2020 - 2021 Football / Calcio / Futbol / Fußball Thread

[wc1934]

[QUOTE=echappist;2935805]Oh boy, so much that happened in the last week or so...

Unai Emery winning the Unai Emery Cup (I mean Europa League), with a helter skelter penalty shoot-out.

After seeming having gotten his tactics right for most of the campaign, most probably thought Pep would win the Big Ears this year. Except Pep saves his de rigeur Champions League brain fart for the Champions League Final.

Coaching carousel all over Europe. I'm not so sure about the appointments of Nagelsmann. Otoh, Allegri has a chance to right the ship at Juve. Ancelloti is back at Real, which leaves Everton in the dumps.

And the Euros are just around the corner.[/QUOTE]


yup -

https://www.nytimes.com/article/euro...ule-times.html

[echappist]

My post from a while back in late 2019

Originally Posted by echappist

Surprise to find that Gio Reyna (yes, son of Claudio) is still playing U17. He actually is that young, a few days shy of his 17th birthday. Apparently tearing it up in the Bundesliga U19s, the last stepping stone before first team Bundesliga action. Some of the other kids look quite baby-faced in comparison.

While Pulisic may be the present Captain America, the name Reyna literally refers to royalty, and Claudio Reyna was the former Captain America. Would be glorious to have an attacking front four of Pulisic, Weah (another scion of football royalty), Reyna, and Sargent

Wonder what that young lad Gio Reyna is up to lately?

Horn-tooting aside, don't know if anyone stayed up to watch the USMNT v Mexico match, but that was a thriller, despite having very little on the line, except for pride.

I hope the current squad can rock into Mexico City and beat El Tri at the Estadio Azteca during qualifying. The MNT certainly has the quality to do it.

And my my, McKennie, what a player. I thought his move to Juve was a tad premature, but he's certainly proved himself. Always liked an energetic central mid, and he seems to fill the void left by Jermaine Jones (another former Schalke player) except with much better discipline.

On the plus side, it was good to see that the champions-caliber players (hello Tim Weah, dethroner of PSG) and Champion's League caliber players (Pulisic, Reyna, McKennie, Adams, and Dest) prove their mental fortitude and overcome a stout Mexican team, Concacaf refs, and Berhalter's tactics. Otoh, just imagine what Geraldo Martino could do with such a talented squad at his disposal.


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Originally Posted by goonster

I'm really looking forward to seeing what Tuchel can achieve in, say, the next twelve months, because that is actually a very good squad.

I hope you wagered some money on that prognostication

[BobC]

Originally Posted by echappist

My post from a while back in late 2019



Wonder what that young lad Gio Reyna is up to lately?

Horn-tooting aside, don't know if anyone stayed up to watch the USMNT v Mexico match, but that was a thriller, despite having very little on the line, except for pride.

I hope the current squad can rock into Mexico City and beat El Tri at the Estadio Azteca during qualifying. The MNT certainly has the quality to do it.

And my my, McKennie, what a player. I thought his move to Juve was a tad premature, but he's certainly proved himself. Always liked an energetic central mid, and he seems to fill the void left by Jermaine Jones (another former Schalke player) except with much better discipline.

On the plus side, it was good to see that the champions-caliber players (hello Tim Weah, dethroner of PSG) and Champion's League caliber players (Pulisic, Reyna, McKennie, Adams, and Dest) prove their mental fortitude and overcome a stout Mexican team, Concacaf refs, and Berhalter's tactics. Otoh, just imagine what Geraldo Martino could do with such a talented squad at his disposal.

CONCACAF is a total farce. El Tri fans are a disgrace. Tata Martino is a disgrace. The Honduran team getting constantly stretchered off and then jumping back into the match -- another farce.

GB's initial line up was a mistake, then moving Ream to LB was another mistake (I genuinely felt sorry for Tim Ream with ZERO support from Dest. Dest is another I am not sold on yet). But to GB's credit, he adjusted and most of his subs and adjustments in the second half were spot on.

El Tri has issues in the back. A Totally oozing in talent but vulnerable and tactically playing Sam Allardyce Route 1 Football? Stunning. And they were lacking Raul Jimenez.

[BobC]

And McKennie is the most important player right now in the USMNT. He is the snarling, gritty engine that drives that team. Any young aspiring midfielder would do well to watch him play.

[hoonjr]

Dest looked completely lost out there. But let's not judge him by one sub par performance. I'm sure Barcelona had all their coaches scout him intensively before signing him and let's make this clear. He plays for Barca.

[echappist]

Originally Posted by BobC

CONCACAF is a total farce. El Tri fans are a disgrace. Tata Martino is a disgrace. The Honduran team getting constantly stretchered off and then jumping back into the match -- another farce.

