Drama yes but quite often shite. Last year was a bit of an anomaly. Loads of semi finals are tight as fuck borefests.
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It wasnāt
Champions League semi-finals are routinely the highest standard and highest drama matches there are
The QFs in the CL are nearly always unreal, thatās not even up for argument ā the year Before last Liv v Roma was great drama in the Semi Finals - As was Munich v Madrid ā¦ Madrid v Madrid the year before was great as well if I recall correctly ā¦
All the following in the last 10 years or so were classic semi-final ties
Chelsea v Barcelona 2009
Inter Milan v Barcelona 2010
Real Madrid v Barcelona 2011
Chelsea v Barcelona 2012
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid 2012
Borssia Dortmund v Real Madrid 2013
Juventus v Real Madrid 2015
Barcelona v Bayern Munich 2015
Atletico Madrid v Bayern Munich 2016
Liverpool v Roma 2018
Real Madrid v Bayern Munich 2018
Liverpool v Barcelona 2019
Ajax v Tottenham 2019
Years ago new tactical systems were usually showcased at World Cups
Today they are showcased at the business end of the Champions League
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Any tactical insight or technical analysis from Ewan in his piece?
I just read it. A fountain of hate. Better written than some of his previous stuff Iāve read but it meanders back and forth because he wants to hit every single thing he hates about rugby. Think it falls down a bit because its more a hate filled rant than a clinical dissection, which is what you want from a fella who likes to call himself a journalist. He also doest that thing that crazed egotistical journalists do of whacking up his self importance as some sort of visionary truth teller. He needs an editor. And a hobby.
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Yes ā Less yabbering and more playing.
Monaco made a run through the champions league knockout stages a 3 or 4 years ago and pretty much all of their games were excellent games of football.
You could say the same about Ajax last year who played with a similar verve to their play.
I decided against it in the end. Lifes too short. Iāve had my fill of justification over the weekend, I will not allow myself gorge upon it.
Already the office is awash with, āwhat happenedsā. A curt, āyou were warned you cuntsā is all Iāll allow myself.
Agreed ā¦ while there will be an amount of shite in the group stages, thereās always quality games thrown in too - iāll moan about standards myself at times, but the knockout stages of the CL are as good drama / quality as youāll get in any sport.
How many times do you think Ewan has clicked on that Erin Lally link?
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So youāve picked 13 ties out of 22 ties over an eleven year period? Thatās just over half. Some drop from nearly always. So we can amend the thesis to being āJust over half of Champions League semi finals are of excellent standard.ā
And I note you have Roma Liverpool in there from 2018. In the excellent standard column. Lots of goals, yes. High quality? No. Amatuer hour all round. The Roma defence was appalling and Liverpoolās wasnāt much better. The drama only came when there was a glimmer of a chance that Liverpool might conspire to fuck away the unfuckable awayable.
Man United fan thinks the Champions League has been shit this decade - I wonder why???
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Iād say heās working on ways to superimpose his own head onto hers.
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Oh, oh, I know, I know, pick me, pick me!!!
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Lads, if any of you have a few bookmarked posts, fire them up there.
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And there it ends, as usual.
Very good.
I think lots of teams tighten up in semi finals in all sports cos theyāre so affraid of losing. It happens. Still watch them though. The spurs v ajax second leg and the MAn city Spurs (qf) last year were outrageous games.
BOD is over the disappointment already anyway