₦airaland Forum

Eruditor:
If Ramos' headers were a culmination of tactics gone wrong then Javi Martinez' red card falls in the same category. You can't have it one way and another. In the same way Bayern had only 2 clear scoring chances - and both were Vidal headers, but Madrid had how many? More than 8. So Carlo's tactics were botched as well.

Bayern playing better than you had ever seen them play against RM and Barca under Pep? Yea, with Rose coloured glasses. Goal up, frivolous penalty up, better manager up, ahome - and you still lost in a game everyone says 1-2 loss severely flatters Bayern.

As per Pep in City, it is funny you keep mentioning Lewa and Hummels being absent but when it comes to Pep the standard immediately changes. Gundogan, Gabriel Jesus did they not both miss significant portions of the season? What about their best defender, Company?

Why is the standard being used to judge Pep different? That's my question. Ancelotti is the better manager - according to you. Yet he is doing worse and all you are doing in return is straining out moral reasons and excuses for why he is underperforming.

I am actually sympathetic to his plight because I hate RM, but I was not impressed with what I saw yesterday. I am only perplexed as to why you are willing to give him a pass.

What tactics made Javi Martinez commit two dumb and unnecessary fouls in the space of five minutes. On each occasion the player he fouled was 10km away from goal at the least. In the absence of Hummels is it coach that has to tell Javi not to pick those cards?

I will ask you how many chances did Madrid have at even strength?

That penalty was more legit than any of the penalties you were given against PSG.

I agree the 1-2 scoreline playing with 10men flattered us. Also the 0-4 loss to Madrid severely flattered us as well as the 0-3 loss under Pep with 11 MEN

Lmao. Gabriel Jesus and Gündogan vs Lewandowski who has scored almost 60% of Bayern's goal this year? Kompany was absent for most parts of City's run to the semis last year. Pellegrini got there without him, Jesus or Gündogan and beat a PSG with Zlatan on the way. Try another story!

At worst Carlo has matched Pep. Because you have to show where Pep knocked out a Madrid or Barca to have an argument

Eruditor:
So because Celtics have a ton of UCL experience I should have expected them to be 2nd behind Barca during the group stage? I don't understand. Are Monaco also punching above their weight by being first in France and 3-2 up against Dortmund?

Yes I agree, Pep was a significant part of costing Bayern a UCL title in 14, 15 and 16. Carlo has arrived and he is better. What will be his excuse if he gets ousted during the quarters? Pep's squad was younger but Carlo's RM possessing- a younger Marcelo/Coentrao, CR7, Benz, Di Maria, Sergio Ramos was not younger?

Are you Eddie Murphy in disguise? We are talking Sergio Agüero, KDB, David Silva, Fernandinho, Caballero, Kolarov, Navas e.t.c and you are mentioning Celtic.

Did you foresee Monaco getting to the quarter finals in Europe? When the draws were made who expected them to knock City out? Even before this bomb parole who would boldly put their mortgage on Monaco going through

Ramos - 28 Ronaldo - 29 Benzema - 26 Marcelo - 26

Lahm - 30 Robben - 30 Mandzukic - 28 Müller - 25 Kroos - 24 Schweini - 29 Ribery - 31

Now compare

Ramos - 31 Ronaldo - 32 Benzema - 29 Marcelo - 28 Kroos - 27 Bale - 28

Lahm - 33 Robben - 33 Müller - 27 Ribery - 34 Alonso - 35 Thiago - 26

Isu no be cocoyam

Eruditor:
If Madrid are capable of beating Barca even when they were undermanned then why did you ask for Pep's head when he lost to the same 10-UCL Madrid through silly goals?

It is true that Pep getting to the semi finals has been due to meeting inferior teams with a superior team. What about Carlo Ancelloti? Can the same argument not be made?

That Madrid had 9 CLs. Had not made a Final in 12 years. Bayern did not score or look like scoring even with 11 men

Nope. We are not out of the CL. Yet. We could bounce back and you are left with egg on your face. Pep failed 3 years in a row

Eruditor:
Yes praise be to Carlo. He won a double his first year in a then 2-team EPL (United and CFC) with CFC and got sacked the following year. He also did not get passed the 2nd round losing home and away to Inter. Pep crashed out to Monaco that beat Totteham twice, top the league, scored on average 3 goals a game, and put 3 away goals past Dortmund, 6-6 on aggregate after having dominated both ties in chances. He is a fraud I agree. But Carlo is better with a far better squad, what will be his own excuse if he does not make it?

Lmao. E say na 2 team EPL. When was the last year Chelsea won the league prior to Carlo's arrival? What was Chelsea's position the season before Carlo's arrival.

