CHAMPIONS LEAGUE BEST XI (FROM THE FIRST LEG): A SHADY AFTERMATH
GK Anthony Lopes (LYON)
-5 saves, clean sheet kept against Barca
With 5 saves and countless danger parried away to safety, Lyon keeper Anthony Lopes barely beats out Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.
While Ter Stegen made a few highlight reel saves, he wasn't troubled much after the initial 25 minutes, whereas Lopes was busy until the final seconds, his goal peppered with countless shots, some wasted attempts by Barcelona that let Lyon off the hook, but on at least 10-12 occasions, Lopes delivered for Lyon, improbably keeping a clean sheet and saving attempts from Dembele and Messi.
Throughout the match, Lopes was commanding and dominant, sending the psychological message that Lyon wouldn't be breached.
If you're a young, mostly unknown goalkeeper and you keep a clean sheet mano a mano against Lionel Messi, Ousmane Dembele, Luis Suarez and the shell of a human inhabiting Phil Coutinho's body, an attack who's combined fee is 750 million Euros, then you're well on your way.
RB Joshua Kimmich (BAYERN)
-all 3 attempted tackles completed
-4 clearances
-never dribbled past in 90 minutes
-5 blocks
For all the talk of Joshua Kimmich not being a "real" right back, the German put so much of that stereotype to a violent death during the 0-0 intense draw vs Liverpool.
Kimmich was constantly isolated against marauding left back Andrew Robertson and Sadio Mane, doubling up and flying down the wings, but only to see the young German come flying into anything they tried to get past him.
When you see a supposed "attacking only " fullback fist pumping after a huge cross-stuffing tackle, you better readjust your thinking.
CB Jose Gimenez (ATLETICO)
-8 clearances
-2 interceptions
-1 huge goal
Uruguayan Jose Giminez listened long and hard to the instructions his manager, the fiery Diego Simeone gave him about defending Juventus' attacking front. Gimenez nodded his head on the sideline, ran back out on to the pitch and proceeded to fly into Paulo Dybala as hard as he could, absolutely taking the Argentine out and leaving him in a heap on the pitch.
It was this thuggish, brutish violence and intimidation that kept Atletico clean on their way to a 2-0 victory over Juventus and the much-hated Cristiano Ronaldo, who was often reduced to shivers and shakes as the Atletico fans destroyed him every time he moved.
Ronaldo had his moments on the ball: pulling off 7 dribbles, though these take-ons virtually led nowhere and Juve only penetrated Atletico's wall for 2 shots on target the entire match.
Simeone had his Atletico wall robust and ever shifting and pulsating in their pressing, dropping to soak up and crowd Juventus and then pouncing again and again. This wall of defense was so impenetrable that Donald Trump has already frantically contacted Diego Simeone about being vice president of the United States.
As pure of a Simeone soldier as can be, Jose Giminez stomped out any Juve danger with a typical fascinating performance: at one end he's clearing, blocking and organizing and at the other end, he's scoring the deciding goal and providing danger on multiple set pieces.
Pure.....rugged....class.
CB Mats Hummels (BAYERN)
Stats don't point out how clinical and precise Mats Hummels was in defense for Bayern Munich against Liverpool.
Hummels craft and guile on the ball deceived countless Liverpool press attempts and created openings in the center of the park once Hummels broke the press with some silky touches and fed the ball through to Thiago Alcantara or Javi Martinez.
And while these press-breaking passes into midfield hardly created issues for Liverpool (in what was a sloppy, quality lacking match), it still gave Neuer, Kimmich and the rest of the under siege Bayern back line the chance and space to breathe.
Hummels was back to his best, using the ball to defend and making consistent, smart passes that kept Bayern from folding under the nonstop pressing machine of Liverpool.
LB Jan Vertonghen (TOTTENHAM)
Vertonghen hadn't played left back, let alone left wingback since Euro 2016 for Belgium, so the critics and pundits with short memories were up in arms.
