Association Football/Soccer Thread, 2018-2019

[Farnhamia]

How is there not one of these yet? There's so much we've missed already.

La Liga plan to hold a regular season league game in Miami, CR7 is in Italy, Leeds are resurgent under the villainous Bielsa, EMERY OUT, Stevie G is at Rangers, Lampard is at Derby, Red Star Belgrade look like they might return to the group stage of the Champions League after almost a thirty year absence, Man City will probably win, can traitorous Thierry Henry revitalize a boring, boring Ligue 1?, does Serie A have too many teams?, I don't follow the BuLi, Rooney and Zlatan to MLS, will we still be interested in league football after we realize it's not as interesting as the World Cup? Probably not.

I'm sure we can talk about one of these things.

I really hope La Liga sorts itself out, it's outrageous. It would likely be the home game of a smaller side hosting one of the big two that's moved to Miami, which erases all semblance of a home advantage for that side, as no one in Miami will be going to support Getafe. It would, of course, bring in more revenue, but I'm really uncomfortable with the implications it may have on the smaller sides of Ligue 1, Serie A, and the Bundesliga if those leagues decide it might also be a good idea.

The captains of all 20 clubs in La Liga will be meeting the players' union to discuss the issue.

[Wopruthien]

Exactly 20 years ago yesterday Wrexham held Man City to a 0-0 away draw in a regular league match. Now both sit happily top of their respective leagues. For how long I cannot say, but it just shows the different fortunes of the two sides.

[Bombadil]

Cambridge Utd will continue to fear anything above 10th in the league as though it's the very gates of hell itself..

Exactly 20 years ago yesterday Wrexham held Man City to a 0-0 away draw in a regular league match. Now both sit happily top of their respective leagues. For how long I cannot say, but it just shows the different fortunes of the two sides.

With luck you can join us faff'ing around in League Two next year..

30 years ago in the 88/89 season the U's picked up Dion Dublin and began their miraculous rise through the leagues to the play-offs for the very first Premier League season in 91/92.. though they lost.. sold Dublin to Man U and began their long slide back down to mediocrity..

For the rest..

For La Liga in the US I think the key is that a team loses their home game, and that's not really fair - I understand the players are considering striking over the very idea but, hey, football has longed moved from a fan based sport to an all encroaching marketing machine.

I suspect the respective leagues are fairly predictable, so it's who might win the CL this year given ZZ and CR are gone from RM.. acronyms aside.. I'd suspect Juve has a good chance, maybe Liverpool, should be Man C given their resources.. PSG have no balls and Bayern are not great this year though lord knows they'll canter the Bundesliga.

I find football less enjoyable these days to be honest.. accentuated by what was a good, and unpredictable, World Cup.

[Conoga]

Do you generally prefer following the lower leagues, or are you just there for your club's sake? I find them to be more entertaining, personally.

[Indo-Malaysia]

Do you generally prefer following the lower leagues, or are you just there for your club's sake? I find them to be more entertaining, personally.

I'll support my local team to the bitter end, despite non-league football being little more than a glorified bloodsport.

Hopefully this season our new team of professional players will be able to get us promoted twice back into League 2.

(Also, extend the thread to more than just this season)

[Haydn]

Thankfully the captains of La Liga sides are joining in protest of the game abroad in the States thing. It's about time a stand was made against this sort of corporate sterilisation.

This season, as a Newcastle United fan with all the stuff going on with Ashley and his cronies (once again), should Rafa leave at the end of the season apathy will take over completely. It's already there slightly but love for this squad of players we have and Rafa himself made me renew my season ticket at SJP this season. It's almost certain he'll go at the end of it because of the unworkable conditions at the club and with an opportunity like this thrown away, there'll be nothing left for me. The club will be dead as long as Ashley remains at it. I'd be using more expletives here but I'd rather not get a ban.

[Indo-Malaysia]

Speaking or daft corporate shite..

How much acid was the guy who decided to sell Wembley Stadium on..

[Haydn]

Speaking or daft corporate shite..

How much acid was the guy who decided to sell Wembley Stadium on..

