Football: Final thread of the season. Start delayed.

[mormont]

I haven't seen a Scotland side in a World Cup finals since 1998 and yet I'm not sad at all. I don't really want Scotland to go to this WC, and this result removes a reason to watch it.

[MercenaryChef]

my greatest scotland world cup memory is world cup 2002. i met a random scot in a kilt and a brazil shirt. we watched england v brazil in a pub full of england fans.  he was a glorious human being who got me savagely drunk. i think brazil won. I'll have to check to see if my memory serves true.

[Wilbur]

4 hours ago, mormont said:

I haven't seen a Scotland side in a World Cup finals since 1998 and yet I'm not sad at all. I don't really want Scotland to go to this WC, and this result removes a reason to watch it.

When was the last time Scotland's squad looked like it was good enough to really compete?  1986?

The Spain 1982 team of course was a force (and I had high hopes), but they were eliminated in a farce with the way the format worked, and that squad really was high quality.  Been since the 80s, it has been pretty tough going for Scotland in the international scene.

[Tywin et al.]

3 hours ago, MercenaryChef said:

my greatest scotland world cup memory is world cup 2002. i met a random scot in a kilt and a brazil shirt. we watched england v brazil in a pub full of england fans.  he was a glorious human being who got me savagely drunk. i think brazil won. I'll have to check to see if my memory serves true.

Brazil 2-1 in the quarters. 

[A Horse Named Stranger]

7 hours ago, MercenaryChef said:

my greatest scotland world cup memory is world cup 2002. i met a random scot in a kilt and a brazil shirt. we watched england v brazil in a pub full of england fans.  he was a glorious human being who got me savagely drunk. i think brazil won. I'll have to check to see if my memory serves true.

Since Brazil won that Japan/South Korea WC in '02 They must have won it.

Didn't even remember them playing England that year. Had England going out after shoot out (as is tradition) in the back of my head. But that was four years earlier against Argentina after Beckham getting sent off.

02 was a weird World Cup. Turkey and South Korea making it to the semi-finals. One of the weakest German teams was carried but Kahn into the final, where he blundered a goal away (but was still the player of the tournament). And Klose scored four or five goals against Saudi Arabia (or was it UAE) in their opener. Which was pretty much the foundation for his World Cup goals scored career record(well that, and playing in four editions). Oh yeah, Senegal were the surprise team that year, and that gave quite a few careers a boost. 

[polishgenius]

That was when Ronaldinho, still at PSG at the time, introduced himself to the world by blagging like he meant this free-kick. 

 

 

[A Horse Named Stranger]

That was also the Keano Musical WC, right? When PG posts, Keane somehow always sneaks in to become an issue.

[The Sunland Lord]

2 hours ago, A Horse Named Stranger said:

Since Brazil won that Japan/South Korea WC in '02 They must have won it.

Didn't even remember them playing England that year. Had England going out after shoot out (as is tradition) in the back of my head. But that was four years earlier against Argentina after Beckham getting sent off.

02 was a weird World Cup. Turkey and South Korea making it to the semi-finals. One of the weakest German teams was carried but Kahn into the final, where he blundered a goal away (but was still the player of the tournament). And Klose scored four or five goals against Saudi Arabia (or was it UAE) in their opener. Which was pretty much the foundation for his World Cup goals scored career record(well that, and playing in four editions). Oh yeah, Senegal were the surprise team that year, and that gave quite a few careers a boost. 

It was Saudi Arabia. Klose scored three goals against them and five in total on that World Cup and they were all headers, which has never happened before. 

It was also the World Cup where  Ronaldo the Brazilian resurged his career and was bought by Real Madrid that summer.

[BigFatCoward]

Rudiger confirmed to RM

[Consigliere]

Ben Mee will be leaving Burnley on a free. He's one of nine players whose contracts are up at the end of this month. Tarkowski is also expected to leave on a free transfer - Everton have reportedly made him an offer.

[Rorschach - 2]

We do have a great recent history with Burnley CBs, that's true.

[Raja]

13 minutes ago, Rorschach - 2 said:

We do have a great recent history with Burnley CBs, that's true.

