Everything Soccer

[nlroma1o]

Italy got absolutely waxed in their friendly vs Germany today. Conte decided to stick with his 3-4-3 formation he used against Spain and it just wasnt working at all. Montolivo and Thiago Motta just werent strong enough in the middle to win balls and battle it out. Without them being dominant in mid play, that formation is completely worthless. That central midfield for them is really weak with out Marco Veratti. And Italys defence is so banged up, with out Chiellini and Barzaglia out, they are forced to play Bonucci in the middle and he got burned and injured on the play that was Germanys 3rd goal. Overall it was a brutal game for the Italians... Making me real depressed thinking about Euros... after the game against Spain I was feeling better about the squad, but now I'm in a panic.

 

[calvegas04]

Goal number 1 for USA!

 

[calvegas04]

USA goal #2!!!

 

[notredomer23]

4-0, should have been 5. Could have easily been 7. Just makes it even more disappointing the result against Guatemala in Guatemala IMO. a win would have clinched us after tonight, but oh well. We're back on track.

 

[fightingirish26]

Feel bad for Finlay, a goal in Columbus would have been fantastic for him. Nice to see the men get the job done tonight.

 

[calvegas04]

Another big game right now for the US Olympic team

 

[dublinirish]

went to see Ireland play Slovakia last night, two penalties awarded to Ireland in the space of two minutes, was pretty bizarre

 

[NDohio]

Another big game right now for the US Olympic team

No Olympics for the US ... again ...

 

[calvegas04]

No Olympics for the US ... again ...

Yep, the U23 team looked pretty bad. Hope they are not the future of US soccer

 

[notredomer23]

Yep, the U23 team looked pretty bad. Hope they are not the future of US soccer

There are some good players in that group but a few holes. Will Trapp and Emerson Hyndman were arguably our best players and they both play CM so that's good news for us. Yedlin, Brooks, and Pulisic should have been with the u23s IMO to help qualify because the two biggest difficincies were outside back and centerback opposite Miazga. Pulisic would have given the necessary creative flair.

They played Kellyn Acosta at LB when his best position is CDM so he understandably struggled.

I really think Jordan Morris is overrated.

Mario Rodrgiuez you'd think would be good since he plays for Borussia Monchengladbach but he really struggled.

Horvath will be on the 2018 WC roster IMO.

A lot of young talent that will be around for the u23 pool in 2020 too, but not overly promising that we've missed back to back olympics.

 

[NorthDakota]

Yep, the U23 team looked pretty bad. Hope they are not the future of US soccer

If the varsity isn't very good, why would anyone expect the JV team to be?

 

[gkIrish]

I attended a presentation by the GM of a USL team yesterday. He told us a lot of interesting things. Not sure how much of this is public information but I'll share what I heard:

1) It costs $100 million for an expansion team to join the MLS. I was shocked at how high that number is.

2) The MLS wants to add 4 expansion teams by 2020. The main criteria is fan attendance at games. They want teams that average at least 10,000 fans.

3) The MLS has a long-term goal of creating regional rivalries across the league. They have it already with Seattle/Portland and NYCFC/Red Bulls for example. They want to give the Crew a regional rival. This would likely be Pittsburgh or Cincinnati, or maybe St. Louis.

 

[fightingirish26]

I attended a presentation by the GM of a USL team yesterday. He told us a lot of interesting things. Not sure how much of this is public information but I'll share what I heard:

1) It costs $100 million for an expansion team to join the MLS. I was shocked at how high that number is.

2) The MLS wants to add 4 expansion teams by 2020. The main criteria is fan attendance at games. They want teams that average at least 10,000 fans.

3) The MLS has a long-term goal of creating regional rivalries across the league. They have it already with Seattle/Portland and NYCFC/Red Bulls for example. They want to give the Crew a regional rival. This would likely be Pittsburgh or Cincinnati, or maybe St. Louis.

It may never happen, but all I want is for the MLS to play their season from August to May and to add promotion/relegation.

 

[NorthDakota]

It may never happen, but all I want is for the MLS to play their season from August to May and to add promotion/relegation.

That would defeat the purpose of paying $100 million. I'd like those things too though.

 

[nsisk157]

It may never happen, but all I want is for the MLS to play their season from August to May and to add promotion/relegation.

I would love promotion and relegation but I don't think the owners would be on board with that..

The excitement of promotion/relegation wouldn't translate sadly.

 

[fightingirish26]

I would love promotion and relegation but I don't think the owners would be on board with that..

The excitement of promotion/relegation wouldn't translate sadly.

Yeah, it will probably never happen due to the owners. However, I don't think U.S. soccer can get to where we want them to without restructuring the domestic league.

 

[nsisk157]

Women's national team files wage-discrimination action vs. US Soccer Federation

From last summer, disputing wage gap... World Cup Women Players Overpaid Compared To Male Counterparts | The Daily Caller

Interesting for all parties...

 

[NDinMich]

I attended a presentation by the GM of a USL team yesterday. He told us a lot of interesting things. Not sure how much of this is public information but I'll share what I heard:

1) It costs $100 million for an expansion team to join the MLS. I was shocked at how high that number is.

2) The MLS wants to add 4 expansion teams by 2020. The main criteria is fan attendance at games. They want teams that average at least 10,000 fans.

3) The MLS has a long-term goal of creating regional rivalries across the league. They have it already with Seattle/Portland and NYCFC/Red Bulls for example. They want to give the Crew a regional rival. This would likely be Pittsburgh or Cincinnati, or maybe St. Louis.

Could be Detroit or Cleveland too.

 

[calvegas04]

Could be Detroit or Cleveland too.

I don't see any new pro team of any sport going to Detroit

 

[gkIrish]

Could be Detroit or Cleveland too.

