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***Official Soccer Discussion Thread*** (2 Viewers)

The two areas are still the Southeast (they still really only have Atlanta and Orlando) and the Upper Midwest (Wisc and only one team in the Ohio-IN-Pitt-Det area).  The SW is basically just Phoenix.  
Yeah, Southeast has always been a gap.  Need to see if anything happens with Charlotte before jumping on the ATL bandwagon, although they have my boy Tata over there

 
@Kafka are you using an alias to post in the political threads? There's a fairly new guy in those posting with a similar, endearingly flourishing (and a little confusing) style. Manly chest bump, my friend.

 
@Kafka are you using an alias to post in the political threads? There's a fairly new guy in those posting with a similar, endearingly flourishing (and a little confusing) style. Manly chest bump, my friend.
Nay! I say thee nay!  

..Nah, don't have the intestinal fortitude for that. I can't navigate posting links, yet alone an alias.  Manly chest bump, nevertheless...

#DumDum

 
Hard to tell with British media, but The Mirror are reporting that Ryan Mason will be undergoing surgery for a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain.

Ryan Mason is fighting for his life after suffering a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain from a sickening clash of heads with Gary Cahill.

The 25-year-old was taken to hospital following the nasty collision in the first half of Sunday's game at Stamford Bridge.

Mason got clattered going up for a header with the Chelsea defender, who also required treatment on the field.

Cahill was able to carry on, but the Tiger was taken to St Mary's Hospital with a serious head injury and is set to undergo an emergency operation.

Hope its an exaggeration and/or Mason pulls through with no complications.

 
For Spurs Eyes Only

Spurs are on their way to Barcelona for a week of training.  Dier and Dele live streamed some of the flight.  Fun to see some of the interaction among the players - but also a bit like watching people on a plane - not a lot going on during parts...

https://vimeo.com/200568397

As a bonus - there is a "Dele Wave" involved.
 
Sinn Fein said:
Hard to tell with British media, but The Mirror are reporting that Ryan Mason will be undergoing surgery for a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain.

Ryan Mason is fighting for his life after suffering a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain from a sickening clash of heads with Gary Cahill.

The 25-year-old was taken to hospital following the nasty collision in the first half of Sunday's game at Stamford Bridge.

Mason got clattered going up for a header with the Chelsea defender, who also required treatment on the field.

Cahill was able to carry on, but the Tiger was taken to St Mary's Hospital with a serious head injury and is set to undergo an emergency operation.

Hope its an exaggeration and/or Mason pulls through with no complications.
This didnt look so bad live but the ref knew immediately something was wong. Hope hes ok. Pretty scary.

 
As the various cities scramble to meet the deadline for officially bidding on the next set of expansion teams, the story looks to be coming together very quickly in San Diego.

==============================================

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/sports/MLS-Targeting-San-Diego-for-Expansion-410864725.html

Sources tell NBC 7 San Diego that a San Diego-based investment group led by FS Investors founder Mike Stone and former Qualcomm Vice Chairman Steve Altman has put together a proposal to purchase the Mission Valley land where Qualcomm Stadium currently sits and turn it in to a sports and entertainment center with a new stadium as the lynchpin.

This group owns the exclusive negotiating rights to MLS in the San Diego market and plans to make a bid for an MLS expansion team. A formal presentation will be made on Monday morning in La Jolla.

The facility would be used by the new MLS franchise and the San Diego State Aztecs football program. The plan is to develop the area around the stadium in to an area not unlike the extremely popular Gaslamp Quarter in Downtown San Diego with restaurants, live entertainment and shopping.

Unlike the proposals set forth by the Chargers, this construction project would be 100% privately financed. Stone and Altman have assembled a team that would take care of the build while purchasing the land from the City of San Diego at "fair market value."

 
As the various cities scramble to meet the deadline for officially bidding on the next set of expansion teams, the story looks to be coming together very quickly in San Diego.

