⚽️The Footy Thread: Lock Thread

[rolaholic]

Need Courtois to Real to happen...

I think that was directed by Gareth Edwards, who later directed Rogue One?

Damn you're right,didn't realize he did

He's talented as hell

 

[MetalMario]

Palace scores against a 10man Watford in the 91st at home. 2-1. South London keeps it lit

Huddersfield brings back 1 on the 92nd min. Blues win it 3-1 away

 

[mastamind89]

Arsène Wenger: pay youth players the same, from upcoming documemtary 'No Hunger in Paradise' - BT Sport, January 7, by Michael Calvin

 

[jape]

i hope liverpool get lamar...maybe they would be more inclined to let coutinho go

 

[Belgium]

man i'm stating to get real annoyed at Coutouis. I hope we sell him rather then let his contract run out. He the main reason KDB wanted out of Chelsea

He's a bit of a doucebag at times tbh. But he is a great GK and he seems to just want to the best from his team. He's often clearly frustrated when he's playing in the national team for us, maybe sometimes to a negative extent but I know he was the primary pushback against Wilmots wasting away our golden generation. In those cases that was a very positive thing because he was doing what the other players wouldn't. I think we can probably thank Courtois for leading up to Wilmot's sacking.

 

[jking0821]

Zaha....baller. Love that dude

 

[Belgium]

This is crazy

 

[Trey Bantz]

They really tweeted a pic of the guy vaping

 

[EddieDoyers]

 

[SadBoi]

^^^ Thats something I expect from ESPN.

 

[josh4523]

This is crazy

Dope! Falcao had a worldie today too!

 

[Kimchi Papi]

Nice write up on Lyon from French footy pundit Julien Laurens... I really like his punditry...

Spoiler: Nabil Fekir, Lyon's answer to Messi, leads Ligue 1 hopefuls into contention

They've gone 12 matches unbeaten, scored 24 goals in their last seven games, are on a club record 651 minutes with conceding, and have won 5-0 in each of their last three away trips. They also have a front three which has scored more league goals than any other front three in Europe.

So, who are they: Barcelona? Paris Saint-Germain? Bayern Munich? No. The answer is Lyon.

Since Nabil Fekir's last minute free kick sealed a 3-2 win over Monaco in mid-October, they have been unstoppable.

Things would have probably been much different for Les Gones and their manager Bruno Genesio had that game finished 2-2, though. Genesio was under a lot of pressure, struggling to get the best out of a young but very talented squad, and at the time, Lyon were only eighth in the table with just 13 points which included three wins, four draws and one defeat away to PSG. They were six points behind Monaco in second and nine behind the leaders. Genesio, it was said, had five games to save his job.

First came Monaco, and the coach and his team built on that miraculous 3-2 victory with seven wins from eight in all competitions.

Fekir has been immense, with 11 goals in 11 matches in Ligue 1. Last season, the team played in a 4-3-3 formation perfectly suited to striker Alexandre Lacazette, who left for Arsenal in the summer. This season, Lyon play in a 4-2-3-1 system made for Fekir, who has a free role as a second striker.

For most of the campaign, the 24-year-old has had to do a lot on his own: carrying the team, creating, scoring and leading. He has been Lyon's equivalent of Lionel Messi for Barcelona. In recent weeks, however, the rest of the team have stepped up and raised their game as well.

Memphis Depay, who was dropped earlier in the season, now has seven goals and two assists in his last seven matches in all competitions. Mariano Diaz, the striker signed from Real Madrid in the summer having never started in La Liga for the Spanish giants, has been efficient with 10 Ligue 1 goals and he has now started to play more with his teammates.

Between them, Fekir (11), Depay (eight) and Diaz (10) have scored 29 league goals so far, one more than the famed "MCN" of Mbappe, Cavani and Neymar at PSG, and four more than Sergio Aguero, Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling at Manchester City.

The most unexpected improvement, however, is the defensive solidity found by the team. After conceding 14 goals in the first 10 matches of the season -- keeping just two clean sheets -- they have only conceded three in their last nine, with seven straight clean sheets in all competitions.

Marcelo, recruited from Besiktas in the summer, is a very important part of it. The 30-year-old Brazilian defender is not the quickest or the most mobile but his experience and reading of the game have been precious. He is the boss -- whether he has Jeremy Morel or Mouctar Diakhaby next to him, Kenny Tete or Rafael on the right, and Ferland Mendy or Marcal on the left, any back four Lyon have is now very solid. As a unit, the players realised they had to do more individually to defend better collectively.

