Señore Pioli's "Americans in the midfield" Milan vs. Meester Eddie's Iron Men XI

[ewerk 26351]

Thank fuck we didn’t qualify for the EL. It’s a distraction with little reward that we don’t need right now. 
 

CL this season was well ahead of schedule so I’m treating it as a nice bonus. Now it’s time to focus on domestic competitions and get back into the CL next season with a strengthened squad and not nearly so many injuries.

[Andrew 4220]

The group of death proved to be so in the end. Shame that we haven't been able to go further but we acquitted ourselves very well imo.

Dortmund had our number but we gave both Milan and PSG a tough time home and away. You could look at that shite decision against PSG or Miggy missing tonight etc. It is a game of very fine margins at the top level.

 

We're not getting any luck this season and our players are clearly exhausted considering that we've lost the ability to make any subs for several weeks. Its not just resulting in injuries but you can see the level of play drop too, tired passes, tired runs, tired brains making uncharacteristic mistakes. 

We're better for having had this experience though and we've still got two cups and a very competitive league to play in so the players aren't getting a break any time soon

[BobHopeandNoHope 450]

Proud as fuck of all of them, aye gutted, but a few extra pints took the edge off. Onwards and fuckin upwards HTL 

[Gemmill 34469]

4 hours ago, Renton said:

Got to admit, I feel as low about this as I ever have done since the takeover. A lot of people kidding themselves otherwise I reckon. 

Always jam tomorrow with us. I want my jam now ffs. 

 

We weren't gonna win the champions league, you know.

[safcforever 75]

4 hours ago, Andrew said:

The group of death proved to be so in the end. Shame that we haven't been able to go further but we acquitted ourselves very well imo.

Dortmund had our number but we gave both Milan and PSG a tough time home and away. You could look at that shite decision against PSG or Miggy missing tonight etc. It is a game of very fine margins at the top level.

 

We're not getting any luck this season and our players are clearly exhausted considering that we've lost the ability to make any subs for several weeks. Its not just resulting in injuries but you can see the level of play drop too, tired passes, tired runs, tired brains making uncharacteristic mistakes. 

We're better for having had this experience though and we've still got two cups and a very competitive league to play in so the players aren't getting a break any time soon

You had a great start to the group. Like someone else said, your time is coming and while it was good for you to be back there, maybe an other season or 2 and you’ll be in a much stronger position to have a good run at it 

[safcforever 75]

6 hours ago, Kid Dynamite said:

Fuck it. Let's regroup, smash Chelsea in the cup, sign some superstars in January and keep in touch with the top 4! HWTL

Hopefully you only have the league to worry about come the 2nd week of Jan 😉

[Toonpack 6866]

6 hours ago, NJS said:

I know it's bitter but I hope PSG get Man City or Real Madrid and get smashed to fuck. 

 

In the quarters, I want them to smash Arsenal in the last 16.

[PaddockLad 14585]

2 hours ago, Gemmill said:

 

We weren't gonna win the champions league, you know.

Fuck off “Farage” . We’re out of Europe as you’ve always desired. Hope you’re fuckin happy 😑

[Gemmill 34469]

8 minutes ago, PaddockLad said:

Fuck off “Farage” . We’re out of Europe as you’ve always desired. Hope you’re fuckin happy 😑

 

And we'll much the better for it come the end of the season, Llewellyn-Bowen.

[PaddockLad 14585]

5 minutes ago, Gemmill said:

 

And we'll much the better for it come the end of the season, Llewellyn-Bowen.

I’ll take that, cheers man

[Gemmill 34469]

 

Context reminder for last night. This was the PL table exactly 2 years ago today.

 

Champions League was a ridiculous pipe dream, relegation was a probability, not a possibility. We've come much farther, much faster than anyone could have dreamt through incredible coaching, having a brilliant set of lads at the club to start with, and making some really smart signings.

 

The future is unbelievably rosy. You can't even really call last night a setback cos we had very little right to even be there at this stage in the process anyway.

 

If we were naive at times last night and in the other CL games, well aye of course we fucking were. We're bairns in the competition. We had a literal bairn in midfield. Now that we're out and can just focus on the league, I think we'll be back in it again next season.

 

I know it's boring and everyone knows it already but the context is really important.

[PaddockLad 14585]

Also this is the squad Man City went into their first champions league season with after finishing top six in both the seasons before they eventually qualified. I counted six Bruce era players on the pitch at the end last night

 

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/manchester-city/kader/verein/281/saison_id/2011

[wykikitoon 16660]

13 minutes ago, Gemmill said:

 

Context reminder for last night. This was the PL table exactly 2 years ago today.

 

Champions League was a ridiculous pipe dream, relegation was a probability, not a possibility. We've come much farther, much faster than anyone could have dreamt through incredible coaching, having a brilliant set of lads at the club to start with, and making some really smart signings.

 

The future is unbelievably rosy. You can't even really call last night a setback cos we had very little right to even be there at this stage in the process anyway.

 

If we were naive at times last night and in the other CL games, well aye of course we fucking were. We're bairns in the competition. We had a literal bairn in midfield. Now that we're out and can just focus on the league, I think we'll be back in it again next season.

 

I know it's boring and everyone knows it already but the context is really important.

You're so sexy when you're like this

[Gemmill 34469]

Milan had 2 shots on target last night btw.

[Holden McGroin 4860]

It was a classic Italian performance. 
 

They knew they’d get a couple of chances. It’s that sort of experience at this level that we need to learn. 

[Kid Dynamite 5911]

49 minutes ago, Gemmill said:

Milan had 2 shots on target last night btw.

