Champions League

Horatio

You're welcome
Modric is very powerful and dangerous imo. If he has the ball you can't get it off of him and he will release it once he has drawn three players creating so much space.
He creates a sense of security under pressure for other madrid players.
 

serghei

Senior Member
City were carving them open at will, and De Bruyne did what he pleased with Modric and Kroos. Madrid were saved by some solo goals from Benz and Vini and by a Laporte clownery.
 

Horatio

You're welcome
City were carving them open at will, and De Bruyne did what he pleased with Modric and Kroos. Madrid were saved by some solo goals from Benz and Vini and by a Laporte clownery.

Yes but Real cycle through styles every 20 minutes. Once the whole team moves forward and presses Modric becomes very important.

It's only when Real invites opponent Modric looks less impactful.
 

Porque

Senior Member
Madrid created well too. Pace, technique and counters has, and always will be, Peps nightmares.

Spurs, Liverpool, possibly Madrid in the return leg.

But the depth of City is almost a cheatcode. And to think Pep rejected a big squad when at Barcelona.
 

ajnotkeith

Senior Member
You can say Benzema as a skillful finisher can pull off xG<0.01 attempts that no one else can.
Let's assume this is true (statistics say it's not), and you grant that to RM as that 'quality' that cannot be plotted on a chart.

What about the sitters Foden, Mahrez, and Laporte missed?
These are 3 goals that anyone could have scored.
Do you grant that to RM? How and on what grounds?
Same for sitters Joginho and Pulisic missed in dead time last round.

Thank you no. There is 0 sporting merit in that
I get it. You think because there is no clear statistical explanation for what you see, it must mean it is simply just tremendous luck on a scale we've never seen before.

Madrid scored clutch goals with Ronaldo/Benzema/Bale. Man City have a bunch of fake strikers and wingers that hardly score double figures in a season. It's obvious why Madrid finished their chances and City didn't.

Additionally, do you agree with the xG analysis, which says that Madrid more or less should have lost by a goal? Do you think it's an example where xG is wrong clearly, as you are saying they should lost by 8 goals?
 

Horatio

You're welcome
Look...City will probably score 1-2 goals. They don't have trouble scoring against attacking teams. Question is....will Real score 3-4?
 

serghei

Senior Member
Madrid created well too. Pace, technique and counters has, and always will be, Peps nightmares.

Spurs, Liverpool, possibly Madrid in the return leg.

But the depth of City is almost a cheatcode. And to think Pep rejected a big squad when at Barcelona.

Madrid is best team in the world at creating chances with 3-4 passes. Here is where players like Modric can make a difference, he really has a perfectly weighted pass.

But they really ride their luck because defensively they are shit. It's not like they absorbed City's press and hit them on the counter. They basically got outplayed and were lucky enough to have City miss 2-3 near sitters.
 

Horatio

You're welcome
Madrid is master at dictating rhythm and progression of game and disrupt flow of opponent. They usually take things slow first 20 minutes try to move forward through patient buildup, then they go to sit back mode and counter/or less higher line and go for counter invite mistakes then move to pressuring opponent and cycle through those.
 

Birdy

Senior Member
I get it. You think because there is no clear statistical explanation for what you see, it must mean it is simply just tremendous luck on a scale we've never seen before.

Madrid scored clutch goals with Ronaldo/Benzema/Bale. Man City have a bunch of fake strikers and wingers that hardly score double figures in a season. It's obvious why Madrid finished their chances and City didn't.

Additionally, do you agree with the xG analysis, which says that Madrid more or less should have lost by a goal? Do you think it's an example where xG is wrong clearly, as you are saying they should lost by 8 goals?

Wait.
I didn't say that City's player should finish like Benzema this year, who is pulling some crazy stuff out of his ass.
(Bernando's finish was also crazy though)
I said they should put in the simple big chances they get, like Foden Mahrez and Laporte tonight.
Used these 3 examples of huge chances (xG>0.45) that a Segunda attacker can finish. Despite all of them not being able to finish like Benzema, they can surely finish the simple sitters.

Then, as I have explained in the past xG roughsum is misleading if you don't break it to big chances (xG>0.30-5)
Real had 2 big chances (Vinicius and the pen), City had 6, out of which they took only 3.
That inability to score the easy one, CANNOT be granted to RM on any sporting merit basis
 

AnfieldEd

I am Leg End
Absolutely unreal. Once again, Madrid show their mantle and character. It's so hard to believe that this ephemeral trait plays SUCH a big part in the highest level of sport on the planet. It's baffling to me how Madrid does this over and over again. We would have lost this 8-1 easily. EASILY.

Madrid got absolutely trounced, and here I am, almost sure that they will now go through to the finals. Benzema and their luck, it's just too much.

I still can't believe people are comparing Man City to clubs like LFC, Real Madrid or Barcelona. The sportwashers have no business competing at this level. They are completely out of place, and so are their fans. Do you think Anfield would have allowed for this game to finish only 4-3, after going 2-0 up in 11 minutes? We would have eaten Real Madrid alive.
 

Fati_Future_BallonDor

Well-known member
City will win the tie but surprising that real managed to score 3. Kroos had a terrible performance, did nothing. Asensio played only for a few minutes but the scene when he needed to run back because he couldnt pass with his right foot was weird. Ceballos did well.
 

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