2018/19 Soccer Thread

Major problems in Italy are well documented.

- Clubs rarely own the stadia they play in, so much less matchday revenue.
- The TV contracts are not exactly massive.
- Clubs are saddled with large tax liabilities.
- Italian football is deeply corrupt, from top to bottom.

It's more usual than not for at least one of the three clubs promoted from Serie B to Serie A to be denied a place, usually due to match fixing, and it's even more common in the lower leagues (isn't it, Antonio Conte ?). The powers that be seem to have ceased the denial of promotion (probably due to the riots that ensue), and this year have settled for deducting points from Parma, after a series of phone calls was uncovered between one of their players and two of his ex-teammates at an opposing club, before the game.

It's also widely accepted that clubs with nothing to play for at the end of the season should not try too hard if their opponent is going for the title or struggling to avoid relegation. So much so that Italian bookmakers will not take odds on single matches in the last 6 weeks of the season, unless they've started in the last couple of years.

Another transfer day ticks away and more smoke no actual fires.

I love it as Arsenal were never going to do much more than what they already did. Chelsea look like a hot mess. 1 player in 3? Continually being linked as leaving and they are out away on tour which I'm sure isn't distracting.

You know nothing much has happened as the biggest news is the Ozil fallout. Good on him. Meeting with Ergodan was never going to go over easy but how quickly some people in German football were willing to throw him under the bus... Speaking of which his agents retort to Uli Hoeness was magnificent.

Agent slams Uli Hoeness

"As the president of Bayern Munich is it not best to focus on the performance of his own players seeing as eight of the Germany team play for the club."

Ouch.

Is peak Mourinho where he just starts passively aggressively insulting himself?

He's 55 so he's got lots of potential career left but I wonder if he takes a break soon once this really implodes on him.

I'm not sure if anyone would really miss him.

Mourinho seems to have lost his touch. He used to say ridiculous things to protect his squad and create solidarity around a siege mentality but especially since moving to Manchester United he's been all about protecting José Mourinho and doesn't seem to care who he throws under the bus to do it.

Manchester United being in for Harry Maguire, after bringing in Bailly and Lindeholf in two consecutive summers is so odd.

With Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia Manchester United's first-choice fullbacks you would think that's where the team should be strengthening. But I'm not The Special One so what do I know.

Bookies have suspended odds on next Aston Villa manager..... Thierry Henry.

Probably not the job for a first time manager - expectations will be huge, the squad isn't particularly good, and there'll have to be a sell off of players (regardless of the new owners) to meet FFP.

Did the fantasy league get recreated for this year?

Not yet Wembley - I thought I'd wait until nearer the start of the season, so the squads are more accurate.

I'd love for the league to get created so people can sign up - nobody's roster is locked down until the day before the season starts anyways, right?

Also, with just over two weeks out, made our first signing - hope Richarlison does well, and it will be novel to see us playing with wingers again.

Would still like a left back and a central defender, and have a lot of outbounds to shift still.

Right - I'm now being offered the option to set up a new league, or to renew last year's. The rubric says that

"All players from last season will automatically be entered into the renewed league(s) when they join the game."

I presume you still get the chance to pick your team from scratch - you must do, as players will have been added and subtracted from the list.

Let me know if anyone has any particular objections, otherwise I will go for the renew option this Friday.

Happy for you to just refresh last years league. You still get the code in case anyone new wants to join.

Sounds good to me. Look forward to not finishing last two seasons in a row.

davet010 wrote:

Probably not the job for a first time manager - expectations will be huge, the squad isn't particularly good, and there'll have to be a sell off of players (regardless of the new owners) to meet FFP.

Yeah, I mean, I can appreciate the ambition but that could go Real Bad Wrong.

In other headlines, Malcolm to Barca (not Roma, even though they announced the deal, Roma is considering legal action), Joao Moutinho to Wolves (A good signing, if he can deal with playing in England), Erdogan supports Ozil (Blech), and Fulham has signed yet another player I will have to research in FM because I've never heard of him.

Oh, and hey! Match fixing in Italy! That's new!

bigred wrote:

Sounds good to me. Look forward to not finishing last two seasons in a row.

League is renewed. Let competition commence !!

To make a point of how ridiculous the rumor mill is.

Remember William Carvalho? He went silently under the radar to Spanish power house... Real Betis.

Not exactly what the papers were punting for the last 3 years.

Gelson Martins signed with Atletico today bringing that saga to an end.

Both potentially good situations for players and the Portugal NT team assuming they get regular competitive games.

16 days to go. Not quite squeaky bum time but ya. Some teams need to do start shuffling as they might not like where they are in the table by the time January comes.

davet010 wrote:
bigred wrote:

Sounds good to me. Look forward to not finishing last two seasons in a row.

League is renewed. Let competition commence !!

Awesome. Mind posting the league code, so that anyone who wasn't in last year can join?

Hi Dimmer (and anyone else who wasn't in last year's league)

This year's code is 1143767-262483

davet010 wrote:

Hi Dimmer (and anyone else who wasn't in last year's league)

This year's code is 1143767-262483

Some sort of fantasy league?

I'm getting an invalid code message from that..

davet010 wrote:

Hi Dimmer (and anyone else who wasn't in last year's league)

This year's code is 1143767-262483

Thanks for setting the league and this thread up again for the season Dave.

Mixolyde wrote:

Some sort of fantasy league?

It is, and all are welcome to join!

We have a pretty broad range of folks who participate, and it's a good time.

One of my personal highlights of the past few years was LouZiffer rostering a team which was entirely composed of players whose last name began with "F". Turns out there aren't enough players to field a full squad, so he decided there were a couple of players whose names as-listed had been subject to typos.

So LouZiffer drafted Jamie Fardy at the beginning of the season, long before anyone had the slightest idea how amazingly-well Leicester City were going to do that year.

Which led to one of my favorite GWJ photos of all time.

Never mind, I was trying to join on the draft side - I think I've got it now!

Mixolyde wrote:
davet010 wrote:

Hi Dimmer (and anyone else who wasn't in last year's league)

This year's code is 1143767-262483

Some sort of fantasy league?

Yeah, you can sign up here if you'd like:

https://fantasy.premierleague.com/

Tanglebones wrote:

Never mind, I was trying to join on the draft side - I think I've got it now!

Tangle - if you were in last year's league, you should be enrolled automatically.

The day before the season I'll put up a roster of all the teams entered - to give anyone else a chance to get in before the season starts.

davet010 wrote:
Tanglebones wrote:

Never mind, I was trying to join on the draft side - I think I've got it now!

Tangle - if you were in last year's league, you should be enrolled automatically.

Nope, first time a-leaguing

You in OK now ?

Yarp! I'm in as FC Tangled Bones

Another interesting Fulham signing

Fulham sign Schurrle

Not as impressive as the Sarri one, but may be worth something.