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Forum nameOkay Sports
Topic subjectJanuary futbol: Saka-breaker
Topic URLhttp://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=8&topic_id=2729181
2729181, January futbol: Saka-breaker
Posted by benny, Mon Jan-04-21 01:03 PM
last PL game this afternoon, before a mini-break, though if players keep flouting the confinement rules the season might be at risk
2729187, Gimmie 90, Thiago
Posted by smutsboy, Mon Jan-04-21 01:57 PM
2729190, Hendo at CB today
Posted by smutsboy, Mon Jan-04-21 02:09 PM
midfield of Thiago-Gini-Ox

When your best holding midfielders are starting at CB: a LFC 20-21 story.
2729199, new backline who dis?
Posted by benny, Mon Jan-04-21 03:02 PM
2729200, ay wtf are these liverpool jerseys
Posted by BrooklynWHAT, Mon Jan-04-21 03:13 PM
2729208, What?
Posted by allStah, Mon Jan-04-21 04:59 PM
Liverpool wasn’t saved by a penalty? Shocking.
They usually get bailed out with a draw. They have six
weak ass draws.

Liverpool - You will never dive alone!
2729211, gonna need the attack to stop sucking
Posted by smutsboy, Mon Jan-04-21 05:14 PM
looking forward to the Utd game in two weeks though.
2729347, today is the birthday of the Swivel God!
Posted by allStah, Thu Jan-07-21 01:18 PM
Bow down, and show gratitude for his existence.

2729359, Villa Covid outbreak. Might field youth players tomorrow
Posted by smutsboy, Thu Jan-07-21 07:31 PM
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jan/07/aston-villa-covid-outbreak-leaves-liverpool-fa-cup-tie-in-doubt

2729367, Karmic retribution for last year’s league cup
Posted by magilla vanilla, Fri Jan-08-21 12:26 AM
I imagine Klopp will rest a LOT of players too. But still.
2729372, lol they should just agree to have a youth game
Posted by smutsboy, Fri Jan-08-21 11:29 AM
2729376, JFC that lineup.
Posted by magilla vanilla, Fri Jan-08-21 02:50 PM
Here’s the way to get Minamino’s confidence going. And of course Mane scored already.
2729377, pretty much
Posted by smutsboy, Fri Jan-08-21 02:59 PM
LFC boys need something, maybe this will get it going.


also: https://imgur.com/a/YQumeK0
2729378, Quoth Ron Saunders: “would you bet against us?!?!”
Posted by magilla vanilla, Fri Jan-08-21 03:27 PM
LOUIIIIIEEEEEEEE
2729379, RE: Quoth Ron Saunders: “would you bet against us?!?!”
Posted by smutsboy, Fri Jan-08-21 03:35 PM
There's literally no one earth I trust more for transfer and roster strategy than Jurgen. And FSG has said there's no money for transfers right now.

But these young kids at CB are too slow to ever start for this team.

Second start in a row where one of them gets absolutely smoked for a goal.
2729381, Normal service resumed for the second half
Posted by magilla vanilla, Fri Jan-08-21 04:24 PM
Word to Dom Revan though. Kid looks like he could do a job if our center halves end up falling apart.
2729382, decent showing for both sides
Posted by smutsboy, Fri Jan-08-21 05:27 PM
I don't want to put too much hope on Thiago, but he could be the key to the whole attack.

He was brought in specifically to give the attack versatility and break down packed defenses.
2729383, You guys hit a different level when he came on.
Posted by magilla vanilla, Fri Jan-08-21 05:38 PM
2729418, Riqui Puig not playing is a fucking travesty
Posted by Hitokiri, Sat Jan-09-21 03:38 PM
the kid is so inventive, so incisive and it doesn't take him long to show it once he's on the field. Was happy to see him today, and as everyone knows, Koeman needs to give him more time.
2729487, ^^^^^^^ dude, riqui and pedri together?
Posted by thejerseytornado, Sun Jan-10-21 10:27 AM
might be defensively a little at risk (though rique puts in the effort and pedri's getting better) but the inventiveness on the pitch with that combo? jfc the potential.

it's wild to me how good the teens/early 20s players are and how bad the 24-30 generation for barca are. the transition to the next generation next year will be surprisingly smooth, i think.

also, so good to see umtiti play a full 90 and look more like himself. loved him before the injuries, would love to see him return to form.

next year's squad could field:

dest-araujo-lenglet/minguez-alba (balde coming up soon-ish, but maybe not next year)

pedri/dejong/rique

messi/ansu/dembele

that's a fucking good eleven with only messi and alba holdovers from the last ten years. and if messi does go (but maybe he'd like to teach the kids under Laporta or Font?), slot in griez with konrad and trincao.

-----------
you think we playing chess, but i'm playing mad-making. Basaglia
2729886, And a huge moment for him yesterday with that pen+Koeman's comments
Posted by Hitokiri, Thu Jan-14-21 01:49 PM

>it's wild to me how good the teens/early 20s players are and
>how bad the 24-30 generation for barca are. the transition to
>the next generation next year will be surprisingly smooth, i
>think.

I wonder about this though because some of those players were forced out due to a lack of PT with the Xavi/Iniesta/Messi generation. Thiago, Traore, Bellerin. During that post-Guardiola period we'd been more interested in big signing than in grooming our own.



>also, so good to see umtiti play a full 90 and look more like
>himself. loved him before the injuries, would love to see him
>return to form.

This is definitely true. Before the injuries, he was our best defender. People weren't really paying that much attention until a few months before he got hurt, but he was beasting.


>next year's squad could field:
>
>dest-araujo-lenglet/minguez-alba (balde coming up soon-ish,
>but maybe not next year)
>
>pedri/dejong/rique
>
>messi/ansu/dembele
>
>that's a fucking good eleven with only messi and alba
>holdovers from the last ten years. and if messi does go (but
>maybe he'd like to teach the kids under Laporta or Font?),
>slot in griez with konrad and trincao.

I'm really curious to see Konrad play.
2729887, RE: And a huge moment for him yesterday with that pen+Koeman's comments
Posted by thejerseytornado, Thu Jan-14-21 02:03 PM

>I wonder about this though because some of those players were
>forced out due to a lack of PT with the Xavi/Iniesta/Messi
>generation. Thiago, Traore, Bellerin. During that
>post-Guardiola period we'd been more interested in big signing
>than in grooming our own.

IMO, the only two clear misses from that generation wer Thiago (but what a HUGE miss that was) and Grimaldo second. Grimaldo + Enrique have some sort of issue, but he'd be a nice LB for the squad.

Bartra could have been a squad defender. You're right--a lot of what happened was Rosell and Barto's emphasis on big signings over la masia. Using transfrmarket (I know, bad data), Traore is monetarily a big miss, but I don't think he'd provide the answer up front. Bellerin ain't it for me at all. After that, it's Cucu (if Balde is what I think he is, not a miss), and then Kubo--which was really just a mindblowingly weird situation.

but we're talking, from a 5-8 year span, Thiago, Gimaldo, Bartra, Traore,Bellerin and Cucu. And in comparison, right now, there's Araujo (signed for Barca B, still counts in a way), Mingueza, Dest (admittedly a first team signing), Puig, Alena, Ansu, Pedri (a signing), and Trincao (not really shining and was a signing).

And that doesn't count the B team players on the cusp--Jandro, Balde, and Ilaix probably the top three.

>This is definitely true. Before the injuries, he was our best
>defender. People weren't really paying that much attention
>until a few months before he got hurt, but he was beasting.

Back then he was outplaying Pique and Pique was much closer to prime Pique.

2729493, CMON MARINE!
Posted by Buck, Sun Jan-10-21 12:17 PM
2729494, Hm. I feel like Spurs may have solved the puzzle.
Posted by Buck, Sun Jan-10-21 12:34 PM
2729631, .
Posted by Castro, Mon Jan-11-21 01:38 PM


.
2729630, Salute to an OG: 53 year old forward signs new deal in J-League
Posted by Castro, Mon Jan-11-21 01:34 PM
https://sports.yahoo.com/fiftythreeyearold-japanese-soccer-player-kazuyoshi-miura-inks-new-deal-with-yokohama-fc-181842765.html


Kazuyoshi Miura may be 53, but he’s not ready to end his 35-year career as a professional soccer player just yet.

