****OFFICIAL SOCCER THREAD****

[UK_EaglesFan89]

1 hour ago, DaEagles4Life said:

 

Talk about Fed 

La Liga looks like a crap fest this year and the first year on ESPN. 

 

Oh wow! Barca could be train wreck this year then. 

[Dave Moss]

I don’t really understand what’s going on with Barca, but I kind of laughed when I saw Messi agreed to take a 50% pay cut and they still couldn’t sign him.  Apparently the deal with CVC Capital that they needed to go through to sign Messi was a hail mary of sorts, but it would have given CVC 10% of league revenue for 50 years.  No wonder the big clubs are against the deal.

[Dave Moss]

 

[DaEagles4Life]

48 minutes ago, Dave Moss said:

I don’t really understand what’s going on with Barca, but I kind of laughed when I saw Messi agreed to take a 50% pay cut and they still couldn’t sign him.  Apparently the deal with CVC Capital that they needed to go through to sign Messi was a hail mary of sorts, but it would have given CVC 10% of league revenue for 50 years.  No wonder the big clubs are against the deal.

I read it was a La Liga and being over a salary cap of sorts. That is why in the tweet above says they need to cut x amount of dollars to sign the new guys. 

What I read was the Barca President thought La Liga would bend the rules for them because it's Messi and LA Liga wouldn't want to lose Messi. Well it backfired. 

 

Even if Messi had offered to play the 2021-22 season without a salary, Barcelona would not have met La Liga’s salary regulations. Had Messi stayed, Barcelona’s annual salary would have accounted for 110 per cent of their income, but even with him off the books, the remaining figure is still 95 per cent. To comply with La Liga’s regulations, they need to bring it down to 70 per cent.

"Why Lionel Messi couldn't have stayed at Barcelona even if he played for free" https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/lionel-messi-barcelona-wages-la-liga-salary-cap-play-free-why-1141150/amp

[we_gotta_believe]

PSG out on Pogba, still gonna be a force to be reckoned with though. 

[Dave Moss]

It’s gonna be weird to see Sergio Ramos and Messi playing on the same team.

[UK_EaglesFan89]

4 hours ago, DaEagles4Life said:

read it was a La Liga and being over a salary cap of sorts. That is why in the tweet above says they need to cut x amount of dollars to sign the new guys

That's the best of it... They couldn't keep Messi AND they can't officially sign the guys they brought in during the summer until they sell players. But teams in la liga can't afford to sign their players and other than their stars none of the others are going to go to top teams around Europe.

[DrPhilly]

On 8/9/2021 at 8:17 AM, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

I think, unfortunately, this is going to be a huge signing for Chelsea. They needed a really good striker to finish their chances and Lukaku gives them that. With the chances they will create through their creative players this is massive for them. 

fyp

[FranklinFldEBUpper]

It's not a new season without Arsenal laying an egg out of the gate.

[DrPhilly]

10 hours ago, FranklinFldEBUpper said:

It's not a new season without Arsenal laying an egg out of the gate.

They are entering a risky period.  They really need to have a good year and climb back into the top four.

Overall I think ManU is being overlooked a bit.  City is the clear favorite and Chelsea, fresh off the CL win, are this year's popular choice pretty lads.  ManU has had an excellent xfer season and is primed to make a run.  Liverpool is the unknown at this point.  I can't see anyone else challenging for the top spot.  Of course there are a number of teams that can threaten the top four.

[UK_EaglesFan89]

37 minutes ago, DrPhilly said:

They are entering a risky period.  They really need to have a good year and climb back into the top four.

Overall I think ManU is being overlooked a bit.  City is the clear favorite and Chelsea, fresh off the CL win, are this year's popular choice pretty lads.  ManU has had an excellent xfer season and is primed to make a run.  Liverpool is the unknown at this point.  I can't see anyone else challenging for the top spot.  Of course there are a number of teams that can threaten the top four.

Arsenal are done bud. That club has zero strategy, no long term vision, no short term plan to improve. They are done. 

As for United, I don't think they are going being overlooked and I don't think they are going to compete for the league. I think 3rd (or 4th) and possibly a cup this year for united. I don't think Ole is a good manager and although they've added 2 quality players their midfield is a major issue. They haven't addressed CM and that's going to hurt them I think. 

[DrPhilly]

2 hours ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

Arsenal are done bud. That club has zero strategy, no long term vision, no short term plan to improve. They are done. 

As for United, I don't think they are going being overlooked and I don't think they are going to compete for the league. I think 3rd (or 4th) and possibly a cup this year for united. I don't think Ole is a good manager and although they've added 2 quality players their midfield is a major issue. They haven't addressed CM and that's going to hurt them I think. 

I was being kind about Arse. They are in trouble for sure. 
 

I expect their to be a point where it feels like ManU can win the league. I think they fall short though. 

[DaEagles4Life]

3 hours ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

Arsenal are done bud. That club has zero strategy, no long term vision, no short term plan to improve. They are done. 