The FA may as well all be on acid. Gary Neville was spot on regarding this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tzGQVA601I

[Indo-Malaysia]

Speaking or daft corporate shite..

How much acid was the guy who decided to sell Wembley Stadium on..

The FA may as well all be on acid. Gary Neville was spot on regarding this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tzGQVA601I

Disgusting thing is, Wembleys construction was funded by the taxpayers money, so in essence it belongs to the people, and has no business whatsoever being privatised by foreigners.

[Haydn]

The FA may as well all be on acid. Gary Neville was spot on regarding this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tzGQVA601I

Disgusting thing is, Wembleys construction was funded by the taxpayers money, so in essence it belongs to the people, and has no business whatsoever being privatised by foreigners.

The typical Tory way of thinking: sell everything off and privatise. It's no wonder the NHS is in such state and we have nothing left to call our own anymore in this country. Quasi asset stripping and selling them all off is why we get everything wrong in this country. No doubt there's something in it for the men who are involved in such sales.

I mentioned in my earlier post about apathy regarding my club NUFC, it can be applied to the modern game and the Premier League "brand" as a whole. I'm just too young to remember Newcastle being managed by Sir Bobby Robson (I was 3 when he left) but just think the whole thing in the short time I've known it is absolute bollocks.

[Indo-Malaysia]

Disgusting thing is, Wembleys construction was funded by the taxpayers money, so in essence it belongs to the people, and has no business whatsoever being privatised by foreigners.

The typical Tory way of thinking: sell everything off and privatise. It's no wonder the NHS is in such state and we have nothing left to call our own anymore in this country. Quasi asset stripping and selling them all off is why we get everything wrong in this country. No doubt there's something in it for the men who are involved in such sales.

I mentioned in my earlier post about apathy regarding my club NUFC, it can be applied to the modern game and the Premier League "brand" as a whole. I'm just too young to remember Newcastle being managed by Sir Bobby Robson (I was 3 when he left) but just think the whole thing in the short time I've known it is absolute bollocks.

If there's any positives at all in watching non-league, it's that you get more football, and less commercial crap.

Though when your in the Conference/Blue Square/Vanarama/National League North.. money would be very nice when your barely able to keep your ground, that's being used to leverage debts.

[Haydn]

The typical Tory way of thinking: sell everything off and privatise. It's no wonder the NHS is in such state and we have nothing left to call our own anymore in this country. Quasi asset stripping and selling them all off is why we get everything wrong in this country. No doubt there's something in it for the men who are involved in such sales.

I mentioned in my earlier post about apathy regarding my club NUFC, it can be applied to the modern game and the Premier League "brand" as a whole. I'm just too young to remember Newcastle being managed by Sir Bobby Robson (I was 3 when he left) but just think the whole thing in the short time I've known it is absolute bollocks.

If there's any positives at all in watching non-league, it's that you get more football, and less commercial crap.

Though when your in the Conference/Blue Square/Vanarama/National League North.. money would be very nice when your barely able to keep your ground, that's being used to leverage debts.

As much as Scottish football and the leagues from the Championship down get stick, they've got a large bit of it's soul left despite the TV companies' best efforts. The vast majority of PL clubs are just husks, existing to exist on the PL gravy train; no aura about their ground or fans, and things like that. Clubs like Liverpool, Everton, Man United to a degree because their away support is superb (so it should be), Palace and, whilst Rafa is here, Newcastle, have got some soul left. How long before that is sapped? Not long for Newcastle's unless a takeover materialises this season, which I doubt.

[Bombadil]

Do you generally prefer following the lower leagues, or are you just there for your club's sake? I find them to be more entertaining, personally.

Mostly because that's where I was born and that's the team I support.. the PL is just too predictable and repetitive despite Leicester's miracle run a couple years ago. A cup run for a league team is awesome, the U's held Man U a couple seasons ago at home and toddled off to Old Trafford. We've been down to Conference Premier and up to what is now the Championship. We had a 6 game losing streak and a 6 game winning streak in the same season..

We get awful managers, good managers, criminal managers.. signings that go back and forth.. local lads who hit the team.. the occasional player from overseas..

