Is anybody actually watching the new Champions League? Real Madrid are in 12th but they will probably win it anyway.
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Ode to a 1-0
I love a tidy 1-0. I do. But usually not during… only after. And only if we’ve bossed it, as we’ve absolutely done away to Leipzig tonight. If the performance drips with level and class, a 1-0 looks crisp and elegant in its simplicity. It can go the other way; 1-0 at Selhurst a fortnight ago felt deeply unsatisfying, an uneven performance pocked with unanswered questions, and likewise, slivers of luck and quite good fortune. And it can go the other way further still; 0-1 at home to Forest rankles for obvious reasons and still smells a bit foul over a month out now.
Anyway, still getting familiar with the idea of a Champions League “table” but as it is we’re tied for top with Villa, 9 from 9 available, that’s not terrible is it.
Then again this concept for a “table” in Europe seems dodgy and alien because surely Real Madrid down in twelfth cannot be lockstep with clubs’ actual odds to lift the silverware. Twelfth ? Logic would dictate white ribbons on the cup are the likeliest scenario next summer, as ever. A shame then, that these same conventions of logic probably don’t apply to, say, an English club languishing twelfth in the current prem table. Or something like that.
Eric, Los Angeles CA
READ: Arne Slot’s no-frills Liverpool beat RB Leipzig in display to make Jurgen Klopp shudder
Is anybody watching the Champions League?
I was wondering through the TV channels the other day, as you do, and to my surprise I came across a Champions League game featuring English clubs.
The shock to me wasn’t the fact that the Champs League was on but that, when I thought about it, I really didn’t care. ‘They will get through anyway’ was my thought.
Does any neutral care? I used to watch every round but this year, well what is the point?!
So, I ask you, anyone know what the viewing figures are for the new format? I have a feeling they must have dropped off a cliff.
IronsMan
UEFA have f***ed it
Interesting email from Tom on the new Champions League format. Which leads me to ask the following questions: what chaos? what jeopardy if a big team sleeps through it? And watching Arsenal turn in at best a 4/10 performance to keep a poor Shakhtar team at arm’s length, did they really enjoy it because no one in the stadium did.
Uefa have created a competition where everybody involved has no idea how what happens on the pitch correlates to the end goal. If nobody knows anything, then all of a sudden none of it means anything.
It’s not about it being two extra games. It’s about it being ultimately meaningless and sh*t. The old format wasn’t perfect by any means but it was a million times better than *this*.
Simon, London
Sterling exchange rate?
With Lewis Skelly now being preferred to Zinchenko, was anyone else thinking that they would rather have fellow Hale End graduates Reiss Nelson and Smith Rowe over the other two City alumni Gabriel Jesus and Sterling?
We can’t do anything about Smith Rowe, but I’d happily cut both loan deals in January so Reiss Nelson can return from West London with Sterling sent back the other way.
Graham Simons, Gooner, Norf London
In days gone by, Villa would be champions
The combination of Villa’s squad building and Unai’s experience at balancing league and European competition has started me wishing for the days when other teams could become champions apart from the state owned. Nevertheless, City are here to stay a la real madri’. Even when Pep goes they’ll employ the best. Cannot see it falling apart in my lifetime. Hence I’ll be pretty surprised if the charges result in much.
Arsenal fans have the right to be most frustrated by injuries on international breaks that aren’t World Cup qualifiers. Though that is pretty unmeasurable. Injuries for me is up there in the disinterested stakes with VAR.
It seems that the egos guy of the five big leagues make weekends like the upcoming one happen a few times a season. My girlfriend is going to be unhappy that so many chunks will be spent in front of the screen and not her.
Peter (fewer games please) Andalucia
Villa the jammiest of all clubs
Amidst all the fawning over Villa and their admittedly impressive Champions League exploits and with the caveat that Emery seems like a top bloke who was treated like shite by the Arsenal… is there a team that has ever benefitted so greatly from the utter incompetence of referees?
I’m talking of course about the game in 2020 against Sheffield United when the absolutely pony Villa goalie Nyland carried the ball a good foot or so over the line only for the goal not to be given as someone forgot to turn Hawk Eye on. The game finished 0-0.
Fast forward to the end of the season and Bournemouth are relegated at the expense of Villa leading Grealish eventually to be sold for 100 mil rather than the 40 he would’ve gone for. Villa stayed in the prem, were appalling under Gerard but eventually got around to appointing a proper manager and the rest is history being made as we speak.
E W, SUSSEX
Laurent Robert > Haaland
I mean Haaland’s goal was indeed good but the gushing about it after just reminded me how one of the magical Laurent Robert’s goals is weirdly forgotten, its like the one last night but even better. was a midweek game against Fulham which is likely why it has faded from memory but seriously, have a watch:
https://youtube.com/shorts/didfrCrawj4?si=c6tqHdoq9HjjFpwe
Robert was a truly incredible player, hit a ball harder than I think I’ve ever seen, remember Southampton putting a four-man wall up for him for a Free kick about 35-40 yards out and he still scored!
AD, NUFC (Nostalgic reminiscing > work)
Visiting Blighty
Loved Chris C’s email about his visit to Newcastle. I didn’t gather from the letter if it was his first visit or not, but it sounded wonderful and an experience that every supporter of their club would like to have. It also excited me because I’ll be taking my entire family to England in December to see Everton host Chelsea followed by the next week at the Etihad to watch us get trounced by City. This won’t be my first visit as my wife and I, pre-children, came in 2004 to see Everton vs. Spurs (3-0 win) at home on Good Friday followed by a trip up to Leeds to see us at Elland Road (0-0 draw IIRC.)
I’ve been waiting these last twenty years to get back and now it’s happening. Not sure if we’ll get to do all of the fun extras like Chris did at Newcastle (no stadium tours for Bramley Moore yet) but just going back is exciting enough and to get one more visit to Goodison before it closes for good.
I’d like my son who is an Evertonian (and his friends who are coming with) to experience the match atmosphere in England since their only experience has been TV and to at least say they’ve been to a game. One of his friends is a Chelsea supporter so I think he’s as excited as we are with his other friend supporting Real Madrid (well two out of three isn’t bad.)
In between, we’re going to get to see a bunch of England and take in as much as we can as I don’t know if it’ll be another twenty years until we can get back. In short, I hope our experience is every bit as great as Chris C. had. Would love to hear more stories from other Americans (or elsewhere) who’ve made the trip to England to watch their club play.
TX Bill (we’re going back to Leeds to see the Royal Armouries Museum for my other son and his friend, neither of whom care one wit about football) EFC
…Lovely mail from the American Geordie.
Made me think that latterly there’s been a notable absence of mails from people who have ‘stopped watching/fallen out of love’ with the game due to ‘family commitments’ yada yada.
Does this mean the game is getting better, or did all those mails a number of years ago put people off having kids?
Finlay x
