Did not expect them to beat Croatia at all. I would not be surprised at all if Turkey lost to Iceland at home though.

I was also rooting for Uzbekistan by the way. It'd have been so cool to see such a relatively obscure nation make the world cup. Similarly in Europe with Montenegro who are in for a very decent shout at making the finals.[/quote]




Not as weird as you think, historically afaik a lot of top Yugoslav and "Serbian" players came from Mongenegro.

And according to the BBC, the clubs have now voted on that and a majority was in favour of it. So it seems that next summer, the ingoing window will close on August 9th and the outgoing will remain open until the current closing date, August 31st.

Frank de Boer got ten weeks before Crystal Palace broke with him. And even earlier they made it clear they wanted him to change style from what he started the season with. It'll be interesting to see who the replacement will be, since they have a history of hiring poor ones, like Alan Pardew. Though Sam Alardyce made a good rescue last season.

Speaking of coaches. In Serie B, Pescara have the super offensive-oriented Zdenek Zeman. Well, their last game was sort of classic Zeman. His team is up 3-0 and yet "manages" to get only 3-3, despite the opponent, Frosinone, having three hits in the frame... By the way, also notice the quality of the goals and so on for a second-tier league:

So true! You should see the hype that occurs here for the US national team. We think qualifying should be guaranteed, but not because of how bad the competition is. Rather because how good we think we are. Our team plays pretty badly and at best we look okay.

I don't know what it's like in other parts of the world, but just the other day I was chatting with a guy who plays for the local community college team and he was saying how bad we looked but said he knows guys that play college ball that is ten times better. etc etc and don't get a chance because the system is rigged or whatever. People here have their heads up their own asses, I swear. The soccer system in the states is so backwards and our pipelines to the pro world are not set up for preparing our guys for success. What you get from a 22 year old fresh out of a D1 college is an uber athlete with scattered one-dimensional soccer programming in their heads. After a decade plus of backwards coaching and systems, they are not prepared at all to succeed.

Yeah, I totally recognize the view of many American players being more of athletes in a general sense than in a soccer-specific way.

Anyway. Messi slaying Juventus by himself in Barcelona's 3-0 victory at home just now. Scoring twice in his characteristic super-smooth way that makes everything looks easy. And the goal in between by Rakitic was also by and large achieved by Messi. I simultaneously watched Roma-Atletico Madrid, where Roma should be happy about it ending 0-0, since Madrid had some really good chances, inclduing a super chance at the end where the finish from Saul Niguez is incredibly bad:

So yeah, as a Celtic fan I can safely say that PSG are to be fucking feared this year. Yeah we didn't come close to our best performance but they just gave us our heaviest European home defeat in history.

Roy Hodgson should just retire. He is seventy years old and hasn't been particularly successful as of recently. That won't change with a team like Crystal Palace. They will probably play in the EFLC next year anyway.

On another note, maybe the Champions League should change its structure and add another preliminary elimination round to focus on four groups with four teams. It isn't particularly interesting to see results like 6-0 or 5-0 in what is supposed to be a league where only the best teams play.

teams get fisted throughout champions league history, its nothing new.

anyway this kind of result is to be expected with such attacking powers. We will see how PSG deals with a proper midfield/defense.

1. That suggestion would only preserve some establishment of clubs, and make it harder for not only clubs from smaller leagues, but also clubs from big leagues but with lower budgets to reach the CL. Basically, your suggestion helps those who already have, and encourage others to have, a random rich guy pumping in money in order to have a living toy in the CL. Not very sound for football.
2. The CL was never about being limited to the best in some general European sense, but about the best from various countries, not just the big ones.

Also, if games with teams closer to each other in quality is your preference, why choose to watch Celtic-PSG, Bayern Munich-Anderlecht, Manchester U-Basel or Chelsea-Qarabag when at the same time there is Roma-Atletico Madrid and Barcelona-Juventus? The group stage schedule rarely has a match day with only games where the winner is clearly expected beforehand.

Or you could just wait for the quarter-finals or so before watching the CL.

Olympiacos - Sporting Lisbon 2-3. It was 0-3 on the first half. Easily could have been 0-5. We scored the two goals at the final two minutes of the game, both scored by the same player who got in the pitch 15 minutes before the match ended. If the game had a couple more minutes left we could even win. Fucked up completely.

We are a new team (again, each time we reach a level of cohesion, we sell...) and this could be a good team actually, it just needs a lot of fine tuning and players to get to know each other on the pitch. But until then we are in for some serious shit, like this first game. We never did well on CL beginnings but this time this was the only match that we HAD to win to secure our continuation to the UEFA rounds (obviously Barca and Juve are out of our league). So, needless to say, it's gonna take a miracle for this year not be one of our worst in history. I think we are lucky Ernesto Valverde is now the coach of Barcelona, since we have a long history together and our fans love him and the feeling is mutual, so I think he will spare us and not completely rape us.