On Monday, the Yokohama FC forward signed a new one-year deal with the club, which competes in the J-League, Japan’s top circuit. Miura turns 54 on Feb. 26, and the 2021 J-League season kicks off the following day.

Miura has been on Yokohama’s books since 2005, scoring 27 goals in 277 appearances. He began his pro career in 1986 with Brazilian side Santos, the club made famous by Pelé, and went on to play for Palmeiras, Coritiba, Genoa Dynamo Zagreb, Vissel Kobe and Sydney FC, among others, before returning to Japan for good.

At the international level, Miura made 89 appearances for Japan, but was controversially left off the roster for the 1998 World Cup — the country’s first appearance at the planet’s biggest sporting event — despite knocking home 14 goals during Asia’s qualifying tournament. He remains Japan’s second all-time top scorer, with 55 strikes to his credit.


Miura is already one of the oldest athletes in the history of professional team sports. Baseball great Satchel Paige made his final MLB appearance in 1966, just 15 days shy of his 60th birthday. Basketball player Pierluigi Marzorati was 54 when he played two minutes in an Italian League game in 2006, while hockey legend Gordie Howe came out of retirement to take a single shift with the International Hockey League’s Detroit Vipers in 1997, when he was 69. Almost two decades earlier, a 52-year-old Howe had skated in his final NHL game.

Miura, known by his nickname, “King Kazu,” helped Yokohama get promoted to the J-League from the second division in 2019 but played just four matches for the club in 2020. Still, he said in a statement that his love of the sport has only grown.

“Last season, I was feeling the joy of playing football at a time when the world was facing a tough situation because of the new coronavirus,” he said. “Personally it was not a satisfactory season. But my ambition and enthusiasm towards football are increasing.”

Among prominent active athletes, Miura is easily tops in age. Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem is the NBA’s oldest current player, at 40, after Vince Carter retired last year at 43. Another 43-year-old, Zdeno Chara, just singed with the Washington Capitals, while Bartolo Colon, 47, is hoping to return to the New York Mets in 2021 after sitting out the last two baseball seasons.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, 43, is the oldest active player in the NFL.
2729656, FA fuckin around and bout to make me care about the FA Cup
Posted by smutsboy, Mon Jan-11-21 05:59 PM
for the first time in 15 years
2729735, our attack is all foreplay rn. no thrust
Posted by BrooklynWHAT, Tue Jan-12-21 04:36 PM
its like they're playing best goal on fifa or something
2729736, Burnley holding the line to a T
Posted by benny, Tue Jan-12-21 04:43 PM
ugly as sin but can't say it's not efficient so far

edit: you're welcome for the jinx
2729744, at worst, we'll be level at the turn.
Posted by BrooklynWHAT, Tue Jan-12-21 07:32 PM
lets see what happens

we still play in fits and starts but often starts lately.

still a lot of upside for this team. i wish we had a january move lined up.
2729749, I'll be pretty shocked if any big clubs make a big(ish) january move
Posted by smutsboy, Tue Jan-12-21 08:41 PM
as much as I think that signing a good CB could win LFC the title.
2729983, watching Lazio tear Roma a new one
Posted by benny, Fri Jan-15-21 05:07 PM
Immmobile's off-ball movement is truly a thing of beauty. They should put a picture of him grinning on the Nominative Determinism wikipedia page
2729985, i watch as much Lazio as I can
Posted by cgonz00cc, Fri Jan-15-21 06:25 PM
i think Luis Alberto is my favorite active footballer. i also think they have a chance to advance in CL but they are so thin.

they need all of Correa, Immobile, Luis Alberto, SMS, and Acerbi to compete with Bayern. Even Correa is a necessity because of how bad Vedat Muriqi is, even tho he tries reeeeally hard.

But yeah i love watching them play. Immobile has Luis Alberto raise each other up. I wasnt watching soccer like that when they picked up their "bust" labels, but they look as good to me as any attacking MF/ST combo anywhere.
2730026, Frank put the wrong starting lineup out there.
Posted by allStah, Sat Jan-16-21 02:45 PM
Chelsea didn’t play well against a Fulham team that was parking the bus.
And when Fulham went down to ten men due to a reckless foul, chelsea
still had difficulty penetrating. Man City would have carved Fulham up.

Subs came on, and that’s when Chelsea got going. Odoi and Tammy gave some life to the game, and Mount finally broke through with a goal.

Mount got MOTM, and rightfully so. He put his signature on the game. Pulisic was lively, and made a good play tracking back to intercept the ball. Odoi should be starting, so frank needs to make that happen.

I will take the 3 points. We needed them. But to struggle against the worst team in the league, and to do it when they were down to ten men, showcases just how stagnant we are right now.

And Frank is still experimenting with lineups and formations....You’re basically 3 seasons in. There is no excuse for that.
2730027, fullbacks kept crowding valuable attacking space on the wing
Posted by RandomFact, Sat Jan-16-21 03:02 PM
that would be fine if those fullbacks were doing more than the "cross and pray" but they're not. ziyech, puli and cho should be given plenty of space to operate. if frank wants our fullbacks to push high up the pitch more should be expected of them.

and the midfield (aside from mount) continues to the toothless and incapable of creating anything going forward. it's a huge issue.

and i agree that cho will get a start on tuesday. moving ziyech to a central role flanked by cho and puli makes sense but lampard seems set against moving ziyech away from the wing at the moment, even though he thrived there at ajax.
2730030, Yes tactics and strategies need to improve,
Posted by allStah, Sat Jan-16-21 03:25 PM
as well as finishing, Werner missed another golden opportunity to score.
The lack of confidence and clinical play is quite evident. There were several
chances to break through, but the final ball just continued to lack quality.

Also, I get the need to reserve players due to fixture congestion - chelsea plays again in 3 days- but that does not mean the lineup should lack real fire power.

That’s the real story here. Frank is still struggling with how to prepare and manage games, and this game didn’t do him any favors.


2730080, “If Werner shot Tupac he would still be alive”
Posted by allStah, Sun Jan-17-21 02:10 AM
Internet is still undefeated...lol
2730091, Y’all see this Ndombele flick?
Posted by benny, Sun Jan-17-21 10:55 AM
https://streamwo.com/acb44304
2730095, Call that the French Flick.
Posted by allStah, Sun Jan-17-21 11:45 AM
I think Giroud had one that was similar, and Vertonghen’s head flick
against Japan in the World Cup went in on a similar angle.

Mourinho got them boys doing tricks now.
2730096, Match has had its moments, so far.
Posted by Buck, Sun Jan-17-21 12:19 PM
Squads working hard.
2730097, But only moments.
Posted by Buck, Sun Jan-17-21 01:22 PM
2730098, well smuts that was terrible
Posted by BrooklynWHAT, Sun Jan-17-21 01:23 PM
yall front 3 look washed and out of ideas rn

and we just came for a point

city basically top now for all intents and purposes
2730125, impressive showing by Maguire & Lindelhof
Posted by smutsboy, Sun Jan-17-21 05:46 PM
but yeah, LFC front 3 are struggling right now.

Especially Bobby who unfortunately had the best looks of the 3.

The knock on effect of playing Fab & Hendo at CB is that the midfield isn't there for better distribution out of the back.

Last year LFC got a lot of offense from Virg/Fab/Gomez & even Matip coming up high and distributing.

At least Thiago is real good.


2730126, What I've been thinking for a few weeks.
Posted by Buck, Sun Jan-17-21 05:49 PM
>The knock on effect of playing Fab & Hendo at CB is that the
>midfield isn't there for better distribution out of the back.
>
>
>Last year LFC got a lot of offense from Virg/Fab/Gomez & even
>Matip coming up high and distributing.

