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My picks to advance...

Champions League

Liverpool vs. Porto
Man United vs. Barcelona

Tottenham vs. Man City
Ajax vs. Juventus



Europa League

Arsenal vs. Napoli
Villarreal vs. Valencia

Benfica vs. Frankfurt
Slavia Prague vs. Chelsea
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[ J ] - [ S ] - [ F ]



My picks to advance...

Champions League

Liverpool vs. Porto
Man United vs. Barcelona

Tottenham vs. Man City
Ajax vs. Juventus



Europa League

Arsenal vs. Napoli
Villarreal vs. Valencia

Benfica vs. Frankfurt
Slavia Prague vs. Chelsea
Hard to argue with that unfortunately, maybe Tottenham can get a decent result at the new stadium and the 2nd leg will actually be a good game



I didn't expect us to go through, let alone win so comfortably. We didn't even get out of the second gear.
This was what I expected in the first leg and was surprised it didn't happen. I know Bayern sat back and decided that preventing Liverpool scoring was key, but I still expected them to do it.

As for us, we desperately need to win some silverware. I totally expect Zidane to be provided with a massive transfer kitty and he will most probably come for Salah. For those who don't know, one of the reasons he resigned was because he wanted to replace Bale with Salah and Perez denied his request. Can't see him saying no to Zidane again.

Ideally I don't want to lose Salah, but he can be replaced and we have options, including the young Wilson who has been brilliant at Derby. However, if they come for Van Dijk and if they succeed then the club will substantially regress in quality. The man is not a rock but the entire Himalayas and frankly can't be replaced.
I agree with you about Van Dijk. While Salah had a world class season last season, I still don't think he's world class and, while he's very good in that system, I don't think he's irreplaceable at all. I also don't think he'll ever have another season that good. That's not to run him down, just that if Real come in with a stupid amount of money (which if they want him, they'll have to) then I don't think it's the end for this Liverpool team so long as they replace him with the right player. Of course, I also said that we'd seen the best of Ronaldo at United, so I have history of being monumentally wrong when it comes to this stuff.

I'm a big fan of Van Dijk though and wanted him and Wanyama for United when they were at Celtic. Still a little baffled as to why both of those players were 'allowed' to move to the Premier League for 'so little' when United needed both (and they were both better than what we had in their roles, IMO) and we were running the club on bargains anyway. If he went, I think he might be irreplaceable. For that season, anyway.

Messi is still better then Ronaldo, and will always be.
My point wasn't about the overall player, just pressure penalties.

Well, we're out of the cup. I know a lot of people run the cup down, but I'm old and therefore can still remember when it was every young boys dream to lift the cup for their team, as it was mine and I love the FA Cup. Also, as a United fan in the 70's and 80's, with Liverpool dominating, it was our best chance of winning something most seasons.

That was the performance I was expecting at Arsenal last weekend. After the emotions of PSG, there's got to be a drop and I'd have rather it came last week (when we lost anyway) than a FA Cup quarter final. We looked tired and out of ideas. Wolves seemed to make just as many mistakes, but had it when it counted. But for a couple of good saves, it could've been a lot worse. Or, maybe it would've woken them up a bit?

I think pretty much everyone sees the CL draw playing out the same way. Oddly, the one tie which might cause a shock is the City/Spurs one, IMO. Odd because City are probably the best team left in the competition. Odds on a Messi/Ronaldo final?

As for the Europa League, I'd think that if Napoli can get past Arsenal (which I think they well) then they've got to be favourites for the whole thing.

Lastly, another one for the Spurs fans (well, anyone, but it's their club so I'd like to hear their thoughts) how many players are you going to lose this summer? I think Poch will stay (I couldn't see him leaving for United this summer but did think he'd be off to Real) and Real has said Zidane will have a huge amount of money this summer (I've seen £300m but I don't know if they actually have that much to spend unless it includes sales) I don't see either of the PSG prizes going there this summer, but I think Ericsson could well be on his way and I thought they'd go for Kane last summer and think moreso this. Toby's available for £26m this summer, so I think United (among others) will be in and I wouldn't be completely surprised if someone came in for Lloris either. I'm not saying all those player will go, but if one or two do, surely it's only a matter of time before others finally take the cash from someone.

