Chitchat The Official TCSS Thread

Carlo Ancelotti has 'big regrets' over Bayern's exits, despite Bundesliga title

By Mark Lovell
espnfc.com

Bayern Munich boss Carlo Ancelotti comfortably sealed the Bundesliga in his debut season with an emphatic 6-0 win at Wolfsburg, but expressed "big regrets over the last 15 to 20 days" when his side suffered two knockout exits.

Ancelotti's men lost to Real Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinals last week, followed by Wednesday's 3-2 DFB Pokal semifinal defeat to their biggest domestic rivals, Borussia Dortmund.

However, Bayern put recent disappointment behind them on Saturday in northern Germany, cruising to their 27th German league title and their fifth Bundesliga in a row with a thumping six-goal rout of struggling Wolfsburg.

"I'm really happy -- especially after our difficult period," Ancelotti told Sky Deutschland.

Nearest challengers Leipzig could only draw 0-0 at relegation-threatened Ingolstadt earlier in the day, so Bayern went into the game knowing a win would seal the title with three games remaining.

"We deserved to win. We brought in new and fresh players. We had the opportunity, the match point -- Leipzig drew so for this reason motivation was really high," Ancelotti said.

But asked about his side's recent two knockout blows, Ancelotti said: "Of course, there are big regrets about the last 15-20 days. I think we could do better. We could have been luckier. In some situations, it was our fault and we can learn from this to be better next season. But now is the moment to celebrate.

David Alaba set Bayern on their way 19th minute with a sublime free kick, before Robert Lewandowski's brace made the game same by half-time. Arjen Robben's trademark left-footed finish put the Bavarians 4-0 up, before Thomas Muller got in on the act with the fifth.



A thundering finish from the angle from Joshua Kimmich applied the finishing touches with the final goal of the evening on 85 minutes.

Ancelotti has now added a German league title success to accompany those in and Italy (AC Milan 2004), England (Chelsea 2010) and France (Paris Saint-Germain 2013), becoming the first manager to win a title in four of Europe's top five leagues. He also led Milan and Real Madrid to Champions League titles.

"It was a fantastic experience here in the Bundesliga," Ancelotti added. "I think we did a good job this season. I am very lucky to be here.

"I want to say thanks to this fantastic club, the players and all the fans who have supported us all season. We deserved it because we played good football and were focused."

Asked about the recent vote of confidence from club CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, whom he embraced after the final whistle, the coach said: "The club supported us all season in good and bad moments. They remained calm.

"This is the best way for a manager to work when you have strong support from your club. For this reason, I thanked Kalle [Rummenigge] and also Uli [Hoeness] because they are a fantastic couple for the club.

"As I said, I am really lucky to be here and for this reason I feel inside this family, because Bayern München is a family."

Tottenham 2-0 Arsenal

Arsenal can start preparing for Europa League action next season with Man Utd.

THE_CHANSTER said:

Tottenham 2-0 Arsenal

Arsenal can start preparing for Europa League action next season with Man Utd.

Click to expand...

St Totteringham's day cancelled



Tottenham's 2-0 derby win helps the club turn a page with bitter rivals Arsenal. Spurs rode a second-half wave to a victory that ensures they'll finish higher in the table than the Gunners for the first time in 22 years.

Champions League tactical battles: What each team needs to advance

By Michael Cox
espnfc.com

The Champions League semifinals are perhaps the most tactically fascinating matches in football -- the best club sides in the world competing over two legs. With no Barcelona and no Bayern Munich, this season's final four offer more tactical diversity than usual, and these could be two thrilling contests. Here's how each side might play to secure their place in Cardiff next month.

REAL MADRID vs. ATLETICO MADRID

Real Madrid: Use aerial threats

The absence of the injured Gareth Bale from Real Madrid's starting XI means their system will change slightly, but significantly. Although Marco Asensio is an option, Zinedine Zidane seems more likely to use Isco, a playmaker who will drift inside more, acting as a fourth midfielder rather than a third forward.

In turn, this will affect the way Real's attackers operate. Cristiano Ronaldo usually has license to stay up front rather than track back anyway, but the extra balance provided by Isco means he'll have even greater freedom to focus on attacking. Therefore, it's likely he and Karim Benzema will effectively form a front two, with Real concentrating heavily on getting crosses into the box.

Ronaldo has increasingly evolved into a No. 9 rather than a left-winger and, against an Atletico side likely to sit deep but keeping compact between the lines, the Portuguese forward is likely to spend long periods in the box, simply waiting for service.

