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Champions of Europe 2012/13 Thread


Philip Rolfe

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I don't know. Reading played as a decent league side today for a newly promoted team. Our attack is good specially with Mata and Hazard who are all over the place. Also today goals against us were not big mistakes. First was simply goal of the game and second was unlucky Cech. Unlike the first game where we dire but didn't concede. Wing is always going to be a problem as our wingers move inside so Cole and Iva are more attacking and Mikel is ****. We had the same problem with crosses cming regularly against Wigan as well.

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Heh, was the first thing I thought of when Ivanovic scored.

Hazard is so good. Mikel was fantastic till we conceded then the team went to pot till the half.

Mikel fantastic until called on to do any actual defending :D His possession play is nice, but jmr said, he just doesn't track runners at all which leaves us too exposed.

Just got back from the match now and watching some of the highlights. Hazard is just amazing, thought some of his link up play with Mata was pretty tasty too, can't wait to see those two once they've fully gelled. Thought Torres was ok to be honest, obviously still not perfect, but got into some decent positions and I still think he'll come good once the new signings are used to his runs (he did run around a hell of a lot up top tonight) and think he will be good enough for us to challenge. Oscar looks like he's got some quality, my only slight worry is je looks a little slight, hope he doesn't get knocked off the ball too easily.

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Funny how nobody mentions dropping Lampard anymore. Not past it anymore I guess? :p

He is definitely better now coming deeper than usual but attacking the same. Not hard to choose him over Mikel in mid anyways :D

Also very happy that we got someone to help Mata, i remember saying we need another Mata in the team, though not same but great combo. Hazard and him linked up instantly since the first game and will only improve!

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I agree Cech's never been quite the same as he was before the injury, he is a little less confident, a little less in control of his area at all times, but he's still fb, still think he deserves to be undisputed number 1 and wouldn't want us to sign anyone else.

I agree with mag man about a physical presence in midfield, we need someone who's going to offer a bit more pace and power in the middle than Mikel to give some protection to the back line, someone who can track the runners.

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Bloody hell what a game for the emotions. Was sat in the MHU which was a nice change and it's so much better for a view of the pitch up there and had some nice people round me. In the Shed Upper for Newcastle so will decide between those two probably as my main seating for this season.

Couldn't believe it when we went 2-1 down. Silly defending and apart from the header avoidable, although that could have been avoided. I though Hazard was brilliant and some of the stuff he does is incredible. I agree he needs to do it again the bigger teams as well but as Rolfe said the stuff he does has enough quality to beat most defenders, if not all if he gets it right. Thought Torres offered little apart from a couple of flashes and his goal was simple but at least he got one, confidence booster hopefully. I think we need to learn to really go at a team when we take the lead. We seem to take our foot off the pedal way too easily.

If Mata, Hazard and Oscar learn to play together well then it will be amazing. And no El Sid your not alone, I have an unhealthy obsession with Hazard too :D

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I thought Cech had started to decline after the injury but last season he was absolutely superb. Last night was a one off.

Pretty sure he made a fair few mistakes during this years European Championship, too. Nothing will ever beat his howler during Euro '08 though. One of the worst pieces of goalkeeping I've ever seen in my entire life, seriously.

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i think there has been some harshness towards torres and cech on here firstly you would have to say that the goal against barca was decisive and last nights because if torres didnt score last night reading wouldnt be attacking soo much with their keeper up too so the ivanovic goal is a result of the torres goal. secondly i think that cech is slightly different but to say he is in decline is soo prem he is still up their with the best just miss judged the flight and bounce of the ball

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Pretty sure he made a fair few mistakes during this years European Championship, too. Nothing will ever beat his howler during Euro '08 though. One of the worst pieces of goalkeeping I've ever seen in my entire life, seriously.

Yeah, wasn't really thinking of the Euros, more for Chelsea and the CL semi and final in particular.

Striker wise if everyone was the same price Falcao please, don't think he's necessarily £10m better than Cavani but just someone who can bloody score please!

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Torres last night looked liked a player who didn't have any competition pushing for his place; at least last season you could see him working hard (and being rubbish) because Drogba was around.

I feel he doesn't really get into good goal scoring positions either and can't really complain about a lack of creativity behind him anymore.

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Really don't see what the Torres hatred because of last night is about, thought he showed some decent touches and made some good runs, one in the first half where he went past 3 players looked particularly good (though my view of it was a bit obstructed). He's a player who likes to be on the shoulder of the last defender, and we've been used to strikers who drop deep and link up more, we need to learn to pick out his runs or he needs to learn to sometimes drop deeper again. I don't think he's perfect, but he certainly wasn't terrible last night, just average, got the goal (after taking part in the move) and that's in the end what counts

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