Easiest to hardest I'd go: City, United, Liverpool, Tottenham. None of the 4 have an impossible task ahead of them though. Relegate Group D.

8/30/2018 1:14:40 PM

Going just by 538 rankings, group B is the strongest group. When you take out Spurs, United and Liverpool, there opponents average to 80.5, 80.3 and...... 64.8. Belgrade is the lowest team I could find. Pool got weakest pot 4 by far, Spurs got strongest.

Looks like group A averages as weakest.

However 538 doesn't have shakhtar or viktoria for some reason.

8/30/2018 1:25:14 PM

I dunno, I'd probably go City, Spurs, Liverpool, United. Inter is really just a big name at this point, they're not very good. Definitely stronger than Belgrade/Young Boys but Valencia/Napoli are definitely better than PSV so it's a wash.

I'm moving to western Germany, 3 hours away from Paris, and was hyped thinking I could make that PSG-Liverpool game but I think it'll be just before I get there. Definitely gonna try to go some CL games though even if its at Hoffenheim.

8/30/2018 1:26:51 PM

I watched a few Inter games during the ICC crap, and they still had some guys I've heard of, which is more than I can say for some of the eastern Euro filler. Outside of City, nobody really got anything too easy or difficult tbh. Tough enough to keep it interesting, but not so much as to be concerning.

8/30/2018 1:31:46 PM

Ok so disregard, 538 put in Champs stuff and they have shakhtar and viktoria now, plus I had the wrong red star and brugge

Lowest is indeed D, highest is actually C. That said they still rate Pools as slightly easier, 79.5 vs 80.5 and 80.3.

8/30/2018 1:37:35 PM

Klopps got this

8/30/2018 1:48:38 PM

Group of death is basically evens between Pool and Spurs. Then its United.

Love that we will see Ronnie back home one last time. Definitely going to try to get tickets to that match. Tough group but glad we got a marquee matchup finally. Last one was under Sir Alex against Real. Also happy to avoid trips to Eastern Europe and Russia. Hate those, always a tough match. Valencia is such a toss up, they make it a tough group and I can see us losing to them if we play like Sevilla from last year.

Hoping this motivates the players. Some very interesting groups and early matchups. PSG v Pool is going to be a good one. Probably one of the most interesting CL groups I have seen in a while. Some new matchups and old reunions.

8/30/2018 2:27:28 PM

City will make it to knockouts.

Spurs seem to fair well in European competition despite a tough group they should make it through

United will make it through

Liverpool despite the strength of the group if they are as good as they claim to be should win the group.

League Cup Draw was also today and the premier matchup will be

Liverpool-Chelsea this match will be played during the week of September 24 at Anfield, then these two teams will play again on the 29th at the Bridge in EPL action. Would assume that none of the starting XI for each side plays in the League Cup game, but its possible.

8/30/2018 2:33:53 PM

I look forward to multiple excuses to drink heavily on Tuesday/Wednesday afternoons in the near future.

8/30/2018 2:45:31 PM

I feel pretty good about Spurs' chances after seeing the draw. I think this team learned a lot last year having the Juventus tie in their hands with 30 mins to play and letting it get away. What Chiellini said hurt but had some truth attached. Despite that moment they built a ton of confidence winning last year's group of death while thrashing Madrid at Wembley and drawing at the Bernabeu.

This core group has been together for 4 seasons going through the fires together. Now is the time they need to start seeing rewards that come from it.

That goes for all the competitions we're in this season.

8/30/2018 3:44:59 PM

In 3 weeks Liverpool have @Spurs, Napoli, h-southhampton, h-chelsea (cup) , a-Chelsea, PSG, h-City.

8/30/2018 3:48:24 PM

Well good thing you are the self proclaimed best team in the league. Should be a cake walk.

8/30/2018 4:06:23 PM

Is the self in that sentence you? You're the only one in the this thread talking required championship bc Liverpool is so good.

8/30/2018 5:49:35 PM

Ramos' shoulder touch on the way back to his seat after collecting his award was one of the most perfectly weighted trolls I've ever seen.

8/30/2018 10:23:48 PM

Can't be complaining about United spending a shit ton and the minimum being a championship. Just because you play attacking footy doesn't mean that shouldn't be the minimum expectation for Pool. You have been consistently finishing in the top 4 and have finished 2nd recently as well. Now you have made a CL final and spent money to improve on that. Improving on that is winning the league. Or is that only an expectation for United?

