Futbol Talk

[Cheeks]

Who?

Incredible balance, but overall poor performance by the team. Lost their heads after the VAR decision.

Auto spell correct.  Harry Kane

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Yikes.   Lost to a league 2 side on pens.  Thats like losing to the Flamingos.   

[JWags85]

Yikes.   Lost to a league 2 side on pens.  Thats like losing to the Flamingos.

Crawley just off the promotion zone in League 2 and Stoke headed for relegation from the Championship at this point.  Might be on the level next year.  Stoke looking to join the Black Cats and Blackpool as the EPL regulars to plummet down a couple levels

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Yikes.   Lost to a league 2 side on pens.  Thats like losing to the Flamingos.   

It feels like last year’s UCL final was the peak for this group.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Crawley just off the promotion zone in League 2 and Stoke headed for relegation from the Championship at this point.  Might be on the level next year.  Stoke looking to join the Black Cats and Blackpool as the EPL regulars to plummet down a couple levels

Blackpool isn’t an “EPL regular.”  They’ve spent only one season in the top division in the last 40+ years.

[JWags85]

It feels like last year’s UCL final was the peak for this group.

Egad, I didn’t even see that flameout by Spurs. I assumed he was a big Brek Shea/Geoff Cameron guy and supported Stoke.

Blackpool isn’t an “EPL regular.”  They’ve spent only one season in the top division in the last 40+ years.

You’re absolutely right. I was thinking of when Blackburn Rovers went down to League One a few years ago

[panda]

It's a blessing for a team competing in Europe to drop out of the League cup early. Fixture congestion is a curse come December for teams in the Prem competing in continental tournaments plus FA Cup and league games.

No one actually cares about the League Cup but it is always funny to poke fun at a team like Spurs losing to an opponent two levels below them.

[Its DJOver]

It's a blessing for a team competing in Europe to drop out of the League cup early. Fixture congestion is a curse come December for teams in the Prem competing in continental tournaments plus FA Cup and league games.

No one actually cares about the League Cup but it is always funny to poke fun at a team like Spurs losing to an opponent two levels below them.

Poch started: Sanchez, Dier, Wanyama, Davies, Walker-Peters, Alli, and Moura, and brought Erikson, Lamela, and Son off the bench, that tells me that he cared.  It's the League Cup so it's not a huge deal, but lets not pretend like he through the U19s out there.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Poch started: Sanchez, Dier, Wanyama, Davies, Walker-Peters, Alli, and Moura, and brought Erikson, Lamela, and Son off the bench, that tells me that he cared.  It's the League Cup so it's not a huge deal, but lets not pretend like he through the U19s out there.

 

Poch can't beat teams that park the bus anymore.  Pompey this weekend will be interesting.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

  Poch can't beat teams that park the bus anymore.  Pompey this weekend will be interesting.

Isn't Pompey actually Portsmouth?

[JWags85]

Isn't Pompey actually Portsmouth?

Yep, Pompey is the nickname they've gone by for 120 years.  Their owner is none other than Michael Eisner

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Isn't Pompey actually Portsmouth?

My bad.  Southampton is actually scum.

Who knew that Art Long was a Portsmouth fan?

https://www-dailymail-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-7500871/amp/Southampton-Portsmouth-fans-clash-police-officer-hurled-floor.html?amp_js_v=a2&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQCKAE%3D#aoh=15694580576669&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fsport%2Fsportsnews%2Farticle-7500871%2FSouthampton-Portsmouth-fans-clash-police-officer-hurled-floor.html

[Golden Avalanche]

It's a blessing for a team competing in Europe to drop out of the League cup early. Fixture congestion is a curse come December for teams in the Prem competing in continental tournaments plus FA Cup and league games.

No one actually cares about the League Cup but it is always funny to poke fun at a team like Spurs losing to an opponent two levels below them.

If you truly believe that, you’ll be shocked into a heart attack at the coverage of Liverpool/Arsenal and Chelsea/Man United next month. It'll be breathless. 

Also, at a club like Spuds daring to do means not winning trophies. They aren't quality enough to be picky over hardware. They play to win every competition.

[Its DJOver]

If you truly believe that, you’ll be shocked into a heart attack at the coverage of Liverpool/Arsenal and Chelsea/Man United next month. It'll be breathless. 

Also, at a club like Spuds daring to do means not winning trophies. They aren't quality enough to be picky over hardware. They play to win every competition.

Especially when one club has won something like 7 out of the last 10 domestic trophies.  For all the talent that's been at White Hart Lane the last decade, that trophy cabinet is looking pretty bare.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Furthermore, the clubs playing in Europe didn't join it until this week and will play only two rounds before the various UEFA group stages end in December.  The semis are played before knock out rounds start up.

[panda]

If you truly believe that, you’ll be shocked into a heart attack at the coverage of Liverpool/Arsenal and Chelsea/Man United next month. It'll be breathless. 

Also, at a club like Spuds daring to do means not winning trophies. They aren't quality enough to be picky over hardware. They play to win every competition.

Big matchups on paper will always bring cache to the observer, regardless of competition. Big time friendless sell out stadiums across the world, that doesn’t mean it’ll be high quality match with all top players. Those teams will still most likely field starting lineups that are much different than their starting XI’s for league/europe/fa cup comps.

[panda]

Furthermore, the clubs playing in Europe didn't join it until this week and will play only two rounds before the various UEFA group stages end in December.  The semis are played before knock out rounds start up.

December/January brings FA cup 3rd round, busy Christmas league schedule, closing of Champions League group stage and possibly League Cup games. Right when you think you’re out of the busy game schedule, congratulations make the semis of the League Cup and you’re given a two legged playoff! Fantastic….. All for qualification into the black hole that is Europa league. Big clubs don’t need the League Cup unless of course they have the squad players to make a deep run.

