The soccerball thread

[jimmy jazz]

Ajax manager  🤝

[Marie Monday]

oh how lovely! And the Ajax women are still in the Champions League <3 I hope the men will be doing better soon

I guess my football supportership is a bit more complicated, for the women Arsenal, Ajax, and then roughly in order Frankfurt, PSG, Villa, and Barcelona, for the men (as far as I keep up with it) Ajax, and then Villa, Arsenal, Barcelona I suppose

[Shhon]

this was a good match

[jimmy jazz]

Beat Tottenham next Sunday and that should be us in the Champions League for next season.

A fitting way to celebrate our 150th birthday.

A terrific season from Unai and the boys that could end up being even better.

[jadis]

Phil Foden has to be one of the very best players in the world right now. Absolutely unreal technique, balance, finishing, everything. Needs so little backlift to get unstoppable shots out.

A front five of Kane, Foden, Bellingham, Grealish, Saka with Rice sitting behind them is pound for pound the best midfield/attack combo of any international team. Though from what I know of Southgate he'll probably play Henderson instead of Grealish and find a way to make even Foden and Bellingham boring and predictable.

[jimmy jazz]

Pickford

Walker - Stones - Konsa - Chilwell

Trent - Rice

Saka - Bellingham - Foden

Kane

Watkins, Gordon, Sterling, Rashford, Grealish and Palmer to come off the bench too.

Anything less than winning the trophy will be failure this summer.

[jadis]

Right, I forgot Trent. He's brilliant in central midfield.

Grealish's having a tough season but after he's been a central cog in an all-conquering side last season he has to be in the consideration for the starting 11 IMO.

England has to capitalize on this generation. I'm not sure this pool of talent is less stunning than Spain in 2010.

If Reece James manages to get over the injuries he'll be the best right back in the world in no time. A huge if though.

[jimmy jazz]

The attack is as strong as anything in my lifetime with the exception of the early 00s Brazil team. Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and Kaka takes some beating. Though there is more depth.

We're outright favourites going into a tournament, I can't recall that ever being the case before.

[jadis]

Pickford

Walker - Stones - Konsa - Chilwell

Trent - Rice

Saka - Bellingham - Foden

Kane

Watkins, Gordon, Sterling, Rashford, Grealish and Palmer to come off the bench too.

Anything less than winning the trophy will be failure this summer.

I was going to say why not Leon Bailey over Chilwell but then I googled Bailey...




The weak link has to be the goalkeeper. As a shot stopper, he's both quality and limited: acrobatic, yes, but he's of average height and size and his hands are pretty small compared to specimen like Neuer or Courtois. There are certain type of shots (let's say from close range into the near post top corner) that only a freak with monster sized arms can save!

Me when I see Pickford play:

[jimmy jazz]

Pickford isn't world class but he is solid and is a monster on penalties.

Left-back I picked Chilwell but it doesn't really matter. Between him and Shaw. Suppose Walker could play there with someone else at RB as we have loads of class RBs.

If you had to pick a team to win this summer who would you go with @jadis 

[Marie Monday]

have you guys heard about the women's gold cup semifinal situation? USA against Canada, this is what the pitch was like:

It was funny in a slapstick way but also disgraceful really, a lack of respect for the women's game. The ball barely rolled because of all the water, dribbling and low passes were impossible. In fact the first goal was scored because someone tried to pass back to the goalkeeper and the ball barely moved and was scooped up by an attacker. It was certainly something, but not football in any proper sense

[jimmy jazz]

There was an MLS game played in a literal blizzard the other day, that was in the USA as well so I'd say this is more shoddy safety precautions in general than a lack of respect to women.

They are decades behind in football terms tbf.

[Marie Monday]

oh wow, fair enough

[jimmy jazz]

Villa vs Spurs

Win and we can almost lick the Champions League.

Edit - Never mind.

[Trollheart]

What about the penalty missed yesterday when was it a Bournemouth player slipped on wet ground which had already been soaking and the ground staff had for some reason watered again??