Administrator Stan Posted September 30 Administrator Share Posted September 30 all kick-offs 20.00 (BST) unless stated Tuesday 1st October, 2024 RB Salzburg vs Brest, 17.45 Stuttgart vs Sparta Prague, 17.45 Arsenal vs PSG Barcelona vs Young Boys Bayer Leverkusen vs AC Milan Borussia Dortmund vs Celtic Inter Milan vs Red Star Belgrade PSV vs Sporting Lisbon Slovan Bratislava vs Man City Wednesday 2nd October, 2024 Girona vs Feyenoord, 17.45 Shakhtar Donetsk vs Atalanta, 17.45 Aston Villa vs Bayern Munich Benfica vs Atletico Madrid Dinamo Zagreb vs Monaco Lille vs Real Madrid Liverpool vs Bologna RB Leipzig vs Juventus Sturm Graz vs Club Brugge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6666 Posted October 1 Share Posted October 1 Hakimi's pace looked dangerous once or twice but other than that, it's been comfortable for us in the first half. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber Dan+ Posted October 2 Subscriber Share Posted October 2 This new format is garbage. Barely any interest at all in it, riddled with complete mismatches. Once again I think it's football in managed decline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LFCMike Posted October 2 Share Posted October 2 53 minutes ago, Dan said: This new format is garbage. Barely any interest at all in it, riddled with complete mismatches. Once again I think it's football in managed decline. There were complete mismatches in the group stage as well, where a number of sides would end up being the whipping boys for two or three other sides. You're always going to get that whatever the format. One thing I will say is I think we'll see a few more hammerings of the lower ranked teams because of goal difference being a much more of an important factor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber RandoEFC+ Posted October 2 Subscriber Share Posted October 2 They don't care about the mismatches or the poor clubs playing each other. This whole format change was to generate more "marquee" fixtures in the group stage because $$$, $$$ and $$$. The old group stage format kept the "biggest" clubs apart because of the pots meaning that they had to wait until the second half of the competition to milk Bayern vs Man City and Real Madrid vs Juventus for all that sweet dollar. I honestly don't think they've considered any other issues and Dortmund hammering Celtic 7-1 won't give them any sort of pause. More goals is more content which is more impressions and interactions on social media. It's true that these results happened already in the group stage. There will probably be more hammerings this year in my opinion but we won't know for sure until it all shakes out. Personally I'm not that fussed about the Champions League so I don't have a dog in the fight over this whole format thing but it's clear that generating more money is the thought process behind it rather than providing a balanced competition so I don't think the organisers will see it as a drawback at all. I agree though that as a casual if you want to stick a match on it's a lot less appealing now. There's a real lack of incentive for the likes of Celtic and Slovan Bratislava I feel. In this format they already know they're not getting anywhere in the competition even if they take a scalp or two, whereas in the past, if you could cause an upset in one of your six fixtures, you could put yourself in reasonably serious contention to get through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted October 2 Share Posted October 2 Despite last nights result, this format gives the likes of Celtic a better chance of reaching the knockout games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber RandoEFC+ Posted October 2 Subscriber Share Posted October 2 1 hour ago, Rick said: Despite last nights result, this format gives the likes of Celtic a better chance of reaching the knockout games. Really? They're not finishing in the top 8 and if they manage to scrape into the third quarter of the table they still have to go through a playoff against a better team from the top half. I suppose in terms of proportion, there's not much in it. The bottom quarter get eliminated and the third quarter get the lifeline of the playoff game instead of getting dumped into the Europa League. I think that's offset though by the fact that it's easier to fluke your way a bit higher than your level in a four-team group in six games than it is over eight games in this weird league structure. In a smaller group, a fluke win is twice as effective because you gain 3 points whilst also denying one of your direct rivals a win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Stan Posted October 2 Author Administrator Share Posted October 2 Rodgers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LFCMike Posted October 2 Share Posted October 2 1 hour ago, Stan said: Rodgers Conceded 7 three times in the CL as Celtic manager Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Stan Posted October 2 Author Administrator Share Posted October 2 1 hour ago, LFCMike said: Conceded 7 three times in the CL as Celtic manager I'm revelling in seeing him getting absolutely battered once again in Europe. His record is shocking. Sad for Schmeichel as he's obviously a legend, but Rodgers I will love to see him fail anywhere he goes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rucksackfranzose Posted October 2 Share Posted October 2 1 hour ago, Stan said: I'm revelling in seeing him getting absolutely battered once again in Europe. His record is shocking. Sad for Schmeichel as he's obviously a legend, but Rodgers I will love to see him fail anywhere he goes. Why this malice? Genuine question? Seem to remember his time at Leicester's helm was rather successful apart from the last season? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Stan Posted October 2 Author Administrator Share Posted October 2 7 minutes ago, Rucksackfranzose said: Why this malice? Genuine question? Seem to remember his time at Leicester's helm was rather successful apart from the last season? Can't deny he had a good first 2 seasons here. But then his ego took over and he played very much a big part in us getting relegated. Bad signings, falling out with key players, refusal to change his ways despite them clearly not working, refusal to walk away despite things going sour. Before he came to Leicester, fans of Liverpool and Celtic referenced that he suffers from third-season syndrome. When things go well, it was all about him and that's what happened in the first two seasons. But when things went downhill in his third season, when he's put his imprint on to the club, then the downsides come to fruition. He very rarely took responsibility for it all, either. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunnersaurus Posted October 2 Share Posted October 2 @Reluctant Striker Are you going to the game tonight? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber Viva la FCB+ Posted October 2 Subscriber Share Posted October 2 What an atmosphere at Villa park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Stan Posted October 2 Author Administrator Share Posted October 2 What a ball from Salah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Stan Posted October 2 Author Administrator Share Posted October 2 Wow, Villa lead. Scrappy but bad defending from Bayern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Stan Posted October 2 Author Administrator Share Posted October 2 Oh wait. Offside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber Viva la FCB+ Posted October 2 Subscriber Share Posted October 2 Pretty tense first half. The englishe's are losing their mind over that first Upa "challenge" definitely looked more like a clash of legs to me but what you gonna do. Second incident was definitely a yellow and he looks in trouble trying to track Watkins. I dont know how he stays on the pitch but we also dont have any healthy options other then Dier right now lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunnersaurus Posted October 2 Share Posted October 2 Beyern play some really nice stuff. I think they might get exposed against better teams though. They look like they could get caught on the counter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber Viva la FCB+ Posted October 2 Subscriber Share Posted October 2 Musiala on to start the second half thankfully. Lets see what we can do here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber Viva la FCB+ Posted October 2 Subscriber Share Posted October 2 Im reminded how much I hate english announcers when an english team is involved. Emery's cock will be fully dry by the end of this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LFCMike Posted October 2 Share Posted October 2 Brilliant from Salah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Stan Posted October 2 Author Administrator Share Posted October 2 That is superb from Duran. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber Viva la FCB+ Posted October 2 Subscriber Share Posted October 2 Well fuck. Neuer burned for being far off his line. What a finish though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Stan Posted October 2 Author Administrator Share Posted October 2 Brilliant last ditch defending from Lille. Could beat Real. Few more mins to hold on... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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