Champions League Final Sat May 28th KO 8pm

This topic contains 196 replies, has 24 voices, and was last updated by MrMakaveli MrMakaveli 1 year, 10 months ago.

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  • #2098313
    Rob Fort Worth TX
    Rob Fort Worth TX
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    • :

    The BIG un.’

    When Real Madrid get to a European Cup/Champions League Final they usually win it.

    The last time they didn’t was against…..us, back in 1981. Since then they’ve got to 7 finals and won ’em all including our last meeting 4 years ago.

    They are just big game monsters and I don’t expect them to be anything less this weekend.

    They have been resting/rotating players over the last two games games resulting in two draws. I fully expect a front line of Viniscus, Benzema and Rodrygo, a midfield of Kroos, Casemiro and Modric and a back line of Carvajal, Eder, Nacho and Mendy with Courtois, of course, between the sticks. Great bench to call up upon too with the likes Isco, Ceballos (former Arsenal player), Valverde, Hazard, Ascensio, the list goes on.

    They currently have a full squad compliment to call upon unlike us. Not counting Gareth Bale as he’s rarely available. What a life.

    Fabinho is back in training this week and it’s highly unlikely Thiago will make it despite what Luis Enrique has said (not serious). You just knew from his body language he’s done. His injury list gets longer. Shame, because he controls the temp of our team and delivered that audacious pass to Mane for the equaliser yesterday.

    My worry is:

    1. Our leggy performances of late (understandable)
    2. Our porousness
    3. Our desperation in the attacking third
    4. Jota off the boil completely and Diaz, despite creating mayhem, doesn’t have a consistent final product (yet). It’s certainly not thru lack of trying that’s for sure!

    But, there is an omen. Our last two major final victories I have had to work (League Cup and FA Cup). I didn’t have to work at the Europa League Final v Sevilla and the CL Final v Madrid in 2018. We know how all those finished and guess what? I have to work this Saturday.

    Starting XI?

    Alisson, Trent, Matip, VVD, Robbo, Henderson, Fabinho, Milner, Mane, Bobby and Mo.

    I wish Keita had lit up the field yesterday but he didn’t. How many more chances?
    Jones, no. Ox, no. What’s left? Milner. He gets the nod I think.

    Now, despite me working Saturday, Thiago’s injury and Fabinho’s potential rustiness worries me. It’s great we have our full compliment of defenders and attackers available (even Gomez might make the bench) games are won and lost in the engine room and Saturday may highlight further what I’ve been banging on about for the last few years since Phil left, a midfield game changer, one that can pop up with a goal every three games or so and contribute in the creative dept. in that area of the pitch. City have scoring mids, we don’t.

    As soon as Thiago went off yesterday, I got visions in my head of a predictable, ponderous midfield against Madrid. If that happens the midfield triumvirate above will rip us a new one. Hope I am severely wrong.

    2-1 for Madrid AET.

    #2098315

    redsforever
    Participant
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    Theres a slim chance that thiago will be fit.

    #2098316

    redsforever
    Participant
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    But weve just looked so tired in the last few games and not at our usual sharpness.

    #2098320
    Rob Fort Worth TX
    Rob Fort Worth TX
    Participant
    • :

    Reds, this week at Kirby will all be about body mgmt and video analysis. We will want to slow Madrid down. They aren’t a team that usually goes full throttle, they’re patient and wait for their opportunities.

    Yesterday the spaces between our full backs (first goal) got exposed. Lacking Virgil back there definitely has an effect but the likes of Rodrygo and in particular the lightning bolt, Viniscus, worries me greatly.

    Our two deepest mids will have their work cut out for sure ensuring that Trent and Robbo are protected but most sides have repeatedly exposed those areas (our playing style of course) but Madrid won’t be in awe of our ‘style’ Saturday, Kroos, Casemiro and Modric will look to fully capitalise on ‘our style’ out of possession.

    But, our style has got us to three finals, four really, so our style could easily get us number seven at the weekend.

    Just a got a hunch Ancelloti’s bunch (I’m a poet and don’t know it) will prevail.

    #2098328

    gingerlfc
    Participant
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    The forever pessimist.

    #2098332

    redsforever
    Participant
    • :

    I think we’ll beat them. Just not as confident as i was before. I still think our forwards will be too strong for their defence.

    #2098334

    redsforever
    Participant
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    I think they’ll struggle in set pieces with our height.

    #2098337
    Rob Fort Worth TX
    Rob Fort Worth TX
    Participant
    • :

    The forever argumentatist. I bet the poor lady in the Post Office gets it too, the newspaper lad, the check out lass at Tesco’s.

    Always respected your opinions Ginger over the years but lately you have become a little nauseous. No need pal. Just opinions and sorry if so go against what you think. That’s life.

    FYI, my last 15 predictions have been 10 wins and 5 draws, no defeats. Not overly pessimistic methinks.

