Re: Warning, this thread is for soccer (more like Travis and Matty Liverpool chat)

by **Other Teams Pursuing That** 2024-02-21, 15:03

i hope liverpool comes back and wins travis

by **Nordic** 2024-02-21, 15:53

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:i hope liverpool comes back and wins travis

So is this Champions league now?

Been catching the Saturday morning EPL games. But have no idea what is really going on in the standings, games left, etc. Casual observer. And generally get going on about my day before looking it up.

Was at the gym and saw futball on. Barcelona I think.

Any rundown of what I'm watching would be appreciated. Thanks mate.

by CaptainSlow33 2024-02-22, 08:10

With all the injuries, I do admit that my heart sank when Reds went down 0-1 early on. After almost 9 years of Klopp, I should know better by now, but I still felt a bit hopeless at first.

by **Travis of the Cosmos** 2024-02-22, 09:16

Little bit worried about Bayern getting rid of Tuchel as re: Xabi. Only they are twatty enough to try to steal the coach that is actively beating them mid season.

by CaptainSlow33 2024-02-22, 09:21

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:Little bit worried about Bayern getting rid of Tuchel as re: Xabi. Only they are twatty enough to try to steal the coach that is actively beating them mid season.

Xabi doesn't really seem to be on their radar at the moment. They seem lazer focused on trying to get Hansi Flick back. I think that would be the better option for them, as Hansi theoretically knows how to scheme and get the best out of the current aging roster, whereas Xabi would probably need a bit more time to build his own roster to get them firing on all cylinders. Bayern have ruined multiple young coaches with their impatience and unwillingness to retool their roster. Kovac and Nieglesmann immediately come to mind, but they all but ran Pep and Carlo out of town as well. I'm hoping Liverpool will have Xabi and his director of football operations locked down well before Bayern look to name a replacement for Tuchel. Bayern also seem to be of the belief that the only coaches that can be successful there are Germans.

by **Other Teams Pursuing That** 2024-02-22, 09:31

Nordic wrote:
Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:i hope liverpool comes back and wins travis

So is this Champions league now?

Been catching the Saturday morning EPL games. But have no idea what is really going on in the standings, games left, etc. Casual observer. And generally get going on about my day before looking it up.

Was at the gym and saw futball on. Barcelona I think.

Any rundown of what I'm watching would be appreciated. Thanks mate.

that was probably champions league as barca played yesterday.

by **Travis of the Cosmos** 2024-02-22, 09:37

It was not champions league, you sassy little rapscallions, just EPL. Liverpool isn’t in champions league this year on account of finishing 5th in the league last year, so they’re in the other one, Europa league, which is always on Thursdays. I don’t think they have a game in that league until mid March or so.

The carabao cup final is Sunday though, always fun when a trophy is on the line, even if it’s the lesser of the trophies available in the season. Liverpool against Chelsea.

by CaptainSlow33 2024-02-22, 09:39

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:It was not champions league, you sassy little rapscallions, just EPL. Liverpool isn’t in champions league this year on account of finishing 5th in the league last year, so they’re in the other one, Europa league, which is always on Thursdays. I don’t think they have a game in that league until mid March or so.

The carabao cup final is Sunday though, always fun when a trophy is on the line, even if it’s the lesser of the trophies available in the season. Liverpool against Chelsea.

It might be a "lesser trophy," but I need to see Jurgen leave Liverpool with all the trophies. I normally don't care about the Carabao Cup. This year, I want it with the intensity of a collapsing star.

by **DWags** 2024-02-27, 17:01

Turn it up.

[tw]1762560077863772452?s=46&t=o_-92Ldle66XHQBlJVUMFQ[/tw]

by **Travis of the Cosmos** 2024-03-10, 13:00

Shoulda been a red but whatever you can always count on ederson to go fucking bonkers when playing against Liverpool

by **Travis of the Cosmos** 2024-03-10, 13:31

Why are city allowed to wear the club World Cup patch in premier league games but when Liverpool won it they weren’t allowed to?