Getting sacked at Chelsea? Lewl! Pep that didn't go there you think he is dumb? If they could sack JM, Carlo and Di Matteo who won the CL just how long do you think Pep would survive?

Losing to small boys Mbappe, Mendy and Bakayoko, with a squad that got to the semis last year? Smh. Monaco scoring 3 goals against Dortmund is no mean feat considering the team just survived a bomb attack less than 24 hours ago. Shame on UEFA for making them go on with that game.

Far better squad? Alonso - 35, Lahm - 33/34, Ribery - 34, Robben - 33

Paro lo

Eruditor:
I had beat them 4-0 in their own home. The 2-1 loss meant nothing as I also won the league.

I thought the argument was that a win is a win and a loss is a loss. Why is the standard changing with Carlo?

You hadn't won the league at the time plus the point being made is if Madrid are capable of beating Barca with a man down it is reasonable that Bayern would struggle as well. Plus Benitez was coach at the time. You are yet to beat Zidane in your own building.

My own argument is Pep getting to the semifinals has been due to meeting inferior teams with a vastly superior team.

Eruditor:
The penalty? Totally undeserved. And that was the end of the first half.

Second half? You lost whether 1 man down or complete. The better manager should not have lost to Zidane or RM at home. That was what Pep was being slain for. Whether 1-2 or 4-0 that is simply you searching for a moral victory were none exists. There is no difference especially when RM missed like a gazillion chances and dominated the game.

When did the dominance begin? Before or after the red card? Pep was destroyed at Bayern. He is at City and getting destroyed both at home and in Europe in a league Carlo won the double at his first attempt

Eruditor:
No, City are not a lot more experienced both in history or pedigree. Monaco also beat a higher placed Tottenham this season home and away which validates their league standing in France. To add to that, their manager is in his 3rd season with them so his pattern of playing has been fully engrained in them compared to Pep. Even at that, City were unlucky to be ousted.

Now one would have thought that since Pep was Bayern's problem Ancelotti would have done far better than Pep but that is not the case. So whether Bayern lost 1-2 or 4-0 the fact remains that they still lost. Also, if RM knocks you guys out it does not matter whether you played RM or Woking. The fact will remain that you got KOed in a quarters, something Pep never did with Bayern.

I have asked your friend byke. I would ask you. Can you list Monaco's starting XI without the aid of google? Do we roll out the CL appearances of City players and compare them to Monaco's? Monaco are clearly punching above their weight. Neither you or any pundit foresaw them competing at such a high level whether Jardim spent 2 years or 20 years.

Pep was a significant part of the problem taking a treble winning team to 3 years of European futility. If you agree that Ancelotti failed for losing out to an 11 time defending Champ that Pep never actually beat with a younger and complete squad. Then Pep is a Mega Super Duper failure for taking City from losing to Madrid in the semis to losing to small boys like Mbappe, Bakayoko, Mendy in the 2nd round. Deal?

Eruditor:
I really don't remember last ditch tackles that day. I remember the 16th and 20th min goals that came against the run of play. You and I know at 3-0 aggregate and 2 away goals the tie was over.

But that is an aside from the fact that the better and conservative Carlo should not have lost a home game to RM. Even with a man down, it was just too easy for Madrid to create chances. If anything, it made Bayern's 5-1 away win at Arsenal a fluke because Carlo was getting outplayed before the red card to Kos.

You gotta be kidding me man. You lost at home with a man advantage vs this same Real. Can't believe you even brought it up

Eruditor:
Was it his fault that Sergio Ramos out jumped your defenders twice in 4 mins? Was it his fault that the wall jumped over CR7s free kick and left Neuer helpless? Was it his fault that Muller had a valid cry for a penalty first leg and the refs disagreed? Was it his fault that Messi scored 2 brilliant goals by taking players on and Bayern wer left with no option but to push to reduce the deficit and it created a counter attack through which Neymar scored?

He set us up for failure both in the first and 2nd leg. At no point were we ever in control of that tie. Home or away. FACTS

You can roll up possession stats that were meaningless in the grand scheme of things. Ramos headers were just a culmination of his tactics that turned every Madrid chance to a potential goal

Even sef when you can only create two clear chances in 180mins of soccer then sorry there is a problem.

To the Barca game another tactical blunder in the first 20mins and but for Neuer we would have been 3 goals down. Individual brilliance can unlock teams however up till the Javi red. Bayern played better than I had ever seen them play Madrid and Barca under Pep despite missing Lewandowski and Hummels.

