Premier League 2021-2022

[creatorsgam]

And a close-up of a bottle filled with urine.

MOTM

 

[ImperialOrange]

Arsenal. Wow.

I don't think Relegation will be on the table, but they need to take care of business against the weaker half of the table to get out of the hole

They are the weaker half of the table...

 

[ImperialOrange]

Don’t know about the red, as it wasn’t intentional but I’m not entirely sure the nuance of the rule. Seems like it changes every season or 2.

Clear penalty though, didn’t need to see much of a replay.

It was like what Saurez did in the World Cup against Ghana.

I don’t have a problem with that call.

Handball stopping clear goal scoring chance is a red by the rule. That's why quick look and straight red.

Don't think it was James' intent initially (unlike Saurez) but once ball deflected was just instinctive move to keep the ball out of the net.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Taylor changes another Chelsea match

Red card wasn't needed and yellows come from frustration of his red card decision

He's the Ted Valentine / Hess of Chelsea

Funny thing is the other side thinks Taylor was trash as well with fouls 13-4 in Chelsea's favor...

It's either a Red Card and a pen by the rule or nothing at all. Last defender foul stopping clear goal scoring chance is auto red 100% of the time if called. In midfield it's not a card and often not even called depending how play runs.

EPL refs are abysmal in general though, not sure if other leagues are any better.

 

[upperdeck]

imagine if hockey used the same rules to decide penalties on PKs. too bad soccer doesnt have some way to do penalties instead of PKs for things in the box..

 

[IthacaMatt]

What a BS red card against Reece James

It was a tough call because it bounced up off his leg first, but he did flick his arm forward to clear away the ball. (And then blocked the next shot, too!)

 

[orangenauburn]

What a hilariously bad goal keeping play by Watford

 

[Forza Azzurri]

Holy Crap, that is a whole new Chelsea. Having the big physical striker as your focal point, with talented guys swarming around him; talented midfield, excellent defense.

This team reminds me of the kind of squad Chelsea had back in 2010, when I first became a fan. Very talented team, deep bench, capable of playing different ways, capable of imposing their will on the opponent, big and fast and physical.

Four teams can win the title. Chelsea is clearly one of them. Next week against Liverpool is suddenly a HUGE game.

Honestly, there are about ten teams who could make Top 4 (or at least compete for European places), if they got the breaks.

What a season this is going to be!

Matty's comment that he first became a fan in 2010 made me wonder about the posters in this, and other, soccer-related threads:

Do/Did you play and/or coach?
When did you first start following soccer?
When did you first start following USMNT/USWNT?
When did you first watch a World Cup game?
When did you first watch a Euro/Copa America game?
When did you start watching European club matches? Which league(s)?
When did you first start watching Champions Cup/Champions League?
When did you become a fan of your current club team?

 

[IthacaMatt]

Matty's comment that he first became a fan in 2010 made me wonder about the posters in this, and other, soccer-related threads:

Do/Did you play and/or coach?
When did you first start following soccer?
When did you first start following USMNT/USWNT?
When did you first watch a World Cup game?
When did you first watch a Euro/Copa America game?
When did you start watching European club matches? Which league(s)?
When did you first start watching Champions Cup/Champions League?
When did you become a fan of your current club team?

Only played for fun and in gym class as a kid. No organized team at our school.

First started following soccer in1974. Sports Illustrated's coverage of Germany vs. Netherlands (Beckenbauer, Mueller v. Cruyff and Neeskens). The coverage was amazing, and you got to see the Final on Wide World of Sports.

Started following US national team in 1994 World Cup. Not a terrible effort. Fun time.

First started watching Euro soccer in 2009-2010, leading up to the South Africa World Cup. Soccer was suddenly everywhere on cable. Chelsea won the Premier League in impressive fashion, were on TV every weekend, and had an overpowering squad. What's not to like about that? Your team is on TV every week, winning by scores of 5-0, 6-0, 8-0.

I started watching Premier, Champions League, and some of La Liga and Serie A. The Italian game seemed a bit slow, with lots of play-acting over fake fouls. Big turn-off. The Premier League played a man's game, and cheating like that was not put up with (at least, not nearly so much ...). The Spanish league was all Messi and Ronaldo, they seemed to call fouls very, very tight (too much protection for the offensive player), and it wasn't that competitive a league.

