Spurs v Juventus - Two Perpectives

Discussion in 'Tottenham forum' started by dnoll5, December 11, 2017.

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  1. dnoll5

    dnoll5 Member

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    From what I've seen so far around the internet, Spurs fans have quickly fallen into two groups. Group A people fall squarely in the "I want an easy draw to get as far as we can" camp. That group would argue that United and Liverpool and City got easier competition after winning their group, yet Spurs get stuck with the reigning Italian champions and last year's runner's up. People in Group B subscribe to the the idea that the Champions League is a place to play the very best, so both Spurs and the supporters should be excited to take on Juventus, a top-notch side. I hear you, I hear you, so let's look at it from both sides.

    The Team from Group A Perspective: Juventus are an excellent side. They have one of the best combinations in the world up top in the fearsome threesome of Gonzalo Higuain, Paulo Dybala, and Marko Mandzukic. Their midfield is equally loaded with Douglas Costa, Miralem Pjanic, Blaise Matuidi, Juan Cuadrado, and Federico Bernadeschi. And you can't talk about the six-time defending Serie A champions without mentioning that menacing back line of Giorgio Chiellini, Alex Sandro, Stephan Lichtsteiner, and Andrea Barzagli. Scared yet? They also have the best goalkeeper of all time in net, and this doesn't even bring up the fact that this could very well be Gianluigi Buffon's last chance at the only major club trophy he doesn't have. This is going to be hard. This is going to be very hard.

    The Team from Group B Perspective:
    Juventus are an excellent side, yes, but so are Real Madrid. In fact, player for player, Real are even better, and we drew with them at the Bernabeu and tore them apart at Wembley. If Spurs replicate those two performances (hard to do, but not impossible), then we will be well through. And what about that vaunted Juve defense? They're all aging and we have some of the best young attacking talent in England. Harry, Dele, Son, Erik, and Chris can take these old men to the cleaners.

    Back to Group A: Take these old men to the cleaners? You're insane. It's called experience, and no team in Europe is as experienced in the back as the Old Lady. If you wanted to take a defensive unit to the cleaners, we should've drawn Porto or Sevilla or Basel or Shahktar. This is a disaster.

    Group B's rebuttal: You want to be in the Champions League to play Basel? If we want to be considered European elites, we have to beat the other elite teams first. Mission accomplished with Dortmund and Real. Let's add another scalp to the list! We will have the best stadium in the world next season. Why not let our ambition on the pitch match what we have already started doing off the pitch? After all, to dare is to do.

    A: But wouldn't going as far as possible in the Champions League show that ambition in the best possible way? I'm sorry, but I'd rather go up against Basel any day than face a team that has been to the UCL final two times in the last three years. Plus, we've been struggling in the league against teams that we know we're better than. It's a recipe for real problems against one of the most disciplined teams in Europe. If we can't break down Watford, how in the world will we break down Juve?

    B: Fair enough, but the game is about glory. And Spurs have stepped up when the light has shined brightest this season. Take the Real results, add in Dortmund and Liverpool. We controlled United and were really unfortunate not to steal a point (or three!) at Old Trafford. Our stars were born for the biggest stage. They'll shine.

    Now, I'm not going to say that this exact conversation didn't play out in my mind the minute I found out that we had Juve. It pretty much did, but the draw is done and we have an away day in Torino, so I say, let's go out there and make a statement. COYS.
     
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  2. geoff james Guest

    when I saw the draw Juve to me was the ideal team for Spurs. the danger of playing lesser teams is you get complacent if you beat them, or even when playing them, Spurs will not underestimate Juve. also Going back to the group stages, At the beginning of the campaign both Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund believed that spurs would be beatable. I think Juve will think the same, Spurs are beatable. With that mind set they are vulnerable and I think Spurs will beat them over the two legs because they will not be favourites.
     
  3. Spurporter Well-Known Member

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    I am group A.
    Citizens under Pellegrini come to mind . Good team. Bad draws. Poor results.
    I'd be exited to see Spurs playing Juvenus in the next round, while getting easier opponent in this one. This was the only round we could have gotten by easy, as the next round will be tough. So, even should we go through this one, to have a two difficult UCL rounds in a row would be too much for the club with little depth, the Spurs are.
    Levy will have to buy a few performers for now, not for the future, this January. Or we may face an unpleasant prospect, where other EPL teams will still be playing, while Spurs will not. I only hope that the possibility of playing against Juventus might attract some good transfer targets. That is the only positive in that draw, IMHO.
    COYS!!!
     
