Other games (2024/25)

[JB]

4 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

 

Well firstly I don't think it's that crazy a notion; my view of football has recalibrated a bit over the years and the neutral in me is closer to the surface than it once was. That doesn't mean NUFC doesn't still dominate my thoughts and dictate my mood on a weekend; but I can more easily revel in schadenfreude/triumphant underdogs these days, even if it is 'at the expense' of Newcastle. 

 

Agree with this, scadenfreude and rooting for the underdog are part of enjoying football for me and they were the main things keeping me engaged with the sport in the later Ashley years when I wasn't even watching us. I just can't get excited about coefficient or get behind teams like Liverpool.

[brummie]

I can't believe anyone who loves football doesn't do so at least in large part because of the joy of seeing others - cunts, basically - fail.

 

Most of my happiest moments in football have been about seeing other teams fail.

[brummie]

Fuck me, I mean, you're Newcastle fans and I'm a Villa fan, it's not like there's been a constant flow of good times to keep us interested.

[Disco]

OM beat Benfica on pens. Into the semis they go.

[ponsaelius]

Any of that final four winning would be a #goodstory 

[Jonas]

I'd be surprised if the majority of neutral fans in the PL didn't prefer English clubs generally to lose in Europe.

 

[Disco]

No skin in the game but hopefully not an all Italian final. 
 

1 minute ago, Jonas said:

I'd be surprised if the majority of neutral fans in the PL didn't prefer English clubs generally to lose in Europe.

 

 

You’d be surprised.
 

Im genuinely still haunted by watching Liverpool win v Milan in the pub at uni, was pretty much only me and some proper Manc “Yanited” fan in the place who wanted them to fail miserably.  

[Disco]

Bonucci missing the decisive one for Fenerbahce. What an awful end to his career he’s having. Should’ve gone to The MLS.

[Paully]

 

[Disco]

Olympiakos is keeper wearing #88 when he’s born in 2001 is certainly a choice. Must be a big Buffon fan.

[The College Dropout]

1 hour ago, Kid Icarus said:

Yay, the team I support are less likely to get into Europe. It warms my heart, what a great night for football.

 

 

 

Yesterday was pretty much curtains anyway.  

[Kid Icarus]

40 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

 

Well firstly I don't think it's that crazy a notion; my view of football has recalibrated a bit over the years and the neutral in me is closer to the surface than it once was. That doesn't mean NUFC doesn't still dominate my thoughts and dictate my mood on a weekend; but I can more easily revel in schadenfreude/triumphant underdogs these days, even if it is 'at the expense' of Newcastle. 

 

But the other thing is in the merit issue. I honestly find that a quarter of the league being able to qualify for Europe's premier competition (without even a preliminary) degrades the gravity of the achievement. Of course I'd be blinkered not to apply that logic to the Bundesliga now too, but at least in that case it gives a bit of a leg-up to a league more in-need of it than the Prem. 

 

I do routinely worry about the potential for PL dominance but must concede that it's probably not even warranted at the moment; given it'll be two years in a row without English teams in the CL semis. It was far more prevalent in the noughties than it is atm.

 

But it is definitely highlighted in the Conference League, where decent-to-very-average PL teams are favourites to win. That fact has definitely checked my enthusiasm for Newcastle competing in it; it would be less meaningful an achievement if lifting the trophy would be the only thing not considered an abject failure. 

 

As much as I have problems with modern day football, the PL is really popular because it's always (and increasingly so imo) been competitive to a broader extent than other leagues. Therefore it's been profitable and clubs have used that profit to double down and attract the best players, meaning, as you say, even its 7th best teams are favourites for the Conference League.

 

But the flip side of that is that the opposite is also true of other leagues. They're less popular, largely because they're reaping what they've sown for being less competitive for so long due to their own issues with one or two clubs hoovering up all the money and talent and dominating.

 

But it's just a phase imo, no league will ever dominate Europe because those lagging behind will always be forced to be creative and innovate, and dominating teams will always get complacent and have hubris. It happened to Italy, then Spain, now us imo.

 

In the meantime Serie A is competitive again, and Germany looks like it's getting its act together at the moment. Anyway, I'm blethering.

 

My point is that I don't think the situation at the moment is because the PL is doing anything wrong in this case, in fact it's the opposite, other leagues are reaping what they've sewn but will hit back, and even if they don't they should get their own house in order if they want to be broadly competitive, they don't need a bunk up.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 18 by Kid Icarus

[brummie]

16 minutes ago, Disco said:

Bonucci missing the decisive one for Fenerbahce. What an awful end to his career he’s having. Should’ve gone to The MLS.

 

He has apparently been abysmal since going there. Shame. He's a warrior.

 

Anyway, much happier facing Olympiacos than Fenerbache in the semi final.

[Fezzle]

12 minutes ago, Disco said:

Olympiakos is keeper wearing #88 when he’s born in 2001 is certainly a choice. Must be a big Buffon fan.

Stupid numbers annoy me. Atalanta was like a game of bingo

[Jonas]

Speaking of keepers, but apropos of nothing really but presume this Svilar in goal for Roma is related to Ratko Svilar who was at Antwerp when we played them. He didn't play against us but remember reading some quotes in the paper on the day - Rat Warns Magpies League Form Counts for Nothing in Europe - sort of thing.

