UCL talking points: Can Man Utd fix mess? Surprise package?
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With Matchday 4 of the 2023-24 Champions League group stage over, a number of golf equipment have now booked their place within the spherical of 16: Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Manchester City, RB Leipzig, Real Madrid and Real Sociedad.
Manchester United have given themselves a tricky process after Wednesday’s loss at FC Copenhagen leaves them backside of their group, Barcelona suffered a shock lack of their very own, whereas Group F may nonetheless end with all 4 groups — AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United — on the identical variety of factors.
We requested our writers Gab Marcotti, Rob Dawson, Alex Kirkland and Julien Laurens to reply a few of our burning questions.
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1. United have all the pieces to play for in opposition to Bayern and Galatasary. What will it take to rescue their marketing campaign within the subsequent two video games?
Rob Dawson: It begins with being extra organised and defending higher. They’ve conceded 11 targets in 4 video games — solely Celtic and Antwerp (two groups who’re additionally backside of their respective teams) have conceded extra within the group stage this season — and it is too many for any workforce aiming to qualify for the spherical of 16. As weird because it sounds after a 4-3 defeat, Manchester United’s efficiency in opposition to FC Copenhagen was certainly one of their higher shows of the season they usually most likely would have gained however for Marcus Rashford’s first-half pink card. There shall be cautious optimism forward of a must-win recreation in Turkey in opposition to Galatasaray on matchday 5 and after that they’re going to must hope Bayern Munich relaxation gamers for his or her journey to Old Trafford.
Julien Laurens: Not making silly particular person errors would assist! From André Onana’s horrible go in opposition to Galatasaray, which led to Casemiro’s pink card, to Diogo Dalot’s horrendous defending in Copenhagen or Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s pointless again go. The proven fact that United have conceded one penalty in every of their first 4 video games within the competitors says all of it, actually. It reveals that they’re too beneficiant to the opposition in terms of Champions League matches.
Alex Kirkland: A brand new coach and a brand new set of gamers? No, severely, Wednesday’s defeat was a catastrophe however a have a look at the desk tells you United are nonetheless in competition to progress from the group. They’re able to successful away at Galatasaray after which beating a Bayern facet who’ve already certified for the spherical of 16 and would possibly subject a weakened workforce at Old Trafford. But that does not imply alarm bells aren’t ringing. I used to be watching Real Madrid on the Bernabeu whereas United had been taking part in, and could not imagine the updates coming in from Copenhagen. There’s a lot mistaken at United that it is arduous to know the place to start out. But Ten Hag’s place have to be below severe scrutiny.
Gab Marcotti: Their greatest downside — and their greatest power — is that Bayern have certified as group winners. So whereas Thomas Tuchel will discuss recreation about honoring the competitors and making an attempt arduous within the last two group video games, he’d be foolish to not ship out the second-string, which suggests we’ll most likely see extra of Frans Krätzig and Aleksandar Pavlovic than Harry Kane and Joshua Kimmich within the final two matches. That’ll assist United at Old Trafford on Matchday 6. On the flipside, it additionally helps Copenhagen on Matchday 5. So whilst you may see United qualifying with eight factors, it could additionally imply it could be out of their palms. Simply put, they should win in Istanbul. And that is going to be difficult.
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2. Which workforce is your greatest shock package deal thus far and why?
Laurens: RB Leipzig. Imagine shedding 4 crucial gamers like Josko Gvardiol, Dominik Szoboszlai, Christopher Nkunku and Konrad Laimer in a single summer time, but you keep very aggressive each within the league and the Champions League. Marco Rose and the membership have completed a tremendous job to switch these departing stars with Xavi Simons, Loïs Openda, Castello Lukeba and Christoph Baumgartner and carry out so properly. They had been minutes away from drawing in opposition to Manchester City, they usually drew with Bayern within the Bundesliga too. Simons has been a star, however Leipzig had a plan and they’re reaping the rewards now.
Kirkland: Real Sociedad. They’ve made their return to the Champions League for the primary time in a decade look straightforward. Last day out, in 2013-14, they did not win a single group recreation. They started the group by dominating final yr’s finalists Inter Milan and had been unfortunate to accept a draw. They adopted that with back-to-back away wins at FC Salzburg and Benfica. And on Wednesday, they scored three targets inside half an hour — and missed a penalty — on their solution to beating Benfica 3-1 in San Sebastian to ensure their place within the spherical of 16. Imanol Alguacil’s workforce are full of homegrown expertise and play enjoyable, attacking soccer. What’s to not like?
Marcotti: Real Sociedad have been the standout workforce of the group stage, together with Manchester City, the distinction being that La Real are doing it on a a lot slimmer funds. Brais Méndez, Take Kubo, Mikel Oyarzabal give opposing defences matches and, whereas groups in LaLiga could have figured them out to some extent (which is why they’re seventh within the desk,) the identical cannot be stated in Europe.
Dawson: Borussia Dortmund maintain shedding key gamers like Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland, Manuel Akanji and Jadon Sancho however, after 4 video games in Group F, they’re sat prime on seven factors. In a bunch alongside Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and Newcastle United, not solely have they given themselves an amazing probability of qualifying for the knockout section for the fifth time within the final six years, they need to even be focusing on prime spot. They had been dealt a blow within the Bundesliga on Saturday with a heavy 4-0 defeat to Bayern Munich, however back-to-back wins over Newcastle have put them in charge of their Champions League group. To lose so many prime gamers and proceed to problem in Europe is spectacular.
