The [Horribly Unpopular] Soccer Thread

[Qhrumphf]

He's one of our own.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

United falling apart. Mou or Pep will be there next year if not earlier if it's Mou.

 

[Qhrumphf]

A mate was saying the same thing. I suspect LVG isn't too far from the sack as well, and wouldn't be far fetched to see Mou replace him.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Also Bournemouth is winning again. And Toffees have leveled against Foxes. This weekend is going beautifully.

Except for Chelsea winning lol.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

A mate was saying the same thing. I suspect LVG isn't too far from the sack as well, and wouldn't be far fetched to see Mou replace him.

Well Sir Alex was lobbying him to take the job before Abramovich blew everyone away with money. Mou also knows pressure will be much higher on him in Manchester than Chelsea as he had an extremely positive legacy at Chelsea, and a healthy majority of fans there supported him even with them facing relegation.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Well Sir Alex was lobbying him to take the job before Abramovich blew everyone away with money. Mou also knows pressure will be much higher on him in Manchester than Chelsea as he had an extremely positive legacy at Chelsea, and a healthy majority of fans there supported him even with them facing relegation.

But I wonder if he'd be facing dressing room mutiny at Old Trafford...

 

[Qhrumphf]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...-Premier-League-aflame...-or-just-United.html

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

But I wonder if he'd be facing dressing room mutiny at Old Trafford...

Possibly. I bet he'd immediately get rid of a whole bunch of guys. I mean Juan Mata would be gone again I'm sure.

I personally think Pep is a better fit for United. It owuld be the 3rd team he took over after Van Gaal had laid the groundwork at the organization. Though this would be the first he took over right after LvG.

 

[ShizuokaBrad]

Toffees break my heart again. Martinez consistently under performs with the talent we have.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

So Pep won't renew with Bayern (which is what everyone expected) Ancelotti is announced as their next new coach. What does this mean?

Ancelotti was the second highest ranker on Man City's odds list after Pep. If Pep goes to Chelsea or United and that's a big deal.

Chelsea's leaders are Diego Simeone and Pep according to early reports. Where I see the fault in this is SImeone could be called into Real Madrid.

I think while Chelsea and City have the money. Man U has the money and the Pedigree. For glory seekers, moving to Man U and becoming potentially another Fergie has to be tempting for Pep and Jose.

 

[Grannyknot]

Jose has a short tenure approach to management, so he would never be another Ferguson.
And for the record, Ferguson has said publicly that while he is friends with Jose, and rates him as a manager, he doesn't believe his approach would be good for United.

 

[Pappers_]

Getting ready to watch the Arsenal v Man City match - should be good, the definition of a game that matters!

 

[Qhrumphf]

Getting ready to watch the Arsenal v Man City match - should be good, the definition of a game that matters!

One where win, lose, draw, or stadium fire, Spurs benefit

I'll be pulling for City in principle though.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Turns out a Las Vegas attorney has registered the website LasVegasScorpions.com and also the business name "Las Vegas Quicksilvers"

Speculation is that it'll be a NASL team which is a shame since Reno will only ever face them in meaningful play during the USOC

 

[Talgrath]

So, FIFA brought their own sort of hammer down on Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini, banning them for eight years. Now, the cynics among us might point out that this ensures that Blatter can't try to run for president again or otherwise dirty the PR waters of the election while also ensuring Platini (whom many people don't like at FIFA) can't run, in one fell swoop. Ironically, this ban comes from the very system Blatter himself set up to deflect attention over Chuck Blazer and Jack Warner years ago. Realistically, this changes nothing. There's no way FIFA's president was going to be named Blatter or Platini come next year, and this doesn't really change anyone's opinion of FIFA corruption.

 

[Pappers_]

The Man City v Arsenal game was great, hard fought with some great plays on both sides. Exactly what makes football so appealing.

