The Football(Soccer) Thread

[HoonDing]

Iniesta and Torres both playing for Japanese teams now, many other former stars playing in China. It's clear where the future lies.

[Malcador]

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/transfers/einnahmenausgaben/statistik/plus/0?ids=a&sa=&saison_id=2008&saison_id_bis=2018&land_id=&nat=&pos=&altersklasse=&w_s=&leihe=&intern=0
 
Spending over the last 10 years, kind of nutty.
 
 

Hmmmm I haven't played Football Manager in years. Might need to give the new version a look.

It's worth getting it and running that version as long as people put out database updates, I still prefer FM2015

Edited July 19, 2018 by Malcador

[Humanoid]

The full-fat Football Manager games are way too complicated for me these days, I'm not interested in fluff like team talks and micromanaging training. The stripped-down FM Touch version is pretty reasonable though, level of detail is about right for me.

[Katphood]

Never installed any games on my Samsung cellphone, wouldn't mind trying out a simplified FM either.

[Guard Dog]

Nice write up: http://mag.bleacherreport.com/cristiano-ronaldo-steve-nash-power-50-cover-2018/?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial

[rjshae]

Sounders play the Quakes tonight. It'll be interesting to see how much they play Ruidiaz. But mid-week matches though: too many subs.

[Katphood]

https://youtu.be/FRl0re93-tw

 

Ouch, that was quite a heavy loss, especially with the goal that Shaqiri scored at the end.

[rjshae]

Fun all-star game tonight, playing MLS' mid-season fitness vs. Juventus' team cohesion. You could certainly tell the All-Stars haven't played together much; they have a lot of energy but look a bit ragged.

[Humanoid]

So, uh, I wake up to find the transfer window closed and find that not only Spurs are the only team in the Premier League to not sign a player, but that they're the only team since the inception of the transfer window some fifteen years ago to not sign any players.

 

It's not as bad as it might be yet, because currently we haven't sold anyone either, but other leagues still have their windows open for up to another three weeks. So the rest of this month is kind of a ****ty situation where you can't win, but very much can lose. Hopefully the same thing happens as what's been happening the last couple months, which is nothing.

[Tigranes]

So, uh, I wake up to find the transfer window closed and find that not only Spurs are the only team in the Premier League to not sign a player, but that they're the only team since the inception of the transfer window some fifteen years ago to not sign any players.

 

It's not as bad as it might be yet, because currently we haven't sold anyone either, but other leagues still have their windows open for up to another three weeks. So the rest of this month is kind of a ****ty situation where you can't win, but very much can lose. Hopefully the same thing happens as what's been happening the last couple months, which is nothing.

 

Honestly, and I say this as an Arsenal fan, I think Spurs have done remarkably well to keep everybody they already have, without even public sagas and the like. I don't think Tottenham's wage bill or prestige level at the moment can afford, say, someone better than Eriksen, or someone as good as Kane to replace him.

 

We had a problem when we signed no outfield players in 2015, but that's because we had spent the last couple years with a dysfunctional squad with tactical and injury problems (and, uh, have continued to since then). I do think Tottenham are in a precarious place, where this might be their last chance to actually win something or risk having the bubble burst, but I wonder what world-class player they could have brought in that fit their budget & pulling power. It's a very hard market out there.

 

If they had sold Kane for 100m+ or something, they could have tried to leverage that and improve the team. But like with the Bale money purchases, such 'trolley dashes' are high risk as well.

Edited August 10, 2018 by Tigranes

[Humanoid]

 

So, uh, I wake up to find the transfer window closed and find that not only Spurs are the only team in the Premier League to not sign a player, but that they're the only team since the inception of the transfer window some fifteen years ago to not sign any players.

 

It's not as bad as it might be yet, because currently we haven't sold anyone either, but other leagues still have their windows open for up to another three weeks. So the rest of this month is kind of a ****ty situation where you can't win, but very much can lose. Hopefully the same thing happens as what's been happening the last couple months, which is nothing.

 

Honestly, and I say this as an Arsenal fan, I think Spurs have done remarkably well to keep everybody they already have, without even public sagas and the like. I don't think Tottenham's wage bill or prestige level at the moment can afford, say, someone better than Eriksen, or someone as good as Kane to replace him.

 

We had a problem when we signed no outfield players in 2015, but that's because we had spent the last couple years with a dysfunctional squad with tactical and injury problems (and, uh, have continued to since then). I do think Tottenham are in a precarious place, where this might be their last chance to actually win something or risk having the bubble burst, but I wonder what world-class player they could have brought in that fit their budget & pulling power. It's a very hard market out there.

 

If they had sold Kane for 100m+ or something, they could have tried to leverage that and improve the team. But like with the Bale money purchases, such 'trolley dashes' are high risk as well.

 

 

Hey, you still finished second that season, although I don't care to re-live how that happened.

 

But yeah, If we're still intact in three weeks time then it's not a bad result, sure. But there's still murmurs of discontent so who knows? Can't suddenly think Alderweireld and Rose are magically content now that the window is semi-closed. Vertonghen's contract expires this year and Eriksen's in the next which means we need to sort both of them out this year as well.

