soccer soccer soccer

[CubColtPacer]

As a casual fan of soccer I really like this. There will be quite a few more games with win or go home stakes than there is now. There will be more Cinderellas crashing the final 8. The variety of teams will be bigger from year to year, so it will be fun to watch a bunch of different countries.

 

I think those outweigh more blowouts and an easier qualification process. They need to figure out how to do tiebreakers after only two group games, and also how to keep the knockout bracket from having too different of paths to the final. But overall, I am excited for the new format.

[jersey cubs fan]

As a casual fan of soccer I really like this. There will be quite a few more games with win or go home stakes than there is now. There will be more Cinderellas crashing the final 8. The variety of teams will be bigger from year to year, so it will be fun to watch a bunch of different countries.

 

I think those outweigh more blowouts and an easier qualification process. They need to figure out how to do tiebreakers after only two group games, and also how to keep the knockout bracket from having too different of paths to the final. But overall, I am excited for the new format.

Seems to me this will make it easier for the 8 best teams to make it through to final 8 as potential cinderellas will be knocking each other off along the way. Interesting but flawed teams who stand a chance at upsetting the best teams will find it harder to get to the final stages as they will be beat by some weaker teams that really don't have a chance of a major upset.

[mul21]

So only the winner of each group gets through to the knockout round? Seems like having 12 groups of 4 with the top 2 getting through and a bye for the 8 teams with the most points would make sense. I'm not a fan of this really though.

[bukie]

So only the winner of each group gets through to the knockout round? Seems like having 12 groups of 4 with the top 2 getting through and a bye for the 8 teams with the most points would make sense. I'm not a fan of this really though.

No the top 2 in each group go to the knockout round, 32 team knockout.

 

I know UEFA is going to require 16 bids and put one team in each group. CONMEBOL should just send all 9 teams, but they'll probably get 7. CONCACAF is probably going to get 6, which is just silly.

[Rex Buckingham]

As a casual fan of soccer I really like this. There will be quite a few more games with win or go home stakes than there is now. There will be more Cinderellas crashing the final 8. The variety of teams will be bigger from year to year, so it will be fun to watch a bunch of different countries.

 

I think those outweigh more blowouts and an easier qualification process. They need to figure out how to do tiebreakers after only two group games, and also how to keep the knockout bracket from having too different of paths to the final. But overall, I am excited for the new format.

Seems to me this will make it easier for the 8 best teams to make it through to final 8 as potential cinderellas will be knocking each other off along the way. Interesting but flawed teams who stand a chance at upsetting the best teams will find it harder to get to the final stages as they will be beat by some weaker teams that really don't have a chance of a major upset.

 

Yeah, I think it will be more likely that the weaker teams will get weeded out sooner, because you'll have the top 16 teams seeded (rather than the 8 currently) and will avoid most "group of death"scenarios. That means that the top teams will likely go through on top of their groups and have easier routes through as weaker teams advance.

[CubColtPacer]

As a casual fan of soccer I really like this. There will be quite a few more games with win or go home stakes than there is now. There will be more Cinderellas crashing the final 8. The variety of teams will be bigger from year to year, so it will be fun to watch a bunch of different countries.

 

I think those outweigh more blowouts and an easier qualification process. They need to figure out how to do tiebreakers after only two group games, and also how to keep the knockout bracket from having too different of paths to the final. But overall, I am excited for the new format.

Seems to me this will make it easier for the 8 best teams to make it through to final 8 as potential cinderellas will be knocking each other off along the way. Interesting but flawed teams who stand a chance at upsetting the best teams will find it harder to get to the final stages as they will be beat by some weaker teams that really don't have a chance of a major upset.

 

Yeah, I think it will be more likely that the weaker teams will get weeded out sooner, because you'll have the top 16 teams seeded (rather than the 8 currently) and will avoid most "group of death"scenarios. That means that the top teams will likely go through on top of their groups and have easier routes through as weaker teams advance.

 

I agree in some ways, but I see these two scenarios. If they don't do any differentiation among the top 16 seeds, it makes it more likely that two of the best teams in the tournament could meet in the round of 16 even if both teams win their group.

 

Second, with only two group games, it only takes one bad game to finish 2nd or even a risk of being 3rd in your group. You don't necessarily need a group of death anymore to have potential of at least not finishing 1st in the group, and if they don't finish 1st you could see two top 10 teams meeting in the round of 32 (one group winner versus the 2nd place of the next group).

 

So while I think the odds are greater of a top 8 team making it out of their group, I think their chances are smaller of making the quarterfinals than they were before. They have to win two win or go home games instead of one, and one of those games could easily be one of the other top 8 teams.

 

The teams that it help most are the 9-16 teams. Their chances of getting out of the group get better as they will now be the best team in the group, and they have an almost 50% chance of avoiding a top 8 team until the quarters even if all the top 8 teams advance.

[Rex Buckingham]

Seems to me this will make it easier for the 8 best teams to make it through to final 8 as potential cinderellas will be knocking each other off along the way. Interesting but flawed teams who stand a chance at upsetting the best teams will find it harder to get to the final stages as they will be beat by some weaker teams that really don't have a chance of a major upset.