 

[Talgrath]

In MLS/USMNT news, Omar Gonzalez is officially no longer an LA Galaxy man, he now plays for Pachuca in Liga MX. He announced it in an usual way, showing up to the news conference as Darth Vader too. I said a while back that keeping Gonzalez in LA would be difficult to do and that the club might have trouble doing so, it looks like that idea was correct. I would have preferred to see him wind up in Europe, but a move to Mexico could be good for him. Video in the link

http://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2015/12/22/omar-gonzalez-darth-vader-star-wars-pachuca-la-galaxy.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

Sadly I think Mexico is about as good as Omar will get in a first division. He could play most second divisions I'm sure, but he's not super young so he's not a propsect, and though he's a stud in MLS I think other teams see his flaws, which is he's a very strong individual player but doesn't play well as part of a unit

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Sadly I think Mexico is about as good as Omar will get in a first division. He could play most second divisions I'm sure, but he's not super young so he's not a propsect, and though he's a stud in MLS I think other teams see his flaws, which is he's a very strong individual player but doesn't play well as part of a unit

He could probably hold his own in Ligue 1

 

[Talgrath]

Sadly I think Mexico is about as good as Omar will get in a first division. He could play most second divisions I'm sure, but he's not super young so he's not a propsect, and though he's a stud in MLS I think other teams see his flaws, which is he's a very strong individual player but doesn't play well as part of a unit

Admittedly, I think he should have made the jump about two years ago, before he was signed on as a DP by LA; there was a lot of buzz around him at the time and there was a strong possibility he could have gone to an EPL team. I think Gonzalez has actually regressed quite a bit since that year, he missed his chance to find another gear by going abroad.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

Admittedly, I think he should have made the jump about two years ago, before he was signed on as a DP by LA; there was a lot of buzz around him at the time and there was a strong possibility he could have gone to an EPL team. I think Gonzalez has actually regressed quite a bit since that year, he missed his chance to find another gear by going abroad.

I largely agree. Geoff Cameron was kind of the same. ANd now he's a legit player.

Not every player needs Europe, but I think playing internationally would have benefitted Omar. I think playing in Liga MX will help him too. It's a tougher league and it will be out of hias comfort zone.

 

[Talgrath]

I disagree, slightly, about Liga MX being a tougher league; the roster overall around is better, but you don't have designated players like Giovinco either, I'd largely say it's about even, all things considered. I do agree that getting Omar Gonzalez out of his comfort zone will be very good for him though, I think he does his best work when he's challenged and LA simply wasn't challenging him, the only way Omar was getting benched was if he was injured. In Mexico, Gonzalez has to prove himself all over again, maybe that can fix his niggling little issues and make him a top-class center back.

 

[Talgrath]

I just read a fascinating article in regards to Matt Miazga's agent and some connections that agency has to a shadowy figure in international soccer circles, that also relates to former Colorado Rapids center back O'Neill. Well worth a look if you want to understand why some of your favorite USMNT stars often take bizarre deals and loans.

http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/the91stminute/2015/12/on-third-party-ownership-matt-miazga-and-mls-players-in-europe/#more-39994

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

I disagree, slightly, about Liga MX being a tougher league; the roster overall around is better, but you don't have designated players like Giovinco either, I'd largely say it's about even, all things considered. I do agree that getting Omar Gonzalez out of his comfort zone will be very good for him though, I think he does his best work when he's challenged and LA simply wasn't challenging him, the only way Omar was getting benched was if he was injured. In Mexico, Gonzalez has to prove himself all over again, maybe that can fix his niggling little issues and make him a top-class center back.

That's what I'm getting at though. Gonzalez is a great individual player. He can physically take on most players in MLS and win. But he struggles at the team aspect and that's what likely will be tested more in Liga MX because the individual talent isn't as high as it is in MLS

 

[Qhrumphf]

What family doesn't do for Christmas, the PL does for me on Boxing Day. Man U falls to Stoke (waiting on LVG sacking news). Liverpool beats Leicester and gets the first clean sheet against them. We decisively beat Canaries by what should have been 6 or 7 goals, but I'll take 3 with a clean sheet for Hugo's birthday. Would have been nice to have Sunderland beat City but you can't win em all.

Come On You Saints!

 

[Qhrumphf]

Southampton is looking good tonight. And the crowd loves it.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Wonderful, wonderful day.

 

[Pappers_]

Argh

 

[Qhrumphf]

Tied for first in GD and losses, and lowest in GA in the league. Have some depth to the squad, mostly free of injuries, and still sitting in a spot for a feasible title challenge. Exciting time to be Spurs.

TTID.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Well that was crazy. Right at the death, Watford inches from scoring, then immediately after that Son back heels it in to give us 3 points. Lots of questionable calls and a messy win. Honestly we deserved 1 point and not 3, but I'll take it.

At least until tomorrow, we move past City into 3rd. Hopefully City and Leicester draw even if it bumps us back down to 4th for the time being.

Meanwhile, hoping Cherries pull another crazy upset. Hopefully their boost in confidence and Arsenal feeling the same of an embarrassing showing on Saturday does some good (sorry @Pappers).