Given the choice, no manager or fan for that matter would prioritize League Cup ahead of the other three competitions listed.

[Its DJOver]

Big matchups on paper will always bring cache to the observer, regardless of competition. Big time friendless sell out stadiums across the world, that doesn’t mean it’ll be high quality match with all top players. Those teams will still most likely field starting lineups that are much different than their starting XI’s for league/europe/fa cup comps.

That's occasionally the case, although when you look at who Poch played it clearly isn't.

December/January brings FA cup 3rd round, busy Christmas league schedule, closing of Champions League group stage and possibly League Cup games. Right when you think you’re out of the busy game schedule, congratulations make the semis of the League Cup and you’re given a two legged playoff! Fantastic….. All for qualification into the black hole that is Europa league. Big clubs don’t need the League Cup unless of course they have the squad players to make a deep run.

Given the choice, no manager or fan for that matter would prioritize League Cup ahead of the other three competitions listed.

That's still no excuse for losing to a team as poor as that with the players that played.  Look, I know that the League Cup isn't a huge deal, but considering Spurs downward trend (in every competition other than the Champions League) in the last 6 months, any Spurs fan should be very concerned.

[panda]

That's occasionally the case, although when you look at who Poch played it clearly isn't.

That's still no excuse for losing to a team as poor as that with the players that played.  Look, I know that the League Cup isn't a huge deal, but considering Spurs downward trend (in every competition other than the Champions League) in the last 6 months, any Spurs fan should be very concerned.

I agree with you here. This singular game will not cause an inquisition, but the aggregate of mediocre results adds fuel to the fire.

[panda]

Especially when one club has won something like 7 out of the last 10 domestic trophies.  For all the talent that's been at White Hart Lane the last decade, that trophy cabinet is looking pretty bare.

No squad depth, can’t retain top talent and can’t recruit experienced difference makers to feature consistently in the starting XI.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

December/January brings FA cup 3rd round, busy Christmas league schedule, closing of Champions League group stage and possibly League Cup games. Right when you think you’re out of the busy game schedule, congratulations make the semis of the League Cup and you’re given a two legged playoff! Fantastic….. All for qualification into the black hole that is Europa league. Big clubs don’t need the League Cup unless of course they have the squad players to make a deep run.

Given the choice, no manager or fan for that matter would prioritize League Cup ahead of the other three competitions listed.

No team does "prioritize" the league cup.  However last year, three of the four semifinalists were still involved in European competitions and all three put out top line ups for both games.

And the result?  One went on to with the Premier League, one went on to win the Europa League and the third was the UCL runner up.  Fixture congestion is a problem with no winter break, which is why PL teams are getting off weeks this season.

But teams in other leagues are still playing two games a week.  La Liga teams are playing Copa matches pretty much non stop when they get back from break.

[JWags85]

No team does "prioritize" the league cup.  However last year, three of the four semifinalists were still involved in European competitions and all three put out top line ups for both games.

And the result?  One went on to with the Premier League, one went on to win the Europa League and the third was the UCL runner up.  Fixture congestion is a problem with no winter break, which is why PL teams are getting off weeks this season.

But teams in other leagues are still playing two games a week.  La Liga teams are playing Copa matches pretty much non stop when they get back from break.

I think its a factor more for the fringe top 4 teams.  Liverpool was helped MIGHTILY in their EPL and UCL pushes by bowing out of the domestic cups early and keeping fresh.  Now that they are established and have continued to bring in top talent, they have the depth.  They can sit their studs and play guys like Gomez, Lallana, Ox, Origi who are capped internationals and contend for it.  Same with City, as Mourinho joked their backups would be a top 4 squad.

A team like Wolves, regardless of their early season form struggles, are gonna have a difficult time if they want to go deep in either cup, while pushing on the two "bigger" stages.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

I think its a factor more for the fringe top 4 teams.  Liverpool was helped MIGHTILY in their EPL and UCL pushes by bowing out of the domestic cups early and keeping fresh.  Now that they are established and have continued to bring in top talent, they have the depth.  They can sit their studs and play guys like Gomez, Lallana, Ox, Origi who are capped internationals and contend for it.  Same with City, as Mourinho joked their backups would be a top 4 squad.

A team like Wolves, regardless of their early season form struggles, are gonna have a difficult time if they want to go deep in either cup, while pushing on the two "bigger" stages.

I can agree with this.

[Its DJOver]

No squad depth, can’t retain top talent and can’t recruit experienced difference makers to feature consistently in the starting XI.

If you actually look at the deals that they have made, Spurs have been one of the smartest clubs in the world about buying low and selling high.  Considering what and where they've spent it's kinda amazing that they're as good as they are.

In:
Erikson 15 mil
Alli 7.5 mil
Dier 5 mil
Alderweireld 18 mil
Son 35 mil
Wanyama 16
Foyth 14
Aurier 28
Moura 32

Out:
25 mil for Trippier
60 mil for Walker
18 mil for Chadli
18 mil for Townsend (probably could have gotten more)
Doesn't even include the high fees for Bale and Modric (probably could have gotten more for Modric, but when Real come calling there's only so much you can do).

Then you look at their academy graduates:
Kane, Winks, Walker-Peters, Skipp (Bale and Modric are technically Southampton and Zagreb graduates, but considering the age they were bought and the profit turned on them, it's just as impressive)

All while building a 1 billion euro new stadium, while staying competitive on the field.

Yes the lack of silverware is concerning, but Daniel Levy absolutely knows what he's doing

[JWags85]

Yes the lack of silverware is concerning, but Daniel Levy absolutely knows what he's doing

He’s a fantastic businessman. But do you want to be 90s/00s Man Utd, what Liverpool is becoming, or do you want to be Ajax?