USA follow up their solid win over Mexico with a pretty meh 1-1 away draw against Jamaica. Hopefully Canada and Mexico take points off each other tonight....they are 0-0 at the moment.
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The 2021-2022 Football Thread
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CANADA WON!
Wow. All that snow must have wreaked havoc on the MEX team!
Canucks at the top of the table.
Wow. All that snow must have wreaked havoc on the MEX team!
Canucks at the top of the table.
CONCACAF is following UEFA's lead and introducing VAR halfway through the octagonal qualifying round. Idiotic.
Canada look increasingly likely to automatically qualify for Qatar, with a golden generation team that is still young. I don't think this will jeopardize USA's (or Mexico's) qualification campaign, but it does probably mean trouble for teams like Costa Rica that often hope to finish third or fourth in CONCACAF.
USA are not yet the finished article, but I have always been pro-Berhalter and our young squad has the potential to develop into the most talented USMNT ever. Most of our best current players have at least three world cup cycles left in them, so I am cautiously optimistic that over the next four years we will see some exciting development.
Canada look increasingly likely to automatically qualify for Qatar, with a golden generation team that is still young. I don't think this will jeopardize USA's (or Mexico's) qualification campaign, but it does probably mean trouble for teams like Costa Rica that often hope to finish third or fourth in CONCACAF.
USA are not yet the finished article, but I have always been pro-Berhalter and our young squad has the potential to develop into the most talented USMNT ever. Most of our best current players have at least three world cup cycles left in them, so I am cautiously optimistic that over the next four years we will see some exciting development.
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I’d not worry. It will be so hot out there, I’m expecting a terrible WC.
Yeah, my hopes are not very high. And more teams doesn't mean better play, IMHO.
It's a nightmare. Terrible format, stupid time of year, in an oppressive state that 'won' the bid through sleazy corruption. The entire thing is a sad joke and every statement to the contrary is either a misrepresentation, an exaggeration, or a baldfaced lie.
The direction FIFA (and confederations and FA's) are going with tournament formats, with the notable exception of the Nations League, is unequivocally detrimental to the sport and fan experience.
Newcastle has announced that Eddie Howe has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss his first match as head coach. I'm very disappointed for Eddie, I know the welcome at SJP would've been something special.
Uruguay have sacked head coach Oscar Tabarez after 15 years in charge. That's an incredible run for an international coach, especially in a region as volatile and competitive as CONMEBOL.
This qualification cycle has more parity than ever, with only 2 points separating 4th place from 8th. Even Paraguay in 9th place isn't totally beyond hope. Brazil and Argentina top the field, as usual. A young, intriguing Ecuador squad looks good for third place with a 6 point cushion, but 4 tough matches remain. One more automatic berth and one play-in spot remain for the taking.
This qualification cycle has more parity than ever, with only 2 points separating 4th place from 8th. Even Paraguay in 9th place isn't totally beyond hope. Brazil and Argentina top the field, as usual. A young, intriguing Ecuador squad looks good for third place with a 6 point cushion, but 4 tough matches remain. One more automatic berth and one play-in spot remain for the taking.
CONMEBOL has arguably the toughest path to WC qualification. Some great teams and very hostile away matches.
Watching the Man U vs Watford match, a bit hectic in the early minutes.
Watford is having a great first half, my team is in disarray. Watford leads 2-0
Watford is having a great first half, my team is in disarray. Watford leads 2-0
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Absolutely disgraceful from top to bottom. This club is unsalvageable.
Is it too much to hope for relegation and start over from scratch?
Meanwhile at Anfield, both Liverpool and Arsenal supporters are singing “Ole’s at the wheel”. We are a laughing stock.
Is it too much to hope for relegation and start over from scratch?
Meanwhile at Anfield, both Liverpool and Arsenal supporters are singing “Ole’s at the wheel”. We are a laughing stock.
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Ooooops.
Arsenal's recent run of ten games undefeated has been brought to an abrupt end with a 4-0 thrashing by an excellent Liverpool, - extraordinarily, both managers (Klopp and Arteta) were booked - while West Ham, also, had their recent gallop halted, as they were defeated by Wolves, by a goal to nil.
Chelsea showed their class with a three nil defeat of Leicester.
Earlier, Manchester United were destroyed by Watford with a score of 4-1.
And Villa (under the recently appointed Steven Gerrard) won, defeating Brighton, (by two goals to nil), while Norwich, also under new management, (Dean Smith) defeated Southampton by two goals to one.
Two stunning draws - both ending with an astonishing 3-3 - occurred when Newcastle (under new management) and Brentford ended level, as did Burnley and Crystal Palace.
