CL Group A Thread - Liverpool - Porto - Marseille - Besiktas

kas wrote:

Crouching Tiger wrote:@ Kas, no, he isn't technically very good. His energy, pace and work rate are all fantastic though. He cant pass, but he can tackle, and he's becoming much more confident with the ball at his feet (dribbling). I think he's one of the best play breakers around.

And you think running around at a high speed for 90 mins, only occasionally passing the ball well but doing a great job of destroying play, is enough to warrant being called one of the top 15 midfielders in the Premiership?

COTR wrote:

kas wrote:He does...but based on that one game his profile has elevated so much it's unreal. Many posters have said this many times on the board before - Sissoko is perfect to destroy teams like Barcelona, but in reality he's not all that great. It's all about the matchups, to quote Teamspirit.

Wrong actually

he built his reputuation long before those games and has gobbled up the chelsea midfield made a laughing stock of scholes and co on numerous occasins. barca were just the latest in a long line of conquests

too much focus is placed on what he can't do at the expense of what he actually does do. he was out of fomr at the end of last season after the eye and knee injuries but he is playing like a man possessed at the minute

kas wrote:

Crouching Tiger wrote:@ Kas, no, he isn't technically very good. His energy, pace and work rate are all fantastic though. He cant pass, but he can tackle, and he's becoming much more confident with the ball at his feet (dribbling). I think he's one of the best play breakers around.

And you think running around at a high speed for 90 mins, only occasionally passing the ball well but doing a great job of destroying play, is enough to warrant being called one of the top 15 midfielders in the Premiership?

kas wrote:

COTR wrote:

kas wrote:He does...but based on that one game his profile has elevated so much it's unreal. Many posters have said this many times on the board before - Sissoko is perfect to destroy teams like Barcelona, but in reality he's not all that great. It's all about the matchups, to quote Teamspirit.

Wrong actually

he built his reputuation long before those games and has gobbled up the chelsea midfield made a laughing stock of scholes and co on numerous occasins. barca were just the latest in a long line of conquests

too much focus is placed on what he can't do at the expense of what he actually does do. he was out of fomr at the end of last season after the eye and knee injuries but he is playing like a man possessed at the minute

Well, maybe that's my perspective because I didn't rate him so much as a destroyer until that match at the Camp Nou.

But again, the 2nd paragraph is fair enough, but I can see that even you don't agree with that crazy "top 15" claim...though crouching was probably exaggerating hugely.

COTR wrote:made a laughing stock of scholes and co

Parks lives wrote:

COTR wrote:made a laughing stock of scholes and co

Name one?

Scholes wasn't playing for a couple of the games Sissoko played.

Parks lives wrote:

COTR wrote:made a laughing stock of scholes and co

Name one?

Scholes wasn't playing for a couple of the games Sissoko played.

COTR wrote:



Better midfielders than momo imo

gerrard
scholes
mascha
essien
ballack
alonso
cesc
arteta
hargreaves .. maybe

COTR wrote:

Parks lives wrote:

COTR wrote:made a laughing stock of scholes and co

Name one?

Scholes wasn't playing for a couple of the games Sissoko played.

by scholes and co I meant united

he regularly gobbled up your midfield before last season when the injuries clearly affected him (if scholes can use it as an excuse for being $h!t then hey so can momo )

COTR wrote:


Better midfielders than momo imo

gerrard
scholes
mascha
essien
ballack
alonso
cesc
arteta
hargreaves .. maybe


that's all I can think of at the minute

Crouching Tiger wrote:

COTR wrote:



Better midfielders than momo imo

gerrard
scholes
mascha
essien
ballack
alonso
cesc
arteta
hargreaves .. maybe

Maybe Carrick, maybe Gilberto, maybe you can count Lampard too because of his goals.

That's 12 at the very most.

And suddenly my top 15 remark wasn't so laughable.

kas wrote:

COTR wrote:


Better midfielders than momo imo

gerrard
scholes
mascha
essien
ballack
alonso
cesc
arteta
hargreaves .. maybe


that's all I can think of at the minute

First off, assuming we aren't counting wingers, which are midfielders...but ok, I'll play along, central midfielders only:

Not in order:
Essien, Ballack, Gerrard, Alonso, Mascherano, Scholes, Hargreaves, Arteta, Cesc,

Parks lives wrote:

Crouching Tiger wrote:

COTR wrote:



Better midfielders than momo imo

gerrard
scholes
mascha
essien
ballack
alonso
cesc
arteta
hargreaves .. maybe

Maybe Carrick, maybe Gilberto, maybe you can count Lampard too because of his goals.

That's 12 at the very most.

And suddenly my top 15 remark wasn't so laughable.

