2018-19 UEFA Champions League

ERG89

Did Choupo-Moting come on?
It's like Cavani went off and he was meant to come on but did he??

The Talking Bread

Guess the goalscorer George

LuckyGent88

Draxler had a huge chance to steal that game before Firmino scores but would have been a joke if they got any result.

Very disappointed in PSG. Supposed contenders but very poor in midfield. No protection for the back 4 and have the ball away constantly.

Mr.Nice Guy

Pity Monaco did a Spurs, though I didn't fancy their chances against Atletico. Pleased for Favre that Dortmund got the late win.

Exciting return for the competition.

eigrod

The Talking Bread wrote: »

Guess the goalscorer George

Best use of a gif ever

posturingpat

That Neymar boy would be so frustrating to play alongside. You know it's all there to be phenomenal yet he huffs his way through games like tonight.
Mane continues to perform to a top level and Van Dijk kept Cavani quiet.
Thiago Silva is a serious defender and model pro, I'd say Neymar breaks his heart.

NoviGlitzko

The heck was up with Salah there?

irishguitarlad

Jesus christ I'm only after seeing the spurs result. As a follower of the Italian league I'm delighted.

patmac

Any terrestrial channels with highlights, ITV seem to have lost them and RTE don’t seem to be showing them at all.

Deeper Blue

So do TV3 have a game on tomorrow night now? I'm a bit confused by the new setup

Utopia Parkway

NDWC wrote: »

So do TV3 have a game on tomorrow night now? I'm a bit confused by the new setup

Think it's just on their new subscription sports channel. The only free game they show on Virgin One is on Tuesday.

munchkin_utd

patmac wrote: »

Any terrestrial channels with highlights, ITV seem to have lost them and RTE don’t seem to be showing them at all.

Virgin Media 1 has highlights tonight at 10.15
http://entertainment.ie/tv/display.asp?channelid=84&programme=Sport&programme_day=19+September+2018&programme_time=allday&submit=Search

LuckyLloyd

KingdomYid wrote: »

I see the dislike for Spurs is alive and well in the Soccer forum anyway. It is mind boggling really.

I don't have any strong dislike for Spurs. Ye aren't a threat to win anything so it's merely amusing to see you fail in similar fashion year in, year out. Nothing was seemingly learned from Juventus last year. You could see it in the eyes of the Inter players once they got the equaliser. They knew they would win, that their opponents were beaten.

KingdomYid

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

I don't have any strong dislike for Spurs. Ye aren't a threat to win anything so it's merely amusing to see you fail in similar fashion year in, year out. Nothing was seemingly learned from Juventus last year. You could see it in the eyes of the Inter players once they got the equaliser. They knew they would win, that their opponents were beaten.

Hopefully your lot won't win anything either. I honestly don't think you will as Klopp loves losing finals as we know.

LuckyLloyd

KingdomYid wrote: »

Hopefully your lot won't win anything either. I honestly don't think you will as Klopp loves losing finals as we know.

You're left hoping against hope though. I have no fear whatsoever that Spurs will achieve anything significant in Europe.

KingdomYid

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

You're left hoping against hope though. I have no fear whatsoever that Spurs will achieve anything significant in Europe.

I can promise you right now that neither team will win anything in Europe this season

The Golden Miller

KingdomYid wrote: »

I can promise you right now that neither team will win anything in Europe this season

It will he hard for any team to keep enough Liverpool goals out to beat them, particularly over two legs. They may well be there or thereabouts again

Harry Palmr

Nabil Fekir to play Man City tonight, hopefully he can do his nearly club a favour

irishguitarlad

I suppose Valencia v Juve the big one tonight? Although Valencia are without kondogbia and Garay, big losses for them.

citytillidie

irishguitarlad wrote: »

I suppose Valencia v Juve the big one tonight? Although Valencia are without kondogbia and Garay, big losses for them.

I say Real V Roma would be the biggest game for tonight

BullBlackNova

Roma look shaky in Serie A at the moment too so could be goals in that one.

I'm looking forward to Man City v Lyon, if I can find somewhere to watch it!

eigrod

KingdomYid wrote: »

Hopefully your lot won't win anything either. I honestly don't think you will as Klopp loves losing finals as we know.

So you post that you are baffled by the dislike of Spurs by other clubs' fans, yet more than 1 of your own recent posts show a clear dislike of another club. I don't think you quite get this football rivalry thing, do you?

