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***Official Soccer Discussion Thread*** (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Ramsay Hunt Experience
- Start date
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
As a US fan, it is painful to see the incredible depth and wealth of riches some countries have. I am still hoping Yedlin and Zardes can learn how to trap :(
CGRdrJoe
Footballguy
underwhelming? He has 19 goals in 19 games played this year for Los Blancos. He also had 3 goals and 2 assists in the 5 games they played at the world cup.
Poke_4_Life
Footballguy
The Gator
Footballguy
I withdrew him from the squad so he doesn't get injured and we can make a push in teh CL
eta> oops, not the FM thread
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Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
He has 23 goals in 25 games with a blackmail charge hanging over his head. In any case, he's suspended from the national team for now.
Dinsy Ejotuz
Footballguy
RHE... if you assume everyone was healthy for 38 games no matter how much they played and you had to play the same lineup for the entire season, what XI would you put out for Arsenal?
Was thinking about that for Liverpool recently...
Was thinking about that for Liverpool recently...
Code:
Mignolet
Clyne Lovren Sakho Moreno
Can Henderson
Lallana Firmino Coutinho
SturridgeRamsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
It wouldn't shock me to see Kondogbia on the team. Kingsley Coman might be a Ribery replacement if plastic Frank goes down. I think Martial and Giroud both definitely make the team. Maybe Lucas Digne at fullback? He always seemed like the heir apparent, but I have no idea how he's worked out for Roma.
CletiusMaximus
Footballguy
I'm sure he's one of the first names on the teamsheet. These were friendlies last fall, with unlimited subs, so they played a ton of midfielders.
B Maverick
Footballguy
When you are the worst of the mediocre players the hate is justified.
LVG is no SAF is one of the truest statements ever made
CGRdrJoe
Footballguy
Steve Tasker
Footballguy
It's hard to compare all of these players because they all play different roles.
Ozil is obviously a world-class player. I'd put Sanchez not far off though I think he's slumping right now. Cazorla and Giroud are players who, while they're not going to be mentioned among the world's ultra-elite, are more than capable of holding their own at this level and performing very well for Arsenal. Whenever I watch Giroud, I harken back to Marouane Chamakh....Giroud 1.0 if you will....and the gulf in quality between those two is just gigantic. Giroud has surprisingly deft foot-skills for someone his size.
Welbeck and Walcott are fine depth strikers. I almost hate to use that term because they're both talented players, but if you're talking truly upper echelon, they're not there and will never be there. Still, they're Arsenal favorites and fine players.
I still think the jury is out on Campbell. I am not as high on him as some others are. He has been in a very nice run of form but he disappears too often or makes dumb plays too often for my liking. I'm fine with him continuing to get minutes but I'm not anointing him some up-and-coming superstar yet.
Ramsey and Ox are both solid center mids, IMO. Kinda unfair to judge them only on their attacking skills because they do much more than that. Ramsey in particular, he strikes me as being as box-to-box as they come. I'd put them in the Giroud class...not truly world-elite, but they'd be starters or very regular features for all but the best maybe 15 teams in the world, I think. Maybe I'm overrating them.
Arteta and Flamini are depth players on the downsides of their career. Fine veterans to have around but they're not fooling anyone. I have no idea on Wilshere anymore, I don't know that anyone does. He hasn't developed.
Coquelin - and I'll throw El Neny in here too - shouldn't even really be considered in this. Coquelin is a bulldog destroyer in the Rino Gattuso/pre-center-back Mascherano mold. He won't score but he provides a vital presence in front of the defense. Wenger has been searching for the next Patrick Vieira for a decade now. Maybe he has him.
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The Z Machine
Footballguy
The Gator
Footballguy
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
Cech
Bellerin Koscielny Mertesacker Nacho Man
Coquelin Ramsey
Campbell Ozil Alexis
Giroud
But Santi would get plenty of starts. Either for Ramsey, or by moving Alexis to the right and removing Campbell. Most Arsenal fans would think I'm crazy for having Campbell in there, but he gives them a nice balance between chance creation and the abiity to get up beside Giroud and bang a few in. I just like the variety in his game better than Theo. If healthy, I could also see an argument for Welbz on the left. Maybe because he's been with Arsenal only two years, I haven't given up on him improving his finishing. If I were a Man U fan, I imagine I'd feel different.