This is why I love Jose.

Quote :

"Mourinho on Spurs fans who chanted 'you're not special anymore: “They didn't have that song when we beat them at Wembley a couple of months ago, when they had a dream of going to a Cup Final, a title they had a big dream to win, because they don't win many""

Savage.

8/31/2018 12:09:51 PM

You're arguing against made up people again. Unites can spend as much as they want I don't care. And yea I think Liverpool should expect to compete for the championship, but City just set all kinds of records and added players too. I think they have to be considered best until proven otherwise.

I would call us 2nd best though, so less than 2nd would be a disappointment for me.

[Edited on August 31, 2018 at 1:03 PM. Reason : E]

8/31/2018 1:03:33 PM

Isn't it a bit pathetic an opposition manager feels to need to respond to terrace chanting?

Also I would actually call us 2nd btw but we both have arguments. We've consistently performed at this level for a few seasons now and finished above Liverpool every year Poch has been the manager. We've got an XI that I would only see 2 liverpool players getting in the team above what we have being Keita and Salah. I'm honestly not trying to troll but who else?

Lloris over Allison
Trippier over TAA
Davies over Robertson
Verts/Toby pairing over Gomez VVD
Kane over Firmino
Dele over Mane
Salah over Son
Keita over Dier
Moose over Henderson

[Edited on August 31, 2018 at 1:30 PM. Reason : I know liverpool fans would flip some of those your end but that's how I see it from a Spurs' view]

8/31/2018 1:20:46 PM

lol at VVD not making the XI. For most of them it's about even. The only obvious Spurs XI would be Kane and the 2nd CB.

I'd say Mane, Salah, Keita, VVD, Alisson are better than the Spurs counterparts. I also think Lloris is overrated though.

8/31/2018 1:35:53 PM

Serious question: Which one of those two gets replaced? They're both better than VVD and I don't think it's close.

8/31/2018 1:37:54 PM

Yikes. He's better than both of them. I think VVD is the best CB in the league which I'm sure everybody will shit on but I think most everybody would agree he's at least top 5.

If you want to treat them as a pair, I'll concede and take the Spurs guys. But then I would treat LFC front 3 together and take them over Son/Kane/Dele any day of the week. Salah/Mane only as good as they are because of Firmino.

[Edited on August 31, 2018 at 1:42 PM. Reason : .]

8/31/2018 1:40:29 PM

We're going to have to agree to disagree on this one buddy. There's no way he gets in Spurs' team over Vertonghen, who in my opinion is the best CB in league, and Alderweireld with his positioning and passing range.

I'm not thinking groups. The pair of them together makes them both stronger on the field, but individually I still don't see it all.

[Edited on August 31, 2018 at 1:44 PM. Reason : COYS]

8/31/2018 1:43:40 PM

Forgot about Eriksen. I think Keita is the better comparison for him instead of with Dier.

Alisson > Lloris
Robertson=Davies
TAA=Trippier
VVD > Toby
Verts > Gomez/Lovren
Milner > Dier
Dembele > Henderson/Gini
Keita > Eriksen
Mane > Dele
Salah > Son
Kane > Firmino

Giving Spurs the toss-ups, I see 5 for them, 6 for LFC.

[Edited on August 31, 2018 at 1:49 PM. Reason : YNWA]

8/31/2018 1:48:09 PM

Whatever Lovren is one of the best defenders in the world

8/31/2018 2:07:50 PM

Quote :

"Isn't it a bit pathetic an opposition manager feels to need to respond to terrace chanting?"

You do realize that he was asked a question and responded cheekily right?

Quote :

"Also I would actually call us 2nd btw"

Even I had to laugh at this. Lmao. At least pool have a case. Tottenham second best team in the league behind city? Laughable. .

8/31/2018 4:41:00 PM

bring on the Alisson memes and bantz. 4 wins outta 4 mahfuckaaaaaaa

and we've been shit for 3 of them

9/1/2018 9:23:16 AM

Yea that goal straight up made me angry though, what a waste

9/1/2018 4:28:02 PM

What genius at NBC decided to put this bottom half match up on tv at 11 when they could have had a top 5 battle??

