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***Official Soccer Discussion Thread*** (8 Viewers)
- Thread starter Ramsay Hunt Experience
- Start date
Kafka
Footballguy
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Kafka
Footballguy
His situation is intriguing....do you guys think it's best for his development to make the Bayern squad, or to be loaned out? I love the guy, & still can't get over his performance vs Belgium in the WC...his talent is tantalating
...was gonna edit, but you guys know me by now... let's just roll with the "made up Kafka-word"....was aiming for tantalizing...but kinda went out of bounds (per usual)
...my use of the Ainglush language is most certainly profligate...
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Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
I guess I should move to the U.S. thread, but if they play him there I guess he's the backup striker with Gotze gone? He's seemed passive tonight although he made a good run that may have erroneously been called offside.
CletiusMaximus
Footballguy
Chelsea Begovic; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Terry (c), Aina; Fabregas, Matic; Willian, Traore, Loftus-Cheek, Moses.
Liverpool Karius, Randall, Lovren (c), Klavan, Moreno, Stewart, Ejaria, Grujic, Mane, Coutinho, Firmino
Liverpool Karius, Randall, Lovren (c), Klavan, Moreno, Stewart, Ejaria, Grujic, Mane, Coutinho, Firmino
Sebowski
Footballguy
Kafka
Footballguy
Man, I could see Cuadrado completing this squad...have Chelsea exercised their option yet?... obviously dependant on Conte's formation, but he seems a must, no?
CletiusMaximus
Footballguy
He's there in Pasadena tonight so will probably get a run. I don't know what to expect from him. Last time in the prem he was not good enough. Very deep position for Chelsea, no idea what Conte is planning. They say it's a 4-2-4 tonight and I have little idea what that is or what it needs.
CletiusMaximus
Footballguy
CletiusMaximus
Footballguy
Victor Moses shows up big every summer, looks great in the exhibitions, gets loaned, then can't hold a spot. Three years running.
Kafka
Footballguy
Si...I was just thinking Conte would run a 3-5-2...with Cuadrado on the wing...he definitely didn't excel in the PL, but on the wing at Fiorentina, he was phenomenal...& I think he would complete Conte's version of a 3-5-2, IF he goes that route. Anyways, #### Chelsea & #### Juventus...
Dinsy Ejotuz
Footballguy
Who is #53 for Liverpool -- the lanky black kid with the twisty game?
ETA: finally showed his name. Ejaria. Kind of pops skill-wise at least.
ETA: finally showed his name. Ejaria. Kind of pops skill-wise at least.
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Dinsy Ejotuz
Footballguy
I think Grujic's eyes rolled back in his head on the way down. He might have been all the way out for a second.
Kafka
Footballguy
Ned
Footballguy
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
Ned
Footballguy
shader
Footballguy
roadkill1292
Footballguy
But he did a good job drifting into a dangerous position and making himself available to receive the pass. Keeper didn't have much time from that distance.
Still, it was City's defense.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
From Soccer America
FC Dallas star Fabian Castillo arrived in Turkey ahead of his anticipated transfer from MLS to Trabzonspor and was literally swept off his feet by fans who picked him up and put him on their shoulders at the airport.
Castillo received a physical exam as Trabzonspor, 12th in the Turkish Super Lig in 2015-16, looks to finalize a deal for the 24-year-old Colombian.SI.com's Brian Straus reported on Monday that the deal calls for Trabzonspor to pay around $4 million -- $2 million now, $2 million in January, making it a loan deal.Castillo has scored 35 goals in 160 games over six seasons for FC Dallas, which leads the race for the MLS Supporters' Shield.
FC Dallas star Fabian Castillo arrived in Turkey ahead of his anticipated transfer from MLS to Trabzonspor and was literally swept off his feet by fans who picked him up and put him on their shoulders at the airport.
Castillo received a physical exam as Trabzonspor, 12th in the Turkish Super Lig in 2015-16, looks to finalize a deal for the 24-year-old Colombian.SI.com's Brian Straus reported on Monday that the deal calls for Trabzonspor to pay around $4 million -- $2 million now, $2 million in January, making it a loan deal.Castillo has scored 35 goals in 160 games over six seasons for FC Dallas, which leads the race for the MLS Supporters' Shield.
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
Don't know who city's keeper was (wasn't Hart or Willy), and I'm sure he was unsighted, but it's no bueno to be beaten five hole from 13 yards out. I love Denayer's reaction. Like "oh, for ****'s sake."
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
Man, that seems like a low fee for Castillo. He was probably the second most exciting player in MLS behind Giovinco.
shader
Footballguy
Some 20 year old kid. He acquitted himself with 3 saves in the penalty shootout.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
the report is confusing. The article indicates it is a loan deal, but I don't think it is, I think it is a full transfer.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
you are correct, I think Caballero started but was subbed at half time with a million other players, I lost track.
