Off Topic: Soccer and NASCAR

[Marko69]

And Phil Neville....... new Inter Miami boss???

Can’t help but properly Lmao when seeing the Inter Miami name.

[Marko69]

Chelski empty Lampard.

[Marko69]

Gubbed @ Anfield. What a horrific few weeks for Klopp & Co.

[froot loops]

Focus on the Champions League. They have looked like shit since Jota got hurt. Teams have found a way to defend them. And what the fuck was Allison doing?

[Marko69]

Yes, ... his perfect "Loris Karius" performance!

[chemiclord]

The big money clubs in Europe apparently are looking at the nice racket American sports have and are trying to replicate it with their own "Super League."

[froot loops]

This has been coming for a long time but what has never been clear is if the demand is there. The Champions League a big deal but the domestic league is the main focus at least in the EPL. The American analogy is if college football had some breakaway schools for a super football conference, in both sports it loses a little luster when you face the same teams routinely. I guess maybe the rivalries grow, but I doubt it is the same as some derby in England.

[edindetroit]

European Super League: Chelsea preparing to withdraw from proposed competition

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/56823501?at_custom3=BBC+News&at_custom2=facebook_page&at_custom1=%5Bpost+type%5D&at_campaign=64&at_custom4=78BCC316-A202-11EB-B426-135916F31EAE&at_medium=custom7&fbclid=IwAR11EMtovfwVOoLwG9kCHBbMEWENNUmLeDUHODFFnvW1Z08klnJuB-zZLnQ

[froot loops]

Man City has also withdrawn. City seemed like a strange fit for for the ESL, the fans famously mock the Champions league, ditching the EPL for a UCL on steroids was a big lift.

[froot loops]

Great weekend of Soccer. Foxes win the FA Cup on a Tielamans goalazo and Liverpool wins at the death on a Allison header. First ever goalie header in the Premier League.

Big game kicking off right now, a rematch of the FA cup final at the Bridge. Champions League implications.

[froot loops]

That game was an adventure, Pulisic's goal from the spot showed grapefruit sized balls and his Vardy-like sprint to the Mexican fan section to celebrate was epic.

The kids played well, the game totally changed when he brought on Weah and Adams. Playing a back three with Ream and McKenzie is not something you will want to do again.

[chemiclord]

That US team still lacks overall talent, to be sure. They are still a pretty trash side that's going to be embarrassed at every turn by the "powers" in soccer, but at the very least they aren't just rolling over and quitting.

On top of that, as much as USMNT hates to hear it, Klinsmann was right about one thing; the players that are getting seasoned in Europe are coming back FAR more prepared and developed than those "in house." If the US isn't going to clean up their act here (and they won't), then they need to embrace sending players abroad... at least if they want to be competitive on the world's stage.

[froot loops]

Their forwards and Tyler Adams are very good, Brooks is very good, the goalies are good. All of those guys play for big teams in the top European leagues but those guys are young. They are playing from a much higher talent level than previous squads, but with that you don't have the cohesiveness that the less talented sides had. With those teams their main focus was the national team, that won't be the guys with Reyna, McKennie and Pulisic. The backline is a dog's breakfast and Berhalter wants to play it from the back.

It was laughable how bad Mexico was in defending corners.

[chemiclord]

Cohesiveness is perpetually overvalued, especially when compared to outright talent.

And while everything you say it's right; that's really more a condemnation of the talent level of prior national teams than a celebration of the talent level of THIS one. They are still woefully outgunned when compared to the stronger sides in the world. But it's a step in the right direction, to be sure.

[froot loops]

Yesterday was an example of lack of cohesiveness, they looked like strangers on defense until they brought on Weah, Adams and Leggette. Once those guys came on, the game changed. They switched a flat back four.