• The KillerFrogs

2023-2024 European Football Thread

Purp

Purp

Active Member
Moose Stuff said:


Hoppe > Lewandowski. Please respect my decision.
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Wow. You don't accidentally score 5 goals in your first 3 matches in the Bundesliga for a club that had been on a historic run of bad form before you got on the pitch. Most of his goals aren't terribly special strikes, but the sample size seems large enough now to conclude he's got a special knack for putting himself in the right spot at the right time (step 1) and then converting when the ball drops on his feet (step 2). The USMNT has historically had a lot of guys pretty gifted at step 1 or step 2, but very seldom step 1 and 2 together.

As I said before, it's not like he's doing this surrounded by a roster full of world beaters. He's a very young guy with a fairly unimpressive pedigree surrounded by a bunch of older guys with fairly unimpressive pedigrees relative to the rest of the league and he's standing out like a prodigy. He's got 5 of his team's last 6 goals and is single handedly responsible for their only win since last season. It's a dreadful support system for a young guy to have, yet here he is producing prodigiously. My interest has been piqued.

ETA: Though the stats make it look like Schalke had the front foot most of the match they still lost to a relegation zone Koln side, which further illustrates the point about how bad his support system must be there.
 
M

Moose Stuff

Active Member
Purp said:
Wow. You don't accidentally score 5 goals in your first 3 matches in the Bundesliga for a club that had been on a historic run of bad form before you got on the pitch. Most of his goals aren't terribly special strikes, but the sample size seems large enough now to conclude he's got a special knack for putting himself in the right spot at the right time (step 1) and then converting when the ball drops on his feet (step 2). The USMNT has historically had a lot of guys pretty gifted at step 1 or step 2, but very seldom step 1 and 2 together.

As I said before, it's not like he's doing this surrounded by a roster full of world beaters. He's a very young guy with a fairly unimpressive pedigree surrounded by a bunch of older guys with fairly unimpressive pedigrees relative to the rest of the league and he's standing out like a prodigy. He's got 5 of his team's last 6 goals and is single handedly responsible for their only win since last season. It's a dreadful support system for a young guy to have, yet here he is producing prodigiously. My interest has been piqued.

ETA: Though the stats make it look like Schalke had the front foot most of the match they still lost to a relegation zone Koln side, which further illustrates the point about how bad his support system must be there.
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Yep. And I'd add that it also casts a shadow on what Sargent has done while surrounded by better talent (though still not great).
 
Chongo94

Chongo94

Active Member
Apparently Fulham’s new stand, when it is completed, will have a rooftop swimming pool.

Edit: I believe it will only be open on non-match days.
 
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Purp

Purp

Active Member
Chongo94 said:
Apparently Fulham’s new stand, was nice completed, will have a rooftop swimming pool.

Edit: I believe it will only be open on non-match days.
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It looks really awesome. I watched their match last weekend and they still had scaffolding everywhere. Surprised it's already completed. The commentators did mention that they were broadcasting from it. One day I'm going to England to see a Spurs game and I intend to take in a match at Craven Cottage also.
 
M

MAcFroggy

Active Member
Wow. liverpool goes down to Burnley. Had a feeling Liverpool home win streak would end during this weird season, but I did not think it would be at the hands of Burnley.
 
Purp

Purp

Active Member
Tyler Adams just scored his first Bundesliga goal.

Came off of a heavy strike off the crossbar and he was the only guy crashing the net. Keeper was well positioned for the save, but Tyler made a very poised play to deftly touch it by him.
 
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Purp

Purp

Active Member
Sargent scored a stunner just now. They said the opportunity had a 2% chance of going in.

Hit from about 25 yards after a really nice turn and swerved away from the keeper. Really great strike.
 
Purp

Purp

Active Member
Sargent has looked good in this one. He's strong on the ball. A really good target forward. He wins long balls, holds them up well to find runners off of him. If I had one criticism from what I've seen this year it's that his work rate could improve, but it's not bad and I may be holding him to too high a standard. He may just not be that type of player. He's looking like more of a McBride than a super quick striker who can create his own shot from anywhere.
 
Purp

Purp

Active Member
Moose Stuff said:


Better than Pulisic?
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I think they're different types of players. Hard to compare. Sorta like comparing an elite shortstop to an elite center fielder.

I think Pulisic has more individual skill and maybe even speed. But I think Weston will end up having a better career. He may not score as many goals or have as many assists as Pulisic, but I think he'll be more valuable to his clubs and be much more durable.
 
dawg

dawg

Active Member
dawg said:
Chelsea have claimed 50.98% of available points so far this season. That's worse than every other manager when Abramovich canned them. Makes you wonder just how much leash being a legend who won pretty much every piece of silverware in the building will buy him. MHO: not very much more.

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...re-no-chelsea-manager-has-ever-survived-worse
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Looks like time ran out for Lamps today. But Tuchel?

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jan/25/chelsea-set-to-sack-frank-lampard-premier-league
 
dawg

dawg

Active Member
Portland Frog said:
I don't know squat about Tuchel. I know he was sacked @ PSG earlier in the year.
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Replaced Klopp (no pressure, right) @ Dortmund and brought Pulisic into the 1st XI. Then left forPSG and got them to the CL Final last season. But I seem to remember his tenures ending badly at both clubs.

You gents heard NBC is shutting fown NBCSN? Supposedly, EPL matches will head to USA but watch a lot more head to Peacock. NBC’s EPL deal ends after the 21-22 season, and I’m afraid whoever gets the rights next will park them on a streaming service. Really sad, because NBC did a great job with EPL. A far cry from the days of watching EPL ON Fox Sports World.

https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/SB-Blogs/Breaking-News/2021/01/NBCSN.aspx
 

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