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Started by mgk920, June 19, 2013, 11:50:55 AM

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english si

Italy are joining the USA, Netherlands, et al in not going to Russia!

While Italy won the World Cup just 11 years ago, they only won one game in the tournament-proper since: vs England in 2014, so their decline and their failure (after being put in a qualifying group which wasn't going to be an easy ride to win) to qualify wasn't a huge surprise to the few paying attention.

Of course England only really qualified for 2018 as once again they had a terrible group with little challenge. The last few England games have been so lacklustre that there's now almost a tradition of someone running on the pitch at the hour mark just to liven it up. They get banned from future England games and perhaps spend a night in jail rather than see the last half an hour which is seen as a reward rather than a punishment. If there's a big cheer from the crowd its as a paper plane has flown beautifully from high up in the stands into the goal rather than the team doing anything.

I saw England vs San Marino at Wembley (Euro 2016 qualifier?) and there were bigger cheers from the England fans for the San Marino team getting the ball into the England half than there was for any of the 5 England goals. This was a total mis-match, and if England bothered to get out of second gear, double figures could be had against the part timers, but no, just tick over, do just enough to not be embarrassed. The fans responded to the team's apathy in kind.

The response to the Young Lions' second World Cup win of the year (under-17s joining the under-20s) beyond the congratulations was 'oh great, another generation with loads of promise that'll be beaten out of them by the adult national side.'

At least Italy might learn from this failure. At least Italian media won't hype up the nation for the summer in order to get them to watch as their football team ekes out a boring 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia, draws against Panama and sneaks through to the second round on goal difference. And then lose thanks to a terrible referee howler (that draws the blame away from the bad playing) against Greece or something. England won't learn as their failure is hidden in success, and the media circus will roll out again with the team just being terrible, but not terrible enough for radical changes.


Bruce

Italy's first failure to qualify since 1958. Ouch.

Chile is the other big team to miss out on this World Cup. I guess FIFA really had good foresight in proposing a 48-team tournament...the "smaller" nations are now good enough to knock off some established names.

Desert Man

#202
Speaking of Italians, there's a professional soccer teams already in Brooklyn in the NPSL.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn_Italians

I like to see divisions 2 and 3 have 32 teams each - adding the Italians in division 2.

And Oxnard CA has a team named for Guerrero, Mexico - Los Guerreros del Oxnard.

Add them in division 2 - which means Southern CA has 12 professional soccer teams:
MLS - LA Galaxy and "Wings", and San Diego Mission.
Div 2 - LA Olympians, Oxnard (Guerreros), and Santa Barbara Surf.
Div 3 - Riverside, San Bernardino, San Fernando Valley, So Cal (Anaheim), Temecula and LA Lancers. 

And a California (CA US & Baja Mexico) League:
Albion FC in San Diego, Bakersfield Bulls or Bullets, Daly City FC (San Francisco), Los Sentinels (Mexicali), Oakland Bucs or Pirates, Golden Bay Blue in Palo Alto, Los Chivas USA (San Diego/Tijuana), Santa Rosa Crushers, Salinas-Santa Cruz Peppers, Stockton "1849", Tucson or Arizona Copperheads, Yuba City Bears. Note San Francisco and Fresno in Division 3.

There's a move to bring the Desert United in Palm Springs. Nearest rival is Los Soles (Yuma AZ).

Along with MLS' San Jose Earthquakes and the proposed Sacramento Republic, there are 12 professional soccer teams in Northern CA: a total of 24, plus 4 in nearby areas (can be 28).
Get your kicks...on Route 99! Like to turn 66 upside down. The other historic Main street of America.

bing101


english si

Quote from: Bruce on November 13, 2017, 07:43:20 PMI guess FIFA really had good foresight in proposing a 48-team tournament...the "smaller" nations are now good enough to knock off some established names.
Sweden and Spain, who knocked out Italy aren't really "smaller" and France and Sweden were those who knocked out the Netherlands. OK, Panama are smaller... ;)

It's good that qualifying knocks out decent teams - even big names. Else qualifying is a big joke designed to give teams like San Marino, Kazakhstan, Timor-Leste, Samoa and Cayman Islands games against big boys that actually count for something as they get thrashed. The USA treated qualifying this time as such a joke, and thus failed. Had there been an extra 16 teams, they'd have been one despite their current naffness and articles like the one above wouldn't be written - they wouldn't improve (just as England qualifying while terrible won't help them sort stuff out).

The European Championship expanded to 24 teams from 16 last year - and wasn't the all-killer/no-filler tournament of yesteryear. Sure, there's always been a tradition of smaller teams doing well by being overly defensive and boring, but the group stages had a bit of a preliminary feel to them as instead of 4 teams with not miles between them competing for 2 spaces, it was 4 teams of wider divergence competing for 3 spaces (OK, worst two third place teams didn't get through). It wasn't hard to get through it. Plus qualifying was easy for all the big teams - instead of the competition always missing at least one of the bigger names due to failure to qualify, they all did easily as there was no real competitiveness in qualifying.

