Re: Who is going to be next year's Dark Horse CL finalist?

by BarrileteCosmico Sat Aug 01, 2015 12:30 am

Can anyone that regularly reaches quarters be called a dark horse, really? Other than Arsenal and Valencia, of course.

by Myesyats Sat Aug 01, 2015 12:38 am

El Shaarawy wrote:PSG imo

woah completely missed out on this one, not even in the pool.

good call sir

by Adit Sat Aug 01, 2015 2:01 am

While Arsenal do have a chance most neutrals wont favor arsenal against Teams like PSG,Chelsea,Atletico and Juventus. Over the years they have given us the impression that they dont have necessary top class tactician nor mentality to play these kind of tough big CL games.

by InteristAli Sat Aug 01, 2015 2:09 am

Sorry but I dont see how arsenal were unlucky in the champions except for 11-12 season.. every other season they had a chance of winning their group, once against dortmund(you can argue that getting them in the group stages was unlucky though), once against freaking schalke

Then last year they win their group... And they lose to a weak team, so the unlucky argument doesn't hold much. I think, as many stated, they are weak mentally because they have a pretty good team..

by futbol Sat Aug 01, 2015 4:40 am

El Gunner wrote:How are Chelsea dark horses can someone pls explain

Cesc Fabregas is starting in their midfield. With someone else, anyone else, they'd be among Bayern/Madrid/Barca. But not like this. hmm

El Shaarawy wrote:PSG imo

Completely forgot about them. Sad

by Sri Sat Aug 01, 2015 7:50 am

Dnmac4 wrote:
srigooner wrote:But hey, it is an online forum and you are more than welcome to your views. A good evening to you!

I don't see any reasonable way Arsenal would beat Atletico in a two legged affair.

Cholo ran circles around Mou and would do the same to Wenger, not to mention IMO they have a better team.

Already have a reply to your post in my previous one. That said, I do massively respect what Atletico have been doing the last few years.

Adit wrote:While Arsenal do have a chance most neutrals wont favor arsenal against Teams like PSG,Chelsea,Atletico and Juventus. Over the years they have given us the impression that they dont have necessary top class tactician nor mentality to play these kind of tough big CL games.

InteristAli wrote:Sorry but I dont see how arsenal were unlucky in the champions except for 11-12 season.. every other season they had a chance of winning their group, once against dortmund(you can argue that getting them in the group stages was unlucky though), once against freaking schalke

Then last year they win their group... And they lose to a weak team, so the unlucky argument doesn't hold much. I think, as many stated, they are weak mentally because they have a pretty good team..

More than tactics, I'd say it was a mixture of lack of experience and mentality. We did beat Barcelona, Bayern and AC Milan in one leg each, but lacked the consistency to do it over two - especially since we jacked up the first leg in most cases. This was also the case against Monaco. The one time we took a lead to Camp Nou, we spectacularly blew it up with our 'captain' getting a very dodgy red for dissent and Lord Bendtner coming on and hammering row Z.

I don't believe in luck - you make your own luck and all that. However, some, if not all the fault, were also a consequence of the circumstances we found ourselves in. Our poor performance over the years in CL have rightly seen us being pushed down to Pot 2; we deserve that.

As to why I insist that things are different now and mentality was a thing of the past:

Stability in the squad. It is the second year in a row that we have kept this team together and added where we were deficient. These guys know each other better and they also have won things together. Winning big games away at City and Old Trafford, or coming from behind to break our trophy drought at Wembley - these are but small indicators of a stronger mentality. I don't expect us to self-destruct, the way our young teams used to do in 2007-08 or 2010-11 when we were challenging for top honours. Not to forget, these guys are all a year older and hopefully, a bit wiser for that.

Maybe it is still a psychological/mental barrier. We will see if/how these guys break it this year. If they do, then rest assured, we will be a tough team to reckon with in Europe. If they don't, there are enough tried and tested pitchforks ready for the witchhunt. Thumbs up

by Kaladin Sat Aug 01, 2015 10:49 am

BarrileteCosmico wrote:Can anyone that regularly reaches quarters be called a dark horse, really? Other than Arsenal and Valencia, of course.

