Hello everyone!

I've been gone for a while and this is only my impression of the community after only a few visits but there seems to be an abundant number of topics about things that are non-football related.

What is going on?

Fellas..

FOOTBALL IS BACK! No more never ending transfer rumors that we know don't have legs, no more hyping up teams that we just know will disappoint once the season starts. We have our football matches back instead!

Are we tired of talking about it? I certainly hope not.

Seeing as how there isn't a CL discussion going on even though match-day one is behind us, I figured i'l start one myself.

The Champions League heavyweights, with the exception of the holder, have all started with a statement of intent. Barcelona have demolished Celta, Bayern Munich buried Rasta. Obviously these two teams are the favorites to win the whole thing again, it's quite clear from the very first game who the best teams are.

I like to think of Real Madrid as belonging to that elite little group but since they have just won the competition, the odds are stacked pretty heavily against us. When you add in the fact that Zidane has said our priority is La Liga, you can almost write us off. Almost. Not just quite. As Sporting game has shown, with remontada spirit alive and kicking in all it's glory, I think it'd be fair to say that Real Madrid are outside favorites to win it this year.

No other club in Europe identifies as closely and as intimately with the Champions League as Real Madrid, so despite what Zidane might've said, I know the players will give it their all to try to retain the trophy. Making history CL history is almost synonymous with Real Madrid. But anyway, enough about Real Madrid.

Who do you guys think are the other favorites to win this year? Will there be somebody new to break the cycle of the big three (Real, Bayern, Barca)?

Atletico have come the closest and have lost two finals in the last three years, and seeing as how they kept most of their players, along with a few additions that have actually strengthened them, it's to safe to expect them to at least reach the semis.

Will Guardiola do one better from last year, and take his new club to the final? Anything less than that 'should' be considered a failure, right? They have started the season very well, with new acquisitions adding a lot of depth to their squad. Nolito and Gundogan bring a lot of quality to a side that is already brimming with it. I think they'll go far, but probably not to the final. They're just not at the level of the big three.

It seems like this year will be a transitional year for PSG, and I don't really think they'll go further than quarter finals, and will have to improve dramatically to even reach that.

The only other team that I think is capable of doing something this year is Juventus. Sure, they sold Pogba and some others but new acquisitions Higuain and Pjanic have both impressed on their debuts, and I expect their performances to keep getting better. With Khedira in the form of his life, this looks like it's going to be his best season ever, along with Dybala and the always, always strong defense - they make a strong claim to the trophy. Even though they struggled in their first game of the Champions League drawing at home with Seville, I'm sure they'll pick up steam soon after and will be one of the contenders.

Did I miss anybody? Do you think one of the clubs I haven't mentioned should be considered as favorites? Make your case. :)

Oh by the way, United lost their opening Europea League game against Feyenord. (lol).

Hello everyone!

I've been gone for a while and this is only my impression of the community after only a few visits but there seems to be an abundant number of topics about things that are non-football related.

What is going on?

Fellas..

FOOTBALL IS BACK! No more never ending transfer rumors that we know don't have legs, no more hyping up teams that we just know will disappoint once the season starts. We have our football matches back instead!

Are we tired of talking about it? I certainly hope not.

Seeing as how there isn't a CL discussion going on even though match-day one is behind us, I figured i'l start one myself.

The Champions League heavyweights, with the exception of the holder, have all started with a statement of intent. Barcelona have demolished Celta, Bayern Munich buried Rasta. Obviously these two teams are the favorites to win the whole thing again, it's quite clear from the very first game who the best teams are.

I like to think of Real Madrid as belonging to that elite little group but since they have just won the competition, the odds are stacked pretty heavily against us. When you add in the fact that Zidane has said our priority is La Liga, you can almost write us off. Almost. Not just quite. As Sporting game has shown, with remontada spirit alive and kicking in all it's glory, I think that Real Madrid are outside favorites to retain the trophy.

No other club in Europe identifies as closely and as intimately with the Champions League as Real Madrid, so despite what Zidane might've said, I know the players will give it their all to try to retain the trophy. Making history CL history is almost synonymous with Real Madrid. But anyway, enough about Real Madrid.

