Football (Soccer) Thread

[The Larch]

A Top 3 of Everton, Aston Villa and Leicester has a very "early XXth century" vibe, with most of the players sporting stupendous moustaches. I support such a radical change in top teams.

[Josquius]

A Top 3 of Everton, Aston Villa and Leicester has a very "early XXth century" vibe, with most of the players sporting stupendous moustaches. I support such a radical change in top teams.

Missing Sunderland.

[Gups]

A Top 3 of Everton, Aston Villa and Leicester has a very "early XXth century" vibe, with most of the players sporting stupendous moustaches. I support such a radical change in top teams.

I dunno, Leicester were not very successful in the early 20th century. Just one season in devision 1 pre-WW1 and relegated in that one. Has more of an early/mid 1980s vibe to me.

[Sheilbh]

I cannot comprehend what Arsenal thought they'd achieve by firing Gunnersaurus

[FunkMonk]

I cannot comprehend what Arsenal thought they'd achieve by firing Gunnersaurus

I saw Arsenal play a friendly last summer here in the States and watching Gunnersaurus interact with people was my favorite thing about the experience.

[Duque de Bragança]

With Porto lending (with compulsory sale) or selling its only international-class players such as Danilo to PSG, a team in dire need of a 6 like him, and Telles (left wing-back) to MU, a complete failure à la Benfica in 2017-18 in the CL (Zero point) becomes possible.

[Admiral Yi]

Is there nothing equivalent to free agency in fodbol?  I never hear of a player just finishing his contract then putting himself up for bid.

[Liep]

Is there nothing equivalent to free agency in fodbol?  I never hear of a player just finishing his contract then putting himself up for bid.

Cavani was just picked up by United on a free. It just usually doesn't happen with big profile players though because a club will rather sell him before his contract expires to make money on the sale if they cannot get the player to extend.

The largest recent free transfer I can think of now is probably Lewandowski's move to Bayern.

Next year Messi will be free to move.

[Liep]

Braithwaite got number 9 at Barca.

[The Larch]

Braithwaite got number 9 at Barca.

It's not as if he had much competition for the traditional center forward number. 

[Sheilbh]

Cavani was just picked up by United on a free. It just usually doesn't happen with big profile players though because a club will rather sell him before his contract expires to make money on the sale if they cannot get the player to extend.

The largest recent free transfer I can think of now is probably Lewandowski's move to Bayern.

Next year Messi will be free to move.

I think this is key to why Yi won't have seen many even outside big profile players. I think letting a player run down their contract is normally seen as a failure by the club in some way or other. Either they are wildly over-paying for the player so literally can't shift them, or they're really managing their assets very well.

The Eriksen-Spurs fight strikes me as a particular example of this. Spurs get their players (generally) to sign a contract extension every years, with a nice pay rise but that means they always have the player on a five year contract and so have a fair amount of leverage if the player wants to leave or another club wants them. Eriksen refused to sign any extensions so at the end of five years the power dynamic shifted and he wanted a move, so Spurs accepted a far lower fee than they would expect because it was better than letting him leave on a free and not get any money for the transfer.

[celedhring]

Braithwaite got number 9 at Barca.

It's not as if he had much competition for the traditional center forward number. 

Kinda pleased the number didn't go to any of our million side forwards that will probable play more than him. Shirt numbers are serious business.

[The Larch]

I think this is key to why Yi won't have seen many even outside big profile players. I think letting a player run down their contract is normally seen as a failure by the club in some way or other.

Yup, and even more so for big names. Losing a player and getting nothing in exchange is seen as the worst possible outcome. It happens more often with less relevant players, and when it happens to a big player it's normally because they're int he tail end of their careers and on a very big contract that nobody will match.

Then again this year is strange in that there are a number of unattached relatively big names still around (Götze, Mandzukic, Sturridge...), and for instance the transfer market in Spain was really weird. I have the feeling that Covid is wrecking many clubs' economies and this is affecting a lot of this year's transfers.

[celedhring]

Surprised no one has taken a punt on Götze, though, even with his injury history.

[Sheilbh]

Yup, and even more so for big names. Losing a player and getting nothing in exchange is seen as the worst possible outcome. It happens more often with less relevant players, and when it happens to a big player it's normally because they're int he tail end of their careers and on a very big contract that nobody will match.

I know nothing about US sports - beyond occasionally watching them. What causes the free agency thing to be so big there?

Then again this year is strange in that there are a number of unattached relatively big names still around (Götze, Mandzukic, Sturridge...), and for instance the transfer market in Spain was really weird. I have the feeling that Covid is wrecking many clubs' economies and this is affecting a lot of this year's transfers.

Yeah I think Covid is a big issue on this. There's also been a few players mutually terminating their contract to move or to go on a free which I think is very new - I can't think of examples in other windows. Plus lot's more loans with an obligation to buy or swaps or other creative solutions.