I've always had a soft spot for Olympiacos. Probably for stupid reasons like I've always liked your club badge and I've always been a bit of a Hellenophile but every year I've hoped to be drawn with you guys. Personally I think Celtic Vs Olympiacos would be some great games.

There's some crackers on tonight. Tottenham-Dortmund, Shaktar Napoli and Liverpool-Sevilla all sound like belters on paper.

I have a very soft spot for Scotland myself, not only because it's just so cool and the accent is aces but also because I've spent the first two years of my life in Scotland (Dundee in particular).

At this point in time they would be great in the sense you would win spectacularly!

Liverpool is one of the other two fave teams since I was a kid. They are capable for the best and the worst, usually during the same season or even week. I think I'll be watching that one

What's the status of the new player Hrvoje Milic? Apparently he wasn't even in the squad yesterday, is he not registered in the CL squad or injured or something? He used to play for my team and it would be cool to see him against Messi and others in that CL group.

Yeah, he's not registered in the CL squad. As I was saying sometime ago, our defence the past two years has been one of the worst we had in decades, so a lot of money were spent this year and Milic is second in line for the position of left back, so it remains to be seen how he will perform in Greece to see if he will be back on the list in the winter. Although, that might prove too late because I don't like our chances to make it to UEFA this year. A lot of Greek friends were kinda pissed that he was left out, there are quite a few people who believe in him.

Maybe not facing Messi right now is a good thing for his career man!

Woy Hodgson back in top flight football. Unbelievable.

Lovely winning goal for my team last night in the energy drink trophy.

http://youtu.be/po6Q9sMvAng

Spurs at Wembley next Tuesday.

I thought you (and the description-writer on Youtube) meant some cup specifically for the clubs below the PL. And I didn't make the connection to that game being the one that made you face Tottenham. Turned out to be the League Cup. Competitions change brand names all the time, so it's easier to just stick to their classic names.

Anyway, though Tottenham had several chances for more goals in their 3-1 win against Dortmund, there's some feeling of them gotten away with something. Mainly because Aubameyang had a 2-2 equalizer incorrectly disallowed for offside. Also, Roman Bürki need to understand that it's his responsibility to have the first post in situations like Tottenhams first two goals. Let the defenders handle the passes. Though good performances by Son and Kane respectively in those situations. Fine goal by Yarmolenko for Dortmund too, calm and precise.

The English commentators were awful. First the expert/pundit apparently don't know that offsides ara called if someone offside is effecting the game, not just by touching the ball. Then everyone could see there was a touch that should have meant corner, and the same guy says "no, clearly between the legs". And then both commentators believed Verthongen got a red card directly, one of them even saying that the situation was worthy of a yellow card but not a red one. Fact is, it was his second yellow...

Also kept an eye on Liverpool-Sevilla (2-2). Firmino missed a penalty late in the first half, when scoring would have meant 3-1. And Sevilla's first goal could have been easily avoided by Lovren who instead got the ball under his foot so that Ben Yedder could score behind him. Overall the feeling was that Sevilla should be really happy with one point due to how the game was. But then again, Muriel missed a great chance at the end.

Interesting that Shakhtar Donetsk won over Napoli, with 2-1. And Besiktas managed to win with 3-1 away against Porto.

Sorry - bit misleading due to me being flippant regards the name of the competition. There is a competition for teams in the third and fourth tiers (which we won in 2016) but this has also been ruined by the powers that be.

I thought Spurs were very lucky and I agree there was nothing wrong with Dortmund's second goal.

Who were the English commentators and what channel were you watching on?

I don't know the names but it was these two speaking:

The play by play guy is Guy Mowbray who I generally think is quite good. I'm not sure who the other guy is though.

It will be a Spurs player from the 80s or 90s but I don't recognise the voice.

Seems like the aforementioned PL change of the transfer window, to it ending before the first round of the season, also has big support in Serie A and Bundesliga. So looks like more leagues will make the change, which is good.

Speaking of Bundesliga. Hertha Berlin-Werder Bremen during the weekend was the first time a woman was the main referee in a mens Bundesliga game. Highlights:
http://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga ... 458728.jsp

I know there's been a woman on the line in the PL. But not sure if there's been a woman main referee in any of the big leagues before this.

Arsenal and Everton proving yet again that the Premiership is disgustingly expensive tripe.

Well, Arsenal won quite comfortably anyway, and should have won with more goals than the 3-1 they ended up with.

But man, Everton's defense on Cristante's goal for 3-0...



And Atalanta aren't even playing on their regular home field, but on Sassuolo's.

Also watched Hertha Berlin-Athletic Bilbao, 0-0. I'd say Bilbao were closest to winning. Otherwise noticeable that Apollon Limassol got 1-1 against Lyon (in the same group as Everton and Atalanta), Braga defeated Hoffenheim away with 2-1, and Vitesse Arnhem were in the lead twice against Lazio but lost 2-3.

My club is in the process of being taken over by a consortium including Billy Beane who will be more famous to any Americans reading this (if any!)

Exciting times.