Usual Atletico right-back Juanfran, often the unfortunate fall guy in recent defeats to Real, is out injured -- as is his most obvious replacement, Jose Gimenez. This means Diego Simeone may be forced to field midfielder Thomas Partey out of position, which would invite plenty of Real crosses towards Ronaldo. Lucas Hernandez, a natural defender but more comfortable on the left, is the alternative.

Atletico Madrid: Press laterally to isolate Real's full-backs

Over the past four seasons, Atletico Madrid have become renowned as European football's most well-organised, tactically disciplined side -- largely because of their approach without the ball. And while Diego Simeone's men usually sit deep and invite pressure against major opposition, their excellent pressing shouldn't be underestimated. But whereas other teams press vertically, pushing the opposition backwards, Atletico are more about pressing laterally and boxing the opposition into the touchlines.

This could be a valuable approach against Real Madrid, whose width comes almost exclusively from their two rampaging full-backs, Dani Carvajal and Marcelo. Both were outstanding in an attacking sense during the quarterfinal victory over Bayern Munich, but will find things tougher against an Atletico side who will set a trap, then pounce.

Atletico will set out in a narrow shape, inviting passes out wide to Real's full-backs. But this will probably act as the trigger for Atletico's press, and Marcelo and Carvajal will quickly find themselves shut down by Atletico's wide midfielders, with the full-back blocking any pass down the line, and Atletico's centre-forwards blocking passes back to the centre-backs. The speed and intensity of the press is frightening, and Real may struggle.

This will, of course, be combined with quick transitions to launch counter-attacks immediately, most obviously through star man Antoine Griezmann. This tried-and-tested approach has worked many times before, but might be particularly useful here.

MONACO vs. JUVENTUS

Monaco: Play cut-backs

Monaco's free-flowing, cohesive attacking football under Leonardo Jardim has won plenty of admirers across Europe this season, and one of the key parts of Monaco's game plan is the fact they've always got so many players in goal scoring positions.

Indeed, while they can depend upon the speed of Kylian Mbappe and the penalty box poaching of Radamel Falcao, Monaco share the goals around excellently. They've already hit 95 in Ligue 1 this season, and nine separate players have scored six or more. Monaco get their midfielders forward into goal scoring positions, and that could prove crucial here.

In particular, this might trouble Juventus when it comes to Monaco playing cut-backs. The French league leaders tend to play with plenty of width, but will be discouraged from crossing the ball because Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci are so dominant inside their own penalty box.

However, Juve are without the suspended Sami Khedira, the midfielder who occupies the zone in front of the back four so effectively. Instead, they'll field Miralem Pjanic and Claudio Marchisio there -- two naturally creative players who, while tactically disciplined, aren't quite so solid defensively. Therefore, a gap may open up in front of Juve's impenetrable back four.

Monaco play cut-backs effectively. In the victory over Manchester City, for example, their opening two goals came from a low left-wing cross to Mbappe, then a classic cut-back to the onrushing Fabinho. They get numbers around the penalty box, and seek to overwhelm the opposition.

Falcao and Mbappe are the big threats, but the supporting cast might prove crucial.

Juventus: Play balls in behind Benjamin Mendy

One of Monaco's key attacking threats is their rampaging left-back Benjamin Mendy, who has managed five league assists this season and three more in European competition. Juventus must track his forward runs carefully, but may also seek to exploit the space in behind him.

Indeed, while Mendy flies forward regularly, Monaco aren't great at covering for him, and Juventus might be able to exploit his advanced positions with quick counter-attacks. There are three ways they might be able to do this.

First, while right-winger Juan Cuadrado will have some responsibility for following Mendy towards his own goal, he's also excellent at breaking quickly. His runs into the space outside Barcelona's defence were a crucial feature of Juve's quarterfinal performance and, although his final ball was disappointing, Juve will probably take advantage of his speed again.

Second, there's the runs of Gonzalo Higuain, who has seemingly become quicker in recent seasons, and more capable of working the channels to sprint onto balls played behind the opposition. Juve don't tend to play in such a direct manner, but against a Monaco side throwing numbers forward, that could be an interesting approach.

But the third player who may exploit the space in behind Mendy is the most intriguing -- Paulo Dybala. He's fielded in a central position, but constantly drifts towards the flanks and, as his superb opener against Barcelona demonstrated, he's very much capable of working the inside-right channel. The more Mendy advances, the more Juventus might find space to break into.