KingdomYid

eigrod wrote: »

So you post that you are baffled by the dislike of Spurs by other clubs' fans, yet more than 1 of your own recent posts show a clear dislike of another club. I don't think you quite get this football rivalry thing, do you?

That is a fair enough point and I am being a hypocrite there. The thing is I had no real dislike of Liverpool until last season, where a certain group of posters on here showed their true dislike of Tottenham and since then my dislike has grown. There is a certain arrogance about Liverpool fans at the moment which makes them unlikable. I don't believe Spurs fans on here ever were that arrogant.

Anyway it's only a game of football and I have bitten too many times for my own liking.

LiamoSail

^^^ As an aside, I love the location on your profile. The world famous home of a side currently famous for not having a home!

KingdomYid

LiamoSail wrote: »

^^^ As an aside, I love the location on your profile. The world famous home of a side currently famous for not having a home!

Good spot, only real Spurs fans will understand the meaning of the reference.

KERSPLAT!

KingdomYid wrote: »

That is a fair enough point and I am being a hypocrite there. The thing is I had no real dislike of Liverpool until last season, where a certain group of posters on here showed their true dislike of Tottenham and since then my dislike has grown. There is a certain arrogance about Liverpool fans at the moment which makes them unlikable. I don't believe Spurs fans on here ever were that arrogant.

Anyway it's only a game of football and I have bitten too many times for my own liking.

It's funny, since reading some of your recent comments I've started to dislike Spurs, and I was a big fan of Poch, his management of the team and the team itself before that. Funny how that happens

JPA

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Nabil Fekir to play Man City tonight, hopefully he can do his nearly club a favour

How would anything he does tonight affect Liverpool?

NIMAN

citytillidie wrote: »

I say Real V Roma would be the biggest game for tonight

Probably shades it, although it will be interesting to see Ronaldo play in the CL for someone other than Madrid!

He will know plenty about Valencia, and the CL is his tournament, so I actually fancy him for a couple of goals tonight. After all, Messi got 3 last night, so he has to step up to the plate.

TitianGerm

KERSPLAT! wrote: »

It's funny, since reading some of your recent comments I've started to dislike Spurs, and I was a big fan of Poch, his management of the team and the team itself before that. Funny how that happens

Spurs fans are coming across quite bitter. Are they worried that their time in the Top 4 is slipping away now that Liverpool, United and Chelsea all look to be moving in the right direction.

KingdomYid

TitianGerm wrote: »

Spurs fans are coming across quite bitter. Are they worried that their time in the Top 4 is slipping away now that Liverpool, United and Chelsea all look to be moving in the right direction.

I worry about important things in life, I certainly wouldn't be worried about something like that. Is this the same United that everyone said was in crisis only two weeks ago? A few positive results and Spurs will be hunky dory again.

NIMAN

Spurs were very unlucky to lose last night , much the better team.

But I suspect the lack of purchases in the summer will come back to bite them this year.

KingdomYid

NIMAN wrote: »

Spurs were very unlucky to lose last night , much the better team.

But I suspect the lack of purchases in the summer will come back to bite them this year.

Agree with this 100%

TitianGerm

KingdomYid wrote: »

I worry about important things in life, I certainly wouldn't be worried about something like that. Is this the same United that everyone said was in crisis only two weeks ago? A few positive results and Spurs will be hunky dory again.

Do you think United will miss out on top 4 because I can't see it happening.

KingdomYid

TitianGerm wrote: »

Do you think United will miss out on top 4 because I can't see it happening.

I don't know, too early to predict for me. City are the only team I would say are guaranteed top 4.

This thread is being dragged off topic so best we don't discuss here.

The Talking Bread

NIMAN wrote: »

citytillidie wrote: »

I say Real V Roma would be the biggest game for tonight

Probably shades it, although it will be interesting to see Ronaldo play in the CL for someone other than Madrid!

There is historic footage knocking about already of him playing for someone other than Madrid

GavRedKing

KingdomYid wrote: »

I don't know, too early to predict for me. City are the only team I would say are guaranteed top 4.

This thread is being dragged off topic so best we don't discuss here.

City and Pool for me.

The rest is a toss up.

Spurs, the lack of any signings could harm them.

Arsenal and Chelsea are still adapting to their new systems and managers, Chelsea look in slightly better shape than Arsenal but Arsenal have played two of the toughest opponents you could ask for.

