Association Football 2020/21

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Time to get this thread going.

While it is positively pitiful that Serie A elected to penalize Napoli for travel restrictions (since all the stops must be pulled out for a dying Juve dynasty), the team is firing on all cylinders at the moment, making minicemeat out of a top half team in Atalanta. Never before have I seen such poor defense from a serious contender for a title, but I'll take all we can get!

For once, I am a believer after perpetual disappointment. My expectation was 4th/5th a week ago (behind Inter, Atalanta, Juve, and maybe Milan or possibly Roma), but this might just be a top 2 team.

[NewYorkExpress]

I can't decide which group in this year's UEFA Champions League is more brutal.

Group B or Group H.

Group B is Real Madrid, Shaktar Donetsk, Inter Milan and Borussia Monchengladbach.

Group H is PSG, Manchester United, Red Bull Leipzig and Istanbul Basakesheir.

[Santander]

Some great matches today - Milan derby, Old Firm derby, Merseyside derby, which I felt all lived up to expectations.

I can't decide which group in this year's UEFA Champions League is more brutal.

Group B or Group H.

Group B is Real Madrid, Shaktar Donetsk, Inter Milan and Borussia Monchengladbach.

Group H is PSG, Manchester United, Red Bull Leipzig and Istanbul Basakesheir.

Group B is clearly harder. That's not even up for debate.

Time to get this thread going.

While it is positively pitiful that Serie A elected to penalize Napoli for travel restrictions (since all the stops must be pulled out for a dying Juve dynasty), the team is firing on all cylinders at the moment, making minicemeat out of a top half team in Atalanta. Never before have I seen such poor defense from a serious contender for a title, but I'll take all we can get!

For once, I am a believer after perpetual disappointment. My expectation was 4th/5th a week ago (behind Inter, Atalanta, Juve, and maybe Milan or possibly Roma), but this might just be a top 2 team.

Atalanta's defense has always been a joke. I think it'll be tough for Napoli after losing one of their best players in Allan, but they still have a strong team, and I expect them to compete for 3rd behind Juve and Inter. Sassuolo were pretty good last season, and I expect them to do even better and push for Europe this season. At the expense of whom, I haven't decided yet, but the Rome teams have stumbled out of the gate, and Milan is really not a very good team.

[JGibson]

Arsenal lost to Man City 1-nil. At least they didn't get pasted 3-nil or worse like in the past.

Mikel Arteta has made strides, but is still a work in progress.

[Santander]

Arsenal lost to Man City 1-nil. At least they didn't get pasted 3-nil or worse like in the past.

Mikel Arteta has made strides, but is still a work in progress.

It was a slightly harsh result, and I think Arsenal deserved a point. I rated Arteta highly as a player, and I'm glad he's silenced most of his doubters. I do think he should be trying to play Ozil, though. Arsenal's starting XI is not good enough to give up on a player of that quality.

The table is looking quite good, though. Everton, Liverpool, Villa, Leicester, Arsenal - 4/5 of England's heritage clubs on top, with the other one nobody likes down in 14th.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

My ability to care for the upper table of Serie A this year is dramatically scarce since I am obviously all out for Spezia.

Also: I still can't read someone say that Atalanta is a serious contender for the title without having cognitive dissonance.

[Santander]

My ability to care for the upper table of Serie A this year is dramatically scarce since I am obviously all out for Spezia.

Also: I still can't read someone say that Atalanta is a serious contender for the title without having cognitive dissonance.

They deserved to win away against Juventus (who struggled after the restart) at the end of last season, were very cruelly knocked out by PSG in the Champions League, beat a strong Lazio team away a couple weeks ago, and are the bookmakers' third-favorite to win Serie A, so I think they have to be considered dark horse contenders. They were only 5 points off Juve last season...

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

My ability to care for the upper table of Serie A this year is dramatically scarce since I am obviously all out for Spezia.

Also: I still can't read someone say that Atalanta is a serious contender for the title without having cognitive dissonance.