 

Yeah, I think it will be more likely that the weaker teams will get weeded out sooner, because you'll have the top 16 teams seeded (rather than the 8 currently) and will avoid most "group of death"scenarios. That means that the top teams will likely go through on top of their groups and have easier routes through as weaker teams advance.

 

I agree in some ways, but I see these two scenarios. If they don't do any differentiation among the top 16 seeds, it makes it more likely that two of the best teams in the tournament could meet in the round of 16 even if both teams win their group.

 

Second, with only two group games, it only takes one bad game to finish 2nd or even a risk of being 3rd in your group. You don't necessarily need a group of death anymore to have potential of at least not finishing 1st in the group, and if they don't finish 1st you could see two top 10 teams meeting in the round of 32 (one group winner versus the 2nd place of the next group).

 

So while I think the odds are greater of a top 8 team making it out of their group, I think their chances are smaller of making the quarterfinals than they were before. They have to win two win or go home games instead of one, and one of those games could easily be one of the other top 8 teams.

 

The teams that it help most are the 9-16 teams. Their chances of getting out of the group get better as they will now be the best team in the group, and they have an almost 50% chance of avoiding a top 8 team until the quarters even if all the top 8 teams advance.

 

Good points, could make some of the knockouts really interesting

[Guest]

Dude, what is the deal with Spurs?

[soccer10k]

Dude, what is the deal with Spurs?

 

They're very good and last year was not a fluke.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Liverpool what are you wearing

[cl smooth]

Liverpool what are you wearing

 

they're walking glowsticks

[wolf stansson]

Bruce Arena mic'd up at January Camp training.

http://www.starsandstripesfc.com/2017/1/17/14296778/watch-bruce-arena-micd-up-for-first-january-camp-training-session

 

You get to listen live as his man crush on Jermeezus takes full bloom.

[wolf stansson]

Checking in with DeAndre Yedlin:

http://www.starsandstripesfc.com/2017/1/22/14352798/deandre-yedlin-assist-rotherham-newcastle-united-usmnt

[biittner77]

Yeah, I think it will be more likely that the weaker teams will get weeded out sooner, because you'll have the top 16 teams seeded (rather than the 8 currently) and will avoid most "group of death"scenarios. That means that the top teams will likely go through on top of their groups and have easier routes through as weaker teams advance.

 

So instead of being guaranteed 3 games, each team will only be guaranteed 2. This sounds like a recipe for running up the score when you play the crappy team in your group then playing to a scoreless draw in the other game so you can advance on goal differential.

 

Also, won't having 3 teams in a group mess up the scheduling?

[wolf stansson]

Deuce cleared to train:

http://www.sounderatheart.com/2017/1/24/14375870/clint-dempsey-sounders-return-preseason

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Serbia friendly at halftime. Nagbe looks very good, Bedoya continues to be nondescript even though there's options like Morris who play that exact position in the 18, Marshall doesn't look as good as he does for club, Garza was lucky not to give up a PK, and I wish we had a more ascendent replacement for Jones. Are we really going to start Lletget in a crucial WCQ? Eventually there's hope Roldan grows into that role but it's hard to see that happening this cycle.

[soccer10k]

Much respect, Michael Bradley.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BP1tTxtFWrw/?taken-by=michaelbr4dley&hl=en

[bukie]

Barca in danger of not making the UCL quarters, down 2-0 in the first half in Paris.

[bukie]

PSG 4-0 Barcelona...they were totally outclassed.

 

Pulisic almost the hero for Dortmund at the end, but Benfica holds on for the 1-0 victory.

[wolf stansson]

Air horns

 

http://www.sounderatheart.com/2017/2/14/14618886/clint-dempsey-cleared-to-play-sounders

[wvcbxl]

Man City v Monaco is a very entertaining game :-D

[Banedon]

Mike Piazza owns a 3rd tier soccer club, Reggiana, in Italy.

 

The conversation at halftime turned to the region’s famous gastronomic tradition, or as Piazza called it, “the other reason I bought the team.” He breathlessly cataloged the area’s cured meats: “The prosciutto, the bresaola, the coppa, the mortadella — that’s all here.”

 

Noting that he had met with groups aiming for expansion franchises in Major League Soccer before buying Reggiana, he said: “I’d rather be poor in Italy than based in St. Louis. You can’t get a good meal there!”

[shnsajax]

Mike Piazza owns a 3rd tier soccer club, Reggiana, in Italy.

 

The conversation at halftime turned to the region’s famous gastronomic tradition, or as Piazza called it, “the other reason I bought the team.” He breathlessly cataloged the area’s cured meats: “The prosciutto, the bresaola, the coppa, the mortadella — that’s all here.”

 

Noting that he had met with groups aiming for expansion franchises in Major League Soccer before buying Reggiana, he said: “I’d rather be poor in Italy than based in St. Louis. You can’t get a good meal there!”

 

Also if you can buy a 3rd division team and some how direct them to the Serie A its a hell of an investment. Also probably a lot more fun then just playing around with stocks.

[UMFan83]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

This is just ruthless. I know its been a disappointing season after last year and they are fighting relegation but damn

[soccer10k]

 

This is just ruthless. I know its been a disappointing season after last year and they are fighting relegation but damn

 

I figured they'd at least wait until they were knocked out of the UCL first or gotten beat badly enough in the first leg that a comeback wasn't realistic.