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⚽ Soccer Match-day Thread (5 Viewers)

Semi odds:

  • Barca 56/44 Liverpool (538 has it 51/49 for Liverpool)
  • Ajax 50/50 Spurs (51/49 Ajax)
  • Barca/Pool winner will be something like 65/35 vs either of the other two.
 
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Barca at home first. I like it. Should be some great semis.
Spurs are at home first, but will be without Son.

Obviously Ajax are preferred to Liverpool or Barça right now - but it is actually going to be tough, given the way Ajax are playing, and the injuries/suspension for Spurs.

 
So rules question since everyone seems to be ignoring it, I must not know it (plus VAR reviewed), but....

Eriksen played the ball backwards and it was deflected to Aguero. Aguero was in an offside position. But his teammate didn't play him the ball.

In that same spot had Bernardo passed it forward and Eriksen deflected, it is remains offside (a deflection does not change that). I assumed the same applied when the attacker passes backwards and it is deflected so I was surprised they overruled the goal. 

 
So rules question since everyone seems to be ignoring it, I must not know it (plus VAR reviewed), but....

Eriksen played the ball backwards and it was deflected to Aguero. Aguero was in an offside position. But his teammate didn't play him the ball.

In that same spot had Bernardo passed it forward and Eriksen deflected, it is remains offside (a deflection does not change that). I assumed the same applied when the attacker passes backwards and it is deflected so I was surprised they overruled the goal. 
Aguero's teammate was the one that flicked it to him and I don't think it gets there without the flick on.  

 
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Aguero's teammate was the one that flicked it to him and I don't think it gets there without the flick on.  
I never saw a good replay but it definitely didn't look like a "flick." They were pressing Eriksen and Bernardo (I think) deflected his pass with no real intention. 

 
Barca at home first. I like it. Should be some great semis.
I’ve seen Barca fans already talking about them needing to score a lot at home.  That’s not a good strategy for them.  They should play cagey and try to nick a 1-0 at home. Then come to anfield needing just 1 goal.  

Klopp is really good at knockout round strategy. Almost the exact opposite of Pep who played cagey in the road vs Tott and tried to score a ton of goals at home.

But Messi.  Wow. Win or lose I’m just glad that I’m going to get to see my team play the best player of all time in the semi-finals . What an event this will be.  Take all the strategy out of this, that guy can end Liverpool all on his own. 

 
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I never saw a good replay but it definitely didn't look like a "flick." They were pressing Eriksen and Bernardo (I think) deflected his pass with no real intention. 
If Bernardo had whiffed but the ball somehow still found Aguero it would have stood. 

 
If Bernardo had whiffed but the ball somehow still found Aguero it would have stood. 
Hmmm...I clearly understand that. But no matter because I just looked up the law. 

From the point it was "last touched" so deflections by an attacking player do in fact count to reset the play. 

 
I don’t think his intent matters, just whether or not he touched it 
It definitely has to be intentional to start a new phase of play - otherwise it goes back to Eriksen's pass.

By intentional - it does not mean that he intended the perfect flick, only that he intended to play the ball v. a ball deflecting off a player.

 
So rules question since everyone seems to be ignoring it, I must not know it (plus VAR reviewed), but....

Eriksen played the ball backwards and it was deflected to Aguero. Aguero was in an offside position. But his teammate didn't play him the ball.

In that same spot had Bernardo passed it forward and Eriksen deflected, it is remains offside (a deflection does not change that). I assumed the same applied when the attacker passes backwards and it is deflected so I was surprised they overruled the goal. 
VAR  official ruled the deflection was a deliberate attempt to play the ball according to some mooks on the radio.

 
VAR  official ruled the deflection was a deliberate attempt to play the ball according to some mooks on the radio.
Found this article on it which also has a slow motion replay in it. You can see it best starting at 20s. 

Couple of points I'd make upon seeing the replay:

- Silva definitely meant to touch it. He stretches out his leg.

- Silva definitely did not "flick" it to anyone in particular and had his back to the goal. It was just breaking up a pass. 

So the ball deflects off Silva's shin of his outstretched leg. Does that make it deliberate? Thankfully the law is actually pretty clear and intent does not matter at all. Only the touch. VAR gets it right. 

 
It definitely has to be intentional to start a new phase of play - otherwise it goes back to Eriksen's pass.

By intentional - it does not mean that he intended the perfect flick, only that he intended to play the ball v. a ball deflecting off a player.
I don’t think this is what you meant but to make sure I understand - where Aguero was standing when Eriksen hit the ball doesn’t matter. If you are in an offside position but the other team plays the ball to you it’s fine. 

