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GWT: Champions League - Knockout Stage

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Savant said:
I am going to be very tired of hearing that excuse again when it comes up this summer. We haven’t bought a defender since 2025. It’s getting ridiculous. We need two starters at LB and ST (maybe 3 if they don’t think Conor Bradley can stay healthy) and we need at least another midfielder, winger, and center defender. And that doesn’t even account for if Virgil, Konate or Salah goes. Every other team has to over come selling people on playing time. It’s hard, but that’s what the front office’s job is.

Honestly I don’t even think we will get a striker. I think we might get a winger or AM and try to fudge it but there are not exactly any no doubter 9s out there
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It shouldn’t be an issue next year. Left back is clearly available. Striker. I’d say a midfield spot is a toss up but lots of game there. That hasn’t been the case prior to this year. Central defender maybe, depends on Konate and Virgil.
 
I guess I’m now forced into caring about that 3rd rate domestic cup final on the weekend :laugh:
 
Ismaily looks like the guy who makes my shawarma and calls me "boss". Masterclass by him and Chevalier that first half though.

If I were Dortmund I'd put Gittens and Reyna in for Beier and Sabitzer
 
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Lille's goal was a spectacularly badly played by pretty much every Dortmund player involved in that play, starting from Adeyemi losing the ball, and the icing on the cake being Kobel watching the ball go through his legs. I know you're not supposed to blame the GK and all that, but Kobel keeps shitting his pants way too often, and this season he isn't good enough of a shot stopper to have it be forgotten. Could be costing what is essentially a coin flip matchup.

Beier and Brandt both beat Chevalier but that Lille defense is putting their body on the line today.
 
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Undeserved lead for Lille. They had two chances, scored one on a bad shot with a goalie mistake and BVB had 3 golden chances, all saved by Chevallier who's really in the discussion for goalie of the season worldwide.

Lille is a decent team, scrappy, but they're playing without their best player (Zhegrova) and their best defenseman (Santos). Them going from CL qualifiers in august to CL QF in april would be amazing. And a testiment of how a great goalie can take you far away.
 
Evilo said:
Undeserved lead for Lille. They had two chances, scored one on a bad shot with a goalie mistake and BVB had 3 golden chances, all saved by Chevallier who's really in the discussion for goalie of the season worldwide.

Lille is a decent team, scrappy, but they're playing without their best player (Zhegrova) and their best defenseman (Santos). Them going from CL qualifiers in august to CL QF in april would be amazing. And a testiment of how a great goalie can take you far away.
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I also enjoy Andre and Cabella getting some European recognition, two of my favourites from back in my Ligue 1 watching days
 
Guirassy dives in the box, ref falls for it and gives a pen and yellow.

For some reason VAR doesn't say anything. I can't find a replay where they showed a contact?

Deserved goal, but IMO not even close to a pen.
 
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koyvoo said:
I guess I’m now forced into caring about that 3rd rate domestic cup final on the weekend :laugh:
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I actually think the League Cup is better than the FA Cup nowadays (minus the absurd two legged semifinal). City showing up drunk/hungover to the FA Cup Final killed it for me. Hope someone fun wins it this year though
 
Evilo said:
Guirassy dives in the box, ref falls for it and gives a pen and yellow.

For some reason VAR doesn't say anything. I can't find a replay where they showed a contact?

Deserved goal, but IMO not even close to a pen.
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Yeah I need to see another angle (they only showed one) but that looked like a dive to me...
 
Savant said:
I actually think the League Cup is better than the FA Cup nowadays (minus the absurd two legged semifinal). City showing up drunk/hungover to the FA Cup Final killed it for me. Hope someone fun wins it this year though
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How often do you see league and CL-winners in the FA Cup-final though? That was an exception. Imo cupfinals should always end the season. That’s why the FA Cup will always be bigger.
 
KJS14 said:
Not sure which one I rate more playing wing tbh

Good thing they have Merino between them to carry the attack
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Me neither lol. Odd thing is that it’s the complete right decision. It will be dreadful to watch but it’s all about saving energy on the very few keyplayers we have to our disposal.
 
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Brunkmeister said:
How often do you see league and CL-winners in the FA Cup-final though? That was an exception. Imo cupfinals should always end the season. That’s why the FA Cup will always be bigger.
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That’s fair but once was also enough for me. I’m not disputing FA Cup will always be bigger. I just prefer the League Cup.

Also in five of the last six years in FA Cup Final there has been a PL winner or UCL Finalist in the FA Cup
- 2024 - Man City PL winner
- 2023 - Man City PL and UCL winner
- 2022 - Liverpool UCL Runner-up (f’n Courtois)
- 2021 - Chelsea UCL winner
- 2020 - n/a
- 2019 - Man City PL winner

So that’s a pretty decent sample size of winners of other titles in the FA Cup final.
 
So over two games, the difference between Lille and Dortmund will be one goal. The bogus phantom penalty.

People here can write the crap they want about me pointing to french teams being whistled like shit every year, but that's the truth. Lack of respect, last of club status, call it anyway you want it.

Fact is that there were two glaring mistakes in the 4 games played by french clubs. Two major mistakes that could or have turned the whole tie around. Both times it went against french clubs.

Congrats to BVB who played much better in the return leg (Lille probably felt pressure at home too).
 
Savant said:
That’s fair but once was also enough for me. I’m not disputing FA Cup will always be bigger. I just prefer the League Cup.

Also in five of the last six years in FA Cup Final there has been a PL winner or UCL Finalist in the FA Cup
- 2024 - Man City PL winner
- 2023 - Man City PL and UCL winner
- 2022 - Liverpool UCL Runner-up (f’n Courtois)
- 2021 - Chelsea UCL winner
- 2020 - n/a
- 2019 - Man City PL winner

So that’s a pretty decent sample size of winners of other titles in the FA Cup final.
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How many of these secured the title the week before the final though? That’s the difference. We almost never see the league decided on the last MD these days so there’s a small risk that one of the FA Cup-finalists are hangover like City.
 
I can't disagree with Evilo, I thought that was an extremely soft penalty. If it wasn't initially called a penalty, I don't think there's a chance VAR gives it either. Guirassy goes down at the slightest of touches when he's in the box, usually it just looks embarrassing for him but now he fooled the ref too.

They haven't had the toughest road but somehow BVB is in the top 8 while struggling to get into the top 10 on the Bundesliga. Although if this sport makes sense at all, Barca will be tearing this team apart.
 
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Brunkmeister said:
How many of these secured the title the week before the final though? That’s the difference. We almost never see the league decided on the last MD these days so there’s a small risk that one of the FA Cup-finalists are hangover like City.
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I did the research that I cared to do. You are on your own for the rest.

I will say that because of the overscheduling, it’s certainly more likely to happen now than it was in the past
 
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