football anyone? as in soccer...

[Owen]

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Good to see Man Utd have some success after a very poor last season. Ten Hag, Martinez, Casimero and in form Rashford have completely changed things up for them. With the departure of Ronaldo, things seem to be going from strength to strength for them.

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Benching Maguire getting rid of toxic dudes from the dressing room really have seemed to help too. Haven't really seen them play this year, but Weghorst seems to work as striker.
Unfortunately they will only get better once they get to sign a big name striker of Ten Haag's choosing.
My money is on Kane atm, change to actually win something and gets to break Shearer's record.

I haven't really warmed to Weghorst yet. Maybe he is still getting warmed up himself but he looks very awkward clip cloppinng around. He's slow and doesn't have much impact on games (despite getting an assist in the Carabao Cup final). Hopefully for his sake, his play improve.

[whale]

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Good to see Man Utd have some success after a very poor last season. Ten Hag, Martinez, Casimero and in form Rashford have completely changed things up for them. With the departure of Ronaldo, things seem to be going from strength to strength for them.

[close]

Benching Maguire getting rid of toxic dudes from the dressing room really have seemed to help too. Haven't really seen them play this year, but Weghorst seems to work as striker.
Unfortunately they will only get better once they get to sign a big name striker of Ten Haag's choosing.
My money is on Kane atm, change to actually win something and gets to break Shearer's record.

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I haven't really warmed to Weghorst yet. Maybe he is still getting warmed up himself but he looks very awkward clip cloppinng around. He's slow and doesn't have much impact on games (despite getting an assist in the Carabao Cup final). Hopefully for his sake, his play improve.

Oh ok, just thought since the results have been good, he's been doing good but I don't really watch ManU matches so what do I know?

[fredgallSOTY]

Osimhen Rashford partnership is gonna take over the world

[Dad_Brains]

Always try to watch Women's WC games, especially the Canadian matches - but their lead up has been a shambles due to a sponsorship scandal here where a company somehow (negotiations and books private) won the rights to both the Men's & Women's team (both who made WC) for over a decade - but at a flat rate paid out. So even though sponsorship went through the roof with the Women winning the Olympics and the guys making the WC - the money is going towards a domestic league who's numbers are tanking and the rest is a mystery.

Don't know too much about the A-League except for the background of players like Aaron Mooy and Rogic.

I got tickets to the womens World Cup this year. Gonna be a good few games with the Dutch vs USA hopefully being a banger.

Try being a Wellington phoenix supporter in the A league. We sign some random players from far off places who turn out real good and immediately move to Sydney at the end of the season. Hard to be consistent with the team Changing every year

[Mean salto]

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Always try to watch Women's WC games, especially the Canadian matches - but their lead up has been a shambles due to a sponsorship scandal here where a company somehow (negotiations and books private) won the rights to both the Men's & Women's team (both who made WC) for over a decade - but at a flat rate paid out. So even though sponsorship went through the roof with the Women winning the Olympics and the guys making the WC - the money is going towards a domestic league who's numbers are tanking and the rest is a mystery.

Don't know too much about the A-League except for the background of players like Aaron Mooy and Rogic.

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I got tickets to the womens World Cup this year. Gonna be a good few games with the Dutch vs USA hopefully being a banger.

Try being a Wellington phoenix supporter in the A league. We sign some random players from far off places who turn out real good and immediately move to Sydney at the end of the season. Hard to be consistent with the team Changing every year

Fukn jealous. There's the tiniest tiniest chance I'll get to go but it's only if like a dozen different scenarios happen. I'm actually a little nervous about the whole thing as far as going well. I'm sure it will be fine but I know some people who went to the recent cup of nations and they were saying it def lowered their confidence. Still it's a whole different thing I guess

[Síota]

The last woman's world cup was here in France, it was epic, we (about 5 mates) went to all the match's that where held in Grenoble. The Nigerian supporters were great craic. All the matches were almost a full house. I highly recommend going to as many as you can.

Speaking of Grenoble, it OL vs Grenoble tonight in the French cup 1/4 final. So gutted I couldn't go to Lyon for it.

[Atiba Applebum]

Since 17/18 - Salah has more yellow cards for taking his shirt off celebrating against Man U (2) than Man U has scored goals at Anfield (1)

Chuffed Firmino got a goal.   Loved him as a player (not all just about G/A), brain says not to re-sign him, heart wanted to keep him, glad he made the decision for us

[nonickname]

Since 17/18 - Salah has more yellow cards for taking his shirt off celebrating against Man U (2) than Man U has scored goals at Anfield (1)

Chuffed Firmino got a goal.   Loved him as a player (not all just about G/A), brain says not to re-sign him, heart wanted to keep him, glad he made the decision for us

Was at my son's indoor footy game this morning and got home at half time (1-0) and thought "good, a tight game to watch for the 2nd half"...then watched a 45 min beat down. I'm not a fan of ManUtd nor Real Madrid but it got me thinking how Casimero must feel coming from a team where every week/competition you know your squad is up for it...now week to week he's not sure what squad/effort is going to be along side him. Case in point Bruno F got skinned late in the match and just stopped...didn't track back. Just stopped. Disgraceful.

