The Football Thread

[Motorboater]

So. Is today going to be "Ronald Koeman gets sacked" day?

[pierrelm]

Originally Posted by Motorboater

So. Is today going to be "Ronald Koeman gets sacked" day?

Probably not; I don't think Everton are a club who knee-jerk too much and they know Koeman has potential to be a manager who can take any team to the highest level.

He needs to have the players though, and the Merseyside clubs trying to collect the maximum number of players who can play no.10 but not having a striker that they want to give a game, is bordering on the perverse. Everton seem to have gome backwards: no width, a soft centre to their defence, no striker worthy of the name and the promising youngsters getting less game time now the likes of Rooney have arrived. Tom Davies looks good enough to feature every week...and the supporters love watching talent brought up through the ranks. There may yet be interesting times ahead at Goodison.

[victor meldrew]

Back from the pub.
What can only be described as worse than WHU on a bad day, Brighton v Everton.

Has the PL finally gone to the dogs or is the international break the real criminal?

Keown and bad Dna as the Wenger out brigade gathers more momentum.

[george anson]

Originally Posted by footstep

Messi finally woke up . 1 3. And again, showed how great he is.
Because gentlemen, a world cup without Argentina isn't a world cup. No?

Considering they are twice champions, three times runners up and arguably have produced three of the best players in history, di Stefano, Messi and Maradona. Not to mention developed total football first, yes it would be a shame.

Just because their organizing body is corrupt (not a penny to their name and thankful for actually qualifying which provides much needed funds) and shambolic doesn't alter the fact. Despite the continual exodus of kids to Europe (five of the current Zenit team are thus) they continue to produce talent of the highest calibre not to mention coaches.

Gareca for example has done a great job with Peru. It's just a question for Sampaoli particularly in the month before the tournament starts to pick the right players and tactics. Mascherano has to go for instance maybe into the coaching staff along with Biglia.

Paredes, Asascibar, Lo Celso are the future of that midfield. Not to mention trying to get Dybala and Messi to work together and getting rid of Romero who must be the most fortunate number one in history.

I expect Peru to roll over New Zealand and Australia to just edge Honduras.

Great results for the minnows yesterday. Yes Chelsea and Arsenal were under par but you can only beat what is put infront of you. Infact anyone at Vicarage Road for the second half could see there was only one team in it and playing rather nice attractive football on the ground. We will be lucky to keep Doucoure, Richarlison and Silva if they keep going on as they are.

But as our manager says one should only speak at the end of the season about achievements. I cannot see anyone stopping Manchester City. However I still don't think much of Guardiola. He has had the best teams at his disposal not to mention resources and his rather disparaging remark towards Tottenham was countered rather well by Pochettino.

After all I expect most managers with Messi in their side alongside Xavi and Iniesta at their peak would win titles.

[george anson]

Originally Posted by ultimatewarlord

Meanwhile, England u-17 are leading Iraq 3-0 and should have had 7 or 8 a la the game against Chile. Is it too much to hope that there is a major change in our national outlook? Of course!

As I posted this it became 4-0.

You do get some very surprising results in the u17 at times. The u20 are a better guide to a national teams fortunes in the future but even then usually out of a squad of twenty three only four to five make the senior side.

England won the u20 but I still don't think it means much. Yes there is a definite technical improvement but both teams in the final are not the best. Venezuela are still one of the weaker u20 sides in CONMEBOL though they have made huge strides over the last decade and a half. And watching England versus Argentina the final score may have been 3-0 but the Argentine players were technically a level above and pegged England in for most of the game only to be caught on long ball counters. Germany also were disappointing but they were also missing several of their top u20 who were still playing league football.

[Devius]

World Cup play-off draw

Northern Ireland v Switzerland
Denmark v Republic of Ireland
Croatia v Greece
Sweden v Italy

The games will take place on a home and away basis, with the first legs between 9 and 11 November and the second legs between 12 and 14 November.

[Devius]

Leicester City have sacked manager Craig Shakespeare just four months after he signed a three-year deal to take the job on a permanent basis.

The Foxes are third from bottom in the Premier League and have not won any of their past six league matches.

Shakespeare, 53, succeeded title winner Claudio Ranieri in February, initially on a temporary basis.

After steering the Foxes away from trouble to finish in 12th place, he was given the job permanently in June.

Shakespeare won eight of his 16 games in charge last season, and led the club to the Champions League quarter-finals.

His departure follows a 1-1 draw with West Brom on Monday.

The last time Leicester went six league matches without a victory, Ranieri was sacked - nine months after leading them to the title.

Of their 10 matches this season - eight in the league and two in the EFL Cup - Leicester have won three and drawn three, losing four.

But they have won only once in the league - a 2-0 victory at home to Brighton on 19 August.

Their four defeats have come against Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool.

Details:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41656917

[pierrelm]

Dear me...somebody has to be in the bottom three?
Players have notably been out of form and frankly, WTF DO the Leicester board expect? Or is Ancelotti sitting in the car park?

Modern football is a sad, twisted world, growing ever more remote from reality...

[footstep]

Ranieri makes excellent work at Nantes. He did also at Monaco...and Leicester.
World cup without Italy? Really?

[pierrelm]

Originally Posted by footstep

Ranieri makes excellent work at Nantes. He did also at Monaco...and Leicester.
World cup without Italy? Really?

I'm not sure how well managed Italy are now? It would be a surprise, but perhaps not a shock.
Greece v Croatia could be one for atmosphere...and a calm referee.