Association Football 2023/2024 Discussion Thread

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

*Goes into season with no expectations*
*Perfect through four matches. Everyone else has dropped points*

"What if Napoli never lose a Serie A game again?"

How about sport, how much do we love sport. Building me up to break my heart surely.

[JGibson]

For the first time since the Taylor Report came into force, safe standing areas will be permitted at the grounds of England's top 2 levels of footy (Premier League and Championship) come January.

The Guardian:

Clubs in the Premier League and Championship will be able to offer licensed standing areas from 1 January as part of a pilot programme. The Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA) set out the plans in a statement on Wednesday.

The introduction of designated safe standing areas would mean an end to the blanket ban on standing in the top two divisions of English football, which has been in place for more than 25 years. Clubs must apply to be part of the “early adopter” programme by 6 October and, if approved, will be able to operate a licensed standing area from New Year’s Day until the end of the season.


The SGSA said the project would be independently evaluated, with all other areas of grounds remaining all-seater. Standing areas in what is now the Premier League and Championship were outlawed by legislation passed in the wake of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, which led to the deaths of 97 Liverpool fans.

[...] 

The announcement affects clubs subject to the government’s all-seater policy. That includes clubs in the Premier League and Championship, or any club who have been in those divisions for three or more seasons since 1994-95, plus Wembley Stadium and the Principality Stadium.

[Santander]

Ninian Park had terraces in the Championship.

[NewYorkExpress]

Again, some very good games this weekend.

On Saturday, we have Chelsea vs Manchester City, Inter Milan vs Atalanta, Willem II vs PSV,
and Valencia vs Athletic Bilbao.

On Sunday we have Arsenal vs Tottenham Hostspur and Lazio vs Roma.

[Santander]

Napoli have been very impressive. Back-to-back away 4-0 wins. It's over a month until their next truly tough match, too.

[Suburbia]

USMT should not waste Pulisic's prime.....if they can't make serious inroads by now and 2026, it would be a waste....

Maybe they should hire Alexi Lalas as their manager....

And Lalas, now a commentator for Fox Sports, made his feelings clear -- player by player -- on a live, televised tirade during Sunday night's broadcast of the Seattle Sounders-LA Galaxy game.

"It's dark days, indeed, but this is a time for leaders to step up," he began. "And so to the supposed leaders, I will say this....

"Tim Howard. Tim, the Belgium game ended three years ago. We need you to save the ball now. Geoff Cameron. Clean it up, or let's get someone who will.

"Clint Dempsey. Yeah, you're a national team legend; now we need you to be a national team leader.

"Michael Bradley. The U.S. does not need you to be zen, the U.S. needs you to play better. Jozy Altidore. Is this really as good as it gets? Because it's still not good enough."

Lalas also targeted U.S. coach Bruce Arena, who before the loss to Costa Rica enjoyed a 14-game unbeaten streak this year upon replacing Jurgen Klinsmann.

"Bruce Arena. Jurgen Klinsmann lost at home to Mexico. You lost at home to Costa Rica. This is now all on you, not Jurgen," he continued.

And he also took a shot at young star Christian Pulisic, adding: "And, oh, by the way, to all the guys that I didn't mention, it's because you don't even warrant a mention. That includes you too, Wonder Boy."

Lalas, who played for the United States at the 1994 World Cup, concluded by targeting the mindset of the current team and saying that they owed their supporters better performances.

"So, what are you guys going to do?" Lalas went on. "Are you going to continue to be a bunch of soft, underperforming, tattooed millionaires? You are a soccer generation that has been given everything; you are a soccer generation who's on the verge of squandering everything.

"So now it's time to pay it back. Make us believe again. You don't owe it to yourselves, you owe it to us."

https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-states/story/3201429/alexi-lalas-blasts-us-national-teams-soft-underperforming-tattooed-millionaires-in-tirade

Pep Guardiola's apparently going to leave Manchester City to coach a National team, after his contract runs out in 2023. If the U.S moves quickly they could snap Guardiola up to coach the National Team.

