2013/2014 European Football Thread

He did DIVE though and his team was up 2-0...so......

DD

 

But yes. Arsenal are missing a 20+ goal scorer in Theo Walcott, arguably our best player in Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere, and then we lost our best playmaking threat (Ozil) to a hamstring injury. If it seemed like Oxlade was the only person terrorizing the Bayern defence, it was because he was the only person left capable of doing so.

The first leg was pretty even until the red card. Everybody agrees it's a horrible rule, but the game's what the game is so that's that. In the end we still ended up snagging a draw and an away goal at Allianz. Without that red card we'd be looking at a very different result.

 

Hahahah.. I hope Beckenbauer keeps talking sh** so Pep gets pissed off and leaves

 

It wasn't a foul, but I wouldn't call it a dive. You can see that he happens to drag his foot too low when trying to step around the defender and it ends up catching the ground and actually turns his ankle back causing him to fall.

Also, I do agree with 2-0 part haha. If this was a tie game you think he would of refused it then? Not likely.

 

I think one could say that if it was just a couple of players. But we're talking about a major portion of the team here. We had a backup center half playing left back -- that entire side of the field was just vulnerable. Why do you think Robben had a field day? And then three attacking midfielders and a goalscoring wing. That would be like Bayern having injuries to Robben, Schweinsteiger, Muller and Alaba. And then throw in a hammy to Kroos for good measure.

 

Arsenal would not have had Ramsey and Walcott on the bench which is kind of the point. Bayern did not have to fear Cazorla (as an example) as an offensive threat because he was asked to do way more than he is capable of doing.

Bayern absolutely is deeper and overall better but you can't completely discount how different Arsenal was when healthy right after Ozil joined the team. I don't know why I am responding, though, I don't really care. Just think it was such an obvious point it was weird for you to try to pick on it. But, sure, nothing would have been different had Arsenal not been missing two of their top four or five players and some of their other usual starters. Weird.

 

While I'm pissed at the way City lost both their games against Barcelona, it felt good to be able to watch City in the knockout rounds of the Champions League. City is going to have to make some serious changes to their defense. Kompany and Zabaleta are the only guys who are world class defenders at their positions. City is going to need to at the least pick up another central defender at or near the level of Kompany. If they can upgrade the left back position that would be a plus. It was tough watching City's defense scramble every time Barcelona entered the box. That needs to change.

Not sure what these players situations are going to be heading into the Summer transfer window but I would hope City can secure the services of either Dante, Hummels, Vertonghen, or Godin.

 

At left back I would love it if City could make a move for Luke Shaw. He signed for 5 years so it may be a tough buy, but this kid is going to be a great left back for some time.

 

He himself said he was basically faking it - and felt bad about it.

So - uh, yeah, he had fair play...AFTER he cheated.



DD

 

All I'm saying is, get a running start and then drag your foot into the ground like that and see if you fall. Sure he could of done that on purpose, but why do that and then say no thanks right after? I think he just took a wrong step and tripped himself.

 

That makes no sense. A dive is to fool the ref to get an advantage. He obviously did not want to fool the ref because the ref gave a penalty based on a foul in the box. If you dive you are doing it for a penalty. You don't suddenly feel bad. From the video it is clear he just stumbled on the turf. Then he got up and admitted it was a stumble. I have done the same thing (fairly recently, actually) so I think you are trying to make some kind of awesome stance but whatever.

 

You guys need to go back and read what the PLAYER HIMSELF said - he basically admitted he took a dive, felt bad about it, and then told the ref.

http://www.bundesliga.com/en/liga/news/2013/0000287822.php


"Aaron Hunt: He [the referee] pointed to the spot quite quickly and I told him that I'd actually contrived it slightly. I did look for the contact, but then I noticed that their defender pulled out of the challenge. I fought with my conscience for a moment, but I don't want to win that way. I must admit I looked up at the clock a lot more often than usual in those final ten minutes."

Figured I would save you guys the trouble and end this argument with the facts.



DD

 

Yeah I wouldn't have bothered to look it up because it looked like he tripped on himself in the video and it still makes no sense to me. Thanks for posting that and sorry for giving you a hard time.

I guess he still gets some good will because it is not cheating if you stop yourself from getting a benefit? Not as cool as an accident that he corrected but still better than letting the flop be rewarded?

 

I have no dog in this fight so bragging rights mean nothing to me. I was just hoping for a better football match.

 

This Bayern team only gets better when playing vs. higher competition, trust us. They didn't play 100% for 180 minutes, if they'd seen Arsenal as better competition they would've increased pressure and make clear who's boss.

 

Jesus, I don't need to trust you. I know this Bayern team. Even in this thread earlier when ATW listed Arsenal as a possible threat I posted that they weren't. I know that they coasted a bit (especially in the last game) but if Arsenal had been full strength they would have been more of a threat so they would have played better and then Bayern would have played better and then I would have enjoyed it more. Even if the goal results we the same if the games had been more interesting I would have been happy. Not like City where I enjoyed watching them get humiliated.