They're still wily, experienced defenders, even if they're a long way from top players. Most PL defenders are physical and little else.

I was more referring to Ajax with the ball not being what they were last season. They were, in my opinion, held together defensively by De Ligt for most of those Champions League successes--and even then they wete ropey. Schone and De Jong were very important to their midifled play in the CL last season, in my opinion.

Most of the Chelsea fans I've seen seem to think Mount is pretty inferior technically compared to Hudson-Odoi but makes up for it with great mentality and game intelligence. I haven't seen enough of them to judge, but I do think they're Chelsea's best two prospects.

Personally I've been impressed with how Hudson-Odoi stepped almost right back into the starting eleven after such an injury. Gotten an assist in both of his two league starts as well.

Yeah, to me he seems to have the right mentality to make it at top level. Biggest question mark is his body in my opinion. It's never a good sign when players start picking up such difficult injuries in their teens.

Lautaro Martinez has looked quality for Inter.

And now he scores

I rarely watch Inter, but yeah he almost always looks good the few times I watch them.

Not clear why Genk have had a goal ruled out against Liverpool.

Can't wait for the super abusive post by jones regarding the refs and Liverpool after that goal Genk goal was disallowed. Don't let us down mate.

Klaus wrote:

Most of the Chelsea fans I've seen seem to think Mount is pretty inferior technically compared to Hudson-Odoi but makes up for it with great mentality and game intelligence. I haven't seen enough of them to judge, but I do think they're Chelsea's best two prospects.

Mount isn't oustanding technically, but he's solid, and the fact that he makes good decisions more often than not helps. Hudson-Odoi is flashier, but when it comes down to it, for me, his touch and technique under pressure isn't good enough. And he's a mess in terms of decision making and awareness. I'm not a fan at all. I think he's an overrated show pony, and the biggest thing he has going for him is he's very direct.

I saw a reasonable amount of him in youth football and thought the same even when he was at that level.

Claudius wrote:

Not clear why Genk have had a goal ruled out against Liverpool.

If it's for a foul then it's an utterly disgraceful decision.

Sancho not showing much vs Inter

MistaT wrote:

Sancho not showing much vs Inter

This Inter team is very, very good though. And the back 3/5 are all really good and experienced defenders. Not easy for anyone to get at them, I'd say.

Sancho nearly scoring at the end of the half.

Dortmund look mediocre. Need to unearth a quality striker.

The way Conte has transformed Inter since he came in is impressive. A good manager is always the most important in any team.

Dortmund is Dortmund, under Favre they are immense bottlers. Throughout his entire career whenever they are about to do something good Favre's team often capitulate.

When did it become okay for a team with Dortmund's resources, and the other good players they have, to play a fat, unfit non-goal threat like Julian Brandt at Number 9? He can't even run the channels.

It's so negative and boring

Wasn't that long ago that a fat, unfit Mario Gotze was playing that position.

They need to fix up.

Clrnc wrote:

The way Conte has transformed Inter since he came in is impressive. A good manager is always the most important in any team.

Dortmund is Dortmund, under Favre they are immense bottlers. Throughout his entire career whenever they are about to do something good Favre's team often capitulate.

Would have been nice to have taken Conte as our manager. A missed opportunity.

deardevil wrote:

Can't wait for the super abusive post by jones regarding the refs and Liverpool after that goal Genk goal was disallowed. Don't let us down mate.

Mate I'm not even watching the game.

jones wrote:

deardevil wrote:

Can't wait for the super abusive post by jones regarding the refs and Liverpool after that goal Genk goal was disallowed. Don't let us down mate.

Mate I'm not even watching the game.

Probably for the best. Downing pints with a Liverpool fan here. Oxlade on the double. Fucking hell!

Lovely finish Candreva. I'd much rather face toothless Dortmund than wily Inter, based on tonight.

jones wrote:

deardevil wrote:

Can't wait for the super abusive post by jones regarding the refs and Liverpool after that goal Genk goal was disallowed. Don't let us down mate.

Mate I'm not even watching the game.

That being said, I'd watch the hell out of an uncensored Last Week Tonight with Jones Oliver. 

Amazing goal from Ikone to equalise in the 95th minute for Lille.

Haaland scored two against Napoli today as well. He's on a nice roll.

Goal of the round has to go to this one though, what a hit:

Fuck Chamberlain.

Couple of outrageous goals scored today

Ox, that's just cheeky

Some other dude with a swerving shot

Sterling has stepped up yet another level. Seriously classy now.

I wonder how truthful the stories on what Arty did for him are. Some of our players like Doozy, Nelson and even Pepe could use the same treatment.

I'm sure they're true but they've probably been a little blown out of proportion. It sounded to me like Guardiola asked Teta to do extra individual work with Sterling on some issues to better utilise him on the wing. Another staff member would probably have gotten results too. Suspect things like this are quite common in a working environment where your job literally is to improve player performance, and the main reason we've heard about Arteta specifically is because Guardiola was being generous and complimented a colleague when he got asked.

Quincy Abeyie wrote:

Haaland scored two against Napoli today as well. He's on a nice roll.

Goal of the round has to go to this one though, what a hit:

His record is incredible. I will gladly sell Laca for him

I love how you sometimes mix up would and could with will and can. Makes you sound like a benevolent dictator gloriously announcing his decisions

I was looking at the VAR decision yesterday and thinking in the other angle Promes was clearly onside, his foot wasn't even in front yet. Now it's clear VAR used the wrong frame to judge offside, way after the ball was kicked.

So VAR overturned a correct decision by the linesman to a wrong one. Ajax utterly robbed.

Entertaining first half this Barcelona v Slavia game. Slavia has had an interesting and fun approach

Slavia playing such a high defensive line at the Nou Camp and making it to 55th minute unscathed is scandalous. Barca are a fading force.

Although, surely one goal will send Slavia tumbling.

There’s your goal, Ricky.

Or not. It is a dangerous game. But Slavia are giving as good as they’re getting here. They’re lucky that some of the Barca guys aren’t as accurate in their passing in the final third as they could be

Very impressive from Slavia.

Slavia have held their own in every single CL game so far this season, supremely impressively coached team.

Barcelona need a new coach badly. Best and most variable attack in the world by far and this is what he has them looking like

Slavia did look remarkably well coached. Everything was right at both ends, they just lacked the quality to make those good positions they found in attack count.

What a performance and what a result for them.

That said, Barca are rubbish at the moment. Valverde's position has to be under threat.