The other advantage is that when people ask who I support I get none of the tedious reactions from naming a PL team.. no one has an opinion on Cambridge so you can actually talk about football rather than go through the motions of repetitive banter..

I don't live in the UK so I don't get to watch much but any time I go back I'll catch a game, generally in Winter, generally fucking freezing and more often than not the game is a pile of steaming effluence but once in the while there's pure magic.

[Conoga]

Do you generally prefer following the lower leagues, or are you just there for your club's sake? I find them to be more entertaining, personally.

I'll support my local team to the bitter end, despite non-league football being little more than a glorified bloodsport.

Hopefully this season our new team of professional players will be able to get us promoted twice back into League 2.

(Also, extend the thread to more than just this season)

Maybe it's the rugby fan in me, but that's why it's so much better.

This is how these threads are typically done. If there is sufficient interest in extending the thread at the end of the season, perhaps something will be done.

The other advantage is that when people ask who I support I get none of the tedious reactions from naming a PL team.. no one has an opinion on Cambridge so you can actually talk about football rather than go through the motions of repetitive banter..

This may change, unfortuneately. Peterborough look like they might make it to the Championship this season, running away with League One hand-in-hand with Pompey, though it's probably too early to say.
Also, I quite like CU, actually. Really lovely kits, good history.

I find it hard to enjoy any major top division, the gulf in quality is so high, even between the top few and mid-table, predictable, as you said.

[Indo-Malaysia]

These are some of my favourite kits

I find kits are mostly bland corporate advertisement space now. I like the more psychedelic looking ones from the 80's/90's.
Nothing much good in Conference, apart from SCFC's but they were in the League so doesn't count. gotta love a plain shirt. never seen that before

[Conoga]

Seaman was particularly well-dressed during that period.

It's probably best we wholly forget 96.

I find kits are mostly bland corporate advertisement space now.

I guess I know what you mean, though, but I'd say, comparing to other sports like ice hockey, football's doing OK.

[Indo-Malaysia]

Seaman was particularly well-dressed during that period.

It's probably best we wholly forget 96.

I find kits are mostly bland corporate advertisement space now.

I guess I know what you mean, though, but I'd say, comparing to other sports like ice hockey, football's doing OK.

I kinda like those kits Seaman is wearing actually.

Though that wearable Persian rug looks nasty.

[Wopruthien]

Blew a 2 goal lead at home. But still top of the league for now. Seriously close to 6 thousand for a 5th tier game is impressive. Though seems whenever we have a big crowd we always try our hardest to stop the casual fans from returning.

Man City should win the Premiership, can't see anyone being close (though Liverpool will be closer) I just can't see them having the mental toughness to actually win the league.

[Conoga]

Blew a 2 goal lead at home. But still top of the league for now. Seriously close to 6 thousand for a 5th tier game is impressive. Though seems whenever we have a big crowd we always try our hardest to stop the casual fans from returning.

Man City should win the Premiership, can't see anyone being close (though Liverpool will be closer) I just can't see them having the mental toughness to actually win the league.

That's great! My 2nd/3rd tier side here is lucky to get two thousand.

If they're looking to win, they can't be losing points to a team like Wolves, though. I don't see Liverpool winning either, they never do, but I sort-of hope they do.

[Haydn]

So we lost narrowly to Chelsea on Sunday, yet still got pelters for the way we played just like when we narrowly lost to Man City 0-1 at SJP last season. Sky in particular, as well as numerous parts of the media and fans of other clubs having goes at Rafa for it. As if he could play against sides that move the ball like Sarri has Chelsea doing in any other way.

Yet these same people in the media ignore the common denominator of why Rafa has to have the team playing this way: the bloke who has deliberately screwed Rafa over for 4 transfer windows running thus has him having to scrape the bottom of the barrel for what he can whilst clubs who NUFC shadowed in size before him taking over able to pay over £20m for players at will. Absolutely infuriating.

[The Vekta-Helghast Empire]

Do you generally prefer following the lower leagues, or are you just there for your club's sake? I find them to be more entertaining, personally.

I come from Scotland. We only have what people would consider, “lower leagues.”

