge?

[Tactical Genius]

I'm now conflicted about the City-Spurs second leg. I don't really care who wins, as long as whatever result leads to Spurs going back there 4 days later in the league and tearing City apart. Do you think that's more likely to be a triumphant Spurs or a defeated one hell-bent on revenge?

I would happily take that.

[imp]

While watching last night's game frau imp wanted to know what had happened to Guardiola's world-conquering coaching techniques. I pointed out that they were possibly on course for winning four trophies this season. "Who cares about the League Cup?" she wanted to know. "This team's just poor." When Pep waited until the 89th minute to bring on Sane and de Bruyne, she felt her views were completely confirmed.

Three out of three of us fell asleep at various points of the game. Still, I'm sure that during the points I was unconscious it was a smashing advert for two of the teams from the best league in the world playing in the biggest and best competition in the world.

[Jah Womble]

I'm now conflicted about the City-Spurs second leg. I don't really care who wins, as long as whatever result leads to Spurs going back there 4 days later in the league and tearing City apart. Do you think that's more likely to be a triumphant Spurs or a defeated one hell-bent on revenge?

Getting three results in eleven days from Man City isn't something I'm imagining, tbh.

Only the ball was already out of play.

It didn't look any more out of play than the Son incident just before he scored, but I imagine that that'd have been how the VAR adjudicators judged it.

[Tony C]

It should probably have been a red card, but it was hardly "shocking." He had no momentum given that he was being pulled over backwards from behind by the other defender. And no intent given the same.

Oh, I think there was intent.

[Ray de Galles]

I had the game on the ipad next to me at the local game I attended (and, as imp attests, that's about the level of focus it warranted) so was only following it vaguely. How bad was Delph's challenge that put Kane out of the match (and possibly the rest of the season)? The commentator seemed shocked by it at the time but I've heard no more.

[jwdd27]

I think the general feeling is that Kane was making a shocking challenge on Delph, who then landed/stamped on Kane's ankle. So the degree of self-infliction involved has lessened the outrage towards Delph.

[Ray de Galles]

Thanks, Now I've found a video of it Delph looks pretty blameless actually. Kane flies in and Delph catches him with his follow through.

[Satchmo Distel]

I think Man City have to gamble on De Bruyne. He has the guile to play the killer passes that were missing last night. I like how Spurs play on the counter, though, and do fancy then to score in the second leg. Could see it going into the last 10 minutes with Man City 2-1 up and needing a 3rd to avoid going out.

Tonight I think Barcelona might again be exposed as a little light these days in the CL KO stages.

[Sporting]

Tonight I think Barcelona might again be exposed as a little light these days in the CL KO stages.

I would say Piqué can deal with Rashford better than Smalling with Messi, for example.

[hobbes]

Oh, I think there was intent.

Of course you do.

[Sporting]

I'm still struggling with the idea of Guardiola's Barcelona team being dirty. Puyol, Mascherano maybe at times (but not even them that much, as really they didn't need to). Or have I forgetten some Catalan assasins?

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Guardiola's barcelona team were so systematically cynical that it never really got to the stage of seeming dirty. it was usually a foul high up the pitch when the opposition regained possession, which killed the opposition momentum. Guardiola's teams want to pass the ball around all day free of hindrance, but once you get the ball, they foul you as quickly as Juventus. But then you have a defensive midfield shield who can commit 8 or nine tactical fouls without picking up a yellow card. Fernandinho should have picked up a yellow card for cumulative fouls, or one or two particularly severe fouls, and lets not get into the incident he had with Harry Kane.

You could kind of see the Hierarchy of England internationals in play during the commentary on BT sport, where they referred to delph's challenge on kane. That looked pretty reasonable by Delph. Kane wasn't there when he kicked the ball, and turned up late enough to be in the way of his follow through. The responsibility there seems to largely rest on Kane who was making a rather pointless 'forward's tackle' to hinder a 45 yard backpass. That penalty was fair enough, and it's what Var is supposed to be for. you could see from Rose's face when the ref made the VAR sign, that he knew he was fucked. He went to block the ball with his arm up in the air, and that was the thing that the ball hit. the card seemed a bit harsh in the context of the game though.

Spurs were pretty impressive overall, and very patient. That goal by son seemed to sum up that whole is he shane long, is he arjen robben and why can't he decide connundrum very well. that touch that nearly kicked the ball out of play was criminal, and what followed after that was brilliant. There was one curler just past the far post that was a trademark Robben move. he's a great player but there is a technical inconsistency there that he needs to finish ironing out.

Listening to Jermaine Jenas talking about the laws of the game, I came to the conclusion that asking professional footballers about the legal bases of the game is like asking 60 year old drivers from the west of Ireland, to discuss the rules of the road, based on their own driving habits. You're going to always get some ideas based on what you were used to getting away with, and what you think is an appropriate level of punishment for transgressions.

[Tony C]

Of course you do.

Similarly of course you wouldn't.

You seem to be stretching for the 'not that type of player' defence. Sadly, for just a few seconds, he was that type of player.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

yeah, he totally meant that. He is in control of his own limbs. every player can be like that from time to time. I've even seen the absurdly even tempered gareth bale do that.