Association Football 2023/2024 Discussion Thread (user search)
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Author Topic: Association Football 2023/2024 Discussion Thread  (Read 33042 times)
Lechasseur
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Posts: 10,757


Political Matrix
E: -0.52, S: 3.13

« on: August 06, 2021, 01:10:34 AM »

First of the Big Five leagues kick off tomorrow, as Nantes travels to Monaco.

Saturday gives us the English Community Shield, with Leicester City taking on Manchester City as the marquee match in my opinion.
Go Leicester !
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Lechasseur
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*****
Posts: 10,757


Political Matrix
E: -0.52, S: 3.13

« Reply #1 on: August 07, 2021, 03:30:01 PM »

Lukaku to Chelsea official. Chelsea were silly to let such a good player go in the first place, but at least they didn't pull a Man Utd and break a transfer record to buy back a player they let go for free. What a team they have now.

How do you think Inter fare next year without Lukaku and Eriksen? Who do you think wins Serie A this year?

I'd also be interested in hearing your opinion on La Liga, given both Real and Barça seem to be in disarray. Does Atletico defend their title next year (a feat they have not accomplished since 1951)?
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Lechasseur
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*****
Posts: 10,757


Political Matrix
E: -0.52, S: 3.13

« Reply #2 on: August 09, 2021, 01:48:00 AM »

Why doesn't Harry Kane come to play in the US, he should play for the LA Galaxy, it would give American soccer a boost.

Kane wants to leave Tottenham in order to win trophies in England and/or Europe. I don't think he's interested in playing in the MLS yet. The top players go there to retire, not at the prime of their career.
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Lechasseur
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*****
Posts: 10,757


Political Matrix
E: -0.52, S: 3.13

« Reply #3 on: August 14, 2021, 04:27:24 AM »

Embarrassing start to the season by my Arsenal. Getting thrashed 2-0 by promoted Brentford.

The way Arsenal played in that in that game, I wouldn't be shocked if they were relegated, quite frankly.

And the sad thing is I think it's really an issue of squad quality. I don't think replacing Arteta would change much...
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Lechasseur
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*****
Posts: 10,757


Political Matrix
E: -0.52, S: 3.13

« Reply #4 on: August 14, 2021, 04:47:26 AM »

Embarrassing start to the season by my Arsenal. Getting thrashed 2-0 by promoted Brentford.

The way Arsenal played in that in that game, I wouldn't be shocked if they were relegated, quite frankly.

But yeah, I unironically agree with you there. And I support Arsenal as well (well, along with PSG ofc lol)...
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Lechasseur
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*****
Posts: 10,757


Political Matrix
E: -0.52, S: 3.13

« Reply #5 on: August 15, 2021, 08:36:46 AM »

Gerd Müller, arguably the greatest out-and-out striker of all time, has died aged 75. RIP.

RIP
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Lechasseur
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*****
Posts: 10,757


Political Matrix
E: -0.52, S: 3.13

« Reply #6 on: August 25, 2021, 01:19:35 PM »

Harry Kane is staying with Tottenham Hotspurs for one more year, probably similar to Aaron Rodgers staying with Green Bay Packers of the NFL...

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/harry-kane-i-will-stay-at-tottenham-this-summer-m2xmdq6v0

His biggest objectives are to win a trophy with them, win the World Cup in '22/26 for the English and the Euros in 2024....

He's a great player, he should have a lot of success.....we'll see....



It's more because Tottenham won't let him leave than anything. Other than to go on strike and potentially harm his reputation, it's not like he had much of a choice.
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Lechasseur
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*****
Posts: 10,757


Political Matrix
E: -0.52, S: 3.13

« Reply #7 on: August 25, 2021, 02:23:49 PM »

Nobody wants Kane at a £150m valuation. We're talking about a guy who isn't even that young and is injured half the time. Lukaku just sold for £97.5m, and Mbappe is reported to be available for £171m, albeit for much higher wages. Haaland enters the market next year for £64m, although his (and fat Mino's) wage demands will be insane and possibly beyond what English clubs other than Man Utd would be willing to pay.

He's 28....he's young, but he is getting up there....and he needs to win trophies....he's one of England's best players, I enjoy watching him play, he needs titles.....

We will see....

I agree that he should be playing for a better team than Tottenham, but it is what it is for him.

I think next year he should try to force a move away though as I think it will basically be his last chance.

