2022-23 Football Season: Title Races and Cups Heat Up!

[Outer Sparta]

In 1994 Arrigo Sacchi sent Franco Baresi and Roberto Baggio, two of the best and most experienced players ever, to take the penalties in the final against Brazil.
Both failed.

Except both were hurt throughout the entire match. In fact, Baresi just returned from knee surgery and was in his late 30s. But just like Southgate, Sacchi made the mistake of putting them both on first five, not foreseeing the consequences.

Sancho and Rashford were not properly warmed up and sat on the bench for almost the entire game. Bringing on players who haven't been active just for penalties isn't usually a good decision. At least bring your takers on at like the 105th minute mark at the very most.

[Ayytaly]

Except both were hurt throughout the entire match. In fact, Baresi just returned from knee surgery and was in his late 30s. But just like Southgate, Sacchi made the mistake of putting them both on first five, not foreseeing the consequences.

Sancho and Rashford were not properly warmed up and sat on the bench for almost the entire game. Bringing on players who haven't been active just for penalties isn't usually a good decision. At least bring your takers on at like the 105th minute mark at the very most.

Goalkeepers are a different story, though. Just look at Krul.

[The Blaatschapen]

Sancho and Rashford were not properly warmed up and sat on the bench for almost the entire game. Bringing on players who haven't been active just for penalties isn't usually a good decision. At least bring your takers on at like the 105th minute mark at the very most.

Goalkeepers are a different story, though. Just look at Krul.

The 2014 gambit paid off, but a one time occurrence at this top level hardly constitutes a pattern that it works.

[Torned]

I am waiting new league to watch and enjoy with my friends.

[Outer Sparta]

Sancho and Rashford were not properly warmed up and sat on the bench for almost the entire game. Bringing on players who haven't been active just for penalties isn't usually a good decision. At least bring your takers on at like the 105th minute mark at the very most.

Goalkeepers are a different story, though. Just look at Krul.

Maurizio Sarri in an EFL Cup final game wanted to sub off Kepa for Willy Caballero as pens were approaching. Kepa then got into a fight, dissented against his manager, and then proceeded to do poorly in penalties, even letting in a sitter of a save against Aguero.

[Ayytaly]

Goalkeepers are a different story, though. Just look at Krul.

Maurizio Sarri in an EFL Cup final game wanted to sub off Kepa for Willy Caballero as pens were approaching. Kepa then got into a fight, dissented against his manager, and then proceeded to do poorly in penalties, even letting in a sitter of a save against Aguero.

Stupid git. Hopefully his value decreased.

[Ethel mermania]

Made big bank with my sandwich guy today. An off the boat Italian and his wife " God was wearing red, white, and green on Sunday"

[Ayytaly]

Messi's back in Barcelona

[Outer Sparta]

Maurizio Sarri in an EFL Cup final game wanted to sub off Kepa for Willy Caballero as pens were approaching. Kepa then got into a fight, dissented against his manager, and then proceeded to do poorly in penalties, even letting in a sitter of a save against Aguero.

Stupid git. Hopefully his value decreased.

Kepa is also a mistake-prone keeper not to mention a diva. Speaks a lot when Eduardo Mendy took over and Chelsea's goalkeeping position looked incredibly less porous.

[The Notorious Mad Jack]

Stupid git. Hopefully his value decreased.

Kepa is also a mistake-prone keeper not to mention a diva. Speaks a lot when Eduardo Mendy took over and Chelsea's goalkeeping position looked incredibly less porous.

It made sense - Chelsea targeted a keeper who was good at what Kepa was exceptionally bad at at the time.

But it's very much not over for Kepa at Chelsea - when they signed Mendy I thought it a bit odd that they signed, out of available targets, an older, slightly worse than what was available, keeper, as opposed to someone like a Predrag Rajkovic, Andre Onana or Mike Maignon. They were linked with all three of these and would've been available, even in a high spending Chelsea transfer window, but the choice of Mendy suggests that maybe Chelsea still see a future for him at the club.

And what choice do they have, to be honest, beyond that? Sell him now and you take a massive loss on your investment.

[The Blaatschapen]

Arjen Robben retired.

Another player who is older than me who stops.

There's only a few left.

Chiellini being one of them.

[Forsher]

Arjen Robben retired.

Another player who is older than me who stops.

There's only a few left.

Chiellini being one of them.

You may find this pleasing:

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/57809747

[The Blaatschapen]

Arjen Robben retired.

Another player who is older than me who stops.

There's only a few left.

Chiellini being one of them.

You may find this pleasing:

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/57809747

A bit.

But it's Rangers, so not that much.

[Mathuvan Union]

Arjen Robben retired.

Another player who is older than me who stops.

There's only a few left.

Chiellini being one of them.

a lot of Italians are, probably.
Buffon comes to mind.
In Spain though, they retire really early.
The retiring age disparity in each country is really interesting

Arjen Robben retired.