They deserved to win away against Juventus (who struggled after the restart) at the end of last season, were very cruelly knocked out by PSG in the Champions League, beat a strong Lazio team away a couple weeks ago, and are the bookmakers' third-favorite to win Serie A, so I think they have to be considered dark horse contenders. They were only 5 points off Juve last season...

Yeah I certainly agree that they are dark horse contenders (and an Atalanta Serie A victory would be simply epic) but I am old enough to remember when Atalanta played for avoiding relegation. I don't know how much time it usually takes for a "small team" to become considered a "big team" (or vice versa) in the zeitgeist... maybe a decade?

[Santander]

My ability to care for the upper table of Serie A this year is dramatically scarce since I am obviously all out for Spezia.

Also: I still can't read someone say that Atalanta is a serious contender for the title without having cognitive dissonance.

They deserved to win away against Juventus (who struggled after the restart) at the end of last season, were very cruelly knocked out by PSG in the Champions League, beat a strong Lazio team away a couple weeks ago, and are the bookmakers' third-favorite to win Serie A, so I think they have to be considered dark horse contenders. They were only 5 points off Juve last season...

Yeah I certainly agree that they are dark horse contenders (and an Atalanta Serie A victory would be simply epic) but I am old enough to remember when Atalanta played for avoiding relegation. I don't know how much time it usually takes for a "small team" to become considered a "big team" (or vice versa) in the zeitgeist... maybe a decade?

Depends on your definition of big club. But I don't think Atalanta can ever get there - tiny decrepit stadium, no history, too geographically close to Milan... Even if they won Serie A (which would be awesome), I don't think they could reach the stature of clubs like Napoli or Fiorentina.

[Former President tack50]

My ability to care for the upper table of Serie A this year is dramatically scarce since I am obviously all out for Spezia.

Also: I still can't read someone say that Atalanta is a serious contender for the title without having cognitive dissonance.

You should consider yourself lucky that Spezia is in Serie A at least

Tfw your soccer team is in the 2nd Division

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

My ability to care for the upper table of Serie A this year is dramatically scarce since I am obviously all out for Spezia.

Also: I still can't read someone say that Atalanta is a serious contender for the title without having cognitive dissonance.

You should consider yourself lucky that Spezia is in Serie A at least

Tfw your soccer team is in the 2nd Division

Of course! It's the first time ever for us.

Oh well. The great UD LAS PALMAS. I think I vaguely support it. Certainly I would take it over Tenerife.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Also: I still can't read someone say that Atalanta is a serious contender for the title without having cognitive dissonance.

This is partially the eternal pessimist in me. I really dislike both Atalanta and Sassuolo even more than Juventus and Lazio these days. They might not 'seriously' contend despite being top 5. The thought of these nobodies getting a title after we've had so many close calls this decade is depressing. And they both do it by playing 'exciting' (ugh) and winning matches 4-3. At least be a proper underdog tale that has no business being there but has all the fundamentals down!

I know their defense was trash all of last year too, but yesterday looked like they weren't playing with enough men on the field in the first half thankfully (down 2 at least).


Really looking forward to Milan-Roma in one week. Milan really might set itself up in pretty impressive position despite a soft-ish first three games. Absolutely critical to keep building that advantage early at least so they can feel safe about a top 5 finish. Suspect they will cool off later on.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

Really looking forward to Milan-Roma in one week. Milan really might set itself up in pretty impressive position despite a soft-ish first three games. Absolutely critical to keep building that advantage early at least so they can feel safe about a top 5 finish. Suspect they will cool off later on.

I have absolutely zero love for Milan as an Inter fan. This beginning of season has been depressing on that front.

[Mike88]

The Sporting-Porto match, yesterday, was a bit of a disappointment for me as Porto draw with Sporting, 2-2, after being ahead 1-2 until the minute 87 when Sporting scored. But, to be honest, the score was a bit fair as although Porto was superior than Sporting, Porto let their guard down as the game started to end. Porto's defense continues to be a problem, as always. Pepe saves the day almost always but that's not enough.

