Really cool. I was impressed throughout, but it went to another level at the 2:47 mark. Pretty funny that the rehab facility and last few places weren't quite done so they just used renderings.
Global Football Odds & Ends
- Thread starter Titans Bastard
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What the fuck is this bullshit?
https://theathletic.com/news/five-subs-could-be-introduced-permanently-with-rule-change-recommended/5x2R7lHGOJZl/
https://theathletic.com/news/five-subs-could-be-introduced-permanently-with-rule-change-recommended/5x2R7lHGOJZl/
Given the fixture congestion rampant in today’s game, it seems like a reasonable response to protect players and keep eleven on the pitch.
There is a massive advantage for top teams, however. The better solution would be to fix the damn schedule, but since that’s not happening this seems like a needed band aid.
There is a massive advantage for top teams, however. The better solution would be to fix the damn schedule, but since that’s not happening this seems like a needed band aid.
Yeah it’s telling to see the ten teams that voted in favor and the ten against in the Premier League.
I hear you on the fixture congestion. But the big squads have enough players that they can rotate lineups sufficiently without needing 5 subs, IMO.
Though it seems like pretty much the entire Bundesliga was ok with it, despite them having far fewer games and a big break in the middle of the season, so maybe I’m being prickly here. But in a league like the Premier League, this just seems to exacerbate the the gap between the haves and have-nots.
I don’t really mind it. The fixtures and expected work rate for modern players is very high. They used to allow just one sub, but the game has continued to change for the better. I’d rather see players being able to give their maximum and manager’s having leeway to sub them out in order to protect them. There’s no reason for a player with a giant head bandage to ever re-enter a match. They should pair this with greater safety protocols around concussions.
It should be paired with enforcement of the protocols. They’re a joke right now. How many players have we seen stumble back onto the pitch since they were enacted?
My favorite seasons of FM 21 were the ones where I could use 5 subs. Really helped my Fiorentina side stay fresh for my pressing game against the big boys.
I think in some ways having additional subs available helps some of the smaller squads. Look you mentioned above that the bigger teams have enough squad depth that they can almost turn over a complete team for a cup competition and still be competitive. For a smaller club with a smaller squad who can't flip to a second eleven without really feeling the pinch, the ability to sub off their big players in some games might keep them fresher for later in the season. I think that's why you see most if not all of the Bundesliga teams in favor. They realize that Bayern's advantage is that they have 2 or almost three squads full of players who can play. For someone like Hertha or Neverkeusen they could use this rule to help keep their smaller number of viable players available in more fixtures by being smarter about minutes.
I think in some ways having additional subs available helps some of the smaller squads. Look you mentioned above that the bigger teams have enough squad depth that they can almost turn over a complete team for a cup competition and still be competitive. For a smaller club with a smaller squad who can't flip to a second eleven without really feeling the pinch, the ability to sub off their big players in some games might keep them fresher for later in the season. I think that's why you see most if not all of the Bundesliga teams in favor. They realize that Bayern's advantage is that they have 2 or almost three squads full of players who can play. For someone like Hertha or Neverkeusen they could use this rule to help keep their smaller number of viable players available in more fixtures by being smarter about minutes.
As someone who is primarily an MLS fan, I like the five-sub rule because I think it encourages giving young players more opportunities, which is a trend in the league that I want to see continue.
I personally loved the 5 sub rule in the Premier League and was annoyed that it was opposed on strictly partisan grounds. For sure it benefits Big Clubs more but not playing twice a week greatly benefits the minnows.
From a pure player safety viewpoint it makes all kinds of sense.
And I really think the concept of minnows in the Premier League has become a bit silly given that the likes of Burnley have a greater payroll than half the teams in La Liga
Edit: I don’t mean this to sound Big Club Elitist (it probably will but it’s reality) but Burnley Newcastle and Norwich etal may play in the same league but they really aren’t competing against City, United, Liverpool and Chelsea. Their real competition is similarly financially challenged and less likely to benefit from an expanded quality bench.
From a pure player safety viewpoint it makes all kinds of sense.
And I really think the concept of minnows in the Premier League has become a bit silly given that the likes of Burnley have a greater payroll than half the teams in La Liga
Edit: I don’t mean this to sound Big Club Elitist (it probably will but it’s reality) but Burnley Newcastle and Norwich etal may play in the same league but they really aren’t competing against City, United, Liverpool and Chelsea. Their real competition is similarly financially challenged and less likely to benefit from an expanded quality bench.
