Everything Soccer

[aubeirish]

Watching Liverpool shit the bed at home on a Wednesday has been delightful.

Liverpool missed so many chances, it was bound to happen really. Soccer can be so cruel sometimes.

 

[NorthDakota]

Mainly Adrian but agreed. Come take your whoopin Rogue and North Dakota

I'm here. Adrian is bad lmao. No excuse for pissing away that lead there. Then again, I should blame the Premier League....hard to stay sharp when title race is over by thanksgiving lmao

 

[IHateMarkMay]

Can't shit the bed in the CL if you aren't in the CL...

 

[ThePiombino]

The Sun: Juventus star Daniele Rugani tests POSITIVE for coronavirus after Ronaldo, Ramsey and Co were exposed to infected side.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/11154464/juventus-daniele-rugani-coronavirus/

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

 

[notredomer23]

https://twitter.com/GrantWahl/status/1248677670919036929?s=20

 

[Irish Joe]

feel like I'm in the minority, but I've never liked Grant Wahl. Unfortunately, this doesn't mean he's gone. Too popular not to get picked up somewhere.

 

[notredomer23]

feel like I'm in the minority, but I've never liked Grant Wahl. Unfortunately, this doesn't mean he's gone. Too popular not to get picked up somewhere.

I don’t think you’re in the minority, he is a self righteous prick. We need wayyyy less Wahls in US Soccer media and more Jimmy Conrads and Taylor Twellmans.

 

[nsisk157]

I don’t think you’re in the minority, he is a self righteous prick. We need wayyyy less Wahls in US Soccer media and more Jimmy Conrads and Taylor Twellmans.

Def not in the minority. I am not a fan of Wahl but also think that Twellman is self-righteous.
US coverage for the beautiful game is largely lacking. BR coverage of the CL is cringeworthy.

 

[Irish Joe]

I don't mind Twellman's opinion pieces, but not a fan of his bro-style broadcasting. Can't stand when something great happens and he just yells "are you serious!?!"

 

[dublinirish]

350K a year he was on..WTFFFF!!

Saw a tweet where a guy said every one of his articles in a calendar year would need 7 million views for Maven to get their moneys worth out of him

 

[NDohio]

feel like I'm in the minority, but I've never liked Grant Wahl. Unfortunately, this doesn't mean he's gone. Too popular not to get picked up somewhere.

Not a Wahl fan at all. Let him start a podcast with Alexi and maybe no one will listen.

Edit: I do like to listen to Extra Time. Even though it is MLS heavy, they do cover national team stuff. Matt Doyle can get little wacko sometimes but the other guys kind of keep him in check.

 

[Huntr]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Government allows <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bundesliga?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bundesliga</a> and Bundesliga 2 seasons to resume from mid-May – statement by <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DFL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DFL</a> CEO Christian Seifert ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/gySVwf9osf">https://t.co/gySVwf9osf</a> <a href="https://t.co/Z6itZJAS2T">pic.twitter.com/Z6itZJAS2T</a></p>— DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga (@DFL_Official) <a href="https://twitter.com/DFL_Official/status/1258085357985435648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2020</a></blockquote>

 

[notredomer23]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Government allows <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bundesliga?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bundesliga</a> and Bundesliga 2 seasons to resume from mid-May – statement by <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DFL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DFL</a> CEO Christian Seifert ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/gySVwf9osf">https://t.co/gySVwf9osf</a> <a href="https://t.co/Z6itZJAS2T">pic.twitter.com/Z6itZJAS2T</a></p>— DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga (@DFL_Official) <a href="https://twitter.com/DFL_Official/status/1258085357985435648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2020</a></blockquote>

Big for soccer in the USA TBH. With Fox having the rights, they better broadcast multiple games a weekend on Fox and not just FS1

 

[IHateMarkMay]

Yeah, I'm excited to finally get to watch some real time soccer.

 

[Old Man Mike]

Fans-in-stands games, or empty stadia?

 

[IHateMarkMay]

Not sure for Germany. However, England should do empty stadium. It would be fun to see them implement a 6 foot rule for the fans and only sell 1 in every 6 seats!

 

[IHateMarkMay]

Just looked in to it a bit more. Germany will be played behind closed doors.

 

[Huntr]

Fans-in-stands games, or empty stadia?

