Association Football 2023/2024 Discussion Thread

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Great hire by Salernitana to nab Davide Nicola as their new coach. He has quite the recent history of being a mid-January hire to resurrect a club from certain relegation to Serie B (Salernitana 2021-22) or just staving off a close relegation race in the final match of the season that was totally his own doing (also in Genoa 2020-21)  - both of which will aptly apply this season.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Let the Arsenal choke commence! Hopefully only a couple games away now with City on the horizon.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Serie C has a couple interesting storylines with nine games to play:

First, Girone A has a three way tie for first amongst some names from Lombardy that we haven't heard from in a lifetime.

FeralpiSaló has scored just 26 times through 29 matches (second fewest of the 20 team group), but are clinging onto the tie yet with the largest goal differential amongst the three clubs involved. They've been in Serie C for their entire history, and after their best finish last year (3rd), they are in the fight of their history for the first promotion. Potentially very funny if they replace the provincial capital in Serie B after Brescia's indescribable stumble since the World Cup with 2 points from their last 12 matches.

Pro Sesto (San Giovanni) was not supposed to be anywhere near the promotion race, and with a +2 GD, surely there is no way the good fortunes take them the distance. The remaining home games should be a breeze, but four tricky road games including the season finale in Saló stand between them and their first Serie B appearance since 1950!

Lecco is in a similar place, if slightly better because its three tough games will all be at home. Looking to break a 50 year drought so the timing is convenient for our base-10 numerical system.

Sadly, I bring this up now because the most likely outcome is that Pordenone and/or Vicenza mere points back capitalize on their superior talent and return to Serie B after just one season below - but the good stories are there for the taking!


The second storyline is that I've been watching all season to see if Catanzaro can crack 100 goals and/or points in Girone C as they've humiliated every opponent. They're now on pace for 102 goals and 99.5 points. Unfortunately I think odds are bleak as they will need to win 8 of their last 9. 2nd, 3rd and 4th place squads all on the calendar and they've only blanked them 5-0 aggregate in the first legs. But if this historic feat does occur, how much do they owe to Catania's coffers for the bankruptcy (although they may have merely displaced Pescara northward)?

I've had several Calabresi walk up to me with so much excitement for this club, even when they are fans of a regional rival. What a buzz they have going for them.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

FeralpiSaló won the northeastern group of Serie C and wins its first ever promotion to Serie B!

Serie B race has gotten very exciting with Genoa is tremendous form - but the last decent squad they faced was 11 matches back and it was an very inconsistent Palermo team. They've somehow gotten within 2 points of the league leaders who were running away with it - and they face each other yet. 3 of the last 4 will be against the other top 4 squads.

Bari sitting in third is still alive for automatic promotion by virtue of that daunting schedule for Genoa and a 90th minute goal to get all three points in a comeback over Pisa. I Galletti have a very winnable next three matches before closing in Liguria with a game destined to have high stakes.

All three should be promoted, but Parma has looked better of late and could cause a play-off upset. Cagliari has done respectable given their difficult schedule, but they'll need to get over some serious draw-itis.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

This is the type of content we need for Sickos to get invested in the Premier League next season.

https://twitter.com/NoContextBrits/status/1653093372028960768?s=20

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Milan's best hopes of Champions League play next season may now rest on a new Juventus points infraction (and only barely on that thanks to the 97th minute response to Roma's stoppage time 'winner' to keep hold them in fifth, a game ahead of Roma). What a mediocrity, somehow conceding twice to hopeless Spezia not long after a massive celebration for salvaging a draw against Cremonese.

Spezia's last two wins are when they played host to each of the Milanese squads, and they have a total of three points from the eight games in between those. They once again have a prayer of holding off relegation - and Lecce who appeared to be comfortable may now be sweating it out. Must watch tv between that next Sunday.

Hellas Verona actually has the toughest remaining matches, even with a game in hand, and may be sweating the most despite the best form.

Spezia remains my pick to go down, but they control their fate and can believe again.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Sheffield Wednesday won on penalties and now face Bolton/Barnsley winner tonight to get back into the Championship.

https://twitter.com/ESPN_BillC/status/1659314453836439560?s=20

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Cosenza should have been relegated to Serie C for the fourth straight year but has just scored in the 95th minute of the relegation playout against Brescia to take the aggregate lead.

In 2020, they got half of their total points in the final 10 games after the COVID pause, including a win in their final match, to escape the play-out by a single point.
In 2021, they were the last team relegated but the disqualification of Chievo Verona allowed them to remain in the league.
In 2022, they were destined to be relegated before jumping Alessandria and Vicenza with a win in the final match. After conceding in the play-out road game to Vicenza, they netted two at home.

It looked like it would be the reverse of last year in 2023 as the lower seed since they scored one at home and could not get anything going on the road - but Andrea Moroni's late header puts them to safety.

All the luck in the world!


We will not be getting our first ever competitive Brescian derby next season as FeralpiSalo will replace the provincial capital in Serie B. Unbelievable. Brescia just could not get things back on track after Bari exposed them in what was supposed to be a battle with promotional pecking order consequences. First time outside the top two leagues since 1985.

https://twitter.com/FootColic/status/1664368642782273542?s=20

https://twitter.com/CalcioEngland/status/1664370558241234945?s=20

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Lecco have done it in front of the home crowd in dominating fashion - they will be in Serie B for the first time since 1973, ending a drought of precisely 50 seasons.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Forgot to post this yesterday because I was so angry. The worst use of VAR to annul a goal yet. Completely unacceptable "attacking foul" that would never get called and rightfully so.

Milan saved from their own second rate performance, what else is new.

https://twitter.com/CricketCli41000/status/1723370349448909278?s=20

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Fourth tier French side, Le Puy, punches its ticket to the cup quarterfinals on a 94th minute penalty.

Fifth tier side, St Priest, nearly joined them! They were all tied up in the second half until conceding to Valenciennes in the 80th minute.

I don't often venture into French football, but I am so jealous of the vastly bigger fields in France and England.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Sassuolo in the last six weeks:

-After taking the lead, immediately concede to Udinese in a 6 pointer (fair, sneaky tough game)
-Blow a 2-0 lead over already relegated Salernitana, conceding in stoppage time
-Blow a 3-1 lead to Milan at home (I saw this one in person and it was clear all game that Milan would break through and arguably should have won)
-Lose the will to play anymore, get trashed by two mid table clubs

-Somehow defeat the league winners to complete the season sweep (?)

-Score first in Genoa and concede twice including an own goal to drop all three points

That's 9 points dropped across 4 games that could have brought them to safety.

Now they need to win against Cagliari next week to have a prayer of forcing a relegation playout) - since the finale vs Lazio will have European implications for Lazio. Incredible under performance

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Empoli - Udinese battle for 17th was so dull until stoppage time:

A high boot on the very edge of the box granted Empoli the PK they needed to take the lead and overtake Udinese in the classification.

Then in the 96th minute, a clear and blatant foul to hold and tackle the Udinese attacker from the open net went uncalled initially. The game was blown over until VAR overruled that.

In the 104th minute, Udinese finally converted from the spot for the draw. 1-1.

Udinese leads Empoli by a point heading into the final match. Empoli appears headed for relegation though still control their own fate, albeit with a win needed against Roma. They will need help from Frosinone if they only manage to draw.  All eyes on Udinese - Frosinone as Udinese looks to avoid relegation for the first time in 30 years.

This result also officially sends Sassuolo to Serie B.