Essential The Official Football (Soccer) Thread - We are SO back, the Premier League returns!

[Black Magisterialness]

It’s hilarious Rodri had 0 hype after treble winning season for fifa fav messi but now a black man about to win it Rodri is suddenly a candidate. He’s not even ahead of Bellingham

Rodri was always a candidate this year after winning the treble AND the euros. Him and Vini are the only logical choices. Jude is up there, but game over game...it's between Vini and Rodri. Remember, this season has no bearing on Balon d'Or.

I personally think it will be Rodri (even though I prefer Vini) because for as clutch as Vini is. City without Rodri is gimped, Madrid without Vini still finds a way sometimes.

 

[OneManGang]

 

[Black Magisterialness]

The only thing that even made this a question was his injuries. When healthy no one comes close to him. I hated and don’t think I’ll warm up to the Merino singing btw. We didn’t need his profile at all

Merino is there for UCL knock outs and teams can actually play around and against us. Partey is better for breaking lines against low blocks. Also, Merino is more dominant in the air and is a better man to man, open field defender and transition player. He made perfect sense to replace Xhaka on the left of the midfield. I won't judge till I see him in a fully fit squad.

We aren't going to see the best of ANY of the midfield without Odegaard. Not only is he the creative metronome, he organizes the press, so without him we're seeing a crippled Arsenal midfield. He and Saka are arguably the only "irreplaceable" players in the squad. No one has their profiles and skill sets. Perhaps, Saliba as well.

 

[OneManGang]

Merino is there for UCL knock outs and teams can actually play around and against us. Partey is better for breaking lines against low blocks. Also, Merino is more dominant in the air and is a better man to man, open field defender and transition player. He made perfect sense to replace Xhaka on the left of the midfield. I won't judge till I see him in a fully fit squad.

We aren't going to see the best of ANY of the midfield without Odegaard. Not only is he the creative metronome, he organizes the press, so without him we're seeing a crippled Arsenal midfield. He and Saka are arguably the only "irreplaceable" players in the squad. No one has their profiles and skill sets. Perhaps, Saliba as well.

I’m not mad at this, but my view of the midfield required another ball carrier in that role, not a Xhaka. Xhaka’s last season was highly overrated and coincided with a lucky run of form for several players IMO. Not saying he was bad but I think his role is being overrated nowadays.

In fact, Nwaneri could even possibly be that player if Arteta wasn’t a coward. Against these teams below us at home why not play another forward thinking midfielder there, who can get us out of presses? I want another Hleb/Santi in our midfield

Edit: Aaron Ramsey even would eat in this team. Maybe Merino shows something like it this season.

 

[DapMeUp!]

The Ball boy

 

[Lakerman0834]

Rodri was always a candidate this year after winning the treble AND the euros. Him and Vini are the only logical choices. Jude is up there, but game over game...it's between Vini and Rodri. Remember, this season has no bearing on Balon d'Or.

I personally think it will be Rodri (even though I prefer Vini) because for as clutch as Vini is. City without Rodri is gimped, Madrid without Vini still finds a way sometimes.

The treble does not count for this BDor. City only won PL last year. Plus city undefeated without Rodri and he didn’t even play the full final and Spain won. If he wins it’s due to good ole fashion racism. Rodri is prob top 5 player in the world but he wasn’t the best last year

 

[hood b. goode]

If Mikel Merino can put in some shifts at different positions (cough cough, CAM, CDM or even CB) then

But he hasnt really flashed so far

 

[MVike28]

I don't doubt we will be flying around on Sunday.

Form notwithstanding

 

[SCORCH]

@SCORCH

Ain't believing them fake numbers, not falling for it.

 

[SubZeroDegrees]

Nice goal by Titty FC.

 

[Yehuda]

Schmeichel is at Celtic now?

 

[bigdaddy88]

why is szoboszlai starting?? give that man a rest,,,he aint exactly lighten it up atm.....

 

[Roberto Firmino]

why is szoboszlai starting?? give that man a rest,,,he aint exactly lighten it up atm.....

Curtis not starting some bullshyt

 

[Yehuda]

Peñarol supporters about to get sent back to Uruguay after looting and setting shyt on fire around Rio's West Zone some hours away from the Libertadores match against Botafogo

 

[bigdaddy88]

hwo is gnabry still getting game time for these big games