==============================================

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/sports/MLS-Targeting-San-Diego-for-Expansion-410864725.html

Sources tell NBC 7 San Diego that a San Diego-based investment group led by FS Investors founder Mike Stone and former Qualcomm Vice Chairman Steve Altman has put together a proposal to purchase the Mission Valley land where Qualcomm Stadium currently sits and turn it in to a sports and entertainment center with a new stadium as the lynchpin.

This group owns the exclusive negotiating rights to MLS in the San Diego market and plans to make a bid for an MLS expansion team. A formal presentation will be made on Monday morning in La Jolla.

The facility would be used by the new MLS franchise and the San Diego State Aztecs football program. The plan is to develop the area around the stadium in to an area not unlike the extremely popular Gaslamp Quarter in Downtown San Diego with restaurants, live entertainment and shopping.

Unlike the proposals set forth by the Chargers, this construction project would be 100% privately financed. Stone and Altman have assembled a team that would take care of the build while purchasing the land from the City of San Diego at "fair market value."
All I see in this post is Diego, Diego, Diego.  Like!

 
Really interesting Barcelona match yesterday.  With Mascherano and Iniesta already out, Busquets was injured early.  They subbed in Denis instead of Gomes and pushed Rakitic back to the CDM, which is not somewhere I have seen him play before. A typical workman performance and did a great job distributing passes from Ter Stegen forward.  A team that presses with more intensity than Eibar...it may be a different story.  Of course, that is also why Mascherano doesn't play the CDM role as he is the worst player in the squad with the ball at his feet. 

More interesting is that they morphed into a pretty explicit midfield diamond with Messi as the 10.  Perhaps a glimpse into the future, it was deadly effective.

 
Why Barcelona? 
Poch spent a lot of time as a player and manager at Espanyol. 

Typically the weather is nicer is Spain than London, but I don't think there is much difference this year.  Spurs had a mid-season camp in Barcelona last season too.  Just a chance to get away as a team, bond, and rejuvenate for the rest of the season. 

 
Poch spent a lot of time as a player and manager at Espanyol. 

Typically the weather is nicer is Spain than London, but I don't think there is much difference this year.  Spurs had a mid-season camp in Barcelona last season too.  Just a chance to get away as a team, bond, and rejuvenate for the rest of the season. 
Yeah, Barcelona is London's best beach suburb. Spurs are going to be concentrating on sangria

 
For Spurs Eyes Only

Spurs are on their way to Barcelona for a week of training.  Dier and Dele live streamed some of the flight.  Fun to see some of the interaction among the players - but also a bit like watching people on a plane - not a lot going on during parts...

https://vimeo.com/200568397

As a bonus - there is a "Dele Wave" involved.
Don't forget the 'my ankle is like a chocolate firemain' and 'King LoLo'...

That was sublime, thanks for posting.

 
If I am reading this right, CONCACAF just told MLS to go fornicate themselves with the new CONCACAF Champions League format.  I will bold the two items that stick out to me:

============================================================

The process of naming a new continental club champion in North America has changed drastically. CONCACAF announced a new Champions League format on Monday to align with the schedules of the top domestic leagues on the continent.

Starting in August, the new Champions League will feature 31 teams and it will only have a home-and-away knockout format. From August to October, 16 clubs from the Caribbean and Central America will compete in Phase 1, with the winner advancing into the 16-team Phase 2 that will include sides from MLS and Liga MX.

The champion of Phase 1 will qualify for the main Champions League, or Phase 2, that begins in February 2018. Four teams from MLS and Liga MX will make up half of the qualifying teams. The 2017 Caribbean Cup winner, Canadian Championship winner and first-place sides from the domestic leagues in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama will round out the automatic qualifiers.

From that point on, teams will be draw into home-and-away fixtures for the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals and the Grand Final, which will determine the CONCACAF representative in the FIFA Club World Cup.

 
So is the food.
See, I think that's a terribly outdated stereotype.  London, in my experience, has GREAT food.  Particularly if you enjoy ethnic food like Indian.  But even among chains, London has Nando's (which I'm addicted to), Wagamaga (a great Japanese udon chain), the EAT and Pret A Mange chains (which are fast food options with fresher and healthier options than we typically get here). 

