The CL is back this week!
by wcnitz (2017-10-16 21:32:35)

Spurs play in Madrid tomorrow. Liverpool goes to Slovenia. Napoli visits City. That might be the one I'm most interested in, actually.

Nothing as interesting on Wednesday, with Celtic in Munich and United at Benfica. Roma at Chelsea is probably the best matchup.


City-Napoli has the potential to be great
by Boston Domer  (2017-10-17 14:24:37)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

I'm picking that one for the DVR and I don't like either team.


I think this is a must win for Liverpool tomorrow.
by irishcane  (2017-10-16 22:13:44)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

A loss would be dreadful but a tie would bring 3 pts in 3 games and endanger advancing from the most favorable draw you could imagine.


Don't think that's going to be a problem *
by Siegfried08  (2017-10-17 15:34:02)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post


Don't tempt fate.
by NDBass  (2017-10-17 15:35:38)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

I do agree, though. They'll have to really work to blow this one.


LIV can always be counted on to make the easy difficult. *
by G.K.Chesterton  (2017-10-17 16:00:38)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post


They certainly cannot lose.
by NDMike2001  (2017-10-17 09:41:06)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

A draw away from home certainly keeps them in the mix - especially if Sevilla beats or draws against Spartak. And that seems likely. But at the end of the day Liverpool need to start getting results, and this is the kind of game that can propel the team moving forward. It simply cannot keep limping along with draws despite good performances.


Sevilla struggled this weekend
by KnightlyRevue  (2017-10-17 10:31:42)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

and Spartak is red hot. Given the game is in Russia I hope Sevilla can pull out a draw and a win would be a dream. I believe the loss of Vitolo to Atletico, even with the scoring punch of Nolito, will hurt Sevilla in the long run.

Today will be a strong test for Tottenham's defense. Let's see if they can contain Isco with Benz and Ronaldo up front. It should be a fun match. I do not get to see it in my area.


Still Russian PL vs. La Liga
by NDMike2001  (2017-10-17 10:55:09)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Spartak was very fortunate to draw against Liverpool and did not look convincing against Maribor. I suppose they could have momentum, but that is based upon results in Russia. Meanwhile Sevilla are still competing for a top place in La Liga, while their UCL results have been much better.

They should be favored to at least draw IMO.

BTW, Fox Sports UCL coverage sucks!


I hope so...
by KnightlyRevue  (2017-10-17 11:17:34)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

I would like to see all the Spanish sides make it to the elimination round. While Sevilla lost this past weekend a trip to San Mames can be difficult for any team as Bilbao defends their home turf well in La Liga.

How FSN goes about selecting UCL games to show and their coverage is truly mind boggling. Why show PSG v Bayern? Who would be interested in that?


Well I sure nailed that Sevilla match. *
by NDMike2001  (2017-10-17 16:22:26)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post


I had a feeling they would struggle
by KnightlyRevue  (2017-10-17 17:31:10)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

as I saw them play this past weekend but I did not think they would get utterly destroyed like they did today. Gadzooks.

I recorded the Real Madrid match I am curious to see how Ronaldo got a yellow card. That seems odd. I also want to see how Varane got the OG. 1-1 at Santiago is great for Tottenham. Not so great for a fan of Real like me.


Ronaldo yellow
by ndsdsub  (2017-10-17 17:57:53)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post


Stupid and deserved *
by wcnitz  (2017-10-17 21:18:06)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post


I disagree. And the Tottenham player is
by KnightlyRevue  (2017-10-17 22:13:32)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

A known flopper. Even the English announcer called him a baby and a faker who was being equally physical with Ronaldo. It should not have even been a foul.


Both deserved yellow.
by NDMike2001  (2017-10-18 10:10:39)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Ronaldo for grabbing around the neck and the defender for flopping/embellishing.


I can understand that point of view.
by KnightlyRevue  (2017-10-18 12:41:06)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

It is not unreasonable.


His embellishment is irrelevant
by wcnitz  (2017-10-18 08:23:50)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

That crap drives me crazy, too, and if they'd simply just enforce the laws that are in place it wouldn't be necessary. It was away from the ball (and apparently during a stoppage), neck and head contact, and unnecessary.

If he had applied any real force to it, then it immediately goes to a sending off instead of a caution. That changed in 2016.


I will defer to you on the rule change
by KnightlyRevue  (2017-10-18 12:39:44)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

as you know far more about it than I do given your experience as an official.

I am not one to blindly defend Cristiano as many of his problems are self inflicted but I do believe the nature of the contact, even though it was unnecessary and above the shoulder, was part of the physical nature of the game on set pieces. My other issue is the complete inconsistency on how it is called which you pointed out. I have seen much more physical play go completely unchecked by officials. That is rank.


At least with NBC and ABC/ESPN
by NDMike2001  (2017-10-17 13:10:45)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

They show multiple games on various channels that are available in most markets. Obviously NBC has switched a bit with their Gold package, but I still think that they make many more games available than Fox.


Fox Soccer Match Pass
by wcnitz  (2017-10-17 21:18:28)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

That's why I pay for it. You get everything.


I guess I'm cheap.
by NDMike2001  (2017-10-18 10:19:22)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

$50 to essentially get any kind of EPL match of interest for the season versus $139 to get UCL access. You could go $20/mo, but I would expect that you'll have to go seven months to get access to everything until the semis which I would hope/expect to be on Fox or at least Fox Sports.

I did pay the $50.