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USMNT/Soccer Thread

BigBlueSean said:
That particular handball is not a handball under the rules because it comes off of the same player. Very similar play occurred in Iran v. Portugal that it was handball because it came off of the opposing players head and hit the defenders hand. That's the way the rule is written.
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In soccer, it is understood that spirit of the law greatly supersedes the letter of it. For example, if that same play from the video happens on a cross and it glances off the player into his outstretched hand held high, you must give the penalty due to intentional advantageous unnatural position of arm.

These types of decisions where the referee uses sound judgment and proper discretion is what separates a good referee from a bad one.
 
vhcat70 said:
Better individual players, yes. Better side, not so much. Pretty even or tilts C's way imo.
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If the referee doesn't fail the match in the first half and Croatia leads or score is tied 1-1, then the second half France would have to play soccer instead of just balls in to space for Mbappe to run on to. It would've been an entirely different second half, they would've changed strategy and could've shown their quality but as it was they didn't need to.

That's why the referee errors were so bad. The first mistake is more forgivable as referees are deceived by dives all the time, but the VAR mistake is a new type of error and mars the final as Mourinho puts it here.

 
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I get so sick of the shirt tuggings & shoulder pull backs from behind that are never called. I'd have half the players red carded by 30 minutes in. Worse than the dives. Make em all wear boxing gloves.
 
I wasn't even going to go in to it, but was asked to explain, if you think either of those free kicks should be given then your understanding of the game is very limited. It's not like basketball where drawing a foul is a thing or rules are rules. Not even close.
 
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Just found these videos on the USMNT young guns: ENJOY!!!:

Josh Sargent:


Pulisic:


McKennie:


Tyler Adams:


Tim Weah:


Matt Miazga:


DeAndre Yedlin:


Zach Steffen:


Carter-Vickers:
 
Would love to see ones done on Shaq Moore, Parks, Antonee Robinson and maybe like Gooch or Haji Wright
 
SO I was just looking today, I had no idea that the UEFA Nations League starts in September... Kinda crazy TBH

League A Groups are as follows:

1) Germany - France - Netherlands
2) Belgium - Swizerland - Iceland
3) Portugal- Italy - Poland
4) Spain - England - Croatia

1st Matchday Matchups:

France @ Germany
Netherlands @ France
Poland @ Italy
Italy @ Portugal
Spain @ England
Croatia @ Spain

Winners of each group go on to UEFA Nations League Playoff in 2019, Losers are Relegated to League B.


Also, CONCACAF has announced instituting the same format for 2019-2020
 
I am anxiously awaiting the Federation to hire a the new coach...

I am a big advocate after listening to the Total Soccer Show Podcast on this matter of Jorge Sampaoli. I really do beleive his style would fit our player phenomenally. High pressing, utilizing our athleticism and ability to run, and fixing up our defense. He is a notorious guy that does more with less.

Could see him using McKinney in the Arturo Vidal Role and using Pulisic in the Alexis Sanchez role. Again, this guy won the Copa America twice with freaking Chile, beating Argentina twice to do so.
 
While I understand this sentiment to an extent--and it's one that exists for Jesse Marsch advocates as well--a pressing style with professionals requires an extraordinary amount of commitment and preparation that I don't think you can get in our unique American circumstance. In large part due to needing our highest caliber of players playing in Europe. That seems to be where we are with Pulisic, McKennie, Miazga, CCV, Brooks, Sargeant obviously and where we are headed with Tyler Adams who has grown within that type of system already and would seem like as perfect a wrecking ball as a six as we have had in the US in years. High work rate wings like Arriola would seem a great fit as well. But when will that core ever really play and practice together? Beyond that...is it really a good idea to have that structure and commitment to success say at altitude in Azteca or in Central America or in a Qatar that may have playing conditions in November that still will be exceptionally hot? I almost look at two of our most controversial players and say a commitment to a pressing style is a really bad fit...and that's Chandler and Fabian Johnson. I'd be pretty sure they would find a way to opt out which is fine and good with me because I had real questions about how committed either were during the last two years with the USMNT in the first place. You have to have some major buyin to play that way.
 
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My EPL Top 6 Prediction:
1. Liverpool - 88 points
2. Man City - 86 points
3. Arsenal - 79 points
4. Tottenham - 77 points
5. Chelsea - 73 points
6. Manchester United - 70 points
 
Don't get the hate for ManU. Jose screws this up and he may be done coaching top tier teams. Need one more offensive player (agreed with Burley's speed assessment last nite) and possibly a defender. I don't see how Chelsea and Arsenal have gained any ground on them. Tottenham, IMO, will be the bust.
 
TCPUKChamps said:
My EPL Top 6 Prediction:
1. Liverpool - 88 points
2. Man City - 86 points
3. Arsenal - 79 points
4. Tottenham - 77 points
5. Chelsea - 73 points
6. Manchester United - 70 points
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Liverpool is going for it - all of their transfers make sense, their front 3 is the best in soccer (don't @ me), should be better defensively. Makes me nervous tbh.
 
