[Fluffy]

I read this week that money from TV into spannish clubs has raised enormously. Atletico will get 100M€ from previous 45M€, which is a lot, but IMO the important thing is not there, not on the 2 oversized teams. Eibar and Granada will grow from around 17M€ to 43M€. A team with that budget I think can compete with anyone. We won't be seeing 100 point leagues anytime soon (admitely last years it has been 90 point leagues in 38 matches rather than the insane 100 from 4-7 years ago)

[Cyberyeti]

 Fluffy, on 2016-May-08, 15:13, said:

I read this week that money from TV into spannish clubs has raised enormously. Atletico will get 100M€ from previous 45M€, which is a lot, but IMO the important thing is not there, not on the 2 oversized teams. Eibar and Granada will grow from around 17M€ to 43M€. A team with that budget I think can compete with anyone. We won't be seeing 100 point leagues anytime soon (admitely last years it has been 90 point leagues in 38 matches rather than the insane 100 from 4-7 years ago)

Yeah, Atletico Madrid have a goal difference of 43 and are 30 behind Real and Barcelona, the best GD in the premier league is 38.

Leicester have shown you don't need to pay big fees to get players, Vardy 1M, Mahrez less than that, Kante 5.6M, their more expensive purchases were mainly bench players like Ulloa, Schmeichel and Drinkwater were undisclosed fees but I doubt they were particularly expensive.

[Aberlour10]

The amazing story ends with relegation battle. Business as usual.

[gwnn]

Yes but they won the league last year. they did not not win the league last year. that's what I claimed. that very unlikely event happened. my exact point was that it was unlikely (ie that they are not a good team but they won) and you are agreeing with me.

[andrei]

Leicester: from title to relegation
Chelsea: from relegation to title

N'Golo Kante

[Aberlour10]

How about RB Leipzig project,,,,in 6 years from nothing and nowhere to CL ( probably)

[gwnn]

 Aberlour10, on 2017-February-14, 09:00, said:

How about RB Leipzig project,,,,in 6 years from nothing and nowhere to CL ( probably)

I don't know what their odds of getting to CL were, but they were a lot better than 2500:1. I think you just don't understand what I was talking about. I never said that Leicester are a good team, or anything. Just that very unlikely/infrequent events also happen infrequently. There are no such things as "only theoretical" probabilities, and whenever you neglect low probabilities, you are making an error.

[Aberlour10]

 gwnn, on 2017-February-14, 16:42, said:

I don't know what their odds of getting to CL were, but they were a lot better than 2500:1. I think you just don't understand what I was talking about. I never said that Leicester are a good team, or anything. Just that very unlikely/infrequent events also happen infrequently. There are no such things as "only theoretical" probabilities, and whenever you neglect low probabilities, you are making an error.

I was not going to refer with this example to the previous discussion.

[gwnn]

USA

[rmnka447]

 gwnn, on 2017-October-11, 06:04, said:

USA

The US elimination was a well earned result. The USMNT played lackadaisical and lackluster soccer through much of the Hexagonal (Final Round). They lost an unheard of 2 home games during this phase of qualification. Neither Jurgen Klinsmann (1st 2 games) nor Bruce Arena (last 8 games) were able to find the right mix of players to ensure qualification. Klinsmann emphasized the use of German born American players while Arena favored MLS based players. Part of the problem could also be generational as too much reliance was made on players at or near the end of their soccer careers.

The result also reflected improvement in the region's soccer. The Central American and Caribbean nations have especially benefitted from the growth and improvement in the US MLS. It has provided opportunities for the best players from these nations to play and develop in a higher level of competition than their domestic leagues. As a result, the differences between the participants has narrowed significantly to where the US and Mexico don't dominate like they did 3 or 4 qualification cycles ago.

In the final game against Trinidad & Tobago, the American side looked like zombies. The only player who played even reasonably well was youngster Christian Pulisic who may become the first real US soccer superstar. The 19 YO, who is from Hershey, PA and plays for Borussia Dortmund in Germany, scored the US goal. Trinidad & Tobago, out of competition for a WC spot, played a young team that had played well against Mexico and looks to be their future in international competitions. They played well and deserved the victory.

In a quirk of fate, the result was the reverse of the "shot heard 'round the world" game in 1989 when a last second Paul Calaguiri goal from a miracle shot beat T&T in their home stadium and qualified the US for the WC for the 1st time in 40 years. That was the start of the qualification streak that ended on Tuesday.

The loss and failure to qualify is a big disappointment and temporary setback for US soccer. But the outlook long term for US soccer continues to be rosy. MLS is now firmly ensconced as a part of the US sports scene. Development of soccer in this country continues to progress as the infrastructure necessary for international success continues to be implemented and grow. All MLS teams now have youth academies. Some are starting to produce young players capable of playing on the USMNT. Also, because of the failure to qualify, the whole process of selecting and fielding the MNT will be reviewed and improved. There certainly will be greater opportunities for younger players to compete for spots on the MNT as we move into and past a major generational change.

[jjbrr]

that's a good post.

[jjbrr]

gwnn, hold me

[gwnn]

 jjbrr, on 2017-October-21, 13:04, said:

gwnn, hold me

♥

I now have 4 "teams": Romania, Hungary, Netherlands, and Iceland. Only one of them qualified, and it was the one with the most puffins per capita - an unlikely scenario. (I live in Germany now but I gave up any possibility to root for them once I supported the orange guys)