UCL speaking factors: Conte’s rant, Liverpool’s finest XI, Clásico readiness

The UEFA Champions League returned with a bang this midweek as Matchday 3 provided lots to speak about.

We had huge wins for Arsenal (4-0 vs. Atlético Madrid), Paris Saint-Germain (7-2 at Bayer Leverkusen), PSV Eindhoven (6-2 vs. Napoli), Barcelona (6-1 vs. Olympiacos), Chelsea (5-1 vs. Ajax Amsterdam) and Liverpool (5-1 at Eintracht Frankfurt).

We additionally acquired drama with Actual Madrid squeaking previous Juventus 1-0 because of a Jude Bellingham winner, and a number of other different huge golf equipment — like Manchester Metropolis and Internazionale — collected wins to offer the highest finish of the desk a reasonably predictable look.

So what did we glean from the motion general, and what have we realized from these groups? ESPN writers Mark Ogden, Julien Laurens, Tom Hamilton and Gab Marcotti provide their ideas on Matchday 3.

– Ogden: Isak’s exit leaves room for Ekitike to be Liverpool’s foremost man
– Olley: Arsenal earn assertion win in Champions League vs. Atléti
– From Ballon d’Or favourite to being benched: What is going on on with Vinícius?

Barça acquired a pre-Clásico confidence enhance by placing six previous Olympiacos, however how a lot of it was their high quality — led by Marcus Rashford, who is likely to be the reply up entrance for now — and the way a lot was it Olympiacos being on the receiving finish of some dangerous refereeing?

Marcotti: The anticipated targets on the time of the sending off was 1.22 to 1.00 to Barcelona, in order that’s a method of it. After which, with the additional man for greater than half an hour, they piled on in rubbish time and gained 6-1.

That stated, it is a midweek recreation pre-Clásico and these comply with patterns, particularly at house. You simply need the outcome and you do not wish to choose up accidents they usually acquired that. Everyone was wanting previous Olympiacos, rightly or wrongly.

Nonetheless, there are apparent vivid spots. Dro Fernández appeared sharp, although, clearly, this workforce is not precisely brief on gamers who match within the No. 10 function. Fermín López stole the present on the left wing and I am blissful for him as a result of the membership spent a lot of the summer time purchasing him round, making an attempt to get an honest price. No fear: he scored an excellent hat trick.

Rashford as an answer up entrance is an attention-grabbing one. Typical knowledge at Manchester United was that the England star was extra productive in broad areas. However that was a unique workforce, with a unique fashion and a unique coach (truly, a number of completely different coaches). When you consider what’s requested of a Barcelona middle ahead nowadays — motion, urgent, operating in behind — Rashford has the instruments to try this. Actually, there is a parallel with Ferran Torres, who has confirmed to be a superb match for Hansi Flick’s system. Actually, when all people’s match, you’d think about it could be simpler for Rashford to get recreation time at middle ahead than out broad, given the competitors for locations.

Ogden: This was the proper recreation for Barcelona to showcase their attacking qualities, reasonably than be punished for his or her defensive frailties, as a result of they have been dealing with one of many groups more than likely to complete within the backside eight of the league section. The problems that led to them dropping 2-1 at house to PSG on Matchday 2, similar to being caught out with their dangerous defensive high-line, have been by no means going to resurface in opposition to Olympiacos, and this was principally a turkey shoot for Barça — they usually shot loads of turkeys.

If a workforce is ill-equipped to deal with Barcelona’s attacking gamers together with Lamine Yamal, Rashford and Fermín, they’ll get picked aside, so I do not suppose this win instructed us something new about Flick’s workforce. We already knew that they have been able to hammering inferior groups, however we nonetheless know that they’re susceptible in opposition to opponents with an efficient counter-punch.

This was nice for the objective distinction and the boldness of the forwards, who all weighed in with not less than one objective, however Barça might additionally concede six in opposition to Actual Madrid this weekend; that is the issue that Flick should resolve if his workforce are to win the Champions League.

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Burley: Barcelona’s outcome means nothing forward of El Clasico

Craig Burley says Barcelona’s 6-1 victory over Olympiacos within the Champions League doesn’t cowl their defensive points.

Laurens: There’s nothing Flick would have gleaned from Tuesday’s win, and there is arguably nothing we realized both. There cannot be a lot of a confidence enhance after a efficiency like this. They gained and scored six targets: good for them. We all know they’re excellent going ahead, even once they have huge names lacking. Lamine can damage any defence, Fermín is a beautiful participant too, and Rashford has acquired his mojo again.