Losing VVD has been the source of a lot of it.
2730196, wouldn't have been as bad if we had Gomez
Posted by smutsboy, Mon Jan-18-21 10:43 AM
But losing two players of that caliber at the same position is hard.
2730111, I swear, I just watched paint dry.
Posted by allStah, Sun Jan-17-21 04:24 PM
Thank you for losing points, boys. Good looking out.

It takes the pressure off the upcoming LC match.
2730251, So who ends up replacing frank
Posted by BrooklynWHAT, Tue Jan-19-21 04:00 PM
Cause Roman ain’t having this shit
2730252, Y’all got Americans pimping y’all out...
Posted by allStah, Tue Jan-19-21 04:05 PM
Ain’t done shit since fergie and his cheating ass refs...

Ref publicly admitted to favoring MU.


2730253, Tuchel in an attempt to jumpstart the expensive German contingent
Posted by RandomFact, Tue Jan-19-21 04:09 PM
makes sense.

he's also coached puli and silva so yeah.

i like frank by my mans kinda did this to himself with all the signings and inherent expectations due to those signings. those signings looking completely lost is not a good look for frank.
2730257, More than likely a temporary will be brought in
Posted by allStah, Tue Jan-19-21 04:14 PM
to stop the bleeding. That’s how Roman does it.

Either Rafa, Hiddink, or even Martinez might be called upon. And then he will
find a replacement over the summer.

I actually would prefer Roberto Martinez due to his experience in the EPL and his success with the Belgium national team with coaching star, star players.
2730263, Hmmm. Win a European Championship or be a stopgap
Posted by magilla vanilla, Tue Jan-19-21 08:53 PM
For a club that changes managers every 18 months?

Can’t call it man. That’s a really…

… difficult …

Sorry, man, couldn’t finish that with a straight face.
2730265, You do realize that coaches who coach national teams
Posted by allStah, Tue Jan-19-21 09:22 PM
are somewhat semi-retired or can’t get big club jobs?

Do you see any of the top managers in the world coaching national teams? no. They will do that when they are done being full time club managers.

If Chelsea were to call, Roberto would be on a plane before the phone hangs up.

Plus Belgium’s golden generation has reached its apex....Hazard, Mertens, Fellani, Vertonghen, etc, all 30 or older. Possibly one more run,....but that’s it.

Even coaching a top club for half a season would be far superior than coaching
a national team. That only holds high as far as patriotism goes, clubs don’t care about
that. Club coaches coach everyday and make tons of money. National team coaches barely coaches and make less money.

The big pay day is at club level.








2730280, some people prefer it.
Posted by thejerseytornado, Wed Jan-20-21 10:21 AM
Lucho seems happy and completely uninterested in returning to club coaching.

same with Low.

might be same with martinez. koeman looks like an absolute fool for taking the barca position.

-----------
you think we playing chess, but i'm playing mad-making. Basaglia
2730285, You have a point.
Posted by allStah, Wed Jan-20-21 12:00 PM
But it somewhat proves my point. Low was an average club manager at best, so
I can imagine him being content with coaching on the national level.

Koeman had some success as a club manager prior to being a national coach. His stint at Southampton was impressive, so he was considered to be an excellent coach. When
you have that type of resume, you’re not going to be satisfied with coaching on a smaller level. That’s why he took the Barcelona position.

Similarly to Koeman, Martinez enjoyed success in the premier league, especially with Wigan. Plus he is only 48 years old. Coaches like that are in stationary mode until a top
club opportunity comes along.



2730287, what do you know of Austrian football and Joachim low in the 90s?
Posted by thejerseytornado, Wed Jan-20-21 01:00 PM
Koeman was good at Southampton but only after a failure at Valencia and then a debacle at Everton.

Koeman took the barca job because its been his dream job his whole career after playing for barca and this was his last chance at it, most likely, as basically everyone at barca is just waiting for Xavi to take over when he decides he's ready.

-----------
you think we playing chess, but i'm playing mad-making. Basaglia
2730293, Does that not prove my point?
Posted by allStah, Wed Jan-20-21 02:43 PM
It doesn’t matter if it was a dream job or whatever. He still had a desire to coach
on a club level, so he wasn’t going to just settle at the national level.

As far as Low, in Turkey for /Karlsruher SC , he didn’t win a single match and got
sacked. He was also sacked in Germany as a club coach. If you have to use his time in Austria as a selling point, then that further highlights the point that he was an average
club manager.

Again, all I’m stressing is, (figuratively speaking) if you are a highly talented manager, with quality experience with top clubs in top leagues, and you’re highly regarded, as well as highly coveted, you’re not going to be content with just coaching on a national level.
2730300, not really, no
Posted by thejerseytornado, Wed Jan-20-21 03:25 PM
>It doesn’t matter if it was a dream job or whatever. He
>still had a desire to coach
>on a club level, so he wasn’t going to just settle at the
>national level.

No, he had ONE club job he'd take (supposedly, he had an out from his contract with the Dutch specifically for Barca) and he almost didn't except for the fact that it was basically his only chance at the job and he still waffled about it.

>Again, all I’m stressing is, (figuratively speaking) if you
>are a highly talented manager, with quality experience with
>top clubs in top leagues, and you’re highly regarded, as
>well as highly coveted, you’re not going to be content with
>just coaching on a national level.

*stares in Lucho*

-----------
you think we playing chess, but i'm playing mad-making. Basaglia
2730400, You’re funny.
Posted by allStah, Thu Jan-21-21 05:51 PM
2730281, I think you gotta go Pulis.
Posted by Buck, Wed Jan-20-21 10:30 AM
2730254, This is what starting Reece, Rudiger.
Posted by allStah, Tue Jan-19-21 04:10 PM
and Kovacic as a 6 will get you.

The defense is abysmal, totally beyond abysmal.

Offensively, we have had our chances.

Defensively?

Without Mendy, this game would be 4-0.

This is bad, AVB, RDM, third year mourinho bad.
2730259, more embarassing: this game or the GQ piece on Pulisic?
Posted by benny, Tue Jan-19-21 04:43 PM
https://www.gq.com/story/americas-global-soccer-star-christian-pulisic?utm_brand=gq&mbid=social_twitter&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_social-type=owned

2730260, RE: more embarassing: this game or the GQ piece on Pulisic?
Posted by allStah, Tue Jan-19-21 05:51 PM
That’s America for you. They already have him as some sort of global icon, instead of just saying a rising star. They champion stuff before it becomes a champion of anything.

The overhyping is part of what is killing the club.

It is what it is right now.


Fuck it. I’m about to go watch that come from behind CL victory over Munich
2730264, Deuce and Lando wanna talk to whoever wrote that subhed.
Posted by magilla vanilla, Tue Jan-19-21 08:55 PM
Puli’s talented but he has a LONG way to go before he matches either of them for “best player the country’s ever produced.”
2730279, No love for Friedel?
Posted by Buck, Wed Jan-20-21 10:09 AM
From a Villa guy?
2730292, Or Howard from a Jersey native.
Posted by magilla vanilla, Wed Jan-20-21 02:29 PM
The keepers admittedly slipped my mind but Deuce and Donovan are more direct comps
2730290, Baby Reyna might be better right Today. If not very very soon
Posted by calminvasion, Wed Jan-20-21 02:14 PM
2730364, i don't really keep track of whose better/doing better. but...
Posted by PROMO, Thu Jan-21-21 12:03 PM
Weston McKinnie would like a word.

Then you got these young US strikers cracking the back of the net in the Bundesliga.

USMNT might be something in the next few World Cups
2730406, I’m noUSMNT FAN; but Reyna is actually possible on
Posted by calminvasion, Thu Jan-21-21 06:30 PM
World class track. Pulisic isn’t.

