Futbol Talk

[The Sultan]

Easily the most Spursy outcome imaginable.

Sitting at 16th in the Prem, only a point away from relegation.  Fired your highly regarded new manager 25 matches into the season to then hire a guy who just got fired from Juve before Halloween in his first season.

Despite this, you somehow finished 4th in Champions League qualifying ahead of teams like City, Real Madrid, Barca, and PSG and getting a bye into the round of 16...only to promptly get BLASTED by an offensively challenged Atletico giving up 4 goals in 22 minutes and yanking your keeper.  SHEESH

In retrospect, they should have stuck with Ange. He at least got results out of them when they needed them.

[panda]

In retrospect, they should have stuck with Ange. He at least got results out of them when they needed them.

I don't think the manager matters there. Systemic problems rot the club

[JWags85]

Salah officially announces his departure from Liverpool after the season. Hard to argue with him on the Mount Rushmore of Liverpool greats.  Also basically the embodiment of the transition from Gerrard era Liverpool who, 2005 miracle in Istanbul aside, spent the better part of the decade in the wilderness...to the current juggernaut of the last decade (this year aside  ).

This will sting in May though, far more than TAA did, regardless of how he left.  I distinctly remember wanted him badly in 2014 from Basel, but Liverpool stunk as destination and couldn't get big transfers and he went to Chelsea.  Was stoked when they got another chance a few years later under Klopp, but clearly had no idea he would become this much of a legend. 

His form and pace fell off hard over the last 12 months, which is unfortunate, but he was absolutely unreal last year and carried them to another title.  And he still has flashes like the second half of the Gala match last week.

I wish him nothing but the best going to Saudi and hopefully getting like $50MM a year to cruise and score a bunch of goals without getting clattered by spiteful northern English fullbacks

[Its DJOver]

Oh Italy. How are you the way you are?

Turkey for the US in the WC. Strongest possible team from the qualifiers, still no reason not to top the group.

[Pakuni]

Oh Italy. How are you the way you are?

Turkey for the US in the WC. Strongest possible team from the qualifiers, still no reason not to top the group.

Appleton's Esmir Bajraktarevic with the game-winner.

[jesmu84]

Oh Italy. How are you the way you are?

Turkey for the US in the WC. Strongest possible team from the qualifiers, still no reason not to top the group.

There are a lot of reasons for the US not to top the group.

[JWags85]

Oh Italy. How are you the way you are?

3 missed WC in a row is absolutely remarkable.  But also kind of speaks to the fall off of Serie A, in terms of total league depth.  Historically the good Italian national teams have been filled with the stars of Serie A.  Look at that roster for the qualifiers, not a lot of household name star power unless you're a HUGE Serie A fan.

Look at their most successful recent clubs, Napoli and Inter.  Napoli is driven by 2 Belgians, 2 Scots, and a Dane. Their captain, Di Lorenzo, was a national team mainstay but has fallen out of the rotation in his 30s and wasn't on this qualifying roster.

Inter is captained by an Argentine, back stopped by a Swiss, and the heart of their attack (besides Barella who is brilliant) is a Frenchman, a Turk, an Armenia, and Polish midfielder.  To be fair, Inter has more presence than Napoli with Barella, DiMardo, and Bastoni regularly playing, but the point remains.  Funny enough, Bastoni's probably the main reason they didn't qualify today.

I thought Gattuso was a terrible pick for manager, but it hasn't mattered cause Mancini and Spalletti struggled too.  Insane that they won a Euro while not being able to even qualify for a damn WC.

Appleton's Esmir Bajraktarevic with the game-winner.

Really an awesome story.  Grew up in Appleton, older brother played at Appleton North, played club soccer for SC Wave in Milwaukee before going to the NE Revolution academy.  His friend's dad who supported his dream and helped him with the SC Wave travel portion of his career is actually a MU soccer alum.   

He was in the USMNT youth setup and I think called up once to the national team before swapping national teams, but you read about his story and his family/their experience in the war and his connection to B&H and you can't really fault him.  He'd also have been competing in a crowded midfield

[panda]

Oh Italy. How are you the way you are?

Turkey for the US in the WC. Strongest possible team from the qualifiers, still no reason not to top the group.

Turkey easily clears this usmnt clown show. Questionable roster and tactical decisions coupled with some players who look like they would rather be anywhere expect on that field give me limited confidence going into this summer.