GB's initial line up was a mistake, then moving Ream to LB was another mistake (I genuinely felt sorry for Tim Ream with ZERO support from Dest. Dest is another I am not sold on yet). But to GB's credit, he adjusted and most of his subs and adjustments in the second half were spot on.

El Tri has issues in the back. A Totally oozing in talent but vulnerable and tactically playing Sam Allardyce Route 1 Football? Stunning. And they were lacking Raul Jimenez.

Concacaf is s***house galore, isn't it? I'd watch the EPL and complain about the refs, but goodness, Concacaf refs remind you that things could always be worse. I still don't know how Guardado managed not to get sent off; at least there was a bit of karma when he missed the PK. The El Tri fans need to get banned for a few matches. Perhaps a few match forfeitures are needed to get them to behave.

And I think you are right that El Tri lacks incision without the presence of Jimenez.

Originally Posted by hoonjr

Dest looked completely lost out there. But let's not judge him by one sub par performance. I'm sure Barcelona had all their coaches scout him intensively before signing him and let's make this clear. He plays for Barca.

Dest, like most fullbacks on top European squads, is a wingback. For his club, his primary role is to stay up the pitch and assist build-up. I'd say it's excusable that he'd look a bit lost when playing a more traditional outsider defender role.

One also wonders why Robinson didn't get to play. At least there would be a bit more understanding between him and Ream (as club teammates). There's also the fact that Robinson would likely be a more disciplined defender than Dest is, given the former almost always had to hunker down and stay disciplined when playing for Fulham. That he didn't even get a chance to have a substitute appearance was just odd.

I would much rather see Dest on the right, Robinson on the left; Miazga in place of McKenzie (the former started more games than the latter on a squad that finished above the squad of the latter). While I don't particularly like Acosta, having him and Lletget shield the back four, with McKennie given a more free role would have been preferable. Sub-in Adams for either Acosta or Lletget in the latter stages of the match.

All in all, GB was saved by the individualistic talents of the squad. He won despite of his mismanagement...

[tuscanyswe]

So who do you guys hold as favorites in the Euros? (apart from sweden ofc).

[echappist]

Originally Posted by tuscanyswe

So who do you guys hold as favorites in the Euros? (apart from sweden ofc).

Most balanced and on-form, with quite a bit of depth: probably Portugal.

Loads of stars but out-of-form or sorts: France (the central defense pairing doesn't inspire confidence the way it did).

Well-drilled unit with certain weaknesses: Belgium and England.

Dark horse: Italy and Germany.

I'm leaning toward Portugal; though I do think CR7 is more of an encumbrance (rather than an asset) at this stage.

[tuscanyswe]

Originally Posted by echappist

Most balanced and on-form, with quite a bit of depth: probably Portugal.

Loads of stars but out-of-form or sorts: France (the central defense pairing doesn't inspire confidence the way it did).

Well-drilled unit with certain weaknesses: Belgium and England.

Dark horse: Italy and Germany.

I'm leaning toward Portugal; though I do think CR7 is more of an encumbrance (rather than an asset) at this stage.

Havent seen portugal as a unit a lot as of late but i did catch 15-20m vs spain the other week. Thought spain looked great (well like they always do i guess until they dont..) Yeah CR seems a question mark right now but he is good for the team i would think. Always nice to have a superstar to turn to when things arent going well.

Id love for Italy to show up for this EC but im in doubt. Germany will always be Germany i dont hold them as favorites but they are hard to beat.

As for England they have a great set of players but they have one weakness. They are England .)

Belgium and France tho..

Hmm difficult choices, i dont see any clear favorites but if i had to pick one i would go with France. But if Sweden cant win im hoping for Italy .)

[echappist]

Btw, when I wrote that, it somewhat escaped me that France, Portugal, and Germany are all in the same group. While the current iteration of Germany doesn't have the swagger of its previous squads, that's still quite the group of death...

Also, in other news, Italy managed to break down bunkering by Turkey. Not particularly that gripping of a match, but that is a fair result. And as I type this, Insigne scores a third, due to Turkey's error while playing out from the back.

I'm still not sure how Italy would cope against stronger competition, but this is a bright start.

[tuscanyswe]

Thought Italy looked pretty good. Its not easy to score when the opposition has 9 ppl in the penalty area so kinda hard to judge anything but a good start

[echappist]

And not to mention, that curling effort by Insigne. He should have done a chef's kiss after he unleashed that one.

[wc1934]

Originally Posted by tuscanyswe

Thought Italy looked pretty good. Its not easy to score when the opposition has 9 ppl in the penalty area so kinda hard to judge anything but a good start

I will take it!

Another clean sheet - Think it is up to 9 now.

[LJohnny]

Enjoying Olympic soccer matches so far.

I forgot to set the DVR and A HUGE bummer is that since the watching today’s games involves a replay, they insert commercial breaks!!
So time to set the DVR for sure.