April 30, 2014
Play No. 1
UEFA Champions League: Atlético Madrid at Chelsea FC -- DRAW (+230)
Risking $50.00 to win $115.00
But if they draw isn't their going to be pks?Originally Posted by ParlayininHTown
April 30, 2014
Play No. 1
UEFA Champions League: Atlético Madrid at Chelsea FC -- DRAW (+230)
Risking $50.00 to win $115.00
The bet will be graded after 90min and stoppage time.But if they draw isn't their going to be pks?
Total profit: $2,253.67
May 1, 2014
Play No. 1
UEFA Europa League: Valencia CF ML (+130)
Risking $100.00 to win $130.00
Valencia is without its starting goalkeeper and Alcacer Paco ...
So, you're picking them to win without their starting goalkeeper? Am I reading that correctly?
Goalkeepers are a minor factor on this level.So, you're picking them to win without their starting goalkeeper? Am I reading that correctly?
If we were talking about Estonias second league where a field player has to play in goal because they don't even have a 2nd keeper, yeah ok, that has an effect. Or in Iceland where the 2nd keeper often is some 14-15 year old boy.
But whether Bayern starts Neuer or Starke f.e., that's not more then 1% effect in making my decision.
I'm not taking anything away from Real, they did a great job, no doubt. Bayern still is the better team in my eyes, those 2 games don't leave me sleepless.[...] Zizou makes a good point about Thiago, but Real Madrid deserves credit for being so dangerous on the counter. It was a bad matchup for Bayern, especially considering the way they have struggled to break down defenses and become complacent in recent matches. That set-piece defending, though ... Ugh.
I'm a little worried they won't turn up for the German Cup final. It would be a massive disappointment if Pep's first season ends with only one piece of silverware.
Some major factors why Bayern lost their form. Most and important reason: German league was won too early. After they had the title in the bag, the pressure was away and they were not able to build it up again when they had to.
Then, the injury of Thiago. That had a HUGE effect. And while I love Pep and the way he wants to play football, that is the point where I have to critisize him heavily. The game is completely built on having the ball. All the time. I love that and I want that. But you can't play that with a slow idiot like Schweinsteiger and a non-dynamic co-partner as well in Kroos. So the strategy is having the ball ALL THE DAMN TIME, but: You are doing that to find open spaces. As soon as you see that open space it has to go BOOM, pass and finish. And that is what Thiago does. (Götze would be able to do this too). Schweinsteiger and Kroos can keep the ball. And that is that. (In fact Schweinsteiger is so bad at the moment that he isn't even able to control and keep the ball, but that's another story...) Neither Schweinsteiger, nor Kroos are guys that have brilliant ideas that decide games. So either a) Guardiola wants to keep on playing the posession game without Thiago --> that means he definitely has to start Götze, or b) he needs to have a plan B, which could be simply to switch back to the football Bayern played last year. But as soon as I saw the line-up for the match I knew it was game over. And it amazes me, that Guardiola still started Schweinsteiger. Shows you what a massive lobby this guy has in the club... What I wanted to see was this line-up:
Neuer
Rafinha - Boateng - Dante - Alaba
Martinez
Lahm - Kroos
Robben Götze
Müller
There was NO point in starting Ribery again. Franck is playing like whoreshit for 2 straight months now. Enough is enough. Mandzukic showed often enough that he has no business in playing against the top 5 teams of Europe. Götze is the only one that has surprising ideas. Lahm is the best midfielder Bayern has right now. Amazing how this guy is able to adapt to every position and play absolute worldclass there. Müller is the type of attacker that causes real trouble for Madrid when he is in front. Unconvential way of playing, doing surprising shit sometimes and has a nose for being at the right place. Martinez is a vacuum cleaner. A monster against the ball with a massive body. Did you see him running against Bale? Javi is far from being slow and has great anticipation.
Bayern needs to get 2 top guys in next season. We need a congenius partner for Thiago (being a replacement for Schweinsteiger as well because Bastian has clearly shown that he is a) too slow b) technically not skilled enough c) not fast enough in the head, for the type of football that Guardiola wants to play. Lewandowski comes for Mandzu, which is a good thing. We need another defensive winger and an offensive winger as well. If Guardiola wants to play HIS type of football ---> Schweinsteiger is the one that HAS to go. If he has to start Schweinsteiger, he has to change his sytem. Simple as that. Will be an interesting transfer period this summer. Dreesen has already said that Bayern has the money and is willing to spend it if Guardiola has any wishes. Hope he does have some wishes and uses them wisely....
I would try to aim for Montoya and Koke, just to throw some names in the room.
Points Awarded:
ParlayininHTown gave zizoudane10 2 Betpoint(s) for this post.
May 1, 2014
Play No. 2/LATE-NIGHT DEGENERATE SPECIAL!