 

Biggest hole in the squad is still in the centre of midfield, consisting of Dier, and aging and injury-prone Dembele, a raw and currently-injured Winks, and, um, Sissoko. If Lamela is truly over his injury concerns and resumes his final-day form then maybe we'll see Eriksen in CM at times I suppose. Beyond those we just have, erm, Josh Onomah who struggled in the Championship on loan to Villa last year.

 

At least Son winning gold at the Asian Games this month would be like a new signing.

[Malcador]

I find myself not caring that much about Arsenal this season. Guess the fanbase finally got to me, hah

[Maedhros]

I've been a Liverpool fan since 93-94ish (barely missing out on the last time they won the league). I don't think this year will be it, because Man City are just too strong - but we're looking better and better under Klopp. He's truly transformed us into a great team again. That CL final was an absurd experience - I truly believe we'd have won it if not for the early Salah-injury.

[Humanoid]

After I had a whinge in the World Cup thread about our non-scoring center-halves, it figures that we open the season with Jan Vertonghen's first goal in five years - especially with him being robbed of a couple in the interim by dodgy refereeing. Luckily for him, technology decided the goal this time and not the referee. (He was also lucky to not score an own-goal at the end, so it was most definitely his day)

 

That said, Spurs were poor, especially in the second half, the match was so open that it's extraordinary that it only ended with three goals. Newcastle deserved a draw frankly so it's a great relief to come away with the win. Definitely undercooked this season after the exertions of the World Cup.

 

 

EDIT: Also Poch looking super dapper with his weight loss and new haircut. Plus we got to play in our only non-awful kit this year. Goddammit Nike why are you so awful at basic design?

Edited August 11, 2018 by Humanoid

[Tigranes]

I find myself not caring that much about Arsenal this season. Guess the fanbase finally got to me, hah

 

It's terrible. Ever since my tiny forum of 20 Arsenal lovers faded away, I've had to use reddit for news. There's just something about reddit, though it's present in forums as well, where every single freaking conversation:

 

"Here's a gif of Ozil's great passes last night!"

"OK but he is so lazy, he must be the laziest player since [insert name]"

"Nah I would actually rank him third, the laziest one has to be [insert name]"

*30 replies of vigorous argument about which player is slightly more lazy than whom*

"But anyway Ozil is crap and it disgusts me to see the Ozil apologists out in full force"

"Yeah Ozil is wonderful and it disgusts me that some idiots can't see how good he is"

*80 replies of handbags*

 

The answer, as always, is to ignore the fans, ignore the 'pundits' (half of whom are no better than the above), just watch the game. My best experiences always come at the stadium, when there's no commentary or TV camera either... if you can ignore that one dumbass sitting next to you yelling out "Ozil why are you so lazy", that is.

[Malcador]

Reddit is only useful if you never read the comments for sure.

[Maedhros]

Great opening match by Liverpool. Mane is looking sharp, as he usually does at the beginning of the season. Hope he can keep it going. Keita looks to be a great transfer.

 

Watching Arsenal vs City...glad I have Mendy in my fantasy team! 2 assists and possibly a clean sheet.

[rjshae]

Seattle's in good form right now, having passed that horrible early season injury bug and picked up a couple of talented new transfers. That game vs. Dallas got ugly at times, but at least we found a way to pick up three more points. Sounders have won five in a row and are almost back above the playoffs cut off line. This seems like an annual trend now; doing an end-of-season run for a top-tier playoff spot. Only 11 games left...

[Guard Dog]

How about this finish last night? DC United vs Orlando City

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWDwYSkQj5g

[rjshae]

^ Goal of the week, most likely.

[Malcador]

Arsenal lost but not too upset, it was to City. Still wonder why they bothered with Mustafi

[Tigranes]

Arsenal lost but not too upset, it was to City. Still wonder why they bothered with Mustafi

 

Well, you know when you buy a car, and the steering wheel tilts, the leather seats smell, and the noise is a bit of a downer, but really, you spent all that money on it, do you really want to send to scrapheap and get another one, when you're sort of broke? I mean, I'm sure with a bit of love and care it'll come good, right? Right?

[Humanoid]

I mean when your predecessors are such luminaries as Squillaci, Djourou, Cygan and Stepanovs, it doesn't really seem so bad. I'm sure I'm missing another couple of names in that list.

 

Mind you, we led the line with Ginger Pele Gary Doherty, and also featured the likes of Vlad Chiriches and Ryan Nelsen.

Edited August 15, 2018 by Humanoid

[Katphood]

I've been watching the U-21 Womens WC. Some interesting matches there, especially China - Nigeria and England - Mexico.

[Malcador]

 

Arsenal lost but not too upset, it was to City. Still wonder why they bothered with Mustafi

Well, you know when you buy a car, and the steering wheel tilts, the leather seats smell, and the noise is a bit of a downer, but really, you spent all that money on it, do you really want to send to scrapheap and get another one, when you're sort of broke? I mean, I'm sure with a bit of love and care it'll come good, right? Right?

Well maybe, I guess at the time he was a WC winner and maybe people thought he was solid. I guess no one noted consistency. At least Mavroponos looks decent at a young age to be promising

Edited August 15, 2018 by Malcador