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

Odd that they would bring in Weston and especially Armas in the past few days and then fire Jesse.

 

Wanted it to work for Jesse. We're both obviously American and we're both Wisconsin natives. I've been a Leeds supporter since the early 90s, so it was a nice convergence of things.

But Christ almighty have we - and be "we", I mean Leeds, because I, like, play for them or something - been absolutely piss dire for a long time now.

There isn't a top flight manager on Earth who can survive two wins in 17 league matches. That alone is worthy of the axe.

The Red Bull style of play Marsch is beholden to sucks fucking ass. No width, crowded midfield, movement based way too much on flicks and one-time passes. It can work with world class players, but last I checked? The likes of Marc Roca are not that and none of our forwards remotely qualify either. It's way too easy to defend and it's high-risk, low-reward so far as I can tell. Leeds fans call it "penis ball", because that's basically what the formation looks like.

Add to it that what width you do have comes from one of the fullbacks, usually Rasmus Kristensen or Luke Ayling. Every coach worth a damn just waited for Leeds to bomb forward and then lofted a long ball into space for a counter-attacking wing or forward.

Leeds has also been horrid at both defending set pieces and defending their own corners. We got countered so many fucking times on our own corners because everyone was forward. Jesse never fixed any of it.

I really, really hate to say it, because it feeds into the stereotype that the Brits put on us, but he was an all-vibes coach. Motivational speaker bullshit that worked for a while after the distance that Bielsa had with the team and the way he drove them over the brink of exhaustion, but that's all Marsch had. As a tactician? He is all hat, no cattle. I never want to see Leeds play his fucking style ever again. (When he spoke of American sport? He really came off as a bit of a dilettante elitist prick too.)

As for why Leeds signed Marsch-style players in the window? That's a wonderful question. Right now, Leeds is in a bizarre waiting period where the York family (49ers owners), currently at about 44-48% ownership, are hanging around to take over for current majority owner Andrea Radrizzani. They likely funded the signings because Radz is skint by EPL ownership standards.

There's been a lot of speculation who is actually making the calls on everything. It's very disjointed and it is not helping our freefall down the division. (As for the players? I do think they want to hire someone who continues to press ... about the only part of Red Bull Ball I don't mind.)

Because of the board ambiguity, I was a bit surprised Leeds actually did the right thing and pulled the trigger after that limpest of dick performances at Forest on Sunday. Forest were dreadful, took one of the two chances they had, and still seemed relatively comfortable in a 1-0 win.

And if you want him for the USMNT? Drop me a line and I will dissaude you from the folly. I do not need more Gandhi and Mother Teresa quotes, nor posters in the boot room that implore players to Celebrate Moments!!! (The exclamation points are verbatim.)

Hopefully, Leeds can find someone to get us out of the mess we're in. Talent is there, but they so badly need some direction.

 

Wrexham missed a PK. But they are still level with Sheffield United in the 90th minute.

 

But they give up two goals in extra time as the minnows get swallowed by a bigger fish.

 

Appreciate the insight. I have a feeling that the USMNT was waiting for precisely this event, as they have done a lot of recruiting on resume over the years. Mostly, I can't think of too many more options. Berhalter has lost the locker room and no foreign coach worth their salt is gonna put up with the bullshit of CONCACAF (though with the US as host, this cycle will probably have a lot fewer, if any, of those stupid snake pit games in Central America than most). I do think that, in the past, the US has fared better when they don't try and play fashionably and just hustle, so to speak, so I almost wonder if the USMNT might actually work better with him than the more cosmopolitan club coaches.

 

"I'll take Terrible FIFA Decisions for $800 please Alex."

Alex Morgan: 'Bizarre' for Saudis to sponsor WWC

 

Wait, the European Super League isn't dead yet?

ESL confirms new plans, eyes 80-club tournament

 

When would they have time to play the games?

 

Well, if they leave their domestic leagues which would result in not being in Champions League or Europa League, the calendar is wide open!

 

Holy crap, the amount of social media coverage Ronaldo is getting for scoring four goals in the Saudi league is staggering. Yeah, he reached 500 league goals, but he did it against a league that ranks in the low 50s - well behind such stalwarts as the USL, Scottish Championship and English League Two. I mean, I get it - the soccer sites need CONTENT. You've got to feed the beast constantly. But it also makes me wonder if Aaron Rodgers went off to play in the Japanese X-League and threw for 500 yards and six TDs in a game if he'd see this much coverage.

 

As a United fan who follows a decent amount of information about the team on social media, it is hard to overstate how batshit crazy the Ronaldo stans are. Beyond Beyoncé levels.