Who knows, but at 18 Reyna is special. I think because Holland and Sancho; the guy 2 yrs younger gets under the radar. To me he’s heads and shoulders above other Americans in terms of potential. We’ll see who actually comes out on top in 3-4 years. All my chips in middle with Gio
2730578, the potential is pretty similar to pulisic at that age
Posted by thejerseytornado, Sun Jan-24-21 12:09 PM
but pulisic's had injuries slow his growth down.

dest was looking like an absolutely beast but he's struggled to keep up with the constant game playing and no real RB sub for barca.

regardless of who is best, that gen of US players actually make the USMNT a legitimately talented squad for the 2026. Not sure they'll be experienced enough for 2022.

-----------
you think we playing chess, but i'm playing mad-making. Basaglia
2730261, https://i.imgur.com/9sgvV4O.gif
Posted by magilla vanilla, Tue Jan-19-21 06:44 PM
https://i.imgur.com/9sgvV4O.gif
2730294, Fuck these late offside calls man.
Posted by magilla vanilla, Wed Jan-20-21 02:45 PM
Shoulda been a free kick, not Rodri getting a chance to press from offside. Mings should have done better but he also shouldn’t have been in that position.
2730295, Y’all had some amazing tactics.
Posted by allStah, Wed Jan-20-21 02:52 PM
Parking the bus, rain pour, but the inevitable sat there waiting for you:

- L train express looping around the mid table -

Btw, you’re welcome for Bertrand Traore.
2730350, it's so so dumb
Posted by smutsboy, Thu Jan-21-21 09:59 AM
2730299, Yet Another game we start woefully unprepared and slack
Posted by BrooklynWHAT, Wed Jan-20-21 03:23 PM
What the fuck is actually wrong with these guys
2730301, Pogba playing likeable again you love to see it
Posted by BrooklynWHAT, Wed Jan-20-21 04:41 PM
Seems extra motivated after he got dropped out the team completely a couple weeks ago.
2730302, on his left foot no less, ridiculous
Posted by benny, Wed Jan-20-21 04:45 PM
2730348, I didn't think there was any chance he'd be salvagable at Utd
Posted by smutsboy, Thu Jan-21-21 09:58 AM
I thought OGS was going to run him out of town this season
2730304, Copa del rey? More like copa del segunda b
Posted by thejerseytornado, Wed Jan-20-21 06:30 PM
alcoyano just stunned real madrid in overtime down a man.

cornella faces barca tomorrow after beating atletico last round.

wild

-----------
you think we playing chess, but i'm playing mad-making. Basaglia
2730389, So...what is wrong with Liverpool?
Posted by dillinjah, Thu Jan-21-21 04:56 PM
2730391, just on the downside of the cycle
Posted by BrooklynWHAT, Thu Jan-21-21 05:06 PM
they peaked in that season they lost to City for the title and won the CL. that team was worth every point

last year they prob hit a couple points above their actual performances. actually reminded me a lot of 08/09 United in that it was never as thrilling as you'd thought given the roster, but you look down and well it's 2-1 so can you really complain. but man we really didnt play that good.

add another year of heavy heavy miles from their style + finally starting to really get injuries + covid condensed schedule = struggling Liverpool
time to take a chunk out that team and reconfigure it a bit IMO. they need some freshness. where's that Curtis Jones dude? he was really good whenever i saw him play last month.
2730397, agree with all that
Posted by smutsboy, Thu Jan-21-21 05:19 PM
Jota and Thiago were supposed to be the new wrinkles this year.

This offseason Klopp saw that they needed to improve some things, and he signed two great players, who have both missed most of the season.

Thiago has played 4 full league matches.

Jota had 5 goals in 9 league matches just as the front three went cold but then he got hurt and hasn't played since November.

I'm not sure why Curtis Jones hasn't been playing lately. My guess is we see him again soon.
2730395, brutal injuries, bad form from star players, and bad luck, in that order.
Posted by smutsboy, Thu Jan-21-21 05:12 PM
as said above, it's cyclical. They're just not playing well right now. Add brutal injuries (your best player and his partner) plus bad luck, and that's how you end up in the mix with everyone else rather than running away with the league.

The painful irony of the injuries to Jota and Thiago is that both players were brought in to address two of the biggest issues going into the season (scoring depth and midfield playmaking).

Then both got injured and missed months.

It is still completely within LFC's potential to start winning every match and never lose again this season. But I obviously wouldn't bet on it.
2730392, Last year was a lot more fun than this year.
Posted by smutsboy, Thu Jan-21-21 05:07 PM
This season is bullshit so far.
2730399, MC is still running the league
Posted by allStah, Thu Jan-21-21 05:50 PM

Pep has one of the weakest teams of his tenure, and he is still running
circles around the league. Can’t front, I thought Pep’s long run was finally
coming to an end.

What he is doing with this team is insane. KDB is the best player in the league,
and Pep is manager of the year so far.

Personally, I dislike him because of those Chelsea/Barcelona battles. But I have to acknowledge what he is doing.....especially if it means beating out Liverpool.

Lol Liverpool Lol



2730440, FIFA is not playing around.
Posted by allStah, Fri Jan-22-21 02:05 AM
If any team or player participates in any kind of European Super League, or any competition that is not recognized by FIFA, that team or player would not be allowed to participate in competitions organized by FIFA and its Confederation members. That includes the World Cup and European Championships.

https://www.espn.com/soccer/fifa-world-cup/story/4294461/breakaway-super-league-players-would-be-banned-from-world-cup-fifa

2730450, I wonder which 15 teams would be financed by JP Morgan (link):
Posted by dillinjah, Fri Jan-22-21 09:42 AM
Obviously Real Madrid, Barca, Bayern, Juve, United, Chelsea, City, Liverpool and PSG are locks. Inter too I guess, given their chinese ownership, plus the fact they're mentioned in the below.

After that, Arsenal, Spurs, Dortmund, Atletico sound right, though none of them have bank like the above.

Who's the 15th team? Everton? Maybe, given the oligarch backing. RB Leipzig? I highly doubt it given how much Dortmund and Bayern hate them, though they do have the $.

Milan make the most sense historically, but I don't think they have the money.

https://www.ft.com/content/788d3b68-0a12-437f-bba2-3ab88f452851




Fifa moves to block breakaway ‘super league’ with international player ban

Documents reveal 15 clubs to be offered €350m each to join tournament that aims to replace Europe’s Champions League

Fifa has said that any players involved the new league would not be able to take part in existing international tournaments, such as the World Cup

Fifa has sought to block the launch of a breakaway “super league”, as top clubs including Real Madrid and Manchester United ramp up talks over creating a new competition that would radically alter the finances of the world’s most popular sport.

Football’s global governing body on Thursday said it will refuse to recognise the proposed new league of elite European teams, which would mean any players involved could not take part in existing international tournaments, such as the World Cup, widely considered the pinnacle of the sport.

“Any club or player involved in such a competition would as a consequence not be allowed to participate in any competition organised by Fifa or their respective confederation,” the body said in a statement that was co-signed by the six major football “confederations” — continental bodies that run the sport across the world. 

Fifa, which has previously dismissed the super league project as rumour and speculation, made the announcement following revelations about the progress of JPMorgan-backed proposals for a new European contest featuring 20 top clubs.

The plans centre around launching a league that would include 15 permanent member clubs, with a further five spots available each season to qualifying teams, according to people who have seen documents outlining proposals for the competition. 

The New York Times and The Times of London were first to reveal details from the working documents.

JPMorgan has been assembling a $6bn debt financing package to launch the competition, with founding clubs set to be offered €350m each to join the contest. Matches will be played midweek, in effect replacing Europe’s existing Champions League tournament where €2bn is shared between 32 participating clubs. JPMorgan declined to comment.

The super league is being spearheaded by Florentino Pérez, the president of Spain’s Real Madrid, but has also been discussed by the Glazer family, the owners of England’s Manchester United, and top executives at leading clubs in Spain and Italy, said people familiar with the discussions. Real Madrid and Manchester United did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Weekly newsletter

Scoreboard is the Financial Times’ new must-read weekly briefing on the business of sport, where you’ll find the best analysis of financial issues affecting clubs, franchises, owners, investors and media groups across the global industry. Sign up here.

