Champions League 2018/19: A Visca Wanda

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

That first dybala goal was such a beautiful finish.

Ronaldo must be raging. He's not going to finish top scorer if he's missing out on games like this.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

hmm. I reckon I'd get ten goals a season if I was playing up front alongside leroy sane. He seems to have benefited from having the summer off.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

What a most un-david silva goal that was.

[Toby Gymshorts]

EDIT: taking that back. He looks in a bit of discomfort there.

[beak]

The Man City game is being spoiled by an officious and not very good ref.

And City's kit.

[ursus arctos]

Ajax are a rather flaky team. They seem to be inspired by playing against Bayern.

[hobbes]

How much is Alexis Sanchez getting paid per week?

[ursus arctos]

More than Joan Collins got for Dynasty

[ursus arctos]

Madrid lose in Moscow and are now third in their group behind CSKA and Roma

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

The Boos ring out around old trafford. Those valencia Away fans have no idea how to support their team.

[tee rex]

Madrid lose in Moscow and are now third in their group behind CSKA and Roma

Double dissent yellow = red for Akinfeev.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

probably a major factor in them not conceding a goal

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Who was that real Madrid player who set up the CSKA goal, and could he not have been more subtle about it?

[Sporting]

I am probably alone in my opinion that Man Utd actually gave it a fair go in the second half, even though it was more heart than effectiveness.

[ursus arctos]

That was “Best Passer in the World” Toni Kroos, Berba

[EIM]

We're mince.

[G-Man]

Watching that Man Utd game was depressing in its joylessness. Even if one hates United, there'd be no joy in a performance like that (unlike Saturday's game against West Ham), because this wasn't a show of comic haplessness, just boring inefficiency. More José van Moyes football.

Two things really annoyed me though. Firstly, foul throws. Why aren't they punished?

Secondly, at one point the ref stopped a promising United attack (in as far as any of them were promising) on the edge of Valencia's penalty area because a Valencia player was injured (ball to the balls, it seems). That's bad enough. But when the game restarted -- the Valencia player had survived -- Valencia kicked the ball deep into United's half. So the attacking side lost territory because a player was in pain. Surely there's a way of not punishing a team for the pain of an opponent. Instruct the Valencia player to kick the ball into touch on the level where play was stopped, or something.

[Snake Plissken]

Look, Man Utd just need to get out of the Champions League in order to concentrate on qualifying for the Champions League.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Man United's best chance of being in next year's Champions League is winning this year's Europa League.

[Tactical Genius]

Reginald.

not an engine that's going to power them to success.

To be fair to Pogba, he has never claimed to be that type of footballer in the first place. This was pretty clear to anyone who had seen him play for France and Juventus.
That was projected on him by others who looked at his appearance and physique and assumed he's some Patrick Viera type of player.

You don't see people calling Toni Kroos a flop because he doesn't make crunching tackles.
Mourinho bought Pogba so it's his responsibility to devise a team shape he can blossom in.

[wittoner]

Secondly, at one point the ref stopped a promising United attack (in as far as any of them were promising) on the edge of Valencia's penalty area because a Valencia player was injured (ball to the balls, it seems). That's bad enough. But when the game restarted -- the Valencia player had survived -- Valencia kicked the ball deep into United's half. So the attacking side lost territory because a player was in pain. Surely there's a way of not punishing a team for the pain of an opponent. Instruct the Valencia player to kick the ball into touch on the level where play was stopped, or something.

Whatever happened to restarting play with a dropped ball? Does that ever happen anymore?

[ad hoc]

There was a dropped ball in the Hoffenheim Man City game. The ref had to get Aguero to come over to be involved, and he was obviously told just to kick it straight into touch next to them. Which he did.

Can't remember the last time i saw a contested dropped ball

[Jah Womble]

How much is Alexis Sanchez getting paid per week?

More to the point, why did Man Utd buy him? ('Because they could', I imagine.)

[Ray de Galles]

There was a dropped ball in the Hoffenheim Man City game. The ref had to get Aguero to come over to be involved, and he was obviously told just to kick it straight into touch next to them. Which he did.

Can't remember the last time i saw a contested dropped ball

We had one last night at Wimbledon v Bradford, the first I’ve seen in years. It was the absolute undisputed highlight of a thouroughly miserable match.

[beak]

('Because they could', I imagine.)

I thought it was "So someone else couldn't"..