ES Soccer Thread

[Berggy9598]

4 hours ago, Corcaigh said:

 

Jordan Henderson is going to score the winning goal and then will do the Nobby Stiles dance with the cup.

 

Scousers heads will explode in conflict.

In Henderson's defense it's the only way he's getting his name in the same sentence as Nobby Stiles. 

[Warhead36]

The workday goes by so much slower with no World Cup soccer in the background

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Frustrating that the one WC Semi I really wanted to watch now clashes with L’pool’s next friendky at Tranmere. Sighs. 

 

Oh well. Such is life. Who really wanted to watch France- Belgium anyway?

 

Hail.

[AsburySkinsFan]

Ok, Taylor Twellman retweeted this, I think this is an interesting stat. I’ve watched a majority of the matches and I cannot honestly recall a single straight red opportunity this WC. I’m not sure if this is a cleaner WC or if VAR is playing a part, but 0 reds through 60 matches is pretty remarkable.

 

[Elessar78]

1 hour ago, AsburySkinsFan said:

Ok, Taylor Twellman retweeted this, I think this is an interesting stat. I’ve watched a majority of the matches and I cannot honestly recall a single straight red opportunity this WC. I’m not sure if this is a cleaner WC or if VAR is playing a part, but 0 reds through 60 matches is pretty remarkable.

The tread on Neymar vs Mexico was a straight red for me. Yellow probably a better action in practice from the ref, but by the letter—that was a red for me. 

[Warhead36]

Wasn't there a Red early on in the Colombia vs Japan game?

[Elessar78]

2 minutes ago, Warhead36 said:

Wasn't there a Red early on in the Colombia vs Japan game?

he's just talking for violent conduct, I think. 

 

Nevermind, there was. 

Edited July 10, 2018 by Elessar78

[MisterPinstripe]

38 minutes ago, Elessar78 said:

he's just talking for violent conduct, I think. 

 

Nevermind, there was. 

You were correct, that red was for a handball, not violent conduct. Its been a pretty clean World Cup except for of course the Mexico game where the guy stepped on Neymar. Cant believe that wasnt reviewed by VAR.

4 hours ago, Gibbs Hog Heaven said:

Frustrating that the one WC Semi I really wanted to watch now clashes with L’pool’s next friendky at Tranmere. Sighs. 

 

Oh well. Such is life. Who really wanted to watch France- Belgium anyway?

 

Hail.

I dont think you fooled anyone with that.

[Elessar78]

Personally, I love VAR. Anecdotally, I think diving is way down in the penalty area. The new "ugliness" is faking getting grappled in the box during corners and set pieces. But all this is solvable—FIFA/FA/UEFA just need to punish diving and it'll be gone. I mean, look at how players have adjusted on grappling off corners and set pieces alone and how diving has been greatly reduced (IMO). Guardian Podcast had a cool suggestion: sin bin. I've taken to watching Rugby(Union) and the sin bin is pretty effective (IMO). MLS or one of the scandinavian leagues are always a good testing ground. 

 

 

[StillUnknown]

 

its official

[Forehead]

1 hour ago, Elessar78 said:

Guardian Podcast had a cool suggestion: sin bin. I've taken to watching Rugby(Union) and the sin bin is pretty effective (IMO). MLS or one of the scandinavian leagues are always a good testing ground. 

 

 

 

I'd like it even better if a guy from each side was sent, then got right back into it, Tom Wilson style, as soon as they were released.

 

Part of that is curiosity whether professional soccer players can actually fight.  I mean the really good ones, not the old school Vinnie Jones types (do they even exist anymore?)

 

Maybe it would just be fun to see Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo get into a slapping fight.

[AsburySkinsFan]

Holy crap!!! Talk about a shift in La Liga!

Barcalona now sits at the top alone.