There are no USL teams in those cities.

 

[ACamp1900]

Subotic is hurt again, done for the year... this may be the end of his BVB career.

 

[notredomer23]

I attended a presentation by the GM of a USL team yesterday. He told us a lot of interesting things. Not sure how much of this is public information but I'll share what I heard:

1) It costs $100 million for an expansion team to join the MLS. I was shocked at how high that number is.

2) The MLS wants to add 4 expansion teams by 2020. The main criteria is fan attendance at games. They want teams that average at least 10,000 fans.

3) The MLS has a long-term goal of creating regional rivalries across the league. They have it already with Seattle/Portland and NYCFC/Red Bulls for example. They want to give the Crew a regional rival. This would likely be Pittsburgh or Cincinnati, or maybe St. Louis.

Besides LA, Atlanta and Minnesota, the Sacramento Republic of USL are probably next. They've had some crazy good success in USL.

The 100 million dollars gets divided up among the teams currently in the league that have already paid their fee. Well not 100% of it because MLS is single entity so a lot just goes to the league in general. MLS lacks transperency in rules big time.

 

[dublinirish]

the case for Leicester's improbable title run being a fix:

football is fixed: Webb Of Lies

 

[NDinL.A.]

Wow, what a ridiculous article. Did Mel Gibson watch it?

I almost stopped after the ridiculous blood doping part, but I ventured on until I read his next point about them not having possession enough. Anyone who has followed them for even one minute knows that they play that way for a reason as they are lethal on the counter attack. The team's speed, especially that of Vardy, is what allows them to play that way. Oh wait, I forgot, when they score it is because the refs allowed them to LOL.

What an embarrassing article.

 

[notredomer23]

A ton of Leicester's off season signings of "lesser known" players were actually super strategic signings that fit exactly to Ranieri's plan. Robert Huth and Christian Fuchs (while not lesser known, but definitely out of form) have been both phenomenal players for Leicester this year in the defense and that cost them just 3 million pounds in transfer fees. n'Golo Kante is getting France National Team call ups after his performances and he was just a 5.6 million pound transfer fee. By far their best player this year in Riyad Mahrez was signed last year for just 1.5 million pounds. A ton of smart signings and they will be here to stay. They have a billionaire owner and with the TV revenue to go with the UCL revenue, they'll be able to make some big name signings, especially since they'll be able to sell Mahrez and Kante potentially for a combined 60 million pounds or more if their values continue to sky rocket, or if they don't wanna sell those players, will be able to give them the pay raises needed to keep them there.

Posting on mobile is hard, be kind on grammar lol

 

[NorthDakota]

A ton of Leicester's off season signings of "lesser known" players were actually super strategic signings that fit exactly to Ranieri's plan. Robert Huth and Christian Fuchs (while not lesser known, but definitely out of form) have been both phenomenal players for Leicester this year in the defense and that cost them just 3 million pounds in transfer fees. n'Golo Kante is getting France National Team call ups after his performances and he was just a 5.6 million pound transfer fee. By far their best player this year in Riyad Mahrez was signed last year for just 1.5 million pounds. A ton of smart signings and they will be here to stay. They have a billionaire owner and with the TV revenue to go with the UCL revenue, they'll be able to make some big name signings, especially since they'll be able to sell Mahrez and Kante potentially for a combined 60 million pounds or more if their values continue to sky rocket, or if they don't wanna sell those players, will be able to give them the pay raises needed to keep them there.

Posting on mobile is hard, be kind on grammar lol

I don't think they'll become Champions League mainstays, but in the league, sure.

 

[Emcee77]

Leicester actually reminds me a lot of last year's Chelsea team. They started off the year winning games by outscoring teams and playing what the British pundits call "expansive football," but as they come down the stretch they are winning games by gutting out tough 1-nil results. We expected that from 2014-15 Chelsea, but I really didn't know Leicester could play the sort of D they have played in 2016. Scoring goals, sure, they could always do that, but they are shutting teams down now with great play from the back 4 and stifling midfield play from the likes of Drinkwater and Kante. Combine that with the counterattacking ability they get from Vardy and Mahrez, and you have a really tough team. I don't see why they can't keep it up next year.

 

[NorthDakota]

Leicester actually reminds me a lot of last year's Chelsea team. They started off the year winning games by outscoring teams and playing what the British pundits call "expansive football," but as they come down the stretch they are winning games by gutting out tough 1-nil results. We expected that from 2014-15 Chelsea, but I really didn't know Leicester could play the sort of D they have played in 2016. Scoring goals, sure, they could always do that, but they are shutting teams down now with great play from the back 4 and stifling midfield play from the likes of Drinkwater and Kante. Combine that with the counterattacking ability they get from Vardy and Mahrez, and you have a really tough team. I don't see why they can't keep it up next year.

European games will add some work. They lost out of the CC & FA Cups pretty early on this year I think. Lot more football to play next season probably.

 

[Emcee77]

European games will add some work. They lost out of the CC & FA Cups pretty early on this year I think. Lot more football to play next season probably.

Oh, true, and that's particularly relevant in Leicester's case. I think I read that Leicester has made the fewest number of squad changes of any team in the BPL this year. They may be in trouble if they try to use the same squad every game next year. They will have to add depth and rotate the squad a bit, if they expect to perform well in all competitions.

 

[NorthDakota]

Oh, true, and that's particularly relevant in Leicester's case. I think I read that Leicester has made the fewest number of squad changes of any team in the BPL this year. They may be in trouble if they try to use the same squad every game next year. They will have to add depth and rotate the squad a bit, if they expect to perform well in all competitions.

I think the stat I saw said that 85% of the time, the same 11 guys have started or something stupid. I don't remember what it was measuring exactly.