Anyway we are seeing the magic your Pep is doing at City losing to Balon D'or candidates Falcao, Bakayoko and Germain and still maintaining 4th even after spending almost £100m last summer

Roland17:
Haha!!!!!, Bring the Pegs on (If they even make it out)!!!

They looked good on the ice last night against the blue jackets, and Malkin showed why he is one of the best Centerman in the league with 2 assists. That being said, they are not defeating the dynamic duo of T.J Oshie and A. Ovechkin in the eastern conference finals. The caps have been perennial disappointments during the post season, however, this season looks entirely different, kind of reminiscent of last season for the Penguins. The Caps have speed in offense, force in defense and brute power when needed.

As for the west, i watched the Blues v Wilds last night also, and i don't see how any of both can stop the Blackhawks. The Blues with Taresenko were lucky at Minnesota because Jake Allen was magnificent in the post. The Blackhawks have an easier ride to the finals in comparison to the Pegs. We have a blend of youth and experience. P. Kane, J. Toews, M. Hossa and B. Seabrook are super stars with play off experience. The only teething problem for the Blackhawks, especially in the playoff's has been goal tending with C. Crawford. He can be very inconsistent in the post season. Last season, he said he was trying too hard and lost focus, but he can also be great when he does not lose focus.

The Ducks are the only team i worry about in the western conference because they are quite scrappy.

Capitals? Mschewww. Na today? Those ones na regular season merchants. Facing the same team in 2 weeks has a way of exposing the Capitals. Sidney Crosby will always son Ovechkin the Good Lord has made it so. My Pens have not 1 but two competent goalies who can suit up any given night. The teams that worry me a bit are the Bruins with Marchand, Bergeron, Nash and the Rangers because of the playoff experience plus the past battles. I'm very confident with Malkin back and knowing goals can come from Kessel, Rust, Sheary, Hornqvist and just about anybody

As for the Blues being lucky its almost a law that you can't win a Cup without a good/great goalie especially on the road. You guys might struggle with their bruising style like last year. Toews game has also dipped this year. Whether he can come to life in the playoffs we would see but LA Kings in the years past showed the way to beat the Hawks and the Blues and Sharks are two teams I feel can do the job

East
Celtics vs Bulls: Wade is back but these Bulls just seem a bit too dysfunctional to cause an upset. However dysfunctional outfits have done so in the past. Still think Celts prevail. 4-2

Cavs vs Pacers: Picking up Stephenson is looking like a master stroke. Though Paul George is balling out of his mind it must be said. The Cavs are slumping with Kyrie's health suspect and Bron Bron's minutes through the roof. This matchup has the ingredients for an upset. Two defensively indisciplined sides but I go with the guy who has never been eliminated in the 1st round. Cavs 4-1

Raptors vs Bucks: Getting Lowry back is a huge deal for the Raptors. The Bucks merely getting to this point is a miracle after losing Jabari Parker. Still feel their lack of outside shooting is a big problem. And who do they have that can slow down DeRozan? Raptors 4-1

Wizards vs Hawks: Most evenly matched teams. The Hawks matchup well with the Wizards too and these Wizards with their whining and lack of defense have me sniffing an upset. I'm torn between 4-2 for the Wizards or 4-2 for the Hawks

bykebyke:
Ancellotti has a poor league record.

Madrid's counter attacking game was the best that season.

The blame is on him for that.

I hear though...keep up with the excuses.

We go deh here next week.

Madrid in 2014 had not conquered Europe in 12 years. Were blown away by Barca in the league so I'm not understanding the abracadabra you were expecting. No excuses from me. It was an avoidable loss but all hope is not lost

Your Pep Fraudiola took us from defending Champions to disgrace. Which we haven't fully recovered from.

He will end up in China in a few years. O ti sure ju

Roland17:
The NHL post season kicked off today.. I am so loving the month of April.

#GoBlackhawks

You guys aren't coming out that West.

Malkin is back. The Penguins going for that repeat

bykebyke:
This Bayern is far better and the current Real Madrid is far weaker.

The 2014 Real Madrid was the strongest...difference.

They were so strong they finished 3rd in the league.

We are far better indeed. With wingers in their mid 30's. Alonso almost 36 and Lahm almost 34. Even 2008 Milan no gather so many arugbo for starting lineup

Eruditor:
You mean the way Bayern finished below ATM and RM finished below Dortmund?

Monaco are first in their league, scored 2nd most goals in Europe behind Barca and Pep lost 6-6 on aggregate (in a tie his star striker missed like a dozen chances) and he is not excused (even when his City side at week 27 was 10 points better than Pellegrini's just the season before) but Bayern should be excused for losing ahome to RM because it is not Pep that lost it?