Mourinho's Inter won the 2010 Champions League, as I learned that he used to be Chelsea's coach, who put together our whole squad. I think Chelsea went out in the semifinals in the Champions League that season.

 

[ROCcuse]

Matty's comment that he first became a fan in 2010 made me wonder about the posters in this, and other, soccer-related threads:

Do/Did you play and/or coach?
When did you first start following soccer?
When did you first start following USMNT/USWNT?
When did you first watch a World Cup game?
When did you first watch a Euro/Copa America game?
When did you start watching European club matches? Which league(s)?
When did you first start watching Champions Cup/Champions League?
When did you become a fan of your current club team?

I played in high school and club level at a D1 school. Have not coached.

I started following soccer and watching leagues/competitions after my high school team played in a tournament in England my sophomore year.
Got our asses kicked by a Woking FC U17 team maybe 5-0, but then beat high school teams from Ohio and Washington State comfortably.
We watched a friendly of Spurs v. Porto at White Hart Lane, drove by the Craven Cottage brownstone on Stevenage Road, took a tour of Stamford Bridge. For some reason the only player I can remember on the Spurs team then was Edgar Davids, but I'm sure some more modern names were on that team too - Was that fossil Defoe with them then? Pretty sick experiences but before I was really into it all to truly appreciate it. Friends of mine and other kids on the team had been playing travel soccer since very young, so a lot of them were already into that.

I started following my favorite team, Celtic, around the same time. I probably first noticed them in the CL. Shunsuke Nakamura was quickly my favorite player. Killer on dead balls and a good technically gifted player. Plus I was interested in the Catholic club in a Protestant country dynamic and their rivalry with Rangers.
In college, I'd wake up early on weekends and find streams for their games but then got worried about getting viruses on my Windows laptop so haven't watched their average game in years.
Today was the first time I was able to watch an Old Firm Derby on cable television in the US. Thank youuu CBS Sports.

Only watch EPL, CL/EL, and major international tournaments, mainly because of TV availability.

I don't really follow USMNT. I care more about Colombia, where I was born.

Great convo starter Forza

 

[IthacaMatt]

I played in high school and club level at a D1 school. Have not coached.

I started following soccer and watching leagues/competitions after my high school team played in a tournament in England my sophomore year.
Got our asses kicked by a Woking FC U17 team maybe 5-0, but then beat high school teams from Ohio and Washington State comfortably.
We watched a friendly of Spurs v. Porto at White Hart Lane, drove by the Craven Cottage brownstone on Stevenage Road, took a tour of Stamford Bridge. For some reason the only player I can remember on the Spurs team then was Edgar Davids, but I'm sure some more modern names were on that team too - Was that fossil Defoe with them then? Pretty sick experiences but before I was really into it all to truly appreciate it. Friends of mine and other kids on the team had been playing travel soccer since very young, so a lot of them were already into that.

I started following my favorite team, Celtic, around the same time. I probably first noticed them in the CL. Shunsuke Nakamura was quickly my favorite player. Killer on dead balls and a good technically gifted player. Plus I was interested in the Catholic club in a Protestant country dynamic and their rivalry with Rangers.
In college, I'd wake up early on weekends and find streams for their games but then got worried about getting viruses on my Windows laptop so haven't watched their average game in years.
Today was the first time I was able to watch an Old Firm Derby on cable television in the US. Thank youuu CBS Sports.

Only watch EPL, CL/EL, and major international tournaments, mainly because of TV availability.

I don't really follow USMNT. I care more about Colombia, where I was born.

Great convo starter Forza

Were you a fan back in 1994?

 

[IthacaMatt]

Any Deadline Transfer predictions?

Does West Ham get Jesse Lingaard back from Man United? I think they could really use another attacker who can play the 9 other than Antonio.

Does Chelsea get Kounde from Sevilla? I say "yes", since they sold Zouma to West Ham (great pick up for them!). They cleared salary space. They've now sold players for over 120M in this summer window.

With Kante hurt again, getting his ankle rolled over against Liverpool, they have to either get a 4th holding midfielder in there, or let Chalobah play there as part of the rotation. You can't only have 3 guys for over 50 games, especially when one of them has been in and out of the lineup the last couple years with injuries.

Saul Nuguez from Atletico on a loan was the word a couple days ago. Maybe now it's back to that young guy from Monaco, who just missed out on Champions League.

