The Real Football Thread

[Dazed and Confused]

2 -3, wonderful game.
Henderson first then Vardy.
20 mins plus change left.

 

[Põhja Konn]

Liverpool are the great entertainers this year, both in good and bad way. They completely lack in game management, being up 2 or 3 goals against lesser opposition is no guarantee of victory.

Although their defence have been the popular target for criticism, I'm of the opinion that real problem positions for Liverpool are goalkeeper and defensive midfield. While none of their defenders are world class, they also completely lack protection from midfield as well as assurance and organisation from behind which a world class DM and goalkeeper would offer. It all makes their defensive line look much worse than they actually are. Although, for the sake of fairness, their defence do lack leadership. It was expected of Matip, but he hasn't delivered.

In the Premier League, first signs of a three horse race for the title are emerging. Having said that, it is still very early days and Tottenham and Liverpool can certainly not yet be counted out of it. Also, United has had extremely easy fixture list up to now and haven't yet been really tested. In this stage of his career Mourinho is a bit like a ticking time bomb - when in important games key decisions and results start going against United, he could easily become the greatest hindrance to his own team.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Bayern sacked Ancelotti. Seems like good old FC Hollywood is back. :lol:

 

[Red Rick]

So.

Arjen Robben retired from the Dutch national team. And he did in the most hopeless qualification match ever. Still the best and most determined player in the world, at the age of 33 and after about 92 injuries throughout his career.

Dumoulin better win a bunch more, cause the we ain't winning nothing at football in the forseeable future

 

[The Hitch]

Strange that a country that made the 2010 final and was a penalty away from making the last world cup final now isn't in it. Shows how international football can change any minute. Wont win 2018 but could win 2020 euros i guess

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Re:

Strange that a country that made the 2010 final and was a penalty away from making the last world cup final now isn't in it. Shows how international football can change any minute. Wont win 2018 but could win 2020 euros i guess

For a large part it's due to inept coaching. As far as the quality of the players is concerned, the Dutch team isn't what it used to be, but it shouldn't have been a problem to qualify for he 2016 euros and the 2018 world cup.

Louis van Gaal and Guus Hiddink have basically completely opposite coaching styles, so switching from Van Gaal to Hiddink after the 2014 world cup was always going to be awkward. After some failures in that regard, they panicked and sacked Hiddink and appointed Danny Blind, whose only real previous coaching experience was one year at Ajax, where he failed and got sacked. Blind, being an awfully inept coach, failed, then they appointed *** Advocaat and with Advocaat the Netherlands have won every qualification match except one against France, who admittedly have much better players than the Netherlands these days. But the resurgence under Advocaat was too little too late.

In the end, the Netherlands only missed the play offs for qualification by a hair's breadth. Hugo Lloris not giving away a goal against Sweden would have done it. Danny Blind not playing a barely 17 year old centre back in the starting eleven against Bulgaria might have done the trick. Bas Dost's goal in the first match against Sweden not getting cancelled incorrectly would have done it. If points in matches between tied teams would have been the first tiebreaker, rather than goal difference, the Netherlands would have made the play offs.

Really, though the level of Dutch football has definitely fallen in recent years (also visible when looking at how Dutch clubs perform last couple of years, with Ajax in the EL last year being the only notable exception), it's nowhere near as dramatic as the media would have people believe. If we don't have an inept coach and bad luck next time, it shouldn't be a problem at all to qualify for the 2020 euros.

 

[Merckx index]

Re:

Strange that a country that made the 2010 final and was a penalty away from making the last world cup final now isn't in it. Shows how international football can change any minute. Wont win 2018 but could win 2020 euros i guess

Strange that a country that has made every WC since 1990, and features one of the most promising young players in the world isn't in it, either. All they needed was a tie against one of the worst teams in the tournament.

For a large part it's due to inept coaching.

Ditto.

basically completely opposite coaching styles, so switching from one to the other was always going to be awkward.

Ditto.

In the end, only missed the play offs for qualification by a hair's breadth...not giving away a goal would have done it.

