Soccer Thread 2017-2018

[whomario]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

Anybody care about the WC draw?

yeah. Mexico to start for Germany is not my idea of a good time ...

Portugal/Spain and Belgium/England would have likely preferred other draws as well

[Young Drachma]

Seattle v. Toronto rematch for MLS Cup in U.S. sports most dragged out playoffs.

[whomario]

Argentina will enjoy that icelandic style of play. Not.

Mexico and Sweden for Germany ... Japan or Australia now please.

[MIJB#19]

The worst two teams (Saudi Arabia and Russia) in the tournament play head to head in the opening game. Awesome.

[MIJB#19]

Poule A	Poule B	Poule C	Poule D	Poule E	Poule F	Poule G	Poule H
Russia	Portugal	France	Argentina	Brazil	Germany	Belgium	Poland
Saudi Arabia	Spain	Australia	Iceland	Switzerland	Mexico	Panama	Senegal
Egypt	Morocco	Peru	Croatia	Costa Rica	Sweden	Tunisia	Colombia
Uruguay	Iran	Denmark	Nigeria	Serbia	South Korea	England	Japan

[MIJB#19]

They could play Group B at Gibraltar to save some travelling time.

[miami_fan]

It will change by the time the summer comes, but when I look at these groups, I am much more interested in which will be the "Group of Death" between the nations' supporters than I am the one between the teams on the field.

[bhlloy]

Tunisia, England and Belgium should be a fun one in terms of supporter conflict.

Geopolitically no love lost between Morocco and Spain/Portugal but typically the traveling fans from both those sides are pretty well behaved.

Russia and Egypt both have really violent fans but given the recent events in Egypt not sure how many will be traveling. Plus the Russians will be too busy bussing in to wherever England are playing to worry about anyone in their group.

[Arles]

Germany, Mexico and Sweden are all top 20, so that looks like a tough one. The winner of Group B will be excited to face the second place finisher of the slop in Group A. Imagine if Mexico or Sweden outpoint the Germans (who get 2nd) and Brazil wins Group E - we could have a second round matchup of Brazil vs. Germany

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by Arles

Germany, Mexico and Sweden are all top 20, so that looks like a tough one. The winner of Group B will be excited to face the second place finisher of the slop in Group A. Imagine if Mexico or Sweden outpoint the Germans (who get 2nd) and Brazil wins Group E - we could have a second round matchup of Brazil vs. Germany

... or the other way around: Germany wins their group and Brazil finishes second.

Edit: Historically speaking, that second round clash scenarios is unlikely. The last time Germany didn't win their group was 1986 and for Brazil that was 1978. It would be the 3rd time for them to meet at the World Cup, after the 2002 Final and 2014 semi-final.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Young Drachma

Seattle v. Toronto rematch for MLS Cup in U.S. sports most dragged out playoffs.

NBA... "hold my beer"

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

NBA... "hold my beer"

NBA and NHL take too long into June, but MLS playoffs with the international break are super dragged out because there's no momentum. Playoffs can't take several week breaks and still be interesting to anyone not a fan of those teams.

[CrescentMoonie]

Originally Posted by Young Drachma

NBA and NHL take too long into June, but MLS playoffs with the international break are super dragged out because there's no momentum. Playoffs can't take several week breaks and still be interesting to anyone not a fan of those teams.

And yet I'm not a fan of anyone remaining in the MLS playoffs and have watched every game.

[whomario]

Originally Posted by Arles

Germany, Mexico and Sweden are all top 20, so that looks like a tough one. The winner of Group B will be excited to face the second place finisher of the slop in Group A. Imagine if Mexico or Sweden outpoint the Germans (who get 2nd) and Brazil wins Group E - we could have a second round matchup of Brazil vs. Germany

It definitely is one of the tougher ones. Germany still ought to win the group, but each game will be a struggle, even Korea you just know that they will be a tough nut to crack with their work ethic and defensive cohesion.

[Buccaneer]

I wonder if Putin's bribe for the soft landing spot was greater than or less than what he paid to host. My son is picking Spain over Brazil.

[MrBug708]

Last night I caught some MLS show on the local station (maybe national? idk) and he was claiming that 8 or 9 guys out of the starting 11 and a few bench guys, would start for any of the bottom 8 or so teams in the EPL

[bhlloy]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

I wonder if Putin's bribe for the soft landing spot was greater than or less than what he paid to host. My son is picking Spain over Brazil.

That bribe is included in the bribe you have to pay to get the WC in the first place. All the hosts get that magical treatment. Wait until you see the refereeing...