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/fo ... -1-8754896

Tomorrow we are live on sky sports against Aston Villa and celebrating our 130th anniversary so would be nice if an announcement is made then.

I read that letter from your club's terminally ill chairman to your fans. Very moving and he certainly gets my respect. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41249300

Well, there are examples of changes like that lifting a club to greatness and also alot of examples where the result is the opposite, plumming down the league system. I'm sure you've noticed that as a close follower of specifically the English leagues throughout the years.

A baseball guy taking over a football club...

Still annoyed that Cologne didn't destroy Arsenal.

i watched vitesse - lazio. Lazio really got away with more than they should have, classic example of dutch team playing fairly well and then screwing up due to inexperience and/or bad luck. Anyway Vitesse usually is pretty decent by the end of the season but start fairly bad and this year they seem to be on point from the start. I can see them go to the next round in the europa league fairly easily if they get the defensive automatisms in order.

Our big day ended in disaster as expected. I would say our keeper should have his hands chopped off but he plays like he already has. Bloody useless.

http://youtu.be/PtNrwPpkb7M

So what's up with Real Madrid at the moment? I know it's early days, but they're 7 points behind Barca after only 5 games (makes me feel slightly better about Liverpool's indifferent start... but only slightly). Is Zidane under much pressure? They're notorious for being ruthless with their managers, so I have to wonder how they'd treat a club legend who has won 2 European Cups and a league title in less than 2 years there.

I haven't seen all their games. But I saw for example the game against Valencia, and Real Madrid had lots of great chances to win by several goals. And it seems to have been the case in more games where they have lost points. I don't think Zidane is under any significant pressure.

I will never understand when penalty-takers shoot the ball in the middle of the goald without waiting for the goalkeeper to leave the middle. I know that statistically, it's a good spot to aim at, but obviously not without waiting. Leicster just were about to get back from 1-3 to 3-3 against Liverpool, but stupid Jaimie Vardy just blasted it in the middle where Mignolet still were. If anyone, it's the goalkeeper who have to chance going to a direction before the shot is made. But when shooters do like Vardy, then they take it upon themselves to chance that the goalkeeper will chance, which is only increasing the odds for the goalkeeper.

And about Real Madrid, I saw their game today away against Alavés. It looked like previous games. That is, the opponents create enough chances to take a point or even three, but Real Madrid also create enough great chances to win by way more than they did, which today was 2-1.

To be fair though, Mignolet is bloody useless so Vardy must have backed himself to score.

We lost 2-1 today to Wolverhampton Wanderers ☹️

Ajax is performing badly after selling as many players as possible in the last couple years. The new coach must suck!
Feyenoord is performing badly as well so far but the cause seems less clear as the squad remained mostly intact.

Something I'd never seen before: RB Leipzig striker Werner had to be subbed off in the first half against Besiktas due to the intense noise the turkish fans were producing. It seems he has hearing problems and was having trouble keeping his balance.

Also, astonishing 3-0 away victory by Porto against Monaco. Although I wanted them to win, it was completely unexpected I have to say. Despite losing Mendy, Mbappé and Bernardo Silva, Monaco are still going strong in the league under Jardim.

Edit: I wrote goalkeeper meant striker. Almost the same.

Apparently, Werner had nauseas and tried to fix it by using earplugs. Turkish media wrote that this was due to the noise made by Turkish fans. That sounds more like propaganda to me. Werner has played in front of similarly big and noisy crowds with his team and the national squad and didn't have any problems at all. He was probably just not feeling well and the noise might have contributed to his growing sickness.

On the other side, it's great to hear and see so many dedicated Turkish fans in the stadium. It would be great if they were just as dedicated to protest against their borderline dictatorial government.

Well said.

To their defense, making alot of noise at a game isn't going to get them killed or imprisoned, which tend to be the consequence of protesting dictators.

Anyway, Paris Saint-Germain won impressiveley with 3-0 against Bayern Munich. And poor Atletico Madrid conceded a losing goal against Chelsea at the very end.

And speaking of the unexpected 3-0 win by Porto away against Monaco. Another Portuguese club got mangled in Switzerland, when Basel beat Benfica with 5-0. Granted, the last two goals were after a red card with about half an hour left to play. Since Benfica lost the opening game at home against CSKA Moscow, and they are now facing Manchester U in the next two rounds, chances are they will be at 0p after four rounds.

Just read that Carlo Ancelotti have been fired from Bayern Munich, along with four people in his stab. The assistant Willy Sagnol replaces temporarily, and Hoffenheim's Julian Nagelsmann is reportedly expected to take over for next season.

Interesting considering it's so early in the season and they are only three points from the top of the league and on second place in their CL group after two games.

Apparently, Bayern Munich tried to get Nagelsmann to some assistant or youth team job earlier in his career, but he preferred to be the head coach in Hoffenheim, where he's done a great job. He's one of those intersting young coaches with very limited experience as a player. He's only 30 and ended his player career at U19 level due to injuries.

Besiktas holds the world record for loudest fans iirc, also Besiktas is kinda the anarchist club and has a history of being anti government.