I don't know if Guardiola can connect with white middle America, the people needed if US Men Soccer is going to soar if he is going to say things like this:

“White people should apologise for the way we treated black people in the last 400 years,” Guardiola told a news conference after his team’s 3-0 win over Arsenal.

“I feel ashamed for what we have done for black people around the world, not just America, the problem is everywhere.”

Guardiola had addressed the issue in his pitchside interview with Sky Sports.

“We should send a thousand million messages for the black people. I’m embarrassed and ashamed of what the white people have done for the black people,” he said.

“Just because you are born a different colour of skin, how do people think they are different to the other one?,” added the Spaniard.

All the players’ names on the back of their shirts were replaced with the words “Black Lives Matter” as the league formally joined the international protest campaign sparked by the death last month of George Floyd, a black man, at the hands of Minneapolis police officers.

“All the messages are positive and we have to fight,” Guardiola said. “Everything we can do to make it conscious, it is not acceptable. We have to do a lot of things for the black people which we have not done so far.

“We have to do a lot of things for the black people which we have not done so far,” the Spaniard added.

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-england-mci-ars-guardiola/white-people-should-apologise-for-racism-says-guardiola-idUKKBN23O3NF

[NewYorkExpress]

Arsenal just beat the crap out of Tottenham Hotspur 3-1.

I guess all the "Arsenal is going to be relegated" talk is bunk.

Indeed, if you look at the table, Arsenal's climbed to 14th with two wins in a row, and gets a relatively easy matchup with Brighton&Hove Albion next, While Tottenham Hotspur has dropped points in their last three league games, getting blown out by Crystal Palace and Chelsea, and drawing with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

I have to speculate that Tottenham pulls the trigger on a Harry Kane sale in the winter transfer window if someone like Manchester City makes a bid. They're not going anywhere fast, and Kane clearly doesn't want to stay.

[Lechasseur]

Arsenal just beat the crap out of Tottenham Hotspur 3-1.

I guess all the "Arsenal is going to be relegated" talk is bunk.

Indeed, if you look at the table, Arsenal's climbed to 14th with two wins in a row, and gets a relatively easy matchup with Brighton&Hove Albion next, While Tottenham Hotspur has dropped points in their last three league games, getting blown out by Crystal Palace and Chelsea, and drawing with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

I have to speculate that Tottenham pulls the trigger on a Harry Kane sale in the winter transfer window if someone like Manchester City makes a bid. They're not going anywhere fast, and Kane clearly doesn't want to stay.

Agreed. I'd rather be Arsenal than Tottenham right now.

I agree that Harry Kane will probably leave pretty soon and Tottenham will slide into irrelevance.

Tottenham's glory days are clearly over (tbf, so are Arsenal's, but at least Arsenal have prestige and a history to attract players and stuff to a degree Tottenham do not if they're not getting results).

[Suburbia]

Arsenal just beat the crap out of Tottenham Hotspur 3-1.

I guess all the "Arsenal is going to be relegated" talk is bunk.

Indeed, if you look at the table, Arsenal's climbed to 14th with two wins in a row, and gets a relatively easy matchup with Brighton&Hove Albion next, While Tottenham Hotspur has dropped points in their last three league games, getting blown out by Crystal Palace and Chelsea, and drawing with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

I have to speculate that Tottenham pulls the trigger on a Harry Kane sale in the winter transfer window if someone like Manchester City makes a bid. They're not going anywhere fast, and Kane clearly doesn't want to stay.

Agreed. I'd rather be Arsenal than Tottenham right now.

I agree that Harry Kane will probably leave pretty soon and Tottenham will slide into irrelevance.

Tottenham's glory days are clearly over (tbf, so are Arsenal's, but at least Arsenal have prestige and a history to attract players and stuff to a degree Tottenham do not if they're not getting results).