I can't see Tottenham winning any trophies for the forseeable future. This is probably their worst squad in over a decade, and they didn't manage to win any while they actually had a good team.
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Lechasseur
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*****
Posts: 10,757


Political Matrix
E: -0.52, S: 3.13

« Reply #8 on: August 26, 2021, 01:33:14 PM »

For reference, the most marketable British players going forward are probably Sancho and Mount.

I think that goes to Declan Rice. Will be England Captain in a year or two, easily.

You don't think Kane stays on? He's called Captain Kane for a reason, he is seen as stable, reliable and caring.....

You can add Henderson on that list as well....



Yeah I think Kane will be on the England team for another 5 years, I don't see why he'd get thé captaincy stripped from him.
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Lechasseur
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*****
Posts: 10,757


Political Matrix
E: -0.52, S: 3.13

« Reply #9 on: August 26, 2021, 04:43:52 PM »

Man City are World Champs.

Congratulations to the fans of Man City.
PSG is better than Man City in almost every single position.

Icardi > Jesus
Mbappe > Sterling
Messi > Foden/Mahrez
Neymar > De Bruyne
Verratti > Gundogan
Wijnaldum/Paredes < Bernardo
Gana = Fernandinho
Hakimi > Cancelo
Marquinhos/Ramos/Kimpembe > Dias/Stones/Laporte
Bernat = Walker
Donnarumma > Ederson
PSG Bench < Man City Bench

Absolutely

I honestly think PSG are favourites to win the Champions League this season. Go PSG!
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Lechasseur
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*****
Posts: 10,757


Political Matrix
E: -0.52, S: 3.13

« Reply #10 on: August 27, 2021, 03:39:10 PM »
« Edited: August 27, 2021, 03:43:21 PM by Lechasseur »

My predictions for the Champions League:

Group A:
1. PSG
2. Manchester City

3. RB Leipzig
4. Club Brugge

Group B:
1. Atletico Madrid
2. AC Milan

3. Liverpool
4. Porto

Group C:
1. Borussia Dortmund
2. Ajax

3. Sporting CP
4. Besiktas

Group D:
1. Real Madrid
2. Inter Milan

3. Shakhtar Donetsk
4. Sheriff Tiraspol

Group E:
1. Bayern Munich
2. Barcelona

3. Benfica
4. Dynamo Kiev

Group F:
1. Manchester United
2. Villarreal

3. Atalanta
4. BSC Young Boys

Group G:
1. Sevilla
2. Wolfsburg

3. RB Salzburg
4. Lille

Group H:
1. Chelsea
2. Juventus

3. Zenit St Petersburg
4. Malmo FF
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Lechasseur
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*****
Posts: 10,757


Political Matrix
E: -0.52, S: 3.13

« Reply #11 on: August 27, 2021, 03:41:23 PM »

And seriously the draw this year was awful, arguably everyone in Groups A and B should be Round of 16 teams except for Bruges, while at the same time they come up with Group G which is a group fit for the Europa League, not the Champions League (frankly I don't see any of them as Round of 16 quality teams).
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Lechasseur
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*****
Posts: 10,757


Political Matrix
E: -0.52, S: 3.13

« Reply #12 on: August 27, 2021, 05:07:57 PM »

The group stage of the Europa Conference League shows why we never needed a Europa Conference League. No real new names, just a landing spot for the same old names we're used to seeing in the Champions League and Europa League. I love the Europa League, but I am not remotely interested in watching HJK vs Alashkert competing for a nothing trophy they have no chance of winning anyway.

Agreed, it's just a UEFA ploy to make more money, like expanding the Euros to 24 teams all while making it a worse competition
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Lechasseur
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*****
Posts: 10,757


Political Matrix
E: -0.52, S: 3.13

« Reply #13 on: August 27, 2021, 06:28:34 PM »

Group E
Lazio [ITA]
Marseille [FRA]
Galatasaray [TUR]
Lokomotiv Moscow [RUS]
Now that's a group of death.

Group B (Monaco, PSV, Real Sociedad, Graz) is arguably tougher, although Graz are weaker than Lokomotiv. PSV thrashed Galatasaray on aggregate in UCL qualifying.
Not that kind of death

I don't get it
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Lechasseur
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*****
Posts: 10,757


Political Matrix
E: -0.52, S: 3.13

« Reply #14 on: August 27, 2021, 06:40:40 PM »

Group E
Lazio [ITA]
Marseille [FRA]
Galatasaray [TUR]
Lokomotiv Moscow [RUS]
Now that's a group of death.