Liga MX playoffs: Deportivo Toluca FC at Club Tijuana -- OVER 2.5 (+115)
Risking $100.00 to win $115.00
Well, Zizou, you know Pep is not going to be that flexible. He wants to play his possession brand of football, so it's clear that he has to find a way to get Schweinsteiger out of the squad. It's not that hard to tell the guy he doesn't fit and needs to take a seat, but I guess Schweinsteiger has him by the balls in some form or fashion. Kind of weird to see him in the lineup when Pep had to know deep down this shit wasn't working.
Muller definitely deserved more run. His game and ability to do unorthodox things might have been the change-up this Bayern side needed after the original gameplan clearly got them nowhere in the first leg...I just can't figure out what Pep's thinking was with Muller and Schweinsteiger, among other things, during this two-leg tie, though.
I agree that a guy like Koke should be on Bayern's radar. I think he could fit nicely with your squad. A couple of other big moves and a tweak here and there, and Bayern should be all right. I mean, you still made the freaking semifinals of the Champions League and could do the double. Oh, and let's not forget about that one guy from that Dortmund team who is going to be doing big things for Bayern next year.
And yet, here we are pointing out their failings.
I've only been watching/betting soccer for a couple of years so you guys know way more than I, that being said I can't stand the way this Bayern team plays. Last year they played with length and speed, always on the attack. Fun to watch and literally beating their opponents into submission. This year? Barca lite. Ticky f*kin' tack possession, slow and boring. Against most their talent was enough, but against the better teams? Average at best. Makes me sad.
Total profit: $2,283.67
THISWell, Zizou, you know Pep is not going to be that flexible. He wants to play his possession brand of football, so it's clear that he has to find a way to get Schweinsteiger out of the squad. It's not that hard to tell the guy he doesn't fit and needs to take a seat, but I guess Schweinsteiger has him by the balls in some form or fashion. Kind of weird to see him in the lineup when Pep had to know deep down this shit wasn't working.
(but you have no idea how big of a lobby there is for this guy in the club..... it's laughable)
I really can't figure out what the whole thinking behind the lineup in the 2nd leg was....Muller definitely deserved more run. His game and ability to do unorthodox things might have been the change-up this Bayern side needed after the original gameplan clearly got them nowhere in the first leg...I just can't figure out what Pep's thinking was with Muller and Schweinsteiger, among other things, during this two-leg tie, though.
Lewa is going to fit in well. I really hope Mandzukic leaves for good after this season. He is the type of guy that spreads bad mood when sitting on the bench.... And he would sit there. A lot.I agree that a guy like Koke should be on Bayern's radar. I think he could fit nicely with your squad. A couple of other big moves and a tweak here and there, and Bayern should be all right. I mean, you still made the freaking semifinals of the Champions League and could do the double. Oh, and let's not forget about that one guy from that Dortmund team who is going to be doing big things for Bayern next year.
Yeah, honestly it's laughable whenever fans try to judge decisions of a guy like PepAnd yet, here we are pointing out their failings.
But then again, sometimes the fans might be right from time to time.
Well, I think the team played some incredible football the first half of the season. It was damn fast and real fun to watch. But when you are playing Schweinsteiger and Kroos together in the midfield, you still have possession, but you're gonna see a looooooooooot of 5m passes to the side and back without nothing ever happening. And that's just stupid and a 100% boring to watch, agreed.I've only been watching/betting soccer for a couple of years so you guys know way more than I, that being said I can't stand the way this Bayern team plays. Last year they played with length and speed, always on the attack. Fun to watch and literally beating their opponents into submission. This year? Barca lite. Ticky f*kin' tack possession, slow and boring. Against most their talent was enough, but against the better teams? Average at best. Makes me sad.
Heynckes did a great job last year, no doubt. But on the other hand, it wasn't all roses and sugar with him. We had some pretty bad games as well. The team had a hard time against a mediocre Valencia, we embarrassed ourselfs against BATE BIG TIME. Heynckes almost fukked up in the 2nd leg against Arsenal and fans were screaming bloody murder. We fukked Juve and Barca pretty good, but remember the first 25 minutes against Dortmund in the final: The team could have been 0:3 behind after them, and Heynckes didn't have the slightest idea how to react.
I agree that the football overall was more exciting last season than the football in the 2nd half of this season. But I also have to say that last season was far from being THAT dominant. Fans tend to glorify things that are in the past, but when you take a closer look into the games, they'd have to admit that.
But a fact is: If Pep wants to play possession football (and he wants that) he needs to change players after this season. Or he has to adapt. One of both needs to happen, or he's going to have a damn hard time....
Points Awarded:
ParlayininHTown gave zizoudane10 1 Betpoint(s) for this post.
Sorry for hijacking your thread with all this talk pal
Sorry for hijacking your thread with all this talk pal
Don't be. Football fans and discussion are always welcome in here, zizoudane. I don't mind mixing in a little football conversation with my picks and self-deprecating comments.