Ditto.

 

[Tonton]

Re:

Strange that a country that made the 2010 final and was a penalty away from making the last world cup final now isn't in it. Shows how international football can change any minute. Wont win 2018 but could win 2020 euros i guess

It goes to show how difficult it is to qualify in Europe, that's all. A couple of mistakes or bad breaks, you lose your group, you're out. And the draw can be ferocious, the group itself, i.e. Spain and Italy can be sooo loaded. France, Sweeden, Bulgaria, that was a tough one...

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

Strange that a country that made the 2010 final and was a penalty away from making the last world cup final now isn't in it. Shows how international football can change any minute. Wont win 2018 but could win 2020 euros i guess

It goes to show how difficult it is to qualify in Europe, that's all. A couple of mistakes or bad breaks, you lose your group, you're out. And the draw can be ferocious, the group itself, i.e. Spain and Italy can be sooo loaded. France, Sweeden, Bulgaria, that was a tough one...

Tonton, can we make a deal right here. Dumoulin the Tour, France the World Cup. Completely binding agreement for both countries. Deal?

 

[BullsFan22]

Re:

So.

Arjen Robben retired from the Dutch national team. And he did in the most hopeless qualification match ever. Still the best and most determined player in the world, at the age of 33 and after about 92 injuries throughout his career.

Dumoulin better win a bunch more, cause the we ain't winning nothing at football in the forseeable future

Well the Dutch women won the Euro this year...

 

[jsem94]

Re: Re:

So.

Arjen Robben retired from the Dutch national team. And he did in the most hopeless qualification match ever. Still the best and most determined player in the world, at the age of 33 and after about 92 injuries throughout his career.

Dumoulin better win a bunch more, cause the we ain't winning nothing at football in the forseeable future

Well the Dutch women won the Euro this year...

This. And the best and most determined player in the world? Not in my book. A world class player, but the best in the world? No.

 

[Brullnux]

Re: Re:

Strange that a country that made the 2010 final and was a penalty away from making the last world cup final now isn't in it. Shows how international football can change any minute. Wont win 2018 but could win 2020 euros i guess

It goes to show how difficult it is to qualify in Europe, that's all. A couple of mistakes or bad breaks, you lose your group, you're out. And the draw can be ferocious, the group itself, i.e. Spain and Italy can be sooo loaded. France, Sweeden, Bulgaria, that was a tough one...

That's helped by the stupid fifa rankings, but also because Netherlands are pretty bad. Basically every other nation qualified for the euros last year. Somehow Netherlands managed to not.

 

[GraftPunk]

Is that a whiff of the Gunners sneaking into the top four on Saturday....?

 

[Tonton]

Re: Re:

Strange that a country that made the 2010 final and was a penalty away from making the last world cup final now isn't in it. Shows how international football can change any minute. Wont win 2018 but could win 2020 euros i guess

It goes to show how difficult it is to qualify in Europe, that's all. A couple of mistakes or bad breaks, you lose your group, you're out. And the draw can be ferocious, the group itself, i.e. Spain and Italy can be sooo loaded. France, Sweeden, Bulgaria, that was a tough one...

Tonton, can we make a deal right here. Dumoulin the Tour, France the World Cup. Completely binding agreement for both countries. Deal?

Nah, but I'd Take Pinot the Giro, Dumoulin the Tour, and Contador scoring the winning goal for Spain in the World Cup final .

 

[The Hitch]

Re: Re:

Strange that a country that made the 2010 final and was a penalty away from making the last world cup final now isn't in it. Shows how international football can change any minute. Wont win 2018 but could win 2020 euros i guess

It goes to show how difficult it is to qualify in Europe, that's all. A couple of mistakes or bad breaks, you lose your group, you're out. And the draw can be ferocious, the group itself, i.e. Spain and Italy can be sooo loaded. France, Sweeden, Bulgaria, that was a tough one...

Please. Sweden and Bulgaria really aren't all that. A top team over 9 games should make it. I get that they were unlucky due to disallowed goals and that but I dont think a group with those kind of teams is something that bad considering at the actual world cup you will find yourself having to beat significantly better teams.

