Association Football 2023/2024 Discussion Thread

[Lechasseur]

With their 4-2 win in the Catalan Derby today, Barcelona has clinched the La Liga title.

Good

[Santander]

Pretty much. That's why I'm not particularly surprised by what's happened here in the last few weeks, nor particularly frustrated with Arsenal. Sure, it's annoying they blew the lead they had, but with their current squad I think it was inevitable. I frankly don't think this was a top 4 squad (and I'm saying that as someone who's been an Arsenal fan for nearly 20 years now), the fact that Arsenal led for large chunks of the season was already a great achievement.

I actually think they have a very good squad, just a bit lacking in depth and experience. Odegaard has been one of the best players in the league this season and players like Saka and Martinelli are babies who can get a lot better. When everyone is fit, they're not weak in any position. I would rate their squad comfortably ahead of Man Utd or Newcastle. Chelsea actually have very good players but nobody expects that dumpster fire to get put out any time soon.

[NewYorkExpress]

Pretty much. That's why I'm not particularly surprised by what's happened here in the last few weeks, nor particularly frustrated with Arsenal. Sure, it's annoying they blew the lead they had, but with their current squad I think it was inevitable. I frankly don't think this was a top 4 squad (and I'm saying that as someone who's been an Arsenal fan for nearly 20 years now), the fact that Arsenal led for large chunks of the season was already a great achievement.

I actually think they have a very good squad, just a bit lacking in depth and experience. Odegaard has been one of the best players in the league this season and players like Saka and Martinelli are babies who can get a lot better. When everyone is fit, they're not weak in any position. I would rate their squad comfortably ahead of Man Utd or Newcastle. Chelsea actually have very good players but nobody expects that dumpster fire to get put out any time soon.

Barring a massive spending spree by Liverpool, Arsenal should finish at least second again next season too.

[NewYorkExpress]

With Leicester City's 3-0 loss to Liverpool, the Foxes have dropped to 19th in the English Premier League table.

If Leicester, which is two points from 17th placed Everton is relegated, they will be the first former Premier League champions to be relegated since Blackburn Rovers were relegated in the 1998-99 season after winning the Premier League in the 1994-95 season.

[Santander]

With Leicester City's 3-0 loss to Liverpool, the Foxes have dropped to 19th in the English Premier League table.

If Leicester, which is two points from 17th placed Everton is relegated, they will be the first former Premier League champions to be relegated since Blackburn Rovers were relegated in the 1998-99 season after winning the Premier League in the 1994-95 season.

Football wasn't invented in 1992. Villa going down was was far bigger than Leicester going down would be.

[NewYorkExpress]

Marcelo Bielsa is the new manager of the Uruguay National Team.

[NewYorkExpress]

Inter Milan advances to the Champions League Final, defeating AC Milan 1-0 today to win 3-0 on aggregate.

They will face either Real Madrid or Manchester City in the Final, and will likely be heavy underdogs against either opponent.

[NewYorkExpress]

Manchester City destroys Real Madrid 4-0 and advances to the Champions League final with a 5-1 aggregate win.

I would be shocked if Manchester City doesn't win a treble now (they basically have the Premier League wrapped up now, and need wins over Inter Milan in the Champions League final, and Manchester United in the FA Cup Final to wrap up the treble).

[JGibson]

Luton Town and Coventry City will play for the right to be promoted to the Premier League next season in the EFL Championship Promotion Playoff Final.

Coventry beat Middlesbrough 1-nil (1-nil aggregate) advance.

Coventry City were last in the Premier League in the 2000-01 season, while Luton Town have never been in the Premier League  (although their last year in the 1st tier was in the old First Division in the 1991-92 season, the last prior to the founding of the PL).

[Lechasseur]

Manchester City destroys Real Madrid 4-0 and advances to the Champions League final with a 5-1 aggregate win.

I would be shocked if Manchester City doesn't win a treble now (they basically have the Premier League wrapped up now, and need wins over Inter Milan in the Champions League final, and Manchester United in the FA Cup Final to wrap up the treble).

Ugh

I had planned on pulling for whoever won the Milanese semifinal in the UCL final regardless, but with the other finalist being City, it makes the decision even easier. Unfortunately, I think City will win the treble as you said.

That being said, Forza Inter! Never City!

[Lechasseur]

Pretty much. That's why I'm not particularly surprised by what's happened here in the last few weeks, nor particularly frustrated with Arsenal. Sure, it's annoying they blew the lead they had, but with their current squad I think it was inevitable. I frankly don't think this was a top 4 squad (and I'm saying that as someone who's been an Arsenal fan for nearly 20 years now), the fact that Arsenal led for large chunks of the season was already a great achievement.

I actually think they have a very good squad, just a bit lacking in depth and experience. Odegaard has been one of the best players in the league this season and players like Saka and Martinelli are babies who can get a lot better. When everyone is fit, they're not weak in any position. I would rate their squad comfortably ahead of Man Utd or Newcastle. Chelsea actually have very good players but nobody expects that dumpster fire to get put out any time soon.

