ponsaelius

Aurier is a worse player AND comes with a huge deal more baggage.

Believe the bottom one is only a thesis from the local architecture uni. Not actually being built (yet).

Was at Spennymoor vs York last neet as my mates a Spenny fan. Cracking game with York winning 2-4 and attendance of 1300. Some great football being played around the region for those wanting a break from the PL.

It's World Cup qualifying rather than Euros, so only 13 teams make it and not 24. If we slip to 2nd it's a playoff. Got so used to England qualifying relatively easily (then doing shite once there) that I've lost touch. I mean if we win it's all over. So should have been easy qualification this time too.

It's World Cup qualifying rather than Euros, so only 13 teams make it and not 24. If we slip to 2nd it's a playoff. Potentially against somebody good, looking at the current state of play.

Nope. UEFA qualifying is a very good system. The seeded nature of groups is perfect for international football, as it allows weaker teams the opportunity to play a number games against a variety of different quality nations. This is perfect for allowing smaller nations to gradually improve, build teams and progress. The alternative systems of pre-qualifying that exist in Asia and North America are terrible for the weaker countries. They are weeded out of qualifying almost immediately, and then don't play another game of note for 4 years. They have no chance to play games and improve, and it even discourages their best players from turning up to play, or switching if they are dual-nationals. Nahki Wells has been a Bermuda international for a decade and he has 9 caps. Unfortunately for Asia, CONCACAF and Oceania having a system like UEFA does is not practical because of the travelling costs for what are often tiny Football Associations with next to no funding. UEFA has no such problem as its geography is suitable, and its small nations are wealthy with well funded FAs. Hence you have a very competitive continent where even a country of 300,000 like Iceland can go from losing 6-0 to England in 2004 to dumping them out of a major tournament 12 years later. People get annoyed and bring this up every time San Marino or Gibraltar get pumped, as if these games are the most common results. It's not the case, and just because some games are boring for viewers it does not mean the whole thing needs ripping apart. Removing minnows would contribute nothing other than to remove 1 fixture a year for pampered top players to play - and potentially be embarrassed like France were yesterday. A fixture which would then probably be replaced by an even more pointless money-spinning friendly vs Brazil in Qatar or something.

We'll be there or there abouts, but with Rafa I'd fancy us to scrape by. If it's really in the balance come January, I genuinely think we'll see some spending to see us over the line.

Disagree. If anything it's the 95% of footballers (so those below the PL) that need the agents more than the top players.

Agents know the game and how things work better than any footballer. They look out for the players' interests and help to stop them getting screwed over by the huge corporations that football clubs are. They're more powerful than an individual player too, since an agency will usually represent loads of players. That in itself acts as a kind of collective unionisation that a player on their own wont have. Clubs won't want to piss off an agency if it'll impact them in the future when wanting to sign a different player, and in the same way being on positive terms with an agent can have benefits. They're not ideal, and it's clear that a significant number of them are dodgy as fuck. However if they weren't around you'd have players being exploited, particularly those that aren't playing at the top level and aren't on huge money. Necessary evil, probably.

Aye, lots of foreign-born residents who don't have full citizenship. A bit similar to Switzerland and their immigrant population. Can imagine that's offputting for somebody like Pjanic that half of his family didn't have passports but they wanted him to play for their team. I think they greatly relaxed the laws on naturalisation recently though.

They've seemed to have improved in recent years. Yep. Like I mentioned before Pjanic grew up there and came through their system, so they were unlucky to lose a star player there. Population wise they're bigger than Iceland and about the same size as Montenegro, so they really shouldn't be quite as bad as they have been.

Tbf, Luxembourg are probably a bit underachieving. 600k population and surrounded by major footballing nations. Also a big immigrant population from other footballing nations (Portugal in particular). You'd expect them to be a bit better than a total minnow, but I guess growing up to become a banker or some shit is more pervasive to the youth.

Nearly hit the roof when Luxembourg hit the post there

Although he's not playing now, It's weird how Nani is that for Portugal. Aye I did a double take recently when I saw he had well over 100 caps. Quaresma too. It's weird how that golden generation belatedly came good together last year even if it was in the most boring way possible.

Vincent Thill the #10 for Luxembourg. 17 years old, born in 2000 and into double figures for caps already. Similar career path as Pjanic from Luxembourg and then through the Metz academy, but Luxembourg won't be missing out on this one if he comes good.

Yeah Kadar seems to have gradually forged out a decent career for himself. He's one of the experienced heads in that Hungary side in terms of caps.

Great video but Bleacher want to sack whoever did the subtitles. "Should of" ffs.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/sep/03/darius-vassell-goat-sacrificed-book-ankaragucu?CMP=share_btn_tw

Not born in Germany. Probably not 12 years old.

Looks like a schoolbairn. Some story. Thing with Wales is their squad pool is always so thin they regularly seem to include any promising teenager. Bale scored at 17. They had a 16 year old on the bench today as well.

That kid who scored for Wales was 5 minutes into his debut at 17. Amazing.

Spain are clearly miles ahead in terms of midfield talent but it's been a dreadful performance. The one thing Italy have always been good at is setting up to negate other teams strengths and exaggerate their own. Conte managed that with a weaker Italy side last year. Now they've got Verratti instead of Parolo, Belotti instead of Pelle, Insigne instead of Giaccherini - and look far worse. No idea what Ventura is doing. They just extended his contract last month as well.

Spain absolutely destroyed Italy in 2012 when Italy played a 4 man defence. Confed Cup in 2013 and Euros last year Italy beat them with a back 3. I know Chiellini is out but Rugani is no mug to step in. Otherwise you have to have 3 in midfield against Spain if you've not got the extra CB. Playing 2 in there on their own and little help from the wide players is really insane. One of the worst team selections I've ever seen from any manager.