However for the remaining, they have been once more very fragile in midfield and in protection. Frenkie de Jong not being there in midfield to manage a bit extra the tempo of the sport made it a basketball match too typically, in tribute to the beginning of the NBA common season just a few hours later. That is nonetheless a workforce you wouldn’t belief in defensive transitions, as Olympiacos confirmed, however who might rating in opposition to anybody in the identical manner.

What does this say earlier than the Clásico? Nothing new actually. They may win 3-2 or lose 3-2, nobody is aware of.

Hamilton: After that farcical purple card, Olympiacos collapsed, however the way you see this efficiency depends upon how Barça-tinted your spectacles are. They have been ruthless in entrance of objective — Fermín’s hat trick was an train in perseverance and medical ending, whereas Rashford’s pair of targets have been brilliantly judged finishes. Few groups on the planet might have coped with the pace of passing that led to Rashford successful the penalty for Lamine to fit house.

For these of the extra cynical perspective, Olympiacos goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis had a stinker, Santiago Hezze was sufferer of a woefully unfair purple card, and up till that time, Barça have been discovering it exhausting to interrupt the Greek facet down and take their possibilities, echoing problem in current matches in opposition to PSG, Sevilla and Girona. The purple card modified the circulate of the match, so let’s pause earlier than saying this workforce are again to their finest.

Forward of El Clasico, they desperately must get a few of their injured contingent again, however regardless of this monster win, they don’t seem to be but again to the degrees we noticed final season.

Q2. Liverpool shrugged off a dropping streak with some daring strikes as Arne Slot benched Mohamed Salah, pulled Alexander Isak at half-time, and let Cody Gakpo, Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz run the present. Is that this the best way ahead for the Reds? What’s their finest line-up proper now in the event that they’re to construct on Wednesday’s 5-1 shellacking of Frankfurt?

Marcotti: The worst factor you are able to do is learn an excessive amount of into the Frankfurt outcome. They’re seventh within the desk, 11 factors off the highest within the Bundesliga. They have not saved a clear sheet since April and have conceded 23 targets of their final six video games. You aren’t getting to play Eintracht each week; you are not going to get the long-term resolution out of this recreation.

That stated, the 4-4-2 formation — as a result of that is just about how I noticed it, with Wirtz coming in from the precise — is an attention-grabbing possibility. You may put no matter two midfielders you want in there: Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai labored on Wednesday, clearly long-term you’d anticipate it to be Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch, however you possibly can choose based mostly on kind/opponent.

In fact, the difficulty is the entrance two and the elephant within the room is Salah. A Salah-Isak partnership can work, however proper now you’d clearly need Ekitike in there. And clearly, you need Wirtz to have as free a job as doable if he will begin in a large space, so you will want width. That is Jeremie Frimpong, although he got here off early in opposition to Eintracht.

Like I stated, this scheme has its deserves, however let’s take all of it with a grain of salt given who they have been enjoying and the best way they have been defending.

Ogden: Successful breeds confidence and might banish self-doubt, so the significance to Liverpool of the 5-1 win in Frankfurt cannot be overstated. Nevertheless, there is a however — Eintracht Frankfurt have been so dangerous that we will not actually gauge whether or not Liverpool are out of their hunch till they face Brentford on Saturday as a result of that could be a recreation that may actually check Liverpool’s weaknesses.

Slot stated after the Eintracht win that it was simpler for his workforce to press as a result of “we weren’t in a position to try this in current video games as a result of the ball was all the time within the air.” That was clearly a veiled dig at Manchester United and Chelsea, who each beat Liverpool 2-1 with extra direct ways, however that’s exactly what Slot’s facet will face at Brentford. So let’s reserve judgement.

Nevertheless, it’s clear that Ekitike is Liverpool’s most dependable ahead now. He’s doing every little thing that Isak hasn’t completed, however Isak’s damage will not assist the pair kind an understanding and with Salah set to vanish on AFCON responsibility on December, Ekitike and Isak want as a lot time collectively as doable earlier than then.

Hamilton: Slot gave us a glimpse of what Liverpool might seem like post-Salah on Wednesday night time, as they snapped their four-game dropping streak. However in making these adjustments, he is given himself some welcome choice dilemmas, whereas additionally scratching the itch of seeing what it is like to start out Ekitike and Isak up entrance. Ekitike appeared much more snug within the function, with Isak hooked at half-time. (Slot says it was right down to match health, however you resolve.) Slot now faces the difficult conundrum of getting to offer Isak time to play himself again into kind, whereas getting a run of wins underneath their belt after dropping 4 in a row.

