The College Dropout

Yeh Vini is under rated. he has so many big moments and has been at the top for so long, it’s more memorable when he doesn’t excel. He has more scrutiny than any of these bar 1 or 2. He has 15 G/A in CL QF SF and Finals including 2 in a final - 1 winner and another to make it 2-0. Rodrygo has 8. Salah has 13 having played at the highest level for longer. IMO: Kvara - arguable. Vini Jr wouldn’t be able to live down 7 G/A in Ligue 1/La Liga in March mind. Dembele - as a winger? Nope. Never. False 9 he’s brilliant. Salah - not now. Outside of his first season, he’s never been brilliant crunch time in the CL or for Egypt. But league football? He’s better consistently - flat Track. Doue - not yet, has the potential. Saka - love Saka. Doesn’t have the talent. Raphinha - nope never. Doesn’t have the talent. Olise - has to prove it consistently and in big moments. He’s only 6 months younger than Vini. A year and a half smashing the Bundesliga an he’s better than Vini to you. His game will age well mind. Barcola and Rodrygo - never. As of today. Id take Mbappe at LW mind. Yamal. Kvara/Doue/Olise maybe one day.

I know they rotated but it feels like city shot their load against us. Madrid looked like the side with the most legs and work rate. That never happens

A lot of graft. The last 2 CL winning sides they had 9-10 real grafters. Bellingham and Vini half graft which is fine when it’s just them.

Name the 10 better

PSG having the weekend off helps.

This is true Schar has aura though.

Now he’s being rotated he’s immense.

It’s not about formation.

Bored. Wants the attention too I think. Most could do with the money. The super elite players rarely do it for attention. That is in part why Owen is such a bad pundit. Doesn’t care enough to do proper research.

I like him as a pundit. He does it because he loves football and is bored. The others want attention or need the money largely. Some want to be seen as smart or whatever.

Aye he has quality in a team that lacks it

Never stopped Bruno. Bruno is getting on it and finding a forward pass or goes on the dribble. When I watch Elliot Anderson he does the same thing. Wraps it into forward players.

Firmly in the B team.

Inshallah The thing about Elanga’s crossing is that it’s hard to read when it’s coming and it’s often hit super hard and flat. With Murphy you know it’s coming early and it’s whipped - it’s easier to time as an attacker. And the whip makes it undefendable(?). Elanga had Cancelo on ice all game. He didn’t have that bit of quality when needed unfortunately but good effort.

With financial restrictions cutting our losses might mean we can’t replace them. If we sell him for £20m. That’s a £21m FFP loss. Keeping him costs £16-18m. A loan might make the most sense.

He definitely had a good game. Better than decent. This was a game where being press resistant is massive and just keeping things ticking is excellent. Overall he needs to add penetration to his game. Either drive forward, pass forward or score goals/assist. But he can be proud of himself he was great yesterday

Our defenders are meant to push aggressively when that ball is played between the lines. When we get scared or too passive the attacker can easily turn and then we are in trouble.

Then they would win anyway. We are reliant on 2 bad performances from them in any case

Disappointing end but it was a great game and effort from the boys. I’m not going overly handwring about mistakes.

Agreed. That’s what being a defender is all about boo it unfortunately. Think there’s an ambitious pass by Gordon for no reason - run it into the corner or at least sustain a safe attack. But that’s not what will be remembered.

Aye. I still prefer Schar but Thiaw has played well on the whole. He needs better concentration and composure but hopefully that comes. And he was done by some great play too. This was not one of his worst mistakes at all.

Selling them for a big loss will cost more then keeping them FFP wise

Can press. Makes decent runs inbehjnd ans good pace. Might bend one top bins too. His lack of first touch/control might prevent him becoming a top player. Sometimes plays like a baby giraffe - stiff and uncoordinated. But great shift tonight lad.

Yep. He even fucked it up but still scored. He’s one of those - you want him to get 3 chances. He’ll score at least 1. He’s got good feet usually when it matters. Lil those couple of times Osula made a good run he couldn’t get the ball under his spell. Barnes can usually sort his feet out in those situations. That one that hit the post - the ball was a bit underneath him but he got it out and had an excellent effort. He’s got mobility, decent touch, a strike, decent movement. Leave him on - his moment will come.

He doesn’t do enough on the ball for me. I want to see him further forward and decisive against teams that will standoff. He has the technicsl qualiy