Soccer Thread 2021-2022

[miami_fan]

Sorry Leicester supporters. That has to be nauseating.

[Ksyrup]

The worst part was not scoring on a 2 vs 1 two minutes earlier by passing to the wide open dude and instead trying to smash it through a defender and goalie. I called the tie then and there. The loss was just the cherry on top.

[AlexB]

At least we set a new record I guess

[spleen1015]

[I. J. Reilly]

[Ksyrup]

That was the second thing I said after he scored. The first was FUCK, of course.

I don't know enough about soccer to know whether Soyancu is good, but I don't like the dude much. I remember a game a couple of years ago where Leicester gave up 4 second half goals to an inferior team, and he got a stupid red card in the middle of it. I have no use for players who continue to "distinguish" themselves in that way, over and over.

[flere-imsaho]

Pretty sure he's better than Maguire.

(bitter Man Utd fan)

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

That whole scenario was too funny. The dive by Soyancu after the Bergwijn push after the Soyancu talking down to Bergwijn after the Bergwijn dive was great comedy.

[saldana]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

That was the second thing I said after he scored. The first was FUCK, of course.

I don't know enough about soccer to know whether Soyancu is good, but I don't like the dude much. I remember a game a couple of years ago where Leicester gave up 4 second half goals to an inferior team, and he got a stupid red card in the middle of it. I have no use for players who continue to "distinguish" themselves in that way, over and over.

i often wish there were a stat in soccer kind of like a +/- in hockey that showed how many times a player contributed in the buildup of the goal (not simply an assist, but a substantial or quality move that led to the assist further back in the play) as well how many times they screwed up that led to a goal being scored against them...if there were one, Soyancu would be a major minus player. my dad is a big Leicester fan and we swear regularly about his crappy positioning and judgement...he sucks, imo

[flere-imsaho]

There are a bunch coming through from the various competing soccer data outfits like Opta, Statsbomb, Metrica, StatScore, etc....

Key Pass
Chances Created
Expected Goals
Expected Threat
Dribbles/Take Ons
Error/Mistake
Error/Mistake leading to goal
Tackle
Interception

[saldana]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

There are a bunch coming through from the various competing soccer data outfits like Opta, Statsbomb, Metrica, StatScore, etc....

Key Pass
Chances Created
Expected Goals
Expected Threat
Dribbles/Take Ons
Error/Mistake
Error/Mistake leading to goal
Tackle
Interception

thanks! i have seen some of those, but i will take a look at the others to see if any of them actually combine the various ones i am thinking of in my head that basically show a players' liability or value

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

That was the second thing I said after he scored. The first was FUCK, of course.

I don't know enough about soccer to know whether Soyancu is good, but I don't like the dude much. I remember a game a couple of years ago where Leicester gave up 4 second half goals to an inferior team, and he got a stupid red card in the middle of it. I have no use for players who continue to "distinguish" themselves in that way, over and over.

Soyuncu was brilliant the first year after we sold Maguire, but has gradually deteriorated since. He definitely plays better alongside Jonny Evans, but so did Fofana, and if all three are fit Evans and Fofana would be first choice in a two based on last season (and this TBF even though Fofana has been injured!)

He is prone to a rash moment, but Evans keeps talking to him and keeps him mostly in check. We don’t have anyone else that can marshal the defence like that

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by saldana

thanks! i have seen some of those, but i will take a look at the others to see if any of them actually combine the various ones i am thinking of in my head that basically show a players' liability or value

There's a lot of really cool stuff out, and it's also cool (IMO) to watch analysis like this get off the ground.

Two things I would check out are Opta's standard event definitions (Opta's probably the leader in actually capturing the data): Opta Event Definitions - Stats Perform

...and the articles at Statsbomb are really neat from this perspective: Articles | StatsBomb

In addition, if you have a subscription to The Athletic, make sure to follow Tom Worville (and, if you're at all interested in tactics, Michael Cox of Zonal Marking fame).

