soccer soccer soccer

[stitchface]

The heat on that story is all coming out of England. American journos have since done a modicum of due diligence and pointed out he isn't eligible for UK citizenship even though he was born there. He is only eligible to rep the US and Portugal and has no desire to rep anyone other than the US.

 

i thought it was US or argentina? anyway, surely they dont let him get away

https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-states-usa/story/4067394/dortmunds-giovanni-reyna-to-opt-for-united-states-over-england-argentina

[imb]

The heat on that story is all coming out of England. American journos have since done a modicum of due diligence and pointed out he isn't eligible for UK citizenship even though he was born there. He is only eligible to rep the US and Portugal and has no desire to rep anyone other than the US.

 

i thought it was US or argentina? anyway, surely they dont let him get away

https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-states-usa/story/4067394/dortmunds-giovanni-reyna-to-opt-for-united-states-over-england-argentina

 

lets goooo

[imb]

The heat on that story is all coming out of England. American journos have since done a modicum of due diligence and pointed out he isn't eligible for UK citizenship even though he was born there. He is only eligible to rep the US and Portugal and has no desire to rep anyone other than the US.

 

i thought it was US or argentina? anyway, surely they dont let him get away

https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-states-usa/story/4067394/dortmunds-giovanni-reyna-to-opt-for-united-states-over-england-argentina

 

lets goooo

[wolf stansson]

 

As far as I’m concerned, every elite American should play for Dortmund from here on out. Dortmerica > Fulhamerica.

[stitchface]

so, when the premier league is suspended, Liverpool wins nothing? While it's clear the title race is over, the race for relegation and european spots is not . . . how do they handle it?

 

epic game at anfield yesterday . . . Klopp is such an ass.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

 

As far as I’m concerned, every elite American should play for Dortmund from here on out. Dortmerica > Fulhamerica.

 

As a nominal Schalke fan I'd love to see Steffen there, especially since as a GK their inconsistent attack wouldn't stunt his development.

[soccer10k]

Arteta has the virus and Arsenal’s game this weekend has been postponed. Have to think the same will happen for the rest of the league tomorrow.

 

Callum Hudson-Odoi tested positive also.

[stitchface]

https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-states-usa/story/4092499/why-berhalters-us-are-struggling-to-earn-results-and-score-goals-in-big-games

 

 

Bundesliga to resume May 16 (article is about USMNT)

[stitchface]

Soccer on TV this weekend! Hope everything goes well.

 

Here is a Bundesliga primer if it's new to you:

 

https://www.espn.com/soccer/german-bundesliga/story/4093811/german-bundesliga-returns-bayerns-title-fightmust-see-matches-and-players-to-watch

[stitchface]

https://www.espn.com/soccer/soccer-transfers/story/4097302/bayern-munich-keen-on-us-teen-sergino-dest-amid-barcelona-interest-agent

 

Dest on the move? This would seem like a good indication of his level of talent although the list of Barca washouts is seemingly endless. They need outside backs badly though. Playing opposite Davies would also be interesting.

[wvcbxl]

Soccer games return in Spain and Italy this week. :yahoo:

[stitchface]

and we have a Pulisic sighting - scored the equalizer for Chelsea! He looked active but rusty - but they all look rusty.

[wolf stansson]

Mason Mount is a few degrees away from being really good, but man he gets a lot of run from Lampard for as many mental mistakes as he makes.

[bukie]

Great individual effort from Pulisic to put Chelsea up 1-0 on Man City. Also terrible defending. But Pulisic beat both central defenders to score.

[wolf stansson]

Lampard's strategy of not even attempting to play the ball, bunker, and then wait for City's back line to make a single, amateur-level mistake so that Pulisic could convert a difficult chance is going flawlessly. Genius tactics.

[wolf stansson]

With so many changes in our world since the PL season started lo those many months ago, it’s comforting that some things never change. Lampard is still tactically bizarre. Mount & Barkley are still trash.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

With so many changes in our world since the PL season started lo those many months ago, it’s comforting that some things never change. Lampard is still tactically bizarre. Mount & Barkley are still trash.

 

Mount is maybe the tryhardiest player I've ever seen.

 

As a USMNT fan and nominal Liverpool supporter, today is a good day.

[stitchface]

With so many changes in our world since the PL season started lo those many months ago, it’s comforting that some things never change. Lampard is still tactically bizarre. Mount & Barkley are still trash.

 

Mount is maybe the tryhardiest player I've ever seen.

 

As a USMNT fan and nominal Liverpool supporter, today is a good day.

 

I am not impressed with Mount. Or Tammy Abraham. Will be interesting what happens with Werner coming in. Hopefully Lampard understands.

[imb]

ehh, i like mount well enough. he does exactly what the other midfielders dont, but his chaos ball style probably only works against certain matchups.

 

Pulisic needs to start. After he was benched this year (rightfully imo) he came back hot and Lamps left him in until the injuries piled up. Without him the last two games Chelsea would be out of the top 4. I think he'll start from here on, he's really the only winger who can both create and finish (outside of the 2 times a game Willian does something worthwhile.)

 

Next year there's going to be a lot of swapping in and out, especially if they somehow get Havertz, and its probably for the best for pulisic since he is slight and does tend to pick up injuries. Gilmour has to play more in the midfield and Ziyech does as well obviously. Kante will be at CDM to cover for the whack CBs, so you're kind of running out of room, particularly if they want to play Werner on the wing with abraham or whoever in the middle.

