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Posted

Arsenal are an abject tire fire. We get needs to go, would probably be signed to a new contract if he dies. Alexis is gone, Ozil will follow...who’s going to want to come in?

 

Between this, the Sabres, and the Mets, I’m starting to think the problem is me...

 

Effective immediately I am A leafs, ManU, and Yankees fan... nah, who am I kidding, I enjoy the pain....

*Wenger, not we get. Stoopid phone...

Posted

Arsenal are an abject tire fire. We get needs to go, would probably be signed to a new contract if he dies. Alexis is gone, Ozil will follow...who’s going to want to come in?

 

Between this, the Sabres, and the Mets, I’m starting to think the problem is me...

 

Effective immediately I am A leafs, ManU, and Yankees fan... nah, who am I kidding, I enjoy the pain....

*Wenger, not we get. Stoopid phone...

 

Hope for Malcom & Aubameyang.

 

Then hope Arsenal will be able to fully develop Malcom and that Aubameyang grows up a lil.

Posted

Hope for Malcom & Aubameyang.

 

Then hope Arsenal will be able to fully develop Malcom and that Aubameyang grows up a lil.

 

Aubameyang scores a ton of goals for Dortmund but he also blows more chances than most "world class" strikers.

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

Two goals from Wolcott in his first appearance with Everton. THIS IS HOW IT WILL ALWAYS BE AND YOU CAN'T CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE.

As an arsenal fan who's dealt with him for almost 12 years... this is how it will be at random intervals between long stretches of watching him run fast in a straight line and not do much else...

Posted

As an arsenal fan who's dealt with him for almost 12 years... this is how it will be at random intervals between long stretches of watching him run fast in a straight line and not do much else.

 

A gooner I follow on twitter called him the Drew Stafford of the EPL and that just about made d4rk and I cry.

Posted

A gooner I follow on twitter called him the Drew Stafford of the EPL and that just about made d4rk and I cry.

Good god, that's an apt comparison.

 

Oh, and also: dude has no ability to comprehend the offside rule. Enjoy watching the linesmen do flag girl routines...

Posted

So, the winter transfer window is closed.  No time to look at all the deals, but no real big stars moved as far as I can tell.

 

Also, many will be pleased with the big win yesterday by Everton.  I think that side as done very well to stave off a real threat of relegation earlier in the season.

Posted

So, the winter transfer window is closed.  No time to look at all the deals, but no real big stars moved as far as I can tell.

 

Also, many will be pleased with the big win yesterday by Everton.  I think that side as done very well to stave off a real threat of relegation earlier in the season.

 

P-E Aubameyang forced his way out of Dortmund and signed with Arsenal. Ousmane Dembele forced his way out last year (to Barcelona). As a Dortmund fan, it's clear they want to make money and not necessarily compete at the highest level. Christian Pulisic has to be watching this and thinking his future lies elsewhere - everyone figures he will land at Liverpool, but I still think Bayern Munich might come calling for him.

Posted

^

 

It's a shame.

 

I'm still becoming accustomed to the very hurly-burly (sp?) ways in which international footballers move, rise, and then fall among clubs of different tiers, quality, and resources.

 

It's a persisting irony to me: The USA fancies itself a bastion of free markets, but our professional sports associations are very much influenced by principles that are, well, the opposite of how free markets work. Lots of monopolies and other permitted anti-competitive conduct, for starters. OTOH, Europe is often referred to as a network of declining socialist states. Yet, their pro sports associations are governed by very cut-throat free market principles.

 

Are you a good player who's become a great player? Okay, then, you leave your role as a Chelsea reserve (or whatever) and go to Liverpool. Are you a great player who's become an elite player? Okay, then, you leave Liverpool and go to Barcelona.

 

Oh, and are you a club that's bleeding cash and unable to maintain payroll? Okay, well, then - you fold. Or you topple down from the top flight into the second division.

 

It's amazing, really. North American sports can't hold a candle to the intrigue that comes out of international soccer.

Posted

^

 

It's a shame.

 

I'm still becoming accustomed to the very hurly-burly (sp?) ways in which international footballers move, rise, and then fall among clubs of different tiers, quality, and resources.

 

It's a persisting irony to me: The USA fancies itself a bastion of free markets, but our professional sports associations are very much influenced by principles that are, well, the opposite of how free markets work. Lots of monopolies and other permitted anti-competitive conduct, for starters. OTOH, Europe is often referred to as a network of declining socialist states. Yet, their pro sports associations are governed by very cut-throat free market principles.

 

Are you a good player who's become a great player? Okay, then, you leave your role as a Chelsea reserve (or whatever) and go to Liverpool. Are you a great player who's become an elite player? Okay, then, you leave Liverpool and go to Barcelona.

 

Oh, and are you a club that's bleeding cash and unable to maintain payroll? Okay, well, then - you fold. Or you topple down from the top flight into the second division.

 

It's amazing, really. North American sports can't hold a candle to the intrigue that comes out of international soccer.

 

I do find the relegation battles to be exciting. If you're a bad team you still have to fight for every possible point (i.e., no tanking a season for draft reasons).

 

I think the North American counter to the European system is we try to keep leagues as competitive as possible top-to-bottom since this is better for TV ratings and overall fan interest (?)... it also caps costs for the richer clubs. But, I get your analogy of this being a bit more "socialist" of a system. Here it is more about the league (we have very powerful commissioners) and less about individual clubs.

Posted

I do find the relegation battles to be exciting. If you're a bad team you still have to fight for every possible point (i.e., no tanking a season for draft reasons).

 

I think the North American counter to the European system is we try to keep leagues as competitive as possible top-to-bottom since this is better for TV ratings and overall fan interest (?)... it also caps costs for the richer clubs. But, I get your analogy of this being a bit more "socialist" of a system. Here it is more about the league (we have very powerful commissioners) and less about individual clubs.

 

Relegation games are incredibly exciting. And there's a ton of money at stake, to boot.

 

That's a fair observation on how the NA system differs from Europe. I hear you on capping costs for the richer clubs, but, really -- if the Yankees were at liberty to spend $350M on payroll, would they? They probably would. I don't think the ultra-rich clubs really want to be constrained in what they spend.

 

Part of the difference lies in the reality that, with soccer, there are multiple top-flight leagues and top-flight clubs competing for the same talent. If "Sidney Crosby" had started out with Tottenham Hotspur, he'd have long since jetted for Real Madrid, or whatever.

  • 1 month later...
Posted

International breaks, especially one like this where nobody's even qualifying for anything, are absolutely soul-crushing.  

 

Gibraltar-Latvia, Faroe Islands-Liechtenstein, Kuwait-Cameroon on offer today, and that's it.  Blech.  

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