That Salah shirt vs goals Stat is redonkulous.

[Atiba Applebum]

I agree with Casemiro, but also, I don’t watch a ton of La Liga, but couldn’t it be argued RM was in a league where they could afford to have off/uninterested days?

EPL is really shaping up to have a wild couple of seasons on the horizon with the competition this tight and presumably teams only getting stronger and Chelsea living up to their wage bill.     

Newcastle/Man U/Man City/Liverpool/Chelsea/Arsenal/Tottenham not to mention there’s always an overachieving side or two like Brighton and Fulham this season.     You’d almost see the Super League gaining traction bc there’s not enough CL spots available

[nonickname]

I agree with Casemiro, but also, I don’t watch a ton of La Liga, but couldn’t it be argued RM was in a league where they could afford to have off/uninterested days?

EPL is really shaping up to have a wild couple of seasons on the horizon with the competition this tight and presumably teams only getting stronger and Chelsea living up to their wage bill.     

Newcastle/Man U/Man City/Liverpool/Chelsea/Arsenal/Tottenham not to mention there’s always an overachieving side or two like Brighton and Fulham this season.     You’d almost see the Super League gaining traction bc there’s not enough CL spots available

I agree that RM could sleepwalk through some matches, but I can't believe that if in a match against, let's say Barca or Atletico, whomever was wearing the armband got skinned they'd just stop. That was more my point (but probably not constructed all that well) - that a ManUtd captain playing at Anfield basically gave up. That...and his little petulant push of the linesman? That's just not on.

Anyways my next job is trying to calm my West Ham buddy down (he's an ex season ticket holder at Upton) as he's losing his proverbial mind watching them sludge to losses every week.

[Dad_Brains]

Since 17/18 - Salah has more yellow cards for taking his shirt off celebrating against Man U (2) than Man U has scored goals at Anfield (1)

Chuffed Firmino got a goal.   Loved him as a player (not all just about G/A), brain says not to re-sign him, heart wanted to keep him, glad he made the decision for us

Such a glorious thing to watch. Bobby just looks like he has fun whenever he plays and that footwork of mo is still ridiculous. He looks like he could play at that level for a good few years so it’ll be interesting to see when he starts making noises about moving on

[Síota]

Drinking a shot for every goal was a dumb idea.

My fantasy team sucked so bad this week...

[nonickname]

Well I'm going to show my ignorance here...and this is coming from an older guy who has played a long time and done some low level (kids) coaching but I never knew all the possibilities for the encroaching rule on a Pk. I knew that if the attacking team encroached and the kick was saved/missed then it was an indirect free kick...but didn't know that if both teams did then no matter the result it was re-taken. I thought that since Chelsea went in first, with the Dortman guys following, it was considered attacking encroachment (and yes I went to the Fifa/Fa rulebook to confirm)

Now having said all of that I still don't understand what is OK with these studder/stop run ups...doesn't that fall under "illegal feinting" under the Rules of the Game?

[Mean salto]

Well I'm going to show my ignorance here...and this is coming from an older guy who has played a long time and done some low level (kids) coaching but I never knew all the possibilities for the encroaching rule on a Pk. I knew that if the attacking team encroached and the kick was saved/missed then it was an indirect free kick...but didn't know that if both teams did then no matter the result it was re-taken. I thought that since Chelsea went in first, with the Dortman guys following, it was considered attacking encroachment (and yes I went to the Fifa/Fa rulebook to confirm)

Now having said all of that I still don't understand what is OK with these studder/stop run ups...doesn't that fall under "illegal feinting" under the Rules of the Game?

Same experience and I don't think I've watched a game in recent years without at least a couple times thinking "ummm you can't do that" I think the pros just have their own secret rules

[whale]

Last nights game was the first non City game I’ve watched in a long time. It was a good reminder how frustrating and exciting watchin Sterling can be.

[whale]

http://youtu.be/ERtkpnXLrL4

[Atiba Applebum]

Feels distasteful when an oil team gloats

[whale]

Ok.
Don't mean to gloat, but big results like this don't come too often on European nights.
If you think I'm not allowed to celebrate my teams success, there's the ignore button right there.

[Alan]

That ref sucked. Haaland is sick. De Bruyne goal was amazing.

[Síota]

Saw Haaland's post match interview, was talking and concerned more about the chances he missed then the five he got...

[nonickname]

Hmmm figured the French contingent would be on here after that mauling of Holland - from what I saw it was pretty much one way traffic.

Personally I'm off to see Canada vs Honduras on Tuesday in Toronto, last time I saw the MNT live was when they clinched their WC berth, so hopefully it will be the same joyous atmosphere at BMO - but a little warmer wouldn't be remiss.