Another player who is older than me who stops.

There's only a few left.

Chiellini being one of them.

You may find this pleasing:

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/57809747

Ah, Scottish Wayne Rooney.

[Outer Sparta]

Kepa is also a mistake-prone keeper not to mention a diva. Speaks a lot when Eduardo Mendy took over and Chelsea's goalkeeping position looked incredibly less porous.

It made sense - Chelsea targeted a keeper who was good at what Kepa was exceptionally bad at at the time.

But it's very much not over for Kepa at Chelsea - when they signed Mendy I thought it a bit odd that they signed, out of available targets, an older, slightly worse than what was available, keeper, as opposed to someone like a Predrag Rajkovic, Andre Onana or Mike Maignon. They were linked with all three of these and would've been available, even in a high spending Chelsea transfer window, but the choice of Mendy suggests that maybe Chelsea still see a future for him at the club.

And what choice do they have, to be honest, beyond that? Sell him now and you take a massive loss on your investment.

After selling Courtois to Real Madrid, they decided to jump the gun for Kepa and pay that 80 million release clause. Their only other goalie would be Willy Caballero, who is very old.

[Ayytaly]

Everton and Iceland's Gylfi Sigurðsson arrested for soliciting minors.

[The Blaatschapen]

So, olympics has started.

And how, the Dutch women beat Zambia, 3-10.

[Outer Sparta]

So, olympics has started.

And how, the Dutch women beat Zambia, 3-10.

Meanwhile in the men's, nobody seems to really care because it's a U23 tournament.

[Ayytaly]

So, olympics has started.

And how, the Dutch women beat Zambia, 3-10.

Meanwhile in the men's, nobody seems to really care because it's a U23 tournament.

I'd rather win the Olympics than the World Cup. There's actual parity there.

[Outer Sparta]

Meanwhile in the men's, nobody seems to really care because it's a U23 tournament.

I'd rather win the Olympics than the World Cup. There's actual parity there.

For many sports (track & field, swim, badminton, diving, weightlifting, gymnastics, volleyball, cycling, basketball, etc.) the Olympics are the biggest honor and athletes playing those love to compete in it. Football, on the other hand, does not get much attention in the Olympics and largely is reserved for U23 players. Top footballers in their prime usually never play in the Olympics (Neymar in 2016 is an exception).

[Outer Sparta]

France has quite a weak Olympic squad on paper. The likes of Gignac and Thauvin (both in Mexico with the latter deciding to join his compatriot this year) are two of their overaged players. For the most part, the Olympics are a U23 competition and three O23 players who are not good enough for the national team and that the clubs employing them don't mind releasing them to play there.

[The Champions League]

France has quite a weak Olympic squad on paper. The likes of Gignac and Thauvin (both in Mexico with the latter deciding to join his compatriot this year) are two of their overaged players. For the most part, the Olympics are a U23 competition and three O23 players who are not good enough for the national team and that the clubs employing them don't mind releasing them to play there.

Give France their best U23 players and they would be better than anyone else. Hell, Mbappe alone would be better than all other players in the tournament.

[Outer Sparta]

France has quite a weak Olympic squad on paper. The likes of Gignac and Thauvin (both in Mexico with the latter deciding to join his compatriot this year) are two of their overaged players. For the most part, the Olympics are a U23 competition and three O23 players who are not good enough for the national team and that the clubs employing them don't mind releasing them to play there.

Give France their best U23 players and they would be better than anyone else. Hell, Mbappe alone would be better than all other players in the tournament.

France has random U23 players that most people have never heard of. Someone named Enzo Le Fee is a starting midfielder.

[The Champions League]

Give France their best U23 players and they would be better than anyone else. Hell, Mbappe alone would be better than all other players in the tournament.

France has random U23 players that most people have never heard of. Someone named Enzo Le Fee is a starting midfielder.

In reality, Olympic football matters little to the point as much hype the team has, that doesn't mean they'll do good. The last four World Champions didn't win anything prior their WC wins in the Olympic scene and did great. On the other side, seems that those that win gold don't do well. Spain wasn't really that good in the years after 1992, Nigeria and Cameroon weren't world beaters, Argentina fell short, Mexico crashed like always, and Brazil is just being Brazil diving 24/7.

[Outer Sparta]

France has random U23 players that most people have never heard of. Someone named Enzo Le Fee is a starting midfielder.

In reality, Olympic football matters little to the point as much hype the team has, that doesn't mean they'll do good. The last four World Champions didn't win anything prior their WC wins in the Olympic scene and did great. On the other side, seems that those that win gold don't do well. Spain wasn't really that good in the years after 1992, Nigeria and Cameroon weren't world beaters, Argentina fell short, Mexico crashed like always, and Brazil is just being Brazil diving 24/7.

Typical football powerhouses don't usually perform well. International football on a senior level is way different, but international football at a U23 level is even more random, even more so considering teams usually cannot field a full strength U23 squad.