He is still a top elite player, today changes nothing just like it didn't change anything when Messi's team lost to Roma.
Champions League Round of 16 (12th Feb - 13th Mar)
- Thread starter Samid
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
Like I said, you can agree or disagree with his opinion, but the fact that he's one of the greatest ever won't forever prove that he's still a top elite player.
It’s the way football works these days and especially so with Ronaldo after the past 3 years. If he has an average performance and Juve get knocked out then you can bet your ass there will be millions arguing he isn’t a top player anymore.
Either have a brilliant performance against the best defensive team on the planet and overturn a two goal deficit or he’s worthless, finished and a complete waste of money. No pressure.
Either have a brilliant performance against the best defensive team on the planet and overturn a two goal deficit or he’s worthless, finished and a complete waste of money. No pressure.
Juve just aren't all that anymore, and that's not on Ronaldo.
Football is a team game. Ronaldo alone can’t (always) change the fate of a CL tie regardless of how good he is. The rest of the team has to help him too. He could put up a virtuoso performance tonight but Juve could still bow out if they leak goals at the other end. Also, he doesn’t have the quality service he once had from the maestros he played with at Madrid so it’ll be even tougher. Imagine how great his inspired display was in the comeback against Wolfsburg 3 years ago - he’d have to one up that due to facing a significantly tougher team with a worse supporting cast and being 3 years older.
So the notion that tonight decides whether he’s still a top top player is nonsensical not in the least because one game doesn’t define a player and also because his record still suggests he’s elite.
So the notion that tonight decides whether he’s still a top top player is nonsensical not in the least because one game doesn’t define a player and also because his record still suggests he’s elite.
Yep, Messi and Ronaldo are held to entirely different standards.
Win - it was the greatness of their teammates. Lose - where were they when their team needed them?
Neither has a chance in hell. Atletico are one of the hardest teams to break down and Schalke wouldnt repair a 2-3 deficit against Feyenoord, let alone City.
Bad games this week. Conflicted on whether I want Liverpool to get knocked out and risk upping their stamina for the league. City and Barca are already through. Atletico probably through and I don't care which side wins.
Juve has a chance, albeit a small one.
Atletico are hard to break down but Juventus have a few players capable of something out of nothing, and all it would take is one goal to put them right back in it. 2-0 is not unassailable, Atletico are massive favourites but it is not impossible that Juve could do it.
Schalke are done and dusted.
I wouldn't rule out Juve that quickly. Score an early goal and they only need 1 to force extra time. Atlético are not a side that regularly put 2 or 3 goals past their opponents either and Juventus know a thing or two about keeping a clean sheet as well, so the game would be very much alive after an early Juve goal.
Of course it's still Atlético so easier said than done. If they score first, the tie is definitely over.
Juve going forward are so reliant on individual brilliance against top teams the way they play, but if they do decide to go for it a bit more, they'll leave themselves open to an away goal.
The only reason I give Juve more of a chance than Schalke is because they have the likes of Ronaldo & Dybala.
I hope I'm wrong, and tonight throws some real upsets out, but meh
The only reason I give Juve more of a chance than Schalke is because they have the likes of Ronaldo & Dybala.
I hope I'm wrong, and tonight throws some real upsets out, but meh
Atletico are really solid though and I don't think they will panic even if they get an early goal. I had a better feeling about us turning it around sice I did think PSG would give away stuff (not as much as they did).
Schalke will probably be outplayed by City. Can see a big win in that one. Although I hope they can prove me wrong and do City over.
Yeah Juventus is still a better side I think than Atletico overall. While Schalke has been terrible this season apart from advancing from the group.
City can feck things up in europe though so that gives us hope. The home form from City has been far worse than in the league. Although that is often due to playing against stronger teams and Schalke feels more like your typical bottom half team club in the premier league.
Atletico are very solid, but even an almost perfect defensive side can slip up, and if that happens then one goal is nothing, and as long as Juve don't concede they're well in the game. Atletico very much in an advantageous position but far from done and dusted, yet. This Juventus team has fight in them.
Schalke are just shockingly terrible. Them advancing would be more surprising than all of the comebacks we've seen in the past 3 seasons. 50/1 to qualify.
They have a better chance than we did going into the psg game. They could still do it
It proves if he's closer to retirement than to his 12-18 peak.
Juventus have a chance, they have very good attackers.
