Thread name up for selling rights - OTT 35 [R]

Wingtips1 · Mar 8, 2017

SamScouse said: ↑

I think we can just give Chelsea the title now. I think Everton have too much ground to catch up and rely way too much on one player Lukaku.

For me City and Spurs will take second and third place place (I don't know/care who gets which one).

So that leaves (IMO) 3 teams fighting for the last CL spot:
- Manure's list is by far the hardest - 4 in total, 3 games away from home. They are good at times but inconsistent
- Arse are crap vs top opposition (unless they all grow a pair of balls in the next few weeks) so will deffo drop games
- Given our form this year we can beat City and Everton so it's the same story: how will we do vs the rest of the league?
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Spurs are 4 points ahead of us. Don't see how they're certain to finish 2nd or 3rd.

Wingtips1 · Mar 8, 2017

The stratification we are seeing in football is really quite disturbing - and not to mention boring.
Bayern win 10-2 on aggregate.
Real advance 6-2.
Several other ties have the potential to turn lopsided as well.

UEFA wonders why they have viewership problems and this is it - a lack of competitive games as the triumvirate of Real/Barca/Bayern have been dominant over the last 6 seasons with only Atletico, Citeh, Dortmund, PSG all able to break into the party a season at a time.

I think UEFA needs to step in and put up some roadblocks for the top teams in their assemblage of talent - they have been barred from using a salary cap, so why not institute a max of 20 contracted players over the age of 21 with an unlimited number of players able to be contracted if they spent 4+ years in your academy prior to their 21st birthday.
A player like Isco would have to be let go by Madrid not to mention the 37 players on the chavs' books. It wouldn't stop these teams from grabbing the elite players in the game, but it could lead to a wider diffusion of talent that would potentially bring more competition.

Or they could just go back to a true knockout Cup with a blind draw - I bet you'd see a lot more interest in a Real v Bayern 2nd round home/away cup tie than Barca v Ludogorets in a group stage game. Every match is meaningful. Every round is guaranteed to have a ridiculous matchup or two. (This will never happen as the Triumvirate would never allow UEFA to put them in a situation where they could be out of Europe after two games). Viewership would certainly increase.

SamScouse · Mar 8, 2017

Wingtips1 said: ↑

Spurs are 4 points ahead of us. Don't see how they're certain to finish 2nd or 3rd.
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it's all prediction of course, but their form is on a high and is significantly more consistent than ours/Arse.

I'd love us to get higher than 4th but at this point I don't see it. If we get 9 points from Burnley, City and Everton, and Spurs drop in their next 3 games (Soton Burnley and Swansea) I might rethink it.

White/Blue_since1860 · Mar 8, 2017

Wingtips1 said: ↑

The stratification we are seeing in football is really quite disturbing - and not to mention boring.
Bayern win 10-2 on aggregate.
Real advance 6-2.
Several other ties have the potential to turn lopsided as well.

UEFA wonders why they have viewership problems and this is it - a lack of competitive games as the triumvirate of Real/Barca/Bayern have been dominant over the last 6 seasons with only Atletico, Citeh, Dortmund, PSG all able to break into the party a season at a time.

I think UEFA needs to step in and put up some roadblocks for the top teams in their assemblage of talent - they have been barred from using a salary cap, so why not institute a max of 20 contracted players over the age of 21 with an unlimited number of players able to be contracted if they spent 4+ years in your academy prior to their 21st birthday.
A player like Isco would have to be let go by Madrid not to mention the 37 players on the chavs' books. It wouldn't stop these teams from grabbing the elite players in the game, but it could lead to a wider diffusion of talent that would potentially bring more competition.

Or they could just go back to a true knockout Cup with a blind draw - I bet you'd see a lot more interest in a Real v Bayern 2nd round home/away cup tie than Barca v Ludogorets in a group stage game. Every match is meaningful. Every round is guaranteed to have a ridiculous matchup or two. (This will never happen as the Triumvirate would never allow UEFA to put them in a situation where they could be out of Europe after two games). Viewership would certainly increase.
Click to expand...

The invention of CL and a group stage in the first place was due to big clubs wanting to have financial planability. Before the CL we had like 8 different winners in 10 years and now you have perhaps 4. The current state of competition was planned 30 years and is actually wanted by the clubs who lobbied for this

Donfather · Mar 8, 2017

SamScouse said: ↑

it's all prediction of course, but their form is on a high and is significantly more consistent than ours/Arse.

I'd love us to get higher than 4th but at this point I don't see it. If we get 9 points from Burnley, City and Everton, and Spurs drop in their next 3 games (Soton Burnley and Swansea) I might rethink it.
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I cannot see why Liverpool would play better against teams that park two banks of buses in from of the goal....realistically it will be down for klopp to somehow find a way to overcome those obstacles otherwise it will be more frustration

burning247 · Mar 8, 2017

Donfather said: ↑

I cannot see why Liverpool would play better against teams that park two banks of buses in from of the goal....realistically it will be down for klopp to somehow find a way to overcome those obstacles otherwise it will be more frustration
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Although recent history wouldn't suggest, there was a time earlier in the season when we had success against the bus teams.

Donfather · Mar 8, 2017

burning247 said: ↑

Although recent history wouldn't suggest, there was a time earlier in the season when we had success against the bus teams.
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That was bliss

newterp · Mar 8, 2017

Yikes - GAME ON - Barca - 2 goals to the good in the first half against PSG!!

4-2 with 50 mins to go.

PSG look terrified.

usscouse · Mar 8, 2017

newterp said: ↑

Yikes - GAME ON - Barca - 2 goals to the good in the first half against PSG!!

4-2 with 50 mins to go.

PSG look terrified.
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Second half promises to be fun. Barca's 2 were scrambles but they count.

newterp · Mar 8, 2017

OH MY - penalty to Barca in the 48' minute.....

3-0.......

Donfather · Mar 8, 2017

3-0......Messi. .....

newterp · Mar 8, 2017

And Cavani off the post!

usscouse · Mar 8, 2017

Wow!!! Neymar sold that as he ran into the defender for the PK.
The ref wasn't going to give it and rightly so. But the comms talked him into it.
Or the goal line official.

usscouse · Mar 8, 2017

Neymar falls down again looking for another PK.

newterp · Mar 8, 2017

elsewhere Dortmund scores 3 to go up 3-1 on agg against Benfica - they are through

usscouse · Mar 8, 2017

Half hour plus to play. Pressure time for PSG. They need that away goal.

newterp · Mar 8, 2017

Damn - Cavani!

usscouse · Mar 8, 2017

And Cavani gets it. Barca need 3 more now !!!!!

usscouse · Mar 8, 2017

Almost another for PSG. Shudda scored.

Donfather · Mar 8, 2017

I can't see barca going through now.....PSG look like they may nick another

usscouse · Mar 8, 2017

Heavens to Betsy as Suarez gets a yellow for a dive.

SamScouse · Mar 8, 2017

City 0-0 Stoke @60 mins

newterp · Mar 8, 2017

SamScouse said: ↑

City 0-0 Stoke @60 mins
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we need it to stay that way (or a stoke win!!)

SamScouse · Mar 8, 2017

stoke looking tired but very organized in their bus-parking. 67 mins 0-0.

newterp · Mar 8, 2017

SamScouse said: ↑

stoke looking tired but very organized in their bus-parking. 67 mins 0-0.
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yikes silva misses by inches....