The globalisation of football has attracted billions of dollars from broadcasters and sponsors, but investors are increasingly seeking a steady return on their investment. Adopting a “closed” model, which removes the threat of relegation, gives elite clubs certainty of their participation and their owners more predictable revenues.

The talks have been accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic, which has led to steep losses at top clubs. Barcelona reported a €100m pre-tax loss last season, hit by a revenue shortfall of €200m, while Manchester United lost £23.2m on a net basis. Inter Milan, which Chinese retail conglomerate Suning, the majority owner, has put up for sale, made a pre-tax loss of €102m last season.

Broadcasters demanded rebates because of the disruption to the 2019/20 season, while in Europe, home to the world’s richest clubs, matches are still being played in empty stadiums amid pandemic restrictions.

Partly in response to the super league talks, Uefa is set to announce sweeping reform of the Champions League in the coming weeks in an effort to secure elite teams’ commitment to the competition. Changes are expected to include an expanded group stage, which will increase ticketing revenues as the number of guaranteed matches each season rises to 10 from six.


2730449, KDB out 4-6 weeks and Vardy out a few weeks too w/ a hernia surgery
Posted by BrooklynWHAT, Fri Jan-22-21 09:38 AM
with those injuries and liverpool looking rough, i'm starting to think we HAVE to win the league now
2730455, you're the only team I don't want to win it this year
Posted by smutsboy, Fri Jan-22-21 10:08 AM
:(

lol
2730462, weird sub of puig at halftime, but also saw some flaws exposed
Posted by thejerseytornado, Fri Jan-22-21 11:19 AM
because it was a small copa del rey match, could hear players and coaches yelling and they kept having to yell at him to get into the right position on defense.

worst half i've seen from him. still deserves more time and not fair to judge someone with such sporadic playing time, but the stupid yellow + the defensive positioning...I can see why a manager would be frustrated. it's one thing when a young winger is a little slack on defense (cough dembele cough), it's another when its a midfielder.
-----------
you think we playing chess, but i'm playing mad-making. Basaglia
2730480, y'all ready for all-Peacock, all the time?
Posted by benny, Fri Jan-22-21 02:49 PM
https://twitter.com/Ourand_SBJ/status/1352700248800579588
2730482, 🤬
Posted by dillinjah, Fri Jan-22-21 03:01 PM
2730495, not great, but better than having to pay for both NBCS and Peacock
Posted by smutsboy, Fri Jan-22-21 06:18 PM
The sooner I can ditch cable or a tv service, the better.
2730542, this why i just stayed on the pirate ship.
Posted by BrooklynWHAT, Sat Jan-23-21 04:36 PM
2730539, Goal + assist.
Posted by allStah, Sat Jan-23-21 04:16 PM
Have you prostrated yet to the lord of the dribble?

Have you paid your tithes? Los Blancos!

Give your first born to the Belgium Swivel God.

* please stay healthy..pleaseeeeee*


2730543, Damn Bettoni might be better.
Posted by allStah, Sat Jan-23-21 04:57 PM
Real Madrid looked good as hell, and Hazard was able to really run.

Hmmmm...
2730548, Is there a sadder sight than a Steve Bruce side playing out the string?
Posted by magilla vanilla, Sat Jan-23-21 09:00 PM
Jesus. Villa just got to enjoy passing practice for the entire second half. Not even Dwight Gayle, who ALWAYS scores against us, could be bothered.

Thanks for helping us with our fixture congestion, Geordies!
2730574, Odegaard loaned to Arsenal.
Posted by dillinjah, Sun Jan-24-21 11:07 AM
https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1353371277608833025?s=20

This will definitely help in the chase for a Europa League spot (seriously)
2730577, Please do not let Rique be the next player poached from Barça
Posted by vik, Sun Jan-24-21 12:04 PM
Get him more ticks on the clock.
2730579, he refuses to leave and koeman's gone this summer
Posted by thejerseytornado, Sun Jan-24-21 12:13 PM
if he weren't a barca lifer, he'd be gone gone gone and it'd be watching thiago blossom over again. thank god he's obsessed with the club.

i do worry about whether or not he and pedri can play together on the pitch, just because both want to go forward so much and pedri's style doesn't really lend itself to staying back and puig simply can't contain his enthusiasm to stay back. Ideally puig would learn to stay back a little more. but that'd be a good problem to have
-----------
you think we playing chess, but i'm playing mad-making. Basaglia
2730584, Hey, Random, come get your mans
Posted by allStah, Sun Jan-24-21 02:04 PM
Missed a PK.

As much as I loved Michael Ballack and Schrulle, i’m not
really big on German players. They play better as a unit,
as opposed to individual pieces. Great for the National Team,
but somewhat overrated on the club level.


It’s like I told you at the beginning of the season, expensive buys
never work out at Chelsea. Buying low and selling high that was
our protocol.

But since Michael Emanelo is no longer there , we have been doing
these silly, high ass purchases. Marina is the director, and we have yet to
win the PL under her. Why? She doesn’t know what she is doing.
2730826, Chelsea gonna Chelsea.
Posted by magilla vanilla, Mon Jan-25-21 07:38 AM
I don’t think Tuchel lasts through next season before he talks himself out of the job like he always does.
2730827, Lampard out Tuchel in
Posted by BrooklynWHAT, Mon Jan-25-21 07:45 AM
Maybe Tuchel has improved his people skills. That’s always been his problem
2730829, RE: Lampard out Tuchel in
Posted by benny, Mon Jan-25-21 07:56 AM
>Maybe Tuchel has improved his people skills. That’s always
>been his problem

nah he started great at PSG on that end and I think he really did learn from his Dortmund days. The real issue is he never could establish his tactics in a clear way, and worse of all, was terrible at in-game adjustments. Perhaps Chelsea will work out better for him since he won't have a Neymar/Mbappe situation with players that are essentially bigger than the club, and hopefully he can get the German young guns back to their ways, but it's not a cinch for sure
2730833, Is Chelsea's squad really that good?
Posted by Buck, Mon Jan-25-21 08:15 AM
Suppose we'll find out.
2730834, they’re all chest no legs IRL
Posted by BrooklynWHAT, Mon Jan-25-21 08:31 AM
in fifa I bet they are incredible 😂
2730879, who knows
Posted by RandomFact, Mon Jan-25-21 02:15 PM
nearly everyone on the roster has regressed this season. there is zero fluidity going forward. and the team as a whole just lacks confidence.

*some* of that has to be on the manager. just not sure how much of the blame really falls on frank. i guess we'll find out.
2730886, Yeah, and not much on the squad really scares anyone, I don't think.
Posted by Buck, Mon Jan-25-21 04:00 PM
Azpilcueta's getting old, Chilwell seems like one of those guys who was great on a smaller club, maybe a bit out of his depth now. Silva and Giroud are old men. Young guys should turn into something, but need more time.

I don't know. Just kinda seems like a B-grade roster.
2730904, thing is, aside from ziyech, the perceived "core" are all under 25.
Posted by RandomFact, Mon Jan-25-21 09:40 PM
this team wasn't getting past city or liverpool (and now utd apparently) for a season or two anyway.

overall chelsea is just in a really weird place right now and it's impossible to predict what's going to happen because at this point its all based on potential.
2730842, People in here speaking on Chelsea business , and don’t know squat
Posted by allStah, Mon Jan-25-21 09:04 AM
about Chelsea. I don’t speak on the dealings of clubs unless in retort. Worry about
your own wack ass clubs.

Anyway, a shock of a sacking. The fact he wasn’t immediately fired after the
LC game, and was allowed to coach against Luton, led many to believe
he would get another chance against the upcoming Wolves match. Don’t get
me wrong, I knew the sacking was on the table. But I was still open, considering there is no way we are going to get top 4, and that part of the problem was the board buying the wrong players.

He will be okay, and settle somewhere where he will be allowed to grow.
He just lacks some serious managerial experience. Defense and strategy
are his biggest weaknesses.

Tuchel ain’t the answer, but the board is trying to save face for the weak play
of its young German players. So they want to bring in a German coach to
mitigate the matter.....Z Germans have never been able to conquer England.
Never will.

