The 2017-2018 Football Thread

[Scepticalscribe]

No need to point it out!

Just missed the highlights on MOTD as a friend called. Looks like Billic is getting sacked and Moyes is coming in.
Not sure that's the right appointment.

Management musical chairs? Moyes? Oh, dear.

Still, the failure of overpaid, underperforming players to play properly cannot always be laid at the door of the manager. Someday, these children will have to grow up and take some responsibility; I'd have thought that such responsibility might come with a salary of several tens of thousands per week, but, it appears not, alas.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Manchester City three, Arsenal one.

I cannot deny that Manchester City were better - a lot better - than Arsenal. And Arsenal weren't actually too bad. They just were not good enough.

But, the bitter sweet memory of the extraordinary team once cherished and known as The Invincibles does occasionally cross my mind.

 

[JamesMike]

Man U played reasonable well even they lost.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Man U played reasonable well even they lost.

Yes and no.

Chelsea played a lot better, - and they came out to play and to contest and to fight - and Mr Mourinho has shown - not for the first time - that his dour game-plan of negative, nihilistic and conservative football - hoping to take advantage of errors made by others - will rarely yield a victory against a top six team unless they collapse mentally, which didn't happen yesterday.

United only really played well in the last fifteen minutes or so, when they belatedly realised that they needed an equaliser if they wished to take a point home.

 

[Silencio]

Nah, Manchester United was pretty poor yesterday. They didn't park the bus as much as I expected they would, but weren't nearly sharp enough to thread those tight spaces. They always lose at the Bridge even under the best of circumstances, but the real structural problems with the squad were laid bare for all to see:

A complete lack of linkage from midfield to attack. Mhkitaryan has been worse than useless lately — a total black hole for the past few months. Pogba is the only player in the squad capable of providing that, and maybe Mata to a lesser extent. It's no coincidence that United's form has fallen off since Pogba got injured. Maybe try starting Martial and Rashford together? Simply not enough depth in this area. Maybe they should've ponied up the extra few million for Perisic after all?

Shaky defense. I know they've kept a lot of clean sheets lately, but that defense still feels like a liability. Look at Morata's goal yesterday: Jones was in midfield somewhere and Smalling was off in nowhere land. Jones has generally been pretty improved this season, but Smalling is still a liability. Marcos Rojo is almost back, if he could only pick up where he left off before getting injured. Bailly is also still solid. Stop playing Smalling in big matches.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Looks like Moyes is a done deal

http://www.skysports.com/share/11116582

 

[Silencio]

Nice knowing you, West Ham.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Nice knowing you, West Ham.

Thanks. Looking forward to life in the Championship!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Looks like Moyes is a done deal

http://www.skysports.com/share/11116582

Well, Mr Bilic had been the proverbial 'dead man walking' for the past few weeks, so - unless the board was prepared to try to prise a manager from elsewhere which cold have taken time (and even more money), they had to settle for someone who was immediately available. Hence, Mr Moyes.

Needless to say, this is something that should have been addressed over the interminable summer break. That is when a greater range of restless managers might have been available for hire.

 

[Centaurr]

**World cup news update**

new World cup 2018 jerseys photos have popped up on the internet already
this is Colombia's new jersey

 

[pachyderm]

meh!

Belgium has the best i've seen so far...

and it's not great.

wonder if Charles Schulz can sue?

 

[Fizzoid]

It looks like it was trying to be a golf jumper, but gave up

 

[Silencio]

Charles Schulz has been deceased a long time. Good grief!

Never thought I'd see argyle on a football shirt. But, hey, 2017. I hope it comes with matching socks!

 

[Apple fanboy]

As predicted Moyes has signed. The fans are not happy. If he doesn't have a great start, we will be asking for a new manager by Christmas.
[doublepost=1510084325][/doublepost]Probably just paper talk but apparently
West Ham were rejected by Carlo Ancelotti, Roberto Mancini and Rafael Benitez before making their move for David Moyes to replace manager Slaven Bilic.

 

[Swedish since 1986]

My eleven with United next 2018-19 season:

1.De Gea

2.Darmian
3.Bailly
4.new player
23.Shaw

31.Matic
21.Herrera
10.Busquets

14.Lingard
22.Mkhitaryan

11.Martial


Subs:

17.Blind
5.Lindelöf
12.Smalling
9.Rashford
45.O'Hara
38.Tuanzebe
18.Young

I does not thinks Pogba next season because we needed Barcelonas in parts in transfermarket. 24 million + Busquets for Pogba. And United need O'Hara, Lingard and Rashford for future plans. etc.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

As predicted Moyes has signed. The fans are not happy. If he doesn't have a great start, we will be asking for a new manager by Christmas.
[doublepost=1510084325][/doublepost]Probably just paper talk but apparently
West Ham were rejected by Carlo Ancelotti, Roberto Mancini and Rafael Benitez before making their move for David Moyes to replace manager Slaven Bilic.

Yes, I saw some of those reports (even in the Guardian).

Mind you, the Guardian also reported that West Ham could have cast their net more widely when seeking managers had they sought to recruit last summer - during the break - when more people were available - than now, in extremis.

