Football (Soccer) Thread

[Duque de Bragança]

Group F has Portugal, France and Germany and some other poor country. They might all 3 go through though.

It's good enough for a ™ Group of Death ™ don't you think?  Of course, a Killer ™ Group of Death ™ (sic) would have had Wales.  Hungary qualifying through play-offs would play at home though.

PS : End of ™ La chatte à Dédé ™ ? 

[Liep]

VAR decision at '93 for Leicester... wow. At least they're getting faster with drawing the offside lines.

[Sheilbh]

What even is an Everton?

[Agelastus]

What even is an Everton?

Allegedly devised fron Eofor, "wild boar" - so Everton translates as wild boar village, or possibly wild boar enclosure.

And I'm happy with the result. 

[Sheilbh]

I might start exclusively following womens football where Liverpool are bottom and Everton are forth.

It has been a bad few decades

[PDH]

Leicester has been interesting ever since someone took control of them in Football Manager and has been playing on career mode.

[Josquius]

It is strange to see them back at the top again this year. Knowing Liverpool expect them to mess up. But it's looking good.

[FunkMonk]

I might start exclusively following womens football where Liverpool are bottom and Everton are forth.

It has been a bad few decades

Well Silva is out and it looks like you'll be getting Moyesy back so chin up mate.

[Sheilbh]

It's weird. At this stage with Silva I feel sad and kind of sorry for him - which is new.

Moyes seems most likely which I'd be okay with - if he's the interim manager until the summer. But I honestly would have expected him to be appointed by now if he was coming in. The fact that Dunc's in charge for Chelsea and the statement talks about appointing a "permanent manager" makes me wonder if it's someone else - or if there's been big contract issues with him?

[Admiral Yi]

Now that I know there's no Premier League playoff, someone tell me how you're supposed to maintain interest in the season, when it's obvious no one is going to catch Liverpool?

[FunkMonk]

Now that I know there's no Premier League playoff, someone tell me how you're supposed to maintain interest in the season, when it's obvious no one is going to catch Liverpool?

Liverpool are very likely going to win the league but they may drop points along the way and Manchester City or Leicester or whoever could still nick it at the end.

If Liverpool do win it it's still big news. They've never won the title in the Premier League era (i.e., when football began, etc, etc).

Or, you could just pick a team and follow them through the trials and tribulations of being a sports fan.

[Liep]

Wasn't Liverpool way ahead around christmas last season too?

[Sheilbh]

Now that I know there's no Premier League playoff, someone tell me how you're supposed to maintain interest in the season, when it's obvious no one is going to catch Liverpool?

What Funk said.

Loads of people will watch some games and Match of the Day for the highlights just for some good football and a lot of people follow a team doing well or bad - however stupid that is

The Netflix documentary on Sunderland is really, really good for the grimness of that experience

[Sheilbh]

Wasn't Liverpool way ahead around christmas last season too?

I'm living in hope. And building a bunker just in case

[Admiral Yi]

Or, you could just pick a team and follow them through the trials and tribulations of being a sports fan.

I can see how fans can do this by making an outing of going to the match or a pub with a bunch of buds and getting blootered, but I don't see how it works as well for a guy watching Barclay's extended highlights on a computer.

The one organizing principle I do have is a bet with a bartender on whether Pulasic will score 10 goals the season.