Wirtz has struggled to search out his toes at Liverpool after the summer time transfer however had the liberty of Frankfurt of their 5-1 win. Gakpo is just undroppable in the mean time, so in case you’re in search of a Liverpool workforce to play Brentford on Saturday out of these obtainable in the mean time, it has to resemble one thing like: Giorgi Mamardashvili in objective (Alisson will ultimately return), Conor Bradley at proper again (Frimpong went off injured), Ibrahima Konaté and Virgil van Dijk within the center, with Andy Robertson at left again (Milos Kerkez was so poor in opposition to Manchester United); Gravenberch (presuming he is match for Saturday, play Jones if not), Mac Allister and Szoboszlai within the midfield three. After which up entrance, Gakpo has the left spot sewn up, Salah on the precise with Ekitike by way of the center.

Wirtz might have one thing to say about lacking out within the midfield, however he wants time to gel, as does Isak.

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Ought to Isak or Ekitike begin in opposition to Brentford for Liverpool?

Nedum Onuoha offers his ideas on who ought to begin as Liverpool’s quantity 9 in opposition to Brentford.

Laurens: Slot reportedly took off Isak at half-time due to a groin damage, so we’ll by no means know if the Liverpool supervisor would have nonetheless taken him off on the break or if the rationale was purely medical. Personally, I do not suppose the entrance 4 the Dutchman selected labored within the first half. Ekitike scored a solo objective that had nothing to do with the line-up, Isak had two respectable possibilities within the first 10 minutes on easy runs. And Frankfurt are actually not an excellent workforce.

With all that in thoughts, I am unsure if Slot has discovered the solutions to the questions and issues he has had thus far this season. But it surely was good to see him altering issues, and never hesitating to drop Salah and Mac Allister. Nevertheless, I do not imagine this entrance 4 would work within the Premier League. If Isak is injured, he’ll miss the journey to Brentford on Saturday and I anticipate Salah to be again on the precise with Ekitike because the No. 9, Wirtz behind him and Gakpo on the left.

Q3. Napoli acquired crushed 6-2 by PSV and Antonio Conte — no stranger to failure on this competitors — misplaced his cool after the match, blaming rotation and new signings: “We added 9 gamers in the summertime, that has price us when it comes to chemistry. The previous guys, together with me, must rediscover their spirit, the brand new guys must be taught to slot in and be humble and silent.” Is Conte proper to rant about his workforce? Is that this a wise motivational method, or will it solely make issues worse?

Marcotti: I suppose it’s a must to defer to the coach, as a result of he is there, he works with the gamers day by day and he is aware of what buttons to push. Sure, integrating 9 guys impacts chemistry, that is apparent. It applies to Liverpool too, who introduced in a ton of latest gamers and have been inconsistent. However that is why it is Conte’s job to make it work. And the heavy recruitment was vital as final season they weren’t in Europe and have been in a position to make use of a a lot smaller squad.

That stated, Conte additionally stated his gamers have been being disrespectful to Napoli and their followers and hinted that people weren’t being practical in regards to the challenges they confronted. I do not like that. It seems like blaming gamers and sucking as much as supporters. Gamers see by way of that, particularly a few of the veteran newcomers like Kevin De Bruyne. And a few of his different feedback, like in the direction of Noa Lang, who had identified that he’d solely spoken to Conte as soon as depart so much to be desired. Conte’s reply was: “Noa Lang performs once I say he performs.”

You’d hate to suppose it is historical past repeating itself, with Conte falling out in 12 months Two after success in 12 months One.

Ogden: I am sorry, however weren’t all of us hyping up Rasmus Højlund earlier this month as one other participant who thrives away from Manchester United and billing De Bruyne as an awesome signing for the Serie A champions? Conte cannot have it each methods. Perhaps it is not the amount of signings that’s the downside for Napoli, however the usual of the gamers. Or possibly, simply possibly, it’s that Conte has by no means delivered within the Champions League and we’re simply seeing the identical previous story repeat itself this season.

Hamilton: When issues get a bit of ragged on the pitch, Conte responds off it. Tottenham Hotspur followers know that nicely: Nobody is free from his spray. However look, they’re one level off the highest of Serie A and we have seen elsewhere in Europe (Liverpool) that it takes time to mould a brand new facet.

After their appalling defeat to PSV, you possibly can think about a good bit of his ire was directed at Lorenzo Lucca — one in every of their many summer time signings — who endured a torrid time at Eindhoven on Tuesday and was proven a purple card for principally calling the referee out. It was symptomatic of the frustration Lucca should be feeling, but additionally made him a straightforward goal for Conte to masks his workforce’s shortcomings.

