The Football/Soccer Thread

[Fwiffo]

Shakhtar beats Real Madrid

19 infections? I'm surprised Real wanted to send their first team on to the pitch.

 

[Fwiffo]

It didn't seem to slow Ronaldo down but now Mo Salah has coronavirus.

 

[Fwiffo]

Spurs at the top of the table. City mid table. West Ham in top 6. Very strange season.

 

[Kingstonian]

Bournemouth, Norwich and Watford at 1,2 and 3 in Championship table.

Very unusual for all relegated clubs to do so well.

 

[Fwiffo]

And in the premiership, I am not surprised to see Fulham struggling and very surprised Lampard’s blues are at the top.

 

[Fwiffo]

MLS announces $1bn loss of revenue

Major League Soccer announces it has lost almost $1bn (£750m) in revenue during 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

www.bbc.com

Total lack of television money.

 

[Fwiffo]

Zlatan vows to keep going

"I feel like I've been here different generations. I played against (former Milan defender) Paolo Maldini and now I'm playing with his son, Daniel. Hopefully I can play with Daniel's son also, that would be a miracle."

His recent positive test for Covid-19 was more of a "mental challenge" than physical, he said - he went on to front an information campaign in Italy asking people to respect social distancing and not to challenge the virus as "you are not Zlatan".

 

[Fwiffo]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/55330288

Big Sam is back again!

 

[Fwiffo]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/55428796

Arsenal boss admitting he's in a relegation battle.

 

[Kingstonian]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/55428796

Arsenal boss admitting he's in a relegation battle.

Well they beat Chelsea 3 1. Maybe it’s not so bad after all.

 

[Fwiffo]

Well they beat Chelsea 3 1. Maybe it’s not so bad after all.

Lampard is apparently furious. Another two fixtures to go to right the ship according to Arteta.

 

[Fwiffo]

Would have thought Arsenal got back into the top 6 with all the positive press these past few days. They only reached mid table.

 

[Fwiffo]

Arteta: Offloading players in January is a priority

Arsenal - a seller's club.

 

[Fwiffo]

Spurs v Fulham moved to Wednesday after Aston Villa Covid-19 cases mean they cannot play

We can't play Villa because they have an outbreak but let's go back to playing our delayed fixture with Fulham because their outbreak is over.

 

[Fwiffo]

Lampard getting sacked today

 

[Kingstonian]

Bees unbeaten in twenty games in Championship. Still plenty of time for the wheels to come off though.

It’s Brentford innit.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55866860

 

[Fwiffo]

Fifth consecutive defeat for Liverpool at Anfield.

“The statistics surrounding Liverpool's slump are stacking around them like rubble as they suffered another defeat in this truly desperate Premier League title defence.

Jurgen Klopp's side have created unwanted history with those five defeats, they have not scored from open play in more than 10 hours at Anfield - a shocking run emphasised by the fact they only lost four matches here in the first five years and three months of the German's tenure.

Nothing summed up their current condition than the sight of the clearly infuriated and mystified Salah reacting in very discontented fashion after his substitution in the 62nd minute.

Liverpool will plead their case for that penalty but this cannot disguise yet another stale, limp Anfield display in the arena where they carried such a fear factor for years.”

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/56191315

 

[Fwiffo]

Ibrahimovic recalled by Sweden

Sweden's record goalscorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been recalled to the national team, five years after announcing his retirement.

www.bbc.com

The Swedish national team must be desperate.

 

[Fwiffo]

Portugal without Ronaldo? Is that even possible?

Cristiano Ronaldo: Are Portugal a better team without the country's greatest player?

 

[Kingstonian]

Portugal without Ronaldo? Is that even possible?

Cristiano Ronaldo: Are Portugal a better team without the country's greatest player?

All players retire eventually.

Portugal without the great Eusebio was possible.

 

[Fwiffo]

All players retire eventually.

Portugal without the great Eusebio was possible.

Eventually. Or they are like Ibra and come out of retirement. I think it speaks more to the flash in the pan players coming up these days who are bigged up by the journos and don't last more than a few seasons because of injury, or they let it get to their head or they weren't that great begin with.

 

[Fwiffo]

I don't have much hope but it's the first of two legs for Toronto FC and Club Leon. We're definitely not fielding our best XI.

 

[Fwiffo]

Advancing to quarterfinals!

 

[formby002]

 

[Fwiffo]

Is it not because UEFA kept cracking down on dodgy financials and clubs bankrolled to have ever increasing losses?

 

[Kingstonian]

It would mean more money for clubs in the Super League. Less going to intermediaries.

Money talks.

 

[Kingstonian]

Mourinho sacked by Spurs.

Speculation Kane might leave at the end of the season too.

 

[Fwiffo]

It would mean more money for clubs in the Super League. Less going to intermediaries.

Money talks.

It's not like UEFA is innocent in the grab for television money. The UEFA Cup is so diluted there is a maximum amount of fixtures including the most obscure clubs.

It's fun to see the David and Goliath storyline but let's be honest - when I want to see Champions League I want to see top talent and that means the top payrolls.

 

[Rambo]

well i'm a manchester united fan now

 

[Kingstonian]

It's fun to see the David and Goliath storyline but let's be honest - when I want to see Champions League I want to see top talent and that means the top payrolls.

Sod the Champions League. Sod European football.

I would be happy to go back to the old days when there was a definite break after the Cup Final and then a distinct cricket season in Summer.

Football should be cheap and cheerful. Billionaire owners and foreign players not required.

Lego stadiums not needed either.

I like the Ian Nairn approach - though he knows nothing of football and the stadiums have been replaced anyway.

 

[Fwiffo]

All English Champions League final. Hopefully it's not as dire as the last one.

 

[Fwiffo]

Gigi Buffon to leave Juventus...again.

 

[Kingstonian]

Just a Fulham fan with a Victoria sponge cake at the match

I like the comment ‘did he make it during the first half?’

Wooden seats so he is in the Johnny Haynes stand. Promotes the new reputation of Fulham fans being posh Tarquins.

 

[Fwiffo]

I had to look twice only to realise what the year was. A lifetime ago that was.

 

[Fwiffo]

City win the league.

"I have been in Spain, I have been in Germany and I can say this is the toughest league, I would say by far. So it means a lot to everyone."

Not a great title defence by Liverpool.

 

[Fwiffo]

Champions League final between two English clubs moved to Portugal due to coronavirus restrictions. Now fans can attend. Having it in England would be too logical.

 

[Fwiffo]

Euros 2020 starts in..2021.

 

[Halberstram]

International games have become a nuisance. No fun and passion in it anymore. Faggot Joachim Löw with his friendship to Germany destroying Angela Merkel has ruined it for me. From a footballing point of view, I think the Eyetalians could win the title.

 

[Fwiffo]

I thought France was the favourite. They even recalled Benzema.

I'm for England but that's like doing penance as a Catholic. Belgium is still no. 1 in FIFA rankings.

 

[Halberstram]

Africa France are obviously favourites. Italy is my second bet. They have moulded into a very consistent team with many former talents turned grown men in their mid to late twenties. Very balanced on all positions, only lacking a world class striker with Immobile not versatile enough. Bastoni, Mancini, Spinnazzola, Locatelli, the great Barella, Insigne, Chiesa. All very good. Their problem may become that they have no creative number 8 or 10, so in some games they do not manage to create a lot offensively.

As long as Joachim Löw gets fucked properly, I am very much happy with anyone lifting the cup.