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Last night I caught some MLS show on the local station (maybe national? idk) and he was claiming that 8 or 9 guys out of the starting 11 and a few bench guys, would start for any of the bottom 8 or so teams in the EPL

From the MLS All-Star team? Sounds about right.

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

From the MLS All-Star team? Sounds about right.

Toronto FC, sorry forgot to write that in.

[bhlloy]

Altidore's scoring record in the Prem clearly shows that is true. I would very much like some of whatever that guy is smoking.

[sovereignstar v2]

Gulati says he isn't going to run for president again.

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by MIJB#19

So, the UEFA Champions League kicks off in a couple of minutes...

After mulling over it for a couple of days, I have sent a letter to UEFA that after 22 years I decided to stop watching UEFA Champions' League matches, explicitly calling the absurdity surrounding Paris SG and their transfers with FC Barcelona and AS Monaco as the final straw. I highly doubt one man can make a difference, but I figured if I'm going to take a decision to boycott, I'd at least take the courtesy to let UEFA know I wish them the best in restoring the credibility of the competition. But as it is now, they've lost 1 of their 100,000,000s of fans.

I wonder how long I will be able to hesitate and actually uphold my decision...

It turned out to be easier than I thought. Aside from some hard to miss snippets of highlights due to being in a setting where the CL was on, I haven't watched any games from the first 5 group stage rounds. More interestingly, I haven't bothered to track scores and look at 'how to reach the knockout phase' scenarios, which I used to look at since the late 90's. From those scorelines that I did see (it's really impossible to block those in a football enthusiastic culture, while still having a subscription to a soccer magazine), I think I haven't missed anything worthwhile.

[sovereignstar v2]

United are embarrassing. 11 points at the top, cya!

[ISiddiqui]

Toronto FC caps off a historic season by utterly dominating Seattle in MLS Cup.

And then Tigres shocks Monterrey in the LigaMX Apertura Finals Second Leg (which was a fantastic back and forth match).

[PilotMan]

Nagbe to Atlanta. Bold move.

[ISiddiqui]

I like Nagbe and all, but I feel the $1mil could have been better spent on a young South American CM. Well, hopefully he realizes the promise that he was supposed to have.

[CrescentMoonie]

Didn't see this coming.

Nashville awarded MLS expansion club | MLSsoccer.com

[Warhammer]

I am not a fan, I never was in Nashville and said, "You know, Nashville would be a great city for an MLS team."

Memphis, sure. St. Louis? Sure. Nashville? When do the Vols start playing again?

[BishopMVP]

Nashville's blowing up as a Sun Belt/"millennial" city (even more than Charlotte), which is exactly the demographic MLS seems to be targeting the most. (and it only has 2 of the 4 major sports, which probably does benefit MLS teams). It always made sense as one of the 4 teams. I do think Cincinnati should've been the first announced, and I'd start to get a little worried that Cincy only gets their team in conjunction with a Columbus move to Austin. Just like I think MLS is definitely putting a team in Charlotte or Raleigh, but will only put a team in one of the two and doesn't want two North Carolina teams.

[CrescentMoonie]

Nashville is one of the top cities for "creatives" in the US. I like the move, I just really didn't expect it at all. I thought for sure Cincy and Sacramento were in with a Carolina choice and either Phoenix or Detroit.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by CrescentMoonie

Nashville is one of the top cities for "creatives" in the US. I like the move, I just really didn't expect it at all. I thought for sure Cincy and Sacramento were in with a Carolina choice and either Phoenix or Detroit.

Sacramento pulled shady last minute stuff with the ownership group that I think hurt its candidacy.

[CrescentMoonie]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Sacramento pulled shady last minute stuff with the ownership group that I think hurt its candidacy.

Yes, of course. I completely forgot about those shenanigans. It's too bad, Sacramento had a great plan in place and a proven fanbase to build on with an established local rival.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by CrescentMoonie

Didn't see this coming.

Nashville awarded MLS expansion club | MLSsoccer.com

It's been speculated they'd get one of the two bids since late summer. Basically, Tennessee is unlike how the rest of the country is trending in that they have no problems with giving public money for sports stadiums. So Nashville SC had no issues in getting funding.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Sacramento pulled shady last minute stuff with the ownership group that I think hurt its candidacy.

Eh, I doubt the ownership stuff really matters as much as Sacramento just isn't a 'sexy' city. MLS has almost been forced to really consider them due to their USL attendance. It has basically been a running joke that MLS is trying as hard as they can to find anyone out West to jump Sacramento (looked like San Diego was going to be the chosen one, but then they had issues).