Arsenal's recent run of ten games undefeated has been brought to an abrupt end with a 4-0 thrashing by an excellent Liverpool, - extraordinarily, both managers (Klopp and Arteta) were booked - while West Ham, also, had their recent gallop halted, as they were defeated by Wolves, by a goal to nil.
Chelsea showed their class with a three nil defeat of Leicester.
Earlier, Manchester United were destroyed by Watford with a score of 4-1.
And Villa (under the recently appointed Steven Gerrard) won, defeating Brighton, (by two goals to nil), while Norwich, also under new management, (Dean Smith) defeated Southampton by two goals to one.
Two stunning draws - both ending with an astonishing 3-3 - occurred when Newcastle (under new management) and Brentford ended level, as did Burnley and Crystal Palace.
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It seems that a board meeting tonight is discussing firing, sacking, or terminating OGS's contract.
However, as everyone - including one's grandmother and the cat - all know, Manchester United's problems go far deeper than an inexperienced (yet thoroughly decent) manager.
I felt confident about the match against Arsenal. Liverpool are less than perfect at the back but still very ruthless in attack and I think Arsenal are still too open against that level of threat.
Then again, Arsenal’s direct rivals are not the league leaders abd they are only three points outside the top four.
The good news for Man Utd fans is, to quote part of Johnathan Wilson’s postmortem on the OGS era:
‘United are too big and too rich to keep making the same mistakes indefinitely. Wealth and power are like an infinite supply of lottery tickets; one day, eventually, you’ll nail it.’ Man Utd can afford to keep failing till they succeed.
Rumors flying around all over the place about the identify of the next Man Utd manager. Whoever it is, it will be a panic move so what happens next is anyone’s guess. I assume the talk of Zidane is pure imagination but at this point nothing would surprise me anymore.
Then again, Arsenal’s direct rivals are not the league leaders abd they are only three points outside the top four.
The good news for Man Utd fans is, to quote part of Johnathan Wilson’s postmortem on the OGS era:
‘United are too big and too rich to keep making the same mistakes indefinitely. Wealth and power are like an infinite supply of lottery tickets; one day, eventually, you’ll nail it.’ Man Utd can afford to keep failing till they succeed.
Rumors flying around all over the place about the identify of the next Man Utd manager. Whoever it is, it will be a panic move so what happens next is anyone’s guess. I assume the talk of Zidane is pure imagination but at this point nothing would surprise me anymore.
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Was at the Madejski (sorry, Select Car Leasing Stadium…) yesterday and saw his debut. Looked a lot sharper than I expected, and clearly scared Forest’s defenders a bit.
But your right, probably just injury cover and a mutually beneficial arrangement for him to get back to full match fitness before moving in January. Basically all our senior and promising youth strikers are injured apart from Puscas, who hasn’t scored for Reading for about 250 days… will take anything at the moment so pretty happy with Carroll!
Confirmed:
www.manutd.com
Club statement
Manchester United has released a statement regarding the manager's position.
www.manutd.com
The thing is, OGS is not - by any means - the only problem at Manchester United, merely the most visible.Confirmed:
Club statement
Manchester United has released a statement regarding the manager's position.
The team - if it can be called a team, rather than an unbalanced collection of individuals, some of them very talented indeed - does not play with a plan, a vision, and neither does it play as a coherent collective. And the sumer purchase of Ronaldo fed into that, for his arrival has further unbalanced an already dysfunctional and unbalanced team, as they are expected to play in support of him, a legendary talisman, rather than insisting that he play in support of the team, or a coherent team structure. Players are recruited for their individual talent,- and allowed to indulge that - rather than where their skills and talents can fit into a team.
The contrast with teams - that is, teams, who play as teams, such as West Ham, or Leicester is striking. And the contrast with top teams, that is teams of exceptionally talented footballers who play as a team, subordinating their skill to the needs of the team - such as Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool, is even more telling.
In fact, the real problem is that, for the owners of the club, the club is viewed as a mere vehicle for profit, a profit which is generated by celebrity, column inches, merchandise, TV coverage, an enormous overseas following, a vast (and vastly profitable) celebrity entertainment package with footballers expected to generate entertainment, with success on the football field an agreeable optional extra, and where the standard for what is considered acceptable is probably qualification for the Champions League.
Confirmed:
Club statement
Manchester United has released a statement regarding the manager's position.
So we are essentially back to where we were after Mourinho was sacked - a search for an interim manager who will be able to rally the troops and save face. OGS did a great job in that role.
It's an interesting situation - I am unsure who is the right person for the United job, but thought Ole was doing very well. As a Saints fan I would have happily had him at United forever.
There really needs to be an overhaul at that club. It can't be the fault of each and every manager they have had since Fergie.
There really needs to be an overhaul at that club. It can't be the fault of each and every manager they have had since Fergie.
ManU is now officially running on reputation. Not going to work with the current Premier League.