Football (Soccer) Thread

[Threviel]

As you all know I know almost nothing of football, so I actually read what wiki says about tiki-taka. Apparently Guardiola and Barcelona is not to blame for the boring parts of it. They inspired the Spanish team that created the deadly "Tiki-taka of doom" that threatened the very essence of football with its sheer boredom.

So sorry to Barcelone from me and fuck you Spain (The team that is, not Spain as a country)!

[celedhring]

The CJEU is seeing the Superliga case today and tomorrow. According to insiders it's expected it will eventually rule in favor of UEFA (the case is essentially the Superliga's remaining promoters questioning the legality of UEFA's de facto monopoly on professional football in Europe).

[celedhring]

Why am I made to suffer so much? 

[Threviel]

Is that Fridolina Rolfö? And some dudes.

[celedhring]

Is that Fridolina Rolfö? And some dudes.

Yes, that's her.

Dudes are Frenkie de Jong (who might be gone in a few days), and Eric García.

[The Larch]

Isn't de Jong really not into being sold to Man United? All the rumours are about him wanting to stay, the club wanting to cash in, and then Laporta came out saying they don't want to sell him...

On the other hand, you'd have a hard time finding somebody who wanted to pay for Eric García.  How he's still being considered for both Barcelona and the national team I just can't fathom.

[celedhring]

Yeah, he doesn't want to leave (which tells you how fucked up ManU are more than anything) but the club has to cash in. We have a glut of midfielders so he seems to be the best option given his market value and the fact he's never quite met expectations. There's reportedly a meeting today between Xavi, Laporta, and De Jong to make a decision.

I think he's getting sold.

[The Larch]

He has not met expectations? I had the impression that he was one of the team's stalwarts.

[celedhring]

He has not met expectations? I had the impression that he was one of the team's stalwarts.

Not in the slightest. He's had the odd dominant game, but most of the time he's very static and fails to lead a midfield where everybody else is essentially a teenager.

[The Larch]

He has not met expectations? I had the impression that he was one of the team's stalwarts.

Not in the slightest. He's had the odd dominant game, but most of the time he's very static and fails to lead a midfield where everybody else is essentially a teenager.

Comunio has failed me. 

[celedhring]

He has not met expectations? I had the impression that he was one of the team's stalwarts.

Not in the slightest. He's had the odd dominant game, but most of the time he's very static and fails to lead a midfield where everybody else is essentially a teenager.

Comunio has failed me. 

I'd rather keep him - if we can afford it, which is dubious. He's talented and we need a starting midfielder that's not either 17 or pushing 40.

[The Larch]

He has not met expectations? I had the impression that he was one of the team's stalwarts.

Not in the slightest. He's had the odd dominant game, but most of the time he's very static and fails to lead a midfield where everybody else is essentially a teenager.

Comunio has failed me. 

I'd rather keep him - if we can afford it, which is dubious. He's talented and we need a starting midfielder that's not either 17 or pushing 40.

I read somewhere that one of the issues he's had at Barcelona is that he has not relaly settled down in a precise role in the pitch. What do you see as his most useful possible role? Busquets replacement? More mobile player further up in the field?

[celedhring]

He has not met expectations? I had the impression that he was one of the team's stalwarts.

Not in the slightest. He's had the odd dominant game, but most of the time he's very static and fails to lead a midfield where everybody else is essentially a teenager.

Comunio has failed me. 

I'd rather keep him - if we can afford it, which is dubious. He's talented and we need a starting midfielder that's not either 17 or pushing 40.

I read somewhere that one of the issues he's had at Barcelona is that he has not relaly settled down in a precise role in the pitch. What do you see as his most useful possible role? Busquets replacement? More mobile player further up in the field?

IIRC at Ajax he thrived in a more box-to-box rule which we don't quite use. We are in a bit of a flux, though, we'll see when/if Xavi manages to implement his preferred playing style which calls for more moblity from midfield.

[The Larch]

He has not met expectations? I had the impression that he was one of the team's stalwarts.

Not in the slightest. He's had the odd dominant game, but most of the time he's very static and fails to lead a midfield where everybody else is essentially a teenager.

Comunio has failed me. 

I'd rather keep him - if we can afford it, which is dubious. He's talented and we need a starting midfielder that's not either 17 or pushing 40.

I read somewhere that one of the issues he's had at Barcelona is that he has not relaly settled down in a precise role in the pitch. What do you see as his most useful possible role? Busquets replacement? More mobile player further up in the field?

IIRC at Ajax he thrived in a more box-to-box rule which we don't quite use. We are in a bit of a flux, though, we'll see when/if Xavi manages to implement his preferred playing style which calls for more moblity from midfield.

IIRC Busquets is entering into the last year on his current contract. Do you see the club extending him in the future or would they rather say goodbye to him at the end of the season?

[celedhring]

IIRC Busquets is entering into the last year on his current contract. Do you see the club extending him in the future or would they rather say goodbye to him at the end of the season?

It's strongly rumored that he's off to the MLS after his season.

Still a good player with no easy replacement (De Jong seems the obvious one, but for whatever reason he's never been played there a significant amount of time by any of the managers), but a contract that we can do without.