Europa League Semi Final First Leg Result:

Ajax 4 Lyon 1

Monaco host Juventus

It's youth against experience in the second Champions League semifinal. Monaco, led by superstar teenage striker Kylian Mbappe, face 2015 finalists Juventus, who are captained by 39-year-old Gianluigi Buffon.

Max Allegri 'very angry with Miralem Pjanic' after Juve's UCL semifinal win

By Ian Holyman
espnfc.com

Max Allegri praised the likes of Gianluigi Buffon and Dani Alves, but remains "angry" with playmaker Miralem Pjanic after Juventus' 2-0 Champions League semifinal away win at Monaco on Wednesday.

Two goals from Gonzalo Higuain, both set up by Brazilian wing-back Alves, gave Serie A table-toppers Juve the upper hand in the race for a spot in the Champions League final.

The principality club were held to nil at the Stade Louis II for the first time in Europe this season but Allegri knows Leonardo Jardim's men travel well, as evidenced by their recent display in Dortmund.

After praising his Bianconeri players, he urged caution ahead of the return leg in Turin.

"The boys played a great game. They defended very well. It's not easy, because Monaco have a great attack, very fast players going forward," Allegri said after the match.

"We made a few too many mistakes and Buffon made a great save when it was 0-0.

"The quality of the players I have available to me helped me prepare this team. To obtain results, you have to make sacrifices going forward and at the back. They players did that.

"I'm happy with Buffon. Gigi remains the world No 1. He was very solid. He had already done that against Barcelona. Like all great players, he makes the difference in important matches.

"Overall we should be happy. There is still the second leg to be played and that's another serious match."

Both Alves and Pjanic joined Juventus in the summer, and while both have had problems "settling in," to the Bianconeri system, it's the Bosnia and Herzegovina international that Allegri say needs to be more "calm and focused."

"There's no secrets, it was just a matter of settling in," Allegri told Mediaset Premium. "Dani Alves had some injury problems, needed to get to know his teammates, the environment and the tactical systems. His assists today for the two goals were excellent.

"I am very angry with Pjanic, because he can become one of the three best midfielders in the world, but every now and then when he gets a pass wrong, he acts like it's the end of the world.

"He needs to stay calm and relax, because his potential is only partially expressed.

"The lads are having a great season, in order to make it extraordinary we need to be calm and focused."



Higuain, who had not scored in his previous seven outings in the knockout rounds of the Champions League, broke the deadlock with a strike into the bottom corner from Alves' clever back-heel.

The former Barcelona player then lofted the ball forward that Higuain stuck away just before the hour mark, thus capping a memorable evening in the principality for the €90 million striker.

"I'm very happy with this game. It's a dream we've been following since August, going to Cardiff, and we're a step away," Higuain said.

"But we haven't won anything yet we have to stay calm. Real, I played there for seven years, but for us to see each other again, they have to still qualify for the final, us too.

"In this team, everyone works, those who come on, those who go off, and we have won again without conceding a goal."

Wednesday's Champions League win means Juventus remain on course for a Treble, with the Scudetto all but secured and a Coppa Italia final showdown with Lazio on the horizon.

Man United's Jose Mourinho hopes to have five players back for Celta Vigo

By Mark Ogden, Senior Football Writer
espnfc.com

VIGO, Spain -- Jose Mourinho has confirmed that Manchester United could have as many as five players returning from injury against Celta Vigo in Thursday's Europa League semifinal first-leg in Spain.

The United manager, who confirmed that left-back Luke Shaw will miss the rest of the season with suspected ankle ligament damage, has bemoaned the team's injury record in recent weeks, with defenders Phil Jones and Chris Smalling criticised publicly for failing to return quicker from foot and knee injuries respectively.

Smalling and Jones, both injured on international duty with England in March, returned to training at Carrington on Wednesday ahead of United's flight to Vigo, and Mourinho said both are fit for selection, with Eric Bailly, Paul Pogba and Juan Mata all ready to start after recent injuries.

"Smalling and Jones are back, and Pogba," Mourinho said. "Bailly is ready to play -- he is this kind of personality that fights against every problem unless it is impossible.

"But Luke Shaw is injured and it is obviously an important injury. We are still waiting for one more medical opinion for our medical team to know what to do, but no matter what, he is out for the season, that is confirmed.

"It is very important that the players have come back on time, though. We have two matches in one week against Celta. It is important to have them back for the Premier League too, but I think it is too late [in the league].

"In past month of April, we played nine matches, seven in the league, and we had too many problems, too many players absent, players playing 750-800 minutes of football, and we paid a price.

