Other Leagues 15/16

[highlandcowden 475]

On 29/12/2020 at 11:52, charger29 said:

Sporting CP are top by 5pts in Portugal after 11 games. They haven't won the league since 01/02.

theyll shite themselves in a hilarious manner at some point

[charger29 203]

theyll shite themselves in a hilarious manner at some point

Benfica & Porto aren't that far behind now after the games in hand were played. One of them will likely be topping the table at some point soon.
Are Sporting known for falling apart?

[highlandcowden 475]

On 31/12/2020 at 09:33, charger29 said:

Benfica & Porto aren't that far behind now after the games in hand were played. One of them will likely be topping the table at some point soon.
Are Sporting known for falling apart?

dunno if theyre known for it specifically(im not portuguese) but theyve certainly done it at least once since their last title,jorge jesus may have been their manager at the time iirc

[TheJTS98 31]

On 31/12/2020 at 17:33, charger29 said:

Benfica & Porto aren't that far behind now after the games in hand were played. One of them will likely be topping the table at some point soon.
Are Sporting known for falling apart?

2004-05 they lost to Benfica in the second last game due to a goal with seven minutes to go and then lost at home to Nacional (12th place) on the last day and finished 3rd. Had they drawn both games, they'd have won the title on head-to-head.

They also lost the UEFA Cup final in their own ground that season.

2006/07 they finished second, one point behind Porto, after a strong finish. They won 8 of their last 9, only dropped points a 1-1 draw at Benfica with four games to go, on the same day Porto lost to open the door. A win there and they'd have been champs.

2008-09 they won 9 of their last 10 games but Porto were too consistent to be caught and won by four points.

2015-16 they won their last 9 games in a row after losing to Benfica. The problem was that Benfica also won their last 9 games (actually their last 12) and beat Sporting to the title by 2 points.

It's a common problem in the Portuguese league. Title races are often deceptively boring because the top sides lose to other sides so infrequently. It means often what looks like an exciting title race just ends up with the side at the top battering their way through the last 7 or 8 games and a side a point or two behind them actually being really unlikely to get a sniff. Obviously, in all leagues teams win because they win a lot of games, but in Portugal it's very pronounced where the points are dropped.

2018/19, for example, Benfica beat Porto to secure the head-to-head lead and a two point gap. The two sides then went on to win 56 of the 60 points available combined in the run-in and Benfica won the league. Nothing changed in the last ten rounds of fixtures. This is not unusual. Even though Porto were only two points behind, winning their last ten games would not have been enough.

Shout-out to Benfica 2013 for losing a 4-point lead with three games to go as well as losing the Europa League final to an injury-time goal and the Portuguese Cup Final. A rare exception.

Porto have had two unbeaten seasons in the last decade, and in one of those seasons Benfica only lost one game, which was to Porto. Hard for Sporting to break in when so few points are dropped.

Edited January 4 by TheJTS98

[charger29 203]

2004-05 they lost to Benfica in the second last game due to a goal with seven minutes to go and then lost at home to Nacional (12th place) on the last day and finished 3rd. Had they drawn both games, they'd have won the title on head-to-head.
They also lost the UEFA Cup final in their own ground that season.
2006/07 they finished second, one point behind Porto, after a strong finish. They won 8 of their last 9, only dropped points a 1-1 draw at Benfica with four games to go, on the same day Porto lost to open the door. A win there and they'd have been champs.
2008-09 they won 9 of their last 10 games but Porto were too consistent to be caught and won by four points.
2015-16 they won their last 9 games in a row after losing to Benfica. The problem was that Benfica also won their last 9 games (actually their last 12) and beat Sporting to the title by 2 points.
It's a common problem in the Portuguese league. Title races are often deceptively boring because the top sides lose to other sides so infrequently. It means often what looks like an exciting title race just ends up with the side at the top battering their way through the last 7 or 8 games and a side a point or two behind them actually being really unlikely to get a sniff. Obviously, in all leagues teams win because they win a lot of games, but in Portugal it's very pronounced where the points are dropped.
2018/19, for example, Benfica beat Porto to secure the head-to-head lead and a two point gap. The two sides then went on to win 56 of the 60 points available combined in the run-in and Benfica won the league. Nothing changed in the last ten rounds of fixtures. This is not unusual. Even though Porto were only two points behind, winning their last ten games would not have been enough.
Shout-out to Benfica 2013 for losing a 4-point lead with three games to go as well as losing the Europa League final to an injury-time goal and the Portuguese Cup Final. A rare exception.
Porto have had two unbeaten seasons in the last decade, and in one of those seasons Benfica only lost one game, which was to Porto. Hard for Sporting to break in when so few points are dropped.