All of it stinks, and the person who really needs to be fired is Marina .. Her buys
have been shit. Also Fock Marina for that wack ass sponsorship we have.


I’ve been through this many times, and this to shall pass, and there will be trophies.



2730852, Frank got hired for a different job
Posted by magilla vanilla, Mon Jan-25-21 10:31 AM
They didn’t know the transfer ban would be lifted early, so they thought they could bring in a club legend to babysit and drop expectations while they couldn’t afford to buy players.

But you’re acting like expensive flops haven’t been part of the Chelsea DNA since Roman took over. Shevchenko. Torres. Mutu. Quaresma. SWP. Kezman. Zhirkov. They been doing this whether it was Marina Granovskaia or Peter Kenyon in charge.
2730864, No shit, Sherlock.
Posted by allStah, Mon Jan-25-21 12:22 PM
This is why I have stated several times that big buys don’t work
at Chelsea, which is why our bad big buys have been far apart.

There was about a 7 year difference between ‘chenko being purchased
and Torres being purchased. And Torres’ goal to send us to the champions league
final made up for his price, and Torres was still able to score in games. After that, Morata was the other terrible purchase, which happened about 6-7 years after Torres was purchased. But that was an emergency buy because Costa and Conte stopped getting along, and Conte had him shipped out. So we needed a striker ASAP.

The Kepa buy, the most expensive GK buy in history, is sorta forgivable as well, because that was an emergency buy. Courtois wanted to go play for Madrid to be
closer to his family.

However, even with those shit buys, we still won the PL, won CL, finished no lower
than 4th, won FAs and Europas.

But the recent buys and the spending of those buys are unprecedented. We have never spent 300 million in one freaking window or all at once. We have purchased
several players during a window, but they weren’t expensive. This board went on a
dumb, expensive spending spree.

As far as the transfer ban, that doesn’t have shit to do with it. Frank was already the
coach, and he already had a list of the players that he wanted. The Board went in another direction, and Frank and Marina clashed on a lot of buys. The board purchased
Havertz. Frank didn’t want him. The main players he wanted were Chilwell, Aubamayang, and Declan Rice. He really wanted Rice, but the board felt his price was too high (lol). Frank is English, so he wanted mostly English players. ...So there was a lot of tension between Frank and Marina. It was the same reason Conte wanted out, clashing with Marina....Sarri as well.

Also, Frank didn’t even start Havertz against a third tier team this past weekend, so that
probably made things even worse.

Look, man , ever since Michael Emenalo left, the direction of Chelsea has been bad, especially with the purchases. And I’m talking before the ban. Our purchases and player development used to be excellent ( even though we didn’t keep some of the talent).

This is sorta similar to Ancelotti getting fired because he wouldn’t play Torres, who he didn’t want. But our team was stacked , and they had won the PL the previous year, so it wasn’t a huge deal.

Frank was terminated for not getting the best out of those weak, expensive Germans, which is why they are bringing in a German to try to get them going. It’s another Marina
panic move. She sucks.









2730867, ....
Posted by allStah, Mon Jan-25-21 12:57 PM
“Lampard was keen to maintain the English core to his team that had brought him success during his first season in charge, but only Ben Chilwell arrived of the homegrown players he suggested be signed.

West Ham midfielder Declan Rice, Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho and Brighton defender Ben White were all deemed too expensive by the club's decision-makers, with the club instead keen to take advantage of the release clauses in Werner and Hakim Ziyech's contracts to bring them in from RB Leipzig and Ajax, respectively,

Havertz, meanwhile, was regarded as a generational talent who had outgrown Bayer Leverkusen by the club's European scouts, while the decision to sign Thiago Silva on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain was a last-minute call as the Blues took advantage of their continental contacts.

Despite the new players not being on Lampard's original wishlist, there is no doubt that he still had one of the more talented groups of players in Europe and he certainly bought into integrating them into his team.“


Now do you understand how the board focked
up? Marina is good at striking financial deals,
and business affairs, but she knows shit about football.
Michael Emenalo didn’t operate that way.
2730868, your anti-German shtick is kinda weird. Michael Ballack ring a bell?
Posted by benny, Mon Jan-25-21 01:02 PM
>Z Germans have never been able to
>conquer England.
>Never will.

Also lol at you claiming to be the lone voice that can talk about Chelsea on here, when you consistently post weird shit (Chelsea fans are also Real fans is a recent one) that I've never heard any actual Chelsea supporters say in any form. You can be any fan you want, even online from far away is a-OK but the way you rep is just funny to me who's actually been to the Bridge and knows ppl who support the Blues
2730870, any time someone makes sweeping stereotypes
Posted by smutsboy, Mon Jan-25-21 01:21 PM
it's usually good indicator that you are hearing absolute garbage. Those comments are no different.

After all, no team will ever win the Stanley Cup with a european as captain

oops I mean no team will ever win the Stanley Cup with a russian as captain

oops I mean no nfl team with a black qb will ever win the super bowl

oops I mean no nfl team with a rushing qb will ever win the super bowl

oops I m...
2730881, Next time read before you post
Posted by allStah, Mon Jan-25-21 02:41 PM
Post 99

“As much as I loved Michael Ballack and Schrulle, i’m not
really big on German players. They play better as a unit,
as opposed to individual pieces. Great for the National Team,
but somewhat overrated on the club level. “

So ,yeah, I heard of him Smh


Also there is a whole facebook page dedicated to Chelsea and Real Madrid fans
that has been in existence for 15 years. That’s your problem if you don’t know about it.

Lastly, but not least, no one cares what you see as strange.
2730939, fine, stick to your narrative
Posted by benny, Tue Jan-26-21 10:47 AM
just please lay off the "Ze Germans can never cut it" BS because it just reads as tabloidy xenophobia-light and brings literally nothing to the table as far as to why these particular players, who by all accounts were fantastic up to this season, haven't succeeded at Chelsea. I actually enjoy reading your posts on Chelsea when you talk about the play, I can't watch as many games as I used to so it's been interesting to see the ups-and-downs happening this season, even if too much of the discussion has purely honed in on Lampard's acumen

As far as the Facebook Chelsea/RM page, L O L. Your average Chelsea fan gives 0000 fucks about other teams, much less one in a foreign league. And they don't care about Villa either, while we're at it
(I'm sure you'll come back with a Tik-Tok page of anti-Villa memes, can't wait)
2730949, Man, Europeans and Latin Americans have been dissing
Posted by allStah, Tue Jan-26-21 02:24 PM
American players for years, saying we weren’t and aren’t good. I just think
German players are overrated due to their price tags. Outside of the National Team
they are just decent to me. They are not terrible on the club level, just not as spectacular.

Podolski
Klose

Beast as hell on the national level...club level? Come on, man. I’m not making this
Up.

We’re good though. You provide all the Ligue 1 stuff, even though you root
for PSG . That club was founded a decade before the 80s...lol

And Fock Villa! Magilla started that shit. That’s why I ride them. And he is never going
to lay off. I tried to make peace by sending him a Chelsea jersey....lol....but I guess he likes to wear nursery kits.



2730954, did you really send him a Chelsea shirt? hilarious
Posted by benny, Tue Jan-26-21 03:51 PM
I disagree with your take on German players (you don't think Kroos has been great for RM??), but I fully respect what you're saying as far as the Mannschaft v club level. And I'm interested in what you'll think about Tuchel, who started really well at PSG but completely unravelled after the humiliating loss v Man U. The CL final was a weird aside but otherwise he had been in dgaf mode for a while
2730961, Nah I offered to send him one. I didn’t actually send him one.
Posted by allStah, Tue Jan-26-21 05:11 PM
I would have sent him a replica...one of those 30.00 joints.

I don’t know anything about him, the new coach that is. I don’t front on that.
I just know management is in a bad place right now with football decisions. Roman
is taking a lot of advice from Marina, well that’s the rumor.

