The 2023-2024 Football Thread

[Silencio]

Ecuador hung on for the draw to book their place in the knockouts and send Mexico home.

I'm not a big fan of the more conservative style Ecuador's current manager has them playing, but the defense is that team's current strength, with most of their backline playing professionally in Europe and thriving there. Their attack is more hit and miss now, but Kendry Paez is some talent — running the game from midfield at age 17.

Uruguay will be too good for the USMNT. It's a real shame as this is the most talented roster I've seen for the US men, but a moment of madness from Weah and poor decisions from Berhalter have held them back.

I also feel bad for Slovakia though I was rooting for England. It took a moment of magic from Bellingham to burst their bubble, and now you've got to think Switzerland are liking their chances in the quarterfinals.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Going by the reference of my earlier post, ONE England player is worth the whole of the Slovakian squad and yet the whole England team could not muster a target on goal in the whole 90mins. A win is a win as I kept hearing from England fans but it is still extremely embarrassing.

This Euro's has proven one thing that Southgate is an extremely arrogant person. The team were disjointed in the friendly loss to Iceland and they have been disjointed in every game so far something thousands of England fans can see except Southgate. Time and time again I read articles about how disjointed and out of place the team and players are and how time and time again fans say that the team can have a better cohesion if they played certain players in specific positions, players who Southgate does not use them or uses them out of position, Trent Arnold being a prime example.

There is also rumblings amongst England fans that Kane is still hurting from the back injury he sustained towards the last few games of the season an injury he is carrying in the games which is why he is not at his firing best, something fan's have noticed which has caused Kane to come under a lot of criticism. Worst still Luke Shaw is still not fully fit to take part, something fan's are angry about.

Switzerland must be licking their lips at the prospect of playing England considering how lack lustre they have been in all their games.

Not going to defend Kane, but when we pass it so poorly, it doesn’t matter who you have up front.
So much passing to the GK or across our own 18 yard box.

No one was running at players. After the first 15 minutes you can see the ref was trigger happy with the cards. Why not run at the opposition and force them to give away a foul and possible card?

We are so poor. I think West Ham would have beaten them.

 

[laptech]

England under Southgate remind me of the Argentina team during the Messi years where they had arguably one of the best strikers in the world and yet as a team they would perform woefully year in year out and it was only when Messi was coming to the end of his career did he then manage to win major trophies (2 youth honors youth included), 2021 Copa America, 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2022 CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions. So, a prime Messi and Argentina could win nothing, gets old and to the end of his career and he wins 3 major trophies, the main one being the World Cup. England have one of the best strikers in Europe and they are unable to make good use of him.

Messi and Kane at international level are/were the same. Messi was banging them in for Barcelona but virtually nothing for Argentina. Kane was banging them in for Tottenham and now Bayern Munich but virtually nothing for England.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Southgate’s resignation after this tournament will be very welcome and I’m sure he’s ready too.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Southgate’s resignation after this tournament will be very welcome and I’m sure he’s ready too.

Indeed. He’s already said as much.

Meanwhile France scrap through against Belgium. They dominated, but could not convert their many chances.

 

[VitoBotta]

 

[MBAir2010]

Where can i get a Slovenia (not Slovakia) Kit, jersey shirt?
i have been looking here in the USA all spring

they look the bests!

 

[laptech]

The arrogance of Southgate knows no bound because even though England are through to the next stage he still cannot understand why many fans are still unhappy with England's performance because all he keeps on saying is that England are through to the next round yet the fan's still criticise us. What this tells me is that all he cares about is getting through each stage and does not care if the team do so in the worst way's possible. I think he has been paying too much attention to what Jose Mourinho has been saying over the years because correct me if I am wrong but I believe Jose when manager at United once said that he did not care about playing unattractive football as long as the team wins. This was in reference to him 'Parking the bus' as it became to be known as his style of place when his team was ahead on goals.

 

[daneoni]

He’s a defender who has taken that into his managerial approach. Thus sacrificing his attacking players.
I don’t think anything will change.

On another note, fair play to Oblak and the brilliant Costa. Beautiful saves. Although I think CR7 is no longer the same in term of sharpness, but fair play for taking the first pen.

Also, Sesko appears to be overrated.

 

[Apple fanboy]

He’s a defender who has taken that into his managerial approach. Thus sacrificing his attacking players.
I don’t think anything will change.

