Soccer Thread 2024-25 Edition

[Passacaglia]

Having a little withdrawal today.

[Ksyrup]

Yeah, had a colonoscopy and came home to find no soccer and all 4 Wimbledon matches finished. Crappy day.

[Ghost Econ]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Yeah, had a colonoscopy and came home to find no soccer and all 4 Wimbledon matches finished. Crappy day.

Actually, yesterday was the crappy day.

[Glengoyne]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

It's like penalties in football, there is likely something you can find if the entire play was subject to video review. Something that far from goal should be in the hands of the on-field ref. Otherwise, it just looks unfairly applied no matter what.

But like I said, we've seen that same scenario...maybe only to the mid field line instead of the full length of the pitch, in the Premier leage. VAR went back to the foul turning the ball over and waved off the goal. I think that VAR and officiating has been pretty great all through the tournament. That includes Argentina Egypt and the Balogun red card. Balogun clearly didn't have intent, but as soon as it went to VAR it was going to draw the red card.

We've also seen associations/leagues waive off red cards there was no intent and awarded mainly due to the "freeze frame" effect of a field side VAR review. So I was even good with Balogun playing, though the Head of State phone call was definitely out of bounds.

[Glengoyne]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Yeah, had a colonoscopy and came home to find no soccer and all 4 Wimbledon matches finished. Crappy day.

Came here on my lunch break, and now I'm disappointed that France - Morocco isn't today.

Now, back to work. Probably better than a colonoscopy, but maybe not.

[RainMaker]

I don't really care which teams advance, was just going by what I've seen. Argentina seems to get almost every single call and I thought they missed a lot against Egypt. Even the Cape Verde game was real sketch. And this coming off what happened in 2022 as well as the odd decision to invite Miami to the FIFA Club World Cup.

My assumption is that Argentina is going to be in the Finals and to not put much stock in that side of the bracket.

[bhlloy]

Originally Posted by Glengoyne

We've also seen associations/leagues waive off red cards there was no intent and awarded mainly due to the "freeze frame" effect of a field side VAR review. So I was even good with Balogun playing, though the Head of State phone call was definitely out of bounds.

That's through appeal processes that are well defined, have huge amounts of precedent for and are timely though, not an ad-hoc process that has been used a handful of times in history and never to completely remove a sanction 24-48 hours before a game prompted by the call of a head of state to FIFA.

The amount of whataboutism coming from US Soccer fans on this is frankly incredible, even pundits and public figures I've previously respected their views on. If you can't see the slippery slope here because it benefited your team, then it's no different to any of the endless political arguments we have ad nauseum here and in every day life. It makes an absolute mockery of the rules and totally opens Pandora's box - as much as I dislike Tuchel I thought his take on it was very reasonable and well thought out.

[RainMaker]

So Klinsmann ended up being right about U.S. soccer and its problems?

[Glengoyne]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

That's through appeal processes that are well defined, have huge amounts of precedent for and are timely though, not an ad-hoc process that has been used a handful of times in history and never to completely remove a sanction 24-48 hours before a game prompted by the call of a head of state to FIFA.

The amount of whataboutism coming from US Soccer fans on this is frankly incredible, even pundits and public figures I've previously respected their views on. If you can't see the slippery slope here because it benefited your team, then it's no different to any of the endless political arguments we have ad nauseum here and in every day life. It makes an absolute mockery of the rules and totally opens Pandora's box - as much as I dislike Tuchel I thought his take on it was very reasonable and well thought out.

I guess that I'm assuming the team/US Federation requested the same appeal. They said they were going to. I'm really not equating the President's phone call to the rationale for FIFA to make a decision. To me...the only person that should reasonably believe that Trump actually swayed the decision is Trump himself.

I'll check out Tuchel's take on it. But I'm thinking the President's influence is being over estimated.

[HerRealName]

Originally Posted by Glengoyne

I guess that I'm assuming the team/US Federation requested the same appeal. They said they were going to. I'm really not equating the President's phone call to the rationale for FIFA to make a decision. To me...the only person that should reasonably believe that Trump actually swayed the decision is Trump himself.

I'll check out Tuchel's take on it. But I'm thinking the President's influence is being over estimated.

At the beginning of the WC, I didn't expect for France to be my favorite team but here we are. I blame Paraguay for this.

