Camie Posted September 3, 2014 Report Share Posted September 3, 2014 (edited) If there wasn't friendlies, how are teams supposed to test out formations? That is maybe a really stupid question so apologies, but I guess I don't see why people find it pointless. Edited September 3, 2014 by Camie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ca_gere Posted September 3, 2014 Report Share Posted September 3, 2014 I'd go to watch any Scotland match, friendly or otherwise, as long as I didn't have to make any effort. I.e. it was in a stadium near me. It's always interesting to see how people play with each other, what formations work/don't work, seeing who can boost their stats or get that extra cap. Even if there's nothing to play for, there are loads of things to take away from a football match. Same reason I'll watch a pre-season friendly. I draw the line at testimonials and charity matches, unless i'm sure a member of one direction will get scythed by boris johnson or something. Football isn't even the most popular sport in Ireland though is it? As for England, playing at wembley again and again is pointless. As has been voiced plenty on twitter etc, they need to spread it around the country. I bet if they played in Hull or something they'd get a big turnout. Londoners are spoilt and apathetic, and not just when it comes to the national football team. The same could probably be said about a lot of events/concerts/whatever that would sell out elsewhere. Would you rather go to a friendly with Norway or wait a few months and spend the same money to go to a cup final or a qualifier at the same stadium? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paranoid Android Posted September 3, 2014 Report Share Posted September 3, 2014 English matches should obviously be toured around the country but they've got those Wembley bills to pay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ca_gere Posted September 4, 2014 Report Share Posted September 4, 2014 Can they pay those Wembley Bills? If they do then maybe they can chill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soda Jerk Posted September 4, 2014 Report Share Posted September 4, 2014 James Milner. Extraordinary vision. He saw that a pass was on, even if nobody else on earth did. He went for it. What a ball. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeinzHines Posted September 4, 2014 Report Share Posted September 4, 2014 James Milner. Extraordinary vision. He saw that a pass was on, even if nobody else on earth did. He went for it. What a ball.There was actually a bloke in the stairwell screaming for it if you look closely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Milner Posted September 4, 2014 Report Share Posted September 4, 2014 Looks like which ever manager that is that comes into the picture has just won a fiver betting that James Milner would pull off the worst pass of the night. Paddy Power would have been all over that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Milner Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 Last night Zlatan became the all time top Swedish goal scorer, what was more significant was he has now scored at least one goal in every minute of the possible 90. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soda Jerk Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 Terrific statistic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murrr Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 Siem De Jong is apparently going to miss the next four months. The noose is tightening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soda Jerk Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 Long term injuries to new star signings is totally Football Manager rage-quit material. Pardew forgot to turn-off the Autosave. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paranoid Android Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 Uefa are considering getting rid of the away goals rule. If it happens it will probably take about 15 years from this point of initial discussion because Uefa are idiots but it's made me very happy that it's on the table. Completely outdated and unfair rule that too often spoils matches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jari87 Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 Uefa are considering getting rid of the away goals rule. If it happens it will probably take about 15 years from this point of initial discussion because Uefa are idiots but it's made me very happy that it's on the table. Completely outdated and unfair rule that too often spoils matches. Besides the nonsense part that away goals still count if the second leg goes into extra time, I've never seen a problem with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ca_gere Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 Neither have I. It's totally fair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paranoid Android Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 The reason it was put in place no is no longer valid. At the time travelling away was genuinely taxing on the players and an unknown quantity, which is why it was common to see see one team winning by four or five at home and then losing by a big margin away from home, so obviously teams set out to concede as few as possible away and not care about scoring themselves. So at that time it made sense but it's ridiculous that we've got to a stage where teams playing at home only care about not conceding an away goal. Playing away in Europe now is not really much more difficult than going away from home in your domestic league. Of course home advantage exists but that's why there is a two-legged match in the first place. It just seems very unfair to me that a team can lose 1-0 away then win 2-1 at home and be eliminated. And for an example of how it can spoil matches themselves, say team A loses 2 away and then in the second leg is 2 up after an hour. At that point the tie is perfectly poised and set up for a great final half an hour but then team B score leaving team A needing two and the team is completely deflated. If there was no away goals rule the match would still feel like it could go either way rather than all but over. I'd argue that losing on away goals feels much worse than going out on pens and winning that way feels very jammy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murrr Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 Totally agree with 'Droid. It's a rule that, in this day and age, only adds pointless overcomplication to the game. Get rid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soda Jerk Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 And for an example of how it can spoil matches themselves, say team A loses 2 away and then in the second leg is 2 up after an hour. At that point the tie is perfectly poised and set up for a great final half an hour but then team B score leaving team A needing two and the team is completely deflated. If there was no away goals rule the match would still feel like it could go either way rather than all but over. I agree with this scenario ruining some games. Or if the first leg finished 1-1, and in the 2nd leg the away team is losing 2-1, but they know that an equalizer will win them the game. An equalizer should never win the game. It's a debate that can go on forever about whether or not it is fair. I don't care about fair. I just think it's shite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ca_gere Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 But it adds an extra dimension to a 2 leg tie. Why not just play one game at a neutral venue instead? Teams go in knowing they need to X amount of goals, tactics change, there's more to it than who will win on the night. I genuinely see no reason to change it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soda Jerk Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 You know what would be great about the away goals getting scrapped? No longer would a commentator have to explain the away goals rule during every single knockout game where it looks like away goals has a chance of playing a part. Wouldn't that be great? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moose Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 I quite like the away goal rule. I suppose taking it out the game will bring more extra time and penalties, which can only be a good thing. Penalties are just as unfair, however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paranoid Android Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 An equalizer should never win the game. Spot on, a goal just shouldn't be worth more than one goal. It could be defended if the rule led to more exciting matches but it doesn't, it has the opposite effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paranoid Android Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 I quite like the away goal rule. I suppose taking it out the game will bring more extra time and penalties, which can only be a good thing. Penalties are just as unfair, however. Completely disagree with this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemonade Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 I ain't got no quarrel with away goals. There's way more unfair shit that needs sorting out first, like the fucking seeding system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murrr Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 (edited) I find penalties to be one the most engaging tests of human character and nerve in the game. Besides, without them, we'd have missed-out on the joy of John Terry falling on his arse in a Champions League final. Edited September 5, 2014 by Murrr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Milner Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 Personally speaking the only good thing to ever come from pens was the aforementioned John Terry incident, i hate them 99.9% of the time. On another note Vidal could be out for 6 months with another knee injury, maybe United did the right thing avoiding him. Why buy him right now with that hanging over him, when you can let Juve pay to fix it, then buy him for a reduced price next year when he is hopefully back fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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