March 9, 20214 yr 10 hours ago, Dave Moss said: I seem to remember Saleh exiting a Champions League final after getting tangled up with Sergio Ramos. I’m guessing Messi saw plenty of physical play although maybe not on a weekly basis. I think it's different in the PL. I think the league is very different and some players would take great joy in laying one on Messi.
March 9, 20214 yr No doubt the Madrid teams are tough which is in part why they are so successful in the CL. However, that old mid-Feb game in Stoke comment describing a top team's travels to a bottom half team's sheet pitch to meet players willing to play rough holds real merit. A trip by Real down south in mid-Feb to face say Cadiz just isn't going to produce the same level of physical (or mental for that matter) hardship.
March 10, 20214 yr 2021 and Man Utd FINALLY has a Football Director. Good read on John if click the Tweet.
March 10, 20214 yr What an embarrassing loss for Juventus. They’re out. Porto and Dortmund are through.
March 10, 20214 yr Author On 3/9/2021 at 5:23 AM, DrPhilly said: No doubt the Madrid teams are tough which is in part why they are so successful in the CL. However, that old mid-Feb game in Stoke comment describing a top team's travels to a bottom half team's sheet pitch to meet players willing to play rough holds real merit. A trip by Real down south in mid-Feb to face say Cadiz just isn't going to produce the same level of physical (or mental for that matter) hardship. Agreed on the physicality. On a 1v1 basis, La Liga teams have been better top to bottom over the last decade (though that has probably flipped recently as La Liga was trending down and is currently in financial crisis while even relegation candidates in the EPL get major money from the TV contracts). EPL fans don’t want to hear it, but La Liga has been far and away superior both technically and tactically over the last generation. Not even close, really. On the flip side, you’re absolutely right that the EPL is a much more physical game and carries a toll on the body that La Liga doesn’t. The grind just isn’t the same, and it’s a legitimate question to wonder how, say, the Pep Barca teams would have faired in the EPL given the stature of Messi, Iniesta, Xavi, etc. Does such a small team survive? Or thrive? Real has been kind of an exception in that they favor physicality. Heck, a lot of their players came from the EPL or are currently playing in it. They have the luxury of bringing in players with both physical and technical attributes though, where as the smaller clubs have to pick one or the other, or otherwise just end up developing and selling those types of guys. Mentally, ehhhh, not so sure about that one. Spanish fans are at a different level of (in)civility than English fans and the fields can be really bad as smaller clubs stadiums. I’d much rather play away with English butts in the seats than psycho Spaniards throwing dead animals and shooting flares at me, though the weather is obviously much more taxing in England. I’d say it’s a wash mentally.
March 15, 20214 yr 2026 we coming. Valencia midfielder Yunus Musah will represent the United States at international level. Musah, 18, made the announcement in conjunction with the U.S. Soccer Federation, and it amounts to the latest successful recruiting of a player eligible to represent multiple countries, following Barcelona defender Sergino Dest's choosing of the USMNT over Netherlands in October 2 019
March 15, 20214 yr Author 4 minutes ago, DaEagles4Life said: 2026 we coming. Valencia midfielder Yunus Musah will represent the United States at international level. Musah, 18, made the announcement in conjunction with the U.S. Soccer Federation, and it amounts to the latest successful recruiting of a player eligible to represent multiple countries, following Barcelona defender Sergino Dest's choosing of the USMNT over Netherlands in October 2 019 Finally it’s official! As the resident La Liga fan, let me tell you all to be excited about this recruit! This kid has been a high end player for Valencia as a 17 year old. Very versatile — CM, AM, RW, he can play them all. Lots of pace, solid strength and balance on the ball, good technique which should continue to improve with time. The only real "issue” I see is that his best role is probably as a B2B CM, so he’s competing with McKennie. He’s also more of a run at the defender type of player using his pace, while the USMNT is trying to evolve from a counter attacking style to possession. I don’t think he has the upside of Reyna, but he should develop into a champions league starter level player. Our midfield is shaping up to potentially be one of the best in the world. Reyna, McKennie, Adams, and Musah is one hell of a young quartet.