"WHAT IS POCH THINKING?!" They cried on Twitter, Fakebook and wherever else.
And then, post-match we see the memes about Vertonghen being a better left back than Marcelo this season, etc etc pundits and commentators getting carried away with everything.
Per usual.
Still, they had something to get worked up about: the Belgian was back to his 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016 exploits, pinging in brilliant crosses and charging up and down the wing with abandon, only to answer the questions of the critics: "his age won't let him climb up the wing, and most importantly, to get back in defense", though we saw on three or four occasions Jan Vertonghen skip forward with furious fever and then, only moments later follow it up by tracking back 50+ yards and completing a tackle or an interception on the defensive end.
He scored, he assisted, he roughed up and shelved Jadon Sancho, forced errors and bad positional decisions by Achraf Hakimi that cost Dortmund goals and he shielded compatriot Toby Aldierweireld after a few early scares.
CM David Silva (MAN CITY)
-54 passes completed
- 3 chances created
- 2 interceptions
(Per whoscored.com)
Silva announced himself early and often against Schalke, raising his level in tandem with the hair growing back on his scalp.
He pounced on a hideous pass by the Schalke goalkeeper and squared the ball unselfishly for the Aguero tap-in, giving City a 1-0 lead and the all important road goal.
Although Silva was sacrificed after the Otamendi red card in the 70th minute, David Silva continued his extremely solid Champions League campaign.
Always creating, frequently (and ruthlessly) involved and hungrier for the elusive Champions League title that has evaded him more than ever.
CM Houssem Aouar (LYON)
-1 shot on target
- 51 passes completed
- 3 interceptions
- 2 dribbles
Aouar had to dig deeper into his ever-evolving midfield toolbox and bring out the dark arts and the defensive capabilities in the press that have made him a hot ticket on the "young transfer market" of the online world and the fantasy lives of FIFA19 completists.
Although tied to Barca in transfer rumors as a Coutinho replacement and an heir to the Iniesta throne, you wouldn't have known it by the way he stamped Sergio Busquets' metatarsal into the ground, earning a yellow card (that was a borderline red) and hampering the Barcelona defensive midfielder in the process.
Aouar and his midfield cohort Tanguay Ndombele stole possession from Barcelona, completing 51 passes and 61 respectively, attempting 7 tackles and completing 5 and intercepting 6 Blaugrana passes.
Going forward, Aouar only had one big moment, though it was Lyon's best chance in the match. Before the 20 minute mark, the Algerian hit a scorching volley from the edge of the area that forced a wonder save by Ter Stegen. The blast was destined for the bottom right corner of goal and one that would've passed through many other keepers.Aouar confidently got on the ball when he could, distributed and forced Barca to chase, pressed Rakitic into bad passes and constantly looked forward for pathways to goal.
The 20 year old showed his exciting pedigree on and off the ball against his potential future club, displaying the exact panache and energy Barcelona are missing in their midfield when Arthur Melo is absent.
DM Tanguay Ndombele (LYON)
- 61 passes completed
- 5 tackles completed
- 5 dribbles
The smooth operator stands out on a stat sheet littered with bruising, biting technical qualities and battles as he clearly threw himself head over heels into the engine room of the 1st leg match.
Ndombele clearly has what it takes to stand alongside Barcelona, Manchester City, Liverpool, Juventus or Bayern Munich starters. He has proven that irrevocably.
Such a combination of hulking size, brutal strength, expert dribbling grace, smart passing ability and IQ coupled with an outrageous range of vision, is so rare....and Ndombele has it.
The Frenchman even belonged over Steven N'Zonzi on this summer's World Cup squad, showing these qualities last season in all areas of the pitch. But the World Cup exclusion has made Ndombele hungrier and better, improving his overall game.
We saw that against Barcelona, in what was Ndombele's best performance of the season (in a campaign where he's already completed 60 yard through balls against Manchester City and dictated PSG not too long ago).