[bhlloy]

The greatest attacking team since Brazil in the 1970s. I think Maignan is a bit dodgy and the midfield isn’t as strong as other contenders if Tchouameni doesn’t come back but good lord… that front four and then you can bring the likes of Barcola and Cherki off the bench. It’s borderline unfair.

[miami_fan]

Another thing I have learned during this World Cup. Fans didn't actually want players punished for diving. Fans just wanted "those" players punished for diving.

[RainMaker]

I'm all for it but I think it's another situation where it can be selectively enforced. Same with a lot of these VAR rules. If Argentina scores, they aren't going back to look for fouls from earlier in the buildup. If a team playing them scores, they will scour every frame for something to reverse.

I'd also say the bigger issue was the ball that hit the wire and led to an England goal. If you're using VAR to determine a ball grazed a Croatian players hair but ignoring it hitting a fucking wire, something is up.

Anyway, it's still a fun World Cup as long as you realize that it's going to be a bit WWE with predetermined results.

[albionmoonlight]

I saw the best description of how soccer refs appear to those of us who do not follow a lot of soccer:

They kind of make up the rules as they go, and they pretty clearly were supposed to have the day off and are pretty annoyed that the other ref called in sick so they had to come work.

[cuervo72]

As a non-fan, I want to see EVERYONE punished for diving. (Possibly corporal.)

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

I saw the best description of how soccer refs appear to those of us who do not follow a lot of soccer:

They kind of make up the rules as they go, and they pretty clearly were supposed to have the day off and are pretty annoyed that the other ref called in sick so they had to come work.

You're describing how 99% of the people who watch the sport look at referees.

The cherries on the cake have to be the situations like the aftermath of Argentina vs Egypt, where both sides hinted at the referee being a rigged official. Egypt just showed to be a sour loser and Argentina always are sour winners, always claiming the ref was against them, even when the rest of the world is convinced Trump bribed FIFA to make Messi reach the semifinals.

[JPhillips]

I get that Lamal is a kid, but he needs to develop his strength. He's consistently getting pushed off the ball.

[miami_fan]

If the English football community had learned from Pep and others about ball retention and not looked at any "possession for possession sake" passage of play as a negative, they would have won last night's match.

[miami_fan]

So this is why Tuchel threw on all those defenders.

Also, non English managers must absolutely hate Kobbie Mainoo.

[Ghost Econ]

That was fun.

Also, Bellingham will be the greatest player England has ever produced

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

So this is why Tuchel threw on all those defenders.

Also, non English managers must absolutely hate Kobbie Mainoo.

Mainoo is injured today - don’t think he was for the rest of the tournament though.

But yes, rather than being ecstatic about an amazing game, just left with the feeling of why didn’t we play with that attitude before?

Edit: the answer has to be pressure I guess- no one really cares about the 3rd place playoff, but it was such a marked difference

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by AlexB

Mainoo is injured today - don’t think he was for the rest of the tournament though.

I am not going to say that he is not injured, that he is faking an injury or that an injury was made up for him by the staff or the FA.

I will say that he was listed as being injured with an unspecified injury and could not sit on the bench with the rest of the squad. Jordan Henderson was also listed as being injured. However, his injury was specified and somehow he was able to sit on the bench with the rest of the squad.

I guess we all will get an injury update when he shows up at Manchester United's preseason training.

[Kodos]

This game is not changing my opinion that soccer is super boring.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Kodos

This game is not changing my opinion that soccer is super boring.

It's been just about the worst display possible for those who still hope for a significant burst of popularity in the U.S.

About the only way it could have been worse for that might have been a few red cards each way for simulation.

[RainMaker]

Probably because Argentina wasn't that great and didn't deserve to be in the final. FIFA babying them so they could get more Messi didn't help the game.

Also Spain is kind of boring.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Kodos

This game is not changing my opinion that soccer is super boring.

Please accept FIFA's and Fox's appreciation for contributing to whatever the record ratings despite your original opinion.

Spain are deserved champions and Rodri was absolutely amazing. Argentina reached their limit as a squad in the final. Messi did not get the opportunities that he had in the previous matches. Still, we live in a world where the Silver Ball winner in a World Cup plays in MLS. Simon deserved the Golden Glove for the tournament but Emi Martinez was incredible today.

That was a fun World Cup.