Did it prove Messi was closer to retirement when they lost last season or before that? Thats just silly logic.
I can believe were in the hat for this. Will be watching the rest of the games with great interest.
Atletico will be hard to breakdown for sure, but I don't see this as an insurmountable task by Juve. One of the best teams in Europe winning 2-0 on their home ground shouldn't be that shocking no matter who it's against. They have all the elements do it, especially if they get an early goal..then all bets are off. United vs Psg had much less of chance of a turnaround imo and it happened.
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I woke up with and had a dream Barcelona tied 1-1 and Fekir scored. Also woke up with more hope in Juve turning this around though my footballing brain thinks it is utterly impossible.
No Filipe Luis or Hernandez available at LB and Godin is a doubt. Will likely play Savic in Godin's place and Arias at LB. Partey is suspended too so will be unable to play their best defensive set-up in midfield.
People keep forgetting he's 34 years old.
Juve will progress, Atletico with some key injuries. Juve will score the 1-0 in the first half and then the game will be wide open.
@everyone who replied.
I realize Juve has some chance, but what's the fun in doing a bold predication when you just nuance it after.
I realize Juve has some chance, but what's the fun in doing a bold predication when you just nuance it after.
Godin is fine according to Simeone, he'll start
No shocks today. Atleti and City will sail through to the next round.
I expect Atletico to comfortably see this out, Juventus simply do not have the quality in midfield to control the game.
Atletico and Schalke going through would be amazing.
If Juventus can score early I think they will provide a scare for Atletico but Atletico are very comfortable being in those positions and so seasoned. I fancy they can either frustrate Juve enough to keep it 0-0 for a while or get one on the counter or a set-piece meaning then they'd need to concede 4 which is so unlikely.
Since Partey is suspended (he'd almost certainly have started) I would personally go for Vitolo on the left for his work rate but suspect Simeone will opt for Lemar due to his pace on the counter. Atletico will be sitting deep and I expect Rodri to have another excellent game (along with Giminez and Oblak he's been there best and most consistent player this season IMO) of tidying up and keeping things moving.
Likely line-up is: - Oblak, Juanfran, Godin, Giminez, Arias, Lemar, Koke, Rodri, Saul, Griezmann, Morata with Correa an excellent bench option if they game is open and they need an added threat.
Since Partey is suspended (he'd almost certainly have started) I would personally go for Vitolo on the left for his work rate but suspect Simeone will opt for Lemar due to his pace on the counter. Atletico will be sitting deep and I expect Rodri to have another excellent game (along with Giminez and Oblak he's been there best and most consistent player this season IMO) of tidying up and keeping things moving.
Likely line-up is: - Oblak, Juanfran, Godin, Giminez, Arias, Lemar, Koke, Rodri, Saul, Griezmann, Morata with Correa an excellent bench option if they game is open and they need an added threat.
It's an interesting dynamic now.
We obviously want the better teams knocked out to improve our chances.
But on the flip side we don't want Liverpool and city to benefit from the same thing. Real rescued us all in the final last year!
Hope Bayern do the business tomorrow
We obviously want the better teams knocked out to improve our chances.
But on the flip side we don't want Liverpool and city to benefit from the same thing. Real rescued us all in the final last year!
Hope Bayern do the business tomorrow
Schalke don't have a prayer.
I honestly dont care. City are nailed on, but it would be funny to watch juve and liverpool go out.
I would hate to be in Juve's shoes trying to overturn a 2 goal deficit against this dogged Atletico Madrid side.
Good luck Juve.
Good luck Juve.
I don't know about that. He's still fared very well in Serie A.
Having said that, if Juventus do get knocked out today it will be very disheartening to spend 100M on a player for CL purposes and he only netted them one CL goal. I'm sure they'll do a lot of restructuring in the summer as the Ronaldo window is a very small one so Juve will need to do everything they can to maximize that.
I think people are overrating Liverpool's chances against Bayern. Liverpool are very poor away from home for an elite team, I expect Bayern to win.
athletico will progress comfortably. theyll park a double decker and juve wont have the creativity to break it down.
Schalke has no chance.
Liverpool and Bayern is 50/50 but bayerns home record in the CL is formidable.
Barcelona will dispatch of Lyon.
Schalke has no chance.
Liverpool and Bayern is 50/50 but bayerns home record in the CL is formidable.
Barcelona will dispatch of Lyon.