[AsburySkinsFan]

1 hour ago, Elessar78 said:

Personally, I love VAR. Anecdotally, I think diving is way down in the penalty area. The new "ugliness" is faking getting grappled in the box during corners and set pieces. But all this is solvable—FIFA/FA/UEFA just need to punish diving and it'll be gone. I mean, look at how players have adjusted on grappling off corners and set pieces alone and how diving has been greatly reduced (IMO). Guardian Podcast had a cool suggestion: sin bin. I've taken to watching Rugby(Union) and the sin bin is pretty effective (IMO). MLS or one of the scandinavian leagues are always a good testing ground. 

 

 

I love the idea of a rugby like sin bin, let the other team have an advantage on a flop etc. A yellow or red IMO is too heavily punitive but a 5 min penalty sit would be nice to see, and be obvious that the flop is being ruled against strongly and with consequences.

[techboy]

16 minutes ago, AsburySkinsFan said:

Holy crap!!! Talk about a shift in La Liga!

Barcalona now sits at the top alone.

 

I don't think so. Madrid is CRAZY deep and Barca is getting old.

 

Of course, both clubs have obscene amounts of money to bury everyone else with so I guess I wouldn't count either out.

 

[SkinInsite]

Real probably will probably spend a billion euro on Neymar now.

[Berggy9598]

36 minutes ago, AsburySkinsFan said:

Holy crap!!! Talk about a shift in La Liga!

Barcalona now sits at the top alone.

Whoever will replace him has already been lined up. They'll be fine and it's probably Hazard. 

 

[Corcaigh]

2 hours ago, Elessar78 said:

Guardian Podcast had a cool suggestion: sin bin. I've taken to watching Rugby(Union) and the sin bin is pretty effective (IMO). MLS or one of the scandinavian leagues are always a good testing ground. 

 

In (field hockey) there is a 2 minute suspension and a 5 minute (or longer suspension) that work really well. Stuff that needs to be dealt with in soccer that doesn't merit a yellow can be nipped in the bud early.

 

My biggest pet peeve in soccer is allowing defenders to prevent a quick restart. Soccer could learn from field hockey also with faster restarts and increasing attacking opportunities. Fouls that don't merit a card (or ones that do) are mostly eliminated from the game because breakdown tackles are not to the advantage of the defending team.

[AsburySkinsFan]

24 minutes ago, techboy said:

 

I don't think so. Madrid is CRAZY deep and Barca is getting old.

 

Of course, both clubs have obscene amounts of money to bury everyone else with so I guess I wouldn't count either out.

 

 

3 minutes ago, SkinInsite said:

Real probably will probably spend a billion euro on Neymar now.

 

1 minute ago, Berggy9598 said:

Whoever will replace him has already been lined up. They'll be fine and it's probably Hazard. 

 

I am VERY interested to see who they bring in! Of course they’ll open their wallets, but how do you replace Ronaldo?! That’s like replacing Michael Jordan!

1 minute ago, Corcaigh said:

 

In (field hockey) there is a 2 minute suspension and a 5 minute (or longer suspension) that work really well. Stuff that needs to be dealt with in soccer that doesn't merit a yellow can be nipped in the bud early.

 

My biggest pet peeve in soccer is allowing defenders to prevent a quick restart. Soccer could learn from field hockey also with faster restarts and increasing attacking opportunities. Fouls that don't merit a card (or ones that do) are mostly eliminated from the game because breakdown tackles are not to the advantage of the defending team.

Agreed on the sin box.

 

To your second point, there is NOTHING preventing an offense from a quick restart, other than say intentionally handling the ball. The kicking team has the option of playing short and quick. But for a defending team to simply stand aside while a striker takes a free kick at an open net...nah, stand in the way make the ref move you off 10 yards.

[Berggy9598]

3 minutes ago, AsburySkinsFan said:

 

 

I am VERY interested to see who they bring in! Of course they’ll open their wallets, but how do you replace Ronaldo?! That’s like replacing Michael Jordan!

Its like replacing Michael Jordan and being able to turn around and buy Tim Duncan, although the NBA has gone out of its way to be more like La Liga. 

