# 2017 Summer Soccer Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 6, 2017, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2017-summer-soccer-thread/788226 "2017-06-06T00:09:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2017, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2017-summer-soccer-thread/788226/1 "2017-06-06T00:09:52Z")
It’s the soccer Silly Season! Time to discuss the transfer market, taunt about the coming season, and comment upon all other silly news that soccer offers us this summer! I’ll lead off: If Riyad Mahrez wants out, please, someone, come snap him up. His “languid” (read: uninspired) play was one of the main reasons Leicester City went from Champions to almost out of the league. You’d think by now he’d have figured out what to do when opposition teams do the unspeakable and double-team him (hint: pass the ball!). If he had any desire to really knuckle down and become a hard-working component of the team for the coming season, I’d love to have him stay. But it seems that’s not exactly his forté. ☹ What changes do Spurs need to make to become Champions? ---
**Author:** ![TwoCarrotSnowman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twocarrotsnowman/32/15879_2.png) [@TwoCarrotSnowman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoCarrotSnowman)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2017, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2017-summer-soccer-thread/788226/2 "2017-06-06T06:34:37Z")
I just wanted to mention the sad death of former Newcastle United midfielder Cheick Tiote yesterday, aged 30. He collapsed of a heart attack while training. Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2017-summer-soccer-thread/788226/3 "2017-06-07T18:00:37Z")
> [@TwoCarrotSnowman](#): > > I just wanted to mention the sad death of former Newcastle United midfielder Cheick Tiote yesterday, aged 30. He collapsed of a heart attack while training. > > Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk Yes, that made me sad. Also sent me back to watching that screamer he put in against Arsenal to tie it up at 4-4 a few years back. What a great scene! ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2017-summer-soccer-thread/788226/4 "2017-06-07T19:35:02Z")
Liverpool cheerfully trumpeted that they had the inside track to Virgil van Dijk, only to be reported by Southampton for an illegal approach and consequently dropping out of the competition for the Saints CB. “Liverpool – the only club that can buy all of Southampton’s players and still not beat them.” ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2017-summer-soccer-thread/788226/5 "2017-06-07T19:57:16Z")
Fuck you!!! I’m Millwall!!! That’s about the coolest thing that will happen in soccer all summer. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2017-summer-soccer-thread/788226/6 "2017-06-07T20:19:32Z")
Well there is the Confederation Cup, where undoubtedly CR7 will pick up yet another title for himself/ and push Messi further onto suicide watch. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2017-summer-soccer-thread/788226/7 "2017-06-07T21:19:13Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Well there is the Confederation Cup, where undoubtedly CR7 will pick up yet another title for himself/ and push Messi further onto suicide watch. I dont see them getting past Germany. CR7 might be the greatest ever. His physicality means that he could be great in any style on any team. Messi needs a supporting cast. ---
**Author:** ![TwoCarrotSnowman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twocarrotsnowman/32/15879_2.png) [@TwoCarrotSnowman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoCarrotSnowman)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2017-summer-soccer-thread/788226/8 "2017-06-07T21:45:05Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > Yes, that made me sad. Also sent me back to watching that screamer he put in against Arsenal to tie it up at 4-4 a few years back. What a great scene! And Leon Best\* went on to have a fifth goal wrongly flagged as offside. So _morally_ Newcastle won that game. - Or maybe Kevin Nolan. Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![TwoCarrotSnowman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twocarrotsnowman/32/15879_2.png) [@TwoCarrotSnowman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoCarrotSnowman)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2017-summer-soccer-thread/788226/9 "2017-06-07T21:47:13Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > Yes, that made me sad. Also sent me back to watching that screamer he put in against Arsenal to tie it up at 4-4 a few years back. What a great scene! And yeah, that was an awesome goal. He only ever scored one for us, but it was a barnstormer. Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2017-summer-soccer-thread/788226/10 "2017-06-08T17:38:34Z")
The unthinkable fate of Chapecoense [The unthinkable fate of Chapecoense](http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/19444318/the-unthinkable-fate-chapecoense) via @ESPN App [http://es.pn/app](http://es.pn/app) Heartbreaking story of an underdog Brazilian football team. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2017-summer-soccer-thread/788226/11 "2017-06-08T18:38:29Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > I dont see them getting past Germany. CR7 might be the greatest ever. I don’t see the Germans taking it seriously, Euro teams typically don’t. S Americans do and have. Portugal OTH as a second tier nation might do so, another international trophy. > [@](#): > > His physicality means that he could be great in any style on any team. Messi needs a supporting cast. That is becoming more and true as time goes on. And Messi fails even when he has a great supporting cast, see the last two Copa Finals, the WC Final etc, etc. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2017-summer-soccer-thread/788226/12 "2017-06-08T18:42:23Z")
