Soccer 2017-2018

I'm kind of at a loss for words here. How do you think Zidane became RM's manager in the first place? It's not like he had any history of anything as far as managing, he was the reserve team manager dealing with kids. They've won 2 league titles in 10 years now (1 in 8 before Zidane) and just figured they'd roll the dice and if he failed go get the next guy. Before Zidane's most recent run they've been going through managers at a ridiculous pace because they couldn't compete in the league and the CL is a crap shoot. Yes by the grace of whatever soccer god there is they have somehow always found a way into the CL title with Zidane. Every season in any sport with a tournament setting you can always point out teams that were not the best during the season but had the right confluence of events come together to eventually win it. There's no fucking way you can say with a straight face that RM were the best team this year, Bayern and ManC were easily better than them let alone Barcelona winning their league and taking 4 out of 6 points from them. Again 180 minutes does not compare to 38 games no matter how you slice it. Yes they are CL champions again, they also went out of the Copa Del Rey to Leganes for fucks sake.

Zidane is walking because RM has to rebuild and Perez probably told him what his plans were, the core of the team is 30 or over. Jozu can spout off all he wants about Ronaldo being some amazing soccer god until his late 30's but for almost any player in history (sans GK) once you hit 30 it's a downhill slide from there. Why deal with all the bullshit that will come with the drama from older players being pushed out to make way for whatever Perez's new Galacticos will be and the usual shit storm and failure it is initially? Instead leave now with your head high, record intact and wait for France to fuck up under Deschamps and then take the France job for 2022 while getting paid handsomely. I think he's probably making the best choice he can and certainly isn't being pushed out.

Jozu, last years PL champions are nothing now? Did I miss Hazard already being transferred or Oscar ever being really good? Listen I'm happy to see Chelsea slide into mediocrity. Pre-Abramovich that's what they were. But for the last 14 years they've won a hell of a lot and the only reason that's not going to continue is the UK gov't deciding the Russian oligarch's who've laundered money forever through the London banks now need to go. If not for that I would assume Roman would be spending as always and they'd be competing again next year for the top. Hopefully they're just the first and ManC/PSG aren't far down the line of getting wrecked for the bullshit they've done.

So your contention is the best team doesn't have enough depth to avoid defeat to Leganes in a cup match? Am I understanding you correctly?

Jozu said:

Brando seems like a good lad, but he is too obviously biased against Madrid and Spanish football in general, as well as being bitter from the final loss.

They beat Juve, PSG and Bayern in a home and away, fair and square. Ronaldo's bicycle kick highlighting their run, and Bale sealing it with a sublime effort of his own against Liverpool, who destroyed City.

Your on the losing side of any argument where you criticize a side that lifts 4 CL titles in 5 years and defended their crown TWICE in a row in this modern era. They have covered themselves in glory for half a fucking decade, and Ronaldo is already 33, coming off a Ball on D'or, 3 CL titles and a Euro Cup, how can you say he is in decline when he is still the best player in the world on the biggest stage.

All of his biggest achievements have come AFTER he turned 30, which makes your assesment of him even more bizzare.

Click to expand...

Haha, so because I don't care for RM in general now I'm biased against all Spanish teams when I've never once said anything like that and even defended La Liga some pages back on how they're getting better with their TV distributions? That's pretty bizarre. And this has nothing to do with LFC losing that final, I held this opinion way before that but you just want to write some gibberish like you did a couple of pages ago so good on you.

I can criticize them all I want, that's my opinion. I certainly won't remember this squad with the fondness of 2009 or 2014 Barca, 2005 Chelsea, 2003 Arsenal or the early 00's AC Milan. I'll stand by my contention they didn't win because of force of nature or overriding talent, yes they are of course talented, but each season had some of the most ridiculous things go their way.

As far as Ronaldo, if you think he's aging like a fine wine then I don't know what to tell you. He can't move, doesn't pass much and doesn't defend. If he'd be your first pick to start up a franchise then you're delusional.

Merrith said:

Yup, that's my contention. Or just that if we're pointing out luck plays a factor in a home and away in the CL, it also can in the league cup when you're playing your depth guys.

Click to expand...

The money gap between Real Madrid and Leganes is some 500m euros or something ridiculous. They should be able to put out a reserve side and still beat them, they pay their reserves more than any Leganes player.

I've previously noted in this thread how I can respect how Ronaldo has transformed from a freak of nature on the wing to now a volume shooting striker. If a hater means that I can also realize a great player is on a downward curve then so be it. Explosiveness and assists? He's not explosive at all, his dribbling stats are now a joke and his assists have been dropping for years now. He's gone from 16 assists to 5 in the last 3 years and basically was single handidly responsible for RM going out of the La Liga race by his early season performances. Ronaldo is a volume shooter at this point in his career, that's it. If you can build your whole team around that then great, most can't and why the thought that he can continue to do this for years to come is laughable.

Karius has scan amid head trauma fear - source

Edit: And confirmed Statement regarding Loris Karius From Dr. Ross Zafonte and Lenore Herget, PT, DPT

Maul said:

Concussion could have happened anytime after or before the match, Ramos barely even touched him for what they are claiming the concussion is from. There is no way you can claim with certainty that it was from that specific incident, its not like Karius career is in ruins and he wouldn't lie about his history to save some face.

Click to expand...

LOL /jlawgif

Merrith said:

Also Ramos clearly shoved into him, could have been a penalty.

Click to expand...

Yep. Shoves and grabs happen in almost every professional game in the world on corner kicks yet can you recall one time you saw a game where the shoved player then elbowed the GK in the head? Or just hit them at all? You know why that is? Because any hindrance to the GK should negate a goal but Ramos didn't give a shit, he was given an excuse to hit Karius so he took it.

Also why wasn't Ramos claiming a penalty as you're saying here? Aside from the fact the ball was no where near them, you'd think if Ramos knew it was a penalty level event he would have acted like it was a penalty as it was 0-0 at this point. Yet from all the angles I've seen he doesn't complain at all while looking back to see Karius rolling on the ground still.

The bottom line is we'll never know what could have happened but to think Karius didn't have a concussion and that a world renowned doctor is going to lie about it is just fucking laughable.

Merrith said:

I think Ramos used the Force to coerce his defender on that play to show him towards the keeper so he could go full Tito Santana on him, also calculated the exact angle to foul Salah so that his opposite shoulder would dislocate upon contact with the ground.

I don't see why these aren't valid theories, since we obviously know any assumptions about how bad Ramos is fall far short of the actual mark.

Click to expand...

I don't really get what your saying. One the one hand of course it's ludicrous to think Ramos intended anything but on the other the worst we can think of fall short of what he really is. So which is it? I've already said my opinion on previous pages. Just don't really care for anybody thinking a concussion is to be downplayed. It is what it is and especially being NFL fans where it's at least acknowledged that they happen we should be able to appreciate the situation unlike European football where it's treated as if they don't happen.

My only point where I disagree with you is that in all my years of watching this sport I don't agree that a defender hitting a GK has regularly happened. Again can you actually think of one? Usually you will have a defender try to impede the GK by standing near them but I honestly can't recall one instance where a player hits the GK when they weren't making a play for the ball first. To me that clearly indicates that Ramos went out of his way to do it once he was shoved.