9/2/2018 8:33:02 AM

What in the watford is going on

9/2/2018 1:37:05 PM

Frankly it's a real sign of the disarray at United that they managed to wash their whites and their colors together. Gonna have to get some bleach to save those.

9/2/2018 2:19:34 PM

Jez Wazza too bad stats are fake cuz this one is positive for United
https://twitter.com/mereOpinions/status/1036614024107118592?s=19

9/3/2018 11:34:21 AM

Apparently we played bad. It was on NBC Gold Pass that I haven't paid for yet this year and with that performance I won't be paying up to see us get our butts kicked. Really surprised given Poch's comments about being "up" for this match. I guess he sensed a letdown after a big win but still was unable to avoid it. We march on.

See you in London in a couple weeks Pool

[Edited on September 4, 2018 at 9:16 AM. Reason : COYS]

9/4/2018 9:16:13 AM

I didnt watch bc NBC aired a bottom half match up instead but these imply a fairly even game:

https://twitter.com/SunTzuSoccer/status/1036727136676208640?s=19

But I guess playing even with Watford could equal bad in some eyes

9/4/2018 9:20:29 AM

R/soccerstreams Ribs

9/4/2018 11:27:14 AM

Oh I know about that, I'm just actively choosing to not watch because I don't want that disappointment in my life

9/4/2018 11:53:42 AM

fuck a damn international break

9/4/2018 4:04:08 PM

Quote :

"fuck a damn international break"

I'm already nervous for next weekend. We could smash Liverpool, get smashed by Liverpool, or anything in between. I really hope we turn up after that dropping a deuce at Watford.

9/7/2018 7:08:48 AM

Its got classic Klopp draw written all over it.

9/7/2018 9:02:41 AM

You'd think fans of the second best team in England wouldn't be so pessimistic.

9/7/2018 9:23:19 AM

Thanks for siding with me wazza. Probably the first and last thing we'll ever agree on.

9/7/2018 2:59:46 PM

Quote :

"You're arguing against made up people again."

HAHAHAHA it's all he does in this thread.

9/12/2018 2:50:51 PM

FIFA 19 Ratings:

Vertonghen 87 #48 player
Van Dijk 85 #82 player

That proves, without a shadow of a doubt, who the better player is aimorris

9/12/2018 3:07:41 PM

International break over, back to your regular scheduled program

No Dele and Lloris for Spurs this weekend

9/13/2018 8:33:57 AM

Had a dream that Pool was up 3-0 at the half but then Spurs grabbed 2 in the first 15 of 2nd half. Had to leave before i saw the end.

9/13/2018 8:50:46 AM

The Dele injury pisses me off so much. They wore our guys out all summer so they barely get a break at all before the club season starts, then we get 3 matches in and there's ANOTHER international break. For fucks sake take break already FIFA.

[Edited on September 13, 2018 at 9:33 AM. Reason : Oh he should be fine for the weekend huh Southgate? Wanker.]

9/13/2018 9:32:49 AM

yeah hate it that VVD and Robertson both went 180 minutes over the break.

9/13/2018 5:54:54 PM

If we're going to do it tomorrow it's going to have to be with a few rotation players starting which is, as the MIB say, sub-optimal.

There's certainly been some palpable disrespect (h/t wazza) this week in the build up. The media is putting Liverpool on a pedestal and acting like we should be rolled over easy. We'll see I guess.

9/14/2018 7:13:49 AM

Respect.. respect.. respect... 3....


Hilarious to me that spurs fans are talking about disrespect. You want to play with the big boys then handle the shit that comes with it. United have to deal with it every year.

9/14/2018 10:17:16 AM

Yea and all you do is cry about it nonstop

9/14/2018 10:54:25 AM

thanks for the advice wazza

9/14/2018 11:23:31 AM

Couple of interesting previews (Wazza don't bother they use "American" "stats")

https://www.theringer.com/platform/amp/soccer/2018/9/14/17857706/soccer-premier-league-liverpool-tottenham-fullbacks-preview

This one largely talks about the increased importance of center backs

https://statsbomb.com/2018/09/previewing-liverpools-trip-to-tottenham/

That's a more traditional preview and indicates the focus is whether Pools seemingly improved defense and Spurs seemingly worse D are real or mirages

Seems the latter tend to expect a draw but maybe a Liverpool lean based on the defense

[Edited on September 14, 2018 at 5:43 PM. Reason : E]

9/14/2018 5:42:44 PM