That's the thing, guys like Madrid and Bayern can afford to finish where they like. Teams actively hope to avoid them either way. City and Arsenal don't enjoy that luxury.

How did City leak 6 goals? As good as Monaco might be in the league City are a lot more experienced, both in terms of players and coaches. The star striker you claimed missed 'dozens' of chances scored 2 out of the 6. You also forgot Monaco even missed a penalty

Whether Pep picked up 100pts more in the league is irrelevant. He is still 4th.

airmark:
When he played few minutes against arsenal and scored, he was not played out of position. Fact is, Muller's struggling in that team, because he is not the same Muller of 3/4 years ago again. See this one, talking for mbape . It's like you don't know what a desperate club can do to ensure they get a player. They may assure him of selling all their strikers including martial and include strange terms in his contract to convince him. How many people believed pogba would opt for man utd when the rumour first came out ?.

You sef talk am. Arsenal. Wetin dey do Müller na him do your Ikedia last season. Müller never recover from him poor Euros form.

Sell all their strikers? Mbappe can't be that daft. He is seeing what is happening with Martial. He is not blind. Pogba na Man U alumni different scenario

raumdeuter:
Please which game are you talking about here? If its the Madrid 1 Bayern 0 game in 2014. I think you are wrong because Gotze came in as a 72nd min substitute. So how can a 72nd min sub score in the 6th min unless it was on the bench

Me sef been wan talk say that story no dey add up. I recall cursing Pep for not starting Götze and Müller. Na there my quarrel with Pep from start. That semi na the orisun

Eruditor:
Then why is Wenger mocked for constantly getting KOed to Bayern and Barca when they are both teams who go on to beat everybody else? You see, it does not work that way. You beat what is infront of you.

So which City team was going to get to the UCL semi finals regularly? A team that had been doing it before? In that case, what will be the excuse for Bayern this year if y'all don't make it? If Pep must be judged by losing to Monaco, then Bayern has no excuse agree?

Wenger also lost to a geriatric Milan side and neophytes at Monaco plus his track record of European futility is well known. Some of those big team matchups were avoidable. He came 2nd once in a group with Schalke 04

The first manageable opponent City got in the K.O stage City were able to beat. They got another formidable PSG side who had been beaten Chelsea back to back and knocked them out. In came Fraudiola, they got another manageable opponent but Pep shat the bed.

Monaco vs Madrid. The difference is very clear

Eruditor:
And Juventus. He beat Juventus managed by Allegri. Infact his team fumbled a 2-0 first leg lead to draw 2-2 and then win 4-2 2nd leg.

Don't worry, the next Leicester coach would be called a failure for not getting to a champions league quarter final. Meanwhile, Monaco just beat Dortmund that Madrid could not beat this season.

The team we lost the first leg today also beat Pep. So the Quarter and semi argument flies out the window. Pep was merely fortunate to meet them at a later stage. Kpokwem

Leicester with Wilfred Ndidi, Danny Drinkwater, Okazaki and Marc Albrighton. Bros compare like for like nau.

The Dortmund still shook from Tuesday's bomb attack? Are you even hearing yourself? That they went on with that game so quickly was courageous to begin with

Debroslink:
Only a fool will bet against Messi not beating Ronaldo as the all time highest goal scorer in European games when both guys hang their boots.

However, it is on record that Ronaldo achieved this milestone @ your backyard with your "upgraded coach" in charge.

Don't compare City players with players from the mighty trinity {Bayern, Barca, Madrid} of European football. After all, Ancelloti couldn't lead Chelsea past round of 16 as manager.

You must be having a laugh. You cannot even predict for certain if Ronaldo would fall off before Messi does. Beat ko Beatles ni

The greatest scorer in the history of the CL broke record against us we are not complaining. Kindly tell us which team suffered the heaviest defeat in semi-final history?

Lmao abeg I no wan hear your tales by moonlight. Pep Fraudiola with a semi-final reaching team went to City and got knocked out by small small boys like Mbappe, Bernardo Silva and other unknowns from Monaco. Na who you dey compare to Inter Milan eventual treble winners. Haha can you list Monaco's starting XI without Google

airmark:
Only God knows what happened to muller. I dont even know the position he can play on the field again.

Stop disturbing us with your empty threats. Man utd tabled 110m.

If you must troll shebi wa ti e fi opolo si. Who no know say Müller was played out of position?

Mbappe would not be dumb enough to go to Man yoo if he wants a career. His friend Martial would not advice him to take such a stoopid decision.