What has occurred to Robert Lewandowski at Barca?
The “ESPN FC” crew attempt to make sense of Robert Lewandowski’s latest dip in kind after Barcelona’s loss to Shakhtar Donetsk within the Champions League.
3. Lewandowski has gone six video games and not using a purpose for Barca, his worst purpose drought for over a decade. What’s gone mistaken?
Marcotti: That’s a little bit of a BS stat, is not it? Yeah, it is six video games, however solely 4 begins. And, in a kind of, he got here off after half an hour. In reality, he performed 90 minutes simply twice throughout that run and within the final couple video games was coming off an damage. Yeah, he is outdated and we are able to debate whether or not he was a clever funding from Barca. But he additionally scored six targets in his first seven appearances this season. Let’s wait some time earlier than we write him off, lets?
Kirkland: It’s not simply that Robert Lewandowski is not scoring. He’s barely moving into positions to attain, both. Against Shakhtar he had two photographs, neither on track. In Barca’s go to to Real Sociedad on Saturday, he had no photographs in slightly below an hour on the pitch. He had one shot, off track, in his substitute look in El Clasico, and none earlier than he was injured in opposition to FC Porto. There are mitigating components, and context to think about. This barren streak comes after six targets in 5 membership video games between August and September, and this Barca workforce wrestle to create probabilities typically, with one shot on track in 90 minutes in opposition to Shakhtar. But Lewandowski cannot be absolved of all accountability. He’s trying his age (35,) and a few really feel a extra cellular ahead would swimsuit them higher.
Dawson: Lewandowski hasn’t become a foul striker in a single day. He’s on a poor run however he acquired 33 targets for Barcelona final season and 50 the season earlier than for Bayern Munich. He acquired eight in seven video games for membership and nation in August and September. The targets will return — he is too good a participant for that to not be the case — however at 35 years outdated it is solely pure that he’ll start to decelerate ultimately. It would not assist that Barcelona do not create a ton of probabilities, but it surely’s additionally not doable that he is the identical participant that he was 5 years in the past. Time catches up with even the best gamers.
Laurens: It’s a little bit of all the pieces. His age and the accidents that he’s choosing up now are usually not serving to. He has simply misplaced that split-second of sharpness that he used to have and, at this stage, it reveals. Even final season, regardless of doing properly general and being LaLiga’s Pichichi (prime scorer) final season, there have been occasions the place you may see he was not as efficient. There can also be a collective concern. This Barcelona facet just isn’t creating sufficient probabilities general, and for him particularly. I do not assume Haaland would rating many extra targets than Lewandowski on this facet. Xavi has to discover a solution to convey the creativity again to assist his most important striker. The return of Pedri is nice information on that entrance.
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4. Group F is now extensive open after Dortmund and Milan gained. Who are your favorites to undergo and why?
Dawson: The various inconsistency of each workforce in Group F implies that they will all imagine they’ll undergo to the final 16, however two huge golf equipment are going out. Newcastle had a spectacular win over Paris Saint-Germain at St James’ Park however Eddie Howe is coping with a mounting damage listing and after two defeats to Borussia Dortmund, they’ll discover it very tough. You would fancy PSG to make it three dwelling wins out of three in opposition to Newcastle on matchday 5, a consequence which might put them getting ready to qualification forward of their journey to Dortmund. The German facet are best-placed to affix them within the knock-out rounds however they will want end in Milan subsequent up.
Laurens: PSG are completely unpredictable within the Champions League this season however they’re nonetheless in place. So a lot in order that they might even qualify by beating Newcastle on the Parc des Princes (the place they’ve been dominant within the competitors) in three weeks’ time, with a visit to Dortmund to comply with. The factor is that each one the opposite groups are additionally inconsistent and unpredictable, particularly Newcastle and Dortmund. Milan ought to have crushed them each however did not take their probabilities, however I nonetheless fancy them to undergo with PSG.
Kirkland: PSG are below strain after their loss in Milan however they’ve gained each their dwelling video games on the Parc des Princes thus far and will do the identical in opposition to Newcastle on matchday 5, a consequence which might put them into the spherical of 16 if Dortmund beat Milan at San Siro that very same night time. Luis Enrique’s PSG have been up and down thus far this season however they nonetheless have such unbelievable expertise, and Enrique is an distinctive, if usually frustratingly dogmatic coach. Dortmund deserve to affix them within the spherical of16 after their spectacular back-to-back wins in opposition to Newcastle.
Marcotti: I am unable to think about PSG getting knocked out within the group stage. Even if they do not beat Newcastle at dwelling, they’re greater than able to dismantling Dortmund away (by no means underestimate their capacity to self-destruct). I feel Milan are well-placed right here. They had been poor at PSG, however battered Dortmund and Newcastle when it comes to probabilities once they performed them (cumulative xG: 3.02 to 1.19). Plus, Newcastle might be eradicated by the point they play them. They clearly have to beat Dortmund at San Siro, however I feel they will get it completed (and I don’t know why my colleagues are so bullish on Borussia … guessing they’re huge Niclas Füllkrug followers?)
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