Nevertheless, there’s additionally a component of smoke and mirrors right here. These gamers who left over the summer time have been all largely superfluous, however what they’re lacking is Romelu Lukaku anchoring issues up entrance, regardless of the spectacular early begin from Højlund. The crux of the workforce that performed PSV on Tuesday was the group who gained the league final time period — as an alternative of blaming the brand new signings, have a look at the system which allowed PSV a lot house in entrance of Napoli’s defence.

Maybe a extra measured view after their dismal efficiency was from Scott McTominay. “It is a lengthy season,” he stated. “For us, we simply must be calm. We will not go loopy and take into consideration too many alternative issues.”

Laurens: There have been solely three new gamers amongst the ten outfield Napolitans who began on Tuesday in Eindhoven (Lucca, De Bruyne, Sam Beukema) so I’m not positive I’m shopping for Conte’s excuse. This was only a horrible efficiency from himself and from his workforce. He arrange his facet mistaken, leaving the management of the midfield to PSV.

At half-time, Napoli have been solely 2-1 down, so Conte’s team-talk clearly did not encourage his males in any respect. His substitutions did not work both and the second half devolved into one of many worst nightmares of his managerial profession.

Napoli and Conte are higher than what we noticed within the Netherlands, however his struggles in Europe proceed. The reception of Frankfurt and Qarabag within the subsequent two Matchdays ought to assist Conte and Napoli climb again up the desk and make peace with this season’s Champions League which has been a tricky journey thus far: two losses in three and two purple playing cards as nicely.

This autumn. Actual Madrid did not look sensible vs. Juventus, however Bellingham acquired his first objective of the season. Is a Bellingham-Arda Güler midfield pivot the factor to make them click on heading into the Clásico?

Marcotti: Juventus got down to defend. It took Actual Madrid some time to attain, however let’s not child ourselves, their anticipated targets at full-time have been 2.81 they usually had 66% possession whereas taking 28 photographs. This was one-way site visitors and, aside from a pair Kenan Yildiz moments (too few) and that Dusan Vlahovic likelihood, we noticed little from Juve.

The place to place Bellingham is sort of an existential query. The accidents at proper again imply Federico Valverde is out of the image in midfield, which is why Xabi Alonso tried Güler with Bellingham. I feel that is exhausting to do in opposition to an opponent who will assault and can need the ball like Barca will within the Clásico.

It is a query of steadiness. If Bellingham places within the defensive work that Valverde gives, you may get away with it, so long as you may have the ball for lengthy stretches. If not, it turns into actual powerful. And when the precise backs are match once more, you will have a tricky option to make. I am unable to see Valverde being dropped, you want Aurélien Tchouaméni (or somebody like him) in there and Güler is the golden baby proper now. 4 into three do not go.

Ogden: As Gab says, that solely works if Bellingham is ready to drop deeper and play a extra defensive function as a result of you possibly can’t ask Güler to try this.

Bellingham has every little thing in his locker to be that participant, however he nonetheless permits himself to turn out to be the 10-year-old within the playground who is healthier than everybody else and due to this fact decides to play wherever he desires. If his time on the sidelines recovering from damage was used correctly, Bellingham ought to have studied the adjustments Actual are going by way of underneath Alonso and labored out how finest to swimsuit the workforce. His England omission not too long ago can also have precipitated him pause for thought.

So let’s have a look at. If Bellingham can add the maturity to his recreation that may allow him to play a extra disciplined function, that is nice information for membership and nation, however I feel he is in all probability nonetheless a 12 months or two away from that.

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Is the El Clásico Alonso’s hardest managerial check?

Craig Burley and Steve Nicol stay up for Actual Madrid vs. Barcelona after UCL victories for each groups.

Hamilton: Alonso wished this pair of matches to set the usual for the remainder of Actual Madrid’s season. They usually’ve acquired half one within the bag, because of their 1-0 win. However the Clásico will play out to an altogether completely different tempo. Actual Madrid will not end with 28 photographs, or 66% possession, or with practically double the variety of passes than their opponents.

However regardless of this one-sided image, this wasn’t a whole efficiency from Actual Madrid — within the early levels of the match, they appeared disjointed and general, the energy of the workforce is not but proportional to the expertise within the squad. Forward of the Clásico, his choice goes to be fascinating.

With Valverde marooned at proper again in the intervening time to cowl accidents, you are feeling the workforce wants Tchouameni within the center to assist anchor issues. So with Güler in an excellent run of kind, and Bellingham rightly thought to be one of many world’s finest gamers — regardless of being an England exile — it is a powerful conundrum for Alonso. In the intervening time — till Dani Carvajal and Trent Alexander-Arnold return not less than to unencumber Valverde — you are feeling he might keep on with this trio.