Kane goes to Man City and they win the whole thing---including Champs of Europe 2022

[NewYorkExpress]

Arsenal just beat the crap out of Tottenham Hotspur 3-1.

I guess all the "Arsenal is going to be relegated" talk is bunk.

Indeed, if you look at the table, Arsenal's climbed to 14th with two wins in a row, and gets a relatively easy matchup with Brighton&Hove Albion next, While Tottenham Hotspur has dropped points in their last three league games, getting blown out by Crystal Palace and Chelsea, and drawing with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

I have to speculate that Tottenham pulls the trigger on a Harry Kane sale in the winter transfer window if someone like Manchester City makes a bid. They're not going anywhere fast, and Kane clearly doesn't want to stay.

Agreed. I'd rather be Arsenal than Tottenham right now.

I agree that Harry Kane will probably leave pretty soon and Tottenham will slide into irrelevance.

Tottenham's glory days are clearly over (tbf, so are Arsenal's, but at least Arsenal have prestige and a history to attract players and stuff to a degree Tottenham do not if they're not getting results).

Kane goes to Man City and they win the whole thing---including Champs of Europe 2022

Manchester City's probably a Forward away from repeating as Premier League Champions, but they aren't going beat Paris Saint-Germain in a Champions League knockout round without getting very lucky.

[NewYorkExpress]

USMT should not waste Pulisic's prime.....if they can't make serious inroads by now and 2026, it would be a waste....

Maybe they should hire Alexi Lalas as their manager....

And Lalas, now a commentator for Fox Sports, made his feelings clear -- player by player -- on a live, televised tirade during Sunday night's broadcast of the Seattle Sounders-LA Galaxy game.

"It's dark days, indeed, but this is a time for leaders to step up," he began. "And so to the supposed leaders, I will say this....

"Tim Howard. Tim, the Belgium game ended three years ago. We need you to save the ball now. Geoff Cameron. Clean it up, or let's get someone who will.

"Clint Dempsey. Yeah, you're a national team legend; now we need you to be a national team leader.

"Michael Bradley. The U.S. does not need you to be zen, the U.S. needs you to play better. Jozy Altidore. Is this really as good as it gets? Because it's still not good enough."

Lalas also targeted U.S. coach Bruce Arena, who before the loss to Costa Rica enjoyed a 14-game unbeaten streak this year upon replacing Jurgen Klinsmann.

"Bruce Arena. Jurgen Klinsmann lost at home to Mexico. You lost at home to Costa Rica. This is now all on you, not Jurgen," he continued.

And he also took a shot at young star Christian Pulisic, adding: "And, oh, by the way, to all the guys that I didn't mention, it's because you don't even warrant a mention. That includes you too, Wonder Boy."

Lalas, who played for the United States at the 1994 World Cup, concluded by targeting the mindset of the current team and saying that they owed their supporters better performances.

"So, what are you guys going to do?" Lalas went on. "Are you going to continue to be a bunch of soft, underperforming, tattooed millionaires? You are a soccer generation that has been given everything; you are a soccer generation who's on the verge of squandering everything.

"So now it's time to pay it back. Make us believe again. You don't owe it to yourselves, you owe it to us."

https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-states/story/3201429/alexi-lalas-blasts-us-national-teams-soft-underperforming-tattooed-millionaires-in-tirade

Pep Guardiola's apparently going to leave Manchester City to coach a National team, after his contract runs out in 2023. If the U.S moves quickly they could snap Guardiola up to coach the National Team.

I don't know if Guardiola can connect with white middle America, the people needed if US Men Soccer is going to soar if he is going to say things like this:

“White people should apologise for the way we treated black people in the last 400 years,” Guardiola told a news conference after his team’s 3-0 win over Arsenal.

“I feel ashamed for what we have done for black people around the world, not just America, the problem is everywhere.”

Guardiola had addressed the issue in his pitchside interview with Sky Sports.