Chelsea I think should be interesting with Sarri coming in and plays with a high line, presses aggressively dominates the ball and attacks. Pep is a big fan. Definitely different than Conte and Mourinho. City and Liverpool nasty. Aresenal, meh. Totty will finish 3rd or 4th. Mourinho will be fired in November.
 
The League that has won the offseason is by far Serie A:

Just a few Notable Transfers:

Juventus:

Cristiano Ronaldo, Joao Cancelo, Douglas Costa, Mattia Perin, Emre Can (Deal almost done to get Bonucci Back)

Inter:

Radja Nainggolan, Arturo Vidal, Lautaro Martinez, Sime Vrsaljko, Stefan de Vrij, Kawadwo Asamoah, Matteo Politano


Lazio:

Joaquin Correa, Acerbi, Durmisi, Milan Badelj --- and biggest win was keeping ahold of Segej Milinkovic-Savic


Napoli:

Got Ancelotti as coach, Amin Younes, Alex Meret, Simone Verdi, Fabian Ruiz

Roma:

Javier Pastore, Justin Kluivert --- This would've been far better if they kept a hold of Malcom

AC Milan:

Ivan Strinic, Pepe Reina, Alen Halilovic

Also, while it isnt finished completely Both Gonzalo Higuain and Caldara have left the team in the states to fly to Milan tomorrow for medicals. Higuain and Caldara, who IMO is italys best CB are massive upgrades. Also a deal is close for them to acquire Bernard from Shaktar Donetsk and Bakayoko from Chelsea.
 
My Predictions:

EPL

1) Liverpool
2) Man City
3) Tottenham
4) Arsenal

La Liga:

1) Atletico Madrid
2) Barcelona
3) Real Madrid
4) Real Betis

Bundesliga:

1) Bayern Munich
2) Bayer Leverkusen
3) Shalke
4) Leipzig

Serie A:

1) Juve
2) Inter
3) Roma
4) AC Milan


UCL Champ: Manchester City
 
Adi, new to FCC, has a weird build: All legs, no torso. Assume he can get up but would expect he could be pushed around.
 
Wowww, pretty shocked but ESPN and Serie A just announced a media deal agreement

https://www.google.com/amp/amp.si.com/tech-media/2018/08/07/espn-italian-serie-multi-year-deal


I knew ESPN would agree to a deal for a major soccer league, just thought it'd be La Liga not Serie A in Italy. This is huge for the Italian league and could launch it back up where it should be. I am so stoked that people will be able to see the Milan Derby, Napoli v. Juve, Lazio v. Juve etc.... The Italian league is my favorite. Literally the Ronaldo effect...
 
BigBlueSean said:
Wowww, pretty shocked but ESPN and Serie A just announced a media deal agreement

https://www.google.com/amp/amp.si.com/tech-media/2018/08/07/espn-italian-serie-multi-year-deal


I knew ESPN would agree to a deal for a major soccer league, just thought it'd be La Liga not Serie A in Italy. This is huge for the Italian league and could launch it back up where it should be. I am so stoked that people will be able to see the Milan Derby, Napoli v. Juve, Lazio v. Juve etc.... The Italian league is my favorite. Literally the Ronaldo effect...
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Leaves LL to CBS or ABC.
 
ukwizard said:
Didn't Serie A used to be the best league or was imagining that?
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Yup it used to be. Used to have some great teams in that league and it is also IMO had a fervor for the game that is unmatched. It would have been the late 1980's and the 1990's.

In that era Serie A boasted the following:

UCL Winners: 5 between Milan and Juve
UEFA Cup Winners: 3 - Sampdoria, Parma, Lazio

What made it was how many teams were highly competitive. Everyone had a star. Marco Van Basten, Diego Maradona, Jurgen Klinsmann, Ruud Gullit, Lothar Matthaus, Beppe Signori, Roberto Mancini, Gianluca Vialli, Dejan Savicevic , Roberto Baggio, George Weah, Alessandro Del Piero, Ronaldo.

Of the 66 places in European finals across the above 11 years--- 10 different Serie A clubs occupied 28 of them. That's something we will never see again:

The likes of Inter, Milan, Juventus, Fiorentina, Parma, Roma, Lazio, Napoli, Sampdoria all had so much quality.
 
vhcat70 said:
The point was whether they're up against NFL games, not what channel broadcasts them against the NFL.
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The Channel does matter. The best games going up against NFL will be on ESPN and ESPN2.

That's far better than having La Liga games going on on CBSSN or CBSSouth etc. vs. CBS game of Cowboys vs. 49ers.

Makes a huge difference.

A network like CBS or ABC cannot even offer their flagship channel due to the conflict in scheduling with the NFL. There is no conflict with ESPN. Big difference as well.
 
There are plenty of options/channels to put every major league on US TV. I think there should be matches on at 7, 9, 11, 1, and 3 each Saturday and Sunday. The desire is there, and networks should not care about overlapping with the NFL. European soccer fans in the US tend to be more loyal to soccer than US football/NFL. We need more options, not less.
 