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That wasn’t even the craziest proposal. Someone proposed extending half time to 25 minutes (I assume to sell more commercials)
When Fox started broadcasting the NHL back in the day (remember the glowing puck and tracers) one of their demands was to eliminate the three periods and switch to two halves … supposedly because they didn’t know how to fill the intermissions. The NHL told them to pound sand of course.
That is a puzzling proposal by Conmebol. One of the things I hate about college football is the 20-minute halftimes compared to the brisk 12-minute NFL intermissions (recently amended to 13:30). At least if you’re in the stadium, you get to see the bands perform.
One other nice thing about 5 subs is that it allows for a tactical “reset” that can breathe new life into games that aren’t going to plan early. If you can bring on 2-3 guys early in the second half all at once (and still preserve a couple subs for the endgame) it can be like restarting the match under new terms.
The Athletic reporting Gerrard to Aston Villa should be done in the next 24 hours.
Edit: The Guardian agrees and adds the kicker that Lampard could replace him at Rangers.
Edit: The Guardian agrees and adds the kicker that Lampard could replace him at Rangers.
Shit like this needs to be a 10 match suspension.
https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comments/qrgodo/marinhos_swanton_bomb_dive_to_win_a_penalty_for/
https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comments/qrgodo/marinhos_swanton_bomb_dive_to_win_a_penalty_for/
Great story in the Athletic today about how colour blindness affects both players and viewers.
https://theathletic.com/2947555/2021/11/18/i-had-a-problem-i-couldnt-tell-the-difference-between-the-two-teams-colour-blindness-affects-both-fans-and-players/?source=user_shared_article
Bottom line - never let two teams wear red and green kits at the same time
https://theathletic.com/2947555/2021/11/18/i-had-a-problem-i-couldnt-tell-the-difference-between-the-two-teams-colour-blindness-affects-both-fans-and-players/?source=user_shared_article
Bottom line - never let two teams wear red and green kits at the same time
In high school, my good friend and sweeper (remember those?) was color blind. Londonderry put in a brand new, state of the art turf field. It was multi-lined, as they all are, and the soccer lines were red. The difference in his level of play was significant. He ended up playing the white football lines as the sidelines (which were only a few yards inboard of the soccer limits), but had no idea where the 18, 6, or goal line were.
Justin Rennicks was able to exploit this, as Revs II use red lines at Gillette Stadium. Even a defender with perfect eyesight would struggle with that setup.
View: https://twitter.com/watke_/status/1444096800483336195
Guardian round up on how AfCon will affect the EPL. Only Leeds, Norwich, Newcastle, and Tottenham don't have Africans in their squads. And the player release date is Dec 27, in the middle of the insane holiday crunch, so squad rotation is going to be brutal for a number of clubs...unless those clubs cut individual deals for a later release date.
My guess is that most clubs successfully delay the release dates of their big players until after Jan 1st.
I don't quite understand the rules for quarantining when returning from this tournament. But unless a player's team goes to the finals (2/6) or maybe semi-finals (2/2-3) they are likely to miss only two PL fixtures (on the weekends of 1/15 and 1/22) as 1/29 is an FA Cup weekend and then most clubs will have a weekend off on 2/5 before playing midweek fixtures around 2/8-9.
The Ballon d'Or results are slowly getting released today. They are as ridiculous as ever.
View: https://twitter.com/francefootball/status/1465377793538244612
View: https://twitter.com/francefootball/status/1465377793538244612
I’m no expert, but that doesn’t sound particularly ridiculous to me. If you can draw a conclusion from two names, it’s probably overly striker-friendly, but that doesn’t seem unusual, even if it is not necessarily the best way to decide things. Maybe you meant that or meant something else - not sure.
Sorry, those were just the most recent announcements, you'd have to click the thread to see all the names and how they end up being ranked. The Haaland and Lukaku announcements are actually some of the most reasonable on the list.
Putellas and Hermoso, both of Barca, are the heavy favorites on the women's side. Honestly, that squad has become a steamroller and they could just award the Balon to all 5 of the Barca players nominated.
In any case, Barca will become the first club to have both men's and women's winners if Putellas or Hermoso bring it home.
In any case, Barca will become the first club to have both men's and women's winners if Putellas or Hermoso bring it home.
Messi probably didn't deserve it this year, but there were 3-4 years he should have won but didn't previously. Somehow from 2012-13 to 2017-18 he was the best player in the world the whole time but only won 1/6, finishing second to Ronaldo four times.