Benfica will play today with Rio Ave and we'll see how that plays out. Rio Ave is quite strong lately and Benfica could have problems (praying for a Rio Ave victory).

[NewYorkExpress]

Best match of the day was probably Tottenham/West Ham.

West Ham comes back from 3-0 down, scores three goals in the final five minutes to get a draw.

[Santander]

Best match of the day was probably Tottenham/West Ham.

West Ham comes back from 3-0 down, scores three goals in the final five minutes to get a draw.

Bologna-Sassuolo was better. Spezia-Fiorentina was a great match, too.

[NewYorkExpress]

UEFA Champions League Group Stage play begins tomorrow and Wednesday.

I've already got the Chelsea/Sevilla, Lazio/Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain/Manchester United,  Inter Milan/ Borussia Monchengladbach and Bayern Munich/Atletico Madrid matches circled on my calendar.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

Best match of the day was probably Tottenham/West Ham.

West Ham comes back from 3-0 down, scores three goals in the final five minutes to get a draw.

Bologna-Sassuolo was better. Spezia-Fiorentina was a great match, too.

Of course Spezia-Fiorentina was a great match.



P.S. Can we get this thread pinned?

[parochial boy]

Am I going to be the first spoil sport to mention this? But the whole... behind closed doors thing is like the final last depressing transformation of football into the soulless, corporate sport ripped from it's cultural heart that we always feared it was becoming. That "give the big 6 veto power in the premier league" thing that was doing the rounds a couple of days ago was genuinely the culmination of where it is all going.

Good result for Servett this weekend though. I'm going for "anybody but YB" in the title race this year. And hoping Vaduz get relegated back to whatever godforsaken mountain they popped up out of.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Source for what you seem to be alluding to. (Perhaps an addendum to last week's report more than anything)

https://twitter.com/MarkKleinmanSky/status/1318544062337736704?s=19

Seems less than ideal but I'll withhold judgement. I was hoping for a more inclusive event with more teams from big five countries after 2024 (effectively getting cinderellas into continent play the while ensuring no big name teams are missing). But with trends what they are, it can always only be worse.

[Santander]

Best match of the day was probably Tottenham/West Ham.

West Ham comes back from 3-0 down, scores three goals in the final five minutes to get a draw.

Bologna-Sassuolo was better. Spezia-Fiorentina was a great match, too.

Of course Spezia-Fiorentina was a great match.



P.S. Can we get this thread pinned?

Honestly, after the first few minutes, I thought Spezia would be total pushovers this season. But they did very well to come back against a very good Viola team. Definitely won't be the SPAL of this season.

[Santander]

Seems less than ideal but I'll withhold judgement. I was hoping for a more inclusive event with more teams from big five countries after 2024 (effectively getting cinderellas into continent play the while ensuring no big name teams are missing). But with trends what they are, it can always only be worse.

There is no way in hell a team like PSG, or any French club for that matter, deserves to be in a European superleague (terrible idea as that is) top division ahead of real clubs like Benfica or Ajax.

[NewYorkExpress]

Two contenders for Game of the Day in my opinion.

Club Brugge's 2-1 victory over Zenit St. Petersburg on a stoppage time goal by Charles De Ketelarae, and Manchester United's 2-1 victory over Paris Saint Germain, on a late goal by Marcus Rashford.

[Alcibiades]

Two contenders for Game of the Day in my opinion.

Club Brugge's 2-1 victory over Zenit St. Petersburg on a stoppage time goal by Charles De Ketelarae, and Manchester United's 2-1 victory over Paris Saint Germain, on a late goal by Marcus Rashford.

Man Utd get a penalty, Fernandes misses it, only for VAR to catch Navas off his line, so Fernandes retakes and scores it. You can’t make it up. I’m really starting to think that there’s something fishy about all these pens they get.

[NewYorkExpress]

Europa League Group Stage begins tomorrow.

While it is the second tier European competition, there are a couple of nice matches there.

I'll have Young Boys/Roma, Bayer Leverkusen/Nice and Celtic/AC Milan circled on my calendar.