Football

[The Hallucinating Goose]

Chesterfield are beating Crewe 0-4 after just 28 minutes! They better not ease off!

[DavidM]

I’ve decided I hate football . When does the season end

[HawkMan]

BBC kicked off their Champions League coverage with a highlights show of the Play Off round, despite no British representation. Very Impressive show, highlights of all games,  the excellent Julien Laurens as pundit, well put together all round with plenty of info about tournament including bottom screen strap showing all qualified already teams. Look forward to more throughout season, better than TNTs highlight show, it'll be a nice extra to TNTs live matches.

[gingerjon]

On 17/08/2024 at 16:59, DavidM said:

I’ve decided I hate football . When does the season end

I did a test last summer - haven't done it this - using the BBC Sport's results page and there was one day when there were no fixtures to report.

And even then I could see that there were senior leagues playing, it was just that the BBC didn't show them.

[The Future is League]

Tottenham Hotspurs named the best run club in the premier league. Perhaps there MIGHT be some Rugby League clubs who could learn something from the Tottenham blueprint. Just saying

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/premier-league-best-run-club-33514284

[HawkMan]

You couldn't make it up;

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2l4yjzrz1o

[Maximus Decimus]

So the new Champions League format....

Seems interesting....

[gingerjon]

1 minute ago, Maximus Decimus said:

So the new Champions League format....

Seems interesting....

I don't have an opinion either way but it's interesting (to me) that I'm seeing a big divide between people I know who support clubs in it (basically they love it) and neutrals/casuals (think it's awful).

[Gerrumonside ref]

8 hours ago, HawkMan said:

You couldn't make it up;

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2l4yjzrz1o

‘King of Spain’ cricket territory but not quite as funny!

[Gerrumonside ref]

58 minutes ago, Maximus Decimus said:

So the new Champions League format....

Seems interesting....

I’m a sceptic but can see both the pros and cons.

On the whole I think it’s an awfully long process to cull only twelve weak teams from a competition of 36.

Also I do think that in most aspects of life, once there’s more of a thing, you tend to see it becomes devalued at a certain tipping point.

I can understand those who had grown bored of the group format and complained of too many dead rubbers.

Actually though I would have moved in the opposite direction of less games but bigger knockout match events to decide the champion of Europe.

I fully understand the Swiss system and have played using it in chess tournaments for money.

I remain to be convinced it will work in football though except as a fudge to try and prevent a breakaway European Super League.

Using goal difference as a tie breaker amongst teams with asymmetric fixtures will prove controversial near the end of the league phase too I would wager.

 

[Maximus Decimus]

11 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

I’m a sceptic but can see both the pros and cons.

On the whole I think it’s an awfully long process to cull only twelve weak teams from a competition of 36.

Also I do think that in most aspects of life, once there’s more of a thing, you tend to see it becomes devalued at a certain tipping point.

I can understand those who had grown bored of the group format and complained of too many dead rubbers.

Actually though I would have moved in the opposite direction of less games but bigger knockout match events to decide the champion of Europe.

I fully understand the Swiss system and have played using it in chess tournaments for money.

I remain to be convinced it will work in football though except as a fudge to try and prevent a breakaway European Super League.

Using goal difference as a tie breaker amongst teams with asymmetric fixtures will prove controversial near the end of the league phase too I would wager.

 

I must have misunderstood it. I read it that after all the fixtures were done, the top 8 went into the quarters. This seemed like a real lottery for the top teams.

It probably seems preferable to a system where the top 24 go through.

Of course football is Teflon but in my experience, diluting the playoffs has negative effects. I always think RL lost out when we went from a top 5/6 to a top 8 and never really recovered. 

The NRL has the perfect balance for me. Making the 8 is an achievement, without leaving too many teams out of the running. 

[bobbruce]

On 30/08/2024 at 03:54, Maximus Decimus said:

I must have misunderstood it. I read it that after all the fixtures were done, the top 8 went into the quarters. This seemed like a real lottery for the top teams.

It probably seems preferable to a system where the top 24 go through.

Of course football is Teflon but in my experience, diluting the playoffs has negative effects. I always think RL lost out when we went from a top 5/6 to a top 8 and never really recovered. 

The NRL has the perfect balance for me. Making the 8 is an achievement, without leaving too many teams out of the running. 

Top 8 go through to the quarters bottom 12 go out. Then teams in 9th- 24th play off to find the 8 teams to join the top 8 in the quarters. 

[bobbruce]

On 30/08/2024 at 03:39, Gerrumonside ref said:

I’m a sceptic but can see both the pros and cons.

On the whole I think it’s an awfully long process to cull only twelve weak teams from a competition of 36.

Also I do think that in most aspects of life, once there’s more of a thing, you tend to see it becomes devalued at a certain tipping point.

I can understand those who had grown bored of the group format and complained of too many dead rubbers.

Actually though I would have moved in the opposite direction of less games but bigger knockout match events to decide the champion of Europe.

I fully understand the Swiss system and have played using it in chess tournaments for money.

I remain to be convinced it will work in football though except as a fudge to try and prevent a breakaway European Super League.

Using goal difference as a tie breaker amongst teams with asymmetric fixtures will prove controversial near the end of the league phase too I would wager.

 

It cuts 20 teams from the comp just 16 teams play off against each other to cut the last 8 of them. I suppose in a way to protect the big boys from an unfriendly draw. 

