UEFA Champions and Europa League 2015/16 Thread

[Dolphin Ziggler]

First topic message reminder :

It begins for the English today as West Ham face FC Lusitans in front of a sold out Upton Park this evening. The team will be a bit mixed. Randolph, O'Brien, Tomkins, Burke, Page. Jarvis, Oxford, Poyet, Amalfitano. Zarate, Sakho.

[Fernando]

Citeh 1-1 Juve - Mandzukic

[Guest]

Why why why are so many of the few English young promising talent so brittle.  Luke Shaw and Jack Wiltshire both have broken legs.

There's brittle and there's someone hitting the middle of your leg with their entire force. That tackle would have snapped an elephant's leg in two.

Why didn't it receive a red card? It didn't even receive a yellow. Bad referee?

[Hero]

Because he got the ball with his front foot. Though to the letter of the law it should have been a straight red and a penalty through reckless and excessive force.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Very odd one for a European ref to let go.

[Fernando]

Citeh 1-2 Juve - Morata

[kingraf]

Morata!!!! I do love the lad.

[Hero]

The possession play without an end result is coming back to haunt us again. Dominating the game, 230 more passes than PSV, barely threat into our half the entire game yet losing.

[kingraf]

Also Ronaldo is doing that thing he does where he shows how bad he is for the club by scoring a boatload of goals. The pr.ick

[Ent]

Only seen one angle (YouTube) but looks an appauling jump scissor tackle.

[Guest]

"English" teams no longer seem to have the knack of European football.  Not long ago they were dominant.  I think Manuel Pellegrini will be judged by his European performance given the availability of Jurgen Klopp.  However Man City have also been hit by injuries (Aguero, Delph, Sterling just back from injury).  

I put "English" in quotes because most of them are filled with overseas players, managed by overseas managers, and owned by overseas businessmen.

[Hero]

Only seen one angle (YouTube) but looks an appauling jump scissor tackle.

He's possibly ended his career and it wasn't even a yellow.

[Guest]

Only seen one angle (YouTube) but looks an appauling jump scissor tackle.

He's possibly ended his career and it wasn't even a yellow.

Sounds like GBH. Either career ending or career changing "assault".

[Ent]

Doubt his career will be over, even if it is could just be a freak accident (busst anyone?)

Looked a dreadful tackle but need better footage than a few YouTube clips. Jumping with both feet off ground isn't legal anymore

[Hero]

When the answer is Fellaini then you're asking the wrong questions.

[Hero]

Doubt his career will be over, even if it is could just be a freak accident (busst anyone?)

Looked a dreadful tackle but need better footage than a few YouTube clips. Jumping with both feet off ground isn't legal anymore

It doesn't look pretty:

[Ent]

He'll be grand as long as no joints are involved.

Haven't seen game but second decent team played this season and conceded two goals again.

[Hammersmith harrier]

It was a diabolical challenge, a two footed scissors should be a straight red card.

[Ent]

Be a hard group to get out of this, 3 wins at home essential.

[Ent]

It was a diabolical challenge, a two footed scissors should be a straight red card.

Pedantic I know but a 2 footed scissor tackle is impossible.

A two footer is tackling with both feet, a scissor is tackling with one and scissoring the opponent with the non tackling leg after the leading foot tackles.

[Hero]

I said when the draw was made that it was not an easy group at all, no one batted an eyelid then though.

[Hero]

It was a diabolical challenge, a two footed scissors should be a straight red card.

Pedantic I know but a 2 footed scissor tackle is impossible.

A two footer is tackling with both feet, a scissor is tackling with one and scissoring the opponent after the leading foot tackles.

You do kind of need two feet for scissors though, if not it's just a knife.

[Hammersmith harrier]

Good job I didn't say any such thing then isn't it.

[Ent]

It was a diabolical challenge, a two footed scissors should be a straight red card.

Pedantic I know but a 2 footed scissor tackle is impossible.

A two footer is tackling with both feet, a scissor is tackling with one and scissoring the opponent after the leading foot tackles.

You do kind of need two feet for scissors though, if not it's just a knife.

Yes, hence saying a 2 footer means both feet tackling.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

It was a diabolical challenge, a two footed scissors should be a straight red card.

Pedantic I know but a 2 footed scissor tackle is impossible.

A two footer is tackling with both feet, a scissor is tackling with one and scissoring the opponent with the non tackling leg after the leading foot tackles.

Not strictly true. A two footed tackle isnt automatically two feet together. You'd never see it, but if we're being pedantic it is definitely possible.

[Hammersmith harrier]

It was a diabolical challenge, a two footed scissors should be a straight red card.

Pedantic I know but a 2 footed scissor tackle is impossible.

A two footer is tackling with both feet, a scissor is tackling with one and scissoring the opponent after the leading foot tackles.

You do kind of need two feet for scissors though, if not it's just a knife.

This, i'm sure he'd rather have been spooned but seems a bit silly arguing other something so inconsequential.

[Jermaine2015]

Wishing Luke Shaw a full recovery from a horrific injury. Shaw, IMO, is one of the best LBs going around and an injury like this is so unfair.

