Football (Soccer) Thread

[HVC]

Two straight 0-0 games.  How thrilling!

Argentina losing was fun, at least.

[alfred russel]

Two straight 0-0 games.  How thrilling!

Has anyone ever considered making the goals bigger?

[Josquius]

Two straight 0-0 games.  How thrilling!

Has anyone ever considered making the goals bigger?

I have heard some say they prefer women's football as in having smaller keepers this is what you effectively have

[celedhring]

Two straight 0-0 games.  How thrilling!

Has anyone ever considered making the goals bigger?

I have heard some say they prefer women's football as in having smaller keepers this is what you effectively have

I'm bored enough to have checked this:

Spain men's league: 2.54 goals/match
Spain women's league: 3.1 goals/match

So your theory checks out in this small sample.

[The Larch]

Two straight 0-0 games.  How thrilling!

Has anyone ever considered making the goals bigger?

I have heard some say they prefer women's football as in having smaller keepers this is what you effectively have

I'm bored enough to have checked this:

Spain men's league: 2.54 goals/match
Spain women's league: 3.1 goals/match

So your theory checks out in this small sample.

In the women's league it also helps that Barcelona femení is so far above everybody else that they routinely score at least half a dozen goals in every game. 

[Barrister]

So of interest to very few, our local soccer team, FC Edmonton, has been shut down by the league today.

The team was founded in 2010 by the Fath brothers, who own a successful local construction company.  It competed in the NASL (North American Soccer League) from 2011-2017 as one of two Canadian clubs, until the NASL got into a dispute with MLS and US Soccer and was denied it's accreditation.

Fortunately for FC Edmonton though there was now a new Canadian league forming, the Canadian Premiere League.  The Eddies competed in the CPL from 2019 through this year (playing a very abbreviated schedule in 2020).  At this point though the Fath brothers, having lost money on the Eddies every year had had enough.  The team was turned over to the CPL for this last season who ran it by loaning players from other teams, and announced today the team is being closed.

I feel bad for the team and it's supporters (though I should point out, not bad enough to have ever gone to a game).  They ran into a bunch of bad circumstances - from playing in a league with no natural rivals and that was itself shut down, to then jumping into the CPL only to have Covid hit.  And in particular with Canada co-hosting the World Cup in 4 years that might have spurred even more interest in soccer locally.

[celedhring]

Two straight 0-0 games.  How thrilling!

Has anyone ever considered making the goals bigger?

I have heard some say they prefer women's football as in having smaller keepers this is what you effectively have

I'm bored enough to have checked this:

Spain men's league: 2.54 goals/match
Spain women's league: 3.1 goals/match

So your theory checks out in this small sample.

In the women's league it also helps that Barcelona femení is so far above everybody else that they routinely score at least half a dozen goals in every game. 

They are less dominant this season (Alexia's injury is a grave loss) but they're still scoring 4 a game on average 

[The Larch]

This is also a World Cup in which stadiums become larger overnight. 

As if by magic: Qatar World Cup stadium capacities grow by 12% overnight
Fewer seats than expected needed for media and sponsors
Trend for empty seats at tournament continues

The Qatar World Cup took another strange twist on Tuesday with the capacity of its eight stadiums officially growing by 12%.

Overnight the Al Bayt Stadium, which hosted the opening game, went from 60,000 to in the pre-tournament guide to 68,895 on the official website – while the biggest stadium, the Lusail, went from 80,000 to 88,966. It came after fans were left confused by attendances breaching stadium capacity in every game.

A source close to the organisers insisted the original numbers reflected Fifa's requirements for stadiums to have a minimum of 80,000, 60,000 and 40,000 capacities. The Qataris have since found that the number of seats they needed for broadcast, media and sponsorship purposes was less than expected, hence the capacity increases.

The source added that the Lusail can seat 92,000 before broadcast and media requirements. Overall the combined capacities listed on Qatar's World Cup site increased from a combined 380,000 to 426,221 on Tuesday.

A second mystery remains, however: why there seem to be a lot more empty seats than are claimed in the official attendance figures. Official figures suggest that over 88,000 people watched Saudi Arabia shock Argentina at the Lusail Stadium on Tuesday – less than a thousand shy of capacity – but pockets of available seating were visible across the venue.