The crazy thing is I believe they planned this when PSG let him go. We fire coaches all the time, but never has a coach been brought in and immediately given a 18 month contract. This was an immediate permanent hire.....So Frank was a goner weeks ago, and Chelsea was just working out stipulations in the contract. It’s basically a 2 year contract.

As much as I hated Frank’s lineups and formations, and after reading what was going on behind closed doors, the firing was premature. Look at arsenal. They were a few points out of the regulation zone a month ago, and now they are back in the top ten. And Frank did really well last year, and Chelsea was flying high earlier in the season.

Rumor has it that the German (lol)!players were complaining and requested that he be fired, and that he was favoring the English players over them.

Rudiger, Werner, and Havertz will be starting here on out....watch....and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see less of Mount and Odoi. It also means they are going to go after
Haaland, more than likely.

we had a team full of Brazilians ( Luiz, Ramires, Oscar, Costa)

Then we had a team full of Spaniards ( Alonso, Pedro, Fabregas , AZP)

Now it’s the the Germans!!


Prepare for some laughs...this comical season is not over.
2730878, Odegaard to Arsenal, intriguing move
Posted by benny, Mon Jan-25-21 01:54 PM
hope he recaptures his form from last season, things were really looking up for him before RM called him back
2730880, arsenal's new relationship with real is unexpected
Posted by thejerseytornado, Mon Jan-25-21 02:18 PM
Odegaard and Ceballos both at arsenal to reclaim their status as legit prospects after failing to impress at real madrid.

-----------
you think we playing chess, but i'm playing mad-making. Basaglia
2730883, Just Madrid doing business with the PL
Posted by allStah, Mon Jan-25-21 03:34 PM
to loan and buy players.

Modric + bale Spurs

Tons of business with Chelsea

Now doing business with arsenal

Beckham(MU) and Macca ( Liverpool)


However, the loan shouldn’t even be happening. He should be on
his second spell with Real Sociedad. But Madrid ended the loan
spell over the summer because he helped them get to 6th place. Lol

But Modric, Casimero, and Kroos are auto starts, and CAM is a weak situation
at the club. Kid couldn’t even get time against weak teams.
2730900, I also forgot to mention the greatest player of all time
Posted by allStah, Mon Jan-25-21 09:07 PM
Ronaldo.

Crazy. Real Madrid built its dynasty off PL players.

And Hazard has yet to be determined.

2730901, Ceballos ship has sailed with madrid. His destiny is a mid table la liga team
Posted by dillinjah, Mon Jan-25-21 09:14 PM
Which is nothing to be sniffed at, mind you.

>Odegaard and Ceballos both at arsenal to reclaim their status
>as legit prospects after failing to impress at real madrid.

I'm hopeful Odegaard will succeed, but not too much if that makes sense, considering there's no option to buy.
2730953, the City death star is fully activated
Posted by benny, Tue Jan-26-21 03:45 PM
sigh
2730962, And no KDB!
Posted by allStah, Tue Jan-26-21 05:19 PM
It’s crazy. Gundogan has turned into a beast.

2730966, yeahhhhhhh
Posted by smutsboy, Tue Jan-26-21 06:38 PM
2730957, Villa cornering the market on streaky Ligue 1 players
Posted by benny, Tue Jan-26-21 04:19 PM
2730990, I was just about to ask you
Posted by magilla vanilla, Tue Jan-26-21 11:05 PM
What are we getting here? I’ve seen some reporting that he’s somewhere between McGinn and Barkley in terms of style. His tackling statistics seem really encouraging, especially if he’s going to be playing further forward (adding to our intense pressing).
2730994, he's not the most gifted from what I've seen but has a decent work rate
Posted by benny, Wed Jan-27-21 11:12 AM
likes to play high up the pitch and go in for the tackle, was never a standout at OM but he could potentially thrive in the organized confusion that Bielsa likes to play
2731000, uhhh no idea why I typed Bielsa
Posted by benny, Wed Jan-27-21 01:08 PM
that's what I get for posting while looking at my terrible fantasy team
2730975, Bukayo Saka-breaker: all monthly fubol posts will bare his name
Posted by calminvasion, Tue Jan-26-21 07:52 PM
In Perpetuity.

Man, how can you not love this kid
2730999, his goal was great but especially the tiny boost at the end
Posted by benny, Wed Jan-27-21 12:55 PM
his last touch takes him away from the goal so perhaps makes the defender relax for an extra half-second and before he knows it Saka has scored on the far post
2731057, I liked the 1st time one touch assist to laca even more
Posted by calminvasion, Thu Jan-28-21 12:12 AM
Cedric’s pass was fantastic, but the only was that a goal happens is 1st timing that cross field pass; most players Flubb that.

19, special
2731001, Fock NBC
Posted by allStah, Wed Jan-27-21 01:20 PM
Game isn’t ok regular nbc or NBC SPN. And I’m not streaming shit.

I’m doing too much networking and platform stuff as it is. Tired of streaming.


May the German era begin.
2731002, I'll fill you in. Got a stream going.
Posted by Buck, Wed Jan-27-21 01:32 PM
Chelsea's body language is all wrong. They look disheartened, like the manager change just took the wind out of them. No hustle, hands on hips, the whole thing. It's lucky Wolves don't seem to be very sharp today, because no way Chelsea are gonna have the heart to deal with the counter.
2731005, Well, it's pretty obvious Tuchel's not the guy.
Posted by Buck, Wed Jan-27-21 02:43 PM
Club's too big for him. Game's moving too fast. Shame, really. So much potential gonna go to waste. Probably have to start calling this Chelsea's "lost generation."
2731006, is this parody?
Posted by benny, Wed Jan-27-21 02:59 PM
2731008, Cmon, man.
Posted by Buck, Wed Jan-27-21 03:14 PM
2731010, Yo. I looked at the app.
Posted by allStah, Wed Jan-27-21 03:25 PM
And it said that Pulisic was a sub for Chilwell. Did they switch to
A 3-4-3 or did he really play FB?

Comical that Mount, Pulisic and Tammy didnt start

But Havertz immediately started....lol

This shit is mad funny.
2731011, No, he was up on the wing.
Posted by Buck, Wed Jan-27-21 03:29 PM
He and Mount looked good when they came on, and yeah, they should have started. Game entirely changed with them on.

Chelsea made 10,000 passes up to that point, but just had no teeth up front. Think Giroud had a chance or two, but that's about it. Boring, mostly.
2731013, So they played a 3-4-3
Posted by allStah, Wed Jan-27-21 03:36 PM
And Pulisic played at WB?

A defender was subbed off...so what was the formation?

Had to be 3 in the back, unless a mid dropped back and they
went 4-4-2.

I need to know these things. Lol


2731017, I wasn't paying enough attention, man.
Posted by Buck, Wed Jan-27-21 03:47 PM
And plus, at that point in the match, all the action was in Wolves's third. I have no idea what was happening in the Chelsea defense.
2731018, Cool. Thanks.
Posted by allStah, Wed Jan-27-21 03:49 PM
Sounds like I didn’t miss anything.

Good updates. Thanks again.
2731007, damn are chelski not gonna get the new manager bounce
Posted by BrooklynWHAT, Wed Jan-27-21 03:10 PM
2731009, I bet you eat SlimJims while walking around in your Chevy kit.
Posted by allStah, Wed Jan-27-21 03:23 PM
2731012, Man Burnley are fuckin annoying.
Posted by magilla vanilla, Wed Jan-27-21 03:33 PM
Wasteful first half just to let them get 3 in the second. Gotta take the chances against Southampton.
2731014, welcome
Posted by smutsboy, Wed Jan-27-21 03:41 PM
2731020, *grabs a fucking warm fresca off the table and sits down, mumbling*
Posted by magilla vanilla, Wed Jan-27-21 03:58 PM
2731015, ykw can they just put 1-0 up on the board for our games at the start
Posted by BrooklynWHAT, Wed Jan-27-21 03:44 PM
seems to be the only thing that turns us up
2731023, get tf in Slabhead
Posted by BrooklynWHAT, Wed Jan-27-21 04:39 PM
2731024, can we just play all of our games on the road from now on
Posted by BrooklynWHAT, Wed Jan-27-21 04:55 PM
2731063, i mean, on their 2nd goal we were basically...
Posted by PROMO, Thu Jan-28-21 01:52 AM
just passing back to them giving them more chances. it was inevitable.
2731077, actual children would've dealt with that situation better.
Posted by BrooklynWHAT, Thu Jan-28-21 10:13 AM
2731083, facts. just proof of the lackadaisical attitude we played with.
Posted by PROMO, Thu Jan-28-21 12:29 PM
like, bottom of the table? they can't hurt us.
2731021, Hames with a right footed scorcher
Posted by smutsboy, Wed Jan-27-21 04:22 PM
2731088, Fabinho out. Matip and Hendo at CB
Posted by smutsboy, Thu Jan-28-21 02:10 PM
still no Curtis Jones in the XI.