You guys need to stop buying burnley players

[Rorschach - 2]

4 minutes ago, Raja said:

You guys need to stop buying burnley players

But I really, really, really want Ashley Barnes!

[Iskaral Pust]

My brother is upset/jealous that Bayern are getting Gravenberch for such a low fee.  I’m not enough of a football transfer hipster to have a strong opinion on him but I was surprised that ETH didn’t get involved considering how many MF spots he needs to recruit.

Nine expiring contracts at Burnley may allow them to survive financially, although it suggests a major rebuild is ahead with very little transfer funds incoming.

Will Rudiger displace Militao or Alaba at RM?  I know Alaba is older, more injury prone and able to play LB instead, but he’s also the experienced anchor of that defense.

[Consigliere]

Maxwel Cornet will most likely be gone too. Reportedly Burnley's relegation activated a £17m release clause for him - I'm sure someone in the PL will pay that. Pope and/or Weghorst will probably be sold too to raise some funds.

 

Re: Rudiger. He will obviously have to earn his place in the starting XI but he does add much needed depth. Real Madrid basically played this season with only 3 CBs (Militao, Alaba and Nacho). Vallejo only managed a handful of games and is clearly not good enough for Real Madrid. 

[polishgenius]

Cornet's an odd one coz he's clearly good enough to be worth 17mil just as a player, but he's also been ridiculously injury prone this season and anyone able to pay 17mil for him may well want to splash it on someone less risky.

[Winterfell is Burning]

1 hour ago, Iskaral Pust said:

Will Rudiger displace Militao or Alaba at RM?  I know Alaba is older, more injury prone and able to play LB instead, but he’s also the experienced anchor of that defense.

Militão is actually a RB of origin, maybe he'll take Carvajal's place

[Rorschach - 2]

Pope will probably be of interest to a few clubs, there aren't that many keepers of his calibre around.

Going from memory for me now, but ... I'd take him at Arsenal (he would be an upgrade on Ramsdale), though that's not really an option. West Ham would do well to get him, Fabianski isn't getting any younger. Same applies to Leicester, but I don't think any of them are interested.

Palace, Brentford and Southampton would all benefit if they got him too. I also think he'd be an upgrade for Newcastle, though Dubravka is also a solid keeper. 

If Burnley want to cash in, though, persuading Newcastle that they need Pope would be the smart move.

(Given Tottenham is getting Forster, I don't think they're an option. But to get Pope to replace Lloris in the relative near future would make tons of sense).

[A Horse Named Stranger]

2 hours ago, Iskaral Pust said:

My brother is upset/jealous that Bayern are getting Gravenberch for such a low fee.  I’m not enough of a football transfer hipster to have a strong opinion on him but I was surprised that ETH didn’t get involved considering how many MF spots he needs to recruit.

Nine expiring contracts at Burnley may allow them to survive financially, although it suggests a major rebuild is ahead with very little transfer funds incoming.

Will Rudiger displace Militao or Alaba at RM?  I know Alaba is older, more injury prone and able to play LB instead, but he’s also the experienced anchor of that defense.

Bayern have been on Gravenberch for a while (I think talks about Bayern being interested started back in October or even before that) - way before ten Hag was set to take that United job. They were one of many high profile suitors. He is a young promising player. So if you were in his position, would you join Bayern with the guaranteed CL football (and a chance to win it, if things go your way) there, or would you join United as it is now? As for the low fee. Gravenberch had just one year left and he wanted to leave. He wanted to leave this year, so Ajax could still collect a fee for him (he publicly said, he didn't want to let his contract run out and deprive Ajax of that money). Pre-covid, his fee likely would've been higher. 

[Consigliere]

1 hour ago, Winterfell is Burning said:

Militão is actually a RB of origin, maybe he'll take Carvajal's place

No chance. Carvajal is a top class RB when fully fit. The only issue with him is that he's injury prone. Plus, Lucas Vázquez has proven to be a more than capable backup RB (in fact he made almost as many appearances at RB as Carvajal did this season). Then there's still Odriozola whose loan at Fiorentina has ended but Real will probably look to sell him since Vázquez  has proven to be the better player.