Soccer Thread

[JaxAvondale]

Yea! I thoughts or sure that we would be in group play last season. Hopefully, the team can use it as motivation this year.

[Adam White]

Yea! I thoughts or sure that we would be in group play last season. Hopefully, the team can use it as motivation this year.

You'd think so, right? West Ham were pretty good last year - but maybe it took a while for them to find their form. I don't know. I'd expect a lot more from them this year.

Good luck with getting tickets - sounds like you're in a bit of a bind. You'd want them to win, but if they win, you don't get to see them

[TimmyB]

Timmy B, congrats on the Community Shield and what appears to be the imminent world-record transfer.

I must say that Leicester still looks good (though it seems they will miss Kante dearly).

It all starts up again this weekend.

It sure will be interesting to see how the big boys w/ their new big men (Man U / Mourinho, Man City / Pep, Chelsea / Conte) come together.

Who will be this years' unexpected challenger from the depths?

How will the newly promoted adjust? (I find Middlesbrough particularly interesting, given their aggression in the transfer market)

Hoping that Spurs pick up where they left of last season (minus those last few matches, of course).

Hey, Ben!  Thanks.  I would have seen this earlier but I was out of town for my granddaughter's baptism, so I missed the game (saw the goals on dvr) and haven't been online too much in the past 36 hours!  Sadly, I am running a tri up north this Sunday morning, so I'll miss the Bournemouth season opener, as well.

Yeah, it will be interesting to see if JM has the stones to actually play his best 11.  If he does, Rooney can't be considered, because he is not at the top of the depth chart for ANY position on the team.  Glad the Pogba saga is over (knock on wood); I personally don't care what it costs.  It's not my money and it's not as though MUFC can't afford it, nor does it mean they must stop everything else from happening.  I believe the difference will be beyond obvious.  We will have changed our weak link into our strong one. 

Interesting year for everyone coming up.  Four very good (new, if I count Klopp) coaches with very strong personalities.  I think Spurs should be thankful they held on to MP.  That could have been disastrous.

As for Moyes, I liked him and I wish that he would at least have been given until the end of the season, even the start of the next.  I could understand it if a manager like JM or Pep or someone of that stature had been available, but they weren't.  Van Gaal had a pretty up and down resume and I know they wanted someone who was a little more direct in his approach, but he just sucked the joy right out of the game for so many of us.  I hope David does well down there and proves himself again.

[bencrix]

I thoughts or sure that we would be in group play last season.

Europa League seems like a bit of a curse for EPL clubs. Not enough clout (or money) to attract the squad depth to compete on Thursday and Sunday every week.

So, it ends up being a situation where the EPL is the priority, unless / until one somehow finds themselves in the advanced knock-out rounds - even then, it seems a burden that is hard to balance.

Crashing out is sometimes a blessing in disguise!

Yeah, it will be interesting to see if JM has the stones to actually play his best 11.

It does seem like Mou is already dealing w/ some selection headaches. I agree about Rooney, but their best 11 isn't abundantly clear to me.  Given that, do you think ManU is a clear favorite for the title this year as many are suggesting? To me, there doesn't seem to be an obvious favorite.

[TimmyB]

I thoughts or sure that we would be in group play last season.

Europa League seems like a bit of a curse for EPL clubs. Not enough clout (or money) to attract the squad depth to compete on Thursday and Sunday every week.

So, it ends up being a situation where the EPL is the priority, unless / until one somehow finds themselves in the advanced knock-out rounds - even then, it seems a burden that is hard to balance.

Crashing out is sometimes a blessing in disguise!

Yeah, it will be interesting to see if JM has the stones to actually play his best 11.

It does seem like Mou is already dealing w/ some selection headaches. I agree about Rooney, but their best 11 isn't abundantly clear to me.  Given that, do you think ManU is a clear favorite for the title this year as many are suggesting? To me, there doesn't seem to be an obvious favorite.

I agree with you; there is no CLEAR favorite.  We are back in the discussion, however, and that's a positive!  As with any team sport, there are so many variables, and soccer is one of the hardest to predict, because a team can score a fluke goal (or be awarded a PK), then park the bus the rest of the day.  It's really hard to win games like that, and even harder to predict the future because of that.  I believe that six or seven teams could be really, really good this year: MU, MC, Chelsea, Spurs, Arsenal, Liverpool, maybe even Leicester again.  Heck, Everton could challenge.  It's going to be fun for the neutrals!