The referee(Nicola Rizzoli) should be ashamed for taking no action for such violent tackle. This is a referee whom has previously done a CL and WC final.

[Guest]

Double fracture confirmed.  I think Hero's assessment is right (but recognise everyone around Luke Shaw have to be positive to keep him motivated to recover).

[Guest]

Devastating injury to a player who was going to really breakthrough this year & showcase what a talent he was. I believe Aaron Ramsey had the same injury, took him about two years to fully recover & get over his psychological issues, as a result of the injury. Looked like it avoided the ankle & knee, so hopefully it's just a clean break & that with the best surgery & physio, he can come back as strong as ever for club & country. I guess a positive, if you can call it that, is that it's not his favoured left leg. 

Terrible news & now a long slog of a recovery ahead. I think it will be closer to 18 months+ out probably, as United won't rush him back, given his age. Looks like England will now have to rely upon Leighton Baines for the Euro's, although he showed in the WC, how out of his depth he is at that top level.

Good luck in the recovery, Luke.

[Hero]

I said when the draw was made that it was not an easy group at all, no one batted an eyelid then though.

Couldn't have asked for a much easier group, we could have had Chelsea's but that would just be greedy, should get through to the knockout phase without any real alarm.

Good job I didn't say any such thing then isn't it.

Yeah there would egg on your face tonight if that was the case

[CFCNick]

I'd guess that Shaw could be out for around 12-18 months but you do see other athletes recover much faster than the time it would take years ago. Steven Stamkos broke his tibia against a goal post in November 2013 and was back playing in March 2014.

[Ent]

Good news in context.

It will be the mental recovery that takes the longest.

[NickisBHAFC]

Such a sad evening for English football this evening. One of our best young talents out injured for a long long time. United and City also losing.

Luke Shaw what a man, let's hope he comes back as strong as possible.

[seanmichaels]

Disgraceful tackle. There is no need to swing the trailing through once you have played the ball. Only reason to do so would be to cause injury.

Re the ref, I think he was in shock.

[Hammersmith harrier]

Hero that comment was in reply to Ent's one not yours.

[GSC]

Same injury Cisse had for Liverpool isn't it? Never regained his extra yard of pace

[Guest]

Think people are way off, in terms of the timescale. 18 months is ridiculous, if it's a simple double break, no complications, then it should be in the six to eight month range. They had it on Sky earlier, Eduardo had the double break near the ankle & had infections. He was the worst case & was out for 12 months in total. Henrik Larsson suffered a double break & was out for just 212 days, Bryan Oviedo was out for 218 days & Antonio Valencia was back in action within six months.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

My worry wouldnt be the immediate. It would be what level of his aerobic attributes will he lose.

[BamBam]

Think its been estimated at 6 months, but obviously how he has been impacted long term remains to be seen

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Start a spread on how many of Sturridge, Welbeck, Wilshere, Shaw, Walcott and Carroll are fit for the Euros.

[kingraf]

My worry wouldnt be the immediate. It would be what level of his aerobic attributes will he lose.

If its a break, then it shouldn't really (but with less than adequate rehabbing can of course happen) affect him any which way. Generally speaking, the structure damaged comes back stronger if its a broken bone. Only if it was a ligament rupture would concern really arise. those can be dicey.

[Guest]

Goodbye Giroud

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Lets just hope they screw up qualifying.

[Guest]

Unfortunately for Valencia, they've caught Hulk on one of his very, very rare spectacular nights.

[Guest]

Start a spread on how many of Sturridge, Welbeck, Wilshere, Shaw, Walcott and Carroll are fit for the Euros.

To be honest, I'd only care for the fitness of Sturridge & Shaw. Wilshere is pretty much a lost cause & the rest should be nowhere near the first team.

Florenzi's goal for Roma was pretty incredible

[NickisBHAFC]

I guess arsenal fans now want Wenger out?

[Guest]

Tottenham's 19 year old player Dele Alli could be the creative midfielder England needs.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34203688

[President Trump]

The best 5m we've spent in a long time, he is a cracking player

[Guest]

Tottenham's 19 year old player Dele Alli could be the creative midfielder England needs. 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34203688

Because he rips apart a side from Azerbaijan? Talk about getting carried away.

[Guest]

Tottenham's 19 year old player Dele Alli could be the creative midfielder England needs. 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34203688

Because he rips apart a side from Azerbaijan? Talk about getting carried away.

Am I really getting carried away when I say "could"?  His wiki page has the following:

He joined the youth system at MK Dons aged 11 and broke into the first team five years later [that would make him 16 years old], during the 2012–13 season. Over the next two-and-a-half years he made 74 league appearances for MK Dons, scoring 22 goals, and played for the England U17, U18 and U19 teams.

So of course one always must be careful in making predictions, but I feel that my cautious "could" comment was justified.  I accept others may disagree.  But it is not as if England is blessed with new young talent.  Most cannot get into premiership team. He certainly deserves to be put on the radar.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

He's a good prospect definitely

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