City clearly had a stronger squad than Arsenal, as much as I would like to deny that, I won't. Chelsea as you said are very talented and should easily be Top 4, but they clearly have problems.

I agree, Arsenal are miles ahead of Newcastle, I never thought Newcastle had a shot. However, without hindsight I did think Arsenal would finish 5th or 6th (with Tottenham holding the other spot, and I thought the two Manchester clubs, Chelsea and Liverpool would make the Top 4.

But yeah Arsenal proved me wrong. And I do think they'll at least be in the Top 4 next season, and may even win the League with some reinforcement and some luck.

[Lechasseur]

With Leicester City's 3-0 loss to Liverpool, the Foxes have dropped to 19th in the English Premier League table.

If Leicester, which is two points from 17th placed Everton is relegated, they will be the first former Premier League champions to be relegated since Blackburn Rovers were relegated in the 1998-99 season after winning the Premier League in the 1994-95 season.

Football wasn't invented in 1992. Villa going down was was far bigger than Leicester going down would be.

Aston Villa are clearly a much, much bigger club than Leicester (Villa are easily in the top 10 of English clubs, whether it be in terms of historical success or in terms of popularity).

And yes Aston Villa were the last European Cup Winners to have been relegated (won the European Cup in 1982, got relegated in 2016).

However, a point I'll concede is Aston Villa were pretty bad in the 5 seasons or so before their relegation. It was basically inevitable it was going to happen, unfortunately.

While Leicester won the FA Cup only two years ago and frankly I thought had a decent squad. I never thought they were going to go down this year.

[Santander]

3 European finals, 3 Italian finalists. Serie A isn't done yet.

[JGibson]

The UEFA finals:

 

UCL: Inter v. Manchester City

UEL: Sevilla v. Roma

UECL: Fiorentina v. West Ham

[NewYorkExpress]

Picking Manchester City for the Champions League, Sevilla for the Europa League, and West Ham for Europa Conference League.

[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

[Lechasseur]

Picking Manchester City for the Champions League, Sevilla for the Europa League, and West Ham for Europa Conference League.

I probably agree with these picks, however I'm pulling for their opponents lol

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

3 European finals, 3 Italian finalists. Serie A isn't done yet.

Three Italian teams in European finals but both Juve and Milan eliminated (and Napoli, but at least Napoli won the Serie A)? I couldn't ask for more!

[Lechasseur]

3 European finals, 3 Italian finalists. Serie A isn't done yet.

Three Italian teams in European finals but both Juve and Milan eliminated (and Napoli, but at least Napoli won the Serie A)? I couldn't ask for more!

I just did the math, the last time you had Italian clubs in 3 European finals was all the way back in...1994! AC Milan won the Champions League, Inter Milan won the UEFA Cup and Parma lost to Arsenal in the Cup Winners' Cup final.

And the irony is the last time Italian clubs won every European final in a season was in 1990...and of course Napoli happened to win Serie A that year. Maybe history repeats itself?

[Zinneke]

Dutch hooliganism is at an all time high...wtf are they putting up their noses to do such brazen actions...still better than the Italian way i.e go around in a moped and stab scarfers with weapons.

Hooliganism used to actually have a code of not attacking random people.

[NewYorkExpress]

Dutch hooliganism is at an all time high...wtf are they putting up their noses to do such brazen actions...still better than the Italian way i.e go around in a moped and stab scarfers with weapons.

Hooliganism used to actually have a code of not attacking random people.

I thought having a code to hooliganism defeated the point of being hooligans.

[Zinneke]

Dutch hooliganism is at an all time high...wtf are they putting up their noses to do such brazen actions...still better than the Italian way i.e go around in a moped and stab scarfers with weapons.

Hooliganism used to actually have a code of not attacking random people.

I thought having a code to hooliganism defeated the point of being hooligans.

Absolutely not, many countries' hooligans have explicit rules and some even organise forest fights where you have to be the exact same number of combattants on each side.

Obviously there are still blockheads who riot spontaneously in every country (usually revolving around the same c**ntmagnet teams) but the vast majority would not attack a family section for example.

Only the Netherlands with this year's massive rise in antisocial behavior for some reason, and Italy where they love to use knives to attack foreigners, is it particularly bad in Western Europe. And i'd still say in Eastern Europe its not as bad either, despite have clearly more insane politicised types in the stands that are tolerated more in the football culture itself. Polish hooligans still only exclusively attack other hooligans in the most part.

[Santander]

3 European finals, 3 Italian finalists. Serie A isn't done yet.

Three Italian teams in European finals but both Juve and Milan eliminated (and Napoli, but at least Napoli won the Serie A)? I couldn't ask for more!

I wish it was Lazio instead of Roma.

[NewYorkExpress]

So, this weekend, should either Arsenal lose to Nottingham Forest, or Manchester City get any result other than a loss against Chelsea, Manchester City will win the English Premier League.

[NewYorkExpress]

With Arsenal's 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest today, Manchester City has clinched the English Premier League.

Manchester City is now two games away from a treble, needing to win both the FA Cup against Manchester United and the Champions League against Inter Milan to do so.

Also, with today's win, Nottingham Forest has successfully avoided relegation.