“We should send a thousand million messages for the black people. I’m embarrassed and ashamed of what the white people have done for the black people,” he said.

“Just because you are born a different colour of skin, how do people think they are different to the other one?,” added the Spaniard.

All the players’ names on the back of their shirts were replaced with the words “Black Lives Matter” as the league formally joined the international protest campaign sparked by the death last month of George Floyd, a black man, at the hands of Minneapolis police officers.

“All the messages are positive and we have to fight,” Guardiola said. “Everything we can do to make it conscious, it is not acceptable. We have to do a lot of things for the black people which we have not done so far.

“We have to do a lot of things for the black people which we have not done so far,” the Spaniard added.

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-england-mci-ars-guardiola/white-people-should-apologise-for-racism-says-guardiola-idUKKBN23O3NF

Bronz, White Middle America would be never be caught dead at an Association Football match in the first place, so Guardiola's hire wouldn't affect them at all.

They'd prefer American Football or Baseball.

[Suburbia]

USMT should not waste Pulisic's prime.....if they can't make serious inroads by now and 2026, it would be a waste....

Maybe they should hire Alexi Lalas as their manager....

And Lalas, now a commentator for Fox Sports, made his feelings clear -- player by player -- on a live, televised tirade during Sunday night's broadcast of the Seattle Sounders-LA Galaxy game.

"It's dark days, indeed, but this is a time for leaders to step up," he began. "And so to the supposed leaders, I will say this....

"Tim Howard. Tim, the Belgium game ended three years ago. We need you to save the ball now. Geoff Cameron. Clean it up, or let's get someone who will.

"Clint Dempsey. Yeah, you're a national team legend; now we need you to be a national team leader.

"Michael Bradley. The U.S. does not need you to be zen, the U.S. needs you to play better. Jozy Altidore. Is this really as good as it gets? Because it's still not good enough."

Lalas also targeted U.S. coach Bruce Arena, who before the loss to Costa Rica enjoyed a 14-game unbeaten streak this year upon replacing Jurgen Klinsmann.

"Bruce Arena. Jurgen Klinsmann lost at home to Mexico. You lost at home to Costa Rica. This is now all on you, not Jurgen," he continued.

And he also took a shot at young star Christian Pulisic, adding: "And, oh, by the way, to all the guys that I didn't mention, it's because you don't even warrant a mention. That includes you too, Wonder Boy."

Lalas, who played for the United States at the 1994 World Cup, concluded by targeting the mindset of the current team and saying that they owed their supporters better performances.

"So, what are you guys going to do?" Lalas went on. "Are you going to continue to be a bunch of soft, underperforming, tattooed millionaires? You are a soccer generation that has been given everything; you are a soccer generation who's on the verge of squandering everything.

"So now it's time to pay it back. Make us believe again. You don't owe it to yourselves, you owe it to us."

https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-states/story/3201429/alexi-lalas-blasts-us-national-teams-soft-underperforming-tattooed-millionaires-in-tirade

Pep Guardiola's apparently going to leave Manchester City to coach a National team, after his contract runs out in 2023. If the U.S moves quickly they could snap Guardiola up to coach the National Team.

I don't know if Guardiola can connect with white middle America, the people needed if US Men Soccer is going to soar if he is going to say things like this:

“White people should apologise for the way we treated black people in the last 400 years,” Guardiola told a news conference after his team’s 3-0 win over Arsenal.

“I feel ashamed for what we have done for black people around the world, not just America, the problem is everywhere.”

Guardiola had addressed the issue in his pitchside interview with Sky Sports.

“We should send a thousand million messages for the black people. I’m embarrassed and ashamed of what the white people have done for the black people,” he said.

“Just because you are born a different colour of skin, how do people think they are different to the other one?,” added the Spaniard.

All the players’ names on the back of their shirts were replaced with the words “Black Lives Matter” as the league formally joined the international protest campaign sparked by the death last month of George Floyd, a black man, at the hands of Minneapolis police officers.

