Official Football/Soccer/Futbol Thread 2014/2015...errr 2015/2016...I mean 2016/2017

[kelley 771]

On 9/11/2019 at 10:21 AM, SupahBlah said:

Chelsea seem pretty confident their ban will be overturned.

It’s over next summer. Buying in the winter is terrible anyway. 

[kelley 771]

So how many goals are the Chelsea back line going to let in this weekend? My guess is 3.

[dogbert 1,291]

We (Spurs) officially stink. That was really poor. Again.

[godhand 153]

Seeing Barcelona play makes me miserable lately.

 

Messi is out of form, and nobody else is at the level they need to be. It seems like the césped was shit today, but that’s not a excuse. We got fucked by a second division team. 

[SupahBlah 424]

Spuds, what happened?

[dogbert 1,291]

There's a midfield that doesn't know how to get the ball into the box. There's a star striker who's lost a bit of pace after injuries. There's a defence that needs completely rebuilding. And teams figured all that out last mid-season. Our form from February has been awful, it's just now it's really hitting home. The success in the Champions League, where they dug deep & got some luck, papered over the cracks. 

 

Too many players, like Ericksson, riding out hoping for paydays, and a team that can have 70% possession but no clue how to score. Yesterday was awful.

[Batong 253]

Football ey, feels like a dead discussion around these parts.

[SupahBlah 424]

I am always here. 

[SupahBlah 424]

I've been reading Zonal Marking and its a fantastic book I highly recommend.

[godhand 153]

Today’s comfortable victory over City, corroborates that Liverpool are the strongest team in Europe and the ones to beat in the UCL. 

 

I think that Klopp’s high pressure/high work rate game has evolved as the perfect counter to the high possession idea of the perfect game that Barcelona and Pep showcase. The high pressure is revolutionizing the game; you see it now everywhere including La Liga teams that in prior years never gave Barcelona any trouble. Fuck, it is the most common strategy in FIFA among anybody with a clue, and as sick as I am of it, I can’t deny how effective it is. 
 

I would love to see a match between 2009’s Barcelona and the Liverpool team of the last 12 months, the ultimate test for such contradicting ideologies in the sport. Nevertheless, it’s a great time to be watching football. 

[SupahBlah 424]

If you read Zonal Marking its pretty good at explaining obviously the different tactics of the strongest teams in that "era" of country domination but Barcelona's press is what inspired Klopp (I can't remember if it was Rijkaard's or Guardiola's but I'm sure it was Rijkaard's) but while Barcelona aggressively fought to get the ball back to control the ball again. Klopp's ideas also being inspired by Rangnick's fast transitions. Bundesliga already being heavily counter-attacking Klopp's press is counter-press basically its countering the counter attack exploiting the transition from defence to attack. The entire chapter though on Guardiola trying to adapt to the Bundesliga and every team being counter-attacking is awesome.

 

Liverpool's main thing is that its fullbacks are its playmakers (unlike say a number 10) Liverpool especially use a cross-field ball but unlike most teams doing it say fullback to midfielder or attacker its fullback to fullback (as seen in Salah's goal)

 

 

Its why United had a better game because they basically man marked the fullbacks which is crazy to think about. 

[Batong 253]

So this is our year you say, now where have I heard that before 🤔

[godhand 153]

What a goal by Messi against Atlético. 
It is insane that such a legend is surrounded by players of the quality of Junior Firpo, the guy was an open road, and almost scored two own goals. 
 

Simeone needs to go. He is always tiring his players by forcing them to make such an effort. His idea of high pressure is flawed. The last 15 minutes Barcelona knew they were going for the dagger in a counter.  

[godhand 153]

On 11/26/2019 at 3:42 AM, Batong said:

So this is our year you say, now where have I heard that before 🤔

Pep is shook. He is questioning his style. Liverpool will win it. They should focus on getting the golden trophy. 

[SupahBlah 424]

Everton are very poor.

[Batong 253]

On 12/1/2019 at 10:24 PM, godhand said:

Pep is shook. He is questioning his style. Liverpool will win it. They should focus on getting the golden trophy. 

Don't know, Supah might need to change his ava if that happens.

[SupahBlah 424]

[kelley 771]

The kids did it! Magic of the Cup and all that. We have lost so many players out to injury these last months, even our youth teams are banged up. 

[SupahBlah 424]

Quite apt this had to happen, I just wanted to win the league.

[kelley 771]

I wonder if they’ll still give you guys the trophy. I would, no other team has been close. 

[dogbert 1,291]

Agreed.

[kelley 771]

And just give us the FA Cup and a top four finish. It’s only the right thing to do. 

[Batong 253]

How's my favourite footy people doing, how's everyone's mood in these special circumstances (where a lot of us are still stuck at home or barely going out)?

 

It's definitely taking a toll mentally but I'm trying to stay positive. 

[kelley 771]

I’m doing alright. I got a new job a few weeks ago, transitioning jobs during this time is really weird. During this lockdown I discovered Gogglebox and I hate how much I fucking love that show. Mentally my wife is taking this way harder than the kid and I. The kid wakes up does his school work and then games till we make him turn them off. My wife says the thing she misses the most is the alone time she got when we were at work and school. I’m doing alright but I think the job has really given me something to focus on. 

[SupahBlah 424]

My gf loves gogglebox haha, I stick with Soccer Saturday for my talking about watching something.

 

I'm okay, working from home until September at the earliest. I keep trying to stick to a schedule.