    Let’s hear your view of the game Ginger bringing in how we’ve been performing, how we’ll defeat Madrid’s excellent 433 system, who’ll start, outcome?

    #2098338
    Rob Fort Worth TX
    Rob Fort Worth TX
    Participant
    • :

    Reds, they’re not too shabby getting on the end of their set pieces too with Casemiro, Nacho, Eder coming up for them.

    #2098339

    redsforever
    Participant
    • :

    6’4 Vvd and 6’4 konate/matip up against 6’1 Eder militao and 5’11 nacho in corners. Fabinho is taller than casemiro. I think we can get some joy provided trent gets his form back. His passing by his high standards hasnt been very good recently.

    #2098341
    Rob Fort Worth TX
    Rob Fort Worth TX
    Participant
    • :

    Here’s hoping Reds. 352?

    Matip, VVD, Konate
    Trent, Henderson, Fabinho, Firmino, Robbo
    Mo and Mane

    Interesting! Extra centre half set piece weapon, confuse and bamboozle the buggars!

    #2098343

    redsforever
    Participant
    • :

    No… We’ll probably confuse ourselves too🤣

    #2098348
    Rob Fort Worth TX
    Rob Fort Worth TX
    Participant
    • :

    Yes, LOL, likely. With our midfield woes atm and their quality in that area I would be tempted for an extra body in mid. Hendo, Fab (if fit), Milner, Bobby? Diamond 442? Surprise em. 433 (the Liverpool system) has got us where we are tho and a change in system cost Pep this time last year (no designated DM).

    #2098353

    gingerlfc
    Participant
    • :

    Rob, I think for every game we’ve played in the last few weeks you’ve said we’d lose or drop points.

    It isn’t argumentative to point that out.

    #2098357
    Rob Fort Worth TX
    Rob Fort Worth TX
    Participant
    • :

    It’s not being a pessimist Ginger, just my observational and honest assessment/prediction. No harm in that.

    My predictions in caps and actual results in parenthesis:

    Wolves WIN (won)
    Soton DRAW (won)
    FA Cup LOSE (won)
    Spurs DRAW (drew)
    Villareal (both legs) WIN (won)
    Newcastle DRAW (won)
    Everton WIN (won)
    United DRAW (battered!)
    FA Cup Semi WIN (won)
    Benfica (both legs) WIN (won both)
    City DRAW (drew)
    Watford WIN (won)
    Forest WIN (won)

    * Correction from last post. Guessed 9 wins, 5 draws, 1 loss. A 93% ‘won’t lose’ ratio.

    This was based on the periodisation (# of games in that 7-10 day stretch), previous game, injuries, rotation, energy levels, opposition form, personal ‘vibes’, reverse psychology etc etc. Pessimism wasn’t part of that.

    Just part and parcel of my pre-game posts that I have been doing since 1996.

    #2098360

    gingerlfc
    Participant
    • :

    My apologies.
    It wasn’t every game in the last few weeks.
    Just most of them.

    #2098362
    Rob Fort Worth TX
    Rob Fort Worth TX
    Participant
    • :

    Apology accepted. Doesn’t mean I’m a pessimist. Far from it. ‘Balanced’ – a better word.

    My only focus right now is getting rid of this bastard mosquito in my house!

    Maybe it’s karma for being a ‘pessimist’! Lol.

    #2098363
    MrMakaveli
    MrMakaveli
    Blocked
    • :

    I’ll take some cautious pessimism over the endless YT morons who think we’ve already beaten Real.

    If Fabinho and Thiago don’t play, I dont think we’ll win, simple.

    I’d love to be wrong, I just dont under-estimate Real. In my own case, would this make me pessimistic? I wouldnt think so, and I’ve honestly not really remembered anyone else’s “track record”, if that’s the right way to put it

    #2098365

    gingerlfc
    Participant
    • :

    And there he is.
    Just in time.
    Making it about him.

    #2098366
    MrMakaveli
    MrMakaveli
    Blocked
    • :

    I didnt mean to end my comment there but, I’ll add that were we not looking incredibly tired the last few games, were Salah in pre-AFCON form, were our players not all getting fatigue related injuries, and were we at full strength (obviously) I’d favour us against any team in the world, including Man City.

    I don’t think real have had to work anywhere near as hard as we have this season. The adrenaline on th enight might get us through it but Real will be looking to hit us on the break and if we defend anywhere near like we didnt against Wolves early on, we could be in serious trouble.
    [
    Luckily Van Dijk will be back. 6 days is a good amount of rest for everyone else. Fabinho will surely start and hopefully he’ll be near full fitness. Thiago would have been vital but it’s a race against time that we’ve got to win.
    [
    Not all going against us, as the injuries we’ve picked up have been rather mild, seemingly.
    [
    There’s a lot to be worried about and a lot to gain some positivity from. it’s a mixed bag.

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