Liverpool has Naby Keita agitating for an exit. They need his depth in their midfield, but Klopp is not that willing to play too many of his bench players. Does Liverpool need a midfielder?

Spurs off to a great start under Nuno. He might be really the right kind of guy for their roster. He got Wolves into 7th place twice during his tenure there. His team played fluid football with a solid defensive foundation. Spurs keeping Harry Kane is like a transfer in. But they need a couple more bodies in defense and midfield. Levy is always a bargain hunter on the last days of a window. But he misses as many as he hits on.

Does Leicester hold on to all their young guys? I'm thinking they will for at least 1 or 2 more years for most of them, just to see what they can build together. Brendan Rogers is asking for 1 more attacker before the window closes.

 

[OrangeFoo]

Matty's comment that he first became a fan in 2010 made me wonder about the posters in this, and other, soccer-related threads:

Do/Did you play and/or coach?
When did you first start following soccer?
When did you first start following USMNT/USWNT?
When did you first watch a World Cup game?
When did you first watch a Euro/Copa America game?
When did you start watching European club matches? Which league(s)?
When did you first start watching Champions Cup/Champions League?
When did you become a fan of your current club team?

Great convo starter…
- I played soccer as a kid and as an adult in the good old BSSC in Boston in my young 20s
- First started watching USMNT in Italia 90, became a diehard after 94
- I watched USMNT qualify for japorea in person at foxboro where I think josh Wolff scored a winner and went to the send off series where I watched a dominant Claudio Reyna single handedly take it to a talented Dutch squad.
- First became a Liverpool fan after watching Michael Owen score THAT goal against Argentina in 98. Timing was perfect as it was around then EPL games became prolific on tv in the US.
- after that I was hooked and watched all the Euros after that
- Really started watching Champions League the year Liverpool won in Istanbul

I watch more soccer now than any other sport… love the beautiful game

 

[IthacaMatt]

Great convo starter…

I watch more soccer now than any other sport… love the beautiful game

Me, too. First to go was NFL once they started Thursday and Sunday night games. I just didn't have the time to watch 5 games every weekend in order to stay up to date.

Then MLB, then NBA, then college football, then college basketball - unless of course it's the Orange.

In the last 5 years or so, soccer and Syracuse are the only sports I watch.

 

[HastingsCuse]

Great questions!
Do/Did you play and/or coach?
I played in HS starting in 1973 (I was on New Hartford HS's first team) and played in summer leagues during college, in pick-up games in Africa (80-83) and in a Sunday morning indoor league in Camillus (1983-86) (last one was very physical - I was bloody and bruised every week) I coached my 3 kids and others in youth leagues, U-4 to U-19 (1996-2020) I also reffed youth leagues starting in 1999 - I'm think of starting again this Fall)
When did you first start following soccer?
Not sure - I followed the Cosmos to some degree in the late 70s and I remember Maradona in WC in 1986. (My wife's family are Brooklyn Italian from Naples so Maradona was always a topic in the late 80s.)
When did you first start following USMNT/USWNT?
USMNT- 1990 (I was very happy when the USA only lost1-0 to Italy) USWNT - 1995 WC or 1996 Olympics
When did you first watch a World Cup game?
1986 (Maybe earlier if Pele and Brazil were on Wide World of Sports in the 1970s??)
When did you first watch a Euro/Copa America game?
no idea
When did you start watching European club matches? Which league(s)?
A cursory following of Napoli in late 80s. In the late 1990s I started following all Americans in the Premier League, like Keller and Friedel at first.)
When did you first start watching Champions Cup/Champions League?
maybe 5-6 years ago
When did you become a fan of your current club team?
My oldest son has been Liverpool fanatic for 10+ years since he was in college. he lives in seattle but he wishes he was a scouser. (He went to Annfield for a game against Arsenal for a game 3-4 years old with a friend who's family has had Liverpool season tickets for generations. 'one of the best experiences of his life" ) He got me hooked about 5 years ago. Now I don't miss many games. Go Reds!