 
Nothing like waking up to see Liverpool had lost  :thumbup:  

Then having the United lineup announced with  :fro:  in the starting lineup  :rant:  to ruin the hope (There is a reason they looked more fluid and quicker in the 2nd half after he was subbed).  Then Mata has a nightmare with the own goal (it happens) and missing what should be an easy goal...  :wall:  Only to have the Clatt have a worse game and not give 2 PKs or a foul on Rashford at the top of the box (didnt see if it was in the box or not)  :censored:

and the subs - Rashford for Fro =  :pickle:

Lingard for Mkhi =  :crazy:

Rooney for Mata was :angry:  until  :tebow:  for the record. (What a goal for 250th and to rescue a point).

 
See, I think that's a terribly outdated stereotype.  London, in my experience, has GREAT food.  Particularly if you enjoy ethnic food like Indian.  But even among chains, London has Nando's (which I'm addicted to), Wagamaga (a great Japanese udon chain), the EAT and Pret A Mange chains (which are fast food options with fresher and healthier options than we typically get here). 
You're no fun.

 
Jaysus said:
That was classic Crouch defense 101~
except for numerous things...

1) Fro was pushing up more toward the 10 spot so really no where near Crouch on the run of play
2) Crouch is 100x better then fro in the air despite being thinner then Fro
3) Dont recall any free kicks that Fro was marking Crouch
4) I am sure there are more but even the point is there is not a good reason for Fellaini to be on the field.....

 
This timeline covered the San Diego MLS presser if anyone is interested: https://twitter.com/ArtieNBCSD

Key points: It will be multi-use for MLS, SDSU Football, and hopefully a LIga MX team. That last part surprised me. It will be completely privately funded, but they need the city to accept their proposal ASAP so they can file for an MLS expansion before the deadline on the 31st. There is also a couple drawings for the site which kind of suck, imo. Not very telling. 

I think it is crazy that this investment group is so ready for this. They had to be chomping at the bit for the Chargers to skip town. It also tells me that the Chargers didn't really exhaust all their options to stay. I'm sure they could have got on bed with this group and been a part of this. They must be really hard to work with. I know they wouldn't listen to any proposals whatsoever that didn't include being right downtown for some reason. So stupid. Good riddance. Bring on MLS! 

 
This timeline covered the San Diego MLS presser if anyone is interested: https://twitter.com/ArtieNBCSD

Key points: It will be multi-use for MLS, SDSU Football, and hopefully a LIga MX team. That last part surprised me. It will be completely privately funded, but they need the city to accept their proposal ASAP so they can file for an MLS expansion before the deadline on the 31st. There is also a couple drawings for the site which kind of suck, imo. Not very telling. 

I think it is crazy that this investment group is so ready for this. They had to be chomping at the bit for the Chargers to skip town. It also tells me that the Chargers didn't really exhaust all their options to stay. I'm sure they could have got on bed with this group and been a part of this. They must be really hard to work with. I know they wouldn't listen to any proposals whatsoever that didn't include being right downtown for some reason. So stupid. Good riddance. Bring on MLS! 
I wonder if this had been discussed if it meant spanos selling a part of the team to them or if they would just build the stadium and have the Chargers lease it?  I also wonder if the fact that an MLS stadium is about half the size needed for an NFL stadium if this group would even want to get into a deal with the Chargers?

I'm sure this has all been covered and I am mostly thinking out-loud in writing...

In any case I am rooting for SD to get an MLS team.

 
This sounds too good to be true. Here is what the San Diego group is proposing. 

