Football (Soccer) Thread

[Zanza]

Marco Reus had his last game at Dortmund after twelve years playing for them. As a farewell gesture to the supporters, he paid the beer for the 80,000 people in the stadium. 

[Josquius]

Marco Reus had his last game at Dortmund after twelve years playing for them. As a farewell gesture to the supporters, he paid the beer for the 80,000 people in the stadium. 

And then announced he will be moving to Saudi Arabia as retirement was no longer an option?

[Jacob]

Marco Reus had his last game at Dortmund after twelve years playing for them. As a farewell gesture to the supporters, he paid the beer for the 80,000 people in the stadium. 

That's awesome!

[Jacob]

And then announced he will be moving to Saudi Arabia as retirement was no longer an option?

He probably got a volume discount

[Zoupa]

Arsenal's fumble for the title, 2 years in a row, really helped me see this season as a success. 

[FunkMonk]

Arsenal's fumble for the title, 2 years in a row, really helped me see this season as a success. 

I'm disappointed in you Zoups! Overall very positive season for the Gunners. 

Enjoy Europa League. Again. 

[Tamas]

I thought 5th place was champions league nowadays.

[FunkMonk]

I thought 5th place was champions league nowadays.

The extra spot depends on the success of a league's teams in Europe. Bundesliga got that extra CL place for next season, not the English, because the English teams all blew it in their respective competitions.

[Josquius]

I thought 5th place was champions league nowadays.

The extra spot depends on the success of a league's teams in Europe. Bundesliga got that extra CL place for next season, not the English, because the English teams all blew it in their respective competitions.

Which is a daft system really.
Tottenham getting a CL spot depends on arsenal and the others doing well in the CL?
It should be fixed. Nobody gets a 5th place spot.

[Tamas]

Ah so I was hoping for Tottenham to lose pointlessly, except for the fun aspect.

Anyways, at the start of the season I would have accepted 6th place for Chelsea and especially after the disaster most of the season was, I am happy. Although I am not without serious reservations, I hope Pochettino gets to stay one more season, and is given the chance to buy a couple of experienced defenders, especially with Thiago Silva leaving.

[Sheilbh]

Todd Boehly: I have spent $1 billion signing pre-teens on twenty year contracts.

[Gups]

Season managed to be very high quality in terms of skill levels, excitement, a solid title race and also depressing with points deductions, a really obvious gulf in quality between the bottom and the rest, VAR and the failure of any mid-ranking teams to break through.

[Josquius]

It was nice to see something finally coming of breaking ffp rules.
Albeit only on the less powerful teams.
Hopefully when man city's time comes it is Rangers level massive.
Leicester cheesing their way back up despite their rule breaking is a pain too.

[Tamas]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/article/2024/may/21/mauricio-pochettino-leaves-chelsea-by-mutual-agreement-after-one-season

Gawd, just as I was warming to the guy. Seems like he wanted to be a more traditional manager while the leadership wants somebody who just takes whatever they buy for him and wins the PL that way.

I am afraid they still want to manage Chelsea like it's a baseball team.

[crazy canuck]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/article/2024/may/21/mauricio-pochettino-leaves-chelsea-by-mutual-agreement-after-one-season

Gawd, just as I was warming to the guy. Seems like he wanted to be a more traditional manager while the leadership wants somebody who just takes whatever they buy for him and wins the PL that way.

I am afraid they still want to manage Chelsea like it's a baseball team.

Did you see the piece in the NYTimes a couple weeks back about the problems being caused by the American owners running their clubs like US sports franchises?