Top 10 was
1. Messi
2. Lewandowski
3. Jorginho
4. Benzema
5. Kante
6. Ronaldo
7. Salah
8. KDB
9. Mbappe
10. Donnarumma
Lewandowski really got hosed the previous year when Bayern won the double and France Football just decided not to give out the award; then he comes out and breaks Muller's Most Goals in a Season record, which was previously thought of as pretty unbreakable (and Lewa even missed five games) but still comes up short. I don't have any dislike of Messi, but I do think the general quality of La Liga is tremendously overrated and I think Lewandowski gets dinged unfairly for putting up huge stats in a league that has few competitive teams when that same doctrine could be applied to La Liga squads as well.
1. Messi
2. Lewandowski
3. Jorginho
4. Benzema
5. Kante
6. Ronaldo
7. Salah
8. KDB
9. Mbappe
10. Donnarumma
Lewandowski really got hosed the previous year when Bayern won the double and France Football just decided not to give out the award; then he comes out and breaks Muller's Most Goals in a Season record, which was previously thought of as pretty unbreakable (and Lewa even missed five games) but still comes up short. I don't have any dislike of Messi, but I do think the general quality of La Liga is tremendously overrated and I think Lewandowski gets dinged unfairly for putting up huge stats in a league that has few competitive teams when that same doctrine could be applied to La Liga squads as well.
LOL at Jorginho finishing 3rd. WTF is that? I know he won the CL and the Euros this year but nobody in their right mind thinks he's the been the 3rd best player in the world over the past 12 months.
Also why does France Football still insist on giving this award out on a calendar year basis when European football runs on a fall/spring schedule?
They've always factored in international results at a higher degree than most fans, so I think they are consistent in that regard even if it's unfair. Messi clearly was helped by Argentina winning the Copa America.
Thanks. Just looked on LiveScore and it’s the FIFA Arab Cup.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_Arab_Cup
Eriksen has the same kind of pacemaker as Daley Blind, with the caveat that every case is different. Makes me think a return to Ajax could be possible for Eriksen.
Liga MX final is heading to penalties between Atlas and 9-man Léon. Atlas hasn’t won a league title in 70 years.
And at every Leon penalty-taker
Two great saves by Atlas’ Camilo Vargas, who is Colombia’s second-choice keeper, and Atlas are champions for the first time since 1951!
The neighbors seem to be talking this well and with plenty of class
View: https://twitter.com/chivas/status/1470263518536605706
View: https://twitter.com/chivas/status/1470263518536605706
Otamendi was a victim of a home invasion. The robbery is described as “violent” as he was assaulted in front of his family.
ESPN article
ESPN article
Suriname’s 60 year old VP has started playing professionally for the domestic league club he owns in the stadium named after him. And he has 50 children.
Also, Nigeria sacked national team manager Gernot Rohr. The Super Eagles just barely squeaked out of the 2nd round of WC qualifying and recently drew Cape Verde. The FA president will manage the team during AfCON, but then they’ll look for a new coach to get them too the WC. There’s plenty of talent. But they are lacking a clear identity and clinical finishing.
Hiddink retired from the Curaçao NT after catching COVID in September, but this kind of salvage job is right up his alley…
Also, Nigeria sacked national team manager Gernot Rohr. The Super Eagles just barely squeaked out of the 2nd round of WC qualifying and recently drew Cape Verde. The FA president will manage the team during AfCON, but then they’ll look for a new coach to get them too the WC. There’s plenty of talent. But they are lacking a clear identity and clinical finishing.
Hiddink retired from the Curaçao NT after catching COVID in September, but this kind of salvage job is right up his alley…
A periodic PSA to check out David Squires’ futbol cartoons in the Guardian every week. They’re fantastic—I’d go as far as to say it’s the Simpsons, in comic form, about the ever-churning soap opera of global soccer —and besides all the on-point footie parody there’s often a very helpful dose of UK/Euro/Aussie current affairs & culture in there too. Fun way to diversify your news intake.
Sergio Agüero announded his retirement today due to health issues.
https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/sergio-aguero-retirement-highlights-goals-top-moments-from-strikers-career-at-manchester-city-and-beyond/
https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/sergio-aguero-retirement-highlights-goals-top-moments-from-strikers-career-at-manchester-city-and-beyond/
I think it's pretty much a challenge to FIFA trying to change the World Cup to every two years.
Sergio Ramos made his second appearance for PSG, coming on as a halftime sub...and went on to pick up his first red card for them.