Utd look alright but could easily go on a winning streak under Mourinho.

Its also only 5 games in so I wouldnt write any off the above 4 off just yet but I'd be confident enough of Pool and City, who look pretty much perfectly setup to suit their managers, as the top 2.

Based on the above, if neither City or Pool dont win the league, I'll be shocked.

Harry Palmr

JPA wrote: »

How would anything he does tonight affect Liverpool?

Zero points tonight puts some pressure on City from the off even if it's a piss easy group in theory. Who knows by the time they play the final match of the group they might need to put out the strongest side possible and then maybe weaken them in the PL (Chelsea before, Everton after) and so drop a few points.

cj maxx

Any games on free to air tv tonight ?

citytillidie

cjmc wrote: »

Any games on free to air tv tonight ?

Nope

irishguitarlad

citytillidie wrote: »

I say Real V Roma would be the biggest game for tonight

Roma have been absolute dog **** this season. Might be a Big Game if you're a Madrid fan or if you want to see a drubbing.

Mr.Nice Guy

City vs Lyon is the one I'm looking forward to most tonight. Lyon have some very exciting young players and if - massive if - they turn up tonight as a team then they could give City a game. Unfortunately, Lyon have started the season poorly and City have been very impressive so I don't fancy their chances and I'm expecting City to produce a solid victory. Still, I'm very keen on seeing how Ndombele and Ferland Mendy fare as they're two of the most exciting prospects in Europe right now imo. Also want Depay to do well as he's had a great 2018 and it would be nice for him to come back to England and show what he is capable of, a bit like Falcao did in Monaco's classic with City 2 years ago.

Here are the teams for the early kick-offs:

Shaktar XI: Pyatov; Butko, Khocholava, Rakitskiy, Ismaily; Stepanenko, Bolbat; Taison, Marlos, Patrick; Moraes.

Hoffenheim XI: Baumann; Posch, Vogt, Nordveit; Kaderabek, Grillitsch, Bittencourt, Schulz; Joelinton, Szalai, Kramaric.

Ajax XI: Onana; Mazraoui, Eiting, Blind, Tagliafico; Schone, Neres, Frenkie De Jong; Ziyech, Tadic, Huntelaar.

AEK Athens XI: Barkas; Cosic, Oikonomou, Lampropoulos, Hult; Galanopoulos, Simoes; Bakakis, Klonaridis, Mantalos; Ponce.

I've liked what I've seen of Joelinton so far and am eager to see if he can make an impression tonight. They like their Brazilians in Ukraine don't they, so it would be amusing if one made the difference against them. Hope Kramaric has his shooting boots on as he missed a sitter at the weekend.

Mr.Nice Guy

Hoffenheim have taken the lead via Grillitsch.

Loafing Oaf

Shakhtar v Hoffenheim or Ajax v Athens

eagle eye

Cracking goal from Ishmaily.

It'll take a lot to beat that for goal of the season imo.

Mr.Nice Guy

Nice solo equaliser from the Shaktar LB Ismaily but poor defending from Nordtveit. This game has burst into life all of a sudden.

eagle eye

Mr.Nice Guy wrote:

Nice solo equaliser from the Shaktar LB Ismaily but poor defending from Nordtveit. This game has burst into life all of a sudden.

Burst into life? It's been a cracker since the off.

eagle eye

Hoffenheim in front again.

Mr.Nice Guy

Nordtveit redeems himself by restoring Hoffenheim's lead but poor keeping by Pyatov.

Update: 2-1 Hoffenheim at H-T. Been impressed with Bittencourt and Grillitsch. Joelinton has shown good strength and has looked a threat. Kramaric doing a lot better than he did against Dusseldorf.

Mr.Nice Guy

Teams for City vs Lyon:

Man City XI: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Laporte, Delph; Fernandinho, Gundogan, David Silva; Bernardo, Gabriel Jesus, Sterling.

Lyon XI: Lopes; Rafael, Marcelo, Denayer, Mendy; Diop, Ndombele; Cornet, Fekir, Aouar; Depay.

Very surprised that Genesio has left Tousart and Traore on the bench. Can't work that one out at all. Dembele also benched.

Loafing Oaf

Is there any particular rhyme or reason to the selection of early games? i thought it might be based on time zones but that clearly doesn't apply to Ajax...