Debroslink:
Why e pain you naa...

Ronaldo didn't use Barcelona set record in UCL, it was at Bayern's backyard he did so.

@ least Juventus didn't rape Barca @ home, PSG didn't either.

Pep didn't crash with Bayern @ Q/F stage in his career. Your upgraded coach did in his 1st attempt.

So much for upgrade...

Pain? No shame in losing to an 11 time defending champion. You have lost 4-0 and 3-0 in this year's CL already to non defending champs. That is 7-0 combined! Which was the beating we handed you a few moons ago.

Ronaldo can set record anywhere wey he like. He don achieve wetin your La Midget no kuku fit do

Pep only advanced because he faced sankwa teams like Porto, Man United and Benfica. No upgrades

Your yeye Fraudiola left Bayern went to Man City who made the semis last year and couldn't get past goddamn AS Monaco. Upgrade indeed

Nihilist:
Mbappe dey worry o

If we no buy that boy this summer I would know we are not serious. I have been shouting since last year. Wey we for don get am for under €60m

Debroslink:
Ronaldo used Bayern to reach the 100th European goal. Bayern is worst than before.

Pathetic team!

How many goals Ronaldo don score against una.
Lmaooo una wey Dybala and Juve use wipe yansh dey follow them talk. Uefalona. God no go gree make una use ojoro ref comot Juve this time

raumdeuter:
Ribery and Alonso no longer have the strenght for this level of football again.

I hope Lewandoski and Hummels make it.

Lahm. Boatank Hummels Alana
Kimmich Vidal Thiago
Robben Lewy Costa

Madrid have the better players right now and we have to dig deep to turn this around

This second leg calls for risk taking. We have no option but to go for broke from the start. I agree Kimmich also has to start. I no really know wetin he do Ancelotti. I know he likes them old but Kimmich and Renato should be getting more games.

We have to play for a high scoring game. I would rather we lose 4-2 than play timid and still lose out anyway.

lolawilliams:
Santiago Bernabéu? It's over for Bayern. Trust me

Lmao with all that has gone down this past year you should know better than to write Bayern off babim

Eruditor:
You have obviously forgotten those games. You conceded 2 goals from set pieces after losing 1-0 first leg away where you dominated. It is all history now but if Pep had lost the same game today you would have blamed him and not Javi Martinez.

As per City, they were a club on decline with aging players in key positions. They will learn his tactics and he will sign fresher players in those positions and then he would be fully judged. Remember Ranieri was fired after 1 successful season and Ancelotti suffered same in CFC. So we would judge his work after his contract elapses.

PS: I like Carlo Ancelotti, but I have maintained that there is only so much you can do if your players make costly mistakes.

The goal Madrid conceded also came from a setpiece. We thoroughly dominated them in the first half. This is not even comparable to the last time at Madrid where we did not have a shot on target vs Madrid till after 80 minutes.

If you want to talk about ageing squad don't even go there. Our starting wingers are a combined age of 67! We have a 33 year old full back and a 35 year old midfielder. Pep has already spent almost £100m so I want to see what he ends up achieving. We scored a goal and won a penalty. Neither achieved under Pep plus we are not entirely out yet

The positive here is that this tie is far from over. And the objective is so simple. We have no lead to protect and absolutely nothing to lose. Either we win 3-2 or 2-1 or lose 4-2. Madrid are actually the ones under pressure. With Lewandowski back we should do a lot better in the final 3rd.

I would start Douglas Costa in the 2nd leg too. If he is going to have a future at Bayern na from these kin games we go know

Make Robbery go rest after this season abeg. Even Undertaker gats retire when he jam Roman reigns. Hire killers like Mbappe no fit dey make we still dey hold on to Ribery

lolawilliams:
If he doesnt disclose his NBA team to you. Beat his soccer team.

CC:A40

Babydoll I support any team that can beat the Cavs and Lebron James come playoff time. It ain't over sha. This is football! Anything can happen.

Chelseafan1:
Yeah right, Javi fvvvked things up, Bayern looked like they were gonna score more.

Fear catch me as doz guy dey play, for my mind, I be like shey na pple wey we wan go carry dem Matic, Cahill, Costa go meet next season be this.

You for go all in if u wan carry upset. This isn't even an upset technically. Sentiment no gree me play am. Minimum of 2k and I won't add any game to it

Chelseafan1:
I carry am danu....4.85 odds plus Leicester +2

Imagine say I knack am dt kind 5k

I was telling apoche cra cra your Olowo audio friend let's do outside bet fear no gree am. He for cashout for both angles. Leicester fit still qualify while its looking hopeless for both German teams