On another note, fair play to Oblak and the brilliant Costa. Beautiful saves. Although I think CR7 is no longer the same in term of sharpness, but fair play for taking the first pen.

Also, Sesko appears to be overrated.

I watched the highlights. Looked like Ronaldo couldn’t buy a goal.
Some brilliant penalty saves though.

 

[Herdfan]

I don't like the US's chances vs Uruguay...

Line has moved quite a bit since this morning. So neither do the bettors.

 

[laptech]

Regarding the penalties, I do think if a penalty is saved the players knows if it's a bad penalty hence why it was saved or if it was a good penalty but got saved due to excellent skills from the goalkeeper. This is why in my opinion Ronaldo was able to take the first penalty because in his mind his penalty miss was due to excellent skills by the goalkeeper. The reason I say this because there is so much evidence from the biographies of ex-players where they talk about the mindset and mind games they play with themselves when it comes to taking penalties with it being if they take a bad penalty, it plays on their mind and knocks them a bit so when it comes to a penalty shoot out they do not feel confident of taking one of the penalties because they are worried they will miss again.

What ever people say wrongly or rightly about Ronaldo, he's got some balls to do what he did. Knowing the game is being beamed around the world, the world watching what could be one of the best players in the world last international tournament, a player who millions of people idolize, miss a penalty in normal play and then step up to take the countries first penalty in the penalty shoot out, knowing the world is watching. That takes some guts.

 

[pachyderm]

Ecuador hung on for the draw to book their place in the knockouts and send Mexico home.

I'm not a big fan of the more conservative style Ecuador's current manager has them playing, but the defense is that team's current strength, with most of their backline playing professionally in Europe and thriving there. Their attack is more hit and miss now, but Kendry Paez is some talent — running the game from midfield at age 17.

Uruguay will be too good for the USMNT. It's a real shame as this is the most talented roster I've seen for the US men, but a moment of madness from Weah and poor decisions from Berhalter have held them back.

I also feel bad for Slovakia though I was rooting for England. It took a moment of magic from Bellingham to burst their bubble, and now you've got to think Switzerland are liking their chances in the quarterfinals.

This. I still haven't seen the replay of what happened but what was he thinking?

I will say that, imho, the refs were not completely blameless.

They seemed to turn a blind eye when we were getting fouled.

 

[Lioness~]

This game had it all, so great to watch for sure.



Both lovers and haters of Ronaldo got their share.
Missing a penalty is not great, picking oneself up and go on with business as usual indeed are.
Heard many say that he shouldn't take a penalty at the end.
Of course he should, he most absolutely should, and of course he scored it easily.

 

[Silencio]

How brilliant was Costa during the penalty shootout? That's total ownership — you rarely see something like that happen.

Ronaldo as usual held Portugal back in open play, but he scored that first shootout penalty. Wish Martinez had the guts to drop him, but it won't happen.

USMNT predictably falls to Uruguay and crashes out the Copa. The die was cast in the Panama game, and though I didn't think they looked bad at all against Uruguay, they couldn't find a way through.

I did like seeing Berhalter wearing a t-shirt that simply read US SOCCER across the front: that pretty much sums up the main problem they've got, and I don't see the federation acting decisively enough to give the team any better chance of a better showing at the World Cup in two years' time.

 

[pachyderm]

How brilliant was Costa during the penalty shootout? That's total ownership — you rarely see something like that happen.

Ronaldo as usual held Portugal back in open play, but he scored that first shootout penalty. Wish Martinez had the guts to drop him, but it won't happen.

USMNT predictably falls to Uruguay and crashes out the Copa. The die was cast in the Panama game, and though I didn't think they looked bad at all against Uruguay, they couldn't find a way through.

I did like seeing Berhalter wearing a t-shirt that simply read US SOCCER across the front: that pretty much sums up the main problem they've got, and I don't see the federation acting decisively enough to give the team any better chance of a better showing at the World Cup in two years' time.

I thought our guys played incredibly well too... smh...

 

[timber]

How brilliant was Costa during the penalty shootout? That's total ownership — you rarely see something like that happen.

Ronaldo as usual held Portugal back in open play, but he scored that first shootout penalty. Wish Martinez had the guts to drop him, but it won't happen.

USMNT predictably falls to Uruguay and crashes out the Copa. The die was cast in the Panama game, and though I didn't think they looked bad at all against Uruguay, they couldn't find a way through.