Ndombele was obviously going to have a hard time getting in the French national team starting XI, but the way he's been playing has seen him surpass French mids like Blaise Matuidi, N'Zonzi, the injured World Cup midfielder Corentin Tolisso and even Deschamps' perennial favorite, Moussa Sissoko.
He's now firmly behind only Pogba and Kante as the best midfielder France has on offer.
CAM Angel Di Maria (PSG)
- 4 key passes
Di Maria has been in the shadows since he scored that lightning hit from distance against France in the World Cup, though he reminded us all of his unnerving ability for a killer assist or two.
Returning to play against the club he wasted a few seasons of his career at (Man United) and depositing two otherworldly perfected assists in front of the hostile Manchester crowd was a big happening for Angel Di Maria.
Not only did these 2 road goals give PSG the 2-0 away result, effectively making the 2nd leg task daunting for United, Di Maria executed both the ballooning corner that Kimpembe met at the back post and the outstanding, world class through ball that Mbappe tapped into the net to perfection.
The 2nd assist to Mbappe was especially unreal.
He fed the ball through three United defenders, one in Di Maria's path and the other two on either side of Mbappe, in near perfect positioning to stop the through ball. Instead, Di Maria literally passed it through them, nutmegging a United defender with absolute precision.
The former Real Madrid winger had to make the list, as his 2 perfect final balls have buried his former club with the upcoming 2nd leg in Paris.
CF Antoine Griezmann (ATLETICO)
- 4 shots total, 2 on target, hit the post and forced a save from a free kick
- uncredited direct goal contribution for the 2nd goal
- 2 chances created
- 32 passes completed
Griezmann's back and so is Atletico's annual jaunt in the Champions League under Diego Simeone, which always seems to generally include upsets and long runs to the quarterfinals and beyond.
The French striker (sporting a Jonah Hill circa 2008 hairdo) was at his best against Ronaldo and Juve: Griezmann led from the front as Atletico surged back to their best form, denying Juve more than 2 shots on goal all match, while Antoine Griezmann managed 2 himself, including an effort that Juve keeper and former Arsenal man Sczycezny tipped on to the post and a barreling free kick that forced another diving, fisted save from the Polish keeper.
Plus, it was another involvement from the Euro 2016 Player of the Tournament that sealed the match: both goals came from extremely problematic set piece deliveries from Griezmann, one of his most underrated abilities (he won France the World Cup with his free kicks and corners).
Juve were powerless as a Griezmann corner was nodded down into a mess of bodies before eventually pounced on by Jose Giminez (also on this list). Then, only moments later, a more direct involvement from the Fortnite obsessive created the Godin goal: his cross was too fast and powerful to be dealt with at all and the Uruguayan center back (also on this list) hurried the ball into the back of the net.
Griezmann is finding his footing at the most important time of the season, absolutely leading Simeone's side to a huge first leg victory.
LF Sergio Aguero (MAN CITY)
In the absence of goals or any truly fantastic performances from Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski or Luis Suarez and although Son Heung-Min, Mbappe and Sterling scored, their performances weren't as complete as this guy's.
Sergio Aguero has barely been discussed, even when scoring 10 goals in his last 7 matches (including two hat tricks against Arsenal and Chelsea no less), while Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling among others get the attention and plaudits for City's current position, it is certainly through the Argentine's goalscoring nous from inside the box that helps City's machine tick.
Not only did he start things off against Schalke with a bang when he stole a goal from a brilliant Silva tackle and assist, he continued to pepper the German club's goal with 6 shots, 2 on target.
Aguero had 2 goals in the group stage due to injury absences and he's looking to make up for lost time. Sure, Aguero is slower and can dribble himself into trouble and is rarely seen going on streaking runs, but he doesn't need to do that in this City set up.
Though Aguero's combination play at the top of the box is massively undervalued, all he needs to do in this Guardiola team is wait in the box for the finish.
Comments
Post a Comment