    Last edited: December 12, 2017
  4. Felon82 Well-Known Member

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    This will be our toughest test yet due to the fact neither Real or Dortmund have been performing well all season really which needs to be taken in to context, yes we had to play well to beat them because they are good sides but not what they were.
    Juventus are a different animal they are organised, have the dig in mentality, when you play Italian sides its not just football its the know how that gets you through the game they use every trick in the book. Something I worry the Alli/Dier/winks types are too inexperienced for.
    Top European Football is all about getting a result away and performing at home, when we are on our game we're a match for anyone lets hope over 2 legs we have enough.
    When you play a side who is deemed a big club you must raise your game and on the big stage players will want to do that so im glad we got a big club.
    This is doable imo.
     
  5. johnnyhrvat Guest

    With Harry Caine playing Charlie Croker, Delle Alli, Son and Ericksen as the three chinless wonders, Professor Poch and 'Camp Danny' doing the organisation, how can we fail.
    'Football is about glory' - it's not about beating a string of non-league teams to win the FA Cup, and it's not about playing some yodelling minnows when we get down to what should be the best 16 clubs in the world.
    Juventus - bring them on!
     
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  6. Big fran Guest

    Way I see it is we avoided most of the big guns by topping our group. The one team I didn't want was Munich and we avoided that one too.
    OK juve are a top side but its a fifty fifty game and if we get thru the draw opens right up with two from PSG barca Madrid and Chelsea going out. We should be full strength by then with hopefully one or two additions to the squad.
    COYS.
     
  7. burnt Well-Known Member

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    Juve haven't looked as strong yet this season like a lot of the so called European powerhouses ... But a lot can change between now and mid February so let's see how it will play out .. We're not exactly flying ourselves either so the breaks not a bad thing ... Historically Italian teams wouldnt blow you away so you'd imagine we'd be in the game going back to Wembley and then we'd deff have a squeek .. They won't play non defensive suicide football like Madrid or Dortmund that's for sure , so it will be nothing like them games you'd imagine ... It looks to be a test we haven't excelled at lately , breaking down a stubborn defense , a test we've failed against far lesser sides then Juve but it's one that's deff passable .. A huge opportunity awaits , and one if passed should give us the confidence we can go a long way in this competition .... C.O.Y.S ....
     
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  8. Simmo Spurs Guest

    Spurs will triumph over the old lady of Turin. Juve like most CL teams expect to beat us, hence the style of football is more expansive which suits us down to the ground. We're able to exploit the spaces vacated behind a lot more easily as opposed to the PL where the majority of teams afford us great respect by literally parking the bus and hoping to nick a result. Look what happened to Stoke once we get that all important first goal. When we are classed as the underdogs coys seem to raise their game a notch or two. We were favourites against the gooners and look what happened there. I firmly believe we will triumph over two legs with Juve.
     
  9. Bazza47

    Bazza47 Well-Known Member

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    Additions.....I wish......
     
  10. Bazza47

    Bazza47 Well-Known Member

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    Last season I watched CL without any particular favourites. I thought Juve were the best side I'd seen and that lasted until the second half in the final, when the score line in the end flattered RM.

    It's going to be difficult, no doubt. Play at our best, then we're in with a shout.
    You've got to beat the best to be the best.

    COYS
     
  11. Nomadico Well-Known Member

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    Juve can be beat!!When we started the CL this season,all the pundits wrote us off and placed RM and BRD as the two teams going forward from the group,we BEAT them both!!!There is no reason we can not beat JUVE...
     
  12. Felon82 Well-Known Member

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    Decent result last night , back in 4th on GD but we dont half know how to make it difficult on ourselves.
    The amount of the ball we had youd think wed be carving chance after chance , in the end it was a mis hit Cross that went in and a deflected header at the death.
    Its was tiring just to watch the extremely busily doing nothing display at times.
     
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