Milner looked good vs Utd but I still never like when both Milner and Gini start. Usually makes for a pretty non threatening midfield.

But this whole season Klopp has had to pick much more conservative teams defensively.

YNWA
2731089, #FreeCurtis
Posted by BrooklynWHAT, Thu Jan-28-21 02:17 PM
actually what am i saying he won't really get a look in the england setup even if he did get regular minutes. but man they could use him in that midfield BAD.
2731092, Spurs playing a 8-0-2, very bold
Posted by benny, Thu Jan-28-21 03:32 PM
2731096, lol
Posted by smutsboy, Thu Jan-28-21 05:02 PM
2731094, This match is damned entertaining.
Posted by Buck, Thu Jan-28-21 04:24 PM
Hope Kane's okay.

VAR still sucks.
2731095, Bale sighting!
Posted by Buck, Thu Jan-28-21 04:42 PM
Forgot he existed.
2731178, no Saka, Tierney or Auba v United today. this'll be ugly offensively
Posted by dillinjah, Sat Jan-30-21 12:14 PM
best case scenario for Arsenal is a draw.
2731179, 🙁 protect Saka at all costs. That’s our three best player
Posted by calminvasion, Sat Jan-30-21 12:20 PM
Was actually looking forward to today.

Just based on this season Auba slides, but the other two are far and above anyone else in terms of form.

Hopefully ode gets 25 min to get going
2731180, Yeah, def looking forward to that kid from Real coming on
Posted by dillinjah, Sat Jan-30-21 12:26 PM

>Hopefully ode gets 25 min to get going

Hopefully it's not with arsenal being more than a goal down.
2731181, eh if nothing else yall always play harder than us
Posted by BrooklynWHAT, Sat Jan-30-21 12:47 PM
that gives yall the advantage.
2731186, honestly feels like were a man down since martial came in
Posted by BrooklynWHAT, Sat Jan-30-21 01:53 PM
he really needs to be dropped from the squad altogether for a few weeks
2731188, meanwhile I'm thankful for Cavani today.
Posted by dillinjah, Sat Jan-30-21 02:26 PM
two bad misses, especially the 1st one
2731207, Marginal offside worked in our favor today!
Posted by magilla vanilla, Sat Jan-30-21 08:16 PM
But yeah, they need to seriously look at the interpretation of offside in the offseason and make it a common-sense law
2731250, 'clear and obvious mistake'
Posted by smutsboy, Sun Jan-31-21 11:13 AM
if the VAR ref has to break out a pixel by pixel comparison based on fake ass CAD 3d rendering, then it wasn't 'clear and obvious'

tie goes to the offensive player. keep it moving.

also in cases of obvious offsides, the linesman needs to raise his flag immediately.
2731240, I will take the win.
Posted by allStah, Sun Jan-31-21 09:08 AM
It was good to see Alonso back in action, and he scored.

Well, we have a German manager now. Werner still hasn’t scored.
Havertz is still Havertz. I know it’s too early to expect anything.
But that’s the reality of it.

Odoi and Pulisic both got an assist. I believe those two need be on the
pitch at all times.
2731247, Glad to see Odoi, especially, step up to save Tuchel's job.
Posted by Buck, Sun Jan-31-21 10:27 AM
2731255, You got jokes.
Posted by allStah, Sun Jan-31-21 11:48 AM
It is what is.

Well, at least he seems to have a positive spirit.
2731259, They looked good.
Posted by Buck, Sun Jan-31-21 12:25 PM
All jokes aside. Felt like better striker play would have helped. Werner still looked way out of sync.
2731260, Alonso’s goal is why Lampard got torched.
Posted by allStah, Sun Jan-31-21 12:51 PM
He refused to play Alonso, which made no sense.

He could possibly be the best offensive player on the team.

I still can’t give a true assessment yet. More games are needed. But I do like
his personality.




2731268, When CHO and CP are on the field it opens up a lot for everyone else
Posted by RandomFact, Sun Jan-31-21 04:47 PM
>Odoi and Pulisic both got an assist. I believe those two need
>be on the
>pitch at all times.

The second half was beautiful to watch.

It makes too much sense to have both of our most direct and creative players on the field together now that the defense seems to be sorted. Not sure where that leaves Ziyech. But it does seem like Tuchel is truly going to rotate based on the opponent which is fair considering there isn’t an undisputed week in and week out starter aside from Silva.
2731273, Tuchel gave a pretty sound interview in regards to
Posted by allStah, Sun Jan-31-21 06:23 PM
his lineup.

1. He is giving every player an opportunity to show his ability.

2. He knows that Alonso’s best position is at WB, so he fits his
3-4-3.

3. He wants to use Odoi similar to the way Conte used Victor Moses

4. Ziyech was rested based on medical recommendation. His history has shown
that he enters an injury zone if he plays 4-5 games straight.

His interview was quite impressive...very impressive. He is eloquent and very
Informative when he speaks. There will be no mysteries with this guy.

I do like his personality. It’s very straight forward. I think he studied a lot of what
Conte did when he won the PL with Chelsea, and will play 2 sixes with 3 in the back to
to keep all 1/3rds of the pitch connected.


Here is the interview

https://youtu.be/n06hD-E--x4


2731261, Pretty.
Posted by Buck, Sun Jan-31-21 01:02 PM
https://twitter.com/EricNjiiru/status/1355938941950717960?s=09
2731262, best counter attack I'll ever see in my life.
Posted by smutsboy, Sun Jan-31-21 01:31 PM
absolute perfection.

4 touches from their 18 to the back of their net.
2731266, Shaquiri's ball was outrageous.
Posted by Buck, Sun Jan-31-21 02:52 PM
And Salah's first touch was otherworldly.

Good to see LFC get that flair back. Don't want MCFC to run away with it.
2731270, for a second there in November I thought the Mediocre One wasn't washed
Posted by smutsboy, Sun Jan-31-21 05:08 PM
he almost had me.
2731298, Deadline day
Posted by smutsboy, Mon Feb-01-21 09:49 AM
no big moves but it looks like LFC should be bringing in two centerbacks. Hopefully Kabak gets finalized.
2731303, They gotta get Henderson out of the back.
Posted by Buck, Mon Feb-01-21 11:09 AM
Bless him for his versatility, but he's wasted back there.
2731304, Yup. I think the board finally saw that.
Posted by smutsboy, Mon Feb-01-21 11:27 AM
Not gonna keep pace with City or have a chance in CL with both Hendo and Fabinho back there and not in midfield.
2731352, United cotdamn
Posted by smutsboy, Tue Feb-02-21 03:58 PM
lol
2731355, red 90 secs in, rest of this was a formality
Posted by BrooklynWHAT, Tue Feb-02-21 04:46 PM
this makes up for the Tottenham game at least
2731356, So then next season Southampton are getting European football?
Posted by magilla vanilla, Tue Feb-02-21 05:29 PM
The Leicester 9-0 was a catalyst for them to solidify. God only knows how they’ll respond to this one.
2731390, #JLingz found his level
Posted by BrooklynWHAT, Wed Feb-03-21 05:14 PM
I pray Woodward does not take his performances to mean anything other than a larger sale in the summer