2019/20 Soccer Thread

That Sterling chance was 1000x easier to make than the World Cup volley that people still savage Chris Wondolowski for missing.

Still, had Sterling scored it still would have been 2-3.

It's at 8:40, and it really, really, truly is one for the books.

^I honestly can recall only one worse miss in my life. It was in a C3 U8 match.

Tottenham fans are having fun with noting that our humiliating loss to Bayern was actually not as bad as Barcelona's, and that Man City has once again lost in the quarters, where they lost to Spurs last year.

It's funny; everyone (including me) dislikes City these days, for being the nouveau riche (dodgy at that) Yankees of EPL, but I have respect for the one City fan I know in the US. I only know the one; he's an immensely good guy, and you'd like him. I 'm almost positive he's been supporting City since before the championships and all. There was a window there to jump on a less-popular team before they suddenly took off for the stratosphere. There was never a window to jump on to ManU, imho.

Fedaykin98 wrote:

There was a window there to jump on a less-popular team before they suddenly took off for the stratosphere. There was never a window to jump on to ManU, imho.

Depends how old you are? They weren't particularly great pre-WW2.

juv3nal wrote:
Fedaykin98 wrote:

There was a window there to jump on a less-popular team before they suddenly took off for the stratosphere. There was never a window to jump on to ManU, imho.

Depends how old you are? They weren't particularly great pre-WW2.

I'm particularly thinking about US fans, here.

Now i'm idly curious, based on a silly Twitter thread I saw today:

What do you think would be harder? Scoring a Free-kick (not a PK) on a Premier League-caliber keeper, or stopping a free kick from.... well, anyone in the Premier League.

Prederick wrote:

Now i'm idly curious, based on a silly Twitter thread I saw today:

What do you think would be harder? Scoring a Free-kick (not a PK) on a Premier League-caliber keeper, or stopping a free kick from.... well, anyone in the Premier League.

Stopping, because at least the taker might miss the net completely. Is that cheating?

I'd worry about being decapitated trying to stop a premier league calibre shot though.

Roke wrote:
Prederick wrote:

Now i'm idly curious, based on a silly Twitter thread I saw today:

What do you think would be harder? Scoring a Free-kick (not a PK) on a Premier League-caliber keeper, or stopping a free kick from.... well, anyone in the Premier League.

Stopping, because at least the taker might miss the net completely. Is that cheating?

I'd worry about being decapitated trying to stop a premier league calibre shot though.

He said harder, not easier, but I agree with your thought process. The best players in the world regularly fail to get Penalty Kicks on frame - I have no confidence I could put a free kick from outside the area on target.

Also, is it finally time for Mexit from Barcelona?

Speaking from a purely selfish, PL-fan-based position, I hope he jumps ship.

Prederick wrote:

Also, is it finally time for Mexit from Barcelona?

Speaking from a purely selfish, PL-fan-based position, I hope he jumps ship.

Any team that Messi joins is suddenly going to be full of players knowing they are now bit part players in ‘Messi’s team’. That’s potentially the most toxic thing any team that can afford Messi could do - look at the Neymar affect at PSG.

if I were a manager I’d want to avoid it if I could.

Koeman to Barca, did they even watch what Everton were like under him?.

Fedaykin98 wrote:
Roke wrote:
Prederick wrote:

Now i'm idly curious, based on a silly Twitter thread I saw today:

What do you think would be harder? Scoring a Free-kick (not a PK) on a Premier League-caliber keeper, or stopping a free kick from.... well, anyone in the Premier League.

Stopping, because at least the taker might miss the net completely. Is that cheating?

I'd worry about being decapitated trying to stop a premier league calibre shot though.

He said harder, not easier, but I agree with your thought process. The best players in the world regularly fail to get Penalty Kicks on frame - I have no confidence I could put a free kick from outside the area on target.

Sorry Fedaykin, got stuck with "what would I rather do" in my head and used that to frame the answer instead of actually answering the question.

Sorbicol wrote:
Prederick wrote:

Also, is it finally time for Mexit from Barcelona?

Speaking from a purely selfish, PL-fan-based position, I hope he jumps ship.

Any team that Messi joins is suddenly going to be full of players knowing they are now bit part players in ‘Messi’s team’. That’s potentially the most toxic thing any team that can afford Messi could do - look at the Neymar affect at PSG.

if I were a manager I’d want to avoid it if I could.

A Messi-Ronaldo swap deal would fit perfectly in those Barca transfer accounting shenanigans...

jowner wrote:

Andddddd. Que all the Sterling doubters. What an awful miss though.

There must be a curse in place.

Benfica pretty much won the tile because of that.

Fedaykin98 wrote:

That Sterling chance was 1000x easier to make than the World Cup volley that people still savage Chris Wondolowski for missing.

Still, had Sterling scored it still would have been 2-3.

I may be remembering it wrong, but I think it was still 1-2 at the time and Lyon scored the 3rd right after that.

Wild tidbit from Sid Lowe's latest piece in the Guardian.

If Coutinho wins the Champions League Barca owe another Liverpool €5m, even if he does it not with Barca.

https://amp.theguardian.com/football...

Everyone here supporting Lyon today, big underdogs to Bayern?

Btw, not sure if I've posted this video here before. Bayern made it maybe a couple of years ago to let everyone know how awesome Texas A&M's (American) football culture is. They're right!

I love them for that, but I'm still not cheering for a team that wins the league every single year.

Well, not like that was a surprise.

I think I mentioned this before, but lord did England ever get the whole Serge Gnabry thing wrong.

