Szumi

The story of Duncan McGuire's transfer window is a wild one full of disappointment. Kid just turned 23 yesterday, only played 1 year professionally in MLS after getting drafted in the MLS SuperDraft last year in round one (the draft hardly ever produces any MLS starting players nowadays) after spending 4 years playing collegiate soccer. Kid is somehow an instant sensation and scores 13 goals in 29 league appearances, 15 in all competition. His salary is only around $75,000 a year.

Blackburn and Sheffield Wednesday both made bids for him this window. Blackburn had a permanent transfer accepted for a really low figure, around £3m plus 2m in add ons I believe. Kid leaves preseason in Mexico on a long flight to NYC, then England, to make the move official. Blackburn call Orlando while he's mid flight in the air and cancel the transfer because they couldn't afford it, despite just making the huge Adam Wharton transfer.

Duncan finds out once he's in England, but stays there waiting a new deal to be made, most likely with Sheffield Wednesday now. Fans even go to the hotel he's at and get autographs and pictures with him! Transfer deadline day, Blackburn finally approve another deal with Orlando, this time a loan of £550k and a purchase option of £5.5m plus £2m in add ons. However, Blackburn screwed McGuire over AGAIN because they didn't submit all of the paperwork in time. EFL rejected the first appeal today, and EFL Board will hear the second appeal on Thursday.

I know we got some Blackburn fans here, but holy crap this club is a mess. Will be awful if McGuire misses out on the transfer in some ways, but at this point he might be better off moving somewhere better in the summer.

Part of me is pissed that the USA is on the west coast the whole damn group stage because it means I'm not seeing them in person, but can still see multiple games with road trips to Philly and New Jersey.

The MetLife Stadium is supposed to grow legitimate grass fields for the World Cup. They were the best place for a Final because Sofi Stadium wasn't approved for the final I believe, and JerryWorld has zero public transportation. Atlanta is the only other place I think would have been a good final location. With MetLife at least they can just have multiple trains from NYC going there.

1 minute ago, DavidMarrio said:

Konate's is a second yellow. But no free kick and a second yellow for Gabriel is ridiculous

Classic bald manc ref decision that

I get that it's always going to be called a second yellow (especially with Havertz's simulation of the fake face injury) but the first one definitely wasn't. I just don't understand how Arsenal are allowed to get away with repeated hands to face and pulling and dragging back men. 

It was an embarrassing performance from Liverpool, absolutely deserve nothing from this game. Just a shame we didn't make Arsenal work for a single goal. Handed every single one to them!

This is one of the most one sided refereeing performances I have seen in well, since the Spurs match. 

No idea what Virg is doing there letting the ball run. Could have easily headed that back to Alisson. Just baffling defending. 

7 minutes ago, Hobo said:

Liverpool weren't great but they forced arsenal into making an error that resulted in getting a goal so I'll take it

 

Yeah Diaz out muscling Saliba was a fun little moment, both for the goal and because I cannot believe how massively overrated Saliba is.

That is the most undeserved equalizer in the entire season of all leagues. 1-1 without even registering a shot. 

Liverpool have been embarrassingly bad to start the Arsenal fixture again. They haven't even made Arsenal work for the lead. Just very very awful defending.

Reports are coming in that Mbappe is signing with Real Madrid this summer.

Let's see if it actually sticks this time.

Ivory Coast are peak AFCON craziness. Playing Mali in the QF, and remember Ivory Coast are being coached by their assistant now after their manager was sacked after their horrible group stage. Ivory Coast go down to 10 men right before halftime. Mali score to go 1-0 up in the 71', but substitute Simon Adringa equalizes for Ivory Coast in the 90th minute to force extra time. Moments away from penalties, substitute Oumar Diakite scores in the 120+2' to put Ivory Coast up 2-1. Diakete is then immediately sent off for a second yellow for taking his shirt off in celebration after scoring the goal. Mali end up getting a man sent off at the end of the match too, and Ivory Coast are now somehow in the Semifinals!

Stuff like building a new stadium, improving the current one, upgrading youth/training facilities are all stuff that should be 100% not counted by FFP. I'm sure clubs would very quickly try to scam that and cheat, but would think it's something that should be easily identified if it's tried.