[Gerrumonside ref]

28 minutes ago, bobbruce said:

It cuts 20 teams from the comp just 16 teams play off against each other to cut the last 8 of them. I suppose in a way to protect the big boys from an unfriendly draw. 

It only cuts 12 after the league phase though and there’s a second chance for any big team wobbling via the preliminarily knock out phase, before you the reach the last 16.

Maybe it will be great but I’m not sure at this stage, we have an even longer wait in terms of games before the business end.

Also in terms of player welfare these extra fixtures might come at the expense of seeing the top players free of injury during the knockouts.

 

[Maximus Decimus]

1 hour ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

It only cuts 12 after the league phase though and there’s a second chance for any big team wobbling via the preliminarily knock out phase, before you the reach the last 16.

Maybe it will be great but I’m not sure at this stage, we have an even longer wait in terms of games before the business end.

Also in terms of player welfare these extra fixtures might come at the expense of seeing the top players free of injury during the knockouts.

 

It strikes me as a really quite poor system that is massively over-convoluted and no fairer. If it had been brought in for say the Challenge Cup, it would be seen as an example of how amateurish RL is. 

However, football being football it will have no effect. Every game will still be a sellout and it will get wall to wall coverage etc with the big games being huge global events.

[HawkMan]

Everton....the gift that keeps giving.

 

[Sidi Fidi Gold]

1 hour ago, HawkMan said:

Everton....the gift that keeps giving.

 

2 ex Leeds players on the score sheet for Bournemouth.

Everton though, confidence must be so fragile.

[ivans82]

Farcical sending off of Declan Rice and the bloke that took a violent kick at Him stayed on the pitch  .

[JohnM]

On 17/08/2024 at 16:59, DavidM said:

I’ve decided I hate football . When does the season end

If you are really serious, not just an Everton fan:The season ends as soon as you stop watching it, listening to it, reading about it and posting about it.

Try BBC Radio 4 Extra, BBC Radio 3, Classic FM, YouTube, Spotify, Kindle, Audible,

Edited September 1 by JohnM

[HawkMan]

59 minutes ago, ivans82 said:

Farcical sending off of Declan Rice and the bloke that took a violent kick at Him stayed on the pitch  .

Arteta admitted Rice's sending off was lawful,  he kicked the ball away, a yellow card offence when stopping a quick free kick. Problem is that a Brighton player got away with it earlier in the match.

As for Veltman he shouldn't get sent off,  he was very clever or sneaky or guilty of not playing to the spirit of the game,  whatever you choose  but not illegal. He knew if he looked like he was taking a quick free kick, Rice would react and then he could claim he was trying to kick the ball not Rice. I don't believe that at all, but Rice fell for it and should have done nothing. Its the sort of dark arts that RL fans detest, and want nothing like it in RL, but the dark arts is an ingredient of football's popularity.

[fenster]

14 hours ago, HawkMan said:

Everton....the gift that keeps giving.

 

Jesus!!!

toffees fans doing it tough. Their slump could finally catch up with them this season and see them finally being relegated.

[Maximus Decimus]

3 hours ago, fenster said:

Jesus!!!

toffees fans doing it tough. Their slump could finally catch up with them this season and see them finally being relegated.

There had always been an air of inevitability about Everton getting relegated just before the new stadium. 

I'm desperately hoping not but events like yesterday won't help. 

[ivans82]

6 hours ago, HawkMan said:

Arteta admitted Rice's sending off was lawful,  he kicked the ball away, a yellow card offence when stopping a quick free kick. Problem is that a Brighton player got away with it earlier in the match.

As for Veltman he shouldn't get sent off,  he was very clever or sneaky or guilty of not playing to the spirit of the game,  whatever you choose  but not illegal. He knew if he looked like he was taking a quick free kick, Rice would react and then he could claim he was trying to kick the ball not Rice. I don't believe that at all, but Rice fell for it and should have done nothing. Its the sort of dark arts that RL fans detest, and want nothing like it in RL, but the dark arts is an ingredient of football's popularity.

Thats what the pundits said and i dont buy any of it .Anyone who watched that incident with the sound off , they would have thought the red card was for the Brighton player deliberately kicking the Arsenal player with the ball a yard away .

[fenster]

4 hours ago, Maximus Decimus said:

There had always been an air of inevitability about Everton getting relegated just before the new stadium. 

I'm desperately hoping not but events like yesterday won't help. 

When do they move into the new stadium?

[gingerjon]

9 hours ago, HawkMan said:

Arteta admitted Rice's sending off was lawful,  he kicked the ball away, a yellow card offence when stopping a quick free kick. Problem is that a Brighton player got away with it earlier in the match.

As for Veltman he shouldn't get sent off,  he was very clever or sneaky or guilty of not playing to the spirit of the game,  whatever you choose  but not illegal. He knew if he looked like he was taking a quick free kick, Rice would react and then he could claim he was trying to kick the ball not Rice. I don't believe that at all, but Rice fell for it and should have done nothing. Its the sort of dark arts that RL fans detest, and want nothing like it in RL, but the dark arts is an ingredient of football's popularity.

They should both have seen red.

I only saw the incident this morning and, basically, the ref bottled the correct action. There was literally no plausible deniability in Veltman's action.