Oh, ouch.
Oops.
Didn't get that immediately.
Mea culpa.
Clearly, I need another cup of coffee.
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The 2021-2022 Football Thread
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Oops.
Didn't get that immediately.
Mea culpa.
Clearly, I need another cup of coffee.
Also ouch.
Wince, but very true.
Ever since Mr Wenger held the helm, we seem to specialise in recruitment of this template: That is these rather delicate, gorgeous, skilful, but easily discouraged (of the head drooping, shoulder slumped variety) player.
Lol. I thought you’d missed the sarcasm about your newest player. I’d be the last person to ask someone on a forum about their religious persuasions!
Not enough.
I have just prepared a coffee, (with organic hot milk), and a chocolate biscuit or two, on this cold, overcast early July evening.
Actually, I have enjoyed a few cups of tea in recent evenings, usually on the nights when I decide to forego either a beer or a glass of wine; it is much more rare for me to have a coffee at night, although, if I was out socially, I would probably partake.
Re football, Leeds (along with West Ham, Leicester, Southampton) seem to be another of the teams who run the risk of losing promising players to other, richer clubs when a season has drawn to a close.
I’m quite happy with the lack of stories regarding Rice and Bowen at the moment.
Some transfer windows you hope to bring in better players.
Some transfer windows you hope none of your better players leave.
No one's going to meet West Ham's valuation of Rice this summer — not even close. I expect next summer he does move on, probably to Chelsea for an awful lot of money.
The Ronaldo show goes on and on, with him now agitating for a move away. Chelsea was mooted as a destination. Honestly I'm not arsed either way about him staying or going: on the one hand, he does not fit the way Erik ten Hag wants to play; on the other hand, the only other senior #9 in the squad is... Anthony Martial. That would mean lots of Bruno Fernandes as a false 9, but that would also let Eriksen play higher up.
Leeds is becoming to America like Wolves are to Portugal. That makes me want to root for them to succeed, but not too much — they're still Leeds, after all!
The Ronaldo show goes on and on, with him now agitating for a move away. Chelsea was mooted as a destination. Honestly I'm not arsed either way about him staying or going: on the one hand, he does not fit the way Erik ten Hag wants to play; on the other hand, the only other senior #9 in the squad is... Anthony Martial. That would mean lots of Bruno Fernandes as a false 9, but that would also let Eriksen play higher up.
Leeds is becoming to America like Wolves are to Portugal. That makes me want to root for them to succeed, but not too much — they're still Leeds, after all!
Nicely phrased and expressed.
Candidly, I'm tired of reading about Ronaldo; his only redeeming grace is that he still scores some splendid (and very necessary) goals for whatever team he plays for.
Otherwise, apart from his inability to play (or wish to play, or wish to adapt to) a "modern" pressing game, - his stats are startling, one of the lowest across five leagues for "pressing" - he tends to distort a team, as the team is expected to change its shape to suit his needs and play as a series of supporting roles, in essence, serving his starring role. Those days are over for now, at least, at elite level.
Nowadays, you need an entire team able to play to a system, which allows for a team to be crafted that is not hostage to the form (and mood) of a single star player.
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Lots of headlines about a mystery London-based Premier League player being arrested on rape allegations. I haven't delved further but it sounds like another depressing story is brewing. Ugh.
There's just nowhere for him to go...He's already been to Real and Benzema is getting on fine there, Barca can't afford him, PSG are supposedly cleaning house and no longer interested in expensive aging superstar passengers (LOL), Man City certainly won't buy him, nobody in Italy can realistically afford him, Bayern won't bite, and he's not interested in MLS even if the kind of money he demands where there (and it isn't). Chelsea seems the most 'likely' destination, and even their interest sounds more like talk for now than serious inquiry. We'll see.
His biggest problem is possibly not even money, but the fact that he just refuses to (or cannot?) change his game to fit any system that isn't built specifically for him. Of course, for Man Utd, the the only thing worse than having Ronaldo is having a disaffected Ronaldo. I think he's just going to be in the way even if he keeps banging in goals.
There's just nowhere for him to go...He's already been to Real and Benzema is getting on fine there, Barca can't afford him, PSG are supposedly cleaning house and no longer interested in expensive aging superstar passengers (LOL), Man City certainly won't buy him, nobody in Italy can realistically afford him, Bayern won't bite, and he's not interested in MLS even if the kind of money he demands where there (and it isn't). Chelsea seems the most 'likely' destination, and even their interest sounds more like talk for now than serious inquiry. We'll see.
His biggest problem is possibly not even money, but the fact that he just refuses to (or cannot?) change his game to fit any system that isn't built specifically for him. Of course, for Man Utd, the the only thing worse than having Ronaldo is having a disaffected Ronaldo. I think he's just going to be in the way even if he keeps banging in goals.