Maybe, but i just assumed that teams that don't make semis regularly can be labelled dark horses. Besides, do you think they have what it takes to be able to exceed their annual pit stop at quarters? Its possible, but there are other teams that have more chances of making semis imo

by McAgger Sat Aug 01, 2015 10:54 am

Sevilla

by Robespierre Sat Aug 01, 2015 10:54 am

futbol wrote:
El Gunner wrote:How are Chelsea dark horses can someone pls explain

Cesc Fabregas is starting in their midfield. With someone else, anyone else, they'd be among Bayern/Madrid/Barca. But not like this.

by Robespierre Sat Aug 01, 2015 10:56 am

Who voted Lazio ? I think they will lose even the play off and anyway if they'll get in , they will be knocked out hmm

Spoiler:

by M99 Sat Aug 01, 2015 11:28 am

Robespierre wrote:Who voted Lazio ? I think they will lose even the play off and anyway if they'll get in , they will be knocked out

Spoiler:

M99 wrote:Lazio imo. Messi will lead Barca to another CL win and be the best player of the tournament with Felipe Anderson being a distant second.

by RED Sat Aug 01, 2015 12:20 pm

On that list, I'm going with either Chelsea or Atletico.

Voted for Atletico

by BusterLfc Sat Aug 01, 2015 1:05 pm

Atletico

by donttreadonred Sat Aug 01, 2015 2:02 pm

RED wrote:On that list, I'm going with either Chelsea or Atletico.

Voted for Atletico

I really don't understand how Chelsea are considered "dark horses" for the CL. Chelsea have a manager that has won the competition with multiple clubs; they themselves have won the competition recently; and their squad that walked the domestic league last season and won a cup.

by jibers Sat Aug 01, 2015 2:48 pm

by Lord Awesome Sun Aug 02, 2015 7:08 am

No need to know who I voted for.

Steaua needs to be on this list. XD

by Vlad the Impaler Sun Aug 02, 2015 11:38 am

Steaua is a team in construction. Not even prepared for big stages of Europa League. The squad has about 11 new players on which they will rely.

by Helmer Fri Sep 04, 2015 11:56 am

I think better thread will be, who will be surprise package of this year, like no one expected Dortmund and Juventus to go all the way to Final. So I think this season, it can be Man City, just as an example.

by rwo power Fri Sep 04, 2015 12:10 pm

If you think it would be a better thread, why didn't you make it? Razz

Pity that FC Basel 1893 didn't make it this year. They would have been a nice dark horse. Sad

Hm. Maybe Bayer 04 Leverkusen will manage to impress for once and not get steamrolled by the first big team after the group stage. ^^

Oh, and if you want a poll, let's collect who'd qualify as "Dark Horses" first. ^^

by Helmer Fri Sep 04, 2015 12:18 pm

I had made it, you did not see it Wink

Spoiler:

by Sri Fri Sep 04, 2015 12:38 pm

rwo power wrote: let's collect who'd qualify as "Dark Horses" first. ^^

uh oh, pointless chicken-or-egg debate incoming

by rwo power Fri Sep 04, 2015 12:47 pm

Well, then there shall be no poll (at least none that I will add). :coffee:

by Helmer Fri Sep 04, 2015 1:02 pm

yeah, polls are not needed for sure. If I have to say from Germany, after Bayern Wolfsburg seem capable of doing something even after Group stage.

by S Fri Sep 04, 2015 1:40 pm

Atlético Madrid again.

by Sri Fri Sep 04, 2015 2:24 pm

I find the term 'Dark Horse' too discriminatory. hmm

by futbol Fri Sep 04, 2015 2:29 pm

Helmer wrote:I think better thread will be, who will be surprise package of this year, like no one expected Dortmund and Juventus to go all the way to Final. So I think this season, it can be Man City, just as an example.

Bruhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

http://www.goallegacy.net/t38074-who-is-going-to-be-next-year-s-dark-horse-cl-finalist

Pls.

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