Quite pleased with that.
I'd say I'm optimistic about staying up (barely), but then again, I said that the last two times, so I'm just gonna see what it is now.
In other news:
Napoli owner: We will no longer sign AFCON players unless they agree to waiver
De Laurentiis added he was tired of offers from investment funds for the club, adding that he was offered €900 million around four to five years ago by American investors.
"You [bidders] did not understand a thing [about me]. I am a pure entrepreneur who enjoys doing business ... let me play," he said.
"I want to be the 12th player on the pitch. Actually the 12th player is the fan, I can be the 13th or even the 14th, as 14 is my favourite number."
Ah, he's one of those.
I mean, I know you want your owner to genuinely care about the club, but I think this might not be the best kind of caring.
And in other-other news:
Southend United have sold the naming rights for their West Stand to the local estate agents Gilbert & Rose.
I don't think they thought this one through...
(For my fellow Americans, who, like me, probably didn't understand what was wrong.)
I'm sorry, WHAT?
Quite the coup for Galaxy. Best signing in MLS history?
I don't understand why Barca are mortgaging their future (and coming up short) and jettisoning promising players to bring in old dudes like Lewandowski.
Apparently they've asked Pique and Busquets to take pay cuts and they still won't pay de Jong what he's owed. I'd expect them to get bailed out but pulling a Leeds has to be a possibility.
I forget who posted it before, but the only explanation that even seems mildly sane to me is that they are absolutely, positively banking on the Super League idea coming back. I have not seen anyone reasonably explain where they're getting this money from.
And in other-other news:
@iain_games wrote:Southend United have sold the naming rights for their West Stand to the local estate agents Gilbert & Rose.
I don't think they thought this one through...
I'll burn in hell for this one, but I saw that earlier today and burst out laughing. Someone somewhere at Southend has probably had a really, really bad day
I forget who posted it before, but the only explanation that even seems mildly sane to me is that they are absolutely, positively banking on the Super League idea coming back. I have not seen anyone reasonably explain where they're getting this money from.
As a fan of both European soccer and US college football, I hope this never happens.
I mean, it could've been an idea to deal with the game's financial stratification by creating a more equitable field....
...but the people doing it clearly didn't want that, they wanted an almost totally closed shop with a couple "charity" spots going to clubs who would never have the financial ability to compete with the un-relegatable legacy clubs.
(And also some almost assuredly horsesh*t promises about how they'd fund smaller leagues and women's football with the money they'd make, which, if you believe that, I've got a Nigerian cousin, etc.)
If anyone would like to see this kind of thing, this is the kind of thing they'd like to see.
League starts TOMORROW, ZOMG!
Go Palace.
If you like football commentary then both The Guardian’s Football Weekly Podcast and James Richardson’s (him from channel 4’s Football Italia from back in the 1990s) Totally Football Show Podcast are both excellent. Totally Football is owned by The Athletic though so you’ll need to wade through the Ad’s a little.
Faintly afraid to ask but are we bothering with a fantasy league this year?
If you like football commentary then both The Guardian’s Football Weekly Podcast and James Richardson’s (him from channel 4’s Football Italia from back in the 1990s) Totally Football Show Podcast are both excellent. Totally Football is owned by The Athletic though so you’ll need to wade through the Ad’s a little.
Just because I love their content, I'll mention that Tifo has their own podcast too!
La Liga won't allow Barcelona to register their new signings (Lewandowski, Raphinha, Kessié, Christensen, Koundé) and contract renewals (Dembélé, Roberto) until the club raises more funds and balances their books, per multiple reports
So.... what's left to sell?
Barça not being able to register all their signings yet (Lewandowski, Raphinha, Kounde, Kessie, Christensen) & contract renewals (Dembele, Sergi Roberto) does not mean they are not now in a position to register some
I don’t know how many, and obviously depends on the fee/salary/what fits etc, but club would obviously much rather register everyone together to avoid potential problems arising from one being registered before another etc
Barca’s financial team have known for a day or so now to get everyone registered a fourth (!) palanca is needed (24.5% more of Barça Studios) & possibly a little something else (in terms of outgoings/wage reductions). Clock ticking with one week until Rayo at Camp Nou
Good game so far!
Riqui Puig to LA Galaxy: the biggest summer in MLS history just got bigger
What I find most interesting here, beyond the fact that someone of Puig's talent turned down clubs like Lyon, Monaco and Wolves to play in the MLS, is the contention that the MLS might be holding itself back by not increasing their salary cap.
I think the parity of MLS is one of the best features it has, don't you? I think the lack of it in Europe, especially Germany (but several others too) is one of the worst things about European soccer.
Mixed feelings.
The parity can create a more equal playing field, but it can also flatten everything out so there are no "actually good" teams, just a shedload of "pretty okay" ones.
Riqui Puig to LA Galaxy: the biggest summer in MLS history just got bigger
What I find most interesting here, beyond the fact that someone of Puig's talent turned down clubs like Lyon, Monaco and Wolves to play in the MLS, is the contention that the MLS might be holding itself back by not increasing their salary cap.
MLS might be holding itself back by going to 29 teams. I can't buy-in to that model.
I'm also not sure about the Riqui Puig omg coup. Maybe if it was Pedri or Gavi. There's so many big name prospects that level out to just ok players. I'm sure Riqui will do well in the MLS but then the automatic question would be can he cut it in Europe. Will Spain even call him up if he does play well? They might not even be able to gauge his results relatively.
Gareth Bale at 33 in the MLS might actually be a retirement tour. If I was a fan of any of the 20 prem clubs and we signed Bale I'd be pretty tentative about what to expect. In the MLS though? Let's go! (as a fan)
Now if Mitrovic went to he MLS..... That would be something.
Vvvvv pleased with that point today. So pleased, I'm almost disappointed that we couldn't get all three.
Spurs 1st. Can we please close this now?
Players need to rest for the world cup anyway.
Mixed feelings.
The parity can create a more equal playing field, but it can also flatten everything out so there are no "actually good" teams, just a shedload of "pretty okay" ones.
Well, that doesn't happen in our other, similarly competitive leagues, and it's not happening in MLS. My hometown team is helping with that! 
Eh, people have been complaining for ages now that the NFL and MLB have been rewarding "pretty good" teams who get hot at the right time rather than the top ones (like my beloved 2011-12 New York Giants), but that's really more of an issue with the Playoff system and how it can be a random number generator.
Were it up to me, the MLS would move to the European League system, but I think it'd be a hard sell to average American fans and an even harder one to owners, due to lost revenue. Moreover, the upside to a Playoff system is that if you're, say, the 5th best team in the league, you can still have a chance at winning the title, rather than 70% of the league knowing they've got no shot by, say, November.
I think there's a middle ground to be found between "only one team wins forever" and "no-one is good for more than two seasons in a row".
It must be the solstice of MLS v Euro model for soccer.
Usually happens every 10 months or so here.
Some friends are visiting Toronto next weekend, they gave me the choice of going to a Blue Jays game Friday and Toronto FC Saturday or both. I'm going to see Vladi jr.
/checks standings
Yeah, that's the smart choice.
There are several British-isms for this kind of strike, and all fall afoul of the expletive filters here.
EDIT: I take it all back, MLS #1.
EDIT: I take it all back, MLS #1.
I would have sworn that's a red, but according to an image posted in the replies, it's not. I guess Chiellini knew that?
LOL, it's definitely a red.
.....if you're not Chiellini.
New season, same ManU?
In the first half today West Ham completed 74 passes. Manchester City completed 373.
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