[bhlloy]

FWIW (and I know you said kinda like) plus/minus in hockey doesn’t say whether a player was involved in a goal either and is largely regarded as a pretty useless stat by anyone who doesn’t think advanced stats are the devil.

Huge +1 on the Athletic, they not only have writers who speak about these new advanced stats and do a great job with visualizations and explanations to boot.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

In addition, if you have a subscription to The Athletic, make sure to follow Tom Worville (and, if you're at all interested in tactics, Michael Cox of Zonal Marking fame).

FYI, Tom Worville was hired away from The Athletic and now works for RB Leipzig as a Data Scientist.

[Ksyrup]

Looks like Lexington is going to add a USL League One franchise in 2023. Right now, the proposed site is the parking lot for Rupp. This would definitely spruce up downtown.

We've just released the renderings of our proposed downtown stadium, and they look amazing! The stadium would serve as a multi-purpose venue, surrounded by retail, lodging, and entertainment opportunities. pic.twitter.com/zBt2QVtoz6

— Lexington Pro Soccer (@ProSoccerLex) January 21, 2022

[miami_fan]

That clash of heads in the Brenford v Wolves game was nasty. Both players were subbed off with what I assume is concussion. Are teams allowed multiple concussion substitutes?

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

FYI, Tom Worville was hired away from The Athletic and now works for RB Leipzig as a Data Scientist.

LOL totally missed that. Super unsurprising and well-played to him.

[bhlloy]

2-1 loss for a tiny nation against the tournament hosts and one of the favorites with 10 men for 83 mins and an outfield player in goal surely has to be one of the most scrappy results of all time?

Reminds me of Cardiff drawing 0-0 with Cambridge in the late 90s with 8 men for a decent part of the game, just on a much higher level.

[saldana]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

That clash of heads in the Brenford v Wolves game was nasty. Both players were subbed off with what I assume is concussion. Are teams allowed multiple concussion substitutes?

each team has 2 concussion subs per match...to use one, the player has to be evaluated by the team doc and have clear signs, and the video replay has to show some sort of mechanism that is consistent with causing a concussion (both of which clearly happened in that clash)

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by saldana

each team has 2 concussion subs per match...to use one, the player has to be evaluated by the team doc and have clear signs, and the video replay has to show some sort of mechanism that is consistent with causing a concussion (both of which clearly happened in that clash)

Thanks.

[RainMaker]

I get why the US would set up matches in cold weather stadiums against teams with equal or better talent levels, but not sure I understand it now. This squad has superior talent to El Salvador and if anything, the cold seems to slow things down and level the field a bit.

Maybe I'm wrong, but that feels like the match you play in Austin.

[saldana]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I get why the US would set up matches in cold weather stadiums against teams with equal or better talent levels, but not sure I understand it now. This squad has superior talent to El Salvador and if anything, the cold seems to slow things down and level the field a bit.

Maybe I'm wrong, but that feels like the match you play in Austin.

my thought has always been that they do that because of where the away fans would come from...they dont schedule games in the southern US against Central American teams because they want to make it harder for the travelling supporters to get there...they set up the Mexico matches in Portland so that it seems like the US is a difficult environment to play in, where as if they played it in Texas somewhere, it would be a road match for us.

[henry296]

Another reason I heard is that it is close to where they are playing in Canada so it minimizes travel.

[saldana]

so if the allegations are true, looks like Mason Greenwood will be leaving on a free transfer to prison.

Man Utd star Mason Greenwood's girlfriend accuses him of beating her up | Daily Mail Online

they bill the audio up like its really graphic but i did listen...it is literally them arguing in not even very raised voices, where he is apparently telling her he is going to have sex with her even if she doesnt want to...she says no multiple times, but there is no actual assault on the tape (at least not in the version on instagram...who knows if there is a longer recording that was given to police).

should be interesting to see how the FA responds.

