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The 2022-2023 Football Thread

MLS playoffs have now reached the Quarterfinal stage, when things should (in principle) be interesting. Generally I do find it hard to care much about the playoffs if Columbus are not involved, but it's something to watch in October and unlike the Premier League - or any top European League - there always is a genuinely robust competition for the title.

In the Western Conference are two teams I could not care less about....LAFC and Austin. I hope they play out a horribly drab draw littered with injuries and red cards. If I had to pick a loser (since I can't bring myself to root for either team in any way) it would be Austin FC, since they are owned by the villainous nincompoop who tried to move the Columbus Crew to Austin but ended up settling for a new franchise from a supine league administration after the Save the Crew movement helped successfully stymied the move.

In the Eastern Conference, Philly host NYC FC. I'm never, ever going to be interested in teams from LA or NYC winning anything, and Philly have been very strong all season, so they are easily my preferred champion team this year.

Both matches on Sunday, so 'squeaky bum time' for the involved sets of fans.
 
As a Saints fan, I have to say, I really enjoyed the total meltdowns of Arsenal fans online after the match (and during it).
Lyanco knew exactly what he was doing and totally got in the heads of everyone associated with Arsenal. It's nice to have a filthy player on the squad for a change...we've been too nice for too long.
Taking a point from the league leaders with a manager most fans want out and a generally losing mentality was like a cup win. Ultimately it probably won't make much of a difference to the Arsenal season, as it's just two points dropped and Man City just look like a juggernaut at the moment.
Caleta-Car had Jesus in his pocket all game, which really surprised me. Despite all the physicality, he really did a number on him and sapped his will to live by the end of the game.

I hope that now Saints have gone 3 games unbeaten, we can carry on to mid-table glory.
 
Unai Emery looks set to join Aston Villa, just in time for United to have to play they twice in a row. Grrrrrreat timing.
 
VAR is a mess and ill be happy for it to be scrapped or be used at referee's discretion but then before VAR all offside decisions use to go in United or Liverpool's favour lol.

No easy fix lol.
 
Liverpool’s ex-sporting director Michael Edwards is rumored to be joining Man Utd. A real punch in the guts for ‘Pool fans….with Man Utd’s wealth at his disposal… don’t want to think about it.
 
I would be very, very pleased if Michael Edwards joined up. Would be nice to have a really solid plan in the summer transfer window for once — the last window was too shambolic, even if it ended up being largely successful judging by current form.

So, when is Unai Emery going to sign up David VILLA for his coaching staff? Might as well cover every possible permutation there.
 
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Do Utd actually have money for Edwards to spend though? Isn't it all debt. And isn't OT like rotting and the Glazers haven't batted an eyelid.
 
daneoni said:
Do Utd actually have money for Edwards to spend though? Isn't it all debt. And isn't OT like rotting and the Glazers haven't batted an eyelid.
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The club have a ton of debt - and also a ton of revenue and no shortage of cash to spend on players. More than Liverpool has, for example. And while they are a shadow of the force of the Ferguson years right now, it’s still a huge club and capable of attracting top talent.
 
Debt in and of itself isn't necessarily bad for a business, as long as the service on it is manageable. I really hate that the Glazers bought the club by leveraging it against itself and continue to pull dividends out of it, but I don't think that's necessarily worse than being owned by a bloodthirsty oligarch.

United spent more heavily than they planned in this past transfer window, mostly down to very poor planning. They overspent on Antony and Lisandro, but Malacia was pretty cheap and Eriksen came in on a free. It's an open question how much they'll have to spend next summer, but hopefully better planning will make their transfer funds go further.

Actually, I am pleased that the nepotism hires have been curtailed under current leadership. About time they started looking forward to where football is going.
 
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I see some of the Greedy Few are getting their just desserts today.
Juve and Barca out of the UCL. Happy days.
I used to be an avid fan of both clubs, but over the years they have strayed further and further from what I would see as fair and equitable football and business practices.
Between the multiple cheating scandals and the various attempts at evading taxes, scamming players out of wages and being general ne'er-do-wells, I am not at all upset to see them fall out of lucrative competitions.

In more positive news, Wrexham's Super Paul Mullen is in trouble for having custom-printed anti-Tory-party boots on his social media. That was until he changed the photo from being at the Racecourse ground, to a neutral backdrop - at which point his co-chairman then liked his post...hmmmm.
Who would have thought that the BBC would be reporting on the goings-on of a non-league team that's not Notts County?

Meanwhile Chelsea's Sam Kerr (the first female face of EA Sports' FIFA football games) has scored a quadruple for Chelsea against footballing powerhouse Vllaznia Femra in a resounding 8-0 win in the Women's Champions League.

Her Aussie-based fans will be hoping to get to see her in the FIFA Womens' World Cup next year as she plays at home. Aussie have to be a hot favourite for at least the semis.
Looks like ticket sales have been very strong and the USWNT are likely to get a strong following as they're so strong and play some eye-catching football. The vast majority of their World Cup will be played in NZ, so I am hoping to see a game or two myself.
Not sure how the NZ team will go - having seen them beaten by boys (including my 17 year old son) on more than one occasion in warm up games, I am not convinced by them - lets just hope their opposition are demonstrably worse and the inclusion of the offshore-based players gives them some much-needed strength.
 
The Europa League knockout stages are going to have some potentially tasty matches featuring some big name clubs. So much for an "easy" trophy this time out! Some of the big names falling out of the UCL may even finish 4th in their groups and thus miss out on Europa, as well.

The Women's World Cup is going to be very, very competitive, judging by the quality on display at the Women's Euros this year, in addition to the other international powerhouses like the USWNT and Brazil. NZ group doesn't look that bad, aside from Norway, so there's always hope.
 
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Silencio said:
The Europa League knockout stages are going to have some potentially tasty matches featuring some big name clubs. So much for an "easy" trophy this time out! Some of the big names falling out of the UCL may even finish 4th in their groups and thus miss out on Europa, as well.

The Women's World Cup is going to be very, very competitive, judging by the quality on display at the Women's Euros this year, in addition to the other international powerhouses like the USWNT and Brazil. NZ group doesn't look that bad, aside from Norway, so there's always hope.
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Personally I disagree with clubs who fail to progress in the CL moving into the EL. It’s just another mechanism to keep the greedy club’s money flowing in.
 
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Arteta seems to want it. Seeing as he brought all the big guns in towards the end.

Its clear Arsenal dont have the squad depth anyway. In an ideal world the B team would handle the cup competitions but as evidenced by today...they can't be trusted.

Re Juve and Barca. Its sad what's happened to these clubs but also deserved given how they've handled themselves

Still not sure how Allegri has a job but good on him i guess.
 
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