Isn't the league matchup at Spurs?Worst possible draw for Spurs; City are the hardest, least interesting matchup. Also Spurs now have to play twice at the Etihad in four days.
Attributable mostly to down years for Bayern and Real, United's stunning upset of PSG, and Atleti drawing Juve in the R16.This is probably the weakest quarterfinal group we've seen in 10 years but also the most wide open.
FWIW, a lot of advanced metrics absolutely love Ajax: 538's model has them ranked as the 10th best club, ahead of Napoli, Spurs, Valencia, Arsenal, Dortmund, Man Utd, and Porto. That seems too high to me, but they are clearly much better than any Dutch teams have been for a while.There’s always a team or two that sneak into quarters and a few big matchups that knock out true contenders early. This doesn’t strike me as especially weak.
That said, Ajax are getting entirely too much credit here. That Madrid team is a shell of the reputation it carries. They’re not even top in a relatively poor domestic league (although they are second). They were in a relatively poor group (Bayern, Benfica, AEK) which they progressed out of mostly due to h2h results against Benfica. It was wonderful to watch them turn over a really poor Madrid squad but I find the idea of them also taking Juve wuite improbable. I just don’t think people are separating well enough the Madrid myth from its current reality.
Does 538’s model count as advanced metrics?FWIW, a lot of advanced metrics absolutely love Ajax: 538's model has them ranked as the 10th best club, ahead of Napoli, Spurs, Valencia, Arsenal, Dortmund, Man Utd, and Porto. That seems too high to me, but they are clearly much better than any Dutch teams have been for a while.
I was surprised to read it but loooked into their SPI a bit and it seems to include Transfermarkt player values as an input. This may correlate well but it seems prone to overrate precisely the kind of team Ajax is with young, valuable players who have high value for their potentialDoes 538’s model count as advanced metrics?
Their rankings include both MLS and USL teams. Last season, their rankings had the reserve team of one club (can't remember, maybe RSL) ranked ahead of the first team. So I'm skeptical...I was surprised to read it but loooked into their SPI a bit and it seems to include Transfermarkt player values as an input. This may correlate well but it seems prone to overrate precisely the kind of team Ajax is with young, valuable players who have high value for their potential
This field is comparatively weak not because a few teams sneaked in but because there just isn't the same quality at the top. The trio of Real, Barca, Bayern were just exceptionally strong in the past decade - for an unusual confluence of reasons - and now have come back to earth. IMO, there are no teams this year (including Barca) that holds a candle to many of the Real/Barca/Bayern clubs of the past 10 years. There were probably some years where all three of those teams were better than any side in the competition this year.There’s always a team or two that sneak into quarters and a few big matchups that knock out true contenders early. This doesn’t strike me as especially weak.
That said, Ajax are getting entirely too much credit here. That Madrid team is a shell of the reputation it carries. They’re not even top in a relatively poor domestic league (although they are second). They were in a relatively poor group (Bayern, Benfica, AEK) which they progressed out of mostly due to h2h results against Benfica. It was wonderful to watch them turn over a really poor Madrid squad but I find the idea of them also taking Juve wuite improbable. I just don’t think people are separating well enough the Madrid myth from its current reality.
I agree with this. Since I am heavily biased towards Barca, 2008-2009 has always been a dividing line for me as it was the first great Messi/Xavi/Iniesta team (Pep’s first year as coach, Pique and Dani Alves brought in). The Barca of Pep Guardiola was as good as any team I’ve ever rooted for.This field is comparatively weak not because a few teams sneaked in but because there just isn't the same quality at the top. The trio of Real, Barca, Bayern were just exceptionally strong in the past decade - for an unusual confluence of reasons - and now have come back to earth. IMO, there are no teams this year (including Barca) that holds a candle to many of the Real/Barca/Bayern clubs of the past 10 years. There were probably some years where all three of those teams were better than any side in the competition this year.
Feels like you’re discounting Liverpool and City because of familiarity. City took a hundred points last year and are competing for a domestic treble and/or quad. While certainly not Pep’s Barca I think this team is as good as any of his Bayern sides. And Liverpool knocked City out last year while pushing them in the league this year. These are two really strong sides which would hold up in any year of this comp IMO. I think this year’s Barca is quite strong as well and Juve with Ronaldo are likely as good as many of the squads you mentioned also.This field is comparatively weak not because a few teams sneaked in but because there just isn't the same quality at the top. The trio of Real, Barca, Bayern were just exceptionally strong in the past decade - for an unusual confluence of reasons - and now have come back to earth. IMO, there are no teams this year (including Barca) that holds a candle to many of the Real/Barca/Bayern clubs of the past 10 years. There were probably some years where all three of those teams were better than any side in the competition this year.
Its a tricky comparison in some ways because we know what the other sides accomplished and the level at which they played in Europe, whereas the book is still open in that regard on a team like City or the current incarnations of Barca and Juventus. Pep's Barca plus the first MSN year when they won the treble, Bayern under Heynckes and the first year or two with Pep, and several of the Madrid teams are for me just a cut above any team I've watched this year. If I see City, Juve, or Barca stomp all over the Champions League while playing at a really really high level, I could certainly reevaluate that opinion.Feels like you’re discounting Liverpool and City because of familiarity. City took a hundred points last year and are competing for a domestic treble and/or quad. While certainly not Pep’s Barca I think this team is as good as any of his Bayern sides. And Liverpool knocked City out last year while pushing them in the league this year. These are two really strong sides which would hold up in any year of this comp IMO. I think this year’s Barca is quite strong as well and Juve with Ronaldo are likely as good as many of the squads you mentioned also.
The pubs and bars around Leidseplein is the area Ajax & Oranje fans congregate for games.In Amsterdam coincidentally for work this week can’t get to the match but does anyone know of a fun place I could watch the match without being overwhelmed by hash fumes.
Broadcast said he picked up a knockBernardo Silva has been probably our most consistent great player all year and he's not selected...it's a complete mess
Two elbows to the head and a hand on the neck in the same play without a card.Lol Fernandinho back at it with no cards shown