The 2016-2017 Football Thread

[Scepticalscribe]

Clearly, nobody knows what to do with all this money. The Premier League is like a tourist in a third world country, being surrounded by crowds offering worthless trinkets at exorbitant prices (a few of which they buy at random), and ending by exasperatedly throwing the rest of their money up in the air on their way to the airport, to be collected by local passers-by.

Very interesting - a somewhat thought provoking post, which offers an interesting perspective on matters.

Having worked in a few such countries, I need hardly to the endemic corruption with which elite bodies in some such places appear to carry out their affairs and conduct their businesses.

 

[daneoni]

Happy we got bodies in after all despite the hint of panic. I just hope all of them deliver. Squad looks refreshed with some quality in depth.

Not happy we let Gnabry go and continue to persevere with Walcott, but apparently he wanted to leave so good riddance. Hopefully we can reinforce the fullback positions over the upcoming windows.

Some deals were just laughable whilst others look shrewd. Some were rebuilding, some were clearly buying out of fear of being relegated, some made signings to push up the table. Others meanwhile were just flexing their stupidity.

Its gonna be even more competitive this year.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Liverpool's £16m purchase of Balotelli looks a lot less risky now when you see what people are paying for mediocre talent these days. The gamble didn't pay off (and he's off to France on a free) but it feels like less of a waste than Andy Carroll.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Liverpool's £16m purchase of Balotelli looks a lot less risky now when you see what people are paying for mediocre talent these days. The gamble didn't pay off (and he's off to France on a free) but it feels like less of a waste than Andy Carroll.

Harsh! But maybe true. AC did alright last year as we used him as a sub. Bring him on at the end to change things up.
The problem is when you expect him to play 90 minutes week in week out for 40 games a week.
Mind you he was a steal when you compare him to how much we paid Freddie Lunburg for a season of no shows!

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Harsh! But maybe true. AC did alright last year as we used him as a sub. Bring him on at the end to change things up.
The problem is when you expect him to play 90 minutes week in week out for 40 games a week.
Mind you he was a steal when you compare him to how much we paid Freddie Lunburg for a season of no shows!

I didn't bring up Carroll just to be harsh on him, but Liverpool paid £35m expecting him to be a starter and get 20+ goals a season, which is never going to happen. People thought that was crazy - but look at what so-so players are going for now?

And that's before we start talking about Di Maria....

 

[Apple fanboy]

I didn't bring up Carroll just to be harsh on him, but Liverpool paid £35m expecting him to be a starter and get 20+ goals a season, which is never going to happen. People thought that was crazy - but look at what so-so players are going for now?

And that's before we start talking about Di Maria....

We once signed a guy called Marcus Bougus who basically never played a game for us. Left to go live in a caravan after we paid the transfer fee!

Agree there is silly money being thrown around for some pretty average players.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Something that happened a few days back but hasn't been mentioned yet: UEFA is guaranteeing four champions league spots for the top European Leagues. Ostensibly this was a move to prevent the creation of a European Super League, but in reality it's actually a small step in that direction....because eventually the richest 32 clubs in Europe are going to find a way to get themselves permanent Champions League status.

It'll be like the NFL - the same 32 teams compete every year, no matter how badly they did last time around.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Something that happened a few days back but hasn't been mentioned yet: UEFA is guaranteeing four champions league spots for the top European Leagues. Ostensibly this was a move to prevent the creation of a European Super League, but in reality it's actually a small step in that direction....because eventually the richest 32 clubs in Europe are going to find a way to get themselves permanent Champions League status.

It'll be like the NFL - the same 32 teams compete every year, no matter how badly they did last time around.

And that's not a good thing.
Look at Leicester last year. They are not going to win the CL but imagine if the won the PL but didn't qualify? That would be terrible.
Also I think winning the PL matters as much as winning the CL to the average fan. A breakaway leauge would not have the same passion as playing your local rival.
I think they should change the name of the Champions leauge though.
The name suggests it's the winning team from each country. In reality finishing 4th and qualifying doesn't make you a champion.

 

[pachyderm]

meh! international break...

 

[balamw]

meh! international break...

Leading to a tiny ray of sunshine for my local MLS team, who register their first win in like forever against Colorado. Hopes of any post season are dwindling. Sigh.

B

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Leading to a tiny ray of sunshine for my local MLS team, who register their first win in like forever against Colorado. Hopes of any post season are dwindling. Sigh.

B

Interesting to see you managed a win without Kamara, though he has been less effective for you than I expected. When Columbus traded him I was sure you'd see him scoring a hatful of goals for the Revs.

Speaking of Columbus, we managed our usual away loss this week, this time against the Galaxy - who, despite their Hollywood status, looked far from impressive (50% of the Galaxy's reputation has always been talk and marketing from the league, who desperately want them to be a marquee club).