 

[The Hitch]

Re: Re:

Strange that a country that made the 2010 final and was a penalty away from making the last world cup final now isn't in it. Shows how international football can change any minute. Wont win 2018 but could win 2020 euros i guess

Strange that a country that has made every WC since 1990, and features one of the most promising young players in the world isn't in it, either. All they needed was a tie against one of the worst teams in the tournament.

For a large part it's due to inept coaching.

Ditto.

basically completely opposite coaching styles, so switching from one to the other was always going to be awkward.

Ditto.

In the end, only missed the play offs for qualification by a hair's breadth...not giving away a goal would have done it.

Ditto.

I'm glad the US aren't in. Do not want soccer developed there at all.

I fear a world in which soccer is the only world sport (what will happen if it keeps growing in the US, and then eventually south Asia), in the same way that the US used to fear a world in which communism is the only world government.

I really enjoy the American sports and really hope they still rule there 20 -30 years from now and that kids dont start dreaming of playing with Fifa instead of NBA or NFL or MLB.

 

[Merckx index]

Re: Re:

I'm glad the US aren't in. Do not want soccer developed there at all.

I fear a world in which soccer is the only world sport (what will happen if it keeps growing in the US, and then eventually south Asia), in the same way that the US used to fear a world in which communism is the only world government.

I really enjoy the American sports and really hope they still rule there 20 -30 years from now and that kids dont start dreaming of playing with Fifa instead of NBA or NFL or MLB.

You're paranoid, Hitch, it ain't gonna happen. All that's changed is that most of the U.S. now follows the World Cup (or would have if the U.S. was in it), but still don't pay much attention to soccer in between. It's possible that the NFL's popularity will decline, due to the concussion risk primarily, but the NBA is stronger than ever, and so, surprisingly, is MLB, according to recent polls.

The U.S. coach, himself a recent replacement, is out.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

So.

Arjen Robben retired from the Dutch national team. And he did in the most hopeless qualification match ever. Still the best and most determined player in the world, at the age of 33 and after about 92 injuries throughout his career.

Dumoulin better win a bunch more, cause the we ain't winning nothing at football in the forseeable future

Well the Dutch women won the Euro this year...

This. And the best and most determined player in the world? Not in my book. A world class player, but the best in the world? No.

Whoops. I really meant to type he was still the best and most determined player on the team.

 

[Brullnux]

Really good derby fell a Madonnina once again. Milan actually looked very good in the second half so it's a shame they lost. Bonucci and Biglia were poor, in fact most the new signings were. Suso and Bona were good, and Andre Silva was ok. Icardi is just really good, and thats an issue.

 

[Robert5091]

England ladies inquiry gets under way
http://www.parliament.uk/business/c...-sport-committee/news/governance-fa-evidence/

Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee questions England footballers and the Football Association on sport governance.
Witnesses

Wednesday 18 October 2017, Grimond Room, Portcullis House

At 2.30pm

Eniola Aluko, England Women's Football Player

At 3.30pm

Lianne Sanderson, England Women's Football Player

At 4.00pm

Martin Glenn, Chief Executive, The Football Association
Greg Clarke, Chairman, The Football Association
Dan Ashworth, Technical Director, The Football Association
Rachel Brace, Human Resources Director, The Football Association

Football Association investigations

In recent months, the Football Association's ability to conduct internal investigations has come under considerable public scrutiny. Earlier this year, questions were raised over the handling of complaints made by Eniola Aluko, the England Women's star who is alleged to have been bullied and harassed by figures in the England camp. Just days ago, the subject of those complaints, England Women's manager Mark Sampson, was fired following different safeguarding allegations at a previous club.

In response to this, the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee takes evidence on how the FA carries out internal investigations, and asks whether the FA has acted adequately when faced with internal complaints. The Committee also considers whether the FA's current governance structures and the attitudes of senior officials enable players to report instances of abuse.

