General Football - Weird Results And Other Things Worth Sharing

[TRVMP]

In other news, St. Etienne were relegated today in France, losing the playoff to Auxerre on penalties.

St. Etienne were of course one of the most successful clubs in France for decades. But in today's televised age, they are a thing of the past. They represent a pretty small city, a poor city, one that used to have heavy industry and how has not much of anything. (Sounds familiar?) They're in the shadow of Lyon, just down the road. And now they're in Ligue 2.

A bit like MyPa in Finland, clubs that are from small industrial cities were once upon a time a big deal but now they're a liability. They just can't compete with the big cities.

With that said, they're clearly too big for Ligue 2. That's not to say they won't spend some time there, like Lens did recently and - ha ha ha - Hamburg are still doing. But ASSE will go up against Sochaux, Caen, Havre, Bastia, a few other decently-sized clubs, then a bunch of two-men-and-a-chien outfits like Pau and Rodez and some made-up rubbish called "Quevilly-Rouen." They'll be back.

[TRVMP]

Second half was a bit of a non-event. Atlas are bicampeones. Thanks.

[capitanus]

Just saw on Skysports News that Robert Lewandowski will be leaving Bayern Munich this summer, but was amazed at his goalscoring stats which reads 344 goals in 377 games, and has won 8 league titles in as many seasons. 

Surely one of the greatest players in the modern era.

[TRVMP]

I look forward to seeing the tears and snotters from the Bayern fans if he does manage to force a move. Did they think that was the only club he ever wanted to play for? 

Even at the age of 33 he's got years in him yet. Barcelona have suffered lately by signing too many older players, but Lewandowski doesn't fit that pattern. He'll be a terror in La Liga. 

[Cet Homme Charmant]

On 5/15/2022 at 8:58 PM, Cet Homme Charmant said:

Despite beating city rivals Anderlecht yet again today for the 4th time this season, Club Brugge have pipped Union St Gilloise for the title...... just as I predicted above, yay me!

Nevertheless, it was some achievement for them to take it right to the wire, not entirely dissimilar to Arbroath this season in fact. Call me old fashioned, but I think it's a breath of fresh air when wee diddy clubs compete toe-to-toe against clubs with much more resources and money, and give them a run for their money. Gives me hope that one day the mighty Ton might do the same. If you'd told me at the start of the season that Union St Gilloise would finish 2nd in the league I'd have said you were crazy, so you never know, 

Oh dear, Union have drawn Rangers in the CL Qualifier. Their ground in Brussels is not UEFA compliant and one of the stadiums they were looking at using for their European games is OH Leuven's. Christ, I hope not.

Edit to update: Fuck, looks like they've already chosen Leuven for the Qualification and the National Stadium in Brussels for the Group stages if they get there.

https://www.voetbalprimeur.be/nieuws/1038655/union-is-er-nog-niet-uit-50-50-kans-den-dreef-of-heizel-in-europese-groepsfase.html

Here's hoping now they know it's Rangers and the numbers that'll likely come over for it that they'll move it to Brussels, as the Leuven stadium only holds about 12,000. I'd hate to see this place hoaching with them.

Edited July 18, 2022 by Cet Homme Charmant

[Toby]

39 minutes ago, Cet Homme Charmant said:

Oh dear, Union have drawn Rangers in the CL Qualifier. Their ground in Brussels is not UEFA compliant and one of the stadiums they were looking at using for their European games is OH Leuven's. Christ, I hope not.

Edit to update: Fuck, looks like they've already chosen Leuven for the Qualification and the National Stadium in Brussels for the Group stages if they get there.

https://www.voetbalprimeur.be/nieuws/1038655/union-is-er-nog-niet-uit-50-50-kans-den-dreef-of-heizel-in-europese-groepsfase.html

Here's hoping now they know it's Rangers and the numbers that'll likely come over for it that they'll move it to Brussels, as the Leuven stadium only holds about 12,000. I'd hate to see this place hoaching with them.

I’ve always liked the look of Anderlecht’s ground, and it’s a shame the national team never use that instead of the King Baidouin (formerly the Heysel, of course) which, having visited 3 times now, I can safely say is one of the worst major grounds I’ve ever visited. It almost makes you thankful for Hampden.

Not really relevant to your point, but Anderlecht’s ground’s probably more suitable and one that is on my bucket list. Maybe not to see Rangers, though.

[Cet Homme Charmant]

26 minutes ago, Toby said:

I’ve always liked the look of Anderlecht’s ground, and it’s a shame the national team never use that instead of the King Baidouin (formerly the Heysel, of course) which, having visited 3 times now, I can safely say is one of the worst major grounds I’ve ever visited. It almost makes you thankful for Hampden.

Not really relevant to your point, but Anderlecht’s ground’s probably more suitable and one that is on my bucket list. Maybe not to see Rangers, though.

Anderlecht's ground would indeed be the logical choice and I've got no idea why it isn't being considered. It's not as if they're big rivals even though they're from the same city, as until last season they were a nonentity. 

Agree that Koning Boudewijnstadion is shite. A major plan to knock it down and rebuild it as a state-of-the-art facility was rejected by the Brussels council due to complains from local residents, who apparently only just realised they lived next to a big fucking football stadium, ha!

Edited July 18, 2022 by Cet Homme Charmant

[Cet Homme Charmant]

According to the local paper, the Leuven polis are not happy at all about the prospect of having to deal with an influx of potentially several thousand heavily pished-up Rangers fans, many of whom who may be violent. Warm weather and very strong beer could be a lethal combination.