Arteta.

Loads of other midfielders I'd rather have other than Sisqo no matter how he plays.

COTR wrote:

kas wrote:

COTR wrote:


Better midfielders than momo imo

gerrard
scholes
mascha
essien
ballack
alonso
cesc
arteta
hargreaves .. maybe


that's all I can think of at the minute

First off, assuming we aren't counting wingers, which are midfielders...but ok, I'll play along, central midfielders only:

Not in order:
Essien, Ballack, Gerrard, Alonso, Mascherano, Scholes, Hargreaves, Arteta, Cesc,

I have helped you out and taken out all the ones i do not agree with kas

Parks lives wrote:

Arteta.

Loads of other midfielders I'd rather have other than Sisqo no matter how he plays.

kas wrote:



Not even Gilberto?

Parks lives wrote:What is Arteta then?

I whinged about Sissoko because again his passing was wank. Yet he made some crunching tackles and scored his first goal in his 100th or so game, so they gave him MotM.

COTR wrote:

kas wrote:



Not even Gilberto?

Nope

gilberto is only one step up from grandad emerson these days


sissoko tramples all over him

Liverpool fas are officially the most bias on the board.
CM I would prefer in my team:
Gerrard, Alonso, Mascherano, Carrick, Scholes, Hargreaves, Essien, Ballack, Mikel ,Makalele, J.Cole (if he was to play there), Gilberto, Cesc, Diaby, Rosicky (if he was to play there, he does for the Cech Rep.), Arteta, Huddlestone, Noble, Michael Johnson, Faye. Yeh, he sure is one gonna be one of the finest in Europe. Especially if you forget players like De Rossi, Gago, Fernandes, Tolalan... exist.

Everything Parky said about the Sissoko performance against Sunderland is true. (i watched the 2nd half) He scored his first PL goal from a pot shot. He broke up the play from a limited Sunderland. Great. Except when ever he got the ball he gave it away. whether it was a pass from a team-mate or from a tackle he just made. He has very little skill and less technical ability. The second goal Liverpool scored was good because Sissoko's involvement was absent.

Rez wrote:Some of the Sissoko comments by the pool fans are hilarious, I seriously hope they are on the wind up.



Sissoko is one of the least talented players, playing for a CL club. All he does is run around kicking people for 90 minutes, he cant even pass water. He had a couple of good games against Chelsea and Barcelona in which he performed way over his abilty.



Fletcher has dominated the midfield of 5 of the best teams in Europe; Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Roma and Milan. Yet you dont see united fans making ridiculous claims about him being one of the top 15 midfielders in the league.

pauloduarte wrote:Good draw for Porto. Liverpool are clear favourites, but can still see Porto having a win at home against them. Marseille and Besiktas should be winnable.

Porto and Liverpool to go through from this group.

Alive and Kicking wrote:

pauloduarte wrote:Good draw for Porto. Liverpool are clear favourites, but can still see Porto having a win at home against them. Marseille and Besiktas should be winnable.

Porto and Liverpool to go through from this group.

Yep normally Liverpool should finish first and Porto second. Marseille have started their season really badly, maybe because there are lots of new players. Even if Ribery left, IMO the team is much better this year. They have bought 3 captains and strengthen their defense.

It's going to be weird for Cisse and Zenden (if he plays) to be back at Anfield

COTR wrote:

Alive and Kicking wrote:

pauloduarte wrote:Good draw for Porto. Liverpool are clear favourites, but can still see Porto having a win at home against them. Marseille and Besiktas should be winnable.

Porto and Liverpool to go through from this group.

Yep normally Liverpool should finish first and Porto second. Marseille have started their season really badly, maybe because there are lots of new players. Even if Ribery left, IMO the team is much better this year. They have bought 3 captains and strengthen their defense.

It's going to be weird for Cisse and Zenden (if he plays) to be back at Anfield

will they put up more of a fight than toulouse and bordeaux ???

losing at home to nice is never a good sign

Crouching Tiger wrote:

kas wrote:

Crouching Tiger wrote:@ Kas, no, he isn't technically very good. His energy, pace and work rate are all fantastic though. He cant pass, but he can tackle, and he's becoming much more confident with the ball at his feet (dribbling). I think he's one of the best play breakers around.

And you think running around at a high speed for 90 mins, only occasionally passing the ball well but doing a great job of destroying play, is enough to warrant being called one of the top 15 midfielders in the Premiership?

Yeah, he's brilliant.

Lets not all jump on the 'all he can do is tackle, but he cant pass for shite' bandwagon.

He brings the ball forward from midfield, he can single-handedly control the middle of the pitch, he has excellent stamina, his passes are usually fine and he can only get better.