Do we have any Real fans? Again, who's coming in and going out this summer? I don't know about Bale. I keep hearing he'll go to United or that it's the only feasible option for him, but I think the most feasible option for him is to stay where he is. £100m for a 30 year old with his injury record and £600,000 a week? Even if Woodward wanted to play fantasy branding football I'm not sure the numbers would add up and I really don't see Ole going for it (if he stays) when we're already well stocked for players where he plays and, if we're going to get a new player wide left, Jadon Sancho would be a more likely option, IMO.

The midfield needs refreshing. It might just be a world cup hangover, but Modric and Kroos both look spent. Marcello has made noises about his time maybe being up at Real and if they do bring in a real world class striker, I don't see the point of Benzema hanging around or of Real wanting to keep him.

There might be a few out at Barca too, with rumours constantly flying about Malcolm, Coutinho and Rakitic.
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I guess Porto will have to crush Liverpool. Will be fun.
From your keyboard to Gods eyes.

I don't see it happening myself. No offence, but Porto were the one draw everyone wanted. Not that that means they can't win.

Why have VAR at some games in a round of the FA Cup and not others? It makes no sense. They're really making this whole VAR thing a lot more difficult than it needs to be, which will lead to it being overwhelmingly disliked, even if it mostly works. Every time something is 'mis-interpreted' it's going to be an issue.



I know that's what they say. Firstly, if that's the case, don't use it at all/until there are just teams which do. Secondly, Swansea don't have the money/adequate facilities? They were in the Premier League until this season and for a good few years too. Also they are still getting the parachute payments. The VAR uses the TV cameras (Sky/BT) and calibrate before each game. That's why the whole thing about Chelsea using their own cameras to 'prove' their version of events (a couple of months ago, do you remember?) for offside was pointless.



I know that's what they say. Firstly, if that's the case, don't use it at all/until there are just teams which do. Secondly, Swansea don't have the money/adequate facilities? They were in the Premier League until this season and for a good few years too. Also they are still getting the parachute payments. The VAR uses the TV cameras (Sky/BT) and calibrate before each game. That's why the whole thing about Chelsea using their own cameras to 'prove' their version of events (a couple of months ago, do you remember?) for offside was pointless.
But they're fronting money for VAR to only use it in cup games? What if they went out in the 2nd round? The league should be paying for it



I agree that the league should pay, but the whole thing is a bodge anyway, so if you get that far and you can afford it you should have to have it or agree to play at a stadium which does have it. Probably the other team by that point in the competition. Or just not have it at all for the competition.

I mean, the whole thing is a crap shoot as anyone who watched the Wolves/United game saw, both with the penalty which wasn't on Rashford and the sending off which was, then wasn't but should've been with Lindelöf. They didn't even have monitors at the side of the pitch for the ref to look at! He just took the advice/word of the VAR and overruled himself. Wrongly, IMO.

I know other leagues around the world are using VAR and that there are pros and cons. I know some will never like it and others love it and that there have been 'mistakes' in those games involving VAR. But are they at least all using the same guidelines or is each FA doing as they want/see fit? ATM the FA are just throwing lots of mud and seeing what sticks. Hopefully it'll bring about a better system next season( it's the FA so I have no faith it will) with things learned from each experiment, but did anyone really think not letting the ref review his own decision could be a good idea?



I didn't think Lindelof's was a straight red, it wasn't studs or anything, yellow for sure but that would've been one of the softest reds I'd've seen for a while

VAR was always going to be trial and error, how are they supposed to know what works and what doesn't before they've even used it? Different leagues play at different paces too

watched this yesterday:


thought it was pretty interesting
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can i have one of those buttons?



I didn't think Lindelof's was a straight red, it wasn't studs or anything, yellow for sure but that would've been one of the softest reds I'd've seen for a while
For me, he's gone through the player. He's out of control and it's reckless. Straight red. But fouls are all about opinions, which is why the ref should look at it himself, rather than take the opinion of someone else, IMO

If you'd been on the VAR, you'd have done what was done. Had I been there, I wouldn't have asked him to change his mind. But surely if someone is going to ask the ref to change his mind, he has to be able to review it himself in order to do that? That's why I think to have that particular experiment was pointless. The problem which arose was obvious from the start.