As for United, I don't think they are going being overlooked and I don't think they are going to compete for the league. I think 3rd (or 4th) and possibly a cup this year for united. I don't think Ole is a good manager and although they've added 2 quality players their midfield is a major issue. They haven't addressed CM and that's going to hurt them I think. 

I think Man Utd needs Rúben Neves as their DM and it clears so much up. Next year will probably have to look for a Striker even though Greenwood can develop into one. His ability to strike with either foot is next level. 

[DrPhilly]

6 hours ago, DaEagles4Life said:

I think Man Utd needs Rúben Neves as their DM and it clears so much up. Next year will probably have to look for a Striker even though Greenwood can develop into one. His ability to strike with either foot is next level. 

You have an outside shot this year and you can certainly get 2nd again for sure. City is going to be super tough to unseat though. 

[DaEagles4Life]

1 hour ago, DrPhilly said:

You have an outside shot this year and you can certainly get 2nd for sure. City is going to be super tough to unseat though. 

Bruno is truly world class

[DrPhilly]

Great start for ManU

[DaEagles4Life]

Haaland >  Bum in France 

 

 

 

[Green_Guinness]

It should be a fun EPL season.  City is the favourite and almost like an All-Star team, but I do think Chelsea, Liverpool, and Man United will be lingering around the top all season pushing City to stay on their guard.  Leicester and Spurs are the next ones up to make a push. 

Nice start for my Liverpool today, a 3-0 away win.  Though it was only vs newly promoted Norwich City and not another contender, but still a good win on away ground.  Where we lack quality is in the MF.  We don't have a dynamic MF player, someone capable of changing a match.  That needs to be our next signing.  Someone who can be a force in MF and help chip in goals when the front 3 aren't firing well enough, which will happen here and there.  Fabinho can be a good DM, almost like a 3rd CB since he played there often last season with the rash of CB injuries we had. 

It was great to watch a match with full stands of supporters chanting and singing.  It was hard to watch matches last year in empty stadiums.  Just couldn't get into it.  The crowd in this sport really makes a huge difference, more so than any sport in the US.  It's just a different beast.

 

[JohnB]

On 8/14/2021 at 9:10 PM, Green_Guinness said:

It should be a fun EPL season.  City is the favourite and almost like an All-Star team, but I do think Chelsea, Liverpool, and Man United will be lingering around the top all season pushing City to stay on their guard.  Leicester and Spurs are the next ones up to make a push. 

Nice start for my Liverpool today, a 3-0 away win.  Though it was only vs newly promoted Norwich City and not another contender, but still a good win on away ground.  Where we lack quality is in the MF.  We don't have a dynamic MF player, someone capable of changing a match.  That needs to be our next signing.  Someone who can be a force in MF and help chip in goals when the front 3 aren't firing well enough, which will happen here and there.  Fabinho can be a good DM, almost like a 3rd CB since he played there often last season with the rash of CB injuries we had. 

It was great to watch a match with full stands of supporters chanting and singing.  It was hard to watch matches last year in empty stadiums.  Just couldn't get into it.  The crowd in this sport really makes a huge difference, more so than any sport in the US.  It's just a different beast.

 

So true. I kind of gave up on watching sports in general last year. I would watch highlights instead. Even American sports like football and baseball. 

[LacesOut]

So true about the crowds. They are definitely needed. They were for sure missed during the pandemic, for all sports. 

I don't have a specific EPL team that I root for; I just enjoy watching that League.

[DaEagles4Life]

Talk of the town to playing for these bums

 

 

 

[TEW]

1 hour ago, DaEagles4Life said:

Talk of the town to playing for these bums

 

 

 

He’s going to be really good, but he wants to start and that’s not happening in Madrid this year. We already have 4 guys ahead of him and with Ancelotti back Isco likely plays a bigger role as well. Lots of really talented youngsters from the B team and out on loan set to fight for minutes as well.

Plus rumor is that Mbappe is going to demand a transfer to Madrid in the coming days and if he isn’t sold to Madrid will sign a precontract in January.

Throw in all the midfielders like Pogba, Camavinga and Goretzka who are out of contract next year and if selling Odegaard gets us Mbappe it’s worth it.

On top of that, Uncle Flo is going to be going after Haaland next season. So, yeah, raise cash. If Ramos and Varane can leave, so can Odegaard. 

[DrPhilly]

Arse still won’t crack top six

[UK_EaglesFan89]

22 minutes ago, DrPhilly said:

Arse still won’t crack top six

Absolutely not. That's a 7-10th position club if ever there was one. 

[DaEagles4Life]

Love this from Ole 

However, the Manchester United coach was not done with his remarks there as he passed a savage dig at his arch-rivals Manchester City. "How we run the club and how other clubs run, there are different business models. I have started buying electric cars! That is all I want to say about that situation," said the Red Devils boss.