Can a PL team win the CL this season ?

[Frogfish]

After years of transition and upheaval the top teams in the PL (bar Arsenal) are settling down and strong teams are emerging. Of course some of them still have some way to go and still display some weaknesses but can their strengths overcome these ?

The benefit for the PL sides especially is that by the time the KO rounds come around they will have had a chance to settle their sides and maybe even further bolster them in January (CB and maybe even Keita for us for example).

City have a great chance if they can keep Kompany fit. On form they can match any side in Europe, and have exceptional strength in depth, but are they consistent enough ?
Spurs look very good, a real team, but enough strength in depth ? With multiple injuries they still did well versus RM.
United look like an improved version of last season's team, strong in defence, though not as effective as they need to be in attack (that could hurt them in the CL). Maybe the return in 2018 of Ibrahimovic could help in this regard, an experienced player against continental sides. They should be better when Pogba returns too.
Liverpool's attack can, on it's day and when putting away the chances they create, run through most teams, our defence is still an issue but does seem to be settling down but it's that attacking flair that could seem us do well in the CL - if drawing teams that suit our style.
Chelsea are a bit of an enigma but injuries could wreck their chances, they have shown that missing 2-3 of their better players they have a soft underbelly.

RM, Barca, Bayern and PSG have all shown weaknesses this season, in some cases maybe aging teams on their last legs / teams in transition that won't be as solid and consistent as in previous seasons. If the draw goes well for the English teams I could see 3 or even 4 in the QFs and maybe then a couple in the semis (especially if we end up with all English QFs), then anything can happen. We could see an English winner this season.

 

[Fabio]

The only team with a hope is city.

Us, Spurs and Chelsea aren't good enough

United depends if they can maintain their shit house tactics against an actual good side.

 

[ibromurph]

Winning the CL is down to either exceptional players (Real Madrid) or excellent tactics/management and a good luck/draw (Rafa 05).

I think Pep has the players and tactics.

Jose/Conte definitely have the tactics. I'm not sure they have the players.

Klopp, as much as I love him, might not have either. We'll see when we encounter a good team. 2 seasons ago he passed the Dortmund & Villareal test, but failed the Sevilla one in the final. This year, we haven't faced a good side yet and only have 5 pts.

 

[Skullflower]

I'm allowing myself to believe we can win it.

 

[manwithnoname]

We could see an English winner this season.

I fucking hope not.

The obvious choices would be United - because Mourinho has already won it twice - and City - because Guardiola has too, plus they have a billion pound squad.

I'd fucking hate it if either of those cunts won it, but of course it's a possibility.

A dreadful one. I dunno, it would be nice for a total left-field winner to come and surprise everyone, but as long as none of our UK rivals win it, I don't care too much.

 

[LeTallecWiz]

Conte may prioritize the competition if league form continues as it is ... and then they became dangerous, especially with a healthy Kante, who's the key to that team.

 

[Woland]

There's a massive chance. Looks like there will be five in the last sixteen. The Spanish sides aren't as good. Even we battered Bayern. You never know, if Milner actually can fix the midfield and we do buy a world class centre half for Christmas, it could be us.

 

[Dreambeliever]

I've already told you we are winning it this season.

 

[Pesam]

Us, Spurs and Chelsea aren't good enough

Well we certainly weren't good enough to win it in 2005 either ergo we still have a chance this season.

 

[Silver Sean]

Unless it's us I really couldn't give a shit. I desperately hope every other English club gets knocked at as easy as possible.

 

[Judge Jules]

I want the Mancs out at the earliest possible opportunity. Otherwise, couldn't give a flying one either way about anybody other than us.

 

[jason]

Can is Key.

 

[Frogfish]

I want the Mancs out at the earliest possible opportunity. Otherwise, couldn't give a flying one either way about anybody other than us.

Disagree mate. I want them occupied and travelling as much as possible. Look how their injuries are mounting.

Don't want them able to rest and play fresh every week. If they were somehow to overcome City for the title - doesn't bear thnking about.

Let them go out in the QF by drawing the first leg and getting thrashed in the second and wouldn't it be lovely if we were the ones to do it !

 

[RedStar]

City look the most obvious candidates however I expect one of Chelsea or Utd will give up on the league by Jan if City keep going the way they are now. Once a top team focuses purely on CL football it makes a huge difference. I'd hate Utd to win more than anything else so I'm hoping they get drawn against the toughest 2nd place team possible Madrid/Bayern/Juve and Mourinho get knocked out playing his blanket defence shite.

 

[Judge Jules]

Disagree mate. I want them occupied and travelling as much as possible. Look how their injuries are mounting.

Don't want them able to rest and play fresh every week. If they were somehow to overcome City for the title - doesn't bear thnking about.

Let them go out in the QF by drawing the first leg and getting thrashed in the second and wouldn't it be lovely if we were the ones to do it !

You've convinced me, Froggy mate. Good post.