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Ned
Footballguy
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
SEATTLE – The Seattle Sounders made a huge play Wednesday to save their season and build for the years beyond by signing Uruguayan midfielder and World Cup veteran Nicolás Lodeiro to a multi-year deal as the club’s newest Designated Player.
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This is a nice pick up even if it may be too late for this season. 27 year old should be in his prime with a ton of international experience including 2 world cups and 3 copas.
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This is a nice pick up even if it may be too late for this season. 27 year old should be in his prime with a ton of international experience including 2 world cups and 3 copas.
Dinsy Ejotuz
Footballguy
Unreal that Pulisic is still 17 for two more months.
Dinsy Ejotuz
Footballguy
Apparently Grujic is in the hospital and can't remember anything. If you watch the replay you can see his eyes go completely white on the way down after he got headed in the temple, and he does nothing to cushion himself at impact. Complete deadfall. Bummer for the kid.
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El Floppo
Footballguy
yeah... nice goal, IMO... don't see it as too soft. city was expecting the ball to be hit into the mixer, short corner surprised them. Pulisic found the space and maybe got a little lucky that his ball went through so many pairs of legs into the goal... but it went in, so well taken ultimately.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
With the MLS All Star game tonight against Arsenal, I thought I would look up past all star games to see what the results were like. MLS has been using the MLS All Stars vs Opponent X since 2002, with the exception of 2004 when they did a one time revert back to East vs West.
2002: MLS 3 US National team 2
2003: MLS 3 Chivas 1
2005: MLS 4 Fulham 1
2006: MLS 1 Chelsea 0
2007: MLS 2 Celtic 0
2008: MLS 3 West Ham United 2
2009: MLS 1 Everton 1 (Everton won in pk's)
2010: MLS 2 Man United 5
2011: MLS 0 Man United 4
2012: MLS 3 Chelsea 2
2013: MLS 1 Roma 3
2014: MLS 2 Bayern Munich 1
2015: MLS 2 Tottenham 1
And my favorite highlight from any MLS All Star game
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVOhzHrOehw
2002: MLS 3 US National team 2
2003: MLS 3 Chivas 1
2005: MLS 4 Fulham 1
2006: MLS 1 Chelsea 0
2007: MLS 2 Celtic 0
2008: MLS 3 West Ham United 2
2009: MLS 1 Everton 1 (Everton won in pk's)
2010: MLS 2 Man United 5
2011: MLS 0 Man United 4
2012: MLS 3 Chelsea 2
2013: MLS 1 Roma 3
2014: MLS 2 Bayern Munich 1
2015: MLS 2 Tottenham 1
And my favorite highlight from any MLS All Star game
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVOhzHrOehw
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NewlyRetired
Footballguy
His game must not translate for some of the bigger Euro leagues. Many MLS players have left for bigger leagues than Turkey and I think most of them were not of Fabian's quality.
Ned
Footballguy
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
Robben and Schweinsteiger got hit. Schweiny got an ankle injury. I remember thinking to myself at the time "no way I play these brittle vets in a game like this."
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
That game was also fun for Landon scoring the winning goal against his former team and seeming a little more hyped about it than he would for most ASG goals. Right up there with Wondo winning the respect of Terry against Chelsea in my favorite ASG moments.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
I think it was Alonso both times.
But I think it was some one (Eeaphus?) who said at the time, if you just want a walk in the park, don't accept the invitation to play. Bayern just wanted free publicity in America and it kind of backfired for them.
El Floppo
Footballguy
remind me...
eta: did it involve skying a ball high over the crossbar in a crucial game?
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NewlyRetired
Footballguy
This is an interesting article from CSN Chicago. I liked Alonso's comment about losses in MLS not having enough impact.
============================
Every time a European team comes over to the United States, the players are asked about the growth of Major League Soccer and the sport in this country.
Occasionally a player will say something interesting, which is why these types of stories continue.
On Tuesday, a day before the Bayern Munich-AC Milan preseason game at Soldier Field, Xabi Alonso and Holger Badstuber of Bayern and Riccardo Montolivo and Gianluigi Donnarumma of Milan took part in a panel to discuss American soccer and the development of technology in the sport.
All four players talked about how the sport is growing in the U.S. and that they hear MLS is improving, but Alonso had a slightly more in-depth perspective thanks for a former teammate.
“I recently spoke with Stevie Gerrard (of the LA Galaxy),” Alonso began. “Maybe people tend to think the level is not as high, but he really thinks that it’s very demanding. The players are really strong.”
As much as having players like Gerrard, who is 36 years old, in the league feeds into the “retirement league” stigma that MLS continues to wear around its neck, other players around the world will listen to his opinion of the league. Alonso played with Gerrard at Liverpool from 2004-2009 and hearing Gerrard say the league is quality will increase the chances of more well-known players joining MLS. As much as the retirement league stigma can be a negative, Gerrard speaking praise about the league to other players can possibly offset that stigma.
The second part of Alonso’s quote is not as positive about MLS.