March 17, 20214 yr Friendlies vs Ireland and Jamaica. McKinnie is out healing injuries. The 26 players on the roster have an average of 11 appearances for the USMNT, with 14 players having less than nine caps. Due to COVID-19 quarantine restrictions, seven players will return to their club teams after the Jamaica match: Reyna, John Brooks, Reggie Cannon, Chris Richards, Tyler Adams, Josh Sargent and Tim Weah. The full roster by position (club/country, caps/goals in parentheses): Goalkeepers (3): Ethan Horvath (Club Brugge/Belgium; 4/0), Chituru Odunze (Leicester City/England; 0/0), Zack Steffen (Manchester City/England; 19/0) Defenders (10): John Brooks (Wolfsburg/Germany; 39/3), Reggie Cannon (Boavista/Portugal; 13/0), Sergiño Dest (Barcelona/Spain; 5/0), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls; 19/3), Matt Miazga (Anderlecht/Belgium; 20/1), Erik Palmer-Brown (Austria Wien/Austria; 2/0), Tim Ream (Fulham/England; 41/1), Bryan Reynolds (Roma/Italy; 0/0), Chris Richards (Hoffenheim/Germany; 1/0), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/England; 8/0) Midfielders (7): Brenden Aaronson (Red Bull Salzburg/Austria; 2/1), Kellyn Acosta (Colorado Rapids; 25/2) Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig/Germany; 12/1), Luca de la Torre (Heracles/Netherlands; 1/0), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy; 18/4), Yunus Musah (Valencia/Spain; 2/0), Owen Otasowie (Wolverhampton Wanderers/England; 1/0) Forwards (6): Daryl Dike (Barnsley/England; 1/0), Nicholas Gioacchini (Caen/France; 2/2), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea/England; 34/14), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund/Germany; 2/1), Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen/Germany; 12/5), Tim Weah (Lille/France; 10/1)
March 18, 20214 yr Sad game for Athleti this evening. They made some noise in the first five minutes but thereafter it was a dominating Chelsea performance. 6th straight clean sheet for Chelsea.
March 18, 20214 yr Author 7 minutes ago, DrPhilly said: Sad game for Athleti this evening. They made some noise in the first five minutes but thereafter it was a dominating Chelsea performance. 6th straight clean sheet for Chelsea. You love to see it!
March 25, 20214 yr Author This Mexican team is so damn dirty. Can't stand them. Really wish we had the A team with Pulisic and company to curb stomp them 5-0.
March 25, 20214 yr 12 minutes ago, TEW said: This Mexican team is so damn dirty. Can't stand them. Really wish we had the A team with Pulisic and company to curb stomp them 5-0. When are they not? That's usually their MO when they can't beat you straight up.
March 29, 20214 yr 4 hours ago, DaEagles4Life said: Who gives a crap about the Olympics Amen to that! Olympics football is terrible. I mean the rules around only allowing so many players over 23? What a load of rubbish. How does that help to determine who the best team is?
April 5, 20214 yr 6 hours ago, DaEagles4Life said: Props to Valencia for not putting up with that garbage anymore This is the kind of stand that all teams need to be taking to be honest. I'm seeing more and more reports of racist abuse and its really sad to see.
April 6, 20214 yr How fitting would it be if Man Utd. loaned player Jesse Lingard playing for West Ham is able to keep Liverpool outside of the Top 4.
April 7, 20214 yr On 4/6/2021 at 2:18 AM, DaEagles4Life said: How fitting would it be if Man Utd. loaned player Jesse Lingard playing for West Ham is able to keep Liverpool outside of the Top 4. West Ham has a real shot but there are about five teams sitting there fighting for that last spot.
April 7, 20214 yr Author Man Liverpool got their arse kicked by Madrid. Didn’t see it goi g down like that.
April 7, 20214 yr 2 hours ago, DrPhilly said: ManU has a real shot but there are about five teams sitting there fighting for that last spot. Eight games left and 8 points up from 4th spot so they should be good to go.
April 7, 20214 yr 7 minutes ago, DaEagles4Life said: Eight games left and 8 points up from 4th spot so they should be good to go. Oops I wrote ManU but meant West Ham. I’ll fix my post.
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