B Maverick
Footballguy
I love Welbeck's work ethic, pace and skill. I believe he makes an excellent winger and would be great on the left. He's 25, does that make him young enough to still be able to improve or is he at that age where he is what he is? I don't know. He scores enough to tease you but not enough to employ him as your game changing striker.
Steve Tasker
Footballguy
You're nuts for putting Campbell over Cazorla...........
I still don't really love Monreal either. I'm hard-pressed to see what Wenger sees in him over Gibbs. I don't think I've ever watched Monreal and been overly impressed with his play. Gibbs isn't a world-beater either, but I think he offers a lot more going forward than Monreal does, with similar defensive capability. If I have to see one more half-hearted limped-in cross from Monreal, I'm going to ####### break my television.
Steve Tasker
Footballguy
Otherwise the rest of your lineup is accurate.
The Z Machine
Footballguy
Forget this Arsenal lineup talk. They´re toast.
Give me your starting XI for England in EURO2016
Give me your starting XI for England in EURO2016
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
The problem with Cazorla is that he's too similar to Ozil. They both need the space in between the lines to operate. When Cazorla is playing great in that area, Ozil isn't at his best. When Ozil has played great in that area, and Santi has been healthy, Santi has been at CM. Play them both at AM and you have very little width and nobody getting in behind.
Monreal is a much better defender than Gibbs. Gibbs is the Theo Walcott of left backs. You see him and you say, "Wow, he looks dangerous! Look how he got into that space!" And then you look at his stats at the end of the game and realize he has 0 chances created and a cross completion percentage of 7%." All while letting Bolasie or whoever run by him like a turnstile.
El Floppo
Footballguy
El Floppo
Footballguy
IMO Ramsey and Wilshere are both difference makers in the middle. Very good foot skills on the dribble and very good combination play and vision- and both have decent nose for the goal. I'd be totally happy to have healthy versions of both of those guys on my team. so would Arsenal.
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
Dinsy Ejotuz
Footballguy
I thought more about Flanagan than Skrtel. Lovren has been pretty solid since Klopp came in and Sakho's the first choice IMO. Plus he and Lovren seem to have a better understanding of who should be where.
I don't have any numbers (what?!) but subjectively there seem to have been fewer instance of opposing players standing on the penalty spot with all day to pick a corner with Lovren on the field.
Steve Tasker
Footballguy
And they wonder why they can't compete at the highest level............
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
There's no doubt that Wilshere has ridiculous talent. But his injury issues are a consequence of the way he plays. Paul Scholes isn't my favorite analyst, but I think he's dead right about Jack. He takes a ton of tackles because he takes too many touches on the ball trying to make the Hollywood play. Add in that he tackles himself like a raging lunatic and I don't think his injury issues are "bad luck."
Would I be worried about him becoming a superstar somewhere else? I would. But sooner or later you have to admit to yourself that if he were to become Gazza, he would have done so already.
Would I be worried about him becoming a superstar somewhere else? I would. But sooner or later you have to admit to yourself that if he were to become Gazza, he would have done so already.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
While no where near as stark a comparison as comparing the US to top teams, that England lineup really does stand out.
For everything England has going for it, it should be a top 5 country for producing talent and yet I bet they are closer to top 15 than top 5.
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
In fairness, I whiffed on Stones. Replace Jags with him. I still don't think he's as good as his reputation, and the dropoff from Terry/Rio at their best to these guys is England's biggest problem. I always think England could surprise, and this year is no different if they use a lot of the young players being developed by Spurs. I just like those guys.