“Of course what is different is the system of the competition,” Alonso continued. “Sometimes they lose a game and it doesn’t really have that impact, but for sure it’s becoming more popular for European players, for worldwide players to come to the States to play. That’s great news I think.”
The fact that MLS has playoffs to determine its most prestigious trophy is foreign to, well, foreigners. Leagues all around the world give the league title to the equivalent of the regular season winner and have cup competitions, both domestic and continental, to create playoff-type drama. On top of that 60 percent of MLS teams make the playoffs, which devalues the regular season. Apparently, this hasn’t gone unnoticed in other parts of the world.
While players like Alonso and Montolivo have become more familiar to American soccer fans because of the increased access to games in recent years, that goes both ways. Not only are the Premier League, Bundesliga and Serie A being shown in the U.S., but MLS is being shown in Europe.
“They are on German television, some games you can watch there,” Badstuber said. “I think it’s good. I think that old players from Germany are going to go to the States, too, after their career in Germany because it’s a different culture, it’s a new life and they can learn a lot. This is a fact that players want to go to the States.”
The players are also aware it’s not just older players that have come over. Montolivo brought up Sebastian Giovinco, the 2015 MLS MVP who Montolivo has played with on the Italian National Team.
“Major League Soccer is definitely improving in trying to bring players not at the end of their careers, when at full strength,” Montolivo said through a translator. “For example, Giovinco came at 27 and he came to win.”
These players were at a promotional event so they weren’t about to trash MLS and make enemies of American soccer fans. Still, there was more substance to these quotes than you probably would have seen maybe five or seven years ago. Perception is reality and the perception of MLS does seem to be improving abroad.
============================
Every time a European team comes over to the United States, the players are asked about the growth of Major League Soccer and the sport in this country.
Occasionally a player will say something interesting, which is why these types of stories continue.
On Tuesday, a day before the Bayern Munich-AC Milan preseason game at Soldier Field, Xabi Alonso and Holger Badstuber of Bayern and Riccardo Montolivo and Gianluigi Donnarumma of Milan took part in a panel to discuss American soccer and the development of technology in the sport.
All four players talked about how the sport is growing in the U.S. and that they hear MLS is improving, but Alonso had a slightly more in-depth perspective thanks for a former teammate.
“I recently spoke with Stevie Gerrard (of the LA Galaxy),” Alonso began. “Maybe people tend to think the level is not as high, but he really thinks that it’s very demanding. The players are really strong.”
As much as having players like Gerrard, who is 36 years old, in the league feeds into the “retirement league” stigma that MLS continues to wear around its neck, other players around the world will listen to his opinion of the league. Alonso played with Gerrard at Liverpool from 2004-2009 and hearing Gerrard say the league is quality will increase the chances of more well-known players joining MLS. As much as the retirement league stigma can be a negative, Gerrard speaking praise about the league to other players can possibly offset that stigma.
The second part of Alonso’s quote is not as positive about MLS.
“Of course what is different is the system of the competition,” Alonso continued. “Sometimes they lose a game and it doesn’t really have that impact, but for sure it’s becoming more popular for European players, for worldwide players to come to the States to play. That’s great news I think.”
The fact that MLS has playoffs to determine its most prestigious trophy is foreign to, well, foreigners. Leagues all around the world give the league title to the equivalent of the regular season winner and have cup competitions, both domestic and continental, to create playoff-type drama. On top of that 60 percent of MLS teams make the playoffs, which devalues the regular season. Apparently, this hasn’t gone unnoticed in other parts of the world.
While players like Alonso and Montolivo have become more familiar to American soccer fans because of the increased access to games in recent years, that goes both ways. Not only are the Premier League, Bundesliga and Serie A being shown in the U.S., but MLS is being shown in Europe.
“They are on German television, some games you can watch there,” Badstuber said. “I think it’s good. I think that old players from Germany are going to go to the States, too, after their career in Germany because it’s a different culture, it’s a new life and they can learn a lot. This is a fact that players want to go to the States.”
The players are also aware it’s not just older players that have come over. Montolivo brought up Sebastian Giovinco, the 2015 MLS MVP who Montolivo has played with on the Italian National Team.
“Major League Soccer is definitely improving in trying to bring players not at the end of their careers, when at full strength,” Montolivo said through a translator. “For example, Giovinco came at 27 and he came to win.”
These players were at a promotional event so they weren’t about to trash MLS and make enemies of American soccer fans. Still, there was more substance to these quotes than you probably would have seen maybe five or seven years ago. Perception is reality and the perception of MLS does seem to be improving abroad.
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
Yeah. I mean, this will be a meaningless preseason friendly for Arsenal tonight. It will be something more than that for at least some of the All Stars (maybe not so much this year with Pirlo, Villa, Drogba, etc.). Maybe not the competitiveness of a league game, but something more than a kick around. I'd yank Ozil or any first choice CB if someone breathes on them.
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
Fox in the MF'N Box
I've read two interviews where Terry is asked the obligatory "what do you think of MLS" question, and both times he mentioned that Wondo's movement surprised him and made him difficult to mark.
