European Club Soccer Thread! (EPL, Champions League, Europa, etc... :D )

[Spaces]

That is NEVER a red card on Rashford. VAR yet again taking a slo mo replay out of context to manufacture drama. This is happening like every single game now.

[MakeItRain]

I am rough ridin' furious

[MakeItRain]

This is really good. Arsenal fans will still cry, to be fair I do think this was a foul on Joelinton, but their process here is sound.
https://twitter.com/NBCSportsSoccer/status/1724523703113785650

[michigancat]

This is really good. Arsenal fans will still cry, to be fair I do think this was a foul on Joelinton, but their process here is sound.
https://twitter.com/NBCSportsSoccer/status/1724523703113785650

I'd love to hear more of what the on-field refs are saying throughout the game. the VAR stuff is annoying

[Justwin]

This is really good. Arsenal fans will still cry, to be fair I do think this was a foul on Joelinton, but their process here is sound.
https://twitter.com/NBCSportsSoccer/status/1724523703113785650

How someone can watch that and not think that is a foul by Joelinton on Gabriel is a complete mystery to me. If you are the VAR and don't think it's a foul, your process is not sound, in my opinion.

The ball was probably out of play and Gordon was most likely offside. I get why they couldn't rule on those. I think part of the argument Arteta and Arsenal were making is that in a league where there a billions and billions of pounds (dollars) involved, you should have good enough camera angles to see that. It's an indictment of VAR that there are not good enough angles to say for certain that the ball was out of play and that Gordon was offside.

[MakeItRain]

This is really good. Arsenal fans will still cry, to be fair I do think this was a foul on Joelinton, but their process here is sound.
https://twitter.com/NBCSportsSoccer/status/1724523703113785650

How someone can watch that and not think that is a foul by Joelinton on Gabriel is a complete mystery to me. If you are the VAR and don't think it's a foul, your process is not sound, in my opinion.

The ball was probably out of play and Gordon was most likely offside. I get why they couldn't rule on those. I think part of the argument Arteta and Arsenal were making is that in a league where there a billions and billions of pounds (dollars) involved, you should have good enough camera angles to see that. It's an indictment of VAR that there are not good enough angles to say for certain that the ball was out of play and that Gordon was offside.

If VAR calls that a foul, they're calling fouls on damn near every corner or ball crossed into a crowded box. I'm actually fine with that being called a foul by var, but they aren't going to call that, you can't tell if the hands on Gabriel's back is consequential or if he's going over easy, the on field refs have to make that call. Like I said though, I'd rather VAR err on the side of more foul calls and more hand balls.

[Justwin]

This is really good. Arsenal fans will still cry, to be fair I do think this was a foul on Joelinton, but their process here is sound.
https://twitter.com/NBCSportsSoccer/status/1724523703113785650

How someone can watch that and not think that is a foul by Joelinton on Gabriel is a complete mystery to me. If you are the VAR and don't think it's a foul, your process is not sound, in my opinion.

The ball was probably out of play and Gordon was most likely offside. I get why they couldn't rule on those. I think part of the argument Arteta and Arsenal were making is that in a league where there a billions and billions of pounds (dollars) involved, you should have good enough camera angles to see that. It's an indictment of VAR that there are not good enough angles to say for certain that the ball was out of play and that Gordon was offside.

If VAR calls that a foul, they're calling fouls on damn near every corner or ball crossed into a crowded box. I'm actually fine with that being called a foul by var, but they aren't going to call that, you can't tell if the hands on Gabriel's back is consequential or if he's going over easy, the on field refs have to make that call. Like I said though, I'd rather VAR err on the side of more foul calls and more hand balls.

They should call a lot more fouls. If they would, players would not commit so many.

[MakeItRain]

This is really good. Arsenal fans will still cry, to be fair I do think this was a foul on Joelinton, but their process here is sound.
https://twitter.com/NBCSportsSoccer/status/1724523703113785650

How someone can watch that and not think that is a foul by Joelinton on Gabriel is a complete mystery to me. If you are the VAR and don't think it's a foul, your process is not sound, in my opinion.

The ball was probably out of play and Gordon was most likely offside. I get why they couldn't rule on those. I think part of the argument Arteta and Arsenal were making is that in a league where there a billions and billions of pounds (dollars) involved, you should have good enough camera angles to see that. It's an indictment of VAR that there are not good enough angles to say for certain that the ball was out of play and that Gordon was offside.

If VAR calls that a foul, they're calling fouls on damn near every corner or ball crossed into a crowded box. I'm actually fine with that being called a foul by var, but they aren't going to call that, you can't tell if the hands on Gabriel's back is consequential or if he's going over easy, the on field refs have to make that call. Like I said though, I'd rather VAR err on the side of more foul calls and more hand balls.

They should call a lot more fouls. If they would, players would not commit so many.

I said that, and mean it, but I'm still furious over Rashford's red card last week even though the was given by the ref, reviewing the video.

[Kat Kid]

If putting your studs on someone’s ankle and moving their ankle isn’t a red that seems like a bad policy. It is certainly a more justifiable red than the constant play acting about contact to the face during dust ups.

As for whether there should be more fouls I disagree generally but think them completely giving up on the emphasis on shirt pulls not even halfway through the season was a mistake. That should be a focus, not something like that play for the ball by joelinton.

A league where by positioning your body in front of someone else means that any possible whisper justifies a foul is not a league any of us would really want to watch. There would be a  constant play if what joelinton did there was always a foul. You can say that you will yellow card dives but that just leads to more close calls and VAR where a card or a pen is being given for the absolute minimum and players have an enormous incentive to try and cheat.