It is no surprise Lyon's run also coincides with the rise of Houssem Aouar. At 19, the French midfielder is the new gem to come out of the club's renowned Lyon academy. He is an amazing talent with a great future ahead of him. So much of what he does is clever, precise and inspired; his partnerships with Lucas Tousart, 20, in a midfield two -- or with Tousart and Tanguy Ndombele, also 20, in a three when Fekir is out -- protect the defence and inspire the attack. Aouar can also play wide as an attacking midfielder or even as a No. 10 -- his through ball for Diaz in Sunday's 5-0 win at Nice was magnificent.

Lyon invested well last summer following a mass exodus of players -- Lacazette, Corentin Tolisso and Maxime Gonalons among others -- but also brought through the next generation from the academy. Aouar was joined by 18-year-old Myziane Maolida, Amine Gouiri, 17, and Willem Geubbels, a year younger. Let's not forget either that Depay is still only 23, while Bertrand Traore, Tete and Mendy are 22 and Maxwell Cornet is 21.

Genesio's men, who host Lille on Wednesday in Ligue 1, are in second place, ahead of Monaco on goal difference and a point clear of Marseille who are also on a great run. Those three will fight for second place behind PSG, but Lyon will be confident they can edge ahead of their rivals.

They have also impressed in Europe, qualifying for the knockout stages of the Europa League with the final in -- you've guessed it --- Lyon on May 16. The future is certainly bright.

http://www.espn.com/soccer/french-l...-messi-leads-ligue-1-hopefuls-into-contention

I really really really wish Barca would pick up Houssem Aouar... I'd rather drop the Coutinho pursuit for this guy &

 

[Verde Shuttles]

Looking at the ligue 1 table, only 5 points separate the the 7th place & 18th place teams

 

[ihavemyownopinion]

Looking at the ligue 1 table, only 5 points separate the the 7th place & 18th place teams

Most competitive league in the world?... lmao

 

[Belgium]

Nice write up on Lyon from French footy pundit Julien Laurens... I really like his punditry...

Spoiler: Nabil Fekir, Lyon's answer to Messi, leads Ligue 1 hopefuls into contention

They've gone 12 matches unbeaten, scored 24 goals in their last seven games, are on a club record 651 minutes with conceding, and have won 5-0 in each of their last three away trips. They also have a front three which has scored more league goals than any other front three in Europe.

So, who are they: Barcelona? Paris Saint-Germain? Bayern Munich? No. The answer is Lyon.

Since Nabil Fekir's last minute free kick sealed a 3-2 win over Monaco in mid-October, they have been unstoppable.

Things would have probably been much different for Les Gones and their manager Bruno Genesio had that game finished 2-2, though. Genesio was under a lot of pressure, struggling to get the best out of a young but very talented squad, and at the time, Lyon were only eighth in the table with just 13 points which included three wins, four draws and one defeat away to PSG. They were six points behind Monaco in second and nine behind the leaders. Genesio, it was said, had five games to save his job.

First came Monaco, and the coach and his team built on that miraculous 3-2 victory with seven wins from eight in all competitions.

Fekir has been immense, with 11 goals in 11 matches in Ligue 1. Last season, the team played in a 4-3-3 formation perfectly suited to striker Alexandre Lacazette, who left for Arsenal in the summer. This season, Lyon play in a 4-2-3-1 system made for Fekir, who has a free role as a second striker.

For most of the campaign, the 24-year-old has had to do a lot on his own: carrying the team, creating, scoring and leading. He has been Lyon's equivalent of Lionel Messi for Barcelona. In recent weeks, however, the rest of the team have stepped up and raised their game as well.

Memphis Depay, who was dropped earlier in the season, now has seven goals and two assists in his last seven matches in all competitions. Mariano Diaz, the striker signed from Real Madrid in the summer having never started in La Liga for the Spanish giants, has been efficient with 10 Ligue 1 goals and he has now started to play more with his teammates.

Between them, Fekir (11), Depay (eight) and Diaz (10) have scored 29 league goals so far, one more than the famed "MCN" of Mbappe, Cavani and Neymar at PSG, and four more than Sergio Aguero, Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling at Manchester City.

The most unexpected improvement, however, is the defensive solidity found by the team. After conceding 14 goals in the first 10 matches of the season -- keeping just two clean sheets -- they have only conceded three in their last nine, with seven straight clean sheets in all competitions.

Marcelo, recruited from Besiktas in the summer, is a very important part of it. The 30-year-old Brazilian defender is not the quickest or the most mobile but his experience and reading of the game have been precious. He is the boss -- whether he has Jeremy Morel or Mouctar Diakhaby next to him, Kenny Tete or Rafael on the right, and Ferland Mendy or Marcal on the left, any back four Lyon have is now very solid. As a unit, the players realised they had to do more individually to defend better collectively.

