The Football (Soccer) Thread

[JM2K6]

What a weekend for overrated keepers who are picked for their ability to pass the fucking ball


City bottling it in Europe never stops being funny.

[iarmhí]

I reckon United will be following City out of European competition tomorrow

[Kawazaki]

Who's the worst performer?

Ireland in RWCs?
Man City in the CL?

I think the Irish can still feel well ahead at this stage.

[Slick]

The ref in the last 15 minutes of this Man U game has been hilariously rubbish

[Slick]

Well, if nothing else this has reminded me why I don’t really watch football any longer, what a bunch of cheating whining cunts

[Akkerman]

not a great weekend for manchester

[Slick]

Anyone watching the fitba?

Already getting annoyed with Neymar and it hasn’t kicked off

[Akkerman]

Good game in the first half, too many mistakes now

Happy for Bayern to take it from here, they really had an amazing season. But wouldn't mind some extra time, just for laughs.

[ScarfaceClaw]

Nice one Bayern. Eat a bag of dicks Neymar.

[Slick]

Nice one Bayern. Eat a bag of dicks Neymar.

Quite. Delighted to see him lose

[Akkerman]

most psg players taking off their medals once off the podium

oh the arrogance and lack of sportsmanship

[ScarfaceClaw]

most psg players taking off their medals once off the podium

oh the arrogance and lack of sportsmanship

It’s PSG. You can leave your sportsmanship at the door.

[boere wors]

most psg players taking off their medals once off the podium

oh the arrogance and lack of sportsmanship

following Englands example after the RWC final last year

[eldanielfire]

most psg players taking off their medals once off the podium

oh the arrogance and lack of sportsmanship

It’s PSG. You can leave your sportsmanship at the door.

Evil was vanquished last night. Well done Bayern.

[Jim Lahey]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53903703


The story that just keeps on giving.

[Sandstorm]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53903703


The story that just keeps on giving.

His sister was injected and passed out.

[fishfoodie]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53903703


The story that just keeps on giving.

His sister was injected and passed out.

allegedly.

[Jim Lahey]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53903703


The story that just keeps on giving.

His sister was injected and passed out.

allegedly.

What sort of multi millionaire hangs out in a place frequented by sleazy Albanian drug dealers?
Then knocks seven bells out of the local cops and then later tries to bribe them by saying they are the leader of Man Utd?
A knacker in gentleman’s clothing.

[C69]

He needs to be suspended

[Sandstorm]

He needs to be suspended

The King of Manchester? Doubtful.

[fishfoodie]

He needs to be suspended

From the Mykonos Prison first 11 ?

[eldanielfire]

In unexpected news (certainly a year ago) Messi demands to leave Barcelona

[New guy]

In unexpected news (certainly a year ago) Messi demands to leave Barcelona

He's going to go to City isn't he.

In other, totally unrelated news City have signed a new sponsorship deal with Etihad worth £999,999,999,999. Good for them.

[earl the beaver]

Bartomeu doing wonders for Barcelona yet again, not only has he destroyed the best club side in recent European history but has also forced the best player of all time out of the club, bravo, bravo.

[New guy]

Meh. Think of all the extra cash you'll have to invest in decent players.

Tell you what, swap deal, Messi for Lingard.

[earl the beaver]

He has a clause in his contract to leave for free at the end of every season so not necessarily any money outside of the wage bill.

I hope it's enough to force an early presidential election and he stays with Bartomeu gone.

[LandOTurk]

He has a clause in his contract to leave for free at the end of every season so not necessarily any money outside of the wage bill.

I hope it's enough to force an early presidential election and he stays with Bartomeu gone.

He ain't going anywhere. Its now Messi v Barti and Messi gonna win.

[New guy]

It'll actually be quite sad to see Messi leave Barcelona.

2006-2016 or so was a fantastic era for Football, a golden age imo. We'll all look back at the Messi and Ronaldo generation very fondly.