[wolf stansson]

I feel like they're doing Liverpool 4 years ago stuff. Just loading up on talented attackers from other leagues while ignoring the backline for now. Eventually, they'll have to make their van Dijk type splash if they want to win anything real.

 

It does remind of the "true german pervert" tweet description of Lampard's tactics. He truly does not GAF about consistency and will try some truly wild lineup combos to see what he can find. It's only going to get more fun as he experiments with a deeper attacking roster, but his allegiance to playing Mount every minute of every game is a short term liability. Long-term, I get it tho. He's trying to develop his Jordan Henderson and that starts now, not 3-4 years from now when they're really ready to compete for doubles and trebles. He's determined to find out if Mount can get to that level and that only comes with reps.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

They're in on Havertz too? Did Abraham spit in Lampard's face or something? I get that to a certain extent that's life at a big club, but responding to Abraham being a top 5 EPL striker(by both non-penalty goals and non-penalty xG, plus they are way worse w/ Giroud playing) by bringing in Werner and Havertz is insanity to me.

[stitchface]

They're in on Havertz too? Did Abraham spit in Lampard's face or something? I get that to a certain extent that's life at a big club, but responding to Abraham being a top 5 EPL striker(by both non-penalty goals and non-penalty xG, plus they are way worse w/ Giroud playing) by bringing in Werner and Havertz is insanity to me.

 

 

I don't buy that on Abraham - his movement off the ball is atrocious. Pulisic looked really good yesterday - almost DeBruyne like with the ball. Last I heard was Chelsea was no longer in on Havertz.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

They're in on Havertz too? Did Abraham spit in Lampard's face or something? I get that to a certain extent that's life at a big club, but responding to Abraham being a top 5 EPL striker(by both non-penalty goals and non-penalty xG, plus they are way worse w/ Giroud playing) by bringing in Werner and Havertz is insanity to me.

 

 

I don't buy that on Abraham - his movement off the ball is atrocious. Pulisic looked really good yesterday - almost DeBruyne like with the ball. Last I heard was Chelsea was no longer in on Havertz.

 

Abraham's non-penalty Goals/90 is 6th in the league(between Mane and Auba) and non-penalty xG is 3rd(behind 2 guys who missed time in Jesus and Aguero). As far as off the ball work, Giroud isn't a top line striker any longer, but he's no slouch at the dirty work and the team is way better when Abraham is in there. This isn't to say that Abraham is a decided superstar, but I'd probably spend a bit less than 150 million on giving him competition given the number of other spots on that team that are just okay.

[wolf stansson]

I actually think Abraham has great off-ball movement and the problem is that his main facilitators (Mount) don't find him. He and CP are their best young players by a mile.

 

Watch Tammy Abraham play when Pulisic is on the field. The only mistakes happen when they both make the same run which happens more with him and CP than anyone else, because they both make smart runs. When they're on the field together, Abraham looks better. More space. Better facilitation. CP running at defenders with the ball at his feet frees him up a ton.

 

I like TA quite a bit. Think he's got a ton of potential and is already an efficient finisher, which is the hardest thing to develop at that level.

 

 

https://www.thechelseachronicle.com/club-news/you-can-do-that-when-you-have-him-lampard-explains-the-importance-of-christian-pulisic/

 

“We had to work defensively so, so hard and we did it, and we created the better chances on the night.”

 

“You always try and limit your errors, which there have been issues with at times, and you always try and capitalise [on your opponents’].

 

“But when you’ve got pace and you’ve got players like Christian who can get away from people and drive with the ball, you can do that.”

 

Thanks, Frank. Glad to get confirmation that this was the extent of your game plan:

Lampard's strategy of not even attempting to play the ball, bunker, and then wait for City's back line to make a single, amateur-level mistake so that Pulisic could convert a difficult chance is going flawlessly. Genius tactics.

 

I don't know if he's a good manager, but he's fun and weird. I'll give him that. Can't wait until he plays Liverpool with the exact opposite game plan for no discernible reason.

[stitchface]

They're in on Havertz too? Did Abraham spit in Lampard's face or something? I get that to a certain extent that's life at a big club, but responding to Abraham being a top 5 EPL striker(by both non-penalty goals and non-penalty xG, plus they are way worse w/ Giroud playing) by bringing in Werner and Havertz is insanity to me.

 

 

I don't buy that on Abraham - his movement off the ball is atrocious. Pulisic looked really good yesterday - almost DeBruyne like with the ball. Last I heard was Chelsea was no longer in on Havertz.

 

Abraham's non-penalty Goals/90 is 6th in the league(between Mane and Auba) and non-penalty xG is 3rd(behind 2 guys who missed time in Jesus and Aguero). As far as off the ball work, Giroud isn't a top line striker any longer, but he's no slouch at the dirty work and the team is way better when Abraham is in there. This isn't to say that Abraham is a decided superstar, but I'd probably spend a bit less than 150 million on giving him competition given the number of other spots on that team that are just okay.

 

he's not a top 5 striker in the PL. though perhaps Wolf is right and it's the midfield that is the problem - I completely agree they look a lot less disjointed when CP is on the field. In the first half yesterday, he must have made 5 perfect passes that caught his teammates flat-footed. Giroud is awful.