The Soccer Thread (Version 13) — Winter World Cup Edition

I may be working from home today just so I can sweat a 7-leg Champions League parlay.

 

Isn't there some spending limit in the English Leagues? Or is it just a limit on debt?

 

National League has a £900,000 per year salary cap.

The rumors are Wrexham has about 540,000 tied up in just three players with the remaining players splitting the rest. Not a bad strategy for a low-level side because just a few quality players can get you promoted*.

* - I don't have any stats to back that up. But when I play Football Manager that's how I do it.

 

The US shirts are similarly bland (or "clean", if you must) to Australia, the Netherlands, etc. You can't even say Nike isn't trying because Nigeria is a Nike side and gets consistently good looks.

 

Son off the bench is an MF’ing beast

 

VAR gives Son a natty hatty! Damn!

 

#PlayYourKids gets results, if nothing else in the form of transfer fees.

 

Is that a good thing for MLS, though? Being a farm league for Europe?

 

What’s the alternative? It’s never gonna be the other way around.

 

EA put AFC Richmond, Ted Lasso, coach Beard and the players into the newest FIFA game.

Believe: An Uncanny Ted Lasso Is Coming To FIFA 23

I will lead the world in yellow cards with Roy Kent.

 

It would be nice if MLS teams that sold players onward and upward got rewarded for their development acumen by expanding their salary cap space (or however you would need to adjust the various levers in MLS accounting Wackyland.) It’s swell that, say, FC Dallas does such a great job with player development, but if they never can or will invest the fruits of that labor back into the product on the pitch, then why the hell should anyone bother buying tickets?

 

How the hell does a team lose possession 54 times in their defensive end in just one half!?!