Champions League, Europa League & Europa Conference League 23/24

[genome]

Bernardo Silva's penalty might be one of the worst ones I've ever seen

[6ft Kerplunk]

Bernardo Silva's penalty might be one of the worst ones I've ever seen

Finally my "keepers should never dive early in shootouts" theory gets results.

[6ft Kerplunk]

Bernardo Silva's penalty might be one of the worst ones I've ever seen

Finally my "keepers should never dive early in shootouts" theory gets results.

[Clyde1998]

When was last time we had no English teams in the cl Semis? Must have been ages right?

When was the last time there were no English teams in the Champions League or Europa League semi-finals? That's very possible to happen now with Liverpool and West Ham both in very poor positions going into their second legs. Aston Villa are ahead in their Conference League quarter-final though.

The last time there were no English teams in the CL semis (2019-20), Man Utd were in the Europa semis.

I think it may be 2014-15, when no English club even made the quarter-final of either competition.

[URZZZZ]

Obviously they’re still world class talents but perhaps those suggesting England should win the Euros at a canter should perhaps look at the respective performances of Rice, Saka, Bellingham and Foden tonight as they were collectively disappointing!

[Clyde1998]

Obviously they’re still world class talents but perhaps those suggesting England should win the Euros at a canter should perhaps look at the respective performances of Rice, Saka, Bellingham and Foden tonight as they were collectively disappointing!

To emphasise this point: since 1998 (the first season in which multiple teams from the same country could compete in the CL), ten of the twelve nations that win either the World Cup or Euros are within the top five in terms of minutes players of that nationality played in the most recent Champions League season. The three exceptions were Greece (2004; 6th) and Italy (2021; 7th).

So far this season, the current top five are: Spain (24,127 mins); France (20,550); Germany (18,566); Portugal (14,612); Brazil (14,253). England are sixth with 13,131 minutes.

The finals since 1998 have been (CL minute rank in the previous season):

1. 1998 - France (2) vs Brazil (6)
2. 2000 - France (1) vs Italy (5)
3. 2002 - Brazil (3) vs Germany (4)
4. 2004 - Greece (6) vs Portugal (5)
5. 2006 - Italy (4) vs France (3)
6. 2008 - Spain (3) vs Germany (8)
7. 2010 - Spain (3) vs Netherlands (10)
8. 2012 - Spain (2) vs Italy (8)
9. 2014 - Germany (3) vs Argentina (7)
10. 2016 - Portugal (5) vs France (3)
11. 2018 - France (3) vs Croatia (13)
12. 2021 - Italy (7) vs England (5)

You get the odd finalist, especially recently, who've been outside the top five - as you'd perhaps expect. Still 2/3rds of the last twenty-four finals have been from the top five.

There's little chance England will win the Euros at a canter and it would actually be somewhat of a shock if England win the Euros.

[Loafer]

Bernardo Silva's penalty might be one of the worst ones I've ever seen

I take it you didn't see the osasuna one last weekend then

Nothing will ever ever top that as the worst penalty ever

[Stranded]

But shirley Kane went there to win things

Don't call me shirley.

And he'll win the Bundesliga next year.

Arsenal across 180 minutes led for 6.

Happy to be wrong. All German Final at Wembley again?

[RG30]

IN! for Germans fighting on Wembley Way again

[Silver Fox]

I only followed the shootout on text but did I read right that Ederson took one of Citeh's penalties last night? That's quite the bottle hob from their outfield lads isn't it?

[Winston Biscuit]

Bernardo Silva's penalty might be one of the worst ones I've ever seen

They are taken like that all the time though, and as long as the keeper dives then the commentators are telling us what a cool character the penalty taker is.

[Sanguine]

I only followed the shootout on text but did I read right that Ederson took one of Citeh's penalties last night? That's quite the bottle hob from their outfield lads isn't it?

Was the best one, too. Thunderblasted it into the bottom corner.

