Soccer Soccer Talk Thread

[Cash or Czech]

@Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc picking my FPL team for the year. Is Jackson actually the starting striker for Chelsea?

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

23 minutes ago, Cash or Czech said:

@Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc picking my FPL team for the year. Is Jackson actually the starting striker for Chelsea?

Yes, especially now with Nkunku injured for the first few weeks of the season.

 

Jackson gonna start and I think he’s a good pick for FPL. He’s looked really good in pre season, he has 2 goals and 3-4 assists in 5 games.

[Keirik]

Congrats to Arsenal for scoring in the 189th minute of added time to send the Charity Shield to pls where they won.

 

 

and lol at US Women’s team for bowing out. It’s my country but they are just so unlikeable because of the old guard that is still on the team. Luckily this was so,e of their last world cups so hopefully this humbles them enough to start getting back to basics.

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

5 hours ago, Keirik said:

 

and lol at US Women’s team for bowing out. It’s my country but they are just so unlikeable because of the old guard that is still on the team. Luckily this was so,e of their last world cups so hopefully this humbles them enough to start getting back to basics.

Watching Rapinoe with the blue hair shoot that penalty kick 10 miles over the goal was amazing lol. What an unlikeable prick she is.

 

Was a crazy shootout tho. Don’t think I’ve ever seen a shootout been decided by goal line techology by that small margin. 

[LindG1000]

It was a really shit way for them to go out. They dominated that game in almost every respect and that Swedish keeper was incredible. USA should have had it in regulation. 

 

To have the penalty shootout decided by a millimeter is just salt in the wound. 

[LindG1000]

8 hours ago, Keirik said:

Congrats to Arsenal for scoring in the 189th minute of added time to send the Charity Shield to pls where they won.

 

 

and lol at US Women’s team for bowing out. It’s my country but they are just so unlikeable because of the old guard that is still on the team. Luckily this was so,e of their last world cups so hopefully this humbles them enough to start getting back to basics.

 

Pads the stats on trophies over Spurs. Couldn't care less about anything else re: the Community Shield.

 

Though we learned a few other things:

 

1 - We can hang with City. That's our A- team against theirs, and...solid. Not spectacular, but solid.

2 - Kai Havertz cannot be our striker to start the year. Jesus will be back in a few weeks (which is far longer than his three day service level agreement), but we will need someone to bridge the gap. Balogun may have to stay longer, or Nelson/Nketiah make it work, or we buy a guy who can spell Jesus well enough and also be the centerpiece for a few weeks.

3 - We might have a seriously great defense. Tomiyasu and Timber are swiss army knives, Zinchenko and Tierney can push play upfield really well, Gabriel, White, and Saliba are stone walls. This is a recipe for success.

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

I'm so sick of this shit, we just can't catch a break. Last year we must've had a world record in terms of injuries, this season we're missing Badiashile, Fofana (out entire season), Madueke and now Nkunku (4 months) BEFORE THE SEASON HAS STARTED!

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

20 hours ago, LindG1000 said:

2 - Kai Havertz cannot be our striker to start the year.

 

On 6/22/2023 at 6:44 PM, Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc said:

He's not a striker, although I think he in general did the job well when played there. His hold-up play is very good, he got a good touch and overall good technique. He lacks pace and finishing to be a good striker in the PL,

 

What you got from Havertz that game is what you'll get on a regular basis. Good hold-up and link-up play. Decent with the ball, some good runs to create space for teammates and good timing on his run in the box followed by useless finishing. You'll get frustrated in the long run, especially if he's being used as the striker.

 

I don't really think he fits into your team very well. It can work with Rice/Partey - Ødegaard - Havertz as a midfield 3 against weaker opponents, but against better teams I don't think that will be good enough defensively. He can't really play on the wing and he's not a striker.

[LindG1000]

1 hour ago, Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc said:

 

 

What you got from Havertz that game is what you'll get on a regular basis. Good hold-up and link-up play. Decent with the ball, some good runs to create space for teammates and good timing on his run in the box followed by useless finishing. You'll get frustrated in the long run, especially if he's being used as the striker.

 

I don't really think he fits into your team very well. It can work with Rice/Partey - Ødegaard - Havertz as a midfield 3 against weaker opponents, but against better teams I don't think that will be good enough defensively. He can't really play on the wing and he's not a striker.

At this point we're not selling Partey, so I'd guess in situations where additional defense is called for, we'd be running out Rice-Partey as a stopping unit with Odegaard or Havertz in the 8.

[Cash or Czech]

It'll also depend on our opponents. I don't think we'll double-6 against most of our opponents. Just the big guns. We had so much freedom and creativity with Xhaka as an 8 who could chip in. I do think Havertz can do well in that role.

[BlairBettsBlocksEverything]

I was a bit perplexed by brining in Raya at first but I think the structure with the loan + Option to buy is a good deal. $3 mil for one year for a backup keeper isn't the worst thing in the world and if he takes over the starting job the $30 mil total cost to keep him would be well worth it. Still, Ramsdale was great for us last year and I didnt think there was a need to bring in competition. 

