Ratings & Reactions: UCL3: Villa v Bologna

[Vive_La_Villa]

4 minutes ago, Didiersix said:

Does anyone else think the new format of Champions League really suits Unai? The difference being that coaches normally have to basically prepare for 3 different teams in the old format. This time round it is 8. That's a lot more preparation - and there are very few in the game who can prepare like Unai. 

I think it's more to do with the fact you get to play more weaker teams. 

Newcastle last season had a group of Milan, PSG and Dortmond.  Compare that to playing Young Boys, Bologna, Celtic and Brugge.

[Didiersix]

17 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

I think it's more to do with the fact you get to play more weaker teams. 

Newcastle last season had a group of Milan, PSG and Dortmond.  Compare that to playing Young Boys, Bologna, Celtic and Brugge.

Erm... aren't we supposed to be one of the weaker teams? Pot 4? There are more teams, so there is probably a bit more range. But why do you think playing more 'weaker' teams suits Unai more?

[Vive_La_Villa]

14 minutes ago, Didiersix said:

Erm... aren't we supposed to be one of the weaker teams? Pot 4? There are more teams, so there is probably a bit more range. But why do you think playing more 'weaker' teams suits Unai more?

Sorry not suits Unai more. Just suits us more than the old format in terms of chances to get to knockouts. 

In regards to your post I agree,  being able to prepare for so many different teams is his forte. 

[Vive_La_Villa]

18 hours ago, DJ_Villain said:

Bologna finished 4th in Italy…

We finished 4th in England…

The gulf in quality last night was quite drastic…

Some of the stuff we were doing was making them look hopeless…

Milan finished 2nd and Liverpool finished 3rd. The latter beat them comfortably at San Siro. 

Some don't like to hear it but the Premier League is much stronger than Serie A. 

[tomav84]

8 minutes ago, Didiersix said:

Erm... aren't we supposed to be one of the weaker teams? Pot 4? There are more teams, so there is probably a bit more range. But why do you think playing more 'weaker' teams suits Unai more?

that's a technicality due to coefficient. the reality is that we're closer to pot 2 teams, ability wise

the new format is a benefit to everyone except the elite teams, who previously only had teams in lower pots than them in their group. i don't think it's anything to do with more/less analysis being required (you'd still have to study a team's similarities/differences when playing home/away)

in hindsight, the new format probably seemed like a good idea for the UEFA execs as you get bigger games in the league phase, but now they're faced with very real possibility of some big names going out early so i bet there's a part of them that's regretting the change. i don't think they banked on teams like us, brest and monaco starting so well.

[Stevo985]

On 23/10/2024 at 10:40, TRO said:

I would like to make a special mention for Barclay.

When he comes on he looks assured and fits in like a hand in a glove.

his transitional play is impressive and looks sure footed on the ball....looks composed and ready to play the killer ball.

underrated player IMO.

If you're going to give him a special mention you could at least get his name right

[LondonLax]

32 minutes ago, tomav84 said:

that's a technicality due to coefficient. the reality is that we're closer to pot 2 teams, ability wise

the new format is a benefit to everyone except the elite teams, who previously only had teams in lower pots than them in their group. i don't think it's anything to do with more/less analysis being required (you'd still have to study a team's similarities/differences when playing home/away)

in hindsight, the new format probably seemed like a good idea for the UEFA execs as you get bigger games in the league phase, but now they're faced with very real possibility of some big names going out early so i bet there's a part of them that's regretting the change. i don't think they banked on teams like us, brest and monaco starting so well.

No big teams will go out early. This new format suits them even more.

There are more games and you only have to finish 24th to stay in the competition. 

In the old format you could have an unlucky couple of results and finish 3rd and go out. 

[Vive_La_Villa]

45 minutes ago, LondonLax said:

No big teams will go out early. This new format suits them even more.

There are more games and you only have to finish 24th to stay in the competition. 

In the old format you could have an unlucky couple of results and finish 3rd and go out. 

Yep. It's just a hell of a lot of games to knock out 12 teams with many of them normally in the Europa or conference league anyway.

Gives people an extra knockout round though which is always more interesting than group games.

Keeping on topic I can't wait for knockouts and Unai's tactical plan for them.

Edited Thursday at 13:00 by Vive_La_Villa

[tomav84]

1 hour ago, LondonLax said:

No big teams will go out early. This new format suits them even more.

There are more games and you only have to finish 24th to stay in the competition. 

In the old format you could have an unlucky couple of results and finish 3rd and go out. 

guarantee at least one will. leipzig have lost all 3 so far and PSG have a horrible fixture list (and already dropped points against one of the easier teams they play) so they've both got an uphill battle

[LondonLax]

5 minutes ago, tomav84 said:

guarantee at least one will. leipzig have lost all 3 so far and PSG have a horrible fixture list (and already dropped points against one of the easier teams they play) so they've both got an uphill battle

Compare that to last season’s champions league though where teams like Man U, Milan, Sevilla and Newcastle went out early or the season before when Barcelona, Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Leverkusen, Ajax, Sevilla and Sporting all went out after 6 matches and you can see why they have changed it now. 

  

[tomav84]

4 minutes ago, LondonLax said:

Compare that to last season’s champions league though where teams like Man U, Milan, Sevilla and Newcastle went out early or the season before when Barcelona, Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Leverkusen, Ajax, Sevilla and Sporting all went out after 6 matches and you can see why they have changed it now. 

  

i've not really followed the CL before this season to be fair so always just assumed the big boys just all went through!

[mjmooney]

On 23/10/2024 at 17:33, tomav84 said:

the bologna fans i met in the holte fan zone were sound. they were all loving VP, taking loads of photos of the holte etc

Quote from a fellow Villa fan: 

Quote

Chatted with a few 'Bolognese' in the pub after the game. They were rather scathing of their team, but they cheered up when we turned them on to pork scratchings. I think several packets will have made their way back to Emilia Romagna...

 

[sidcow]

On 24/10/2024 at 10:13, Sempiternal said:

A brilliant performance. I had to get up at 4am to watch, but well worth it. 

Welcome....... And respect. 

[Sempiternal]

3 hours ago, sidcow said:

Welcome....... And respect. 

Thank you, mate!