I've debunked this multiple times.

The fans want to see Kick 'n' Rush, hence Kick 'n' Rush is played. That Troopz guy on Arsenal Fan TV complained that Bellerin isn't playing "The British Style", LÖL.

You saying it isn't debunking it. Do you think Guardiola turned up and thought "whilst I am keen to impose the style of play that has made me successful around Europe, the fans want blood and thunder stuff so I am going to pull out all the stops and sign Lee Cattermole"? Of course not.

the top 6 in england is pretty good, so let's not go overboard. they're just maybe not as good as they should be given the £££

my guess is the two biggest issues are a lack of quality homegrown players, with absurd prices for those good enough, and a hard time buying and intergrating south american players.

the spanish have both and have done pretty well. the italians have the south american players, but a talented youngster is someone under 32. the german produce plenty of players, but when they try to sign someone from south american it results in burned down houses and 3 years in jail.

You don't think the preferences of the guy who pays for season tickets and Sky subscriptions have an influence on the type of football that's being played?

think its pretty clear mou + wenger + pep doesnt really give a fk.

actually curious. show some examples of some foriegn top club managers pandering to the kick n rush football that fans want that they wouldnt have done in foreign countries?

does anyone at clubs listen to fans anymore? isnt there a huuge alienation of supporters and club atm in england? dont think they really care that much what fans think about style of football

Fans might have some preference but I'm pretty sure wether a manager has the fanbase blessing comes down to about 1% style and 99% winning

I somewhat agree but I don't think the 'homegrown' players as as good as their counter parts. Portugal have a huge adv with the SA players and thats why they are able to sign them by the bucket load.

Another issue for the so called big 4 in England is that teams in England are able to say no. Kane for example is going to cost and utter fortune to try and pry him away. Whereas in Spain, Germany or Italy the draw of your big boys there is a gravitational pull of the players so it doesn't cost them as much so it's a big adv as the wages are so much higher. Lukaku just turned down a monster contract this week.

If Kane was playing for lets say Sevilla or Leverkusen They'd (barca/bayern) be able to buy him for around £30-40m

Hummels is way way way WAYYYYY better than Stones, Bailly etc BvB let him go for £30m to Bayern. Would cost English clubs way more to buy him. Sane plays for an English club goes for way more.

Sissoko costs Spurs £30m!

Even if we go back a couple of years Illarramendi, Isco etc that RM signed £30m that was a huge figure.

Barca got Turan for <£30m Rakitic for <£15 iirc

10 years ago Chelsea and us where able to cherry pick the best talent in the league. Chelsea almost got Gerrard etc

100% this

If your team bus' it up and wins the CL. No one will give one hoot.

No.

Did some math on if is it better to have the 2nd game at home or not. These are the numbers since 2004, when UEFA introduced the round of final 16.

Numbers for quarter- and semifinal:

1st game at home vs 2nd game at home in QF 20:32

1st game at home vs 2nd game at home in SF 17:9

overall 37:41.

So better to have the 2nd QF and the 1st SF at home. (lol 13 years samples size) In the last 5 years only RM advanced in the semifinals when they had the 2nd game at home

Bayern, RM and Barca are historically elite. Plus variance. That's it. Cycles as always.

PL has a puncture.

Varane and Pepe out for both Bayern games and El Clasico. Hummels out as well and Lewandowski didn't train today.

More importantly, Wes Morgan is out for the Atletico game.

Time to resurrect the GÖAT ÖAT OP images of 2015's final.

BVB vs Monaco Over 2.5g and Juve vs Barca under 2.5g is 2.7

see if bvb can shake the beatdown from this weekend. that was surely demoralizing

Lewandowski didn't finish training, has to be a doubt.

The o/u 3.5 seems to be close to a flip for Dortmund-Monaco, anyone fancy a 20$/€/£ bet at evens? I'd go with the hivemind and pick the over.

If so, pick the currency of your choice and QTB. Paypal strongly preferred.

I'll take under 3.5 for 20€ at evens. paypal is fine.

Anyone want Barcelona to win, I take Juve draw no bet for 20€? It's a flip on bwin

QTB

Good, booked.

I've got 3.5 being challenged in the first half

got me some

Dortmund BTTS and 3+ goals
Juve 1x and BTTS

I'll take the Juve side of this if anyone else wants to Barca. Same amount.