Nvm I probably don’t want to know

by **Nordic** 2024-03-10, 20:21

USWNT in the Gold Cup Finals vs. Brazil

by **Nordic** 2024-03-10, 21:01

Mother fucking Horan

1-0

by **Nordic** 2024-03-10, 22:43

1-0 USA over Brazil.

Some good and some bad. Team plays scrappy. Vetarans Horan, Dunn & Williams played their ass off. Liked what I saw out of Albert (haven't seen her before). And Narin is a goat.

But they lack the ball skills is a problem. Especially along the backline. Peak USWNT could control the ball on the backline and smother their opponent. This team simply can not at any level. It started to show the WC and it has not improved. They have to play chaotic football and rely individual skill and other women's teams have caught up.

I'm also a starting be become concerned that our future strikers Trinity, Sophia and Midge just haven't shown that killer instinct. Still young. Still hopeful. But fuck, I didn't see it tonight. I didn't see it in the WC.

On to the Olympics. USA USA USA

by **Nordic** 2024-04-09, 20:40

2-1 USA USA USA vs Canada (ladies)

Horan --> Dunn --> Rodman --> Sophia Smith

Beautiful play by, what you need to be, your best players

by **Nordic** 2024-04-09, 20:52

Oh chit. Canada PK Shocked

by aualum06 2024-04-09, 21:39

5-4 in penalties USA

by Zurn 2024-04-10, 08:19

Concacaf anyone?

Last night Columbus over Tigres 1-1 via shootout.

Commentators made the interesting comment that the MLS is considered to be a more "athletic" league while leagues like LIGA MX are more "tactical" with a slower style of play.

by aualum06 2024-04-24, 16:59

Thank you Liverpool

by **Travis of the Cosmos** 2024-04-24, 17:36

Yeah sure whatever

by **Travis of the Cosmos** 2024-04-27, 13:50

Another absolutely inexcusable referee fuck up today.

It’s getting out of hand. They gotta do something.

by aualum06 2024-04-27, 15:24

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:Another absolutely inexcusable referee fuck up today.

It’s getting out of hand. They gotta do something.

Which game? Didn't get to catch much but see everton got another much needed 2 points and is inching closer to being safe

by **Travis of the Cosmos** 2024-04-27, 15:40

Libpool.

The goalie catches the ball. The ref *maybe* calls a foul, but really he is saying play on, but let’s say he calls a foul (there is no foul to call) then he’s definitely saying that he’s calling that west ham has possession so no problem. Regardless, the ball is absolutely live at this point. The goalie, who is wasting time to preserve a tie, throws the ball out in front of himself and starts fucking with his shin guard. A Liverpool player wisely realizes that the ball is in play starts charging at it, but as he gets there the ref blows it dead. Now, the ref probably realizes he fucks up, ran at the goalie and called for the medical team to come look at him, for no reason at all and with no player asking for that, just as an excuse to have blown it dead.

Liverpool have imploded this season and never would have been able to win the league, but between this, the spurs game, and more standard fuck ups like during man city and others, the number of points they’ve been straight robbed of is criminal

by aualum06 2024-04-27, 15:48

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:Libpool.

The goalie catches the ball. The ref *maybe* calls a foul, but really he is saying play on, but let’s say he calls a foul (there is no foul to call) then he’s definitely saying that he’s calling that west ham has possession so no problem. Regardless, the ball is absolutely live at this point. The goalie, who is wasting time to preserve a tie, throws the ball out in front of himself and starts fucking with his shin guard. A Liverpool player wisely realizes that the ball is in play starts charging at it, but as he gets there the ref blows it dead. Now, the ref probably realizes he fucks up, ran at the goalie and called for the medical team to come look at him, for no reason at all and with no player asking for that, just as an excuse to have blown it dead.