Trouble with Reinaldo is if Man U aren’t winning he will blame the team. If you drop him and aren’t winning people will blame the manager.
Personally I can’t wait until he’s aged a bit more and we can ship him off to the MLS! You’re welcome!
Your not shipping him to my country, lol!
Go on. We will throw in some number 7 shirts for you to sell.
Talking of shirts we had our annual delivery of Premier League shirts, shorts and socks today.
Glad to see that Hammers fans are starting to feel like Saints fans this season...worried about their best talent staying put!
On that note, I am glad to see that the faux-pricetag that Saints whacked on JWP was eye-wateringly high for a midfielder that hasn't won anything. Means we'll likely keep him for at least another season or two.
Ronny needs to go somewhere and be a mentor - for the fitness and dedication aspect at least. His game-management is less than stellar, as has been regularly documented - petulant and eager to blame others. Don't want him to teach younger players that aspect of his game, but everyone could learn a thing or two from him with regards to his dedication to training and fitness etc. And he's apparently quite the philanthropist, too.
A small-money-for-Ronny/big-money-for-MLS move to the States would be great, in my opinion. He'd still outshine most (if not all) talent there, while enormously boosting the profile of the game for the US audience and abroad.
Somewhere like Tallahassee would be ideal (but more realistically would be LA Galaxy or LAFC).
On that note, I am glad to see that the faux-pricetag that Saints whacked on JWP was eye-wateringly high for a midfielder that hasn't won anything. Means we'll likely keep him for at least another season or two.
Ronny needs to go somewhere and be a mentor - for the fitness and dedication aspect at least. His game-management is less than stellar, as has been regularly documented - petulant and eager to blame others. Don't want him to teach younger players that aspect of his game, but everyone could learn a thing or two from him with regards to his dedication to training and fitness etc. And he's apparently quite the philanthropist, too.
A small-money-for-Ronny/big-money-for-MLS move to the States would be great, in my opinion. He'd still outshine most (if not all) talent there, while enormously boosting the profile of the game for the US audience and abroad.
Somewhere like Tallahassee would be ideal (but more realistically would be LA Galaxy or LAFC).
Cucho Hernandez made his debut this week for Columbus, and the ex-Watford striker came off the bench to score a late winner against Chicago, chipping the keeper in a 1v1 to complete a comeback from 2-0 down at halftime for a 3-2 road win.
A great finish from a player we bought to be our main finisher…can’t ask for much more than that on day one from our ‘ten million dollar man.’
A great finish from a player we bought to be our main finisher…can’t ask for much more than that on day one from our ‘ten million dollar man.’
If this is a preview of Erik ten Hag's football at Man United, I like it a lot. Coordinated and aggressive high pressing forcing a rather young Liverpool XI into a lot of mistakes, which they've duly punished in the first half.
A fully interested and engaged Anthony Martial would be a huge addition to the club. Will see if he can keep it up over the following months.
A fully interested and engaged Anthony Martial would be a huge addition to the club. Will see if he can keep it up over the following months.
I don't think Liverpool have ever done well during these preseason foreign tours in all the years I've been watching, regardless of the squad or manager or how serious (or not) they take them.
Of course, ten Hag has very good reasons to maximize his preseason preparation time and he's not faffing about, putting out a very strong starting XI.
Does he have a strong XI? 🤭
'Pool started 8 bench/fringe/young players and then subbed in a whole new team after half an hour, so I would characterize it as a 'Random XI.' Man Utd started a genuine Premier League starting XI, scored three goals, and now have subbed in their own Random XI.
I have to say, for what they're charging for tickets in Bangkok I would not consider this good value. Even if one of these preseason friendlies came to my neck of the woods I'd be on the fence about going....it's not a 'real' match and the ticket prices are very high. You do get to see some of the lesser-known players in action but you also miss out on the genuine product.
But it does illustrate that there is a large group of fans worldwide who are willing to pay virtually any price to watch exhibition matches...so as fans we are doing this to ourselves.
Preseason tours are massive commercial ventures that are only tangentially disguised as training/team-building exercises. The players usually come back exhausted from all the travel, training and playing in the heat, and lack of sleep and downtime due to obligations with sponsors, etc. Can't miss out on opportunities to Build The Brand™ and sell more shirts, though!
Still, I enjoy watching the young players get a run-out, but I wouldn't pay a couple hundred dollars for the privilege of doing it in person.
Still, I enjoy watching the young players get a run-out, but I wouldn't pay a couple hundred dollars for the privilege of doing it in person.