VAR was always going to be trial and error, how are they supposed to know what works and what doesn't before they've even used it? Different leagues play at different paces too

watched this yesterday:


thought it was pretty interesting
Thanks for that. I'd heard he was coming over and had been miked up for his last game but hadn't seen/heard any of it. That's something else I think should become a standard at the elite level. Miked refs. Not for live broadcast necessarily, though I'm sure most of us would like that, but for controversial decisions so we can hear/see the thought process after the fact.



OK, before I start this I want to acknowledge that I'm the idiot here for not expecting the reaction.

That said, what is this kneejerk reaction to United losing three in four? Ole gets the job. Everyone seems to go "YAY!" "About time" But already I've seen/heard people wondering if it was the right appointment? Unbelievable. Nothing has changed except the results. If people thought United was 'fixed' because OIe had won a string of games, then they haven't been paying attention to anything other than results or don't know football (there's probably truth in both of those). We won at the weekend, but Watford played really well, came at us and we didn't play well. We did take the chances though. Last night we could've been 3 up in about 20 minutes. If that'd happened we'd have probably won the game quite comfortably and no one says anything. We managed one (the difficult one which really wasn't a chance) then made a couple of mistakes, Young acted like an idiot and put us in an even worse position and we lost. We beat PSG, but we all know we shouldn't have. De Gea has still had to be making big, world class saves at least once in most games and the defence, while looking better, still doesn't look good. Hence the need for the saves. Pogba is starting to remind me a bit of Rooney. Often you can tell in the first 20 minutes whether or not he'll have a bad game. Not always that he'll have a good game, but definitely a bad one. Last night was one of those nights. Though his supporting cast wasn't much help last night to get him out of it.

I think Ole is trying to see what works best for this group, last night's line up (both in terms of team selection and set up) was about that IMO.

I don't know if Ole will work out or not. I do know he wasn't the best manager for the job (that's undeniable.) I don't know how available Poch is this summer (I think it'd be really difficult to get him out of Spurs without having a season in their new stadium because he's very comfortable and worshipped there. The cost isn't the issue, IMO) if Allegri is available this summer (as is rumoured) then obviously he's the better manager. Despite all that, I'm not sure I can blame United for giving Ole the job. He's the easy option and the cheap option, but probably not the best option. But I don't think the board or owners have the balls for the big decisions and telling the fans that Ole has done everything asked of him, but we're sticking to the plan and we think there's a better option out there would turn everyone against them and make the start for the new manager very difficult. A bit like Fergie, there'd always be this spectre of Ole hanging over the place and lots of "what if's..." Plus, do United even have a plan in place? If not, then this going with the flow happenstance is in keeping with how they've operated for years now.

I also think it'd have been sensible to wait until the end of the season. If we finish in 6th, maybe it'd be easier to get someone else? Maybe the fans would look at things differently? So why go now? Because of the above and it's season ticket renewal time seems the obvious reason to me. If things don't work out, next season might be easier to get someone (Poch, unless Zidane also doesn't work out second time around) and the cost of getting rid of Ole won't be anything for United to worry about. Also, the board can say they did their best to give him what he asked for, but it just didn't work out.

But it puts us another season behind, another season with others, who are already much better than us, improving. Each season we don't catch up, the rest get a little further away and we have to make up even more.

The time to take charge was this summer. But, fingers crossed.



Ole will be fine, even if you finish 5th remember the position you were in before his 1st match (not just in the league) let him have a whole season before getting the pitchforks out lol. Unfortunately there are still United fans out there that expect to win every single game so 1 shocking loss brings some sort of Apocalypse



Get ready to see the best stadium in the UK guys
Be you talking about the one that's home to this rather odd looking creature??????




Get ready to see the best stadium in the UK guys
Be you talking about the one that's home to this rather odd looking creature??????

Lmfao you must've posted the wrong pic, all I see is a majestic animal



Lmfao you must've posted the wrong pic, all I see is a majestic animal
Ahhhhh yes, my bad - the gooskey hybrid is indeed a majestic creature



Be you talking about the one that's home to this rather odd looking creature??????

I like that they left the dent in it which Gazza put there by shooting it with an air rifle.