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

[FlyBoy718]

I've never witnessed an undeniably great player like Messi associated with so many choke jobs, both club and country. The of the world would have a field day with him in the states.

 

[Tres Leches]

this is normal for valverde coached barca team in champions league away games for the last 4 years congrats liverpool

 

[Trajan]

they're starting an African in their front three,

We had 3 African players score 5 goals against Huddersfield recently. A PL record

 

[King Jove]

I've never witnessed an undeniably great player like Messi associated with so many choke jobs, both club and country. The of the world would have a field day with him in the states.

Imagine if soccer was popular in the states and had a first take / undisputed debate after Messi blew that pen in the copa america final vs chile

 

[CEO of Morgan Industries]

disagree

arsenal have aubameyang, lacazette, iwobi, AMN
city have kompany, sterling fernandinho, mendy, walker, delph, jesus
chelsea have kante, RLC, rudiger, CHO, willian, ampadu
utd have young, pogba, lukaku, lingard, bailly, fred, rashford, martial
etc

if your theory is true, i just cant imagine that the practice of signing multiple undervalued black players would be exclusive to just liverpool. theyid all be on it

This is a good counter-argument. I do note two things:

1. The book was written a decade ago, so a lot has changed since then from what I can tell and you may be right that the imbalance is going away.

2. The authors of the book noted that if racist discrimination among clubs goes away, you'll see more black players who cost as much as equally-good white players (so like Pogba and VVD's cost).

So yeah, I see why you disagree and I see how maybe this idea might have been true even a decade ago, but not so much now.

We had 3 African players score 5 goals against Huddersfield recently. A PL record

I should have said two Africans, too. I was just thinking about black Africans when I typed that, but Salah of course starts as well as Mane.

 

[PL368Z]

I am currently reading a book that covers the history of the game in England, and it's very clear about how hard it was for black players to break into teams and how openly racist people were toward black players. It also argues that because of continued discrimination and racism toward black players, buying good black players will be a canny move for teams who want to win on a budget because those players cost less due to racism.

And I look at Liverpool, which has definitely shelled out cash, but which also gets contributions from black players who aren't the cost of VVD like Winaldjum and Origi and that they're starting an African in their front three, and who are a club that most people agree has spent cannily even for such a big club (especially compared to the cash that PSG, Man City, and Man United have thrown around at the same time) and I truly believe that someone in Liverpool's executive knows that black players and any players from the African continent who aren't white are being badly undervalued because of racism and has taken advantage of that in the last few transfer windows and in their general player recruitment.

*2 Africans let not forget about salah breh

 

[Hoodoo Child]

Missed the game, but saw the highlights

 

[ThrobbingHood]

Just woke up. Got to give Liverpool credit, that’s probably only second to Barca’s comeback against PSG. Hats off to you guys. Still hope you lose in the finals to Ajax though.

 

[phillycavsfan]

Van Dijk Ballon D'Or agenda starts TODAY

 

[phillycavsfan]

All it takes is one Barca goal and Liverpool would have to score five on the night.

It’s not gonna happen.

Oh you think so huh?

Just woke up. Got to give Liverpool credit, that’s probably only second to Barca’s comeback against PSG. Hats off to you guys. Still hope you lose in the finals to Ajax though.

"Just woke up"

That Barca comeback was nothing because Barca had Messi. Liverpool were missing 2 of their best players and still beat Messi. It's not close.

 

[phillycavsfan]

*2 Africans let not forget about salah breh

And Matip starts in the backline. He's from Cameroon.

 

[Max B]

Guy is an insane football talent, he can do anything he feels like on the pitch.

He is so skilled and intelligent with the ball he could double as the best centre half and best attacking mid on Scotland. He’s seriously fukking incredible and epitomises the Dutch “total football” philosophy.

Honestly Celtic fans still talk about him even though he was only here a short time and we miss him. Man is a football genius up there with Messi.

He was just too good for SPL

 

[Max B]

Oh you think so huh?



"Just woke up"

That Barca comeback was nothing because Barca had Messi. Liverpool were missing 2 of their best players and still beat Messi. It's not close.

So much salt in that post

 

[JDH]

if koulibaly goes to liverpool its a wrap

 

[ThrobbingHood]

Oh you think so huh?



"Just woke up"

That Barca comeback was nothing because Barca had Messi. Liverpool were missing 2 of their best players and still beat Messi. It's not close.

Ajax >>>>>

That PSG collapse was epic though.