Bruce

Quote from: bing101 on November 18, 2017, 12:38:09 PM
https://deadspin.com/american-soccer-needs-to-burn-to-the-ground-1820488165

And now this comes out on the state of Soccer in the USA.

Take everything Deadspin says about American soccer with a huge grain of salt. They have a comical anti-MLS bias and would rather see no American league exist at all to "taint" their idea of a perfect, Euro-centric vision of soccer.

Takumi

Quote from: Bruce on November 18, 2017, 04:19:18 PM
Take everything Deadspin says about anything with a huge grain of salt.
Fixed.
Quote from: Rothman on July 15, 2021, 07:52:59 AM
Olive Garden must be stopped.  I must stop them.

Don't @ me. Seriously.

CNGL-Leudimin

#207
There's one reason I really love Cup competitions: upsets. The smallest (populated) island of the Balearics (Spain) is Formentera, and its team (which last got promoted for the first time ever to Segunda B, 3rd tier) progressed far enough in the Copa del Rey to get matched with a La Liga team playing European competition, in this case Athletic. After drawing 1-1 in the first leg (played in Formentera), on Wednesday they headed to Bilbao... and scored at the very end of the match, thus taking Athletic out of the cup. Now that is something. The same day, Lleida eliminated Real Sociedad (the team from San Sebastian).
Supporter of the construction of several running gags, including I-366 with a speed limit of 85 mph (137 km/h) and the Hypotenuse.

Please note that I may mention "invalid" FM channels, i.e. ending in an even number or down to 87.5. These are valid in Europe.

Bruce

The MLS Cup is set: Toronto vs. Seattle, for the second year running. Shouldn't be a scoreless draw to attrition like last year's final, though similar (cold) weather is expected.

Stephane Dumas


7/8

Quote from: Stephane Dumas on December 10, 2017, 07:44:17 AM
Toronto FC won their 1st MLS cup title. https://www.tsn.ca/tfc-captures-first-mls-cup-title-in-team-history-1.939378

First the Argos and now Toronto FC, Toronto is having a good year!  :cheers: Now we just need the Leafs to break their 50-season Stanley Cup drought.

AsphaltPlanet

Quote from: 7/8 on December 10, 2017, 09:25:33 AM
Quote from: Stephane Dumas on December 10, 2017, 07:44:17 AM
Toronto FC won their 1st MLS cup title. https://www.tsn.ca/tfc-captures-first-mls-cup-title-in-team-history-1.939378

First the Argos and now Toronto FC, Toronto is having a good year!  :cheers: Now we just need the Leafs to break their 50-season Stanley Cup drought.

I could do with another Blue Jays World Series title too.  Maybe they just need to relocate to BMO field for a season?
AsphaltPlanet.ca  Youtube -- Opinions expressed reflect the viewpoints of others.

jp the roadgeek

Couple of big matches today in the EPL: The Merseyside Derby between Liverpool and Everton, and the Manchester Derby between City and United.

Merseyside even at 1 after a Wayne Rooney PK on a questionable call.
Interstates I've clinched: 97, 290 (MA), 291 (CT), 291 (MA), 293, 295 (DE-NJ-PA), 295 (RI-MA), 384, 391, 395 (CT-MA), 395 (MD), 495 (DE), 610 (LA), 684, 691, 695 (MD), 695 (NY), 795 (MD)

english si

Quote from: jp the roadgeek on December 10, 2017, 10:51:38 AMCouple of big matches today in the EPL: The Merseyside Derby between Liverpool and Everton, and the Manchester Derby between City and United.
Don't forget Soton-Arses. Annoyingly the Gunners equalised at the end, as the Saints deserved the win.

Liverpool-Everton is a terrible result for both of them. I guess the Toffees can take heart with a point, but the manner in which they got it suggests that they haven't turned around and they'll have a 5th season outside the top flight (in 120) - their first since '53-54.

And if City don't win the league, it's as they have lost it rather than someone else won it - City are so far ahead now. I'm at the point where I'd be surprised if they lose a game in the league, and - if they hadn't lost in the dead-rubber against Donetsk mid-week - they could have gone unbeaten all season.

Stephane Dumas

Quote from: AsphaltPlanet on December 10, 2017, 10:35:09 AM
I could do with another Blue Jays World Series title too.  Maybe they just need to relocate to BMO field for a season?

Don't forget the Raptors who still try to get their 1st NBA championship title. Their farm-team the Raptors 905 won the championship of the NBDL aka D-League and now known as G-league last season.

Road Hog

Quietly here (at least stateside), the Noisy Neighbors are doing something incredible. Undefeated after 20 games and 58 of 60 possible points.

Beyond the usual big six clubs that rarely ever change, it's a nutso season in the EPL. The eighth-place team (Leicester) are closer to the drop zone than they are to a Champions League spot.

english si

Quote from: Road Hog on December 29, 2017, 09:53:22 PMBeyond the usual big six clubs that rarely ever change, it's a nutso season in the EPL. The eighth-place team (Leicester) are closer to the drop zone than they are to a Champions League spot.
That's pretty typical - a pack of about 7 or 8 march forth, one or two teams fall back from the herd but the rest are a pack. It's like a cycle race with a peleton.