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Well since today is Deadline Day for EPL--- Here are my winners of the summer Transfer Window:

1) Wolverhamption Wanderers-

Winger - Adama Traore (20 mil)
Winger - Diogo Jota (14 mil)
Defender - Willy Boly (12mil)
Defender - Jonny (Loan)
Striker - Benik Afobe (11 mil)
Striker - Leo Bonatini (4 mil)
Striker - Raul Jiminez (Loan)
Midfielder - Joao Moutinho (5mil)
Midfielder - Leander Dendoncker (Loan)
Keeper - Rui Patricio (Free)

They got a little bit of everything--- Quality, Quantity, and have a very good chance at not only staying up, but really challenging all opponents. they have a solid Keeper, a solid and deep midfield and guys with goals in them in Traore, Jota, Jimenez.


2) Fulham

Midfileder - Jean Michael Seri (27 mil)
Striker - Aleksandar Mitrovic (18 mil)
Defender - Alfie Mawson (15 mil)
Defender - Maxime Le Marchand (3.6 mil)
Winger - Andre Shurrle (Loan)
Defender - Calum Chambers (Loan)
Keeper - Sergio Rico ( Loan)
Keeper - Fabri (5 mil)

This might be my favorite team to watch next year. I am a huge fan of Seri and Mitrovic. Shurrle if healthy could be a great option as a RW and the perfect complimentary piece to the prolific LW Ryan Sessegnon. Mawson really strengthens that back line as does Le Marchand. The midfield pieces really compliment the Scottland duo of McDonald and Cairney who are solid, well rounded guys. Look for Fulham not only to avoid relegation, but to finish as high as 7-10 range.

3) Everton

Winger - Richarlison (40 mil)
Defender - Yerry Mina (28 mil)
Defender - Lucas Digne (18 mil)
Midfielder - Andre Gomes (2 mil Loan)
Winger - Bernard (Free)

Watch out for this team to be much higher in the table. I think they will get a top 6 finish. I love Richarlison, I know many question the fee, but Richarlison was great at the start of the season, and then playing in both u-21 and u-20 for Brazil really caught up to him. A Fresh Richarlison will see output much closer to his early days at Watford. Digne will be able to do the work at LB Silva wants and Yerry Mina is a big, mobile CB that will help the defense. The biggest win was for Everton holding on to Pickford. I think Silva's style will bring out the best also in the likes of Glfi Sigurosson and get him back to Swansea form. Also look for Tosun and Calvert-Lewin to score more goals in a Silva system that plays to their strengths more.


4) Liverpool

Keeper- Allison (62mil)
Midfielder - Naby Keita (60mil)
Midfielder - Fabinho (45 mil)
Winger - Shaqiri (14.7 mil)

Addressed all their issues. They needed quality depth and got it. Keita and Fabinho will be fun to watch in the midfield and Allisons distribution abilities will make them even more lethal on the counter and Shaqiri will provide relief for both Salah and Mane when needed.
 
CAT Scratch FVR said:
EPL Prediction
1. Man City
2. Liverpool
3. Man U
4. Tottenham
5. Chelsea
6. Arsenal
Click to expand...

Chelsea will start bad. Sarri ball takes a long time to grasp. The question is how bad of a start do they have to overcome. Man U IMO is going to be interesting. I am calling them to lose tomorrow against Leicester because its gonna be a pretty weak side Man U puts out due to world cup. I doubt the side features Pogba or Lukaku. I also see a ton of signs eerily similar to when it all went to shambles for Chelsea. Tottenham for me is a wildcard- i find it very odd they didnt make 1 addition in the transfer window. A top 6 I'd like to see:

1) Liverpool
2) Man City
3) Arsenal
4) Tottenham
5) Everton
6) Wolves/Fulham
 
While I do think it will be a tough start for Chelsea though, I do love their potential with their Lineup. Great Midfield, and balanced--

4-3-3

ST: Batshuayi
LW: Hazard
RW: Willian

CM: Ngolo Kante
CM: Matteo Kovacic
CDM: Jorginho

LB: Marcos Alonso
CB: ?
CB: ?
RB: Azpilicueta/ Moses/ Zappacosta

GK: Kepa ( I love Kepa)


The major question is CB. Sarri likes CB in the mold of Koulibally. CB that can run and are technically gifted--- that's not Christensen,Cahill or David Luiz (he wanders too much). I wonder if Sarri plays Azpilicueta at CB (he can). I bet Sarri gives a large chance to Kurt Zouma finally. Could see a Zouma-Azpilicueta or Zouma/Rudiger pairing in the back.

There is also a ton of fat to trim off this roster: Moses, Cesc Fabregas, Ross Barkley, Giroud, Morata, Cahill, Maybe Christensen, Drinkwater, David Luiz, Musonda, Baba, Loftus-Cheek, Kenedy, Tammy Abraham---- its stupid how many players are solid guys that have been constantly sent on loan for the past 3-4 years. Musonda could carve a role out under Sarri as well as Loftus-Cheek and Abraham.
 
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