The first and most likely explanation is ticket holders not showing up. The biggest gaps at all matches – especially the visibly under-attended Senegal v the Netherlands match on Monday – are those in the most expensive seats that run down the side of the pitch in the first two tiers. This could mean sponsors or invited guests have chosen not to attend.

It could also be that tickets are held by local fans who are unable to make the match. Although Fifa has confirmed that Qatar is among the nations to have bought the greatest share of the 3m available tickets, not surprising for a host nation, the precise number sold has not been published.

This week the Guardian met one Qatari fan who said he had tickets for 20 matches. These were bought using two separate Fifa accounts, an unauthorised practice, and he said the majority of his friends had done similar. Finally it is possible that foreign visitors, who bought tickets in the original ballot, have chosen not to travel.

One further possible explanation is the system used on the ground to sell tickets that have been returned or not sold. A central office at the DECC metro station in the West Bay of Doha offers constant access to available match tickets. But the sales system does not always show every match for sale, with most fixtures appearing to be sold out until the digital displays refreshes to show new options.

Other possible factors include problems with the digital ticketing systems, with "ticket resolution" centres the site of substantial queues in the run-up to both the Saudi and England matches.

It is certainly the case, however, that organisers have talked up the number of people coming to the tournament – with Fifa's president, Gianni Infantino, saying on Friday: "Three million people will be in the stands watching." That claim is not always matching up to the eye test.

[The Larch]

And, as expected, Cristiano Ronaldo leaves Man United... which makes him an unattached player during the WC.

Cristiano Ronaldo to leave Manchester United with immediate effect
Portugal player exits 'by mutual agreement' and with no payoff
Recent interview had cast doubt on forward's future

Cristiano Ronaldo has left Manchester United by "mutual agreement" after the serious allegations he made in an interview, in an ignominious end to a supremely successful career at the club. He has left without a payoff and there are no restrictions on who he can play for next.

Ronaldo made several claims against United including that the manager, Erik ten Hag, did not respect him and that executives did not believe his need for compassionate leave in the close season.

Ronaldo is with Portugal at the Qatar World Cup and in his absence United banned him from the training ground and explored potential legal action.

A statement said: "Cristiano Ronaldo is to leave Manchester United by mutual agreement, with immediate effect. The club thanks him for his immense contribution across two spells at Old Trafford, scoring 145 goals in 346 appearances, and wishes him and his family well for the future. Everyone at Manchester United remains focused on continuing the team's progress under Erik ten Hag and working together to deliver success on the pitch."

Ronaldo had about £13.5m left on a contract that expired in June. "Following conversations with Manchester United we have mutually agreed to end our contract early," Ronaldo said. "I love Manchester United and I love the fans, that will never ever change. However, it feels like the right time for me to seek a new challenge."

In his first spell at United, between 2003 and 2009, Ronaldo won the Champions League, three Premier Leagues, the FA Cup, two League Cups and the Fifa World Player of the Year award.

The manner of his exit and what predicated it, though, may seriously tarnish his reputation. He twice walked out of United games before the end after Ten Hag took over in the summer.

[Duque de Bragança]

Australia 1 France 0 after 10 minutes. One French player, Lucas Hernandez, injured himself just before the goal, and was substituted by his brother Theo.

[Duque de Bragança]

27th minute equalizer by Rabiot. Deserved, les Bleus kept on playing despite being clearly surprised in the beginning.

[Duque de Bragança]

And now 2-1 by Giroud, who scored no goal in 2018. Seems the Aussie moment is over.

[alfred russel]

Two straight 0-0 games.  How thrilling!

Has anyone ever considered making the goals bigger?

I have heard some say they prefer women's football as in having smaller keepers this is what you effectively have

A compromise for traditionalists: goals stay the same size, but all keepers must be women.

Or if you are too misogynistic to allow women on the pitch, keepers must be little people.

[FunkMonk]

In non-WC news, the Glazers are looking to sell Manchester United. With the kind of money likely necessary to buy United, that will be yet another nation-state club.

With Liverpool up for sale too, potentially both clubs to come under oil-and-natural-gas country club ownership.

[celedhring]

In non-WC news, the Glazers are looking to sell Manchester United. With the kind of money likely necessary to buy United, that will be yet another nation-state club.

With Liverpool up for sale too, potentially both clubs to come under oil-and-natural-gas country club ownership.

I guess once Dubai get theirs we'll run out of oil sheikdoms, surely? Qatar, KSA, Abu Dabhi already own a major club.