Everything Soccer

[Rogue219]

That’s a wrap for the League.

 

[NDRock]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/59837361

Things seem to be unravelling at Chelsea.

 

[Cackalacky2.0]

I’m fine with that.

 

[nsisk157]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/59837361

Things seem to be unravelling at Chelsea.

Romelu has been found out (again) for his lack of technical ability and wants a return to Serie A where he can physically dominate a lesser league.

i don’t blame him.

 

[Cackalacky2.0]

Romelu has been found out (again) for his lack of technical ability and wants a return to Serie A where he can physically dominate a lesser league.

i don’t blame him.

Saw this coming a mile away when they signed him. £97 mil. Lmao

 

[nsisk157]

Saw this coming a mile away when they signed him. £97 mil. Lmao

Yup. I never truly rated him. Was promising at Everton but his limitations became apparent. I wish him the best of luck.

 

[Rogue219]

Not entirely sure why Lukaku left Inter Milan in the first place, but I guess he's not the first guy to go to Chelsea only to become completely miserable there. Or the last.

English Premier League officiating is complete shit.

 

[Cackalacky2.0]

Klopp has the covid

 

[NDRock]

What a first half going on at Stamford Bridge.

 

[Cackalacky2.0]

My heart can’t take this shit lol

 

[Rogue219]

City have led in 17 matches and have won them all. Thus far they're impervious to Covid.

Liverpool have led in 17 matches and have won 12, drawn 5.

City gets leads and manages games from there. Liverpool go up 2-0 and I think to myself, "the opponent now has them right where they want them."

 

[NDRock]

City have led in 17 matches and have won them all. Thus far they're impervious to Covid.

Liverpool have led in 17 matches and have won 12, drawn 5.

City gets leads and manages games from there. Liverpool go up 2-0 and I think to myself, "the opponent now has them right where they want them."

True. City have been on a roll even with guys like Kyle Walker, Zinchenko, Rodri, and now Foden being out recently with Covid. I'm sure there's been others this year but it seems Pep likes to keep that stuff in house. Other managers take a different approach.

Was glad to see Pulisic get a goal. Salah is always a joy to watch as well. Really fun game overall today.

 

[Rogue219]

Sunday had Henderson and Milner starting in the midfield giving up a 2-0 lead while embracing total chaos. It was 2017 all over again. LOL

Liverpool needs some help in the midfield. They miss Wijnaldum in there doing the dirty work. His presence made giving up 2-0 leads just about non existent during the Champions League and Premier League title winning campaigns. That void is being felt with dropping points from winning positions in the second half of 2021. I think it might be time to let Milner walk as his contract is up again. Some viable players available this summer on a free like Zakaria, Kessie and Cantwell if wages can be worked out. I think Cantwell under Klopp would be fun, and he's a bit of a shithouser too.

I will enjoy Pulisic again when he's playing somewhere else. Seeing him in a Chelsea shirt makes me violently ill.

 

[Rogue219]

Klopp has the covid

So does Pep Lijnders, all three goal keeper coaches and who knows how many others. Add injuries and three players being at AFCON they can probably field the Under 9 kids to face Premier League teams.

The League Cup match with Arsenal has been postponed.

Liverpool were criticized for not taking the FA Cup and League Cup seriously because they have been playing kids instead of regulars in recent years. Now the squad is being ravaged by Covid and rivals are saying "just play the kids." I sometimes get the sense that in this day of social media and everything being reactionary, people are just going to criticize no matter what.

I have two ears and can only listen to people speak out of every side of their mouths for so long. I completely give up anymore.

 

[Cackalacky2.0]

So does Pep Lijnders, all three goal keeper coaches and who knows how many others. Add injuries and three players being at AFCON they can probably field the Under 9 kids to face Premier League teams.

The League Cup match with Arsenal has been postponed.

Liverpool were criticized for not taking the FA Cup and League Cup seriously because they have been playing kids instead of regulars in recent years. Now the squad is being ravaged by Covid and rivals are saying "just play the kids." I sometimes get the sense that in this day of social media and everything being reactionary, people are just going to criticize no matter what.

I have two ears and can only listen to people speak out of every side of their mouths for so long. I completely give up anymore.

Right? It’s unbearable. That and the inevitable Bring back Coutihno Sagan every fucking window. Lol

 

[NDRock]

Looks like Pep and seven 1st team members are now positive. Crazy times.

I don't read too much EPL fan message board chatter but when I do it's insane. Soccer fans are a special breed, makes college football fans seem tame. Interesting some of the arguments they make and issues that are important to them. Way too much drama for me. ND football is enough.

 

[Rogue219]

Right? It’s unbearable. That and the inevitable Bring back Coutihno Sagan every fucking window. Lol

The Covid drama and Newcastle transfer rumors are dominating the news, so much so that City's new deal with Emirates Palace wasn't even a blip on the radar this week.

https://www.mancity.com/news/club/manchester-city-emirates-palace-partnership-63776883

Two years ago when Covid hit, everyone wanted to null and void the season because they didn't want their grandma to die and Liverpool was in first by over twenty points. Now all the sudden every match should be played on time and none of this is any big deal anymore. Right. I see now.