It's more pronounced in the Championship though - with maybe only 3 teams pulling away at the front. Even as late as Easter, there's only a handful of points between relegation and the play offs. No UEFA money to exacerbate the top, unlike the EPL.

While, obviously, there's the Top-5 big teams, it is interesting how smaller teams can break into it for a season or two (Leicester, Southampton, Burnley are good exceptions from recent/this seasons), and even teams like Crystal Palace at their lowest ebb can beat a Chelsea. This is what makes the EPL good - there is theoretically more differentiation between the teams than in the US with it's socialist sports, but there's enough strength in depth that no game is easy, unlike other European leagues. Of course, however, it does harm the European prospects of the bigger clubs, what with having lots of games and most of them non-trivial. Oh what, you are playing Real Madrid next week? Have an attritional game in Stoke four days before and home game against Everton 4 days after.

CNGL-Leudimin

I like how a blue-maroon team I hate is leading La Liga and a blue-maroon team I love is leading La Liga 2 (2nd tier). I want this season to end as it stands now so I could see stars like Cristiano and Messi in my hometown :sombrero:.
Supporter of the construction of several running gags, including I-366 with a speed limit of 85 mph (137 km/h) and the Hypotenuse.

Please note that I may mention "invalid" FM channels, i.e. ending in an even number or down to 87.5. These are valid in Europe.

CNGL-Leudimin

Just in: Leganes has beaten Real Madrid and advances to semi-finals of the Copa del Rey! If tomorrow Espanyol manages to hold against Barça (they are leading 1-0) the final won't feature either Real Madrid or Barça for the first time since 2010.
Supporter of the construction of several running gags, including I-366 with a speed limit of 85 mph (137 km/h) and the Hypotenuse.

Please note that I may mention "invalid" FM channels, i.e. ending in an even number or down to 87.5. These are valid in Europe.

Bruce

The CONCACAF Champions League has resumed, under a new format.

Colorado and Toronto will play each other tonight in below-freezing temperatures of 17 degrees F (-8 C), which would be among the coldest professional soccer games played in North America.

MisterSG1

Quote from: Bruce on February 20, 2018, 08:12:25 PM
The CONCACAF Champions League has resumed, under a new format.

Colorado and Toronto will play each other tonight in below-freezing temperatures of 17 degrees F (-8 C), which would be among the coldest professional soccer games played in North America.

Next week's game will thankfully be in tolerable conditions, I plan to go. As an aside, I believe the temperature in Denver is sitting around -11 C, so low 10s in F.

MisterSG1

I was at Leg 2 of the Toronto FC vs Colorado Rapids "eighth final"

And the match ended scoreless meaning that Toronto FC moves on to the quarterfinals and will be facing the current champions of the Mexican League, Tigres UANL.

Bruce

The quarterfinals for the CONCACAF Champions League is set. 3 MLS teams survive and will face 3 of the 4 Liga MX teams.



Seattle came back from losing the first leg 2-1 to winning the series 5-2 on aggregate, thanks to four second-half goals.



I attended, since it was a weeknight and the tickets were super cheap (only $7 for two seats a few rows above the field). About 30,000 people, which is lower than an MLS match but still very well-attended.


Sounders vs. Santa Tecla (CCL) from SW corner by SounderBruce, on Flickr


Sounders vs. Santa Tecla (CCL) panorama by SounderBruce, on Flickr

Bruce

The unrest at West Ham United has been pretty impressive. Multiple pitch invasions, target chants directed at the club's owners, and lackluster performances on the field by players. Moving to Olympic Stadium seems to have been the worst decision the club has ever made.

english si

I think they should be docked points. Mostly as Southampton are dangling over the drop zone, and having West Ham below them and providing a cushion would be very welcome.

They, like everyone else, were unhappy with the move to the Olympic Stadium. Everyone else was pissed as the taxpayer bore the brunt of their move - and Leyton Orient and Spurs were angry at the move 2.5 miles WNW closer to their patches (Orient's ground is just 1.5 miles from the Olympic Stadium, White Hart Lane just 5 miles) as well as being overlooked in the competition to take over the stadium. The Hammers were annoyed as the Olympic Stadium is a terrible stadium for football (especially as they have kept the ability to do athletics), too big (including the pitch itself not being suited to West Ham's style of play) and echoing with a lack of the 112 year history that the Boleyn Ground had. There were protests and complaints last season. They not only lost the home advantage, but it became a disadvantage. I'm surprised it took another 15 home league games before it bubbled over into mayhem. Perhaps the move cemented the change in the club to drop the more rough supporters?

Van Dijk clearly worth the ridiculous amount Liverpool paid for him - the difference between Soton with him playing and Soton without him playing was clear last season for those paying attention - over a season it is the difference between pushing for Europa League or fighting for Premier League. And Lovren can stop trying to tank the Scousers from within - there's no chance Saints will finish above them this year. ;)



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