I don’t disagree about the hilarious lack of angles considering the investment in VAR and the multiple misses. For people that suggest the solution is getting rid of VAR, they need to prove that there would be fewer misses without or that it is better to have more misses, but more fluidity to the game. I think we either accept there will always be mistakes, uncertainty and human error and it would be better to limit that.

[MakeItRain]

Re: Rashford. Yeah, he stomped on that dude's ankle and I know it's nearly impossible to judge intent, however what's not impossible to judge and what was evident to literally everyone who saw that play is that when Rashford's foot left the ground he was playing a ball at his feet and the defender's ankle was no where to be seen. I mean good job making a good and quick tackle, but red carding someone with the ball because of nothing that they did but the defender making a good play, is so far outside of any intent or spirit of any rule. We gonna just start red carding everyone fortunate enough to slide their foot/ leg under someone else's leg?

[Spaces]

Garnacho with the goal of the season yesterday. They will be showing this one forever.

[Spaces]

Also, Kobbie Mainoo is my new favorite player. Only 18 but clearly a generational talent. If he elects to play for England over Ghana, he and Jude Bellingham along with Declan Rice would be the best midfield in the world for years to come.

[MakeItRain]

Garnacho with the goal of the season yesterday. They will be showing this one forever.

The only bright part of my weekend. I was also happy to see Martial score

[Kat Kid]

GOLAZO

but it is funny to see all the man u fans checking in after beating 19th place Everton (I know about the 10 point penalty)

Their 5 wins in the last 6 games in the premier league features a loss against a team in the top 6 (3-0 to Man City) and then wins against:

Everton (19th) + 10 (14th)
Luton (17th)
Fulham (15th)
Sheffield United (18th)
Brentford (11th)

They are bottom of the Champion's League table and their schedule in December is:

Galatasaray
Newcastle (7th)
Chelsea (10th)
Bournemouth (16th)
Bayern
Liverpool (3rd)
West Ham (9th)
Aston Villa (4th)
Nott'm Forest (14th)

It will be back to "United in disarray" in no time.  The only thing that will have changed is the quality of opponent.

[Kat Kid]

VAR has been as hard on Wolves as any team, but I still think VAR is better than not. In the end, judgements will have to be made and there are many more instances of clear and obviously wrong rulings that have been overturned. I think the last penalty was very soft, and to send him to the monitor was probably not the right move, but the re should then be able to make a decision. I think there is too much expectation built in to sending the ref to the monitor, it should be more like college football where there is an open question, not someone else explicitly telling him he mumped up.

[wetwillie]

Do we have any Everton supporters? Wtf is going on with their side this year?

[MakeItRain]

The had a rough start but started playing really well before the points penalty. I think that even with the penalty they're good enough to stay up.

[Kat Kid]

Fernandes is a really good player (his curling goal was magnificent) but he is a terrible captain. Whiny, always looking to blame others, just a total clown.

[Spaces]

The hate for Bruno on this board is so over the top. Like there's never been a whiny soccer player before.

He's been one of the most productive players in the premier league since joining, he's well respected in the locker room, and is almost never injured. Who else would you have at captain?

[Kat Kid]

The hate for Bruno on this board is so over the top. Like there's never been a whiny soccer player before.

He's been one of the most productive players in the premier league since joining, he's well respected in the locker room, and is almost never injured. Who else would you have at captain?

I talked MIR off a ledge about him, because he is a fantastic player. I think he is a bad captain, and this isn't just my take. I take your point about the lack of alternatives, which is in itself a big part of the problem.

Who is leading in that lockeroom?

McGuire, Casemeiro, Eriksen, Rashford all better choices (I take your point about injuries and the McGuire saga).

I don't think now is the time to strip him of the captaincy, but Bruno isn't just whiny he is petulant. Feel free to compare his body language/attitude on a daily basis to any other captain on this list:

https://www.90min.com/posts/who-are-the-premier-league-captains-for-2023-24

[MakeItRain]

This has always been my issue with him. His production is better than I thought it was going to be and frankly has been much improved since his first season. Eriksen should be the captain but he rotates too much to do it. I love Marcus, he's my favorite red, but no. I also love Jacob Harry Maguire and he was the captain before Bruno, but he also rotates too much.

[Institutional Control]

What a crazy ending to LFC and Fulham. I had my finger on the remote to turn the game off when Liverpool equalized.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Kat Kid]

GOLAZO

but it is funny to see all the man u fans checking in after beating 19th place Everton (I know about the 10 point penalty)

Their 5 wins in the last 6 games in the premier league features a loss against a team in the top 6 (3-0 to Man City) and then wins against:

Everton (19th) + 10 (14th)
Luton (17th)
Fulham (15th)
Sheffield United (18th)
Brentford (11th)

They are bottom of the Champion's League table and their schedule in December is:

Galatasaray
Newcastle (7th)
Chelsea (10th)
Bournemouth (16th)
Bayern
Liverpool (3rd)
West Ham (9th)
Aston Villa (4th)
Nott'm Forest (14th)

It will be back to "United in disarray" in no time.  The only thing that will have changed is the quality of opponent.

UPDATE:

tied Galatasaray 3-3 and now need 3 points against Bayern and a favorable result in the other game to move on.
lost 1-0 against Newcastle.

They play Chelsea tomorrow and then get Bournemouth at home this weekend before a brutal stretch. I wouldn't be surprised if Ten Hag is gone by the time they face Tottenham Jan 16th.

[Spaces]

United don't win top 8 games on the road under Ten Hag and there aren't many of those coming up, so I would be surprised if he's gone by January 16.

[Kat Kid]