CletiusMaximus
Footballguy
It seems the more respectable media sources are now fully on board with the rumor that Antonio Conte will step down as Italy manager after the Euro to manage Chelsea next season. We'll then have the typical rumors of all the Juve/Italy players he's going to "bring with him" (even though that almost never happens). He seems like a decent fella based on what I've read, other than the whole match-fixing stuff. Maybe he can trim some fat and get some of the guys to work a bit harder. Chelsea has a pretty good history with Italian managers and I expect the locals will welcome him.
Dinsy Ejotuz
Footballguy
FWIW... whoscored has it...
Sakho, 7.08
Lovren, 7.05
Skrtel, 6.89
Also found this... LFC have 10 clean sheets in the 19 games Lovren has played under Klopp.
And I discovered that we're now calling Lallana, Firmino, Coutinho 'LFC'. Scouse wit!
Sakho, 7.08
Lovren, 7.05
Skrtel, 6.89
Also found this... LFC have 10 clean sheets in the 19 games Lovren has played under Klopp.
And I discovered that we're now calling Lallana, Firmino, Coutinho 'LFC'. Scouse wit!
Steve Tasker
Footballguy
Well to be fair, Gazza was a tireless worker. I mean literally tireless. He was drinking an estimated 20-50 cans of Red Bull a day.
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
Can a FBG hope for some three at the back action in the EPL?
One of my favorite things about the new MLS season is watching Viera pull out a 3-4-3 to try to protect Pirlo. Get crazy, Patrick.
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
I can't believe I forgot to mention Kante when mentioning a possible French team. He's played all year like Sissoko plays in the 10 games a year he shows up.
It was hard to find a speck of green from his heat map yesterday against Newcastle.
It was hard to find a speck of green from his heat map yesterday against Newcastle.
Poke_4_Life
Footballguy
Alli, Walker, and Mason make the bench?
Spurs seems to be carrying the three lions right now.
Steve Tasker
Footballguy
The Gator
Footballguy
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
Definitely Alli. My first thoughts at a bench are something like:
Thinking of the bench made me realize that I think I got both CBs wrong. I'd have Stones and Smalling. Jags and Cahill as bench guys. So my first thought of a bench is something like:
Butland, Forster
Walker, Jags, Cahill, Baines, Milner, Wilshere, Walcott, Ross Barkley, Ashley Young, Vardy, Welbeck
Something like that.
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
Cupboard ain't exactly stocked for England in that position. Of course, Dier or Smalling could play there in a pinch, so maybe you don't need a backup there.
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
CGRdrJoe
Footballguy
dear god please let this be fake
http://www.empireofsoccer.com/leaked-usmnt-jersey-features-black-design-and-new-crest-45037/
:X
http://www.empireofsoccer.com/leaked-usmnt-jersey-features-black-design-and-new-crest-45037/
:X
El Floppo
Footballguy
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
Baines would replace Rose, not Clyne. Remember the guys on "your" left are on the right in the formation. I suppose that's why TV graphics always put the goalie at the bottom.
I think its kind of a shame, but Baines kind of missed his window. He was behind Cole for years and he's just not the same guy anymore. He's still the best offensive player in the position, but his motor is gone. The team would look a lot better with the Luke Shaw that started the year for United, but Rose is another player who I actually really like. I think he's been great for Pochettino. Whether Woy can use him as well is up for debate.
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
I feel like US Soccer is making a concerted effort to make me nostalgic for the Beauty Pageant and Hoops designs (I genuinely loved the Hoops).
The Gator
Footballguy
No way Scouse Cafu gets the nod...even though that's exactly what they need. He put Sterling on the bench early second half last time he played.
Just not a fan of the English Yedlin
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
I don't particularly disagree. I'd like to see Flanno get some extended run by Klopp. And I'd like to see some respect for an old school, put a winger in your pocket, full back.No way Scouse Cafu gets the nod...even though that's exactly what they need. He put Sterling on the bench early second half last time he played.
Just not a fan of the English Yedlin
I feel the same way about Alli. Last Euros, Rooney refused to close down to Pirlo (you could hear Hart literally screaming at him). I know Alli would stick to Pirlo like the aroma of fine wine and musk.
