Jump to content
  • Sign up for free and receive a month's subscription

    You are viewing this page as a guest. That means you are either a member who has not logged in, or you have not yet registered with us. Signing up for an account only takes a minute and it means you will no longer see this annoying box! It will also allow you to get involved with our friendly(ish!) community and take part in the discussions on our forums. And because we're feeling generous, if you sign up for a free account we will give you a month's free trial access to our subscriber only content with no obligation to commit. Register an account and then send a private message to @dave u and he'll hook you up with a subscription.

Atletico Madrid (A) Champions League 18/2/20. 20:00


Bjornebye
 Share

Recommended Posts

14 hours ago, Reckoner said:

Here’s the preview from RAWK, I was going to just paste the most pretentious bits buts I decided it was all good. Best read in a squeaky voice.

 

 Hello RAWKites!  Once again we begin another journey following the greatest team in the world in the Champions League.  Welcome back, as it has been just a minute, it seems, as the last tie we participated in was one for the ages.  Another Spanish sports car, this time from the hills of Catalonia, meets its end at the fiery cauldron, abyss of Anfield Road 4-0. 

In the end, our sixth date with destiny’s big ears was memorable for all that this team overcame. All of the pain, tears, and emotion fueled our rise to the top of Europe. What a ride it has been.  
 

GettyImages-1153096707.jpg?strip=all&w=9


But readers, please make no mistake here. The mighty reds are about to return a different kind of 'Wanda’, not the one where so many our dreams were realized, but one, possibly, that could break our hearts and leave us with questions we do not want nor need. 

You might say that "mattress movers" cannot beat us over two legs and that our bunch of red players are even hungrier for a 7th Heaven or what I like to call the “King’s Ransom”, holding the world of football hostage to a permanent red mist of dominance percolating throughout Europe.   

Even more, karma may be on the reds side as well due to a series of events this season that has unfolded to make this much sweeter than anticipated:

1.   Thus far, total and complete league dominance from LFC
2.   The recent ECL penalties against Man City, if upheld
3.   Rivals capitulation  –  competitors bitter about our perch
4.   The way we are conducting our business on the pitch and off, 

From my vantage point here in Washington, DC area, across the pond, I see a team, a club, a group of players, and passionate supporters unrivaled in this sport.  We are clicking, unified and ready to extend this dominance.  The music, the laughter, and blissful play of our boys is a force not equaled in a long time – all pointing to the rosy smell of victory.
 

53_midi.jpg


However, Athleti now is only a few days away, and I remember last years' journey was like a beautiful swan.  What happened on the surface of our success and the work completed below the surface were two very different systems. To beat Atletico Madrid in this tie, we are going to have to, once again, reach into our liverbird souls to pull out the beauty of how we can work together. This OP will examine a few themes for the reds visit back to Wanda on Tuesday:  
 
-   Wanda-Lust or A Fish Called Wanda
-   First Blood – who scores first is crucial

[Trend] Wanda-Lust or A Fish Called Wanda

There have been few happier moments in the last decade than the moment the whistle blew in Madrid.  Thank Fowler!  For many, the enjoyment of what this season has brought us in the joy, mirth, and happiness departments is difficult to put effectively into individual words.  It means more. 
There was even a scouser on a ladder in a g-string sharing his excitement with the parade of events associated with a win at Wanda.
 

993f78306540fdd066583a64d5fbcd57--greate


However, if we look back for a quick snapshot of the game, we know how crucial the 2nd minute penalty against Sissoko was for us. Mo Salah buries it to take a vital early lead.  Divock puts the final touches at the end by clinching the win and adding to his cult hero worship.  In the final, Spurs were always “swimming upstream” against the current for most of the game.   

For some reason, I am drawn to the fishing analogy for Athleti, as it fits the stadium and the task.  
We cannot get lured into a slow, plodding match, where they dictate play.  We should play to our natural attacking strengths.  This is not the Athleti of old as you will see below.  

Are we going perform as the dominant apex predator that we are?  Mentality monsters hunting Madrid with Wanda lust?  

Bloody hell, Wtf. He's no dave. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Josef Svejk said:

Such a short thread on the day of an away knockout match in the Champions League against tier one opponents?

 

I guess we must be good these days...

I remember in Rodgers final shit full season we had a league cup game away somewhere and no one on here could be arsed starting the thread even after kick off. Morale was that low. Quite funny in hindsight.

 

edit- just looked it up, was Bournemouth away after losing to Man U 3-0 days earlier .  we won 3-1, Rodgers waxing lyrical after about his clever tactics haha. 