[bencrix]

Whew, exhausting weekend in the EPL.

Recognizing that Chelsea & West Ham have yet to play, what struck me was how unprepared all the teams looked. W/ the 9 month season + coaching turnover + Copa America / Euro 2016 + Olympics + an incomplete transfer window, it it seems these teams have had just a few practices with each other -- and it shows.

Not even ManU, which arguably had the most impressive outing, seems remotely near the finished article. I'm predicting a crazy August / September.

[Adam White]

Whew, exhausting weekend in the EPL.

Recognizing that Chelsea & West Ham have yet to play, what struck me was how unprepared all the teams looked. W/ the 9 month season + coaching turnover + Copa America / Euro 2016 + Olympics + an incomplete transfer window, it it seems these teams have had just a few practices with each other -- and it shows.

Not even ManU, which arguably had the most impressive outing, seems remotely near the finished article. I'm predicting a crazy August / September.

Not really the performance I was looking for this weekend - but I keep in mind that Spurs lost their opening match last year and then went on an incredible 14 match unbeaten run. So a draw away to Everton isn't the worst thing in the world.

The highlight of the weekend, I'm almost ashamed to say, was Gary Lineker hosting Match Of The Day in his underwear.

[bencrix]

Luckily, Match Day 1 is not a very good indicator of future performance. Unluckily, Arsenal apparently always loses it first match.

Spurs clearly needs Dembele back badly, but won't have him until mid-September. It will be interesting to see how they solve what looks like a problem linking defense to attack.

[Adam White]

Luckily, Match Day 1 is not a very good indicator of future performance. Unluckily, Arsenal apparently always loses it first match.

Spurs clearly needs Dembele back badly, but won't have him until mid-September. It will be interesting to see how they solve what looks like a problem linking defense to attack.

I didn't get to watch the match as it wasn't televised (the 3pm Saturday matches are blacked out here) - but I had hoped Wanyama would be a good replacement for Dembele. I heard Janssen was good?

[bencrix]

Wanyama was OK, individually. As was Dier. The problem is that together they essentially performed the same function, i.e. screening the back four. Neither did much to get the ball to Ericksen / Lamela / Alli / Kane. When Janssen came in for Dier, everything changed and Spurs dominated. Janssen looked very good to me and maybe should've scored. I'm thinking he might be in the line up against Palace.

[Adam White]

Wanyama was OK, individually. As was Dier. The problem is that together they essentially performed the same function, i.e. screening the back four. Neither did much to get the ball to Ericksen / Lamela / Alli / Kane. When Janssen came in for Dier, everything changed and Spurs dominated. Janssen looked very good to me and maybe should've scored. I'm thinking he might be in the line up against Palace.

I assume Pochettino changed the shape when Dier went off and Janssen came on?

[bencrix]

Not so much a change in shape but a reshuffling: Janssen up top, Kane behind, and Alli in front of Wanyama, and Wanyama in Dier's place. Looking forward to Palace this weekend! Crystal Palace is South London, no? What's it like? 

[Adam White]

Not so much a change in shape but a reshuffling: Janssen up top, Kane behind, and Alli in front of Wanyama, and Wanyama in Dier's place. Looking forward to Palace this weekend! Crystal Palace is South London, no? What's it like?

Yeah, Crystal Palace is pretty far south. The club is actually based in South Norwood (in the Borough of Croydon). I only ever seem to go down that way when I'm traveling to or from the airport. They say Crystal Palace park is really nice - it has Victorian dinosaur statues - but I've yet to go.

[Adam White]

I'll be in London for the Jags game. I'm hoping to be able to make it to a West Ham match. They are scheduled to play Middlesbrough on 10/1 but that will change if they win their Europa League match in a few weeks.

*POOF*

Your wish is granted.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/aug/25/west-ham-astra-giurgiu-europa-league-match-report

[JaxAvondale]

I'll be in London for the Jags game. I'm hoping to be able to make it to a West Ham match. They are scheduled to play Middlesbrough on 10/1 but that will change if they win their Europa League match in a few weeks.

*POOF*

Your wish is granted.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/aug/25/west-ham-astra-giurgiu-europa-league-match-report

So disappointing but it may be for the best with all of our injuries to start the season.