Europa League 2018/19

Pedro missing in the most incredible way from just a few yards facing a helpless keeper. Extremely shaky defending by Dynamo. Should've been 2-0.

Another big chance for Chelsea, this time it was Barkley. Kyiv still alive on the scoreboard, but they're pretty horrible on the pitch.

@Arquitescu - Didn't expect Napoli to be leading so comfortably this soon. I mean, they are clearly favorites, no doubt about that, but already 2-0 up against Salzburg is quite great and reassuring I'd say.

I dont know Vlady given how unpredictable and defeatist Italian teams can be in Europe when it doesn't serve their agenda its hard to predict especially given Napoli are historically terrible in Europa league but they seem to be cruising so far without any threat indeed.

3-0 Napoli with an OG header that would make Llorente blush.

Did Arsenal seriously lose to these guys????

Well Arq, thinking about the recent turnarounds, I feel some hesitation in saying this, but I think Napoli has this in the pocket.

Chelsea - Dynamo game was completely dominated by the English side so far and I am surprised it's only 2-0 and not 5 or 6 tbh. Not sure if Chelsea played very well or Kyiv is actually this bad.

M99 wrote:Did Arsenal seriously lose to these guys????

They lost to Breton farmers, by far the farmiest part of France.

Sarr is a beast

Hudson-Odoi scored the third goal for Chelsea. Easy match for the London side, no troubles expected in Ukraine in my opinion. I enjoyed the way they played, but I know the first time they'll face a team that can actually defend and attack David Luiz won't look so comfortable anymore.

Hot damn, Napoli are really going for EL. Looks like Inter too, but they're mostly limping.

Also, I've watched the 2nd half of Rennes vs Arsenal. I want to say a few words about this too because it was quite shocking to see a top EPL side being exposed like that against an opposition that perhaps was terribly underestimated.

Most likely the match was lost because of the red card, but the actual reason for it is because Arsenal didn't read the high pressing game of Rennes in some key moments of the second half and they were stubborn enough to keep trying to make the transition from defense to midfield with ground passing even though they were clearly destined to fail. Rennes loved to stay up because Arsenal's players were contextually outnumbered and unable to build up fast enough with the required precision in order to make them pay for their erratic but ambitious pressing.

I think Mustafi and Guendozi were the worst. They were sloppy with the ball, moving too slow, lacking any reaction or agility, misplacing passes like they were paid for it and that's the general problem that persisted in the defensive line and how Rennes scored the 2nd goal and managed to avoid any kind of pressure from the English team by staying in attack for a good while.

But, the last goal conceded was the worst for Arsenal. Players were so chaotic when keeping track of their positions for some time that it didn't even surprise me that much when Sarr was left alone in an imminent situation of goal. In my view, Arsenal should've stayed more compact taking into consideration the circumstances and either stay more sharp and pass faster or use more vertical passes, even long ones to surprise Rennes' exposed back line. But, instead, the midfielders were kinda hiding from the defenders and vice versa, yet still trying to cooperate somehow. The fragility in defense, midfield and poor tactics made Arsenal unable to create dangerously in attack.

Inter are basically screwed for the second leg.

Did not capitalise on the opportunity to grab the away goal in Frankfurt let alone a penalty saved by Kevin Krapp.

Now the 2nd leg will be an empty San Siro since Interisti never show up for Europa League the snobs they are.

Oh, Icardi will continue his weekly passive aggressive whingefest whilst Lautaro is suspended which means?

Former Captain Andrea Rannochia to be false #9 for Inter in the second leg.

No I am not joking.

FABIAN RUIZ PENA

Eintracht - Inter 0-0 , the result was right. Inter better on 1st half, Frankfurt better on 2nd half.

No doubts about MOTM for me , Stefan De Vrij.
Great player and great man

| BASTA CHIEDERE@Stefandevrij #UEL #Eintracht #AwayDays pic.twitter.com/NwYZw8DhBo

— Inter (@Inter) 7 marzo 2019

Anyone surprised by Rennes win should have watched their match against Betis. They are a very good team, I can't believe they're only 10th in Ligue 1, they do some of the fastest counterattacking teams I've seen this season. Certainly a couple of their young players like Sarr and Bourigeaud caught my eyes as well as more experienced ones like Ben Arfa, Grenier and Niang.

Chances are they will bottle it at Emirates, as it is a French custom now, whether it is WW2 or Champions League, but still.

WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE

didn't know Cedric was at Inter lol

Politano

BorjitOoOoOoO

how the fuck does Ranocchia still play for Inter?! in 2019?!

I want the Spanish and Italian teams to go through so they recuperate the UEFA coefficients lost in CL.

Firenze wrote:didn't know Cedric was at Inter lol

Politano

BorjitOoOoOoO

how the fuck does Ranocchia still play for Inter?! in 2019?!

We have injuries , banned players, and short list because of FFP (we could not insert Joao Mario Gagliardini Dalbert)

So we're forced to play with Ranocchia ( Miranda Is injured), Skriniar as DM (he Is a CB of course, Brozovic Is injured ), Cedric ( Asamoah Is banned) , Borja (Nainggolan Is injured), Politano as CF ( Lautaro Is banned, Icardi Is ... )

No idea how Eintracht can bottle this, there are even 13'500 Eintracht fans at Milano today

Capitano Icardi still handicapping his team

Rannochia on the field, Skriniar in midfield, Politano CF, Broja alive. If Eintracht can't beat this Inter team then what's even the point of them competing.

Well the starter Is Lautaro

Lautaro is suspended (and from the first leg in Frankfurt) Robes.

Surprised you didnt catch that.

Inter will likely feel Keita as their main striking threat if not a 4-4-2 with Keita and Perisic up front.

Arquitescu wrote:Lautaro is suspended (and from the first leg in Frankfurt) Robes.

Surprised you didnt catch that.

Inter will likely feel Keita as their main striking threat if not a 4-4-2 with Keita and Perisic up front.

No ,I've written it above to Firenze ( banned, but I meant suspended, I didn't know the proper English term)

Simply it becomes useless to talk still about Icardi, he Is a former Inter player and our starter Is Lautaro now. Therefore problem Is the Lautaro absence ( he was stupid to get yellow card on first leg..)

I expect Keita just on 2nd half, he hasn't been playing a match for three months

Well impressive

F-A-N-T-A-S-T-I-C -  Eintracht fans in Milan.#SGEuropa #InterSGE pic.twitter.com/YYDQVDBrRf

— Eintracht Frankfurt (@eintracht_eng) March 14, 2019

15,000 travelling fans

rincon wrote:Capitano Icardi still handicapping his team

Rannochia on the field, Skriniar in midfield, Politano CF, Broja alive. If Eintracht can't beat this Inter team then what's even the point of them competing.

You do realize that it is a huge surprise and colossal overachievement that this Eintracht is even in the EL, let alone survive group stages , winning a veritable group of death no less.
This club has been relegated from Bundesliga several times in the last couple of decades, perennial and severe financial struggles, the cup win last season the first title since 30 years.
Winning against Inter at the San Siro would be an absolutely outrageous achievement. Of course Inter are favourites by any measure.

Anyway that lineup should be fake

Now Sky talks about Skriniar on defence, Keita as starter ...

Eintracht are favorite also because 0-0 is a good result away, Bayern can just confirm it.