[Bombadil]

So we lost narrowly to Chelsea on Sunday, yet still got pelters for the way we played just like when we narrowly lost to Man City 0-1 at SJP last season. Sky in particular, as well as numerous parts of the media and fans of other clubs having goes at Rafa for it. As if he could play against sides that move the ball like Sarri has Chelsea doing in any other way.

Yet these same people in the media ignore the common denominator of why Rafa has to have the team playing this way: the bloke who has deliberately screwed Rafa over for 4 transfer windows running thus has him having to scrape the bottom of the barrel for what he can whilst clubs who NUFC shadowed in size before him taking over able to pay over £20m for players at will. Absolutely infuriating.

I really don't know why Rafa has such loyalty.. what are the chances of him moving to Man U given Mourinho is fired?

[Wopruthien]

So we lost narrowly to Chelsea on Sunday, yet still got pelters for the way we played just like when we narrowly lost to Man City 0-1 at SJP last season. Sky in particular, as well as numerous parts of the media and fans of other clubs having goes at Rafa for it. As if he could play against sides that move the ball like Sarri has Chelsea doing in any other way.

Yet these same people in the media ignore the common denominator of why Rafa has to have the team playing this way: the bloke who has deliberately screwed Rafa over for 4 transfer windows running thus has him having to scrape the bottom of the barrel for what he can whilst clubs who NUFC shadowed in size before him taking over able to pay over £20m for players at will. Absolutely infuriating.

I really don't know why Rafa has such loyalty.. what are the chances of him moving to Man U given Mourinho is fired?

I'd like to think he wouldn't do it, given his affiliation with Liverpool (his family still live there) but stranger things have happened. Personally think it's win win for Rafa, he does well he's a genius who has been screwed over but still achieves success, he loses and he has no backing from the club/board so what do people expect?

Living in Newcastle myself, the fans absolutely love Rafa and know he's the most important person at the club and is key to retaining Premiership status.

[Haydn]

So we lost narrowly to Chelsea on Sunday, yet still got pelters for the way we played just like when we narrowly lost to Man City 0-1 at SJP last season. Sky in particular, as well as numerous parts of the media and fans of other clubs having goes at Rafa for it. As if he could play against sides that move the ball like Sarri has Chelsea doing in any other way.

Yet these same people in the media ignore the common denominator of why Rafa has to have the team playing this way: the bloke who has deliberately screwed Rafa over for 4 transfer windows running thus has him having to scrape the bottom of the barrel for what he can whilst clubs who NUFC shadowed in size before him taking over able to pay over £20m for players at will. Absolutely infuriating.

I really don't know why Rafa has such loyalty.. what are the chances of him moving to Man U given Mourinho is fired?

No chance imo regarding the latter. Same with when he was linked with the Everton job, and I don't think Man U would take to the pragmatic football.

Regarding the former, Rafa can see the potential that NUFC has, stating in numerous press conferences that he does so. He got us to 10th last season whilst being undermined in both transfer windows; imagine what he could do with some backing under an owner who actually wants to progress the club? Plus, I think he loves the fans. He is seldom blamed for defeats and will receive backing no matter what, the run we went on November-December last season was shocking, yet we all still sung his name and displayed banners of him at the ground. He knows he will probably not get this level of adulation anywhere else. Also he may be holding in the mere slim chance of someone calling Ashley's bluff and taking over the club.

Wopruthien is right also.

[Bombadil]

CL groups are all done..

Group A
Atlético Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Monaco, Club Brugge
Group B
Barcelona, Tottenham, PSV Eindhoven, Inter
Group C
Paris Saint-Germain, Napoli, Liverpool, Red Star Belgrade
Group D
Lokomotiv Moscow, Porto, Schalke, Galatasaray
Group E
Bayern Munich, Benfica, Ajax, AEK Athens
Group F
Manchester City, Shakhtar Donetsk, Lyon, Hoffenheim
Group G
Real Madrid, Roma, CSKA Moscow, Viktoria Plzen
Group H
Juventus, Manchester United, Valencia, Young Boys

Kind of hard to call all these, a couple of pretty tough groups, of the PL teams I think they should all make it through except Man U.. I can see them losing left, right and centre.