ESPN thinks the Europa will be “tough” for MUN, ARS.
Prediction: both go 15+ points, win their group.
My money would be on Arsenal to win the Europa League
Well, there will be third place UCL teams added in knockout stages, some of whom might be better than ARS.
OK, UCL Round 1 matches are only days away.
First up: punish simulators and ref-crowders.
I’d like them to crack down on Goal Kick and Keeper Possession time wastage.
This past weekend or midweek I saw a referee pointing at his watch, notifying the Keeper that he was adding time (I think.) Major issue is that according to the LOTG, on Keeper Possession, it’s supposed to be six seconds or it’s an IFK to the other team at the spot of the offense. Refs seems to be simply adding time, instead of doing that. For Goal Kicks, yellow cards are easily handed out, but the restart is still a Goal Kick.
Should stop allowing the team to get into place for the punt or roll-out. Need more Keeper errors turning into goals.
Seems like almost every match I see a referee warning a keeper about time wasting, and then the GK keeps doing it. Yellows happen occasionally, but only for egregious time wasting after being cautioned.
I think they are loathe to stop play and give the other team a close IFK if the goalkeeper possesses the ball too long, which they all do all the time.
Though, the CAN W keeper held on too long after being warned vs USA, turned it into a goal in, uh, WC or Olympics several years ago.
“Wah, my schedule is bad.” Pro-active excuses.
I think pretty much every team in UCL have a similar schedule. If your opponents are more difficult now, they’ll be less difficult later.
Spurs return to the Champions League for the first time since 2019 with a home clash against Marseille on Wednesday, a game that comes in a run of seven games in 21 days.
Every EPL team have played 6 EPL matches in 21 or 22 (or 23) days. And WHU have played two more in Euro Conference league qualifying. AND, the non-Euro qualifying teams have played one extra match in the EFL Cup. In contrast, TOT’s schedule has been a little easier than others. Whingeing about playing MCI in between UCL matches is being a puss.
Tottenham has the weakest group to play in in the Champions League fortunately.
Will be interested in how the Spurs do against MC this year as they were the only EPL team to dominate them last year (2 wins) in the regular season.
Pretty freaking great set of UCL matches today.
And, good to hear Ray Hudson’s magisterial voice.
Playing Man City on 3 days rest is a bit different than playing Newcastle on 3 days rest to be fair. Which is just bad luck but it is what it is.
With the queen dying though, maybe that match gets postponed anyway.
Until when?? Schedule is tight enough as it is.
I don’t have many Twitter followers and don’t care about the count anyway. I am pleased however that Ray decided to follow me.
Insane goal in Europa league
https://twitter.com/MenInBlazers/status/1567982158022672387?t=QjYoMMPi1xUOv4PY2yqZEQ&s=19
wow that’s an insane finish
on a side note, not a MUN fan by any means, but that penalty decision is one of the worst I’ve ever seen
Referee trouble in Serie A, as the VAR ignored a defender putting all of the attackers onside, disallowing a goal late for JUV.
Erling Targaryen strikes again! Cancelo’s pass was extraordinary as well.
I haven’t been following the news too closely this week, but I haven’t been totally offline either. I was surprised I didn’t read about the stadium disaster in Indonesia until today.
So far, 125 reported killed and more than 320 injured. As it seems in too many of these tragedies, police actions may have played a significant role. They tear gassed a crowded end of the stadium which led to a panic.
FIFA specifies in its safety regulations that no firearms or “crowd control gas” should be carried or used by stewards or police.
Some wild UCL matches this week. FCB barely alive to advance (need wins and a lot of help, since head-to-head is first tie-break, and Inter has that) after falling behind TWICE to Inter after being ahead, then finally tying on Lewey header in added time.
On Tuesday, Real gets a bloody header to tie in added time.
4 English clubs should advance to the knockout round.
Who says a 1-0 game not exciting. VAR gets it right. Allison great w 3rd assist to Mo. Klopp ejected. KdB not the same. Haaland changes City in a way that will feast on the poor teams but might be easier to defend against the better teams w good center back.