The Committee is to take evidence from England Women's stars, Eniola Aluko and Lianne Sanderson, as well as from FA representatives. The session is part of the Committee's inquiry into sports governance.

Details of Sampson's sacking etc at https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/sep/20/mark-sampson-leave-england-womens-manager

 

[jsem94]

Re:

Really good derby fell a Madonnina once again. Milan actually looked very good in the second half so it's a shame they lost. Bonucci and Biglia were poor, in fact most the new signings were. Suso and Bona were good, and Andre Silva was ok. Icardi is just really good, and thats an issue.

Really lucky to get away with that victory in the end. Still lucky though, could just as well have lost this game just like with Roma and Bologna. Sloppy Inter lucky to be second behind an outstanding Napoli team. Three points is three points though, and it was a terrible penalty to give away by Rodriguez. As an Interista I'm happy but still concerned.

Wtf is happening with Bonucci also? Maybe he needs Chiellini.

Valencia now second after thrashing Betis 6-3 away. Ahead of Atleti and RMA and only 4 points behind Barcelona. A lot can happen in a short amount of time in both directions for a football team. Hope they stay up there fighting, it's good for a club of that stature.

City will run away with the league now and KDB is firmly in my World XI right now. On par with Modric & Kroos and the best player in the PL by a country mile. Also, wtf is Koeman doing? Should have bought a striker as soon as Lukaku was sold.

edit: Not by a country mile. On par with De Gea I'd say. De Gea has to be in the top 10 players in the world atm, what a player. Those two are easily the standout world class players in England atm.

 

[Robert5091]

Scathing article - worth a read!
https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...aluko-drew-spence-mark-sampson-racial-remarks

The failings of the Football Association’s senior management in the Mark Sampson affair were brutally exposed on a calamitous day for the people running the sport and the chief executive, Martin Glenn, was accused of behaviour “bordering on blackmail” by one of the England Women’s footballers whose complaints of racial remarks have finally been proven.

In a remarkable day of evidence before the digital, culture, sport and media committee, the FA issued a full apology to Eni Aluko and Drew Spence after a third inquiry, instigated on the back of the Guardian’s investigation into the previous two investigations, concluded that Sampson, the now-deposed manager, had made discriminatory remarks to both players.

 

[Robert5091]

After taking on Sky & British Cycling, MP Damian Collins takes on the FA -
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/41673969

There are "serious doubts" whether FA bosses are fit to stay on after a "shambolic" performance at a hearing in parliament, MP Damian Collins says.

FA chairman Greg Clarke and chief executive Martin Glenn were answering questions after discrimination claims against ex-England boss Mark Sampson.

"What the FA wouldn't do was acknowledge their failings," Collins told BBC sports editor Dan Roan.

"It raises doubts about whether they are right to take the FA forward."

"I think we need to see a real acknowledgement from the FA on their own failings, their internal failings, not just the failings in relation to Mark Sampson," added committee chair Collins.

Football Association technical director Dan Ashworth and human resources director Rachel Brace also appeared alongside the pair in front of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee on Wednesday.

 

[Robert5091]

Seems like heads will roll.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/41688871

The Football Association is to investigate England women's coach Lee Kendall's alleged "unacceptable behaviour towards Eni Aluko".

The announcement comes a day after the FA apologised to striker Aluko for racially discriminatory remarks by former England boss Mark Sampson.

Nigeria-born Aluko accused goalkeeping coach Kendall of speaking to her in a fake Caribbean accent.

 

[jsem94]

Valencia on a roll. Simone Zaza looks like a new man and completely reinvented himself. Appointing Marcelino as a coach was an excellent move. He did well with Villarreal before and they're playing a simple 4-4-2 with two blocks of four defensively.

Handanovic is a boss, keeping the match level at 0-0 in Naples. Inter and Napoli have both only let in five goals in nine games. Serie A is looking really interesting.

Not so much in England. City are running away with the league and I don't see anyone stopping them. I love Spurs right now under Pochettino and I'm anticipating a great match between them and Liverpool.