A playoff spot looks all but impossible now, and that's saying something given how weak the four teams between us and the playoffs are. I think Columbus need to set a new goal for the season: finish ahead of Chicago, and thus not last in the East.

 

[balamw]

A playoff spot looks all but impossible now, and that's saying something given how weak the four teams between us and the playoffs are. I think Columbus need to set a new goal for the season: finish ahead of Chicago, and thus not last in the East.

Hey, you're stealing the Revs' goal!

We've got the same core squad we've had for several years now, minus Jermaine Jones, yet we're not performing at anywhere near the level that these guys are capable of.

I "get" our defensive woes at some level, but what I don't get is how especially with Kei added into the mix we have just stopped producing. I don't mind conceding early if we can just find a way to score, but even that has been elusive.

Davies' illness and then trade and signing a DP who could't play due to injury was just the icing on the cake.

B

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Hey, you're stealing the Revs' goal!

We've got the same core squad we've had for several years now, minus Jermaine Jones, yet we're not performing at anywhere near the level that these guys are capable of.

I "get" our defensive woes at some level, but what I don't get is how especially with Kei added into the mix we have just stopped producing. I don't mind conceding early if we can just find a way to score, but even that has been elusive.

Well, Columbus is currently last in the East with almost the same squad that took us to the league final last season. Despite losing Kei, scoring goals is not the problem - we just can't stop leaking them.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

So, nothing has changed with the England national team...Allardyce has gone from being a hard-bitten, no-nonsense relegation battler to a starstruck chancer just happy to be there, apparently willing to let the 1000% undroppable Wayne Rooney play wherever he likes. Worst still, England look set to cruise through their qualification campaign without being tested.

This does not bode well for England in the next World Cup. The first good side they run up against is going to humble them.

 

[Alphazoid]

Why Rooney is still on any football pitch continues to confound me. I don't think he's had a 'good' game since 2011

Why Kane continue to start confounds me

 

[Apple fanboy]

Why Rooney is still on any football pitch continues to confound me. I don't think he's had a 'good' game since 2011

Why Kane continue to start confounds me

Rooney sells shirts!

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Why Rooney is still on any football pitch continues to confound me. I don't think he's had a 'good' game since 2011.

He's only 30 but he seems a lot older because he's been playing lots of games constantly ever since he was a teenager, and a good part of his game was strength and pace.

 

[balamw]

USMNT with a convincing 4:0 win over T&T.

Watching the MEX-HON game now. Geiger. Sigh.

B

 

[Lord Blackadder]

USA looked decent but have completely stunk up the place recently when facing quality opposition. Once in the hex, I want to see us test the likes of Costa Rica and Mexico, and be able to break down Honduras, who are big time bus-parkers. We have been crap in tournaments lately and we are still relying on Altidore as a number 9 - a player I would love to see succeed but at this stage in his career I don't expect any further improvement. I wish he stayed in the Dutch Leagues, he was banging them in there and high on confidence. His spells at Hull and Sunderland almost killed his career.

 

[circatee]

Derby day: Man Utd vs. Man City. I expect goals, but also want a draw...

 

[pachyderm]

actually rooting fro Man U.

 

[circatee]

Oops , 1-2...

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Lots of long ball from Man Utd in the second half, and it almost paid off. Rashford nearly saved Utd's bacon yet again - despite all the insane amounts of money they've spent, their best player is still a kid from the youth team.

Mou may actually have the advantage in the away match, because he can camp even deeper and play on the counter, which is where he is at his most effective. Then again, presumably Man City will have Aguero available for that one.

Bravo did not have a good match, to say the least, but was handed the trickiest of debut fixtures, so I have to assume he will settle. Zlatan wasted several chances to be the big hero for Man Utd.

Both teams looked a little ragged, they are still learning their manager's systems.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Lots of long ball from Man Utd in the second half, and it almost paid off. Rashford nearly saved Utd's bacon yet again - despite all the insane amounts of money they've spent, their best player is still a kid from the youth team.

Mou may actually have the advantage in the away match, because he can camp even deeper and play on the counter, which is where he is at his most effective. Then again, presumably Man City will have Aguero available for that one.

Bravo did not have a good match, to say the least, but was handed the trickiest of debut fixtures, so I have to assume he will settle. Zlatan wasted several chances to be the big hero for Man Utd.

Both teams looked a little ragged, they are still learning their manager's systems.

Very good summary.

Interesting to see Mr Mourinho openly critical of his players - and their performance - so early in his tenure.

 

[Alphazoid]

Good win for City considering they weren't at full strength. Mou got his team sheet wrong. The Mikhi hype is looking disappointing. Starting Lingaard ahead of Matial, Mata etc was hilarious.

Wheels might be coming off the Leicester wagon