2018-2019 Calcio Futbol Football Thread

[Mzilliox]

Originally Posted by Climb01742

Dare I begin to believe in my Gunners again? Six league wins in a row. Third on the table. 5-1 today. My heart says yes but my mind and history says ‘Easy, Romeo.’

Not so fast. Im enjoying the run, and i think I like Emery. Anyone who Benches Ozil and has the balls to play Lacazette as the withdrawn 9 is at least trying to work with what he has. the emergence of Iwobi is gonna be a key factor. if he can provide us width out right, Lacazette stays the withdrawn 9 or creative 10, and auba plays in his central role where he is more deadly, we may have a chance. What we lack still is steel in the middle, but i think thats being provided by torreira who is finding his way in the side now. I still wonder about xhaka long term, i dont see what hes providing. and we have a massive problem at the back, Mustafi is a wild card, and ballerina cant defend.

since the first day i saw lacazette in the side i decided he was Arsenals Best player. I think this is still the case and i hope coach Emery continues to use lacazette in the withdrawn 9 role. If we have that attack balance, we will continue to get results despite a shaky defence.

[wc1934]

Usain Bolt - Marketing ploy or.....

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...aign=editorial

[echappist]

Marketing ploy. if you think the MNT doesnt have players with silky first touch, well, wait until you see Bolt. the ball boomerangs off of his limbs...

[echappist]

Originally Posted by Mzilliox

Not so fast. Im enjoying the run, and i think I like Emery. Anyone who Benches Ozil and has the balls to play Lacazette as the withdrawn 9 is at least trying to work with what he has. the emergence of Iwobi is gonna be a key factor. if he can provide us width out right, Lacazette stays the withdrawn 9 or creative 10, and auba plays in his central role where he is more deadly, we may have a chance. What we lack still is steel in the middle, but i think thats being provided by torreira who is finding his way in the side now. I still wonder about xhaka long term, i dont see what hes providing. and we have a massive problem at the back, Mustafi is a wild card, and ballerina cant defend.

since the first day i saw lacazette in the side i decided he was Arsenals Best player. I think this is still the case and i hope coach Emery continues to use lacazette in the withdrawn 9 role. If we have that attack balance, we will continue to get results despite a shaky defence.

saw this (sorry about large pic size; can't slim it down). granted, he's been playing more often lately, but he really seems to shore up the defence. you wonder how things would have turned out had the schedule been a bit more kind (viz. Sheikty and Chelsea to play Arsenal now, rather than mid August)

[echappist]

Where's my post ribbing Germany from a few months back?

Johan Guttenberg, Werner Heisenberg, Max Schmelling, Martin Luther, Count Otto von Bismarck, Ludwig Beethoven, Angela Merkel, can you hear me? Can you hear me, Angie Merkel? Your boys took a helluva beating, your boys took a helluva beating!!!

The Dutch is in resurgent mode after underperforming for about 4 years; reversion to the mean, if you will. Germany seems to headed headed where the Dutch were, if the former don't shape up real quick. Apparently the Dutch haven't beaten the Germans in a competitive match going back at least 5 years...

[wc1934]

Originally Posted by echappist

Where's my post ribbing Germany from a few months back?

Johan Guttenberg, Werner Heisenberg, Max Schmelling, Martin Luther, Count Otto von Bismarck, Ludwig Beethoven, Angela Merkel, can you hear me? Can you hear me, Angie Merkel? Your boys took a helluva beating, your boys took a helluva beating!!!

The Dutch is in resurgent mode after underperforming for about 4 years; reversion to the mean, if you will. Germany seems to headed headed where the Dutch were, if the former don't shape up real quick. Apparently the Dutch haven't beaten the Germans in a competitive match going back at least 5 years...

Didn't see that happening - yeah - I think more like 15.
Will Lowe get any heat (lost last 5 out of 9), is Germany getting old, etc.?
We will find out, as they play France next.

As an aside I just finished reading Ajax, the Dutch, the War : Football in Europe During the Second World War. Pretty informative.

[echappist]

Originally Posted by wc1934

Didn't see that happening - yeah - I think more like 15.
Will Lowe get any heat (lost last 5 out of 9), is Germany getting old, etc.?
We will find out, as they play France next.

As an aside I just finished reading Ajax, the Dutch, the War : Football in Europe During the Second World War. Pretty informative.

apparently more than we both thought. 1992 was the last time de Oranje beat de Mannschaft, back in the 92 Euros.

I knew that Ajax has a proud Jewish heritage; was that one of the big focuses of the book?

[echappist]

for once, people taking responsibilities for wrongs done: https://www.theguardian.com/football...chester-united

compare this to the cat fight btwn 3-nil and Conte last year

[wc1934]

Originally Posted by echappist

for once, people taking responsibilities for wrongs done: https://www.theguardian.com/football...chester-united

compare this to the cat fight btwn 3-nil and Conte last year

Jose showed some class in the interview:

http://www.espn.com/soccer/blog/the-...d-chelsea-draw

[echappist]

Originally Posted by wc1934

Jose showed some class in the interview:

http://www.espn.com/soccer/blog/the-...d-chelsea-draw

and hell freezes over

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as for the PSV Spurs match, well, that was Spursy as hell... can't think of a more kafkaesque way to throwing the game away than to have your keeper get sent off...

interesting match btwn Atleti and BVB. Of course TNT isn't going to show it (though Barça v Inter is a very good match)

[wc1934]

Originally Posted by echappist

and hell freezes over

--------------------------------------

as for the PSV Spurs match, well, that was Spursy as hell... can't think of a more kafkaesque way to throwing the game away than to have your keeper get sent off...

interesting match btwn Atleti and BVB. Of course TNT isn't going to show it (though Barça v Inter is a very good match)

Ohh, my Napoli. so close. Winning 2-1 (and that one was an own goal). 5 minutes of extra time and DiMaria (whom I like) scores - ohhh the heartache.

[echappist]

sorry about the tie. If memory serves correctly, Di Maria played for Napoli previously, right? Very interesting group, as all top three teams have a good chance of going through.

i knew i couldn't get any work done this afternoon anyway, so i went for a ride at 3:30 instead. Got back and just finished watching the second half of the BVB Atleti game. And I have to say, hahahahahahaha, the so-called La Liga tough guys got spanked. Such sore losers, too. I expect bad behavior from Diego Costa, but their entire backline got in on the act...

[echappist]

also, noticed that the starting goalie for both Juve and Napoli are former Arsenal players. Both were actually on Arsenal's books at the same time. Wonder if they regret selling either or both of them, now that Cech is in decline

[echappist]

this perhaps captures my reaction to what happened to Real in La Classica



serves them right for sabotaging their national team

[wc1934]

Sarri sets new Chelsea record:
"Maurizio Sarri has set a new record as the first Chelsea manager ever to go unbeaten in his opening 10 Premier League games.

The former Empoli and Napoli Coach still hasn’t tasted defeat in the tournament since replacing Antonio Conte this season.

Today’s 4-0 demolition of Burnley was achieved without star man Eden Hazard, who was left behind due to an injury.

Sarri has won seven of his first 10 Premier League games, drawing the other three.

Chelsea also won their three Europa League matches and beat Liverpool to reach the fourth round of the Carabao Cup."