My yougest son played CYO basketball for several years and Gio Reyna played for their biggest rival through 7th grade so now I try to catch Dortmund games too.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Matty's comment that he first became a fan in 2010 made me wonder about the posters in this, and other, soccer-related threads:

Do/Did you play and/or coach?
When did you first start following soccer?
When did you first start following USMNT/USWNT?
When did you first watch a World Cup game?
When did you first watch a Euro/Copa America game?
When did you start watching European club matches? Which league(s)?
When did you first start watching Champions Cup/Champions League?
When did you become a fan of your current club team?

Do/Did you play and/or coach?
Never played organized, regrettably (due to concussions and genetics) played football in HS because girls. Coached at different points for both kids U6, U8, U10 and U12

When did you first start following soccer?
I remember watching replays of EPL matches before they were on live back in late 90s and early 00s and remember watching WC94 every chance I got. Also Fifa 98 for N64 was (is) the goat as far as soccer video games go. Started REALLY following in mid 00's and decided on Liverpool as my team around 07-08 season. Couldn't pick United as they were most popular so worked through the rest of the league and fell in love with the history of LFC as well as Stevie G.

When did you first start following USMNT/USWNT?
Don't follow religiously but watch if they're on. Again WC94 is first tourney I really recall watching at length. Cheer for Germany more so since my grandmother immigrated for there. She passed before I was born so one means I still somewhat feel connected to her.

When did you first watch a World Cup game?
WC94

When did you first watch a Euro/Copa America game?
Whenever they became fairly readily available state side, early 2010s I think

When did you start watching European club matches? Which league(s)?
Mid 2000s. EPL followed by Bundesliga, Serie A and now sometimes Primeira Liga, La Liga and Ligue 1. I love the game and is always my first go to if/when chance to watch something arises. College too is Cuse is involved, would still love one of the SU orange and blue hoops shirts... would be my go to for every football game in the dome in place of the Orange Virgil kit Ive been rocking since 17/18.

When did you first start watching Champions Cup/Champions League?
Sometime during the Rodgers era but have been watching intently since Klopp came on board and we've been involved and competitive most years. Brendan rolled out a Liverpool team in 2014 vs Real Madrid that was comically not competitive as we were pushing for league and paper thin depth wise.

When did you become a fan of your current club team?
Around 07-08 though can't recall exact years. Stevie G highlight video hooked me and same time of underdog mentality that's always been part of my Cuse football fanhood made it a natural fit. My cousin got me a Liverpool kit for a wedding present (2010) which is first of 4 kits I have along with 2017 Virg Orange, 2018 Red Salah, and 2005 Istanbul rerelease that came out few years back.

I love how many people can now talk in depth about football (soccer) seemed to really take off 5-8 years ago. Couldn't really have any intelligent convos prior as most only knew the superstars or hadn't given it a chance because "non contact sport and all the diving". Have a handful of friends now that are avid followers that wouldn't give it the time of day prior until I convinced them to watch it as the moving chess match it is.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Me, too. First to go was NFL once they started Thursday and Sunday night games. I just didn't have the time to watch 5 games every weekend in order to stay up to date.

Then MLB, then NBA, then college football, then college basketball - unless of course it's the Orange.

In the last 5 years or so, soccer and Syracuse are the only sports I watch.

Similar but order they dropped off for me is NBA, MLB, College basketball... still watch fair amount of College football after EPL games end and have actually started to pick up NHL more seriously due to similarities to "soccer".

Obviously anything Orange is the outlier, I'd watch the Syracuse tetherball team play if it existed and was on ESPN watch.

 

[Day2]

Similar but order they dropped off for me is NBA, MLB, College basketball... still watch fair amount of College football after EPL games end and have actually started to pick up NHL more seriously due to similarities to "soccer".

Obviously anything Orange is the outlier, I'd watch the Syracuse tetherball team play if it existed and was on ESPN watch.

I remember when we almost got Napoleon Dynamite, but he wanted to play closer to home and Arizona gave him a bag.

 

[ImperialOrange]

I remember when we almost got Napoleon Dynamite, but he wanted to play closer to home and Arizona gave him a bag.

