Football (Soccer) Thread

[Sheilbh]

Mate, the Axis was defeated, deal with it. 

Italian football does not produce amazing revenue compared to the EPL. That means less put into youth development.
It did not suffer so much from the dominance of a few clubs before, but after the 1980s and 1990s when the Serie A was almost alone in dominating Europe, other countries changed their approach.

Developing players.

Italy now has fewer wealthy owners, as it is a constant case of recession.

Italian players never used to play abroad in Europe. Now half of the Azzuri play in England. I think in Germany's case, it is more of a blip than a constant.
You have very good players.

I wonder if young people have an entirely different set of expectations now around who ends up at a World Cup? Because for me Italy, Germany, Brazil, Argentina are the essential World Cup countries and it keeps happening but I'm still shocked when Italy doesn't make it or even if they get knocked out early.

I wonder if for kids now after so many years, Italy isn't a quintessential World Cup country? And maybe they don't expect Brazil to do well either?

God I feel old

[HVC]

Italy won a euro in 2020 (the lesser of two evils ) so didn't fall off a total cliff.

Just enjoy their misery. Break some spaghetti

[Sheilbh]

Fair but Italy's last World Cup knock out game was the final in 2006. Maybe not a cliff, but definitely down a hill.

And I don't know how long like the legends of previous generations lasts - like I think my sense of Brazil was definitely shaped by the previous generation. But then we had Ronaldo and Ronaldinho etc to sort of validate it.

[Duque de Bragança]

Italy won a euro in 2020 (the lesser of two evils ) so didn't fall off a total cliff.

Just enjoy their misery. Break some spaghetti

That dilapidated stadium in Zenica saw the Selecção tie there but then the play-off had a second leg.

Stop lying, you are sorely disappointed.
No Portugal-Italy game in Toronto for the total chaos you dreamed of. 

[HVC]

It would have been fun if only for the fact that portugal could beat them. Then again the team has a history of breaking my heart when the play in the country im in.  Case in point I was in portugal when they lost to Greece and America when they lost to America

[Duque de Bragança]

Hence HVC shall be banned from entering Portuguese territory on such occasions. Exiled, if need be. 
As for deportation from (North) America, I will leave that to Trump. 

By the way, I was in France in 2016. 

Back to football, the press over here alludes to an illegal arrangement between Trump and Infantino about the "FIFA gate" (bribes to organise the next world cup) involving the US Supreme Court and the Department of Justice.
Most people would not be surprised.

[HVC]

Team canada is offering a jersey swap in little Italy in Toronto today 

[Threviel]

Today the Swedish league starts for my team. We plan on going to the game, but there's a minor storm going on, so we'll see how fun it'll be.

Gais got to the semi-finals of the cup this season, the cup is played before the league starts. That's the first time since 1987.

We'll be qualifying for conference league, first European season since 1987 again.

In the league we're mostly predicted to be top 5 with an outside chance for the win.

This year will hopefully be good.

[Norgy]

The Norwegian league has been on for a while, and it is rather uneven. The teams that have played in Europe are way ahead when it comes to form, thrashing out 6-1, 5-0 wins be it at home or away. I can't see any sign of Bodæ-Glimt, Brann or Viking letting up.

[Sheilbh]

Spurs are in so much trouble

[Norgy]

Leeds beating Man Utd at Old Trafford seems to mark the end of Carrick's honeymoon.

I am not sure what to make of Forest under Vitor Pereira. Unlike teams like Everton, there is such a level of disorganisation defensively that it nullifies the attacking threat Forest poses. Unlike a lot of Forest fans, I am not giving up on Igor Jesus, despite his lacklustre goalscoring form. Always harasses defenders, always puts a shift in.

For Spurs, going down will be a disaster. They were horrifyingly poor against Forest at home, and probably should have had a penalty against Sunderland. How such an expensively assembled squad is unable to play well, is beyond me. They don't seem to disorganised, rather that some players simply do not play for the shirt.

[Sheilbh]

Yeah. I think even if they get Champions League - which looks likely - there have to be questions over Carrick. I don't think it's a surprise but it feels very Solskjaer-y. No doubt he'll now get an 8 year contract.

Totally agree on Spurs - I never like the "passion" explanation. But in this case there just seems to be no character in that squad. They look beaten, not playing for the shirt or even each other. It might change with one win because I think momentum really matters in a relegation fight - I can think in the last few years with Everton every season there was a game or a moment when it suddenly felt like the tide turned. But I'm not sure I see it with Spurs at the minute - whereas West Ham and Forest can win and will win and pick up points.

It would be a disaster. I'm not fully sure how it would work for them to go down - I like Spurs but there is a bit of morbid curiosity.

[Norgy]

For Forest, the tide turned when Morgan Rogers hit the crossbar. 

Man United has had so many great managers from all over the world that have failed miserably in replicating Sir Alex Ferguson. And that is the same curse managers had after Sir Matt Busby. Tommy Docherty was on his way, but rather slept with the physio's wife. If the club is in such a state that not even Jose Mourinho can save it, it might be time to look at what the structure is. And is not. It is also Liverpool's curse after Klopp, I suppose. Arne Slot won the Premiership with style last season, but his team seems rather full of holes this season.

Am I alone in not understanding how the goalkeeper now is a sacred cow? As far as I could see, Igor Jesus scored a perfectly good goal. Shilton and Corrigan wouldn't have complained.

West Ham fans were shouting Nuno out around Christmas. A few signings and a little Nuno magic later, I think they are happy with his appointment.

And, of course, Nuno was a flop at Spurs.

Forest's run-in this season worries me, as there are no easy wins to see on that fixture list.