[Hugo]

Personally its quite exciting in the sense that he will have a new challenge and change of scenery.

Would be great to see him play out the twilight of his career at Man City in front of English crowds. It would be good for the Premier league also.

[JM2K6]

Messi is a lead weight preventing Barca from finding a path forward at this stage. He's still a brilliant player with a lot to offer but he either needs to work harder on the pitch or accept he's not the main man any more if he's unwilling to change.

Neither seems likely so a payday at a lesser team isn't the end of the world for him and frees up his astonishing wages for Barca.

[Crouchy]

I'd hate to see him play for the likes of City or PSG. Soulless clubs.

[eldanielfire]

Messi is a lead weight preventing Barca from finding a path forward at this stage. He's still a brilliant player with a lot to offer but he either needs to work harder on the pitch or accept he's not the main man any more if he's unwilling to change.

Neither seems likely so a payday at a lesser team isn't the end of the world for him and frees up his astonishing wages for Barca.

That's weird. I don't think you can say Messi isn't working hard on the pitch. He's literally carried Barcelona many a game for a few years. If anything it's been poor recruitment of players which has been the dead weight. I mean Barcelona had around £360 million either on the bench or playing for Bayern in the CL semi. That's dead weight. And their first team players are generally old.

[Hugo]

Chelsea have been very busy in this transfer window - Thiago Silva is supposedly just a medical away from being a done deal.

If Chelsea can get their defence sorted they will contend for the title imo.

[New guy]

Ronald Koeman told Lionel Messi 'your privileges in the squad are OVER' during showdown talks... and that was the final straw for frustrated superstar who then faxed club to say he's quitting, sparking fan protests outside Nou Camp

Good start to the new job Ronald .

You'd think Barca could do better than a guy who flopped at Everton wouldn't you.

[JM2K6]

Messi is a lead weight preventing Barca from finding a path forward at this stage. He's still a brilliant player with a lot to offer but he either needs to work harder on the pitch or accept he's not the main man any more if he's unwilling to change.

Neither seems likely so a payday at a lesser team isn't the end of the world for him and frees up his astonishing wages for Barca.

That's weird. I don't think you can say Messi isn't working hard on the pitch. He's literally carried Barcelona many a game for a few years. If anything it's been poor recruitment of players which has been the dead weight. I mean Barcelona had around £360 million either on the bench or playing for Bayern in the CL semi. That's dead weight. And their first team players are generally old.

He isn't working hard on the pitch, though. He's a "pick his moments" kind of guy now. He spends a lot of time ambling about. He doesn't pitch in with the defensive duties and the press. He is a completely different player to how he was a few years ago.

Yes, he's "carried" Barca in that he's been the guy coming up with the big plays, but he's become more and more of a problem in terms of Barca having to adjust for the stuff he doesn't do. And he's a lead weight because of that plus his massive wages plus his ridiculous level of political influence within the club plus the requirement to manage his ego first and foremost. That's what I mean by lead weight. Not dead weight.

[New guy]

Messi is a lead weight preventing Barca from finding a path forward at this stage. He's still a brilliant player with a lot to offer but he either needs to work harder on the pitch or accept he's not the main man any more if he's unwilling to change.

Neither seems likely so a payday at a lesser team isn't the end of the world for him and frees up his astonishing wages for Barca.

That's weird. I don't think you can say Messi isn't working hard on the pitch. He's literally carried Barcelona many a game for a few years. If anything it's been poor recruitment of players which has been the dead weight. I mean Barcelona had around £360 million either on the bench or playing for Bayern in the CL semi. That's dead weight. And their first team players are generally old.

He isn't working hard on the pitch, though. He's a "pick his moments" kind of guy now. He spends a lot of time ambling about. He doesn't pitch in with the defensive duties and the press. He is a completely different player to how he was a few years ago.