Liverpool have imploded this season and never would have been able to win the league, but between this, the spurs game, and more standard fuck ups like during man city and others, the number of points they’ve been straight robbed of is criminal

Sounds like quite the circus, or you know just another standard premier league match

by **Travis of the Cosmos** 2024-08-15, 08:02

Pochettino to the US seems true, wild

by **DWags** 2024-08-15, 11:24

[tw]1824078129385640336?s=46&t=o_-92Ldle66XHQBlJVUMFQ[/tw]

by aualum06 2024-08-15, 20:21

Premiere league less than 24 hours

by aualum06 2024-08-25, 16:19

Things are off to a swimming start
[tw]1827802124006371368?t=sHfGyUgCgZZzYPhZ6vi7tw&s=19[/tw]

by aualum06 2024-08-31, 14:07

Everton man lol

by **DWags** 2024-09-10, 23:32

What is your opinion regarding Mauricio Pochettino getting 12 million for 2 years to coach the USMNT? Will it help? Is it the Jimmy and joes?

by **MiamiSpartan** 2024-09-11, 08:21

DWags wrote:What is your opinion regarding Mauricio Pochettino getting 12 million for 2 years to coach the USMNT? Will it help? Is it the Jimmy and joes?

Hipster fans love him. And Tottenham Hotspur fans love him. There's a lot of crossover between those groups and USMNT fans.

Is he an upgrade on Berhalter? Yes, he definitely should be. But at PSG a couple of years ago, he failed to win the title. To give a college football analogy, PSG not winning the Ligue 1 (France) title is like if Alabama were in the MAC and didn't win the conference. He won the following year, but I believe that's the only league title he's ever won. I'm not saying a USMNT coach should win the World Cup, but people act like he's one of the best coaches in the world.

Also, managing a national team is VERY different from managing a club team. With a national team you are pretty much stuck with the talent pool that there is. And you only get a few weeks each year to work with them. Pochettino has never coached a national team, so how he handles that is an unknown.

tl;dr - He's a big name that is getting a lot of people excited and should be better than the last guy, but I'm skeptical that he will live up to the hype.

by **Travis of the Cosmos** 2024-09-11, 08:39

Alabama is a bad example. PSG is more like Michigan. All the money, fails to win the real prize. Lots of hype, does well in their regional conference, falters on the national stage (PSG should consider cheating.)

by CaptainSlow33 2024-09-13, 08:16

DWags wrote:What is your opinion regarding Mauricio Pochettino getting 12 million for 2 years to coach the USMNT? Will it help? Is it the Jimmy and joes?

IMO, it's a solid hire. I personally doubt that he is going to be able to address the deep-seeded problems with the US Soccer pyramid - in the long term, US Soccer is still going to be a tire fire - but he will improve whatever squad gets put in front of him. I'm not sure how it will translate to wins/losses/trophies, but the squad will be well prepared and well coached.

by **DWags** 2024-09-13, 08:44

So, in your expert opinions, does our country have the physical talent available to compete for a World Cup? Or, are we a country that’s will not be able to match the Jimmy and Joes of the great soccer countries in the world, regardless of our coach?

by CaptainSlow33 2024-09-13, 08:48

DWags wrote:So, in your expert opinions, does our country have the physical talent available to compete for a World Cup? Or, are we a country that’s will not be able to match the Jimmy and Joes of the great soccer countries in the world, regardless of our coach?

Honestly, it's hard to say. Every year, teams seem to be in a constant state of flux with legacy players retiring and new players coming up through the system. In 2014, Germany looked like they would be unstoppable - every year since, they have looked like they don't belong in international play. Based on previous tournaments, I'd honestly say England may have the best chance to sneak a cup. They have been in the conversation for the World Cup and the Euros the past few years, so if they can find a bench boss to replace Southgate that gets them over the hump, I personally think they would be my favorite. Of course, England being England, it probably won't happen.

by CaptainSlow33 2024-09-13, 09:06

Also, unrelated to international/Euro league soccer: if you have the chance, check out MSU soccer this season. Men's and women's. Spartan women just started B1G play last night with a match that Maryland's keeper is probably going to have nightmares about for a while. Hoping for a Big Ten Three-peat.

by AvgMSUJoe 2024-09-13, 09:15

DWags wrote:So, in your expert opinions, does our country have the physical talent available to compete for a World Cup? Or, are we a country that’s will not be able to match the Jimmy and Joes of the great soccer countries in the world, regardless of our coach?