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Eh, I doubt the ownership stuff really matters as much as Sacramento just isn't a 'sexy' city. MLS has almost been forced to really consider them due to their USL attendance. It has basically been a running joke that MLS is trying as hard as they can to find anyone out West to jump Sacramento (looked like San Diego was going to be the chosen one, but then they had issues).

Fair enough, and I think Cincinnati also not being announced yet supports your theory, but I do think those were real issues that should've given MLS pause even if they were sold on Sacramento, and an easy cop out if they weren't.

[BishopMVP]

Decent overview of USSF candidates - U.S. Soccer Federation presidential election - candidates to succeed Gulati

I'm rooting for Gans or maybe Martino. Even if Cordeiro or Carter is the best candidate, right now there needs to be a clean break for perception sake. But I also strongly hope it doesn't go to a person like Wynalda/Solo just because of name recognition.

[miami_fan]

4 goals in the Arsenal- Liverpool game and each one should result in a week's salary fine for someone on the defense. Lack of hustle, basic errors etc.

[miami_fan]

DOLA: five for five. Seriously not a quality goal among the five.

[kingfc22]

Make that 6 for 6. Yea let’s just leave the center forward unmarked at the 18 in the center of the pitch. Good tactic.

[CrescentMoonie]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Eh, I doubt the ownership stuff really matters as much as Sacramento just isn't a 'sexy' city. MLS has almost been forced to really consider them due to their USL attendance. It has basically been a running joke that MLS is trying as hard as they can to find anyone out West to jump Sacramento (looked like San Diego was going to be the chosen one, but then they had issues).

Ownership may really be an issue. Just catching up on BigSoccer and it looks like Sacramento's ownership is such a mess that Meg Whitman got booted out of the group on Thursday. Jed York is still part of the group, but supposedly they are now actively seeking billionaires to try and fix the financing of the whole project.

[ISiddiqui]

Whitman left. She didn't get booted (they definitely want her money). Seems like after the bid wasn't granted immediately, like Nashville, she up and left the ownership group.

[CrescentMoonie]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Whitman left. She didn't get booted (they definitely want her money). Seems like after the bid wasn't granted immediately, like Nashville, she up and left the ownership group.

Okay. I read the opposite, but it seems like the whole thing is so jacked up that I'd believe just about anything at this point. The part where they're seeking "1 or 2 billionaires" makes me think they're not going to be the second team announced.

[ISiddiqui]

Though I will say the ridiculousness in saying Sacramento's ownership doesn't have enough money is that I think that Nagle, by himself, is worth more than Merritt Paulson, the owner of the Portland Timbers, and that franchise has been an unqualified success.

[miami_fan]

Am I the only one who felt a kinship with the Newcastle supporters when they would sort of cheer their team's ability to connect on a pass? I think they genuinely believed that a completed pass or two was the best they could hope for today.

[CrescentMoonie]

Well, they haven't scored much in a while and have 1 win in the last 11. Heat went out at work today so I got to watch the second half and wish I hadn't. I hope they stay up long enough for Ashley to sell them to an owner with a clue and a bank account big enough to contend.

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by CrescentMoonie

Well, they haven't scored much in a while and have 1 win in the last 11. Heat went out at work today so I got to watch the second half and wish I hadn't. I hope they stay up long enough for Ashley to sell them to an owner with a clue and a bank account big enough to contend.

They won their last game 3-2 against West Ham, they're outside of the relegation zone at Christmas, most supporters of a team promoted the prior season would be somewhat content with that ....

For promoted teams the normal cycle is 'start hard and fast' - get some points while the other teams adjust to you and get used to your playing style and players ... then as this happens find the going a little tougher, but hopefully enough players will find their feet to allow you to keep picking up points and find safety.

As a Brighton support I'm ecstatic that we're doing as well as we are tbh, especially considering how light our firepower up front is.

PS - Newcastle play us (Brighton) at home this weekend, its a huge match for both teams as 3 points are easily possible in both directions ... after that Newcastle have Stoke (Away) and Swansea (Home) next both of which are games where I'd expect them to have a shout of picking up points.

[BishopMVP]

75 million pounds for Virgil Van Dijk? EPL people are crazy.

[miami_fan]

Really starting to dislike Zaha

[sovereignstar v2]

Palace are disgusting and I hope they go down.

[MrBug708]

Watched the replay. Feeling like Palace really let one go tonight. Should have had 3, but I'll take the point.

Originally Posted by miami_fan

Really starting to dislike Zaha

He goes down easy, but he's pretty lightweight and does go down easy, but doesnt get most of the calls, so when we do get a call, it doesnt bother me in the slightest.