Group B (Monaco, PSV, Real Sociedad, Graz) is arguably tougher, although Graz are weaker than Lokomotiv. PSV thrashed Galatasaray on aggregate in UCL qualifying.
Not that kind of death

I don't get it

I think Donerail is referring to the, uh, reputation of the fans of those clubs.


Oh yes, with Marseille being the worst Tongue

I'd pull for a yellow dog if it was playing against Marseille
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Lechasseur
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*****
Posts: 10,757


Political Matrix
E: -0.52, S: 3.13

« Reply #15 on: August 28, 2021, 02:12:55 AM »

Man Utd are a legit good team. Full-backs are questionable, but Ronaldo should be getting excellent service from Sancho, Pogba and Fernandes. Now the world will see what a hopeless coach Solksjaer is, because they still won't win anything beyond maybe an FA Cup or Europa League.

Ronaldo won't accept anything less than titles....a treble

Yeah, I agree. But the only place where was really successful, and happy, was in United. Real was a fiasco as was Juve.

Well, yes. But I am sure he was happy at Real, he won a lot of titles there 

Not really. Yes he won titles but he had a toxic relationship with Mourinho, the feud with Florentino and the Spanish press was really tough on him. Things weren't that pretty in Real.

Real seems to have had a lot of issues with toxicity since Mourinho took over in 2010. It was in the Mourinho years I became anti-Real Madrid (I liked them before that but not after all that happened during his tenure).
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Lechasseur
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*****
Posts: 10,757


Political Matrix
E: -0.52, S: 3.13

« Reply #16 on: August 28, 2021, 10:30:00 AM »

Mikel Arteta needs to be sacked ASAP!

The issue is would any quality manager even want to replace Arteta?
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Lechasseur
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*****
Posts: 10,757


Political Matrix
E: -0.52, S: 3.13

« Reply #17 on: August 28, 2021, 02:06:07 PM »

Mikel Arteta needs to be sacked ASAP!

The issue is would any quality manager even want to replace Arteta?
Arsenal is definitely a poisoned chalice right now that no proven manager wants to touch.

What kind of top player would even want to join Arsenal other than to get a decent payday and live in London? They renewed Xhaka's contract after deciding to let him go, lol. And then he gets another stupid red card, which basically sums up the club. The squad is terrible and doesn't really belong in the top half.

Exactly

If it's to get some Championship level manager, may as well keep Arteta (who frankly I think has potential, it's just Arsenal are a poor side with a lot of off field issues)

I'm personally of the opinion that Stan Kroenke is the worst owner in the league, and if he doesn't sell, within 5 years Arsenal will get relegated
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Lechasseur
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*****
Posts: 10,757


Political Matrix
E: -0.52, S: 3.13

« Reply #18 on: August 28, 2021, 02:40:48 PM »

Could Ernesto Valverde be potentially interested?
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Lechasseur
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*****
Posts: 10,757


Political Matrix
E: -0.52, S: 3.13

« Reply #19 on: August 30, 2021, 11:04:57 AM »

Arsenal's not going to finish dead last, as I'm pretty certain they are better than Norwich City, but I'm pretty certain the Gunners are going to be relegated.
lol.


Lmfao
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Lechasseur
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*****
Posts: 10,757


Political Matrix
E: -0.52, S: 3.13

« Reply #20 on: September 14, 2021, 05:39:02 PM »

Sounds like I'll have to troll a my Mancunian colleagues at work about this tomorrow lol
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Lechasseur
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*****
Posts: 10,757


Political Matrix
E: -0.52, S: 3.13

« Reply #21 on: September 14, 2021, 06:07:13 PM »

Sounds like I'll have to troll a my Mancunian colleagues at work about this tomorrow lol
Real Mancunians support City anyway. Man Utd might as well play in Dublin or London.

All the people from Greater Manchester at my work support Utd (they're very open about it, it's not me making assumptions).

I'm not talking about all Mancunians, just those at my work.
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Lechasseur
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*****
Posts: 10,757


Political Matrix
E: -0.52, S: 3.13

« Reply #22 on: September 26, 2021, 01:01:50 PM »

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).
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Lechasseur
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*****
Posts: 10,757


Political Matrix
E: -0.52, S: 3.13

« Reply #23 on: September 28, 2021, 04:56:09 PM »

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

LOL

In all seriousness, I think it will be PSG. Go PSG!
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Lechasseur
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*****
Posts: 10,757


Political Matrix
E: -0.52, S: 3.13

« Reply #24 on: September 28, 2021, 04:56:43 PM »

Also, PSG just beat Manchester City 2-0 Smiley
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