Who do you guys think are the other favorites to win this year? Will there be somebody new to break the cycle of the big three (Real, Bayern, Barca)?

Atletico have come the closest and have lost two finals in the last three years, and seeing as how they kept most of their players, along with a few additions that have actually strengthened them, it's to safe to expect them to at least reach the semis.

Will Guardiola do one better from last year, and take his new club to the final? Anything less than that 'should' be considered a failure, right? They have started the season very well, with new acquisitions adding a lot of depth to their squad. Nolito and Gundogan bring a lot of quality to a side that is already brimming with it. I think they'll go far, but probably not to the final. They're just not at the level of the big three.

It seems like this year will be a transitional year for PSG, and I don't really think they'll go further than quarter finals, and will have to improve dramatically to even reach that.

The only other team that I think is capable of doing something this year is Juventus. Sure, they sold Pogba and some others but new acquisitions Higuain and Pjanic have both impressed on their debuts, and I expect their performances to keep getting better. With Khedira in the form of his life, this looks like it's going to be his best season ever, along with Dybala and the always, always strong defense - they make a strong claim to the trophy. Even though they struggled in their first game of the Champions League drawing at home with Seville, I'm sure they'll pick up steam soon after and will be one of the contenders.

Did I miss anybody? Do you think one of the clubs I haven't mentioned should be considered as favorites? Make your case. :)

Oh by the way, United lost their opening Europea League game against Feyenord. (lol).

Words of wisdom in a land of deafness...

It's pretty irritating how every thread where both tiki and lodatz comment its always the same thing. Long has been abandons the discussion about the CL and instead we have lodatz simply trying to pick apart anything that tiki says, great job.

It's even more irritating how tiki starts a fight, I remain calm, stay on topic and explain why I think he's wrong, and then you say we're both as bad as each other.

This is why the forum died.

Stop blaming me for tiki taka being a troll.

It's pretty irritating how every thread where both tiki and lodatz comment its always the same thing. Long has been abandons the discussion about the CL and instead we have lodatz simply trying to pick apart anything that tiki says, great job.

It's even more irritating how tiki starts a fight, I remain calm, stay on topic and explain why I think he's wrong, and then when he starts to derail the thread you say we're both as bad as each other.

This is why the forum died.

Stop blaming me for tiki taka being a troll.

It's pretty irritating how every thread where both tiki and lodatz comment its always the same thing. Long has been abandons the discussion about the CL and instead we have lodatz simply trying to pick apart anything that tiki says, great job.

It's even more irritating how tiki starts a fight, I remain calm, stay on topic and explain why I think he's wrong, and then when he starts to derail the thread you say we're both as bad as each other.

This is why the forum died.

Stop blaming me for tiki taka being a troll. Start actually reading what is written, instead. Isn't that the actual point of a forum?

I told you don't masturbate, what's your point lodatz?

Here it is:

City has 2 critical weapons to count in in big games,

Now you've changed it to BIG games, eh? Well, didn't you say that they havene't played any big games yet? If they haven't played any big games yet, then how can you possibly say that they have only 2 weapons for it? That makes no sense, and in addition, they have already played United, and who scored? Oh, yeah, Iheanacho scored and assisted.

You literally do not know what you are talking about.

Since United Saf there was no English club stronger than Bayern-Barca-Madrid so technically what Pep will do this season in PL, he could have done worst with his much stronger Bayern or in charge of Barca.

You don't understand what a league is. I already showed you the difference between the PL and La Liga, but you are, as always, ignoring the facts which you don't like. And bringing up Bayern or Juventus is HILARIOUS, because at least Spain's league has 2 horses. The Bundesliga and Serie A are even worse, and have been for the last few years. Wanna see?

Look at the last 6 seasons, across all leagues. Bayern and Juve are in a one-horse league, so of course you can;t compare their league form to the PL, where there are 6 teams competing for Top 4, and even the bottom-table teams can hurt you.

You literally have no idea what you are talking about. Again.

I'm off to work, but you have fun with more of your verbal masturbation. Me? I'll just keep making actual sense,. and having actual facts on my side.

