It Could Get A Bit Messi In Here - The Football Thread.

Joe Mac said:
From my sources there will be a thank fuck for it 3 landing later this afternoon.

The toxicity is beginning to fade…
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@boojy

His fellow 2011 youth cup winner Jesse Lingaard, we knew he was off anyway but the club is supposedly going to confirm it. 31/5 is generally the end date of contracts so releases announced the next day.
 
wokeupnew said:
Seems like Tielemans has been subpar this past season (see: his assist to Hojbjerg for Bergwijn’s GWG) but there’s still a good player in there if he’s motivated
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Like most of Leicester this year he’s had his injuries plus then when he’s not been injured he has been playing in a patchwork team. Judging a player on a bad pass in a single game is kinda ridic harsh too.
 
Joe Mac said:
Like most of Leicester this year he’s had his injuries plus then when he’s not been injured he has been playing in a patchwork team. Judging a player on a bad pass in a single game is kinda ridic harsh too.
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lol of course that is unfair of me, mostly mentioning it for the bants. He has not been the same player this season. He’s only 25 and has been playing week in and week out since he was 16. He’s probably burned out and needs a rest and a change
 
I've got no idea what this UEFA Nations League is all about, but it really snuck up on me. There're some pretty solid matches over the next several days, although it remains to be seen which ones will actually be on TV in the states.

Tomorrow: Spain v. Portugal
Friday: Belgium v. Netherlands
Sat: Italy v. Germany
Mon: Croatia v. France
Tue: England v. Germany

But before that, Italy - Argentina is about to kick off... which I guess is because Italy one the Euro and Argentina wont the Copa America?
 
mgp said:
I've got no idea what this UEFA Nations League is all about, but it really snuck up on me. There're some pretty solid matches over the next several days, although it remains to be seen which ones will actually be on TV in the states.

Tomorrow: Spain v. Portugal
Friday: Belgium v. Netherlands
Sat: Italy v. Germany
Mon: Croatia v. France
Tue: England v. Germany

But before that, Italy - Argentina is about to kick off... which I guess is because Italy one the Euro and Argentina wont the Copa America?
Click to expand...
 
mgp said:
I've got no idea what this UEFA Nations League is all about, but it really snuck up on me. There're some pretty solid matches over the next several days, although it remains to be seen which ones will actually be on TV in the states.

Tomorrow: Spain v. Portugal
Friday: Belgium v. Netherlands
Sat: Italy v. Germany
Mon: Croatia v. France
Tue: England v. Germany

But before that, Italy - Argentina is about to kick off... which I guess is because Italy one the Euro and Argentina wont the Copa America?
Click to expand...

I was an attempt to put slightly more meaningful games in the place of international friendlies. For two reasons, one friendlies in Europe had got ridiculous with unlimited subs and weird meaningless games playing themselves out in front of full houses of audiences that didn’t know how to react. An international cap was become less of an achievement and more of a tombola prize. Two clubs were getting increasingly snippy at their prize assets being shipped half way around the world to play in a non competitive game against the country that bid the highest.

It’s largely been a success. It’s not created any extra games, it’s entirely in the place of friendlies in existing slots in the international calendar. It’s also added a bit of jeopardy, the games are competitive, it gives the lower groups a “second shot” at tournament qualification and the top group is top teams playing off against one another and the finals weeks so far have been decent.

It’s not a tournament of course, but neither is it there to be that or challenge it. It’s also new so there is no glamour attached. But I think the sniping at it being “meaningless friendlies” is from people who clearly didn’t see an actual meaningless friendly. No one needs a return to a utterly forgettable 0-0 or 1-1 with England v “Insert Mid Ranking International Team Here” at a 2/3 full Wembley where two totally different 11s end to what started and the crowd pays for the privilege of being lulled into a long deep sleep by tepid football soundtracked by the god awful brass band playing the great escape theme on repeat. Pure footballing purgatory. I’m sure France/Spain/Germany/Italy had similar experiences. Ireland being lower down the food chain tended to have those against mid level Asian/African nations at Landsdowne Road, or were the opposition away to the bigger boys.

The de Bruyne quote is just grouchy tripe, there’s always been a window for internationals in June, he’d have been playing irregardless.
 
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Also feel sorry for Scotland tonight. Total lose lose situation and the players looked a bit lost and unsure. No one wanted Ukraine to lose even if it’s Scotlands best opportunity at a World Cup in years. Best of luck to Ukraine going forward and hopefully next time.
 
Englishbob said:
I'll be sorry to see White go tbh. I liked his more level headed approach to commentary. Drury is more excitable but leans a lot on screaming the players full name as they take a shot. '....aaaannd Harry Kane' for eg. Drives me bonkers 😵‍💫
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This description is giving me Doc Emrick vibes so I’m going to have to hit YT for some Drury clips.
 
