• The KillerFrogs

2023-2024 European Football Thread

Purp

Active Member
Good analysis on Pepi's move to Augsburg. He's going to have tons of pressure on him to produce results immediately. They're in a relegation battle, but the point about possession % and shots generated is an interesting one. They're aren't your typical team fighting relegation and getting dominated every weekend. They just need a lethal scorer who can capitalize on the chances they create. We'll definitely know by Qatar if Pepi is our #9. No chance Augsburg spends that kind of money on the kid to bench him after a few weeks if he doesn't produce.

 

Purp

Active Member
And Nottingham Forest knocked off Arsenal -- for the 2nd time in four years.
Forest have a ton of history. For a while last season they appeared to be in position to compete for promotion. I'm not sure why the wheels came off, but they faded hard in the back half of the campaign. I'd love to see them eventually earn a spot back in the Premiership. Forest were a legendary club before the corporate sponsorships swept in and took over the English top flight. I love seeing some of those historic clubs find their way in the brave new world.
 

Purp

Active Member
I wasn't able to watch last weekend, but I plan to watch next weekend. Hope he finds his way into the starting 11 soon and has a Hoppe type impact right off the bat. Augsburg appears way better positioned than Schalke to actually compete and stay up if they can find a guy to score goals.

 

dawg

Active Member
Forest have a ton of history. For a while last season they appeared to be in position to compete for promotion. I'm not sure why the wheels came off, but they faded hard in the back half of the campaign. I'd love to see them eventually earn a spot back in the Premiership. Forest were a legendary club before the corporate sponsorships swept in and took over the English top flight. I love seeing some of those historic clubs find their way in the brave new world.
Absolutely this. Brian Clough and two European Cups. Not sure if he's still there, but Dr Middleton in the religion dept was a massive Forest supporter. I had a course with him right around the time I was getting interested in football, and he was kind enough to spend many an office hour discussing the game/educating a newb.
 
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Purp

Active Member
Absolutely this. Brian Clough and two European Cups. Not sure if he's still there, but Dr Middleton in the religion dept was a massive Forest supporter. I had a course with him right around the time I was getting interested in football, and he was kind enough to spend many an office hour discussing the game/educating a newb.
I worked as a consultant for an English project manager about 15 years ago who was a huge Forest supporter. He refused to keep up with the Premiership in protest of what it had become and how that pushed his club to the fringes. My deeper exposure to Forest and their history was in a book. I can't remember which one, but it was likely Soccernomics. Can't remember the authors, but it was basically the soccer equivalent to Money Ball. You ARSEnal supporters might enjoy it b/c there's a pretty heavy focus on Wenger and his strategies for evaluating and securing talent. It would remind you of the Gunners' glory days. Anyway, I remember reading that before I got married and discussing it with Gareth after our project had ended and he confirmed everything the book said about Forest. He's still angry about it to this day.
 
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