Arena "The Beautiful Game" - The Official JCC Football (Soccer) Thread.

Nah, got a lucky penalty and a lucky draw. And the results this season are the anomaly, rather than the rule.

I do like your wife, though. She must be a very happy woman tonight

 

I should point out that I don't support either and was glad Liverpool won tonight. Well deserved and entertaining. I'm not anti-Liverpool by any means (I really like Klopp). But I've watched both teams regularly this season and Spurs had a much tougher CL campaign and I think, this past couple of weeks aside, have been the better team overall. They seem to come in for a lot of flack these days and I suspect it's because they've muscled in so effectively on the bigger teams' territory. They're coming at it from a totally different angle to the other five though with a different budget and wage structure, building the team up at grass roots level for the most part. I admire that.

All that said, that Man City match the other day was classic semi-final Spurs. It surprised me because their current incarnation don't usually wimp out like that. I don't think they bottled it in the Juve match the other month - they actually fought much better and Juve were lucky that Kane's late shot came off the bar - in fact the last time I can remember them fading to that degree was the Newcastle match at the end of of the 2016 season when they conceded 2nd place to Arsenal.

 

Still losers

 

What’s the different angle that applies to the other five?

 

We're gonna get Roma'ed next week

 

Those 2 late goals will let Roma believe. You just never know now. If they go one up the crowd will be going crazy and Liverpool will be feeling the pressure. Far cry from being 5-0 down. Still, Liverpool won’t screw this up. Surely.

However Salah should win the Ballon dor. He has been insanely great all year.

 

Man City went one up. How did that work out?

If Salah has a great World Cup he probably will. And you would not count against that happening.

 

Doesn't play in Spain sooo... you know

 

As good as Salah is, I can't see him dragging Egypt that far in the WC.
Although Liverpool depend on him heavily, they have numerous quality players who can still create & score without him (just not as much).

Who do Egypt have who is any good apart from him?

 

Who did Greece have in 2004?

Egypt having Salah means they have one more excellent player than the likes of England and the US and will probably progress further.

He's the best player on the planet right now. Proof?

Speaking on BT Sport, former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard said Salah is the "best player on the planet right now".

So you're bound to agree.

 

Egypt will definitely progress further than the US this coming World Cup. Mark my words. Hell even Australia will

 

It will take an amazing amount of luck for the US to even get a single point, IMO. I can't see any of their players even scoring.

 

The US is going to win the upcoming World Cup. Mallory Pugh will win the Golden Ball. Fourth Star incoming. France 2019 will be ours.





Oh. You meant the minor tournament for men?

 

Being a good defensive side as Greece were makes it much easier to succeed than a side with one great attacking player.

Greece could sneak 1-0 wins by defending for their lives, will be harder for Egypt even if Salah scores every game.
They could concede 2 for every one he gets.

Having Messi hasn't won Argentina a World Cup yet, and they have much better players all round than Egypt

 

Name the Argentinian starting XI and the Egyptian starting XI.

 

Panama will win the world cup.

 

Hats off to them if they do.

 

I didn't picture you as a hat wearer, Richie. What do you like, a nice understated trilby, but with a feather on the band for a little pizazz?

 

I own many hats, including a Panama.

Which ones I wear depends on the occasion.

 

Ian Rush and his 22 years his junior model girlfriend. The lucky, lucky ****er.



Imagine getting to sit next to Rushie during that game last night!

 

Gutted about AOC. Kloppo has eased him in beautifully, and he’s been showing his true potential.

Midfield is looking light now, but as long as Henderson stays fit all should be well.