The Football News Thread 2017/18 - everything not Wolves

[Kenny]

Spartak could surprise in that group. Keep an eye on them.

Do I have to? I might be busy

 

[Alan]

Do I have to? I might be busy

I'll need a doctor's note to accept that.

 

[PuntsWolf]

How has the seeding worked? How are Spartak and Benfica seeded higher than Utd, Barca, Paris?

Is it only one number one seed per nation?

 

[FrankMunro-371]

Celtic will be done by Christmas again. Standard.

Indeed. They win nearly every game in their domestic league, which given the standard of the opposition isn't hard to do. Once they play better teams they will be in trouble.

 

[Alan]

How has the seeding worked? How are Spartak and Benfica seeded higher than Utd, Barca, Paris?

Is it only one number one seed per nation?

Spartak and Benfica won their domestic leagues, United, Barcelona, and PSG did not.

That would be my guess, anyway.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Spartak and Benfica won their domestic leagues, United, Barcelona, and PSG did not.

That would be my guess, anyway.

They used to do it on coefficient. Must have changed as Spartak have never done anything ever.

 

[Kenny]

Teams in the first pot were the Champions of the top 8 divisions taking part + the holders (Leicester were a top seed last season). T'other pots done per co-eff

As Real were champs of Spain and holders the 8th league in terms of co-eff was used as Spain was already represented.

 

[Alan]

Probably the best system you could ask for.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Not really. Shakhtar don't deserve to be in pot one because they have won a shout League. However they are a reasonable team.

Belgium are now ranked higher than Ukraine. So fodder like Anderlecht could have potentially been in pot 1.

 

[Stan Hullis]

Some cracking games lined up though in that draw.

 

[jlo]

Great system if you ask me, it is the "Champions" League at the end of the day. Finishing 4th in any league shouldn't qualify you to be a top seed (for example).

 

[Alan]

You have to reward domestic success somehow. Otherwise you end up the competition just becoming an exercise in the Big 5 leagues even faster than it already does, and that's really no fun.

The possibility of a 2011/2012 APOEL-esque run is probably the most attractive thing about it to me.

 

[Tony Towner]

Not many of these England 'legends' do it when it matters though and that's the problem. Since I've been watching England (1986) I reckon players who have performed well in at least 2 major tournaments would be:

Lineker (86. 90)
Gazza (90,96)
Shearer (96,98)
Owen (98, 04)
Neville (always!)
Ashley Cole (ditto)
Campbell (98, 02, 04)

Not a very long list after 31 years.

Pretty sure Owen Hargreaves did well in two tournaments, 2006 was one I think

 

[Donegal Wolf]

I always liked the clock not stopping in soccer. Stoppage time is the great enigma in every match and I can't deny I'd miss that tiny bit of drama.

That said, I think clock stoppage is probably the simplest solution to "time wasting" strategies a la Cardiff on Saturday.

Was one of the reasons why the golden goal never took off, was a big anti-climax even for the victors after the goal went in, basically every one shrugged their shoulders and said "is that it?"

 

[Derby Wolf]

Watford fined £4.3m for forging banking correspondence during the Pozzo takeover.

An employee is said to have took it upon himself to forge a letter from HSBC to speed up the process. He was fired immediately and Watford admitted guilt immediately so they have "got away" with just a fine.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football...orging-banking-letter-ingino-pozzos-takeover/

 

[darlowolf64]

An Aberdeen footballer has been rescued from a river after a night out in Glasgow.
Gary Mackay-Steven, 26, was suffering from the effects of hypothermia when he was pulled from the River Kelvin by firefighters early on Sunday morning.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-41071609

 

[b3h]

Sanches told he can't have #85. Apparently the rule is that you can only have a number close to the current highest number. So not sure how players end up with #88 etc.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

They don't in this country. That's an Italian/Turkish thing.

 

[James]

They don't in this country. That's an Italian/Turkish thing.

How did Abate end up with 77 at Ac?

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Because that was Italy you spanner