[MU82]

Wow ... the World Cup folks are really screwing people who paid big money for tickets. The whole thing seems pretty corrupt.

[Its DJOver]

West Ham beat Wolves to move out of the relegation zone and drop Spurs into it (with a game in hand).  Sunderland is the type of mid-table team you should be able to expect to get a result from (until you look at their form at the Stadium of Light this year). Lets see how the De Zerbi era starts.

[panda]

Spurs are doomed. Not built for a relegation fight and the remaining games are mostly against teams playing for European places or Leeds in a relegation scrap.

Theyre going down.

[jesmu84]

It's the biggest club ever to be relegated, right?

[The Sultan]

It's the biggest club ever to be relegated, right?

Manchester United was relegated in 1974...six years after winning the European Cup.

But yeah considering the resources Spurs have, it would be pretty unprecedented.

[JWags85]

Manchester United was relegated in 1974...six years after winning the European Cup.

But yeah considering the resources Spurs have, it would be pretty unprecedented.

Yeah it would be absolutely absurd.  Funny enough speaking of resources, though they are basically completely safe,  Newcastle with their huge Saudi PIF money back are in 14th just a game or two out of touch with the relegation battle.

But that last relegation spot is full of storylines with big name clubs, not the standard yo-yos (except for Leeds).  West Ham, Spurs, Nottingham, and Leeds all within 3 points.

We've covered Spurs.  But West Ham has been up for 15 years.  Not as monumental as a relegation as Spurs, but they've been in the Prem for 31 of 33 seasons and just had 3 straight years of Europa league football up until 2 years ago.  And if they go down, decent chance they lose Bowen who has been their biggest superstar since Di Canio.

Then Forest make it back to the Prem for the first time in 23 years. Survive year 1.  Finish year 2 with the lowest point total ever for a club avoiding regulation.  Then Nuno turned them around, they looked like they were potentially going to qualify for the Champions League last season, finished 7th, still a huge turnaround.  Then they fired Nuno in September, currently on their 4th manager of this season alone and in total free fall.  If either Spurs or West Ham go down, I'd expect them to score 85+ points easily next season and pop back up.  But Forest?  I could see them easily mid table in the Championship next year given what a dumpster that club is.

But lets be real, somehow it will be Leeds that ends up in 18th and gets relegated and they'll be back in the fall of 2027.  They are the new Norwich

[panda]

It's the biggest club ever to be relegated, right?

In premier league history? Leeds going down was massive. The fact they're back now is remarkable given the financial issues they encountered.

[Its DJOver]

Congrats to Cov. Been a long time coming.

[JWags85]

Congrats to Cov. Been a long time coming.

I'm no fan of Fat Frank,  but full credit to him for finishing the rebound job and getting them to the Prem.  They were in League 2 less than 8 years ago.  Remarkable and a great story for an original Premier League team to make it back after wandering the wilderness for 25+ years.

But the even better story is keeping my fingers crossed that Millwall finish the job and hold that second position. Beyond the fact that it's good to have new teams coming up, I don't think there is a club in England that is more universally known and accepted to have a lunatic supporter fan base more than Millwall.  Swapping Spurs and their gorgeous gleaming palace of a ground and global fanbase for Millwall, the Den, and their degenerate lot of fans is the kind of change the EPL might need right now.

Also Millwall, despite being an infamous and storied club, haven't played in the EPL ever and haven't played in the top division for 30+ years.  They are one of those standby Champ/Div 2 clubs

[panda]

I'm no fan of Fat Frank,  but full credit to him for finishing the rebound job and getting them to the Prem.  They were in League 2 less than 8 years ago.  Remarkable and a great story for an original Premier League team to make it back after wandering the wilderness for 25+ years.

But the even better story is keeping my fingers crossed that Millwall finish the job and hold that second position. Beyond the fact that it's good to have new teams coming up, I don't think there is a club in England that is more universally known and accepted to have a lunatic supporter fan base more than Millwall.  Swapping Spurs and their gorgeous gleaming palace of a ground and global fanbase for Millwall, the Den, and their degenerate lot of fans is the kind of change the EPL might need right now.

Also Millwall, despite being an infamous and storied club, haven't played in the EPL ever and haven't played in the top division for 30+ years.  They are one of those standby Champ/Div 2 clubs

"unnatural carnal knowledge you im Milwall." Hilarious story.

"No one likes us"

Keep Milwall down - there's never been a better championship team than them.