Almost as jarring as when we barely missed out on Patches O'Houlihan as our dodgeball coach due to tragic casino incident.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Great questions!
Do/Did you play and/or coach?
I played in HS starting in 1973 (I was on New Hartford HS's first team) and played in summer leagues during college, in pick-up games in Africa (80-83) and in a Sunday morning indoor league in Camillus (1983-86) (last one was very physical - I was bloody and bruised every week) I coached my 3 kids and others in youth leagues, U-4 to U-19 (1996-2020) I also reffed youth leagues starting in 1999 - I'm think of starting again this Fall)
When did you first start following soccer?
Not sure - I followed the Cosmos to some degree in the late 70s and I remember Maradona in WC in 1986. (My wife's family are Brooklyn Italian from Naples so Maradona was always a topic in the late 80s.)
When did you first start following USMNT/USWNT?
USMNT- 1990 (I was very happy when the USA only lost1-0 to Italy) USWNT - 1995 WC or 1996 Olympics
When did you first watch a World Cup game?
1986 (Maybe earlier if Pele and Brazil were on Wide World of Sports in the 1970s??)
When did you first watch a Euro/Copa America game?
no idea
When did you start watching European club matches? Which league(s)?
A cursory following of Napoli in late 80s. In the late 1990s I started following all Americans in the Premier League, like Keller and Friedel at first.)
When did you first start watching Champions Cup/Champions League?
maybe 5-6 years ago
When did you become a fan of your current club team?
My oldest son has been Liverpool fanatic for 10+ years since he was in college. he lives in seattle but he wishes he was a scouser. (He went to Annfield for a game against Arsenal for a game 3-4 years old with a friend who's family has had Liverpool season tickets for generations. 'one of the best experiences of his life" ) He got me hooked about 5 years ago. Now I don't miss many games. Go Reds!

My yougest son played CYO basketball for several years and Gio Reyna played for their biggest rival through 7th grade so now I try to catch Dortmund games too.

The Cosmos helped keep me interested in soccer, too. Pele, and later Georgio Chinalia, some great players in their twilight years.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Similar but order they dropped off for me is NBA, MLB, College basketball... still watch fair amount of College football after EPL games end and have actually started to pick up NHL more seriously due to similarities to "soccer".

Obviously anything Orange is the outlier, I'd watch the Syracuse tetherball team play if it existed and was on ESPN watch.

Yeah, I used to be a big hockey fan as a kid. We played street hockey down in the Valley. We used to go watch the Blazers, when they were other-worldly, just so so good.

I've caught myself enjoying NHL games when I channel surf at night. Really fast action. Lots of fun.

 

[ROCcuse]

Were you a fan back in 1994?

Oh yeah, I forgot to put the year of that high school trip. I went on that trip in 2005, so no, I didn't get into soccer really until 10 years later.

 

[ROCcuse]

When did you first start following soccer?
I remember watching replays of EPL matches before they were on live back in late 90s and early 00s and remember watching WC94 every chance I got. Also Fifa 98 for N64 was (is) the goat as far as soccer video games go. Started REALLY following in mid 00's and decided on Liverpool as my team around 07-08 season. Couldn't pick United as they were most popular so worked through the rest of the league and fell in love with the history of LFC as well as Stevie G.

This reminded me of some random things I used to find myself watching:

I feel like Charlton FC had their own channel on Time Warner Cable or something that would show their replays non stop in the evening/late at night.
Same with Hofstra football for some reason.

 

[cusefan88]

I played JV and Varsity in CNY. Been following USMNT since 2002 and started regularly following euro club teams in 2009. Of course played fifa all the time so knew tons from that.

Seen matches in Italy, Spain, and england. Euro stadium seats are too small for our american behinds.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Anyone watch Crystal Palace v. West Ham?

A pretty well played 2-2 draw. Connor Gallagher, a Chelsea loanee, twice scored to bring Palace back from a deficit on the road to equalize.

As I watched the game, to see how the young loanee fared, I noticed that old Palace veterans like Wilfred Zaha and Jordan Ayew refused to pass Gallagher the ball early on.

When Gallagher bundled in his first goal - Palace's first as an entire team in 3 games, and he barely got any congratulations from his teammates. ("Damn pampered Chelsea brat here to take one of our jobs. He thinks he's too good to be here., etc.")

Well, Gallagher's second goal was exceptionally well taken, with a striker-like pivot in the box, and thumping shot past the keeper.

He has quite a ways to go in the defensive side of his game, and just getting more involved. But maybe now his teammates will trust him a bit more.

Conor Gallagher studying new boss Vieira after idolising Lampard

Chelsea youngster Conor Gallagher has started studying his new manager Patrick Vieira and made a dream start to his latest loan spell at Crystal Palace

www.mirror.co.uk