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Roma have played good football for most of this season, from what I've seen. Having a back to wall defensive performance in a major final is not a rarity specific to Mourinho. His Spurs side was defensive in general, for whatever reason, but this season has not been that way, tbh.

Bizarre that City cannot ever handle these games simply. Even in 2019 they went down against Brighton who had just been confirmed safe and had nothing to play for.

Everton will remain in the league due to the inadequacies of Leeds. Brentford will defeat them.

I remember Asenjo was always considered a decent keeper and was the starter last season. I have no idea why this Rulli has replaced him. The boy is consistently unconvincing and cannot even catch the ball. The difference in the intensity and quickness of play amongst the top sides is incredible compared to ten or so years ago, tbh. I saw someone mention 20 years, but you do not need to go back that far. It is not just Liverpool, but they are a glaring example of it. Their entire style of play comes off as amphetamine-inspired.

This Real Madrid team are bizarre, they have been the weaker side in each of the three knockout rounds. You would expect a side like that to depend on defensive solidarity, but they have been rubbish at the back throughout. It is primarily just incredible finishing by Benzema and heavy reliance on defensive errors and missed chances from the opposition. If there was still the away goals rule, I would have them as favourites in the next leg, but will be a 50-50 tie if the score stays this way.

During Argentina-Nigeria at 2018 World Cup I was reliably informed it was not handball when it came off of your head first.

I definitely agree, the nonsense that would have taken place if Atletico had the one goal is unimaginable, but for some reason that particular brand of time-wasting just really angers me. If you roll back to the pitch just to writhe in false pain, someone should actually inflict some for you.

Injured players rolling back on the pitch to waste time should genuinely be a red card. One of the most laughably cynical things you can do in football. The beauty of football is the different ways of playing the game, tbh. Personally, I find City much more boring than Atletico.

Terrible day for Sissako of Mali, one of their biggest matches in their history and he has scored an OG by directly passing the ball into the net and then received the softest red card I have ever seen, all within five minutes.

Very difficult few weeks for Veratti Italy's World Cup performances since the title in 2006 are incredibly poor for a nation of its stature. Four straight embarrassments.

Nonsense red card That same tackle happens nearly every match. Cynical and a yellow card, but the rules have changed if that is red.

The front three is never going to be a perfect fit, just because Messi and Neymar have 0 pace at this point in their careers. Three players who do not track back at all (Messi, the oldest and slowest probably does the most defensive work of the three), with two of those being slow players who want to dwell on the ball, is a recipe for overburdened midfield and disjointed play in general. Obviously, it was plenty sufficient in this tie, even if they were a bit wasteful. Would be harsh to blame this on any of the big three when experienced world class players were having mental breakdown behind them.

For Messi, especially, this can change, he mostly just needs to finish better; but neither he nor Ronaldo have been a top 10 player in the world this season. The new generation has arrived. These giants are no longer the standard.

PSG have barely held possession since Donnarumma's nonsense. Astounding collapse. It seemed likely they would grab the 3rd or 4th goal until that happened.

Marquinhos and Donnarumma have both been shameful in the second half.

Seems like a foul? He didn't get the ball and pushed Donnarumma over? Deserves to concede due to idiocy, anyway.

This "washed"/"past it" version of Messi is interesting; his game is just 100 percent finesse. He rarely attempts to beat players with direct dribbling and pace and his shots have so little conviction, but he still creates many, many chances for himself and the other players. PSG would be much better, if he was not possibly the worst finisher in the top European leagues this season. Has hit the post, mishit the ball, or hesitated in goal scoring posiitons a remarkable amount this season.

Egypt are 100% going to win the Final, despite being atrocious this entire tournament. You cannot understand how much I hate this tournament.

Just hoping for Senegal to win at this point. Cameroon and Egypt are probably #2 and #3 respectively in terms of teams I hate in Africa. Cameroon had a good start, but match has been horrendous since the 30th minute. Anything other than penalties would be unjust. Also, it is AFCON, we are not expecting too much, but Cameroon hosting this competition is a disgrace. They were meant to host in 2019, but were not ready in time. So, with 2.5 extra years to prepare, we have a tournament that has been horribly unorganised in every aspect, including the actual deaths of some spectators, and are watching a semi-final with the host nation and one of the world's top players on a pitch that is actually unplayable, with players falling and the ball bouncing everywhere. The Final is on this same pitch.

Did we ever figure if he actually had cardiac issues? Because I thought the story transformed into he and Lemina being thrown out of Gabon's camp for bringing ashewo girls back to the team hotel when they were ostensibly under Covid protocols. At least they are not buying him, not sure if he is physically done, but he doesn't seem to care about his career anymore.

Bailly with the John Mensah 2010 World Cup penalty runup. If you are a centreback, please just pick a side and hit the ball there. Funny tournament, Egypt were terrible in the group stage; Nigeria should have put more past them, tbh, but they looked the better side today I favour them to make the final now. It's one of them, Burkina Faso, Tunisia, or Morocco going and I think they are the best of those teams.

Don't know if it speaks more poorly on football's handling of concussions or Senegal's medical staff that Mane was clearly knocked out in a brutal collision, was allowed back in the match despite this, then went on to score a wonderful goal before lying on the pitch and having to be substituted. Guy won't remember this match when his children ask about it. Morocco down to Malawi, with the increased strength of minnows, equalising factors of poor pitch/conditions and general underperformance of the bigger sides, there is a lot of room for big upsets in African football now.

What did Nigeria do to you? Rubbish performance out of nowhere from every player beside Ndidi. Tunisia spoiled the game after taking the lead, which is their specialty, credit to them. There are crucial WC qualifiers in two months and another AFCON in 18, so it does not hurt much. For those interested, Comoros do not have a keeper for today's match and will have an outfield player in goal against host and favourite Cameroon, sounds unfavourable. Speaking of the qualifiers, the draw is out for the final round and they will be a bloodbath: Algeria vs Cameroon, Senegal vs Egypt, Morocco vs DR Congo, Tunisia vs Mali, and Nigeria vs Ghana. People will die over these Ghana matches, I am sure of it. This format of sending every team through a two match playoff is mad, tbh. Hard to understand that only one of two the best players in Africa, Salah or Mane, will be in Qatar, despite both sides dominating their groups.

Very odd to come here and levy criticism towards Chris Wood, tbh. Guy has not even been at the club 10 days, but has come in and played 180 minutes right away at a time where the alternative was Dwight Gayle or no striker. Club has gained 4 points in his 10 days contrasted against 11 total in the five prior months of the season. Even a seasoned Premier League player like Wood will need to adjust to a new team. Hope is for more from him, but no problem thus far.

This is ridiculous. Matches take place in worse lighting every single night around the world. Just play football.