And 2 off the post tbf

[Chaser 1054]

As it's been said, I don't think the club wanted Europa. There was no attempt to consolidate the draw, we absolutely committed players forward to try and reach the knockouts in a manner which we have rarely seen with Eddie previously. It was shit or bust.

 

Really enjoyed the CL, we mixed it with some of the biggest teams and were never embarrassed, and if anything the way in which we dominated teams when we had the legs shows how competitive the Premier League is in comparison. 

[Holden McGroin 4860]

Just now, Chaser said:

As it's been said, I don't think the club wanted Europa. There was no attempt to consolidate the draw, we absolutely committed players forward to try and reach the knockouts in a manner which we have rarely seen with Eddie previously. It was shit or bust.

 

Really enjoyed the CL, we mixed it with some of the biggest teams and were never embarrassed, and if anything the way in which we dominated teams when we had the legs shows how competitive the Premier League is in comparison. 

yeah. He pretty much said so in his post match comments. 

[London 0]

Money for the EL isn’t worth the added pressure of more games this season, in my opinion. It’s mininal compared to the CL. 
 

Qualification bonus for entering the Europa League knockout stage: €500,000

 

Teams that then qualify for the Europa League knockout stages receive further bonuses:

 

- Qualification for the round of 16:€1.2 million

- Qualification for the quarter-finals: €1.8 million

- Qualification for the semi-finals:€2.8 million

- Qualification for the final: €4.6 million

 

Winner gets €4.5 million.

 

[Renton 17783]

1 hour ago, Gemmill said:

 

Context reminder for last night. This was the PL table exactly 2 years ago today.

 

Champions League was a ridiculous pipe dream, relegation was a probability, not a possibility. We've come much farther, much faster than anyone could have dreamt through incredible coaching, having a brilliant set of lads at the club to start with, and making some really smart signings.

 

The future is unbelievably rosy. You can't even really call last night a setback cos we had very little right to even be there at this stage in the process anyway.

 

If we were naive at times last night and in the other CL games, well aye of course we fucking were. We're bairns in the competition. We had a literal bairn in midfield. Now that we're out and can just focus on the league, I think we'll be back in it again next season.

 

I know it's boring and everyone knows it already but the context is really important.

 

You may be right that this is disappointment borne out of over achievement, but it's still absolutely gutting to get this close and fail. Also on the back of our two worst PL defeats. Also they said on the radio just then that us and ManU both finishing last might take away the fifth qualifer spot, an added kick in the nuts. 

Completely agree the future is bright and I support Howe 100% and just really hope the club can back him over the long term as a dynastic appointment. And I think they will. But nothing about last night was positive, I absolutely do not understand why people think being out of the EL - a European competition we absolutely could have won and qualified for the CL through - is a good thing. Saturday is a huge game now we will have to pick ourselves up against opponents in amazing form. Massive pressure now for Tuesday night, we lose that and I personally think silverware is gone for another year and I really don't see us getting top 4 this year unfortunately. WIn that though and I genuinely think we have a chance of silverware but then again - Liverpool. 

This isn't being negative, just objectively how I see it. Hope we can strengthen in January, that may change things. 

[Renton 17783]

9 minutes ago, London said:

Winner gets €4.5 million.

 

 

Plus a place in next years CL. Plus - CAPS LOCK ON COS THIS IS IMPORTANT - WINNING SOMETHING.

 

Plus each match we play in Europe, the more experience we gain in European competition, the more nights we get to enjoy home and away, and the better it is for our European pedigree. I mean, do you think Milan - semi-finalists in the CL last year -were gutted to beat us yesterday and enter this competition? Didn't look that way to me. 

[NJS 3978]

The only thing about the Europa which I would've been happy to take is that I'd have been wary of meeting  the scouse cunts. 

 

Of course we need to learn big game mentality but we're not quite there yet imo.

[Gemmill 34469]

Again though, look at the context. You're acting like no silverware this year is just the worst nightmare. We're 2 years into this man, no silverware this year is entirely standard and completely within expectations.

 

I genuinely think you're guilty of having unrealistic expectations at this stage, and you're allowing yourself to be devastated when they're not met.

 

I still think we've got a great chance of winning the Carabao. FA Cup it's too early to say cos so much depends on the draw, but we've got as good a chance as anyone outside of Liverpool, Man City and Arsenal - again, the context for that is that we were a knocking bet for relegation 2 years ago today.

[Renton 17783]

2 minutes ago, NJS said:

The only thing about the Europa which I would've been happy to take is that I'd have been wary of meeting  the scouse cunts. 

 

Of course we need to learn big game mentality but we're not quite there yet imo.

 

They're in the league and FA cups. 

[Renton 17783]

2 minutes ago, Gemmill said:

Again though, look at the context. You're acting like no silverware this year is just the worst nightmare. We're 2 years into this man, no silverware this year is entirely standard and completely within expectations.

 

I genuinely think you're guilty of having unrealistic expectations at this stage, and you're allowing yourself to be devastated when they're not met.

 

I still think we've got a great chance of winning the Carabao. FA Cup it's too early to say cos so much depends on the draw, but we've got as good a chance as anyone outside of Liverpool, Man City and Arsenal - again, the context for that is that we were a knocking bet for relegation 2 years ago today.

 

I completely agree re: where we were and the future I just think it's delusional to pretend finishing last place was a good thing, which is what a lot of people have convinced themselves of. I always assumed under Keegan and Robson after each disappointment we'd win something at a later point, and we never did. I know things are genuinely different now, but my guess is our history is giving me nagging doubts.