Interesting, thanks. Could go to the last couple of games again by the looks of it.

[Sherrif John Bunnell 7,336]

The first leg of the River Plate vs Palmeiras Libertadores semi final has just started on the BBC red button. Boca vs Santos is on at 10.15pm later tonight.

[Jute 415]

19 minutes ago, Sherrif John Bunnell said:

The first leg of the River Plate vs Palmeiras Libertadores semi final has just started on the BBC red button. Boca vs Santos is on at 10.15pm later tonight.

Palmeiras just gone 1-0 up against the run of play.

[Ron Aldo 2,327]

[highlandcowden 475]

12 hours ago, Ron Aldo said:

 

what.a.c**t

[Jute 415]

2nd leg of the Palmeiras v River Copa Libertadores semi final on BBC iPlayer just now. Palmeiras 3-0 up from the first leg. Been good game so far.

1-0 River now. 3-1 on agg. 

Edited January 13 by Jute

[Karpaty Lviv 437]

12 minutes ago, Jute said:

2nd leg of the Palmeiras v River Copa Libertadores semi final on BBC iPlayer just now. Palmeiras 3-0 up from the first leg. Been good game so far.

Co commentator slagging off the River Plate centre half there then he smacks a header in the bottom corner 

Interesting that it’s being played on Astro. It’s like the Champions League semi final being played at Broadwood.

[Jute 415]

12 minutes ago, Karpaty Lviv said:

Co commentator slagging off the River Plate centre half there then he smacks a header in the bottom corner 

Interesting that it’s being played on Astro. It’s like the Champions League semi final being played at Broadwood.

Nigel Reo-Coker mentioned the artificial surface not being his favourite.

2-0 River now. 3-2 on aggregate with 45 to go.

[Jimi Shandrix 743]

Oooof. 0-2 River Plate. Game on.

[Jute 415]

3-0 River now. 

[Karpaty Lviv 437]

3-0  ruled out? Wtf was that for  

Edited January 13 by Karpaty Lviv

[Jimi Shandrix 743]

Bizarre

Probably the right decision on the replay. Some game of fitba this.

Edited January 13 by Jimi Shandrix

[AFCDannyFTH 824]

51 minutes ago, Karpaty Lviv said:

Co commentator slagging off the River Plate centre half there then he smacks a header in the bottom corner 

Interesting that it’s being played on Astro. It’s like the Champions League semi final being played at Broadwood.

It's easy to slag off artificial pitches until you've played on an "elite" one. They are absolutely superb and conducive to good football. It's just a convenient excuse to throw out when your team loses on one.

[Karpaty Lviv 437]

5 minutes ago, AFCDannyFTH said:

It's easy to slag off artificial pitches until you've played on an "elite" one. They are absolutely superb and conducive to good football. It's just a convenient excuse to throw out when your team loses on one.

I’m all for astro. I’m just surprised it’s hosting such an important continental competition semi final. Is it even allowed in the Champions League?

Edited January 13 by Karpaty Lviv

[Karpaty Lviv 437]

Isn’t that a dive?  

[Spring Onion 427]

23 minutes ago, Karpaty Lviv said:

I’m all for astro. I’m just surprised it’s hosting such an important continental competition semi final. Is it even allowed in the Champions League?

And it's not as if the don't get the weather conducive to good grass growing pitches.