Empty

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Bundesliga returns this weekend. And here's a good article by Bill Connelly describing the prevailing style in each major soccer league by comparing it to an American equivalent. Explains why I love the German game so much:

American sports equivalent: Big 12 football. You like points and offensive aggression, right?

Standout traits: Most goals, shots on goal and assists. Most possessions, lowest average possession time, most ball recoveries. Highest percentage of shots in the box, lowest save percentage. Second-fewest yellow cards.

In the weeks leading up to the league's winter break, we saw Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig draw 3-3 in a game that featured sloppy weather and sloppier goalkeeping, Dortmund beat Mainz 4-0, and Werder Bremen lose to Mainz and Bayern, back-to-back, by a combined 11-1. Even a lower-scoring match like Wolfsburg vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach featured two gorgeous top-shelf goals within the first 15 minutes.

Since the start of 2018-19, Bundesliga matches have included 3.2 goals; no other league in this sample topped 2.9. Not every match is 2012 Baylor vs. West Virginia, but it's dang close sometimes. (And it's coming to ESPN+ starting in August, 2020.)

The league's defining team: Borussia Mönchengladbach. Gladbach spent much of the fall atop the Bundesliga table, enjoying the fruits of one of the most difficult decisions you can make: after a couple of years of perfectly solid (and perfectly German) ball, it dumped manager Dieter Hecking in favor of Red Bull Salzburg's Marco Rose. He has made Gladbach even more German (aggressive counterattacks, tons of shots in the box) and quite a bit better to boot.

The league's defining player: Thorgan Hazard, MF/FW, Borussia Dortmund. A Gladbach stalwart until this season, the 26-year-old (and brother of Real Madrid's Eden Hazard) is one of only two league players to log over 4,000 minutes and average at least 0.25 assists and 0.25 goals per 90 minutes. When he's involved in an offensive sequence, said sequence is going vertical quickly.

 

[GowerND11]

Bundesliga returns this weekend. And here's a good article by Bill Connelly describing the prevailing style in each major soccer league by comparing it to an American equivalent. Explains why I love the German game so much:

They are really good similarities. I almost look at the EPL as a combination between what was said, NFL, and NHL. It's an odd combo, but I think it works.

 

[dublinirish]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">YOU GUYS. I cannot make this up. In their announcement tweet, FCC put up a picture of a man who isn't Jaap Stam. <a href="https://t.co/dEtEV2Sl9c">pic.twitter.com/dEtEV2Sl9c</a></p>— Luke Johnston (@LukeShigeo) <a href="https://twitter.com/LukeShigeo/status/1263530524003483648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 21, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[notredomer23]

Good weekend for Americans abroad:

Gio Reyna first career start and assists the opening goal
Chris Richards debuts for Bayern
Tyler Adams puts in a strong 45 minutes for RB Leipzig
Weston McKennie and John Brooks with strong 90 minutes shifts facing off against each other
Josh Sargent with 90 minutes for hapless Werder
Pulisic subs in for first time since injury on Jan 1st and scores right away
Yedlin subs on for Newcastle in a 3-0 win.

6 of those 8 under the age of 21

 

[Rogue219]

My hangover has no asterisk and is rather...Unbearable.

Up the Mighty Champion Reds. YNWA.

 

[NorthDakota]

My hangover has no asterisk and is rather...Unbearable.

Up the Mighty Champion Reds. YNWA.

Pool is back baby. Has a really good shot at being the best Premier League team of all time.

 

[IHateMarkMay]

Just beat Chelsea. All City had to do was beat them and it'd help United out and now Liverpool get their celebration in Manchester at City....

 

[Old Man Mike]

I'm still puzzled by the commentators not focusing on the unique thing that Klopp does with Liverpool. Almost all the comments are about really good things admittedly (Allison, Van Dyk, the passing wingbacks, the three strikers) but what Klopp has done is also far different from these (exceptional star quality) "norms" that everyone is raving about.

Klopp's unique team arises out of the middle of all that front and back quality and he does it with players that people used to think of as just OK guys that you couldn't win big with: Henderson, Wynaldum, Milner --- OK Fabinho was rated high, but HE had to adjust his game to what those werewolves were doing in the middle of the pitch. And really good players like Keitha, or Lallana, or Shakiri can't quite manage it; Oxlade-Chamberlain MIGHT get there, but the team sags just a bit even with his talent. It's defensive ball-stripping and screw-up causing that powers this team.

