[TerryTibbs!]

Some amount of muppets who know sweet feck all posting here. We have clueless Chelsea fans, gloating opposition fans, Napoli fan who is chasing totti but is posting in here and thankfully the odd level head.

Bring on second leg. If we go through it will be kind of special which is good. If we go out we can concentrate on getting back in, which is important for a team in transition. Straight back in despite the faults. It is only going to get better.

[grenache]

Originally Posted by TerryTibbs!

Some amount of muppets who know sweet feck all posting here. We have clueless Chelsea fans, gloating opposition fans, Napoli fan who is chasing totti but is posting in here and thankfully the odd level head.

Bring on second leg. If we go through it will be kind of special which is good. If we go out we can concentrate on getting back in, which is important for a team in transition. Straight back in despite the faults. It is only going to get better.

You do irony well Terry

[Jelle1880]

Originally Posted by KeithAFC

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL. Love the Italian crowd. Well deserved win by Napoli. I love the way they counter attack.

It's awesome, somehow I always think they are surprised at a goal and go 'Oooooooooooooooooh'

[GavRedKing]

All I can say is the better team won on the night, Napolis counter attacking was brillant to watch at times and in Cavani, Hamsik and Lavezzi they have real quality that can threating any back line.

Well done Napoli.

One saving grace is that the Napoli back line are fairly slow, an early goal in the return leg at the Bridge and we'll be setup for a comeback but at this moment I can only see one team going through from this as we're likely to conceed also.

I said earlier 2-1 wouldnt be too bad, 3-1 is a tougher ask, and will test the team to there limits and we've being found wanting far too often this year.

Going to make for a very interesting return leg in 3 weeks time.

[Rekop dog]

I think people will go massively ott about this being a major decline for EPL and rise of Serie A, when in truth it's only a smallish shift, if that. Like I'm delighted that Serie A has done so well and restored some pride after they underperformed so badly last season but there's still a worrying enough trend in the league in recent years where a lot of the talent particularly young have been leaving the league and not being replaced by similar quality, unless Udinese continue performing miracles in bringing the best South American kids to Europe first. Genuine world class players like Pastore, Sanchez, Balotelli, Eto'o have all left recently. I think during the glory days the ratio of quality players brought in compared to sold out of the league was way higher than it is currently.

On Napoli, don't think they were at their best last night, although part of this may have been tactical as they were playing more lowish % long balls than usual in the hope of creating even faster counter situations where they'd always fancy their chances with their abitity up front and Chelsea defensive problems. So Chelsea where always going to retain lots of possesion this way but Napoli were happy to soak up the pressure and hit them on the break when they could.

Excited for them going forward in the Cl because imo they'd have the best chance out of the remaining teams left to challenge the Spainish pair. Don't think anyone is good enough defensively this season to 'do an Inter' on Barca so adapting a we'll score more than you strategy is probably the most effective. Now you'd still massively favour Barca/Madrid in this situation too but anything can happen in a one off game and the old cliché luck favours the brave is apt for Napoli.

[carlop]

Originally Posted by Rekop dog

I think people will go massively ott about this being a major decline for EPL and rise of Serie A, when in truth it's only a smallish shift, if that. Like I'm delighted that Serie A has done so well and restored some pride after they underperformed so badly last season but there's still a worrying enough trend in the league in recent years where a lot of the talent particularly young have been leaving the league and not being replaced by similar quality, unless Udinese continue performing miracles in bringing the best South American kids to Europe first. Genuine world class players like Pastore, Sanchez, Balotelli, Eto'o have all left recently. I think during the glory days the ratio of quality players brought in compared to sold out of the league was way higher than it is currently.

On Napoli, don't think they were at their best last night, although part of this may have been tactical as they were playing more lowish % long balls than usual in the hope of creating even faster counter situations where they'd always fancy their chances with their abitity up front and Chelsea defensive problems. So Chelsea where always going to retain lots of possesion this way but Napoli were happy to soak up the pressure and hit them on the break when they could.

Excited for them going forward in the Cl because imo they'd have the best chance out of the remaining teams left to challenge the Spainish pair. Don't think anyone is good enough defensively this season to 'do an Inter' on Barca so adapting a we'll score more than you strategy is probably the most effective. Now you'd still massively favour Barca/Madrid in this situation too but anything can happen in a one off game and the old cliché luck favours the brave is apt for Napoli.

I think Bayern and Milan would be better equipped at the 'we'll score more' strategy, especially the former.

Napoli played Barca already this season (it was pre-season, but I think they had their strongest team out) and got hammered. I just think the defense would be too weak to cope with the quality of Barca and Madrid.

[Trilla]

Originally Posted by Rekop dog

Inler is a cracking player tbf, hasn't had his best game tonight but has a very good all round game. Gargano does a lot of work that goes unnoticed too.

I was talking about the game tonight. Pitch didn't help things I suppose.

I made 60 quid last night off Napoli winning (50 caps at 6/5) so can't complain, but some of the football was rubbish.

[Rekop dog]

Originally Posted by carlop

I think Bayern and Milan would be better equipped at the 'we'll score more' strategy, especially the former.

Napoli played Barca already this season (it was pre-season, but I think they had their strongest team out) and got hammered. I just think the defense would be too weak to cope with the quality of Barca and Madrid.

Possibly, they'd probably have a bigger chance of being completely embarrassed by Barca than Milan or Bayern due to their appraoch, but still think they've the clearest identity and attacking ruthlessness to take advantage of any Barca defensive weakness and win the odd time. I wouldn't be fooled by Milan's group games with Barcelona in terms of Milan's competitivness, don't think Barca were anywhere near top gear in those games.

[That_Guy]

Just saw the highlights there. Comical defending for the third goal.

[Sgt Pepper 64]

Originally Posted by That_Guy

Just saw the highlights there. Comical defending for the third goal.

Not really, he was unlucky, he booted it away, but it rebounded into the attacker

rub of the green stuff

[Gerty]

Originally Posted by Sgt Pepper 64

Not really, he was unlucky, he booted it away, but it rebounded into the attacker

rub of the green stuff

Have to disagree there. He looked like he was trying to do to much with maybe lobbing it over Cavani's head, maybe passing it to Cole.

He has to put that ball out of play at the very least. And he could have done that. Maybe comical is going too far, but unlucky isn't the word for it either.

[Renn]

Unlucky

[Leiva]

Originally Posted by Sgt Pepper 64

Not really, he was unlucky, he booted it away, but it rebounded into the attacker

rub of the green stuff

Nah .

He should have put his foot through it and put it into row H .

[Sgt Pepper 64]

Originally Posted by mixednuts

Nah .

He should have put his foot through it and put it into row H .

he wasnt going to put it across the face of goal to his right, and the player was behind him and just caught up at the moment he kicked it out to the left.
he could of kicked it straight ahead i suppose for a corner

It was good chasing down, but then how unlucky to catch the attacker in the chest and then bounce down nicely for him to shoot?
Could have hit his hand, gone out of play gone anywhere really

[Fizman]

Some of you are being way too kind on Luiz for that third goal. He was diabolical for it.