Ciao!

I told you don't masturbate, what's your point lodatz?

Well, as detailed a number of times now, you are wrong about City relying on only 2 players, you are wrong about Tottenham in Europe, you are wrong about the leagues and why the PL is harder, and you tried to pick a fight with me and KTB, which you then ran away from the moment I responded to you with facts.

Why don't you ever answer the point?

@Everyone else: stop falling for this nonsense. If you want a forum with decent discussion, then you have to prepared to actually READ what has been written. Otherwise, you will just simply let him get away with it again, and this forum will continue to be exactly the same way it has been for the last, oh, 2 years or so.

How To Derail Threads 101: A Tutorial by Lodatz & Tiki_taka.

How to raise a false equivalence because you don't want your mate to get busted for being a troll, by Dynastian.

@Lodatz Don't call this forum dead, please don't, we're might not be doing as many interesting thread as other used to in your time but we there is still people making thread and working to try to make it interesting for other user who come by. When you say that this forum is dead, its kind of like if you disrespected that work we put on making those thread. So please don't call it dead, for some of us, it is very much alive. :(

@Emobot7: You might be making it alive again, but that doesn't mean it didn't die, and that doesn't excuse the reason WHY it died.

I hope you do succeed in making it fun and vibrant again, but you won't do it by letting tiki derail threads and failing to read what is actually written. It's not disrespecting your work to point out why the work isn't getting the desired result.

@Emobot7: You might be making it alive again, but that doesn't mean it didn't die, and that doesn't excuse the reason WHY it died.

I hope you do succeed in making it fun and vibrant again, but you won't do it by letting tiki derail threads and failing to read what is actually written. It's not disrespecting your work to point out why the work isn't getting the desired result.

Basically: stop falling for this nonsense. If you want a forum with decent discussion, then you have to prepared to actually READ what has been written. Otherwise, you will just simply let him get away with it again, and this forum will continue to be exactly the same way it has been for the last few years or so, and all of your hard work will go to waste.

Just like every other time someone has tried over the last few years. It always ends the same way, because the same problem is still there.

@Emobot7: You might be making it alive again, but that doesn't mean it didn't die, and that doesn't excuse the reason WHY it died.

I hope you do succeed in making it fun and vibrant again, but you won't do it by letting tiki derail threads and not bothering to read what is actually written. It's not disrespecting your work to point out why the work isn't getting the desired result.

Basically all I can tell you is: stop falling for this nonsense. If you want a forum with decent discussion, then you have to prepared to actually READ what has been written. Otherwise, you will just simply let him get away with it again, and this forum will continue to be exactly the same way it has been for the last few years or so, and all of your hard work will go to waste.

Just like every other time someone has tried over the last few years. It always ends the same way, because the same problem is still there, and people who have better things to do with their time get bored of dealing with it, and they go away, leaving you with fewer people to actually have discussions at all.

I wish you the best of luck with that, and next time I poke my head in I hope it's worked out. :)

@Salahadin To be sincere, I think seeing Pep Manchester City play against Real Madrid would be pretty interesting. 8) But anyway, we'll know soon if Manchester City can fight against the biggest team out there since they are playing against Barca soon. So excited. :D

Lodatz [Tottenham Hotspur, England]
Posts: 143 | Comments: 4155
And, since we are now on page 2, so that the point doesn't get lost, I will show it again:

City relies on 2 big players, but imo only 2 KDB And Aguero, hope They dont get injured in March.
Who on Earth says that they are reliant upon 2 players? They've played 5 games, and this is where they are at:

de Bruyne: 2 goals, 3 assists
Sterling: 3 goals, 2 assists
Aguero: 3 goals
Iheanacho: 2 goals, 3 assists
Nolito: 2 goals, 1 assist

I don't think I need to read the rest of this discussion to know how it is going... but then I found this gem, clearly trying to pick a fight:

How is life for City without KDB in CL And PL ?
Cant even size a player importance, only stats and Fifa ratings as a vision. Results will hit you hard again and again, nothing new.
Sterling in big games or Ihenacho ? Okay.
And I'm being kind here to consider the game against Spurs as a big game....