Full article

 
  • Buy the 166-acre site from the city at fair market value, as determined by a third-party. The site has been estimated at about $50 million in its present, unimproved condition;
  • Demolish 50-year-old Qualcomm Stadium, relieving the city of the annual upkeep of about $12 million and about $100 million in deferred maintenance costs. The city still owes about $28 million on outstanding bonds; 
  • Set aside enough land for an NFL stadium to be built in the next five years if another city’s team wants to relocate and replace the Chargers, assuming the Chargers do not change their minds and want to move back;
  • Pay the projected cost, previously estimated at about $50 million, for a 55-acre San Diego River Park on the south side of the property;
  • Cover the costs of offsite traffic improvements associated with the development, as determined in an environmental analysis to accompany the citizens initiative, as  well as onsite infrastructure site development costs with details to be laid out in coming weeks; and,
  • Invite other developers to build housing, including about 800 beds for SDSU students, 10 percent of the remainder for low- and moderate-income renters; office space for SDSU and other tenants, including a possible million-square-foot corporate headquarters;  and related commercial and entertainment uses on the remainder of the property. The overall hope is to develop a transit-oriented development tied to the existing trolley line and one planned along Interstate 15.

 
This sounds too good to be true. Here is what the San Diego group is proposing. 

Full article
jesus, that a is a lot to drink in..........

I am no specialist on these things but that is going to be a enormous proposal to get any sort of real approval in just one week in time for the bid.

Sadly I fear while this looks very fair (especially considering how most other stadium projects have their hands out) that either politicians or NIMBY's or both are going to be looking for more.

It would not shock me that if MLS feels like their is some momentum in SD but just not enough time to get even initial approval for something this big that they will extend the deadline.

Hell, they have been extending Beck's Miami deadline forever now,,,,,

 
NewlyRetired said:
If I am reading this right, CONCACAF just told MLS to go fornicate themselves with the new CONCACAF Champions League format.  I will bold the two items that stick out to me:

============================================================

The process of naming a new continental club champion in North America has changed drastically. CONCACAF announced a new Champions League format on Monday to align with the schedules of the top domestic leagues on the continent.

Starting in August, the new Champions League will feature 31 teams and it will only have a home-and-away knockout format. From August to October, 16 clubs from the Caribbean and Central America will compete in Phase 1, with the winner advancing into the 16-team Phase 2 that will include sides from MLS and Liga MX.

The champion of Phase 1 will qualify for the main Champions League, or Phase 2, that begins in February 2018. Four teams from MLS and Liga MX will make up half of the qualifying teams. The 2017 Caribbean Cup winner, Canadian Championship winner and first-place sides from the domestic leagues in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama will round out the automatic qualifiers.

From that point on, teams will be draw into home-and-away fixtures for the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals and the Grand Final, which will determine the CONCACAF representative in the FIFA Club World Cup.
One other thing I think this change might affect is that this season of MLS and the US Open Cup will not have any CCL places up for grabs.  I think they basically need to skip a year in creating qualifying teams to get themselves realigned with the new schedule.

 
@Sebowskithanks for all the info.

Can you explain a little more about the Liga MX tie in?
That part really blind sided me. I have heard really rumblings about everything else in this presser. I'd think MX would come out first that they wanted to be in the country rather than this. An older local rumbling had me thinking that an MLS bid would be from part of the Xolos group. This would be completely against that. I'll check my very limited but not non existent sources.....

 
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@Sinn Fein...there is a good article today, over at Squawka.  It describes Lamela's recent trials & tribulations, & his current stay at Rome.  The word "homesick" was used....along with mention of a "return to Roma"  :stalker:

 
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@Sinn Fein...there is a good article today, over at Squawka.  It describes Lamela's recent trials & tribulations, & his current stay at Rome.  The word "homesick" was used....along with mention of a "return to Roma"  :stalker:
Might be best for all involved. :oldunsure:

he has been through a lot since October - injured, and nothing to see on a scan -seems to be more mental now. His brother was in a serious accident back in Argentina.  His dog died. And , Spurs are moving forward while he is stuck re-habbing. 

He still has a support group in and around Roma. He sounds like he is depressed in London with everything going on.

i think it will be a while, if at all, before he is back playing for Spurs. Even when he returns, he has lost a spot in the starting XI, so that is just one more reason to see him get a fresh start back in Rome. 

 
Just got around to the squawka article - author has some inside connections to Spurs, so there could be more to this than just a random journo putting the story out there. 

 

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