 

[manwithnoname]

Disagree mate. I want them occupied and travelling as much as possible. Look how their injuries are mounting.

Don't want them able to rest and play fresh every week. If they were somehow to overcome City for the title - doesn't bear thnking about.

Let them go out in the QF by drawing the first leg and getting thrashed in the second and wouldn't it be lovely if we were the ones to do it !

If you could guarantee that they'd go out at that stage, fine.

But the risk is simply too great, so fuck that and fuck them. All our rivals out as soon as possible, please.

 

[keniget]

If you could guarantee that they'd go out at that stage, fine.

But the risk is simply too great, so fuck that and fuck them. All our rivals out as soon as possible, please.

Ditto.

 

[Frogfish]

If you could guarantee that they'd go out at that stage, fine.

But the risk is simply too great, so fuck that and fuck them. All our rivals out as soon as possible, please.

Ditto.

Risk too great ? There is hardly any risk. Unless you count Atletico Madrid as 'shock' finalists (twice, but still failed to win it) you probably have to go back to us in 2005 to find a truly unexpected finalist. As for a winner - that would again be us. So unless United are going to emulate us, and that would be an extraordinary feat, they are not going to win it or even make the final.

Therefore, for them to have a decent run can only be beneficial to us because hopefully we are also still in it, so they will not gain any advantage in the PL (where I expect to see them drop off once they start getting into a series of tougher matches after an extraordinarily run of easier matches to start the season.

 

[King Binny]

2016/17 UEFA Champions League Payment to Clubs (In Euros)

As the money shared from domestic market pool is divided based on performance, from a financial point of view, the earlier the other English clubs get knocked out, the better.

Leicester made €81.7m (€49m from market pool) as compared to Tottenham's €43.3m (€26.6m from market pool). Juve as usual, benefited from the lack of Italian club's involvement by bagging a huge share from the market pool.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/41695802
[article]- Each club was guaranteed a minimum payment of 12.7m euros for participating in the group stage, while additional performance bonuses of 1.5m euros per win and 500,000 euros per draw.
- The 500,000 euros surplus for each drawn match was pooled and redistributed to all clubs taking part in the group stage in accordance with the number of wins they achieved.
- Further bonuses were paid for each knockout round reached: 6m euros for the round of 16, 6.5m euros for the quarter-finals, 7.5m euros for the semi-finals, 11m euros for the runners-up in the final and 15.5m euros for the winners.
- Monies from the market pool were divided according to the value of the TV deal in each country, among other factors.[/article]

 

[FoxForceFive]

Risk too great ? There is hardly any risk. Unless you count Atletico Madrid as 'shock' finalists (twice, but still failed to win it) you probably have to go back to us in 2005 to find a truly unexpected finalist. As for a winner - that would again be us. So unless United are going to emulate us, and that would be an extraordinary feat, they are not going to win it or even make the final.

Therefore, for them to have a decent run can only be beneficial to us because hopefully we are also still in it, so they will not gain any advantage in the PL (where I expect to see them drop off once they start getting into a series of tougher matches after an extraordinarily run of easier matches to start the season.

Hmmm, I'm not so sure.

Mourinho's anti football style combined with the return of Pogba & Ibra could be enough to progress to the semi finals, where simply going all out to not concede becomes a sound strategy to actually win the thing.

Of course a lot depends on the draw & injuries etc, but I'd be very worried about if they got through the quarters.

 

[Dreambeliever]

Risk too great ? There is hardly any risk. Unless you count Atletico Madrid as 'shock' finalists (twice, but still failed to win it) you probably have to go back to us in 2005 to find a truly unexpected finalist. As for a winner - that would again be us. So unless United are going to emulate us, and that would be an extraordinary feat, they are not going to win it or even make the final.

Therefore, for them to have a decent run can only be beneficial to us because hopefully we are also still in it, so they will not gain any advantage in the PL (where I expect to see them drop off once they start getting into a series of tougher matches after an extraordinarily run of easier matches to start the season.

Ya no risk at all.

Not like Mourinho hasn't won it with two worse sides in Inter and Porto.

UTD ASAP, the rest couldn't care less

 

[Frogfish]

Ya no risk at all.

Not like Mourinho hasn't won it with two worse sides in Inter and Porto.

UTD ASAP, the rest couldn't care less

The CL has moved on about 1,000 miles from those days. The format favours the better teams and so only top teams win it now. There is no way in the world that this United team could win it. Huddersfield might though.

 

[keniget]

The CL has moved on about 1,000 miles from those days. The format favours the better teams and so only top teams win it now. There is no way in the world that this United team could win it. Huddersfield might though.

In what way?

 

[Frogfish]

In what way?

Money for a start. No money no honey as far as winning the CL is concerned - just look at the past 10 years for confirmation. That doesn't address the United position of course but it explains why winning it is now restricted to so few (addressing Pat's Inter and Porto examples). I should have written those two sentences in different paragraphs.