 

[Swedish since 1986]

Or I will spend better on Birmingham fc.

This eleven next season:

Kuszczak

Colin
Mbende
Bielik
Roberts

Jota
N'Doye
Tesche
Gardner

Gallagher
Martial

French national transfer with £40 million.

 

[Silencio]

My eleven with United next 2018-19 season:

1.De Gea

2.Darmian
3.Bailly
4.new player
23.Shaw

31.Matic
21.Herrera
10.Busquets

14.Lingard
22.Mkhitaryan

11.Martial

Darmian nowhere near good enough to start. Either he stays as a squad player or gets sold. It's time for a new RB, as Valencia is getting up there in age.

Shaw, as much as I wish the penny would drop for him again, is probably also on the way out.

Phil Jones has been doing well enough to start at CB alongside Bailly. They're currently the #1 or #2 CB pairing in the league.

Neither Lingard or Mkhitaryan are good enough. Lingard is fine coming off the bench, Mkhi, I don't think he'll ever be good enough on a consistent basis. Mourinho doesn't seem to rate Herrera very highly, and he hasn't been that great this season.

No Lukaku anywhere?

Subs:

17.Blind
5.Lindelöf
12.Smalling
9.Rashford
45.O'Hara
38.Tuanzebe
18.Young

I does not thinks Pogba next season because we needed Barcelonas in parts in transfermarket. 24 million + Busquets for Pogba. And United need O'Hara, Lingard and Rashford for future plans. etc.

24 million + Busquets for Pogba. No. Way. In. Hell.

What I really see happening are the long-awaited purchase of Griezmann, Fabinho, and a left back. Sell off Shaw, Mkhitaryan, and Smalling. Maybe Mata gets sold this winter before he can leave on a free.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

How long does the adjective "promising" continue to be attached to a player?

Put another way, at what age is a player when the adjective "promising" is no longer used when their name comes up in speech or writing?

 

[Apple fanboy]

How long does the adjective "promising" continue to be attached to a player?

Put another way, at what age is a player when the adjective "promising" is no longer used when their name comes up in speech or writing?

Exchange promising for under achievers when they fail to live up to expectations.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Exchange promising for under achievers when they fail to live up to expectations.

Ah, yes!

Exactly, (if they are pompous high maintenance narcissists); however, if they are half decent, the script tends to read "never quite lived up to his promise/considerable potential".

 

[Apple fanboy]

Ah, yes!

Exactly, (if they are pompous high maintenance narcissists); however, if they are half decent, the script tends to read "never quite lived up to his promise/considerable potential".

Or as often is the way with kids, they get released by their club and are never heard from again. Or until their non league side get Arsenal in the FA cup and they do a piece on Football Focus or the like.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Or as often is the way with kids, they get released by their club and are never heard from again. Or until their non league side get Arsenal in the FA cup and they do a piece on Football Focus or the like.

The pity is that the club - which is not short of ways, means and money - doesn't educate them properly ad enable them to leave the club with a credible qualification if their football career doesn't work out.

Now, I know that university isn't everything, but I remember reading a few articles on not just how few footballers had degrees, but on how poorly educated most of them were, leaving with little to fall back on if their professional career doesn't work out.

Personally, my own view is that the clubs - having cosseted them for years while busily hot-housing their talent, has a duty of care to see to it that they manage to get some half decent GCSEs, and/or a few A levels, before cutting them loose.

 

[Silencio]

The pity is that the club - which is not short of ways, means and money - doesn't educate them properly ad enable them to leave the club with a credible qualification if their football career doesn't work out.

Now, I know that university isn't everything, but I remember reading a few articles on not just how few footballers had degrees, but on how poorly educated most of them were, leaving with little to fall back on if their professional career doesn't work out.

Personally, my own view is that the clubs - having cosseted them for years while busily hot-housing their talent, has a duty of care to see to it that they manage to get some half decent GCSEs, and/or a few A levels, before cutting them loose.

I guess that's one advantage of the American youth development system that revolves around academic institutions rather than professional football clubs. You play collegiate soccer, you get a scholarship and play 3-4 years and get your bachelor's degree. But by the time you graduate you're 21-23 years old, which is pretty ancient in terms of development in the sport. Many of the MLS clubs are putting an academy system in place more like what they have in Europe to speed up the pace of development of their youth players, but again the academic development aspect is a concern. It's a real catch 22.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

I guess that's one advantage of the American youth development system that revolves around academic institutions rather than professional football clubs. You play collegiate soccer, you get a scholarship and play 3-4 years and get your bachelor's degree. But by the time you graduate you're 21-23 years old, which is pretty ancient in terms of development in the sport. Many of the MLS clubs are putting an academy system in place more like what they have in Europe to speed up the pace of development of their youth players, but again the academic development aspect is a concern. It's a real catch 22.

It's entirely possible to attend university while playing professionally - not easy, but possible. Lots of people hold down jobs while going to university, at least part time.

In the US, collegiate soccer is always going to be a problem because it keeps players away from the professional game just when they should be getting their first senior team experience. The system is never going to dovetail properly with the professional game.