[ThatIsNotCricket]

As a representative of the once proud footballing nation of Holland, I'd like apologize for the performance yesterday. But, as a free tip, I'd say put your money on more of the same for the coming years. Koeman is basically a more eloquent and camera-friendly version of Frank de Boer: pretty decent coaches in the safe confines of the Dutch league, but repeatedly proven to be godawful when they go a step higher. That said, it is a thankless task when you have to make do with guys like Weghorst and Taylor. The only light on the horizon is Xavi Simons. And Frenkie de Jong of course. If de Ligt can keep a bit of form, van Dijk can cling on for a few more years and Gakpo keeps surpassing expectations there's a chance we can redeem ourselves in a couple of years.

[Atiba Applebum]

As a representative of the once proud footballing nation of Holland, I'd like apologize for the performance yesterday. But, as a free tip, I'd say put your money on more of the same for the coming years. Koeman is basically a more eloquent and camera-friendly version of Frank de Boer: pretty decent coaches in the safe confines of the Dutch league, but repeatedly proven to be godawful when they go a step higher. That said, it is a thankless task when you have to make do with guys like Weghorst and Taylor. The only light on the horizon is Xavi Simons. And Frenkie de Jong of course. If de Ligt can keep a bit of form, van Dijk can cling on for a few more years and Gakpo keeps surpassing expectations there's a chance we can redeem ourselves in a couple of years.

Why couldn’t Ten Hag have been another one of those Dutch coaches

Who would you want managing the team?

[Síota]

As an Irishman living in France I fear for Monday night.

[ThatIsNotCricket]

Why couldn’t Ten Hag have been another one of those Dutch coaches

Who would you want managing the team?

I think I was a bit too harsh on Koeman actually. Before Barcelona came calling, and van Gaal took over from him, he did pretty well for us in the Nations League. And coaching a national team is of course not that comparable to coaching Barcelona, Everton or Valencia. I have to give him the benefit of the doubt for now.

I just read Ancelotti might start managing Brazil after this season. That would've been the dream candidate of course. Maybe we could give Conte a call, if there's some more 4-0 defeats over the coming months. I like the idea of having managers that are from the country that they're managing for, but only if there are actually some decent candidates. I'd like to see Conte in the job, in a complete break with tradition: a bit of maniacal passion on the sideline, and an ultra-structured, discplined team on the pitch. Our pundits would go berserk.

I think Ten Hag will get the job at some point in his career (not in a milion years did I expect him to do this well at United from his first season on). On that subject: Feyenoord's current manager (Arne Slot) is said to be even better than Ten Hag. Maybe he'll get scooped up after this season by a decent side, have two or three successful seasons, and then go head to head with his rival in the Premier League.

[ThatIsNotCricket]

As an Irishman living in France I fear for Monday night.

Your day will come! I'm certain.

[Atiba Applebum]

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Why couldn’t Ten Hag have been another one of those Dutch coaches

Who would you want managing the team?

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I think I was a bit too harsh on Koeman actually. Before Barcelona came calling, and van Gaal took over from him, he did pretty well for us in the Nations League. And coaching a national team is of course not that comparable to coaching Barcelona, Everton or Valencia. I have to give him the benefit of the doubt for now.

I just read Ancelotti might start managing Brazil after this season. That would've been the dream candidate of course. Maybe we could give Conte a call, if there's some more 4-0 defeats over the coming months. I like the idea of having managers that are from the country that they're managing for, but only if there are actually some decent candidates. I'd like to see Conte in the job, in a complete break with tradition: a bit of maniacal passion on the sideline, and an ultra-structured, discplined team on the pitch. Our pundits would go berserk.

I think Ten Hag will get the job at some point in his career (not in a milion years did I expect him to do this well at United from his first season on). On that subject: Feyenoord's current manager (Arne Slot) is said to be even better than Ten Hag. Maybe he'll get scooped up after this season by a decent side, have two or three successful seasons, and then go head to head with his rival in the Premier League.

I don’t follow Brazil as a team, but is someone like Ancelotti what they really need (ie a players player coach who gives them a lot a free reign)?   It seems like they’ve had a lot of those and of course they cruise through group stages and get everyone thinking they’re going to make a huge run deep into the tournament.   I feel like they’d benefit from a more disciplined, Germanic style coach but maybe a firm grip would alienate all their guys.

National team coach selection is such a weird alchemy.   Southgate isn’t anything special as a manager, but seems to tap into something right with the England squad where they aren’t embarrassing, but also don’t live with the weight of the vindictive media on them when they do make their mistakes.   (The Euro final PK selection is a much bigger topic and thankfully it seems the racist chumps were drowned out and those same three stuck it to their detractors this past WC). 

[OldieButFrenchie]

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As an Irishman living in France I fear for Monday night.

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Your day will come! I'm certain.

His day has come already, but with a different kind of ball....Irish grand slam this year.



(I'm still kinda pissed about that James Lowe "try" btw haha)


Anyways, back to football: Mbappe is now French captain and like everything he seems to take it super serious. Looking forward to the Euro.....

[Síota]

Unlucky not to get at least a point outta that. Maignan was man of the match.

[nonickname]

Unlucky not to get at least a point outta that. Maignan was man of the match.

That flying save to push away the header in the 88th (?) minute was world class.