2018/19 Soccer Thread

I thought United would be better, but losing Lingard and Martial really hurt them. Also, Pogba was dumb.

PSG should see this through, but we've said that before.

Prederick wrote:

I thought United would be better, but losing Lingard and Martial really hurt them. Also, Pogba was dumb.

PSG should see this through, but we've said that before.

I was in a meeting for most of that game. Almost didn't bother tuning in for the final ten minutes. Was very happy that I did.

Godzilla Blitz wrote:

Well then, PSG - Man U thoughts?

They'll be going all out for Pochetino now

I still don't think it's a given based on how the season ends.

Sorbicol wrote:
Godzilla Blitz wrote:

Well then, PSG - Man U thoughts?

They'll be going all out for Pochetino now

It might be reading too much into one game, but I thought it exposed Man U's weaknesses at center back and midfield, and yes, perhaps even at the coaching level.

The injuries certainly hurt both their play and their ability to adjust, which made a tough situation even tougher.

What a win for Tottenham, eh? Son remains very, very good and Jan Vertonghen was great at left-back, which was a significant surprise.

In other news, Leeds are back on top of the Championship and while they're not out of the woods yet, Blackpool appears to be ready to get rid of their garbage owners, which is good.

Fantastic Spurs result. Vertonghen clear MOTM.

The more I learn and watch, the more impressed I am with Pochettino.

Godzilla Blitz wrote:

The more I learn and watch, the more impressed I am with Pochettino.

Pochettino won and Ole lost?

Theres no way United stick with Ole even for that feel good story baloney. He's not Zidane level legend/respect at Real.

They will pat him on the head and say thanks then throw Pochettino an offer he would be nuts to refuse.

jowner wrote:

Pochettino won and Ole lost?

It'll be interesting to see how this pans out. Man U seemed lost without a plan for the second half of their game, whereas Tottenham flipped the game around in their second half. Solskjaer seems in need of some tactical leveling up for sure, but PSG is more talented and experienced than Man U. Man U's two injuries during the game certainly didn't help.

The next match, playing away at PSG, who should have Cavani back, will be interesting. If Man U look equally lost there, I'd think Solskjaer's fate is sealed. Pochettino is an accomplished manager. Solskaer is still a work in progress. I'd have to think that Pochettino is inwardly frustrated at Tottenham's lack of activity in signing players, and he'd relish the chance to manage Man U. I also wouldn't be surprised to see Man U have a run of tough results in the next couple of weeks. They have tough matches coming up. A drop in confidence could really let the air of out the balloon. A few bad results in a row and the Solskjaer bus will empty fast.

Could the wild card in this be Real Madrid? Don't they have interest in Pochettino as well? Maybe he goes there and Man U figures that Solskjaer is better than the alternatives.

But if Pochettino leaves, who is his replacement? It would be great if RM grab Pochettino and then ManU has poisoned that well with Solkjaer so much that he leaves for Tottenham screwing over ManU.

Real will wave just as much money in Potch’s face as Man U will. I also think Man Us structure - such as it is isn’t one Potch would particularly want to deal with either. What’s the point of all that money if you aren’t the one spending it?

When Potch does go that Spurs team will break up. I’m sure Levy will get his monies worth, but there are a lot more clubs out their willing to pay much higher wages.

Sorbicol wrote:

Real will wave just as much money in Potch’s face as Man U will. I also think Man Us structure - such as it is isn’t one Potch would particularly want to deal with either. What’s the point of all that money if you aren’t the one spending it?

When Potch does go that Spurs team will break up. I’m sure Levy will get his monies worth, but there are a lot more clubs out their willing to pay much higher wages.

Well...thanks for that nightmare fuel.

Sorry chap. I can’t see it ending any other way for Spurs. Unless Levy starts paying the wages he’s not going to be able to keep the players.

Seeing as the new stadium has swallowed all the money, there’s nowhere for it come from.

On the other hand I would say Pochettino’s natural replacement is probably Eddie Howe. If you think Spurs will have it bad, spare a thought for Bournemouth.

It'll be an interesting summer, once the Pochettino domino falls.

So, at this point, how much of a poor choice does Alexis Sanchez think moving to United was?

Prederick wrote:

So, at this point, how much of a poor choice does Alexis Sanchez think moving to United was?

Well he moved for a massive pay bump and he's getting it so not all bad.

I'm hindsight if there was actually a City offer on the table at the start of that season Arsenal should of taken that one.

Sanchez with Pep at City? Would not of been good for title races.

Dunno if I read much into the Sanchez back to Arsenal stuff. The wage isn't one that Arsenal want. They will try to offload Ozil this summer to get that money freed up I doubt they want to turn around and spend those savings on Sanchez.

I don't think Arsenal are as poor as being made out either. I think they are just controlling their current situation and cleaning up the books.

I think Sanchez was a Mourinho casualty more than anything else. I thought he'd be able to turn it around now that Mourinho's gone, but with how well the front three of Man U are playing now it's going to be tough to break in.

Kind of a Catch 22 as well? He needs playing time, but can't get it because he's not playing well. He's not playing well because he's not getting playing time.

Sanchez has a lot of miles on his legs from playing constantly for years and is 30, it wouldn't surprised me if he's toast.

Arsenal did well not to give him a new contract but taking on Mkhitaryan was worse than letting Sanchez go on a free. And of course they should have sold him that summer instead of indulging in Wenger but that stuff happens when you have a club icon at the end of their reign.