Cant wait…first match tomorrow I believe. CR7 at 32 should probably pull out of this meaningless tourney. If Portugal make it to the final it will be July I believe. And RM training camp to start shortly after. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2017-summer-soccer-thread/788226/13 "2017-06-08T18:49:38Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Cant wait…first match tomorrow I believe. CR7 at 32 should probably pull out of this meaningless tourney. If Portugal make it to the final it will be July I believe. And RM training camp to start shortly after. Starts next Saturday. They’ll have to drag him out with a tractor. He loves playing for Portugal when you see him in a national team shirt, there is an intensity and unselfishness you never see in a RM shirt. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2017, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2017-summer-soccer-thread/788226/14 "2017-06-11T00:31:36Z")
Why is dragging your team to a WC final and a Copa final and having Higuain shit the bed a worse thing than getting outplayed by the US and not making it out of the group in a WC? USA vs Mexico tomorrow in Azteca. One of the more exciting games as a US fan, although I fully expect at least a 2 goal loss. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2017-summer-soccer-thread/788226/15 "2017-06-12T01:45:22Z")
How the heck am i supposed to take this US style of GOGGOGOGOGOGOGOGOGO seriously after watching patient-hold-play-until-numbers-get-up-field/triangle play all year? I mean this isnt even proper counter attacking ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2017-summer-soccer-thread/788226/16 "2017-06-12T04:38:46Z")
If you told me the US would draw before the game, I’d have been pleased with it. One of the great all time US goals for Bradley. Mostly good at limiting Mexico chances. They’re in good shape with 4 games left after that poor start to the Hex. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2017-summer-soccer-thread/788226/17 "2017-06-12T04:58:18Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > If you told me the US would draw before the game, I’d have been pleased with it. One of the great all time US goals for Bradley. Mostly good at limiting Mexico chances. They’re in good shape with 4 games left after that poor start to the Hex. Yup. A draw away to Mexico is favorable IRL and anyone playing FM17 would take it in a heartbeat. I’ve just never been a fan of so many undisciplined turnovers, and letting a team get 40 yards from goal before anyone even thinks to challenge the ball-carrier…who promptly passes it off to a winger who is open by 15 yards. Kudos though to the defenders absorbing the attacks. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2017-summer-soccer-thread/788226/18 "2017-06-12T22:49:25Z")
We were lucky. Two inches lower, and that free kick makes it 2-1, and we lose the game. And no, our own strike against the woodwork would not have gone in, because Ochoa had it covered (I personally think he got a fingertip to it as it is). The whole plan for us during the game appears to have been to rely on México not being able to break us down around the goal. As it turned out, it was a good bet, but it doesn’t exactly give me confidence going into next summer. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2017-summer-soccer-thread/788226/19 "2017-06-12T23:01:43Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > We were lucky. Two inches lower, and that free kick makes it 2-1, and we lose the game. And no, our own strike against the woodwork would not have gone in, because Ochoa had it covered (I personally think he got a fingertip to it as it There was also that Wood whiff that led to the equalizer. That turned out to be a 2 goal swing. And Pulisic had his golden chance that he shanked. Maybe it was Mexico that got lucky. I think the result was fair. Its not like Mexico was creating many chances. Teams were about equal in that regard. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2017-summer-soccer-thread/788226/20 "2017-06-13T01:04:10Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > We were lucky. Two inches lower, and that free kick makes it 2-1, and we lose the game. And no, our own strike against the woodwork would not have gone in, because Ochoa had it covered (I personally think he got a fingertip to it as it is). > > The whole plan for us during the game appears to have been to rely on México not being able to break us down around the goal. As it turned out, it was a good bet, but it doesn’t exactly give me confidence going into next summer. Remember, they were playing in Aztecs. 3/4the of the mission is to disallow Mexico the adrenaline rush that home crowd provides. Look at Mexico’s record at home. It was an effective game plan competently executed. And, no, we will see nothing like that atmosphere in Russia. Trump made that crowd rabid but we stood up to the pressure. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2017-summer-soccer-thread/788226.md?page=2)