Hopefully common sense will prevail and they'll move it to Brussels.

Edited July 20, 2022 by Cet Homme Charmant

[capitanus]

I thought that St Galloise mob were Swiss.

[Cet Homme Charmant]

Not as many of them about toon as I thought there would be, few hundred at most. Probably some of those staying in Brussels will just go straight to the game. They seem to be in good spirits, to be fair to them, hope it stays that way.

The nick of the guy at 3:08, obviously been getting wired into the Stellas all day. ha!

 

Edited August 2, 2022 by Cet Homme Charmant

[Cet Homme Charmant]

Pleasantly surprised by just how bad Rangers were. I have to say that USG staff and management did a great job pre-match in bigging up Rangers and down-playing their own chances. Normally you would hate your club adopting this 'plucky wee us' narrative with the media, but in this case it worked a treat as I think Rangers definitely underestimated them. 

A lot has been made about Tony Bloom's ownership of USG, and while he has of course pumped decent amount of cash into the club, their player budget is still tiny compared to Rangers. So I still think Rangers will probably turn it around at Ibrox, but they've at least given themselves a fighting chance. Would indeed be a major upset if they got though, but if they did I can't see them getting past either PSV or Monaco.

Still some story though, until a couple of seasons ago they were languishing in the 2nd division in an old, dilapidated but much loved stadium (that hasn't changed), and playing in front of 1500-2000 fans. Sound familiar?

[HamCam]

Interesting travelogue from Keith Jackson in the Record "Not every team can make such a mystifying, retrograde transition in such a short space of time. But Rangers managed it last night when they hit rock bottom in a one-horse outpost on the outskirts of Brussels." 

[TRVMP]

Over in the Libertadores quarters, the team I've followed for some time now, Velez Sarsfield, were at home to relative minnows Talleres de Cordoba tonight. I knew I recognized the Talleres coach; it's Pedro Caixinha, the ex-Rangers boss.

Velez took an unsurprising 2-0 lead, but Talleres managed two goals in quick succession to equalize, the second in particular being an absolute worldie. But at the death teenage substitute Julian Fernandez got a 3-2 winner for the hosts at the Fortin.

Second leg next week in Cordoba for the right to face either Corinthians or Flamengo, the latter of whom are 2-0 up on away goals from the first leg - in the semis.

 In the other game taking place at the same time Atletico Mineiro also raced to a 2-0 lead but were held to a draw in the end by defending champions Palmeiras in Belo Horizonte.

Edited August 4, 2022 by TRVMP

[Cet Homme Charmant]

So... USG got pumped 3-0 at Mechelen yesterday. I really can't see them holding their lead at Ibrox, on the assumption that Rangers can't possibly play as badly as the did in the 1st leg. I predict Rangers to go though, 2-0 after 90 minutes and 3-0 a.e.t.. 

Looking forward to the Jupiler League clash of the titans this evening between 1st and 2nd, Antwerp v Leuven. 

[Cet Homme Charmant]

9 hours ago, Cet Homme Charmant said:

Looking forward to the Jupiler League clash of the titans this evening between 1st and 2nd, Antwerp v Leuven. 

Finished 4-2 to Antwerp, well deserved to be fair, they were quite impressive. If you're a betting man put a tenner on them winning the league, they're a very decent outside bet. 

[TRVMP]

That was UEFA. It's about Dundee United. They've had their head kicked in!!!!! 

[TRVMP]

The UEFA U19 qualifiers are on. Scotland lost 1-0 to Iceland at Firhill. Meanwhile the French crushed the Kazakhs 7-0 at Cappielow. Mathys Tel, who in the past week has played in front of 50,000 for Bayern in Munich and Gelsenkirchen, managed a sensational hat trick in front of a couple of hundred. 

My wee brother was in attendance. At one point one of the Icelandic scouts tapped him on the shoulder and asked: "What is a kebab pie?" 

As it happens one of the best doners I've ever had - and there's been a few - was in Reykjavik, but they've seemingly yet to combine it with the art of pastry.

[Cet Homme Charmant]

Me imagining what a deep-fried kebab pie would look and taste like... 

[Cet Homme Charmant]

I see Rangers allowed Partick to equalise after they went ahead in controversial circumstances. While they should be commended for their sportsmanship, is allowing an opponent to score actually 'legal'? Surely this could leave the door open for accusations of match fixing?

[TRVMP]

35 minutes ago, Cet Homme Charmant said:

I see Rangers allowed Partick to equalise after they went ahead in controversial circumstances. While they should be commended for their sportsmanship, is allowing an opponent to score actually 'legal'? Surely this could leave the door open for accusations of match fixing?

It's a tricky one because in some cases it's actively celebrated. Leeds won the FIFA Fair Play award a few years back; they scored when Jonathan Kodija was down injured, and Bielsa in the dugout ordered them to let Villa score an equalizer. For FIFA to call that the fair play moment of the footballing year suggests that it's in concert with the spirit, if not the letter of the Laws of the Game.

You could conceive of someone abusing that, for sure, maybe feigning an injury as the other team breaks away to score so that they feel "obliged" to allow an equalizer... but it would have the eyes of the footballing world on it and would arouse suspicion if there was anything odd-looking.

In other words I think there are more parsimonious ways to fix games, and in any case fixing these days is presumably more around spot betting (or what we'd call 'prop markets' in the US) than the actual result, which is subject to more variables.