Laurens: I personally wouldn’t go there in opposition to Barcelona. It might be too attacking and too dangerous for Alonso to depart Tchouameni on his personal because the low level of this triangle. Even a poor Juventus workforce discovered it simple at occasions to undergo this midfield, so think about the Spanish champions.

Towards Pedri, De Jong and Fermin, enjoying with only one No. 6 and two No. 8s, can be one thing. Sure, Madrid shall be at house and they’re going to wish to put the Catalans underneath strain and get better the ball excessive up on the pitch, however having one other hard-working participant like Valverde would take advantage of sense.

That is why I do not imagine we’ll see the trio of Tchouameni, Güler and Bellingham from the beginning on Sunday. Eduardo Camavinga changed Güler after 74 minutes on Wednesday. Bellingham performed the entire 90 minutes however performed very excessive with little defensive contributions (two recoveries, one interception, two clearances). Barça shall be so good with the ball that you just want a unique midfield three than the one we noticed in opposition to the Bianconeri. I’d even put Valverde nearly man marking Pedri. However that is simply me, I’m no Xabi Alonso.

Q5. Pulling out for a big-picture look, the Champions League desk seems depressingly acquainted in comparison with final season with so many huge golf equipment off to sizzling begins and locking within the Prime 8 with practically half the league section full. Is that this actual or a mirage? Can we nonetheless anticipate some surprises from right here?

Marcotti: Perhaps we must always sit back. Galatasaray, Sporting CP, Newcastle United and Qarabag (!) have as many factors as Liverpool and Barcelona. They’re all one win from going high. It is not miserable, it is simply how the video games shook out. I feel schedule energy additionally performs a component right here. Inter have 9 factors, however they’ve performed Ajax, Slavia Prague and Union St.-Gilloise. Actual Madrid had a tough time in opposition to Marseille, beat Kairat Almaty and their 17-year-old debutant keeper, and a poor Juve facet. The truth that solely 5 groups are three from three is an efficient signal, I feel. And, of these, solely PSG, Bayern Munich and Arsenal have been persistently good.

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Nicol: Arsenal are probably the most ‘highly effective’ workforce in Europe

Steve Nicol and Craig Burley reward Arsenal’s physicality as the present Premier League leaders.

Ogden: A number of the large golf equipment misjudged the early matchdays of the league section final season, whereas the unfancied groups similar to Celtic, Brest and Sporting took benefit with quick begins that helped get them into the playoff stage. That hasn’t occurred this season, the shock worth has gone, so it is unlikely that we will have a repeat of the drama on Matchday 8, when PSG and Manchester Metropolis might have gone out.

I feel the change this 12 months is that the highest golf equipment wish to get qualification wrapped up with a few matchdays to go to allow them to relaxation gamers throughout a busy January. However let’s have a look at what occurs subsequent month, when Liverpool play Actual Madrid and PSG meet Bayern Munich. A defeat in these video games might make issues uncomfortable for the dropping facet.

Hamilton: The fantastic selection and randomness of the new-look Champions League has evaporated, for now, not less than. Or has it? The highest of the desk has a well-known really feel with the normal powerhouses sitting fairly on the summit after three rounds. The likes of Benfica, Ajax, Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen have been put again of their place this week and as issues stand, a lot of the high eight are the groups we might anticipate to be that includes within the latter levels of the match.

However there’s nonetheless loads of time for this image to vary. The schedule has been type to a workforce like Inter, and you are feeling others are discovering their toes, and the hangover of the Membership World Cup in the summertime will turn out to be ever-more influential because the season progresses. If earlier than the match you’d been given a sneak peek of the desk after three rounds, you’d haven’t batted an eyelid at PSG, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Arsenal and Actual Madrid successful all of their matches so far, with Man Metropolis, Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona, Liverpool and Chelsea all hovering. However there’s nonetheless loads of time for this to vary. PSG, Arsenal and Bayern are setting the usual thus far however anticipate others to proceed biting at their heels.

Laurens: I do not suppose we must always have a look at the desk till Matchday 5 or 6 anyway. Everybody has performed groups with completely different ranges, strengths and weaknesses thus far. We have to have an even bigger pattern to see what this season will provide us within the Champions League. It would nicely be a marketing campaign the place solely the highest golf equipment make the Prime 8 and nobody is lacking out on the Prime 24 both. However, for now, I feel it has been enjoyable to look at — very aggressive at occasions and really one-sided at others, however that is fantastic. It is soccer. It is going to be the case once more in two weeks’ time the place we can have the mouthwatering PSG-Bayern conflict to look at.