"We played against fresh teams, but in the moment, the picture is different because the Europa League becomes even more important."



Mourinho is expected to start with Bailly and Daley Blind at centre-back, with Smalling and Jones providing back-up from the bench.

The United manager said he could start with Mata, who returned to the substitutes' bench against Swansea at the weekend, despite admitting the Spain international's recent groin surgery will prevent him from finishing the game.

"Mata was injured for a while, but he is ready to play," Mourinho said. "He is experienced and one of the few players who have played Euro semifinals and finals, so it is nothing new for him

"The only risk is that he can probably not play 90 minutes. If he starts, he cannot finish the game, but if from the bench, no problem. If selected, he can play perfectly."

Pogba returns for Man United




Paul Pogba's back in Man United's XI vs. Celta Vigo after missing two games. Marcus Rashford leads the attack in Zlatan Ibrahimovic's continued absence for a crucial Europa League semifinal first leg in Spain.

Celta Vigo keeper Alvarez apologises for Marcus Rashford's winner

By Adriana Garcia
espnfc.com

Celta Vigo goalkeeper Sergio Alvarez has taken responsibility for Marcus Rashford's winner for Manchester United in the first leg of their Europa League semifinal.

United dominated Thursday's encounter at the Balaidos stadium but only won 1-0 after Rashford's free kick in the 67th minute beat Alvarez, who made four saves on the night but admits he could have done better to keep out the goal.

"It's a pity about the free kick and I'm disappointed I couldn't help my team on that play," Alvarez told Onda Cero radio. "There were two players [Rashford and Daley Blind] on the ball, a right-footer and a left-footer. I thought Blind would take it.

"I saw the ball late. I took a step to the left that I shouldn't have taken and that prevented me from getting to the ball by a few centimetres. When I reacted, it was too late."

Alvarez says he and his teammates can overcome the deficit in Manchester on Thursday and take Celta to the final in Stockholm later this month.

"We have to go there and give our all," Alvarez added. "I know this team can do it. We need to correct some mistakes.

"But we have to go there and prove that we are a brave team and that we will not give up until the end. We are going to fight to achieve something historic."

Celta's away form has been good in the Europa League this season, with 2-0 wins at Panathinaikos, Shakhtar Donetsk and Krasnodar, and just one defeat from their six games on the road.

United midfielder Ander Herrera says his team will need another dominant performance at Old Trafford.

"We can be happy with our performance but we have to be on alert," Herrera told Marca. "Celta have always scored away from home and that must mean something.

"If we want to be in the final, we know we have to play the return leg just as well as we did in Vigo.



"We are very aware that Celta eliminated [Real] Madrid from the Copa [del Rey] and we are not thinking we have sealed victory. We have a 50 percent chance of winning the tie and 25 percent chance to win the title.

"We have to respect them. The coach is not going to let us get distracted."

Winning the Europa League guarantees a spot in the Champions League next season, with United currently outside the Premier League top four.

"There's a lot at stake for us," the Spain international said. "For us, it's crucial. No one will remember what we've done if we don't win and we don't play in the Champions League next season."

West Ham vs spurs

Ralders said:

West Ham vs spurs

Click to expand...

Kick Off 3 am 6 May Saturday morning SG time.

Can Spurs close the gap again?



Friday night football! Tottenham's trip to West Ham United on the eve of the weekend is not only a novelty, it presents Mauricio Pochettino's team with the chance to put some significant pressure on leaders Chelsea. While Chelsea's 3-0 win at Everton was impressive and represented a massive stride towards the title, we're not done yet. Spurs can go within a point of the Blues, who play on Monday at home to relegation-threatened Middlesbrough, and it will take just one slip for anxiety to rear its pessimistic head. Realistically, considering Spurs still have to play United and Leicester, a late turnaround might be beyond them. But to be runners-up and streaks ahead of Arsenal would not count as a failure, while their time for glory feels closer.

Man United's Jose Mourinho suggests feud with Arsene Wenger is over

By Mark Ogden, Senior Football Writer
espnfc.com

VIGO, Spain -- Jose Mourinho has suggested that his long-running feud with Arsene Wenger is over by telling the Arsenal manager he does not need to "make peace" ahead of Manchester United's Premier League trip to the Emirates on Sunday.

United manager Mourinho has endured a fractious relationship with Wenger ever since arriving from English football to take charge of Chelsea in 2004.