[Ronaldo]

3 minutes ago, Jonas said:

Speaking of keepers, but apropos of nothing really but presume this Svilar in goal for Roma is related to Ratko Svilar who was at Antwerp when we played them. He didn't play against us but remember reading some quotes in the paper on the day - Rat Warns Magpies League Form Counts for Nothing in Europe - sort of thing.

Great spot / memory. 

 

I give my respect to you.

[Turnbull2000]

48 minutes ago, Jonas said:

I'd be surprised if the majority of neutral fans in the PL didn't prefer English clubs generally to lose in Europe.

 

 

A decade ago I may have been happy to see them do well, but now I see the breakaway six as traitors and can go fuck themselves, especially Liverpool, Arse and Man U. Villa and West Ham on the other hand, don't mind and might even be pleased (though very envious).

[Yorkie]

17 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

 

As much as I have problems with modern day football, the PL is really popular because it's always been competitive to a broader extent than other leagues. Therefore it's been profitable and clubs have used that profit to double down and attract the best players, meaning, as you say, even its 7th best teams are favourites for the Conference League.

 

But the flip side of that is that the opposite is also true of other leagues. They're less popular, largely because they're reaping what they've sown for being less competitive for so long due to their own issues with one or two clubs hoovering up all the money and talent and dominating.

 

But it's just a phase imo, no league will ever dominate Europe because those lagging behind will always be forced to be creative and innovate, and dominating teams will always get complacent and have hubris. It happened to Italy, then Spain, now us imo.

 

In the meantime Serie A is competitive again, and Germany looks like it's getting its act together at the moment. Anyway, I'm blethering.

 

My point is that I don't think the situation at the moment is because the PL is doing anything wrong in this case, in fact it's the opposite, other leagues are reaping what they've sewn but will hit back, and even if they don't they should get their own house in order if they want to be broadly competitive, they don't need a bunk up.

 

I agree with you. When I say the other leagues are more 'in need' of a leg-up; I'm not saying they're owed one, I'm just saying they could do with the help moreso than the PL. The PL, to its credit, is an absolute triumph in brand building and selling to a global audience; it's above the other leagues on merit.

 

PS, just caught the end of TNT's round-up there; Liverpool fan/the best voice on football around Rory Smith was making the point that what happened this evening is good for European football. Maybe he's absolutely mental too.  (I'm jesting)

[Guest]

We really telling Bologna that they don't deserve CL football if they finish 5th, like?

 

I'm not that arsed but can see why people are. If we were a few points closer to Spurs then I'd be more disappointed. Ultimately just get as high as we can. It'll be tough with Man U, West Ham and Chelsea in the race for the "minor" place/s depending on who win the cups but we can still get into Europe. 

 

Wouldn't surprise me if we see the 2 spots alternative quite a bit between the big 4 countries anyway. You'd expect 1-2 of the Italian and German clubs to struggle in the CL, while there'll be some fairly big English and Spanish clubs in the Europa and Conference League to pad out the co-efficient points for the 25/26 season, and so on...

 

 

Edited April 19 by Optimistic Nut

[Groundhog63]

7 hours ago, brummie said:

I can't believe anyone who loves football doesn't do so at least in large part because of the joy of seeing others - cunts, basically - fail.

 

Most of my happiest moments in football have been about seeing other teams fail.

To be fair that's my philosophy on life, never mind football. 

 

Nailed

[LiquidAK]

Us getting into the CL through 5th was always so unlikely, it would've relied on so many things falling right. English teams winning tough ties, Spurs or Villa losing loads of games, us winning loads more away games than we have. So while I'd have preferred the chance still be alive, it's hard to feel upset about it, was likely never going to happen and it's nice to see the big bad premier league get a big of a pasting from supposedly weaker leagues in Europe.

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, LiquidAK said:

Us getting into the CL through 5th was always so unlikely, it would've relied on so many things falling right. English teams winning tough ties, Spurs or Villa losing loads of games, us winning loads more away games than we have. So while I'd have preferred the chance still be alive, it's hard to feel upset about it, was likely never going to happen and it's nice to see the big bad premier league get a big of a pasting from supposedly weaker leagues in Europe.

 

Tbf it's only really Man U & Liverpool who've lost when they shouldn't have. Even Liverpool going out was against a team who've been near the top in Italy for a few seasons now. 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 19 by Optimistic Nut

[Lotus]

Thought Liverpool played well on the night. Was nice to see a team just go for it. Didn’t see the 1st leg but quite aware they put themselves in a position where they had to. Still, plenty of teams can be cagey despite a desperate need. On that front I did enjoy Liverpool’s play.

Fwiw, I also enjoyed some of Atalanta’s. Their passing was a times very very crisp and clever. 
Paid close attention to Ederson due to the links. He’s faster and has a good touch but doesn’t have the dominant character Bruno has. 

[OpenC]

9 hours ago, andycap said:

But Liverpool said they should of had our place in the champions league as they'd be challengers for the trophy. ? Then they get pumped off the first decent team they faced. 

 

Looking forward to making this exact point later on today

[RS]

Im pretty gutted for Richard Masters. He’s lost what was left of his super 6 Euromassive early, and one of those dirty little clubs are now all that’s left in Europe.  Things better change soon to restore rightful order.