“All the messages are positive and we have to fight,” Guardiola said. “Everything we can do to make it conscious, it is not acceptable. We have to do a lot of things for the black people which we have not done so far.

“We have to do a lot of things for the black people which we have not done so far,” the Spaniard added.

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-england-mci-ars-guardiola/white-people-should-apologise-for-racism-says-guardiola-idUKKBN23O3NF

Bronz, White Middle America would be never be caught dead at an Association Football match in the first place, so Guardiola's hire wouldn't affect them at all.

They'd prefer American Football or Baseball.

You're wrong about that. Alexi Lalas came from Middle America. Taylor Twellman came from Middle America. White middle America is in love with Christian Pulisic, he is the star, Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey don't get much coverage Christian gets every morning on The Today Show, GMA, etc.

Guardiola will be seen as another Popovich and Kerr, they like coaches like Tortorella and Belichick

[Santander]

I guess all the "Arsenal is going to be relegated" talk is bunk.

You are the only person who posted about Arsenal getting relegated in this thread.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

This is definitely in contention for the worst thread on Atlas. I know we have a lot of candidates, but this is just so bad.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Napoli have been very impressive. Back-to-back away 4-0 wins. It's over a month until their next truly tough match, too.

Thanks for the shout. Not only is Osimhen finally going in alone making plays all by himself (they rarely produce scores but evenly matched 1-on-3's are exciting to watch), but Anguissa has been a shockingly tremendous talent that has transformed the way this team plays - so free-flowing. I can't tell if it's the weaker competition, but the guy simply doesn't mistakes and sets up everyone else. And it gives a pretty fresh and competent starter off the bench in either Elmas or Zielinski (typically would continue starting Zielinski).

Can't expect too much from an older Mertens, but I suspect he will start when he returns too giving an eighth attacking option. So much depth here to stay fresh.

Could use a fourth defender capable of starting at this level, but it's certainly not hurting us so far.

You're right that Fiorentina likely won't be a test but won't overlook them on the road. Glad to see them doing much better even if they aren't quite back at the level they should be. Getting better.

[Alcibiades]

Instant classic tonight in Sheriff-Real Madrid. Not only a massively symbolic upset, but what a screamer to win it late on!

[Santander]

Instant classic tonight in Sheriff-Real Madrid. Not only a massively symbolic upset, but what a screamer to win it late on!

NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN!!!

Thoroughly deserved, too. There was an awful stretch in the second half where Madrid had no ideas and Vini Jr was just fishing for a penalty, which he eventually got. Of all the away grounds to get your first away win in the Champions League, surely Santiago Bernabeu tops the list.

[NewYorkExpress]

I am now picking Sherriff Tiraspol to win the UEFA Champions League.

[Lechasseur]

I am now picking Sherriff Tiraspol to win the UEFA Champions League.

LOL

In all seriousness, I think it will be PSG. Go PSG!

[Lechasseur]

Also, PSG just beat Manchester City 2-0

[NewYorkExpress]

Best games this weekend are;

Saturday

Manchester United vs Everton, Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona

Sunday

Liverpool vs Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa, Lille vs Marseilles, Atalanta vs AC Milan, River Plate vs Boca Juniors (the biggest rivalry in Argentina).

[Santander]

Barcelona 🤣

[Mike88]

Barcelona 🤣

This match was as big of a joke as yesterday's Porto-Liverpool match.

[NewYorkExpress]

So, the next two weeks marks the international break, and the United States has a couple more key games. First, a must-win home date with a slumping Jamaica side, then traveling to Panama for another must-win game, and concluding the international window with a home date against a struggling Costa Rica side.

The United States could really use at least seven points from this trio of games, if not the full nine points.

[Suburbia]

Mohamed Salah is the best soccer player in the world right now....and it has to send chills up Messi/Ronaldo/KDB's spines....

It has to send chills down white people's spines as well....

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/liverpool-man-city-salah-contract-goal-b1931532.html