Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
The 2016-2017 Football Thread
- Thread starter Apple fanboy
- Start date
-
- Tags
- football
- Sort by reaction score
- Status
Big Sam teams are always painful to play against, but Arsenal are really stumbling here. At this point a top four finish is looking very nearly impossible. Both Manchester clubs would have to lose several more matches for that to happen.
EDIT: ooooh, and now they've conceded a penalty. 3-0 to Big Sam Alardicci.
EDIT: ooooh, and now they've conceded a penalty. 3-0 to Big Sam Alardicci.
Big surprise for me. Arsenal really looking at a EUROPA spot now at best. Depending on cups they might even be lucky to get that.
As for Palace, not quite safe but close. Big Sam has learnt his (no doubt) big pay day since going there.
Dortmund's team bus was just bombed on the way to their CL match against Monaco - one player suffered a fractured arm and cuts. The match has been postponed until tomorrow.
Details are still sketchy, but police claim to have received a letter claiming responsibility, though they have yet to authenticate it - so no real information yet on who did it and why.
Details are still sketchy, but police claim to have received a letter claiming responsibility, though they have yet to authenticate it - so no real information yet on who did it and why.
Marc Bartra was the one who got injured. Will be a surreal match tomorrow!
Not really into speculating but Dortmund got severe problems with parts of their (own!) so called "fans" (Nazis nad hools, the region is infested with Nazis in general) that kind of escalated lately. Wouldn't put it past those...sad times.
Not really into speculating but Dortmund got severe problems with parts of their (own!) so called "fans" (Nazis nad hools, the region is infested with Nazis in general) that kind of escalated lately. Wouldn't put it past those...sad times.
Indeed, the question on everyone's mind is whether this is an act of hooliganism or terrorism. It's terrible either way, but if right-wing "fans" are involved it would be a serious blow to the club's image.
They already had that a couple of weeks ago - had to keep their famous southern tribune (?) which they are extremely proud of and which is the roaming area for those nazi/hools (and of course thousands of innocent bystanders) completely empty for one match because of prior events. Was all over the news for quite some time here. Dortmund's general manager said he even received death threats in return..those right nutters completely lost their minds. And there are plenty of those in that region.
That said, no idea if one of those took the cake with today's events - but we'll know soon enough.
It is sad that this happened, but it was just a matter of time before a team bus was hit.
i was gonna post this as well. just horrible. its a good thing no one got hurt
A terrible start for Dortmund but they've pulled it back to 2-1 and are still threatening. They've dug themselves a hole but could score a goal or two yet.
Dortmund 2 - 3 Monaco.
Great advantage for Monaco going into the second leg. Who would've thought!
Great advantage for Monaco going into the second leg. Who would've thought!
I do wonder if Dortmund might have had a different result last night? I guess we will never know.
Good result for Leicester really. Only 1 - 0 down. I think they have every chance of pulling that back at home, as long as they can keep a clean sheet.
Good result for Leicester really. Only 1 - 0 down. I think they have every chance of pulling that back at home, as long as they can keep a clean sheet.
With football being so popular a team bus would be high on the terrorist list.
Agreed.
However, the terrorists might find that this is something of an 'own goal' in strict PR terms; football is popular in the Islamic world, and there is a difference between targeting a government, or administration, or bureaucracy of a regime you deem or have come to see as your enemy and targeting sportsmen and women, or those merely out for an evening's entertainment.
And, on another topic, I was away & offline for a few days, and so did not post a deep groan about Arsenal's abysmal and quite gutless performance on Monday.
Mourinho guides Man Utd to a resounding 1-1 draw against Anderlecht.
There is virtually no chance Man Utd will fail to win the tie, but this was fairly underwhelming. Can Mourinho lead the world's most expensive football team past a few weak European also-rans and lift the trophy he has always made fun of but now needs to win in order to not look like a big failure?
---
Hard to say what the effects of the Dortmund bus bombing will be. As grim as it sounds, the news cycle has already moved on because nobody was killed, and this is not the only terrorist attack in Europe this month.
Surely Arsene will leave now? Gunners fans may end up regretting it, at least in the short term, but the momentum behind 'Wenger Out' is becoming pretty overwhelming.
There is virtually no chance Man Utd will fail to win the tie, but this was fairly underwhelming. Can Mourinho lead the world's most expensive football team past a few weak European also-rans and lift the trophy he has always made fun of but now needs to win in order to not look like a big failure?
---
Hard to say what the effects of the Dortmund bus bombing will be. As grim as it sounds, the news cycle has already moved on because nobody was killed, and this is not the only terrorist attack in Europe this month.
Surely Arsene will leave now? Gunners fans may end up regretting it, at least in the short term, but the momentum behind 'Wenger Out' is becoming pretty overwhelming.
Last edited:
Yes, but - from having been the darling of the media, and the man whose thoughts were sought on everything, handsome, articulate, polished - I think Mr Mourinho finds it difficult to accept that a new generation of hungry and tactically adept (perhaps more so than he is) managers - individuals such as the urbane Mr Conte, the accomplished Mr Pochettino, the gifted Mr Guardiola, the impressive and controlled Mr Klopp, - are all threats to his bloated sense of his own importance, and his role in the premiership, and are all tactically adept and strategically aware.
All of them are good; and all of them are exotic in their own way, none of them are English, so the whiff of the unexpected and novel and new that Mr Mourinho brought with him over a decade ago has long since dissipated. I am not sure that he has come to realise this - let alone internalise it - just yet.
Actually, I very much doubt that Arsenal have anyone lined up, and they are a prudent, cautious lot.
I suspect that the events of the past few weeks will lead to Mr Wenger being offered a one year contract, rather than the two year contract that Arsenal may have hoped to offer earlier in the season.
A largely meaningless game for Chlesea this weekend on paper - and arguably a meaningless one for Mourinho as well, since he is 99% certain to make it to the CL through the Europa League.
The extent of Mou's ambitions will be:
On the other hand, Players like Hazard will want to stick it to their old manager, so a football match might break out despite the cynical atmosphere I expect to see at OT this weekend.
The extent of Mou's ambitions will be:
- Don't lose
- Avoid Injuries (suspensions don't matter because they won't apply to the EL)
On the other hand, Players like Hazard will want to stick it to their old manager, so a football match might break out despite the cynical atmosphere I expect to see at OT this weekend.
why? they have been consistent and doing good since last year. unless you dont follow them.
Near perfect start against Sunderland as we are a goal up on 5 minutes.
Plenty of time to through it away yet though!
As much as I dislike the special one, I'd love Man Utd to beat Chelsea tomorrow to keep it interesting, but with them focused on the Europa league as their viable route to CL football next season, it's likely to be Man U B team.
Plenty of time to through it away yet though!
As much as I dislike the special one, I'd love Man Utd to beat Chelsea tomorrow to keep it interesting, but with them focused on the Europa league as their viable route to CL football next season, it's likely to be Man U B team.
- Status