That style of midfield play is unique. It owes nothing to "The Beautiful Game" personified and optimized by Man City. It is so different --- attack like wild dogs and create terror and mistakes, while the pretty stuff happens along the outsides and arcing across field --- that one wonders how David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne (FABULOUS as they are) would do in that alien system of play.

Liverpool had one slump this year --- just before break. Why? Who perchance was missing? The terror of the midfield meathouse dissipated. Almost all the big stars were available, but the magic was gone. Now Klopp can put Henderson and Wynaldum back in there together.

Klopp recently passed on one or more fancy upcoming players. Why? He said that Liverpool doesn't need nor want a team full of stars. They need the right guys for the right Kloppian mix. ... and that means run-and-attack-all-day wild dogs in the middle and Andy Robertsons on the edges.

The commentators do mention these guys now and then, but I swear that they still have not quite "gotten it" as far as what The Boss has done. I'm not sure that Top Great can ever be "pretty" in soccer again after the creation of the Liverpool style monster.

 

[Rogue219]

Gordon, Edwards and Klopp have taken Liverpool to a place that no one ever thought they'd get back to again. There is definitely a vision there where they believe they don't need the best players but the best team. Granted, getting Van Dijk and Allison has been a major boost that has led directly to winning #6 and #19. Still, they signed Gini, Shaqiri and Robertson for bargains coming from teams that were relegated.

Klopp also got the best out of Firmino, who Rodgers didn't even want and put out on the wing. Firmino was an Edwards signing and has proven to be a great one.

They have hit on every transfer since Klopp came in as manager. There is no way they can sustain that, but they seem to have a plan for everything. Covid has probably thrown a wrench into that, but they have no doubt adjusted and will move forward. I think they will give this squad another go at it and get the kids more games. Maybe Brewster, Grujic and Wilson come back from loan and get some time with the first squad. We shall see.

Just enjoying every moment now while we have it. Very lucky to have Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool. Back on our Fucking Perch.

 

[NorthDakota]

Gordon, Edwards and Klopp have taken Liverpool to a place that no one ever thought they'd get back to again. There is definitely a vision there where they believe they don't need the best players but the best team. Granted, getting Van Dijk and Allison has been a major boost that has led directly to winning #6 and #19. Still, they signed Gini, Shaqiri and Robertson for bargains coming from teams that were relegated.

Klopp also got the best out of Firmino, who Rodgers didn't even want and put out on the wing. Firmino was an Edwards signing and has proven to be a great one.

They have hit on every transfer since Klopp came in as manager. There is no way they can sustain that, but they seem to have a plan for everything. Covid has probably thrown a wrench into that, but they have no doubt adjusted and will move forward. I think they will give this squad another go at it and get the kids more games. Maybe Brewster, Grujic and Wilson come back from loan and get some time with the first squad. We shall see.

Just enjoying every moment now while we have it. Very lucky to have Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool. Back on our Fucking Perch.

I'm wondering if they'll keep any of those three guys. I'd keep Brewster for sure I think. Get the kid some minutes. I dont see the other two really ever becoming starting 11 guys so maybe best to sell them on.

 

[Rogue219]

I'm wondering if they'll keep any of those three guys. I'd keep Brewster for sure I think. Get the kid some minutes. I dont see the other two really ever becoming starting 11 guys so maybe best to sell them on.

We are not in a normal transfer market right now. The plan was likely to sell those guys. Now they may need them for a year at least until the Covid situation sorts itself.

The plan was to get Timo and one other big signing with the Nike money. Nike is still coming, Timo signed with Chelsea, all bets are off as far as transfers. Klopp said they will need to reevaluate and be creative. Might need to give these three guys a go off the bench and see what they can do.

They should all be given starts in domestic up matches as well.

 

[Old Man Mike]

In my opinion the only things that Liverpool really needs are back-ups for Robertson and Alexander-Arnold. God Bless James Milner but he is the fall-back guy for Robertson as back-up and out of position there. Gomez is similarly out of position as A-As back-up.

Unless some one of the striking three are suspected of leaving, then Origi, Mina_???, and Oxlade (even though he's theoretically midfield) could back-up. (Shakiri or Lallana also.) This team is obviously loaded and loaded with Kloppian-minded players.

I think that it's completely reasonable to believe Klopp when he says that he's not looking for some superstars who might screw up the team chemistry. The only superstar opening might be next to Van Dijk.