They have traded many verbal blows, with Mourinho once describing Wenger as a "specialist in failure" due to his inability to win the Premier League title since Arsenal's "Invincibles" finished as unbeaten champions in 2003-04.

Mourinho has also maintained an unbeaten record against Wenger in 15 competitive encounters, only losing the 2015 Community Shield -- a fixture not classed as "competitive" by the Football Association -- during his encounters with the Arsenal manager.

But with Wenger claiming earlier this week that he is ready to "make peace" with Mourinho, the United boss said: "He doesn't need to. He doesn't need to because there are no problems.

"In the last match at Old Trafford, we shook hands before and after. I remember that I still met him in the corridor for the press conferences, we shook hands again.

"He doesn't need to make peace. When there is peace, we don't have to have problem.

"I am a big boy, I'm in football all my life -- I know a problem on the pitch the next day is not a problem at all.

"So for me, not a problem at all and I think he will be really pleased with me that I am going to change my team against Arsenal, so I think he'll be really happy with me!"

United travel to Arsenal this weekend with a doubt over Ashley Young, who limped out of Thursday's 1-0 Europa League win over Celta Vigo with a hamstring strain.

Marouane Fellaini, meanwhile, serves the second game of his three-match domestic suspension.

Arsenal vs Man Utd

Kick Off 7 May Sunday 11pm SG time.

'If you want to be a champion, these are games you have to win' - Poch

By Dan Kilpatrick, Tottenham correspondent
espnfc.com

LONDON -- Mauricio Pochettino felt something was lacking from Tottenham's performance in Friday's 1-0 defeat at West Ham and admitted afterwards: "If you want to be a champion, these are games you have to win."

Manuel Lanzini's second-half goal leaves Tottenham's title hopes in tatters and Chelsea, who have a four-point lead at the top of the table with a game in hand, could be confirmed as champions before Pochettino's team play again.

Spurs have taken 27 points from the past 30, winning nine straight matches to reduce the gap to the league leaders from 13 points to four, but Pochettino admitted they needed to be winning this type of game to fulfill their ambitions.

"If you win the league, you learn. If you come second, then yes you've improved, but you need to show in a moment when you need to show," Pochettino told a postmatch news conference.

"To win a league or a trophy is a key moment. Today was a key moment to show that. It's not about playing well or running around more or less, it's about when you must win, you win. If you want to be a champion, these are games you have to win. How I don't know. I think today I think we missed a bit of something."

Spurs lost 1-0 at Upton Park last season in mid-March, in a result that denied them the chance to move above eventual champions Leicester City in the table. However, Pochettino rejected the comparisons with that game and said his side must ensure they avoid another late-season collapse in the final three matches.



"For me, we must move on and finish in the best way this season, still fighting. Now to be realistic it's more difficult than before," he said.

"The circumstances were completely different [from last season]. It was in a different period, in March last season, in the middle of the week. I remember because it was my birthday, March 2. I think it's coincidence. It's so difficult to explain. For me it was different, then it was Upton Park and now the Olympic Stadium.

"I am calm, disappointed of course because we missed an opportunity to reduce the gap on Chelsea.

"I think it wasn't our best day. The performance was just OK. Maybe in the end we don't deserve to lose, but we did because we conceded a goal. When we conceded it was so difficult to come back in the game."

Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Spurs midfielder Eric Dier could not hide his disappointment with the result.

"It was already going to be hard before, so now it's even harder. That's all I can say really," he said.

"It's disappointing really because we were on a fantastic run and we didn't think it was going to stop.

"They made it hard for us, they played very deep and we couldn't create many chances."

Dier added: "We brought it [the deficit to Chelsea] back to four points but after today it's nearly impossible now.

"We'll give everything for these last three games, no matter what."

jw5 said:

Can Spurs close the gap again?

Click to expand...

That would be a NO.

2 more wins and the title is Chelsea's.

Mourinho's feud with the 'specialist in failure' is over because Wenger's time at Arsenal is finished.
But they are plenty of others things he can whinge about.

THE_CHANSTER said:

That would be a NO.

2 more wins and the title is Chelsea's.

Click to expand...

Should be over soon, considering that Chelsea's last 4 EPL games are against Middlesbrough, West Brom, Watford and Sunderland.

jw5 said:

Should be over soon, considering that Chelsea's last 4 EPL games are against Middlesbrough, West Brom, Watford and Sunderland.

Click to expand...

What's more interesting is who gets relegated with Sunderland. Looks like a 3 horse race between Middlesbrough, Swansea and Hull.

Big Sam should be safe with Palace I think.