 

Still holding out hope we sign Mbappe lol

[Keirik]

Looks like Kane finally is heading to Bayern. Harry Maguire to West Ham (thank god)

[Cash or Czech]

Having the choice between Raya and Ramsdale for Champions League instead of Turner is huge IMO. No offense to Turner, he did decently last year in Europa, but he's a class below what we needed.

 

Some tidy business turning profits on him and Trusty.

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

This is getting crazy lol. Went to bed last night thinking we was sure to get him, only to wake up and read that Brighton has accepted Liverpool's bid and rejected the last bid from Chelsea.

 

Now this 

 

Crazy fee, but we NEED him. Don't really care at this point, just go get him Boehly!

[Cash or Czech]

What's the difference between him and Enzo? I thought Enzo was also a deep lying midfielder, or is he going to play more advanced? I'm assuming you'll still rock a 5-2-3 with Enzo and Caicedo as the two midfielders?

 

Is Lukaku an option for you guys right now or will he ride the bench as you try to find a deal to move him in exchange for Vlahovic?

Edited August 11, 2023 by Cash or Czech

[LindG1000]

1 hour ago, Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc said:

This is getting crazy lol. Went to bed last night thinking we was sure to get him, only to wake up and read that Brighton has accepted Liverpool's bid and rejected the last bid from Chelsea.

 

Now this 

 

Crazy fee, but we NEED him. Don't really care at this point, just go get him Boehly!

 

This saga is nuts. He's going to go for more than Declan Rice or Harry Kane at this rate.

 

My bigger question at this point is what is Brighton going to do with that kind of money? They're already a Europa League team....losing Caicedo doesn't help, but they could do some damage with £110 million. 

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29 minutes ago, Cash or Czech said:

What's the difference between him and Enzo? I thought Enzo was also a deep lying midfielder, or is he going to play more advanced? I'm assuming you'll still rock a 5-2-3 with Enzo and Caicedo as the two midfielders?

 

Is Lukaku an option for you guys right now or will he ride the bench as you try to find a deal to move him in exchange for Vlahovic?

We're playing 4231 this season and the plan is to have Enzo and Caicedo together in the double pivot. Ideally one of them would be a little bigger (they're both under 1.80), but other than that I think they'll make a really good duo. Caicedo a bit more defensive. Can be a ball winner while also being a deep lying playmaker that can also carry the ball. Enzo will do a lot of the same thing, but with more of an attacking mind. Playing more long/through balls, runs into the 18 yard box and probably a more advanced position when we counter-press.

 

There's no chance Lukaku ever wears a Chelsea shirt again. That was set in stone already last season when he did that interview. Poch even said he has Lukaku training on his own because he don't want his "bad attitude/vibe" around the squad. No idea where he ends up tho, he's ruining the relationships he had with the Italian clubs, he refuses to go to Saudi and I don't think anyone in the PL wants him (or maybe Spurs now that Kane is gone).

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

13 minutes ago, LindG1000 said:

 

This saga is nuts. He's going to go for more than Declan Rice or Harry Kane at this rate.

 

My bigger question at this point is what is Brighton going to do with that kind of money? They're already a Europa League team....losing Caicedo doesn't help, but they could do some damage with £110 million. 

It's so weird. We've insisted on not giving more than 80m while Brighton always wanted 100m. Now all of a sudden Liverpool comes in with a bid over Brighton's asking price of 100m (they offered 110m+). Brighton says yes, Caicedo says no and now the rumors are saying that Chelsea is preparing a bid of around 120m. Safe to say Brighton are the real winners here.

 

They'll probably use the 110 million on 10 new Caicedo's they'll sell for 10x profit in a few years lol.

[fletch]

My predicted finish for top five spots for 2023-2024 Premier League:

1. Arsenal

2. Manchester City

3. Newcastle

4. Liverpool

5. Chelsea

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

1. City

2. Arsenal

3. Liverpool

4. United

5. Newcastle

6. Chelsea

[Cash or Czech]

10. Tottenham 

[Keirik]

All you fools have United too low. Top 3

[Cash or Czech]

On 8/13/2023 at 1:36 AM, Keirik said:

All you fools have United too low. Top 3

 

Not based on today's performance. Hope Hojlund lives up to the billing and the midfield plays better. Lucky to escape with 3 points against a surprisingly good Wolves team today. Cunha is my MOTM. Guy did everything but put the ball in the back of the net.

[Keirik]

4 hours ago, Cash or Czech said:

 

Not based on today's performance. Hope Hojlund lives up to the billing and the midfield plays better. Lucky to escape with 3 points against a surprisingly good Wolves team today. Cunha is my MOTM. Guy did everything but put the ball in the back of the net.

remind me who won again? 

 

 I’m not sure one game is a measure of anything. If we are going on that then I guess Brighton is a top 3 team this year? I wouldn’t call today lucky at all though. That’s a bit of a stretch. They aren’t a possession dominating team. They are a counter team. United will be fine. 

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

Not easy to get a penalty against united at Old Trafford. Even assault is allowed for their goalie now.