Oliver1329
Life of the Party
The first match of the season tonight! Ruidiaz seems to be ruled out but that could change. Other than that we should have a really strong lineup.
NFR Any Sounders fans out there?
- Thread starter Oliver1329
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Non-fishing related
Richard Olmstead
Steelhead
I grew up in a small town in rural upstate NY. I earned six varsity letters in football, basketball, and baseball and played baseball when I went to college. I recall we played soccer a couple times in phys ed class. The teacher (and football coach) would count off 11 players for each side, put the least athletic kid on each team as goalie, and we'd run around kicking at the ball for an hour.
But somehow soccer is the sport I've loved the most. I learned to play as an exchange student in Peru in 1968. I was a good athlete and the kids at the school I attended in Lima were happy to teach me the sport in exchange for showing them how to throw an American football and shoot a jump shot (this was still not a standard in basketball in Peru at that time; I helped the school's team win the league that year). In pick up games in the street or vacant lots often the best athletes wanted to play goalie.
I went on to play pretty competitively in adult rec league upper divisions until my late 40s, at which point I suffered a pair of injuries that effectively forced me to quit. I played in a senior league for a few years, but eventually gave it up. It's been great to live in a town that has such a strong soccer tradition, both at the professional and the rec league level, as Seattle.
Here I am with my grandson in our River Plate team jerseys after my return from a research trip to Argentina several years ago.
But somehow soccer is the sport I've loved the most. I learned to play as an exchange student in Peru in 1968. I was a good athlete and the kids at the school I attended in Lima were happy to teach me the sport in exchange for showing them how to throw an American football and shoot a jump shot (this was still not a standard in basketball in Peru at that time; I helped the school's team win the league that year). In pick up games in the street or vacant lots often the best athletes wanted to play goalie.
I went on to play pretty competitively in adult rec league upper divisions until my late 40s, at which point I suffered a pair of injuries that effectively forced me to quit. I played in a senior league for a few years, but eventually gave it up. It's been great to live in a town that has such a strong soccer tradition, both at the professional and the rec league level, as Seattle.
Here I am with my grandson in our River Plate team jerseys after my return from a research trip to Argentina several years ago.
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Oliver1329
Life of the Party
That is so cool! Thanks for sharing.
Skol_Engh
Steelhead
I was there too Jerry!
and ill say this--- obviously European soccer is better than the MLS (Liverpool fan) but I'm not gonna be a eurosnob about it and if you choose shitting on the MLS vs actually going to games and finding a local club to support then you're missing out! GO SOUNDERS
It is so different in Europe compared to here. I know I went to HSV in Hamburg and the pure energy in the stadium was crazy.
charles sullivan
Life of the Party
Norwich beats the sounders 4-0 every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
Enjoy your home town team as you should. There is not 2 EPL players on the squad. There may be 4 Championship players.
They are not in the ballpark. Not close.
charles sullivan
Life of the Party
Tell that to Mr. Klopp in Liverpool. Seems like he and Edwards have used that analysis to buy low on a bunch of players. Jota and Diaz being the latest examples. That club certainly knows how to use analytics and economics to make savvy choices.
t_law
Steelhead
Another baseball fan I see. Yeah those are super savvy numbers below....lol
"Díaz will cost an initial €40m with another €20m payable in add-ons. In total, that will make the 25-year-old the fourth most expensive signing in Liverpool’s history after Virgil van Dijk, Alisson and Naby Keïta."
"Diogo Jota: Liverpool sign forward from Wolves for fee that could rise to £45m"
t_law
Steelhead
Please! Norwich couldn't put 4 in the back of the net if the Sounders played without a keeper, even on Sunday. Here's some statistical analysis for you.
Norwich: 0.57 goals/game.
charles sullivan
Life of the Party
Likau was 95 mill. Or so. Werner was45+.
Jota has outperformed both. Diaz seems to be a perfect fit as well.
Salah is a magician but even Liverpool may not be able to pay him. Mane seems likely to leave for Spain too. Shit Pulisic cost 70+. Liverpool pays wages but they don't get killed on transfers.
When your team plays for epl trophies and chamions league trophies and your ayer play for their country too, you need a lot of players. 40 mill for those 2 are good deals.
Liverpool has not spent in the top 20 in transfer fees in the last 10 years. AS Milan hss spent more .
I would say that bang for their buck, they are ahead by a large margin. Sure they spend but not as much as the clubs in Manchester or Arsenal. They also win a lot and the players that the spend on are worth it.
How much is Virgil worth? They bought him for a bunch and he is worth even more.
Analytics has clearly helped.
Jota has outperformed both. Diaz seems to be a perfect fit as well.
Salah is a magician but even Liverpool may not be able to pay him. Mane seems likely to leave for Spain too. Shit Pulisic cost 70+. Liverpool pays wages but they don't get killed on transfers.
When your team plays for epl trophies and chamions league trophies and your ayer play for their country too, you need a lot of players. 40 mill for those 2 are good deals.
Liverpool has not spent in the top 20 in transfer fees in the last 10 years. AS Milan hss spent more .
I would say that bang for their buck, they are ahead by a large margin. Sure they spend but not as much as the clubs in Manchester or Arsenal. They also win a lot and the players that the spend on are worth it.
How much is Virgil worth? They bought him for a bunch and he is worth even more.
Analytics has clearly helped.
charles sullivan
Life of the Party
That is because they play in England. Norwich would kill the Sounders.
John Stones and Harry McGuire don't play in Seattle.
No one is knocking down the door fto buy lodero to play for Aston Villa or Brentford. Morris was loaned out to a Championship club not a premiere league club.
Shit, zlatan was a goal per game scorer in the US and he was past his prime. He never did that in his prime in the EPL or any other lezgue in Europe.
Root for your home team. Love them to death. Cheer and go wild.
If they had more talent though those EPL teams and Serie A teams et. Would be buying.
They aren't.
This was my team of choice and still my favorite all time team outside of the Sounders. Had a few of their kits. I was so happy to be able to see them live on their home turf back in 1987. Only problem was my host brother's favorite team was their arch enemy back then. HSV.
What was funny I got back to the US to start my senior in 1987. Had a locker to myself. Which was a rarity since these were huge lockers and put two seniors to a locker. Since I just got back from Germany they put the incoming German exchange student into my locker. They had me show him where the locker was and how to open it. We had a Stepbrothers moment when the locker opened. He saw the Borussia stuff and smiled. We became best friends instantly and have been friends to this day.
t_law
Steelhead
Actually 14th. https://www.football-observatory.com/IMG/sites/b5wp/2021/wp367/en/
EPL championships in the last 30yrs.
Manchester United: 13
Manchester City: 5
Chelsea: 5
Arsenal: 3
Liverpool: 1
Not so much.
t_law
Steelhead
Lol...love the Stepbrothers reference. One of thee funniest movies out there. There is a young American kid, Joe Scally, playing for Gladbach right now, hopefully one for the future.
I don't follow them like I used to. I heard about him. Is he on the main squad or the reserve team? Last I saw he was on their 2nd team.
t_law
Steelhead
He's been playing with the first team. His minutes have taken a bit of a hit as of late, but he's still making the match day squad.
Oliver1329
Life of the Party
The first leg in the CCL Final is tonight! Looks like the Sounders are really focused on this like it matters more than MLS Cup!
Oliver1329
Life of the Party
I agree. Makes it tough on the sounders, but hopefully that motivates them. They were looking dangerous right at the end of the half.
FinLuver
Native Oregonian…1846
Wow…
I’ve watched some European games and South American games…
Just to shake my head and go…What the…!!