2017-18 Euro soccer thread

[M2]

If PSG pulls off this Neymar move, they will be a really fun team to watch this year.

I'm torn about a potential Neymar move. I was, and still am, glad when he went to Barca instead of Madrid. Seems to be a kid who believes he's better than he is, he plays too many games on autopilot and he's a shameless diver. The thing Barca had going for it was great club culture and I think he's undermined that. I don't want Barca to spit out that poison pill. I especially don't want it to take that king's ransom and spend it wisely, getting the depth the team currently lacks.

Yet Barca has spent a lot of money the past two years with very little to show for it. If it blows that cash, Madrid gets the penthouse all to itself for a while. Which one hurts my enemy most?

[M2]

Neymar to PSG for all the money (€222M). It's pretty much guaranteed Barca is going to spend a lot of that cash on new players. Ousmane Dembele. Paulo Dybala. Eden Hazard, Philippe Coutinho, Antoine Griezmann and Dele Alli have been rumored.

[M2]

Arsenal won the Community Shield. So Wenger's already got his trophy this season and is safe for another year. I kid, but Arsenal could be very tough in the league without the overhead of the Champions League to manage. I'm assuming Wenger plays B teams in the Europa League (and wins with them).

[reds1869]

As a PSG fan I wholeheartedly support this move. It signals PSG is serious about winning in Europe. Neymar fits better with PSG's squad than he ever did with Barca's. He is a creator first and foremost and the system in Paris will allow him to thrive as the #10. He was always going to be in the shadow of Messi at Barcelona. Watching yesterday and thinking about him orchestrating that Paris attack was thrilling.

[BuckeyeRed27]

Arsenal won the Community Shield. So Wenger's already got his trophy this season and is safe for another year. I kid, but Arsenal could be very tough in the league without the overhead of the Champions League to manage. I'm assuming Wenger plays B teams in the Europa League (and wins with them).

It will be interesting to see who the team is once the transfer window closes. If he does indeed keep Sanchez and everyone else, the team is really deep and could make a run (I'll now go back to pounding my head repeatedly against the wall).

[bucksfan2]

It will be interesting to see who the team is once the transfer window closes. If he does indeed keep Sanchez and everyone else, the team is really deep and could make a run (I'll now go back to pounding my head repeatedly against the wall).

I have only recently (past two years) gotten into watching the EPL, but it seems like the story with Arsenal is (and has always been) Wegner does enough to get the team in the top 4 in league, but is substantially outmatched when they get to advanced Champions League play. You watch them when they get to the elimination stage and its almost embarrassing.

[BuckeyeRed27]

I have only recently (past two years) gotten into watching the EPL, but it seems like the story with Arsenal is (and has always been) Wegner does enough to get the team in the top 4 in league, but is substantially outmatched when they get to advanced Champions League play. You watch them when they get to the elimination stage and its almost embarrassing.

Kind of. That has been the case the last 2 years.

They got the Champions League Final in 2006 and really should have won (I don't want to talk about it). They have been knocked out in the Round of 16 the past 7 years. Only one of the times though were they really favored (mostly drawn against Barcelona and Bayern) and they have been competitive in all of them except the last 2.

Arsenal has been stuck in a rut for about a decade though, where they have been competitive to a degree, but haven't really threatened to win a big trophy since that Champions League Final.

[ScotlandRed]

A very bright start on return to the top Scottish division for Hibs. Plenty of goals and a couple of good performances. A tough away game against The Rangers on Saturday should test us a bit more but so far so good.

[M2]

A very bright start on return to the top Scottish division for Hibs. Plenty of goals and a couple of good performances. A tough away game against The Rangers on Saturday should test us a bit more but so far so good.

Was just looking at the format for the Scottish League Cup, and I kind of love it. Big fan of having a regional group stage and of having five teams per group. Like that they're going straight to a shootout after 90 with 2 points for the winner and 1 for the loser. Really dig that they use it at the start of the season, with everyone playing for a cup right off the jump.

[paintmered]

Four minutes into the new Premier League season, and there's already two goals at the Emirates.

[BuckeyeRed27]

Four minutes into the new Premier League season, and there's already two goals at the Emirates.

Took Lacazette 90 seconds to score his first goal.

Good job by Leicester on their goal too, guy did a heck of a job to keep it in and head it back to the middle.

[paintmered]

Albrighton with an inch perfect cross after the Arsenal midfield turnover, and Vardy hammers it home. Arsenal 1, Leicester 2. 30'

[paintmered]

What a great opening night. Arsenal 4, Leicester 3.

[BuckeyeRed27]

What a great opening night. Arsenal 4, Leicester 3.

I had a client come in and I had to stop watching when it was 3-2. I clearly can't watch another game all season as the moment I walk away we score 2 to win.

[paintmered]

I had a client come in and I had to stop watching when it was 3-2. I clearly can't watch another game all season as the moment I walk away we score 2 to win.

The change in mood was pretty funny to watch as a neutral. 80 minutes of, "same old Arsenal, same old Arsene" then suddenly, "everything is awesome!" Two goals in five minutes will do that.