As a general observation of youth sports and not soccer specific... In today's environment of sports specialization starting in pre-teens, the US probably won't be on par with the world until high school soccer replaces either high school football or basketball. (Let alone year round baseball, rasslin', etc.)

My daughter's friends want her to play soccer and volleyball (13, 8th grade)... they already have 4-5 years of experience under their belt in a competitive setting. She wont even try because they are advanced. (& she is a dancer, they wouldn't try that...)

Hyper-competitiveness.

by CaptainSlow33 2024-09-13, 09:20

AvgMSUJoe wrote:
DWags wrote:So, in your expert opinions, does our country have the physical talent available to compete for a World Cup? Or, are we a country that’s will not be able to match the Jimmy and Joes of the great soccer countries in the world, regardless of our coach?

As a general observation of youth sports and not soccer specific... In today's environment of sports specialization starting in pre-teens, the US probably won't be on par with the world until high school soccer replaces either high school football or basketball. (Let alone year round baseball, rasslin', etc.)

My daughter's friends want her to play soccer and volleyball (13, 8th grade)... they already have 4-5 years of experience under their belt in a competitive setting. She wont even try because they are advanced. (& she is a dancer, they wouldn't try that...)

Hyper-competitiveness.

US Soccer is being throttled by MLS. If a kid is serious about going pro, it's a total pay-to-play system. Maybe a kid will get lucky enough to get into an MLS Academy program, but if they don't, our pyramid is really just a cube. With no promotion/relegation system, players who are thriving in USL/lower league clubs rarely get a look at the top tier clubs, or by the US Soccer Federation. Our problems are DEEP, but yes, promoting youth soccer will be the first big step in making US soccer consistently competitive in the long term.

by **Travis of the Cosmos** 2024-09-13, 09:25

Do we have the physical talent? Sure. We have the physical talent to win in any sport we want. The problem is our youth system which is nonsense. It’s a rich suburban white kid sport where you can only excel if you have the money to afford to play in things like travel soccer, which is expensive and again, nonsense. You’re not going to compete with Europe, where kids start in professional academies at like the age of 6 or with Brazil and Argentina where kids come out of the womb and grab a ball and start playing on the streets.

You can see that in the way the teams play too. A European team like say Germany is going to be well drilled, very tactical, etc. a Brazilian team is going to be really creative, like they spent their childhood having to figure out how to get around a guy 3 years older than them with no one telling them what to do. American teams don’t have either identity because they were the best player on their snobby travel team coached by their dad in portage Michigan on the weekend, so they’ve never really been challenged or taught the right way

by CaptainSlow33 2024-09-13, 09:26

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:Do we have the physical talent? Sure. We have the physical talent to win in any sport we want. The problem is our youth system which is nonsense. It’s a rich suburban white kid sport where you can only excel if you have the money to afford to play in things like travel soccer, which is expensive and again, nonsense. You’re not going to compete with Europe, where kids start in professional academies at like the age of 6 or with Brazil and Argentina where kids come out of the womb and grab a ball and start playing on the streets.

You can see that in the way the teams play too. A European team like say Germany is going to be well drilled, very tactical, etc. a Brazilian team is going to be really creative, like they spent their childhood having to figure out how to get around a guy 3 years older than them with no one telling them what to do. American teams don’t have either identity because they were the best player on their snobby travel team coached by their dad in portage Michigan on the weekend, so they’ve never really been challenged or taught the right way

BINGO.

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