SPURS TOO HOT TO HANDLE
After twenty minutes at the Allianz Stadium in Turin, I knew I was looking at a Spurs team that had come of age.
Dembele was my man of the match; his ability to drop deep and take the ball and start play, weaving past one, two or three midfielders with skill, strength and pace was just phenomenal. He did that to Juve throughout the first half and even when Juve deployed Douglas Costs to join in the middle, his strength was just too much for the Juve midfield.
How far can this Spurs team go? If they can keep Dembele fit (no midfielder demands the ball and play like him at the moment: strength, confidence, pace, skill and bullish) Spurs could finish this season on a big high. They also have Harry Kane who continues to be a handful to every defence he comes up against. Erikssen is also in the world of his own as well, if Dembele is the locksmith, Erikssen is the laser beam, opening up defences with subtle, but intelligent defence splitting passes.
Dele Alli finds spaces inbetween the lines and when you look at the overall set up, you’ll see that this Spurs team is growing in stature by the day and to think Aldeverald, Wanyama and Sohn didn’t even start yesterday!
Spurs suffered injuries to key players at the beginning of the season; Dembele, Wanyama, Toby and even Lloris, but the team stuck together and came up with excellent results in the league and the champions league.
The wins against Dortmund and Madrid must have given them the belief that they can go all the way and they showed that in Turin yesterday night, even when they were two goals down.
Is it all over for Juventus as Spurs score two away goals in Turin? With Matuidi and Dybala missing yesterday, the midfield dynamics tilted in favour of Spurs, but even when they come back to Wembley, I don’t see them overrunning Dembele in that Spurs midfield, he is truly turning into a class act.
UNITED, LIVERPOOL AND CHELSEA HAVE IT ALL TO DO
Well done Pochettino and well done Pep!
I think with City’s result away in Basel as well, we are looking at the best chance EPL teams have of reaching the champions league final and dare I say, win it
We have five strong teams who have the opportunity to reach the last eight (probably Chelsea have the most impossible task) so it’s exciting times for English football
Manchester City and Pep Guardiola continue to set the pace in Europe as City demolished Basel like they were not there. When you look back and think how United also dominated on that ground but ended up with a last minute sucker punch, it is impressive how City have ended the contest before it even began. Kudos to City who just need to show up for 90 minutes in the return leg.
Can Liverpool overcome Porto the way City have done Basel?
Do Manchester United have what it takes to get a result against Sevilla home and away?
Can Hazard and co up their game and close the door at the back against Messi and Coutinho?
JOSE NEEDS TO UP THE GAME
Manchester United need to up their game and get going against Sevilla. It’s a game they have to be ruthless and finish the tie before the return leg. Sevilla is a very good team, but United have to go all out and not okay the cautious game. A firing front line of Manchester United would demolish Sevilla, the problems however have not been solved; a centre back pairing that is clumsy, lack of creative midfielder who can take the game on, the right mix upfront and a defined way of opening teams up.
What Jose has done so far is take the squad to another level after the shambles of post Fergie era, but this team is still far from being ready. They’re not ruthless enough, still sloppy in position everywhere on the park and the locksmith is still missing in the midfield, overall the intensity and tempo of play is still not high enough for a team that has so much pace.
The tempo has to change. Jose needs to up the game with this United team and just decide which way he wants to go as he uses the FA cup and Champions league to build for next season.
KLOPP IN POLE POSITION FOR LAST EIGHT
Juergen Klopp has a fantastic draw against Porto and with his pace and skill upfront, Porto should pose no threat to Liverpool. But when you look at their rear guard however, and you see the man between the posts, questions remain unanswered about this Liverpool team. Against Porto? This is the best chance Liverpool would have to reach a champions league last eight
CONTE NEEDS CATENACCIO NOW
In contrast to the other British teams however, Chelsea seem to be walking into the tie against Barcelona, battered, bruised, under-performing and with a lot of internal uncertainties. Having lost against Bournemouth and Watford, struggling in the past as well, they’ve not had the best rehearsal for two legged games at the Nou Camp, but if Hazard and Pedro (if he plays) and Fabregas and Morratta (if they play) can find their magic against the Barca defence, Chelsea could provide the upset of the round. It would be difficult, but Conte’s Catenaccio tactics could well come in handy this time around. I don’t think anyone would fault Conte if he drops deep against Barcelona.
It’s game on!