2024/25 Soccer Thread

jowner wrote:

80th 1-0 Arsenal Ipswich.

If Arsenal drop points here I would be 0% surprised.

Held on in the end. They really do seem to lack something when Saka isn’t playing though.

Rooney just lost 4-0 to Frank Lampard's Coventry.

I know he'll get another chance somewhere, but I feel like the "Rooney the manager" experiment has kind of run its course.

Prederick wrote:

Rooney just lost 4-0 to Frank Lampard's Coventry.

I know he'll get another chance somewhere, but I feel like the "Rooney the manager" experiment has kind of run its course.

You are correct but let me dream about the panic signing of him as interim manager at Man Utd.

I watched the game, and 4-0 was very flattering. To Plymouth. Awful performance, although they do have a bunch of injuries, apparently.

Plymouth had an unlikely escape from relegation last year, so it's not like all their problems are Rooney's fault, but... Well, he's not providing any compelling answers yet, is he?

It says something about how toxic and insanely bad things are at United that I'm already seeing articles about Amorim saying he's in "danger" without W's.

Also, absolutely dying that the rumors are that Zirkzee is already on his way out of Old Trafford. He has barely unpacked!

Oh, also, RE: violent conduct, doesn't intent matter? Because....

IMAGE(https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/aaf6eb19bd07e9dfafc39f53771d3ab2589e38b5/0_408_2359_1415/master/2359.jpg?width=1900&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)

Sorbicol wrote:
jowner wrote:

80th 1-0 Arsenal Ipswich.

If Arsenal drop points here I would be 0% surprised.

Held on in the end. They really do seem to lack something when Saka isn’t playing though.

Well the newest update is Saka is out for 2 months so scratch pushing Liverpool for the title.

Maybe silver lining is the timing and they get some transfer business done earlier but you end up paying more typically and who was the last Jan transfer who hit the ground running in the same season.

Prederick wrote:

Oh, also, RE: violent conduct, doesn't intent matter? Because....

FIFA wrote:

Violent conduct is when a player uses or attempts to use excessive force or brutality against an opponent when not challenging for the ball, or against a team-mate, team official, match official, spectator or any other person, regardless of whether contact is made.

Intent not necessary, just the act. The difference with Serious Foul Play is basically an attempt at the ball, vs. say an open field rugby tackle type foul.

[quote="LilCodger"]

Prederick wrote:

Oh, also, RE: violent conduct, doesn't intent matter? Because....

[quote="Fsay an open field rugby tackle type foul.[/quote]. Commonly known in the uk as the Boris Johnson

LilCodger wrote:
Prederick wrote:

Oh, also, RE: violent conduct, doesn't intent matter? Because....

FIFA wrote:

Violent conduct is when a player uses or attempts to use excessive force or brutality against an opponent when not challenging for the ball, or against a team-mate, team official, match official, spectator or any other person, regardless of whether contact is made.

Intent not necessary, just the act. The difference with Serious Foul Play is basically an attempt at the ball, vs. say an open field rugby tackle type foul.

Right so.... how the hell wasn't he sent off?

So who had Forest second in the table going into the new year?
Also great day for Leeds United, top of the table by 2 points (At the moment, hopefully Boro can do us a favour by turning over Burnely tonight) also my word our goal today by Brenden Aaronson was a thing of beauty.

Prederick wrote:

Has Salah ever been in form this good? Criminy.

JEEZUS.

Also, rather disappointed with the two points thrown away today.

Rooney's Plymouth lost away to Oxford today.

If they don't fire him now they may as well just withdraw from the rest of the season and just see everyone back in League One next year.

When I think about how good that Plymouth side was when Ipswich were chasing them in the League One promotion race it makes me sad to see what has happened since.

Actually... I realise now that Wayne was fired by Birmingham on 2nd January 2024, so now I want him to hold on to Wednesday's game against Bristol City, lose that and then get fired on Thursday.

Then Hallmark can have a new "Fire Wayne Day" holiday for Jan 2 each year.

I think a lot of the discourse about Pep online is nonsense and overheated...

...and then I see that Jack Grealish didn't score a goal for City.

In 2024.

Barkley has a shot to break the rushing record next week vs. the Giants.

Joe Schoen is so incredibly fired.

Prederick wrote:

Barkley has a shot to break the rushing record next week vs. the Giants.

Joe Schoen is so incredibly fired.

Wrong football, mate.

Prederick wrote:

Barkley has a shot to break the rushing record next week vs. the Giants.

Joe Schoen is so incredibly fired.

I think you're crossing the football streams.

DANGIT

Amazing. United have honestly, genuinely gotten worse.

I'm actually sad for Zirkzee, he's a 23-year-old who just got cheered off when he got subbed after 33 minutes. And not one of those "wow, you played so well" cheererings off. Dude should've stayed at Bologna.

I genuinely can't believe it's gone this badly for Amorim to start. Like... he may not make the full season at this rate, which is an insane thing to say.

All 10 of Newcastle's outfield players have either had a shot or created a chance so far in this match.

Manchester United, meanwhile, are yet to have a shot on target.

That said, I think at this point, it's obvious. It's the players, not the manager.

Whatever has happened at United over recent years has clearly left a hell of a lot of rot to be cleared out.

When Radcliffe and the Glazers are embroiled in a bitter legal row over what was agreed and who's going to pay for what (because it will happen) you'd think the club will be in a lot worse state than it is now.

And partly this is Amorin - he's trying to get the players to play a system they aren't capable of. That's not entirely his fault for sure, but don't think it isn't some of it.

Edit. They do seem to have perked up a little this second half mind.

Ipswich 2-0 Chelsea is hilarious.

Arne Slot finishes 2024 with 1 loss in all competitive matches (to the team 2nd in the table).

Goodness.

Prederick wrote:

Ipswich 2-0 Chelsea is hilarious.

I was at Portman Road in 2001 to see 3-1 versus Derby County in the Prem (in what may have been Finidi George's only good game before he bankrupted the club), this feels like that.

Omari answered the "will he celebrate?" questions with a backflip!

Wayne Rooney is done at Plymouth.

Maybe it’s time he thinks about not managing.

Sorbicol wrote:

Wayne Rooney is done at Plymouth.

Maybe it’s time he thinks about not managing.

I think he might have Daddy Manager issues from his years with SAF.

Hurry out and get your 2025 Plymouth Argyle calendars!

IMAGE(https://i.imgur.com/TF9ZB5P.png)

Mr Bismarck wrote:

Worse though, photos showed Wolves goal scorer Matheus Cunha in an altercation with an Ipswich staff member, post-game, and now video shows Cunha deliberately elbow that staff member in the back of the head. Then when the man turns around, Cunha gets into a shoving match with him and then takes the man's glasses and throws them away.

Be interesting to see what the FA do with this, but it feels like Cunha should get some extended time off to think about what he's done.

Cunha has picked up a two game ban and an £80,000 fine, which seems a bit light for deliberately elbowing someone in the back of the head, never mind then stealing his glasses and yeeting them into the distance, but it's better than nothing I suppose.

Maybe the official written explanation will say the Ipswich staff member said something about his Mum.

The timing of the decision means one of those missed games will be an FA Cup tie with Bristol City.

Sorbicol wrote:

And partly this is Amorin - he's trying to get the players to play a system they aren't capable of. That's not entirely his fault for sure, but don't think it isn't some of it.

He definitely deserves to be blamed for this. He's being too stubborn. He's being too... Ange.