This Gareth Bale kid is pretty good. I wonder why Jose doesn't play him?Speaking of guys who sleep on the job, where has this Bale been?
I’m going to assume Newell’s Old Boys don’t get as many google hits.One of my favorite SOSH posts of all time was TB sharing that BSC Young Boys made it to the semifinals of the European Cup in 1959 which he regretfully found out by googling "Young Boys in Europe"
I don't remember this, but it explains the FBI van parked outside my house right now.One of my favorite SOSH posts of all time was TB sharing that BSC Young Boys made it to the semifinals of the European Cup in 1959 which he regretfully found out by googling "Young Boys in Europe"
He's a newer, more talented Alejandro Bedoya. He can play in CM, or he can play out wide as more of a wide playmaker than a real winger. He has a good defensive workrate. At best he's probably an "8.5", a hybrid between a traditional box-to-box mid and a true attacking midfielder. But these days, a lot of teams use a 4-3-3 that basically calls for two "8.5" type midfielders — including Berhalter's current system.Slick backheel nutmeg from Aaronson. First time watching him outside of compilation videos and been impressed so far.
Have to say the most frustrating part of European football is the number of great, fun to watch players who get buried on the bench. Imagine Dele with say Crystal Palace, running the attack along side Zaha & Eze. That would be so entertaining week in and week out.IDK Jose maybe play this guy?
View: https://twitter.com/HakaryEngland1/status/1364624337828012038?s=20
I agree with your general principle, but Dele isn't being kept out of the Spurs side by other high-wage super talented players, he's being kept out the side because the manager is an idiot who always has to pick a top player to feud with.Have to say the most frustrating part of European football is the number of great, fun to watch players who get buried on the bench. Imagine Dele with say Crystal Palace, running the attack along side Zaha & Eze. That would be so entertaining week in and week out.
Really, it’s a reflection of how out of whack the business model is. Players on the high revenue clubs often have prohibitively high wages for even middle table sides. And the mega-clubs generate so much cash that they can put a huge price tag on back ups to create squad depth. A salary cap would help make the sport more entertaining.
Lingard so far with West Ham has looked great.Have to say the most frustrating part of European football is the number of great, fun to watch players who get buried on the bench. Imagine Dele with say Crystal Palace, running the attack along side Zaha & Eze. That would be so entertaining week in and week out.
Really, it’s a reflection of how out of whack the business model is. Players on the high revenue clubs often have prohibitively high wages for even middle table sides. And the mega-clubs generate so much cash that they can put a huge price tag on back ups to create squad depth. A salary cap would help make the sport more entertaining.
To be fair, Wolfsberger is a midtable side with a negative goal differential in a very mediocre Austrian league. So while there is plenty of reason to point fingers at Mourinho, I wouldn't blame him for refusing to draw lessons from this tie in terms of player selection or tactics in the Premier League.Dele totally bossed this game, Bale came on and was brilliant. Spurs did a great job pressing and forcing Wolfsberger into mistakes. Now on Sunday against Burnley, Jose will sit both of them and park the bus.
But then why not sell him or loan him out? If he's not in the plans at £100,000/week, why keep those wages on the bench?I agree with your general principle, but Dele isn't being kept out of the Spurs side by other high-wage super talented players, he's being kept out the side because the manager is an idiot who always has to pick a top player to feud with.
Both teams score, and now it is indeed 3-3, with Arsenal in position to surely be the first team eliminated on "away" goals scored with both games played at a neutral site.Ouch, that free kick hurt. The tie ending 3-3 on aggregate and going out on "away goals" seems written in the stars for Arsenal.
This is why you need to press your talent advantage and make it register, which Arsenal haven't done. Benfica have created nothing across 135 minutes of football but shit happens in football and a jammy penalty here, a wondergoal free kick there, and all of a sudden its 2-2 and they have the advantage.
it was a lovely touch then shot. If Tierney could stay fit the world is his oyster. He's such a good player.Gunners level on a bullet from Tierney.
The fact that "away" goals counted anything in this tie is beyond ridiculous. UEFA should have just let them play with no away goals rule in effect. [/soapbox]Both teams score, and now it is indeed 3-3, with Arsenal in position to surely be the first team eliminated on "away" goals scored with both games played at a neutral site.
Yeah, they never quite put it together this year in Europe. They really seem to be a team that plays up or down to their competition.Leicester wont be in the draw for the last 16. Slavia Prague up by 2 away goals. I thought Leicester had a chance to win the whole thing so this is a surprise. But i guess top 4 is a priority for Leicester.
A couple of weeks ago i was watching a match and they said (at the time) there had been more away wins than home wins in the league. There was one or two wins in it. It was close, but even so i thought it was a good indicator that home field advantage in the Covid wasnae all that. I dunno where to go to confirm that stat though. Or get the up to date one.Just a general question, has there been any evidence that lack of home crowds, because of Covid, has neutralized "home field advantage" statisically?
Below is some interesting data showing the decline of home advantage in the Premier League (from two weeks ago).Just a general question, has there been any evidence that lack of home crowds, because of Covid, has neutralized "home field advantage" statisically?
https://www.espn.com/soccer/english-premier-league/story/4312130/premier-leagues-home-edge-has-gone-in-pandemic-era-the-impact-of-fan-less-games-in-england-and-europeIn short, the data show both a "levelling" of home-away advantage and a swing in disciplinary trends. ESPN's Stats and Information Group analysed 288 Premier League games pre-lockdown from the 2019-20 season, and then the 317 matches since the restart (the remainder of 2019-20 and the 20-21 season so far). The resulting stats saw a drop in goals scored at home (from 1.5 to 1.4 pre- and post-lockdown) and an 18% increase in away goals after lockdown.
Away teams have also come away with better results: home wins have decreased by 2%, but away wins are 26% up from pre- to post-lockdown. Away team yellow cards have also decreased from an average of 1.9 per game to 1.5 per game in front of empty stands, even as fouls committed have stayed roughly the same
Totally agree. Away goals were supposed to be deemed more valuable for the single obvious, clue is in the name, reason. Remove that reason there's no cause to weight away goals as per normal.The fact that "away" goals counted anything in this tie is beyond ridiculous. UEFA should have just let them play with no away goals rule in effect. [/soapbox]
I wonder how much this is influenced by the recent VAR implementation and modifications, which it seems like should reduce the HFA effect on referees.Below is some interesting data showing the decline of home advantage in the Premier League (from two weeks ago).
https://www.espn.com/soccer/english-premier-league/story/4312130/premier-leagues-home-edge-has-gone-in-pandemic-era-the-impact-of-fan-less-games-in-england-and-europe
I don't understand what they're doing. This could have been a legit chance to win a trophy.Leicester wont be in the draw for the last 16. Slavia Prague up by 2 away goals. I thought Leicester had a chance to win the whole thing so this is a surprise. But i guess top 4 is a priority for Leicester.
They collapsed down the stretch last year due to injuries and fatigue taking their toll and are now facing somewhat of an injury crisis again with Fofana still out, Justin having suffered a big injury, and Maddison now having a recurrence of his hip problem. They were a bit thin even before those injuries and top four is probably their primary goal so I think Brodge was probably not too disappointed to go out of this competition.I don't understand what they're doing. This could have been a legit chance to win a trophy.