Football (Soccer) Thread

[FunkMonk]

I think they firmly believe they can do anything they want after the success of the World Cup. And they're probably right.

Was it a success? Seems like it sucked to me.

Which of the previous World Cups wasn't a success? Is just successfully enabling each game to be played peacefully all it takes?

I'd qualify it as a success.

The media narrative was largely negative before it started. After the final, it became all about the legend of Messi winning the WC in the greatest WC final of all time. And the media seems to have largely forgotten the controversy,  charmed by this new legend. They've moved on.

Qatar won, bro. Just accept it. Sports washing works.

[Valmy]

I would say it was pretty inevitable if that is the bar they had to clear 

[FunkMonk]

I would say it was pretty inevitable if that is the bar they had to clear 

Yeah, it sucks.

The premier American soccer journalist died at the WC while covering the games and the abuse of foreign labor. It doesn't matter. Qatar won.

[Sheilbh]

I'd qualify it as a success.

The media narrative was largely negative before it started. After the final, it became all about the legend of Messi winning the WC in the greatest WC final of all time. And the media seems to have largely forgotten the controversy,  charmed by this new legend. They've moved on.

Qatar won, bro. Just accept it. Sports washing works.

Yeah I think it varies a bit. The UK coverage brought the politics up fairly regularly throughout and at the end of the tournament as well - there were lots of comments about how weird it was as an experience. So from here it feels like more a qualified success.

Unlike Russia which was just a huge success - both a really exciting, fun World Cup (after South Africa and Brazil which felt a bit more plodding) plus lots of positive coverage of the "real Russia" etc.

[FunkMonk]

That's fair. In the US, FOX covered absolutely nothing regarding the labor practices and corruption and went all in on how great the Qataris are and what a success the WC had been so I think that's colored my perception of the games somewhat. But my point still stands that the sports washing worked.

Overall I'm just really down on the state of football. 

[The Larch]

I thought there was a UEFA rule that you can't own more than one club but I guess the Qataris know the rules don't apply to them. 

I believe that refers to clubs in the same national competition. Many clubs are owned by the same owners/group in different leagues. For instance Girona in Spain is owned partially by the City group, which of course owns a bunch of clubs all over the world. Watford in England and Udinese in Italy are owned by the Pozzo family as well. You have the Red Bulls in Germany and Austria as well too.

[FunkMonk]

When was the last time a referee was sacked in the middle of the season?

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11661/12813577/lee-mason-video-assistant-referee-leaves-pgmol-days-after-var-error-costs-arsenal-against-brentford

Video Assistant Referee Lee Mason has left the officials' body PGMOL and will no longer work on Premier League games, following his high-profile error in Arsenal's draw with Brentford.

PGMOL confirmed on Friday evening that Mason had left the organisation by mutual consent.

Mason had worked as a Premier League referee for 15 years and oversaw 287 top-flight matches during that time, with his last coming during the closing stages of the 2021/22 season. His full career in the professional game saw the 51-year-old officiate in over 500 fixtures after he progressed to the Football League in 1998.

A PGMOL statement said: "We would like to thank Lee for his dedicated service to the professional game and wish him all the best for the future."

If I recall correctly, he also made the incorrect VAR call in the Manchester United-Arsenal match earlier in the season which cost Arsenal a goal (and possibly points) and for which the PGMOL officially apologized later

[Josquius]

Good news. I can't recall seeing this before (surely it must have happened?) and too often it seems there's no consequence for referees being shit.

I know they have a ranking system going on behind the scenes, but this just doesn't make a public impact.

[Sheilbh]

Yeah I can't remember anything like this.

The state of refereeing in the English game is not good and it feels like VAR instead of providing answers has actually just magnified it

[FunkMonk]

As an Arsenal fan it is very interesting and highly inconvenient that his two big errors came at our expense 

[Josquius]

As an Arsenal fan it is very interesting and highly inconvenient that his two big errors came at our expense 

That yacht he just acquired in a certain middle eastern emirate? Pure coincidence.

[FunkMonk]

As good as a season this has been for Arsenal, so far the one thing that has put it over the top for me is the absolute clown show going on at Chelsea football club. Talk about an organization with too much money and too little sense   

Chels losing to managerless, bottom of the league, nailed on for relegation Southampton at home was a : chef's kiss : moment this week 

[Sheilbh]

I have a friend who is a Saints fan and took his nephew to his first ever game at Chelsea today - in the Chelsea end

Lots of silent still celebrations I imagine

Edit: Don't know if you saw this rumour from Popbitch but Boehly may be our most stereotypical Yank owner

>> Chelsea mourning <<
Boehly's out on his Todd

Todd Boehly's takeover and half-billion transfer policy at Chelsea has been subject to much analysis and discussion as to whether it's genius or insanity. A group of football agents who met him at Stamford Bridge think they may have sussed out which.

He was explaining to them that he'd be able to pay for everything thanks to the fact that Chelsea automatically qualify for the UEFA Champions League every year, with all the tens of millions that brought.

Someone pointed out to him that this wasn't the case; that Chelsea didn't automatically qualify – and given their current placement it wasn't at all certain. "Nonsense!" cried Todd. They were always in it!

He then wandered off, clearly checked it with his advisers and then came back to admit that, yes, actually, they'd been right. Oops.

[FunkMonk]

Shades of the reporting that said Boehly and his people briefed that Chelsea could play a 4-4-3   

I think the thing that really makes me laugh is that they think they have a "project" that is a sure thing. Just look at Arteta at Arsenal! They have a young team of stars playing well!!!! They even took our top two transfer targets lol

It's taken Arteta and co. 3+ years to get to this point and he took over a far, far shittier group of players than Chelsea currently have on the books. You can't just buy over half a billion worth of players in six months and give them to a midtable coach and expect to be in the title race immediately.

[Tamas]

It is infuriating that Chelsea fired a great coachkke Tuchel for this Potter fellow. He is more out of his depth than Lampard ever was and that's saying a lot.

I think under Tuchel we have won more matches in this season than under Potter. What a farce.