Prederick wrote:

I think I mentioned this before, but lord did England ever get the whole Serge Gnabry thing wrong.

It's nice to see Tony Pulis take the hit on that one instead of Arsenal this time

I think Arsenal knew he was good (not this good) but as per usual these days they couldn't make it work + his will to get back to Germany.

Inter have a very strange mix of former Prem players.

Sanchez, Lukaku, Erickson, Ashley Young and Moses.

It's also not working for them.

Great first half, so sad for Lukaku, from hero to goat.

Sevilla should just be allowed to play in the final of the Europa League every year from now on. They are the competition's final boss.

LOL at Liverpool's social media being like "It's great to be back!" when they've been gone for 15 minutes.

Didn't realize Bayern literally haven't lost this CL campaign.

This one was literally just "who took their chances." PSG had several, took none (also, Neuer is still VERY GOOD). Bayern on top again.

Also, Kingsley Coman:

Man from Paris, who played for Paris, whose father supports Paris, scores goal that stops Paris winning a first ever European Cup. Which was invented in Paris.

EDIT:

Roke wrote:

Wild tidbit from Sid Lowe's latest piece in the Guardian.

If Coutinho wins the Champions League Barca owe another Liverpool €5m, even if he does it not with Barca.

https://amp.theguardian.com/football...

LOL.

IMAGE(https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/live-experience/cps/624/cpsprodpb/vivo/live/images/2020/8/23/bd5a15a4-58f4-4f07-9f42-e6e913d3aba9.jpg)

Neymar is so easy to root against.

Besides seeing Davies as a Canadian I was pretty indifferent.

As the game went on though Neymar really doesn't do much to earn your support.

Well that wraps everything up.

Community Shield t-minus 6 days.

jowner wrote:

Community Shield t-minus 6 days.

IMAGE(https://media1.tenor.com/images/8d5ad02c46c11e436230438e972fcf14/tenor.gif?itemid=13114720)

We desperately need to make some signings, and our failure to get several of Ancelotti's targets is leading to some rumors that he may just decide to walk - can't say that I'd blame him, given that we were down 3-0 to the mighty Blackpool in our first preseason game, eleven minutes in.

Signing a world-class manager and then failing to back him in the market would be a very Everton way to stumble into a relegation fight.

Priorities inbound ought to be central midfield and left back - with right back close behind, if Kenny isn't going to be ready to start.

That said, here's my take on our current squad.

GK
Jordan Pickford - keep, though he needs competition for his place I think
João Virginia - if he's not going to be that competition, needs to be sold
Jonas Lössl - ibid

RB
Séamus Coleman - keep. Best sixty grand this club has ever spent, though he needs to be a backup at this point
Jonjoe Kenny - apparently impressed on loan at Shalke last season. Keep, unless we don't think he can cut it and have someone already lined up.

LB
Lucas Digne - keep, no matter what offers we get

CB
Yerry Mina - keep
Michael Keane - sell if there's a decent offer
Mason Holgate - keep, no matter what offers we get
Jarrad Branthwaite - I'd be tempted to keep him ahead of Keane, but hearing rumors he'll be sent on loan. If so, have to assume we keep Keane, and may look to pick up another central defender (unless there's someone in the U23 ready to take the next step)
Matthew Pennington - sell. Showed some promise (and scored against Liverpool), but hasn't really progressed, and a succession of loans has shown he's not at the level we need to be aiming for

DM/CM/AM
André Gomes - probably keep, though he desperately needs to be partnered with a Gueye / Kante type
Jean-Philippe Gamin - assume we will have to keep - hopefully we can keep him fit and see what he's capable of
Gylfi Sigurðsson - Psych will hate me for this, but sell. Would do well in Serie A I think
Tom Davies - keep, but probably on thin ice at this point. This season will be pivotal in showing whether he has what it takes I suspect
Fabian Delph - apparently has had a poisonous attitude, which makes me want to sell, though I don't know if there'd be any takers. If we have to keep, maybe use as depth at left-back?
Muhamed Bešić - I love Mo, and we need central midfielders, but if we have any offers for him, I think we probably need to sell
Beni Baningime - sell. Had one or two good games, but doesn't appear to be PL caliber
Callum Connolly - sell. Ipswitch Town cut his loan short last season - if you can't cut it in the Championship, the PL is not for you

Wingers
Bernard - keep
Theo Walcott - keep unless we can trick Southampton into making an offer
Alex Iwobi - keep as depth
Anthony Gordon - keep. Looked bright in his appearances last season
Yannick Bolasie - sell. Give away. Get rid.
Richarlison (arguably should be listed as striker, but think we'll be looking for Kean to take minutes up front that Richy has had in the past) - keep

ST
Dominic Calvert-Lewin - keep. Was starting to find his shooting boots when the lockdown hit. Holds up the ball well, links up with others, and is a good partner to Richarlison
Moise Kean - keep, though this is probably the season where we'll find out if he can step up or will just flame out
Cenk Tosun - sell to Crystal Palace or any other takers, really
Sandro Ramírez - I don't know that I have ever been as wrong about a footballer. Was over the moon that we landed him, but has been hot trash. The fact that he's still on our books is an embarassment

Total players: 31

Players culled so far: 8
Schneiderlin, Stekelenburg(OOC), Martina(OOC), Garbutt(OOC), Feeney(OOC), Niasse(OOC), Baines(Retired), Dowell

Dimmerswitch wrote:

Callum Connolly - sell. Ipswitch Town cut his loan short last season - if you can't cut it in the Championship, the PL is not for you

I wish we were in the Championship. We're in League One.