So does the video ref first have to determine if there was a deliberate attempt to play the ball - and then they look to see where Aguero was standing? Seems like a difficult way to do it imo. 

 
I don’t think this is what you meant but to make sure I understand - where Aguero was standing when Eriksen hit the ball doesn’t matter. If you are in an offside position but the other team plays the ball to you it’s fine. 

So does the video ref first have to determine if there was a deliberate attempt to play the ball - and then they look to see where Aguero was standing? Seems like a difficult way to do it imo. 
Its no different than any other offside call. When the Man City player (I think it was Silva) kicked out at the ball - that is a deliberate attempt to play the ball - then you freeze it, and by about 2 inches, Aguero is offside at that moment.

 
If Jordan Henderson is somehow the driving force as Liverpool claim a title, Tiger Woods' redemption arc becomes the second best comeback of the year.  He's been fantastic for the last four games.

Not sure who the third midfielder will be at Barca, but I expect Fabinho and Henderson to start.  Milner?  Keita?

Coutinho, Messi and Suarez -- probably the one team on earth that shades the forward trio of Firmino, Salah and Mane.

 
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If Jordan Henderson is somehow the driving force as Liverpool claim a title, Tiger Woods' redemption arc becomes the second best comeback of the year.  He's been fantastic for the last four games.

Not sure who the third midfielder will be at Barca, but I expect Fabinho and Henderson to start.  Milner?

Coutinho, Messi and Suarez -- probably the one team on earth that shades the forward trio of Firmino, Salah and Mane.
I would hope Wijnaldum.  Although Keita's improved play of late would make me comfortable as well. I don't want Milner against Barca. They will eat him alive.

 
Found this article on it which also has a slow motion replay in it. You can see it best starting at 20s. 

Couple of points I'd make upon seeing the replay:

- Silva definitely meant to touch it. He stretches out his leg.

- Silva definitely did not "flick" it to anyone in particular and had his back to the goal. It was just breaking up a pass. 

So the ball deflects off Silva's shin of his outstretched leg. Does that make it deliberate? Thankfully the law is actually pretty clear and intent does not matter at all. Only the touch. VAR gets it right. 
Seems like a really bad decision by Erickson, just judging from this clip. 

 
If Jordan Henderson is somehow the driving force as Liverpool claim a title, Tiger Woods' redemption arc becomes the second best comeback of the year.  He's been fantastic for the last four games.

Not sure who the third midfielder will be at Barca, but I expect Fabinho and Henderson to start.  Milner?  Keita?

Coutinho, Messi and Suarez -- probably the one team on earth that shades the forward trio of Firmino, Salah and Mane.
Agree with Fabinho, and Jordan is likely, the other is Gini for sure.

 
Interesting factoid - Since January 1, 2019, Man City have out-scored opponents at home, in all comps, 49-3 (not including today).

53-6 is still a good tally - just not good enough....

 
If Jordan Henderson is somehow the driving force as Liverpool claim a title, Tiger Woods' redemption arc becomes the second best comeback of the year.  He's been fantastic for the last four games.

Not sure who the third midfielder will be at Barca, but I expect Fabinho and Henderson to start.  Milner?  Keita?

Coutinho, Messi and Suarez -- probably the one team on earth that shades the forward trio of Firmino, Salah and Mane.
I feel that Pool will press Barca on the road as they haven’t pressed in quite some time.  Klopp gets very aggressive on the road.  He understands the importance of away goals.

As such I’d traditionally say the Hendo/wij/Milner trio is the most experienced pressing trio.  But Milner seems to have lost some speed recently and Hendo is thriving playing higher up.  So I think it will be Hendo/Fab/Wij

UNLESS, Klopp is ready to unleash keita in a full gegenpress, something we haven’t really seen yet.

 
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Interesting factoid - Since January 1, 2019, Man City have out-scored opponents at home, in all comps, 49-3 (not including today).

53-6 is still a good tally - just not good enough....
Interesting factoid ...there is no more annoying word than "factoid "...thats a fact, jack.

 
Another draw for AFC Wimbledon.  It looks like the relegation battle is going down to the bitter (or glorious) end. 

The Dons have three games left to play:  away at league leading Luton, a huge six pointer vs Wycombe and a home match vs already relegated Bradford City.  Four points may be enough but six would be much better.

 
PSA

Norwich vs Sheffield United on ESPN+. Top 2 in English championship

Err....never mind leader Norwich vs mid table Sheffield Wednesday 

 
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