It is no surprise Lyon's run also coincides with the rise of Houssem Aouar. At 19, the French midfielder is the new gem to come out of the club's renowned Lyon academy. He is an amazing talent with a great future ahead of him. So much of what he does is clever, precise and inspired; his partnerships with Lucas Tousart, 20, in a midfield two -- or with Tousart and Tanguy Ndombele, also 20, in a three when Fekir is out -- protect the defence and inspire the attack. Aouar can also play wide as an attacking midfielder or even as a No. 10 -- his through ball for Diaz in Sunday's 5-0 win at Nice was magnificent.

Lyon invested well last summer following a mass exodus of players -- Lacazette, Corentin Tolisso and Maxime Gonalons among others -- but also brought through the next generation from the academy. Aouar was joined by 18-year-old Myziane Maolida, Amine Gouiri, 17, and Willem Geubbels, a year younger. Let's not forget either that Depay is still only 23, while Bertrand Traore, Tete and Mendy are 22 and Maxwell Cornet is 21.

Genesio's men, who host Lille on Wednesday in Ligue 1, are in second place, ahead of Monaco on goal difference and a point clear of Marseille who are also on a great run. Those three will fight for second place behind PSG, but Lyon will be confident they can edge ahead of their rivals.

They have also impressed in Europe, qualifying for the knockout stages of the Europa League with the final in -- you've guessed it --- Lyon on May 16. The future is certainly bright.

http://www.espn.com/soccer/french-l...-messi-leads-ligue-1-hopefuls-into-contention

I really really really wish Barca would pick up Houssem Aouar... I'd rather drop the Coutinho pursuit for this guy &

I thought they were gonna have a bit of a rough spell tbh without key players like Lacazette, Tolisso and Gonalons. Fekir stepped in brilliantly to become the club's leading goal threat and the team as a whole has really stepped things up in the absence of those players.

 

[flyeed]

It's funny that article was posted

Last night started my second Villarreal season, and Fekir is playing exactly like Messi

So many of his goals come from making the pass that gets the dominoes to fall then bursting into the box to get on the end

 

[rolaholic]

For all yhe talent OL lost,they brought in some talent to replace them

Memphis, Mariano, Kenny Tete and Bertrand Traore have all looked good this season and are playing a part in them being 2nd in the league

They'd probably be my EL favs o
if Atleti and Napoli hadnt dropped down,the final would also be in their stadium

 

[Kimchi Papi]

I thought they were gonna have a bit of a rough spell tbh without key players like Lacazette, Tolisso and Gonalons. Fekir stepped in brilliantly to become the club's leading goal threat and the team as a whole has really stepped things up in the absence of those players.

It's crazy to see teams like this overcome getting pilfered of their talent while sides like Everton & AC Milan spend the money they did & just spudder in the mud. I love that Lyon is also incorporating the talent from their youth academy (like Houssem Aouar) & yielding fantastic results.

Looking forward to seeing them play PSG again on Jan 21st & then their EL games against Villarreal on February 15th & 22nd. I highly recommend everyone in here to catch (or record) these games. Lyon plays great football...

 

[flyeed]

To add to the Messi comparison (in FIFA of course ) Fekir is also a short and very predominantly left-footed player

 

[flyeed]

If you don't have ish to do until the matches later today, RM about to kick off in the club wc on telemundo

 

[rolaholic]

I can already see the FA trying to flex with the punishment by handing down suspensions

 

[Kimchi Papi]

^ If what was reported is true & Jose went into the locker room to complain, they he should get the heaviest punishment. He had absolutely no right to go into the away locker room. They hypocrisy of complaining about the celebrating too. He's such a d*@k... No hate on United, just that p*@#k...

 

[rolaholic]

I hear you but there's no real precedent for punishment outside of fines being handed down so I'd be annoyed if there were suspensions.

Fergie and his staff got into it with the Gunners after ending the Invincibles run and only a fine came out of that,that's the time he had a pizza thrown at him by Cesc . This time it's water/milk

Same thing with Vieira vs Keane in the tunnel and other instances in the past. I still expect them to come down hard but I won't agree with it at all given the way they've policed post-match extracurriculars in the past

 

[Belgium]

To add to the Messi comparison (in FIFA of course ) Fekir is also a short and very predominantly left-footed player

My French neighbors are eating good in my Fifa 18 French squad

 

[mastamind89]

that's the time he had a pizza thrown at him by Cesc

This always gets me