Consider that Coutinho's exit was one of the worst possible kind of exits. He faked an injury so he could leave in JANUARY. His career went to complete shit from there. Why on Earth Klopp would want him back is beyond me. Word is Gerrard is interested in getting him to Villa. Sounds great.

In other news, what is happening right now at Manchester United is everything I could have ever hoped for twenty years ago. I never thought it would be this good. A group of completely enabling malcontents refusing to play for Ole and now for his replacement, who is supposedly Klopp and Tuchel's dad but isn't. Love to see it.

 

[NDRock]

The Covid drama and Newcastle transfer rumors are dominating the news, so much so that City's new deal with Emirates Palace wasn't even a blip on the radar this week.

https://www.mancity.com/news/club/manchester-city-emirates-palace-partnership-63776883

Two years ago when Covid hit, everyone wanted to null and void the season because they didn't want their grandma to die and Liverpool was in first by over twenty points. Now all the sudden every match should be played on time and none of this is any big deal anymore. Right. I see now.

Consider that Coutinho's exit was one of the worst possible kind of exits. He faked an injury so he could leave in JANUARY. His career went to complete shit from there. Why on Earth Klopp would want him back is beyond me. Word is Gerrard is interested in getting him to Villa. Sounds great.

In other news, what is happening right now at Manchester United is everything I could have ever hoped for twenty years ago. I never thought it would be this good. A group of completely enabling malcontents refusing to play for Ole and now for his replacement, who is supposedly Klopp and Tuchel's dad but isn't. Love to see it.

Ha. I heard the lab that created the virus was run by a relative of Paul Tierney and was specifically designed to keep Liverpool from being crowned champs. Liverpool fans are the best.

 

[Rogue219]

Ha. I heard the lab that created the virus was run by a relative of Paul Tierney and was specifically designed to keep Liverpool from being crowned champs. Liverpool fans are the best.

Nobody in his gene pool is possibly smart enough to pull that off.

Once Halaand signs with City his summer, this will be one less sport for me to care about. My stress levels will plummet.

 

[Rogue219]

Coutinho to Aston Villa on loan. Stevie and Coutinho reunited. Should be interesting.

Newcastle transfer rumors are college football recruiting rumors times five right now. It's actually outstanding.

City selling Torres means that Manchester United currently have the most expensive squad in the world.

Net spending since December 2018 has United on top at $312.1M. City now 5th at $199.6M

 

[Rogue219]

 

[Rogue219]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/sammisam147/status/1481003750726717441[/TWEET]

 

[Rogue219]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/TOTKHQ/status/1479900848184508424[/TWEET]

 

[Cackalacky2.0]

Pretty much sums up his career

 

[fightingirish26]

Wouldn't be the first city player under pep to take a full season to break in before then emerging as one of the most undroppable players the next.......more unusual at this point for players to come in and look comfortable their first season with pep.

 

[CTIDANDREW]

Wouldn't be the first city player under pep to take a full season to break in before then emerging as one of the most undroppable players the next.......more unusual at this point for players to come in and look comfortable their first season with pep.

On top of the fact that David Silva and Grealish don't even play the same position in Pep's system. Grealish has been fine, some advance stats show him at the top of the league for chances created. (https://www.squawka.com/en/premier-l...ances-created/)

He has certainly not looked like a 100m player, but that is alright. If he doesn't take a big step next year once Bernardo possibly leaves in the summer then I will start to worry more.

 

[notredomer23]

I posted it in the COVID thread as well, but Alphonso Davies is going to miss a few weeks with myocarditis caused by COVID. I hope he recovers well quickly. I also am glad he has a fairly insignificant ailment that will not hinder his career, but keep him out for the US match in 2 weeks.

 

[Rogue219]

Wouldn't be the first city player under pep to take a full season to break in before then emerging as one of the most undroppable players the next.......more unusual at this point for players to come in and look comfortable their first season with pep.

Maybe his comfort level in the system should have been considered with the fee they paid to get him? I'm wondering if the Euros took a toll on him this past summer. The international tournaments in the summer can often burn these guys out, even the best ones. When they come back rested you can tell the difference.

I just noticed he turns 27 in September. I honestly thought he was 23-24 for some reason.

21 appearances in all comps. 3 goals and 3 assists.

 

[Rogue219]

On top of the fact that David Silva and Grealish don't even play the same position in Pep's system. Grealish has been fine, some advance stats show him at the top of the league for chances created. (https://www.squawka.com/en/premier-l...ances-created/)

He has certainly not looked like a 100m player, but that is alright. If he doesn't take a big step next year once Bernardo possibly leaves in the summer then I will start to worry more.

In terms of the tactics, can you break this down further? I understand Silva and Grealish to both be left winger/ #10 guys. How did Guardiola use one versus the other? Silva can/could play more of a central role if needed as I recall.

Silva was quite the player.

 

[fightingirish26]

In the simplest terms Silva was purely a center midfielder for Pep and rarely if ever played along the forward line while Grealish has thus far only played as part of the front 3.

Grealish signing could easily be very much like the Riyad Mahrez signing. Riyad was 27 i think when we bought him in a club record fee. Had a rough first season and now is firmly part of our strongest XI at age 30.