Roke wrote:

Sanchez has a lot of miles on his legs from playing constantly for years and is 30, it wouldn't surprised me if he's toast.

This is where I think he is too. I think he's done

Fun bit of trivia I recently learned, possibly not new to others: Son Heung-min is nicknamed "The Beekeeper" because of his history of scoring against Dortmund (whose colors are yellow and black) as a part of two different Bundesliga clubs and now Tottenham. There was a funny photoshop of him before this week's Champions League match. As we know, he appropriately scored the winner of that match.

Sorbicol wrote:
Roke wrote:

Sanchez has a lot of miles on his legs from playing constantly for years and is 30, it wouldn't surprised me if he's toast.

This is where I think he is too. I think he's done

Yeah, they mentioned that on FW and I was SHOCKED at how mileage he's apparently accrued. It had me wondering if he should have been trying to do the usual kind of shift players who lose their physical edge do, shifting into more central positions where the aerobic and fitness demands aren't as high.

Although if he does that, I don't know where or how United accommodate him.

Prederick wrote:
Sorbicol wrote:
Roke wrote:

Sanchez has a lot of miles on his legs from playing constantly for years and is 30, it wouldn't surprised me if he's toast.

This is where I think he is too. I think he's done

Yeah, they mentioned that on FW and I was SHOCKED at how mileage he's apparently accrued.

He's done as the player he use to be especially that style of high intensity..

He's not a Theo Walcott though. He has the technical skills so if he just adapted his style I'm sure he could keep going 4-5 years as a poacher.

I'm sure he'd dominate the MLS but I don't think he's resigned to the fact that's where he needs to go just yet.

So........ who do we think the next manager at Chelsea is going to be?

Prederick wrote:

So........ who do we think the next manager at Chelsea is going to be?

They are falling faster than gravity can take them, aren't they? So interesting after such a hot start.

Prederick wrote:

So........ who do we think the next manager at Chelsea is going to be?

Third time's the charm for the Special One?

I can't think of any good ideas off the top of my head. They didn't refit their squad to fit what Sarri wants to do and Sarri seems unwilling (or unable) to fit what he wants to do with the squad, though I have misgivings about the squad even if he did change his approach.

and they've let go of so much talent over the years because of short-termism. Like Manchester United and Arsenal they need to fix more than just the manager.

HAHAHAHA WOWZA how'd we miss this?

Yes, they're denying it, but let's just imagine Mohamed bin Bonesaw buys Manchester United. Sheesh. The City-United "No you're worse" finger-pointing match would be entertaining, at least.

Sarri will be there until the end of the season I reckon. Right now if someone made him a good offer Abramovic would sell. I have a feeling Chelsea’s days in the ‘top 6’ are numbered.

It's somewhat sad how unsurprised I am that the Sala transfer deal has ended up here.

Nantes are set to take their dispute with Cardiff City over the death of Emiliano Sala to Fifa this week if the Premier League club fail to comply with the French club’s request for payment of the first instalment of his £15m transfer fee by Wednesday, it is understood.

The Argentinian striker died when a Piper Malibu plane – piloted by David Ibbotson, who remains missing – crashed into the English Channel on 21 January, just two days after Sala signed for Cardiff from the French club.

Officials from both clubs, including the Cardiff manager Neil Warnock, attended his funeral in Argentina on Saturday but they have been at odds behind the scenes in a row that is threatening to overshadow what has been a dignified and united response to the tragedy.

Nantes’ lawyers wrote to the Premier League side on 5 February asking for the first of three annual payments for the player, as was agreed last month, to be paid within 10 working days.

Cardiff, however, have made it clear they want to wait until the investigation into the crash is complete, as there are several questions still to be answered about the accident, most notably if Ibbotson was qualified to be flying with a paying customer in that particular plane.

Any wrongdoing in regards to the flight could annul the Welsh club’s reported £16m insurance policy for Sala and, if that wrongdoing was another party’s responsibility, they may have to sue for compensation.

Nantes are eager to find a replacement for Sala, their leading scorer for the last three seasons, a situation further complicated by them owing Bordeaux 50% of the fee because of a sell-on clause agreed when they bought him in 2015.

There are further complications related to the number of agents involved in the deal, particularly the role played by Willie McKay, who obtained the mandate from Nantes to sell Sala to a Premier League club.

McKay has said he believes Cardiff are “trying to throw him under the bus” for Sala’s death and claims the club are not being honest about what they knew of his close involvement in the transfer. He claims he personally paid for six similar flights to help get the deal over line, including two for Warnock to scout the player in France and Sala’s flights to visit Cardiff for the first time and then to return to Wales to sign his contract. Cardiff have yet to respond to requests for comment on his claims.

McKay also confirmed he was aware of Nantes’ intention to escalate its pursuit of the transfer fee by taking its case to Fifa, where the most likely response will be to send the matter to its dispute resolution chamber. Its chairman is the former Football Association chairman and Fifa vice-president Geoff Thompson.

With the losing party, however, likely to be aggrieved, it is possible both sides would agree to skip a stage in the process and go straight to the court of arbitration for sport in Lausanne.

It seems to me that Cardiff are clearly due to pay here, absent unusual language in the contract, and are searching for any avenue that might get them off the hook.