I did like seeing Berhalter wearing a t-shirt that simply read US SOCCER across the front: that pretty much sums up the main problem they've got, and I don't see the federation acting decisively enough to give the team any better chance of a better showing at the World Cup in two years' time.

Probably unknown outside Portugal but Diogo (which is a variation of the name James in English) Costa has been known to excel at penalties (i remember him stopping four in a CL match with Porto). Currently he manages to stop one in three but last night things really went his way.
I believe the Slovenian players also mentally collapsed despite the shots being pretty good.
IMHO Oblak is the best keeper in the world, I remember him at Benfica, he was our keeper just before Ederson (that Ederson) and he was a bit better and still young. They saw Oblak stop Ronaldo's penalty (which whatever you may think of him is something he's very good at) and the story was written. We held, penalties, Oblak stops a few and here we go. And somehow the other guy shows up and it almost seemed like cheating. That's not how things were supposed to go.
Well, it was fun. I think the next match will be Portugal's last in the competition.

 

[Herdfan]

I did like seeing Berhalter wearing a t-shirt that simply read US SOCCER across the front: that pretty much sums up the main problem they've got, and I don't see the federation acting decisively enough to give the team any better chance of a better showing at the World Cup in two years' time.

So you think he keeps his job?

 

[pachyderm]

So you think he keeps his job?

Sadly I don't. I like him too...

THE MASSIVE away kits for 2024/2025

 

[laptech]

oh for crap's sake!!!! now we have to put up with news outlets reporting on player transfers being

Sadly I don't. I like him too...

THE MASSIVE away kits for 2024/2025

I've always like the idea of plain simple kits. The team I casually follow due to a close relative having lived there for many years is Gillingham. Their 2024/25 away kit is simple and plain, just how i like it

 

[pachyderm]

nice

 

[Lioness~]

I’m having more fun in this Euro when our guys didn’t qualified ☺️
No drama, no disappointments. I’m just watching some great football this EURO.
I like Ronaldo, and cheer a bit for him, but I also love to get to know other great players.
I miss Zlatan though 🥲



Our Swedish Women have important games against France and England soon.
That will get me more engaged.

 

[decafjava]

I’m having more fun in this Euro when our guys didn’t qualified ☺️
No drama, no disappointments. I’m just watching some great football this EURO.
I like Ronaldo, and cheer a bit for him, but I also love to get to know other great players.
I miss Zlatan though 🥲

View attachment 2394160

Our Swedish Women have important games against France and England soon.
That will get me more engaged.

Women's football is growing in popularity in my view, and it is fresh and lots of fun.

 

[Herdfan]

Was watching a sports show last night and they were discussing the USMNT's loss to Uruguay and they simply asked why we were not better.

I understand why we sucked 40-50 years ago. Other countries played soccer and we didn't. Their kids grew up playing it, ours played football, basketball and baseball.

Growing up (70's) I knew that soccer was a game where you had to kick the ball and not use your hands and that was about it. I had heard about Pele'. It wasn't until I got to HS (boarding school) and we had a good team that I saw my first soccer match.

Didn't think of it much until my daughter was born and she played "bunch ball" for a couple of years. But when she got to HS, her girl's HS team was in the midst of a 6-year state title run. They won it all 4 years she was there as the smallest school in the upper division.

These kids lived soccer. Played during the fall season, played travel ball in the spring, spent the summer going to camps etc.

So now the USA has all this infrastructure in place, why do we still suck?

 

[Apple fanboy]

Was watching a sports show last night and they were discussing the USMNT's loss to Uruguay and they simply asked why we were not better.

I understand why we sucked 40-50 years ago. Other countries played soccer and we didn't. Their kids grew up playing it, ours played football, basketball and baseball.

Growing up (70's) I knew that soccer was a game where you had to kick the ball and not use your hands and that was about it. I had heard about Pele'. It wasn't until I got to HS (boarding school) and we had a good team that I saw my first soccer match.

Didn't think of it much until my daughter was born and she played "bunch ball" for a couple of years. But when she got to HS, her girl's HS team was in the midst of a 6-year state title run. They won it all 4 years she was there as the smallest school in the upper division.

These kids lived soccer. Played during the fall season, played travel ball in the spring, spent the summer going to camps etc.

So now the USA has all this infrastructure in place, why do we still suck?

Because the rest of us play it more and have been playing it for longer than the USA has existed (well almost!).

Even after all that history England still suck!