Joe Mac said:
Also feel sorry for Scotland tonight. Total lose lose situation and the players looked a bit lost and unsure. No one wanted Ukraine to lose even if it’s Scotlands best opportunity at a World Cup in years. Best of luck to Ukraine going forward and hopefully next time.
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Prayers for Ukraine but let's go Wales!
 
Joe Mac said:
I was an attempt to put slightly more meaningful games in the place of international friendlies. For two reasons, one friendlies in Europe had got ridiculous with unlimited subs and weird meaningless games playing themselves out in front of full houses of audiences that didn’t know how to react. An international cap was become less of an achievement and more of a tombola prize. Two clubs were getting increasingly snippy at their prize assets being shipped half way around the world to play in a non competitive game against the country that bid the highest.

It’s largely been a success. It’s not created any extra games, it’s entirely in the place of friendlies in existing slots in the international calendar. It’s also added a bit of jeopardy, the games are competitive, it gives the lower groups a “second shot” at tournament qualification and the top group is top teams playing off against one another and the finals weeks so far have been decent.

It’s not a tournament of course, but neither is it there to be that or challenge it. It’s also new so there is no glamour attached. But I think the sniping at it being “meaningless friendlies” is from people who clearly didn’t see an actual meaningless friendly. No one needs a return to a utterly forgettable 0-0 or 1-1 with England v “Insert Mid Ranking International Team Here” at a 2/3 full Wembley where two totally different 11s end to what started and the crowd pays for the privilege of being lulled into a long deep sleep by tepid football soundtracked by the god awful brass band playing the great escape theme on repeat. Pure footballing purgatory. I’m sure France/Spain/Germany/Italy had similar experiences. Ireland being lower down the food chain tended to have those against mid level Asian/African nations at Landsdowne Road, or were the opposition away to the bigger boys.

The de Bruyne quote is just grouchy tripe, there’s always been a window for internationals in June, he’d have been playing irregardless.
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They were also how we got into the Euros. He’s only saying that because he plays for Belgium. If he was the only good Macedonian or Finnish player and it could get him to a major tournament he wouldn’t be complaining as much.

You get the feeling we would have won that game had it been played in March. Think we’ve lost our momentum a wee bit.
 
Thackeraye said:
They were also how we got into the Euros. He’s only saying that because he plays for Belgium. If he was the only good Macedonian or Finnish player and it could get him to a major tournament he wouldn’t be complaining as much.

You get the feeling we would have won that game had it been played in March. Think we’ve lost our momentum a wee bit.
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Totally and even as a Belgian it’s dodgy ground. They’re a small nation that gets a good team every second or third generation. They ain’t one of the big boys that’s going to be in group 1 permanently, bar the ocassional fuck up.

Yeah I think so but it was also the right thing to delay until the Ukrainians were able to either play of make the decision to forfeit on their own terms. The SFA and the team and fans deserve a lot of credit for the tone around the game. I think the emotion, and the way Ukraine were able to ride it, really affected the Scottish players tonight.
 
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Reading the comments on the YouTube highlights of the game, having a laugh at the folk claiming we were paid a bung to let Ukraine win. These folk obviously haven’t been watching Scotland that much!
 
Joe Mac said:
I was an attempt to put slightly more meaningful games in the place of international friendlies. For two reasons, one friendlies in Europe had got ridiculous with unlimited subs and weird meaningless games playing themselves out in front of full houses of audiences that didn’t know how to react. An international cap was become less of an achievement and more of a tombola prize. Two clubs were getting increasingly snippy at their prize assets being shipped half way around the world to play in a non competitive game against the country that bid the highest.

It’s largely been a success. It’s not created any extra games, it’s entirely in the place of friendlies in existing slots in the international calendar. It’s also added a bit of jeopardy, the games are competitive, it gives the lower groups a “second shot” at tournament qualification and the top group is top teams playing off against one another and the finals weeks so far have been decent.

It’s not a tournament of course, but neither is it there to be that or challenge it. It’s also new so there is no glamour attached. But I think the sniping at it being “meaningless friendlies” is from people who clearly didn’t see an actual meaningless friendly. No one needs a return to a utterly forgettable 0-0 or 1-1 with England v “Insert Mid Ranking International Team Here” at a 2/3 full Wembley where two totally different 11s end to what started and the crowd pays for the privilege of being lulled into a long deep sleep by tepid football soundtracked by the god awful brass band playing the great escape theme on repeat. Pure footballing purgatory. I’m sure France/Spain/Germany/Italy had similar experiences. Ireland being lower down the food chain tended to have those against mid level Asian/African nations at Landsdowne Road, or were the opposition away to the bigger boys.

The de Bruyne quote is just grouchy tripe, there’s always been a window for internationals in June, he’d have been playing irregardless.
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Agree, we ger more"friendlies" against team o the same caliber and the nations league seems to be more competitive than normal friendlies which makes for more interesting games
 
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