Really don't understand how the Newcastle equalizer was allowed to stand. That looked like a very clear foul on the Luton player with the ball right before Barnes grabs the loose ball and scored. Newcastle player very much appeared to hip check the Luton player.

Everton 1 vs. 2 Tottenham (Sat 12.30pm, TNT)

Brighton 2 vs. 1 Crystal Palace (Sat 3pm)

Sheff Utd 0 vs. 2 Aston Villa (Sat 5.30pm, Sky)

Bournemouth 2 vs. 1 Nottm Forest (Sun 2pm)

Arsenal 1 vs. 2 Liverpool (Sun 4.30pm, Sky)

First time in 8 matches beating Chelsea in 90 minutes. I know they're not great this year (or even good), but it's still a very important 3 points.

3 minutes ago, Colly said:

That one was a penalty. Van Dijks getting clumsy.

Yeah I have no idea how that's not a penalty. Chelsea have definitely been done wrong there. He clearly kicks right through the back of Nkunku's foot.

Yet another assist for Darwin Nunez. That's why the big goof keeps starting and playing. Never stops running in behind or trying. Perfect cross on his weaker foot and excellent by Diaz to get in front of his marker to hopefully finally secure this match.

ANOTHER ASSIST FOR CONNOR BRADLEY!!!

36 minutes ago, Hobo said:

Watch as he scores a worldie in the second half

That would complete the Darwin Nunez hat trick! Miss a penalty/sitter, get booked, score a golazo.

That was the most obvious outcome that could come from Darwin Nunez taking a penalty.

My goodness Connor Bradley! What an immediate impact this kid has made to the first team. A beautiful goal and 4 assists in his last 4 appearances now. And only a few times really put a foot wrong defensively too. Amazing to see 

Even though I want him to stop playing so well tonight, Dorde Petrovic has been better than Sanchez for Chelsea this season, in my opinion. Pretty cool to see a keeper go from MLS to the Premier League and actually perform well! His saves on that Darwin volley and especially Jones' shot that he saw late were very good saves.

2 hours ago, gunnar hendershow said:

Yes. The one that ended with nobody learning anything and the coach who froze him out of the squad just getting to keep his job.

The injuries have done a number on what I think Reyna could've become, but he's still only 21. Perhaps a classic case of talent without the ambition, but maybe that ambition was curtailed by spending much of his early career hurt.

Saying that Berhalter froze him out of the squad is a ridiculous misrepresentation of what actually happened. 

Gio was told that he wouldn't be an immediate starter at the World Cup because he had just spent months and months injured and was still getting full fitness back. Instead of putting in effort in training to prove him wrong, Gio put in next to no effort in training, was sulking about, and was being an awful teammate both on and off the pitch, to the point that some of both coaches and players alike wanted him kicked out of the World Cup.

Gio Reyna has a lot of potential. But the reality is that he cannot stay fit for a lengthy period of time, there have been multiple issues with coaches not liking his effort in training and his effort defensively in pressing. He also has two parents who are gigantic drama queens who have pretty much ruined their reputation and affected Gio's. There is a reason that Dortmund haven't been playing him even when fit, why they wanted him to go out on loan, and also why so many clubs rejected the chance to sign him.

I'd love to say he will do great for Forest and help repair his reputation, but I think playing in the Premier League is only going to get him hurt again. Really wish a Spanish or Italian team wanted him.

12 minutes ago, Colly said:

Ginger Rogers?

I have no idea how the Morgan before Rodgers got deleted. Been that kind of day.

Aston Villa are signing winger Rogers from Boro. He only joined from City in the summer.

Wolves are about to land Mario Lemina's younger brother on loan from PSG 

In addition to Wharton, Palace are also signing Daniel Munoz on loan from Genk.

14 minutes ago, Colly said:

 

He ironically won the Thai treble at Manthong Utd.

*Muangthong United. Sadly isn't as funny as Manthong!

Ivory Coast tried to get Herve Renard in on loan as temporary manager from the French women's team. They said no. Ivory Coast still sacked the manager of course and just went with his assistant.

They just knocked Senegal out of AFCON.

Kessie scored a penalty in the 86th minute to equalize 1-1, and then they won on penalties.

Dan Campbell's naive play calling is going to cost the Lions this game. Lions would be up 30-27 right now if they just made simple, smart decisions.