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

2 hours ago, Elessar78 said:

Personally, I love VAR. Anecdotally, I think diving is way down in the penalty area. The new "ugliness" is faking getting grappled in the box during corners and set pieces. But all this is solvable—FIFA/FA/UEFA just need to punish diving and it'll be gone. I mean, look at how players have adjusted on grappling off corners and set pieces alone and how diving has been greatly reduced (IMO). Guardian Podcast had a cool suggestion: sin bin. I've taken to watching Rugby(Union) and the sin bin is pretty effective (IMO). MLS or one of the scandinavian leagues are always a good testing ground. 

 

 

 

Related: I love the drama and one-on-one skill, from a technical and mental standpoint, of a penalty shoot-out. 

 

Surprises me to read hear so many still against it. 

 

I mean it helps when your club has won 14 of 18 and landed 6 major trophies through that process like. But I’ve yet to hear any significantly better alternative ever put forward. Don’t like them? Sort it out in the 2 hours prior. Shrugs.

 

Hail.

 

 

Edited July 10, 2018 by Gibbs Hog Heaven

[AsburySkinsFan]

Just now, Gibbs Hog Heaven said:

 

Related: I love the drama and one-on-one skill, from a technical and mental standpoint, of a penalty shoot-out. 

 

Surprises me to read ear so many still against it. 

 

I mean it helps when your club has won 14 of 18 and landed 6 major trophies through that process like. But I’ve yet to hear any significantly better alternative ever put forward. Don’t like them? Sort it out in the 2 hours prior. Shrugs.

 

Hail.

 

 

The advantage is all the striker's though, if there was a semblance of even-ness in the shot then I'd be more for PK's. For a goalkeeper it's about taking the best read you can then guessing which direction to go, for a striker it's about putting the ball into one of the two upper 90's. When the strikers do that they win, when they don't then they cost their teams. I just think that there can be a better way to sort it out rather than something so arbitrary.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

I hear yer but you’re never gonna’ get something that placates everyone mate. 

 

As things stand, I think this is about as good a solution as there is and as it’s been around for decades and nothing significantly better has ever really been offered up as an alternative, changing would just be changing for changing a sake to me. Shrugs.

 

Hail.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

To separate from the WC talk ..... @Long n Left

Nice to see Harry Wilson’s extended for another 5 years today but you really feel this is make or break for him the next few weeks. He HAS to make the American tour and impress and then who knows? Every chance he’d be a part of the 6 needed for the front 3 if he does as he’s met every other challenge he’s faced and passed it this far. But if he doesn’t and he gets loaned again, then I think he and his agent need to sit down with Liverpool and look for an amicable parting. He needs stabliity to finally start his career at 21. Another loans pointless. Either he’s got what it takes to separate himself and stick the very top level or he hasn’t. 

Same again tonight H. Keep comtributing what you do. Goals and assists. Get the American tour and tear up the better opposition out there. Rooting for yer mate.

 

Also looking to see Karius continue looking stable and restoring people’s confidence in him slowly tonight. Along with Clyne restablishing himself RB and Joe the middle. Be real nice for Divock to bag. A few and get his confidence going. Still think there’s a real player in there that could be a big contributor here. But it has to start coming out again sooner rather than later. 

 

I’ll drop a few lines on the game later presuming you’re still on the mission to hunt down Texan heartbreakers. Or something .....

 

Hail.

[Elessar78]

24 minutes ago, Gibbs Hog Heaven said:

 

Related: I love the drama and one-on-one skill, from a technical and mental standpoint, of a penalty shoot-out. 

 

Surprises me to read hear so many still against it. 

 

I mean it helps when your club has won 14 of 18 and landed 6 major trophies through that process like. But I’ve yet to hear any significantly better alternative ever put forward. Don’t like them? Sort it out in the 2 hours prior. Shrugs.

 

Hail.

 

 

Not sure why you quoted me. I didn't say anything against penalty shoot outs. I love penalty shoot outs as well. 

[Warhead36]

A game shouldn't be decided by an exhibition that's mostly luck based.