[AlexB]

Yup - Mason Greenwood: Man Utd player arrested over rape claim

[flere-imsaho]

Yup, looks pretty damning for him.

[RainMaker]

Sticking with Berhalter and letting him piss away a cycle with the most talented team they've ever had seems like a bad idea.

[miami_fan]

Christian Eriksen joins Brentford in remarkable return to football after cardiac arrest

I wish him the best.

[AlexB]

Greenwood further arrested for sexual assault and threats to kill.

[miami_fan]

Aren't we not supposed to be hearing about any of this? How is this different than Gylfi Sigurdsson?

[SirFozzie]

I think that at least some of it is the public nature of the accusation.

[AlexB]

Sigurdssons accusations include a minor, which I guess also makes a difference

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Sticking with Berhalter and letting him piss away a cycle with the most talented team they've ever had seems like a bad idea.

You really should try being a less miserable sob sometime.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

You really should try being a less miserable sob sometime.

Someday the US will surpass noted powerhouse Panama and we can all rejoice.

[SirFozzie]

Well, all is good so far tonight, and US Soccer are looking like (frostbitten) geniuses.

[sterlingice]

I'm switching between this and USA curling. I'm certain it's colder in Minnesota than the game played on ice

SI

[PilotMan]

Honduras suck and they had no desire to play that game. They were outclassed and the back line was totally gassed about 60 minutes in.

We 100% needed that outcome. Would like to see a 4 or 5-0 scoreline though one of these days though.

Berhalter is doing just fine.

[miami_fan]

The sort of robot ref takeover is coming to a pitch near you.

Robot VAR offside disallows first goal at FIFA Club World Cup

[RainMaker]

Canada has to be the best story to come out of qualifying. A really fun squad and adds another rival to the region for the confederation tournaments. And with the World Cup expanding the field, it shouldn't hurt the US too much to have a top team emerge in the region.

[Critch]

West Ham United's Kurt Zouma has been filmed kicking and slapping his cat. His brother released it on social media.

West Ham have released a weak "We'll deal with this internally, please let it all go away" statement. That's them off my list of teams I want to make the top 4.

[miami_fan]

Just strange. Beyond the obvious animal abuse, the filming of it and releasing it on social media accidentally or not is one thing I just can't wrap my head around.

On a completely different note, with the way he is managing the Derby County disaster and some of the most recent interviews I have seen him in, I am really starting to root for Wayne Rooney. I am not comfortable with this as I was not a fan of his persona as a player but he is winning me over.

[Critch]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

On a completely different note, with the way he is managing the Derby County disaster and some of the most recent interviews I have seen him in, I am really starting to root for Wayne Rooney. I am not comfortable with this as I was not a fan of his persona as a player but he is winning me over.

He turned down an interview with Everton, a level of loyalty you dont see often. Or a sign of how unappealing the Everton job is.

[Ksyrup]

Zouma gets a kick and goes down. The Watford fans immediately deliver a chant I've never heard at a football ground before: "that's how your cat feels."

— Jim White (@jimw1) February 8, 2022

[miami_fan]

A perfect hat trick of own goals and getting subbed off after 40 minutes is an accomplishment right?

[RainMaker]

I had no idea that was called a devil's hat trick.

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

A perfect hat trick of own goals and getting subbed off after 40 minutes is an accomplishment right?

The poor girl made the headlines her. Not just in the sports curiosities section, but the real world front page news, somewhere amidst the Russia/Ukraine situation and the biggest storm in 30 years.

[flere-imsaho]

I feel so bad for her, that's got to suck so much.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I had no idea that was called a devil's hat trick.

I can't believe it's happened enough times above, say, high school level, for it to have a name. I mean, at some point, after the second, you just burn a sub and take the poor player out, right?

SI

[flere-imsaho]

You look at each of those own goals and I think it's easy after the 1st and 2nd to say "oof, bad luck, but surely that can't happen again".