[Winston Biscuit]

last nights penalty shoot out was also a nice little reminder of players who score the winning penalty then run around celebrating making it all about themselves, completely ignoring the goalkeeper who's saves actually won it for you

[Greatwesternline]

Don't call me shirley.

And he'll win the Bundesliga next year.

Arsenal across 180 minutes led for 6.

Happy to be wrong. All German Final at Wembley again?

I can't see past a Real Madrid stroll. Think PSG must be favourites against Dortmund but Dortmund are a weird team, they penetrated Athletico at will this week, over and over again.

[Greatwesternline]

Bernardo Silva's penalty might be one of the worst ones I've ever seen

They are taken like that all the time though, and as long as the keeper dives then the commentators are telling us what a cool character the penalty taker is.

+1,000

I was laughing to myself at how critical the commentators were about that pen. It was a standard down the middle pen. It just looks bad if the keeper stands still. You're supposed to take some speed off the ball for a down the middle pen as well so that the keeper has jumped out of the way by the time it gets there.

I do sometimes wonder whether commentators are a bit dumb, or just stick to narratives because it makes their life easier.

They're clearly very good at talking without misspeaking. Which is a skill possessed by few.

[Winston Biscuit]

I do sometimes wonder whether commentators are a bit dumb, or just stick to narratives because it makes their life easier

bit of both imo.

Same as when someone takes a pen that goes in and the replay shows it went at a very convenient height for a keeper and not that far to his side, but the keeper just went the other way, and the commentators go on about what a great pen it was.

I do think a lot of commentating (especially co-comms) is just about saying stuff that reflects the feel of what you are watching. How factual or correct it is is almost a secondary thing, its just meant to fit so as to enhance what you already felt

[Greatwesternline]

I do sometimes wonder whether commentators are a bit dumb, or just stick to narratives because it makes their life easier

bit of both imo.

Same as when someone takes a pen that goes in and the replay shows it went at a very convenient height for a keeper and not that far to his side, but the keeper just went the other way, and the commentators go on about what a great pen it was.

I do think a lot of commentating (especially co-comms) is just about saying stuff that reflects the feel of what you are watching. How factual or correct it is is almost a secondary thing, its just meant to fit so as to enhance what you already felt

Often makes me laugh when they say something was a foul, or should have been a corner, and then the reply shows they were wrong, and there is always an awkward silence, whereas if the reply show they were right, they double down in their exasperation.

No one would mind if they repeatedly said, oh look, ive changed my mind, the replay shows i was wrong. But they just rarely seem to do it.

[BRO_BOT]

Bernardo Silva's penalty might be one of the worst ones I've ever seen

+1, just seen it! Was listening to the game on a YouTube channel

[BRO_BOT]

I only followed the shootout on text but did I read right that Ederson took one of Citeh's penalties last night? That's quite the bottle hob from their outfield lads isn't it?

Was the best one, too. Thunderblasted it into the bottom corner.

Having just seen it, got to give this a +1

[BRO_BOT]

I do sometimes wonder whether commentators are a bit dumb, or just stick to narratives because it makes their life easier

bit of both imo.

Same as when someone takes a pen that goes in and the replay shows it went at a very convenient height for a keeper and not that far to his side, but the keeper just went the other way, and the commentators go on about what a great pen it was.

I do think a lot of commentating (especially co-comms) is just about saying stuff that reflects the feel of what you are watching. How factual or correct it is is almost a secondary thing, its just meant to fit so as to enhance what you already felt

Often makes me laugh when they say something was a foul, or should have been a corner, and then the reply shows they were wrong, and there is always an awkward silence, whereas if the reply show they were right, they double down in their exasperation.

No one would mind if they repeatedly said, oh look, ive changed my mind, the replay shows i was wrong. But they just rarely seem to do it.

I find they do change their mind quite often when they see the replay

you have fallen into the same trap that you accuse them of falling into

<SMH>

Put your eyebrows back down GWL