Yes, he's "carried" Barca in that he's been the guy coming up with the big plays, but he's become more and more of a problem in terms of Barca having to adjust for the stuff he doesn't do. And he's a lead weight because of that plus his massive wages plus his ridiculous level of political influence within the club plus the requirement to manage his ego first and foremost. That's what I mean by lead weight. Not dead weight.

He's been like this for a while, there was a game at the world cup where Argentina got pumped 3-0 and Messi covered less distance than the goal keeper.

I think it's a deliberate ploy to conserve energy because his legs are going.

[Jim Lahey]

I’d struggle to understand sticking with the same employer for 20 odd years and remaining motivated, knowing that there’s no way you are able to top what you’ve already done in your career to-date.

Given that he’s used to winning all the time, maybe he should try a challenge of being in a team that’s struggling, just for the craic. He’s already got more money than he could ever possibly spend so that shouldn’t be a huge consideration. But working with a team of players with limited abilities to strive for a goal such as gaining European qualification or surviving relegation might be a nice change from being at a club where every defeat is met with an witchhunt.

What I’m trying to say is he that should sign for Arsenal.

[Hal Jordan]

I'd hate to see him play for the likes of City or PSG. Soulless clubs.

I'm not sure that's accurate, certainly for Manchester City given the basketcase lunacy that has been their trademark for most of their existence. PSG were a hybrid club that have had their share of ups and downs.

Perhaps it's more the Dementor's kiss of regime sportswashing that's done for both clubs.

[eldanielfire]

Messi is a lead weight preventing Barca from finding a path forward at this stage. He's still a brilliant player with a lot to offer but he either needs to work harder on the pitch or accept he's not the main man any more if he's unwilling to change.

Neither seems likely so a payday at a lesser team isn't the end of the world for him and frees up his astonishing wages for Barca.

That's weird. I don't think you can say Messi isn't working hard on the pitch. He's literally carried Barcelona many a game for a few years. If anything it's been poor recruitment of players which has been the dead weight. I mean Barcelona had around £360 million either on the bench or playing for Bayern in the CL semi. That's dead weight. And their first team players are generally old.

He isn't working hard on the pitch, though. He's a "pick his moments" kind of guy now. He spends a lot of time ambling about. He doesn't pitch in with the defensive duties and the press. He is a completely different player to how he was a few years ago.

Yes, he's "carried" Barca in that he's been the guy coming up with the big plays, but he's become more and more of a problem in terms of Barca having to adjust for the stuff he doesn't do. And he's a lead weight because of that plus his massive wages plus his ridiculous level of political influence within the club plus the requirement to manage his ego first and foremost. That's what I mean by lead weight. Not dead weight.

I'd not expect any 33 year old forward to cover the ground of the younger players. I think the issue is the age imbalance in the team, it's an old team.

As for his political influence and wages. I think there are a ton of Barcelona players on huge wages who contribute far less (largely being on the bench). The Barcelona wages problem isn't about Messi, it's across the board. Likewise as many, many have pointed out it's the club presidents toxic influence which is the real political problem for Barcelona.

[JM2K6]

The Barcelona wages problem includes Messi who has wages that far exceed anyone else's. He's paid more now than he's ever been, but is some way off his best as a player. That has to be part of the problem.

No-one is trying to make out that there's a single problem at Barcelona. But pretending that Messi's position isn't difficult for the club is a waste of everyone's time. No player should have the amount of influence that he does, particularly one who contributes less and less on the field. Barcelona is geared around Leo Messi, and Leo Messi ain't the Leo Messi of a few years ago. While he's still there, Barcelona are incapable of regenerating and reinventing themselves. Partly because of money, partly because of his outsize influence on transfers, selection, and tactics, and partly because of how much time is spent trying to keep him happy.

There's absolutely issues with how their transfer policy, their wage bill, their revolving door of managers. They need a complete overhaul. And losing Messi, fine player though he undoubtedly still is, will help them achieve that. No other player defines Barcelona as much as he does. Not even close.