I should probably get up

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Really looking forward to tonight, the league has been done as a contest for about 6 weeks now. This will be a proper contest. They will do everything within and outside the laws of the game to stop up, expecting shithousery of the highest level. Unfortunately for Atelico we can go toe to toe with anybody on any basis, love to see Costa try ruffle VVD’s feathers. I think we can win here tonight and am predicting either 1 or 2-0 victory for us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, El Rojo said:

This will be a proper battle this evening. It's all they have left in their season and they actually have real European pedigree, unlike PSG or Manchester City.

 

Getting my grudging respect in before things get fruity tonight - Simeone is a fantastic manager.

I love Simeone, even if he is chalk and cheese to Jurgen in every respect. He's like the villain that you half root for in the movies.

 

Hope he never ends up at someone like Chelsea.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, Jairzinho said:

Was listening to a podcast today which made the point that they actually create more chances now than they did a couple of years ago. Their problem is that all of their forwards are shit. 45 year old Costa, that little Portuguese gimp, and Morata. 

 

Costa and Felix are injured, with apparently Costa a possibility. Doubt he'll start though. In their last game that I watched they played four holding midfielders behind two wingers. It was like Spurs in Kane's absence under Mourinho.

 

They still defend well, but they haven't got anyone to put the ball in the back of the net and I doubt they'll create many chances against us.

 

Got fuck all to play for in the league though (they'll finish ahead of one of Sevilla or Getafe eventually so will be top four, but they haven't got a hope of winning the league) so they will be bang up for this.

 

We'll probably edge the tie by a goal or maybe two, but it won't be pretty. Simeone knows they get battered if they try and play against us.

Oblak hasn’t been near his usual high standards this season either. 
 

Let’s hope that continues. 
 

Got a feeling Fabinho, Gini & Milner will be our midfield trio tonight. Milner & Fab fresh & Gini subbed at 60 on weekend, plus I think he’s the glue in these big games. 

 

I’d go Fabinho, Naby & Gini if they were all fresh & ready. But probably too risky for Naby. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, Ronnie Whelan said:

I love Simeone, even if he is chalk and cheese to Jurgen in every respect. He's like the villain that you half root for in the movies.

 

Hope he never ends up at someone like Chelsea.

Let’s see if you think the same after tonight. 

 

He can be a right twat as can Atletico. 


It’s funny when it’s against Real or Barca. But against us I think we might have a different tune in him. They’ll be a lot of cunty antics by them tonight. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, LF:D said:

Oblak hasn’t been near his usual high standards this season either. 
 

Let’s hope that continues. 
 

Got a feeling Fabinho, Gini & Milner will be our midfield trio tonight. Milner & Fab fresh & Gini subbed at 60 on weekend, plus I think he’s the glue in these big games. 

 

I’d go Fabinho, Naby & Gini if they were all fresh & ready. But probably too risky for Naby. 

 

You think Hendo won't start?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Trumo said:

 

You think Hendo won't start?

I don’t know. 
 

But Klopp does like fresh legs in midfield & in Milner & Fabinho he has two players to do that with. Milner often plays in these big games. 
 

If those two start I think Gini might get the nod as he played 30 mins less on weekend. 


It wouldn’t surprise me if Hendo started as he’s captain, his form & he usually does. 
 

But I could see him on the bench too. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

These will be a tough nut to crack.

 

My prediction for the evening is that before the match the pundits will proceed to talk about them like they are an over 50s pub side that we should absolutely decimate and then if we don't rip them apart for the entire 90 minutes then moan on about how we've not performed. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, El Rojo said:

Hope Dortmund give PSG a good hiding in the other game.

 

The collective French media has been shitting itself for a month leading up to this. It's hilarious. The meltdowns when PSG lose in the Champions League, especially in the way that they have recently are unparalleled.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, LF:D said:

Let’s see if you think the same after tonight. 

 

He can be a right twat as can Atletico. 


It’s funny when it’s against Real or Barca. But against us I think we might have a different tune in him. They’ll be a lot of cunty antics by them tonight. 

Which is exactly what I'd want if I supported Atletico.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Ronnie Whelan said:

I love Simeone, even if he is chalk and cheese to Jurgen in every respect. He's like the villain that you half root for in the movies.

 

Hope he never ends up at someone like Chelsea.

They're quite similar actually. Transformational figures at their clubs, became hugely successful against all odds, have clear styles of play, intense, passionate, always talk about organization and being hard to play against. The only difference as managers is Simeone plays 4-4-2 and takes less risks, but I don't think you'll find a more similar manager to Klopp than Simeone. Probably why he seems likeable.

  • Downvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share


×
×
  • Create New...