"Back of the net!": The Football Thread

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  • edited July 21 Posts: 17,756
    Incredible scenes between Rosenborg and Lillestrøm tonight. Football fans have protested actively by throwing objects on the pitch in several games now, in protest of VAR. Rosenborg and Lillestrøm fans took it one step further, by four times throwing objects like flares, tennis balls …and fish cakes on the pitch. The match was eventually postponed.

    NTB_zScbhLGd8kU_1.jpg?chk=302BA5


    The VAR debate will continue, and I have no doubt protests like this will be seen in more matches going forward.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,134
    How is Rosenborg doing these days?
  • edited July 21 Posts: 17,756
    GoldenGun wrote: »
    How is Rosenborg doing these days?

    Terribly. They've gone from managerial change to managerial change without success, leading them to go down the route of the young but inexperienced head coach which we see several top clubs do these days – not because it's "fashionable" but because it was their only real option.

    I think Alfred Johansson's ideas and what he wants the team to look like is in line with what Rosenborg should be, but the player material however… From Bendtner and Samuel Adegbenro and beating Ajax not that many years ago, they're now a shadow of themselves, currently 13th in the league, and looking like a team that might actually get relegated.

    I really don't know how they can fix this, as they don't have the money to buy better players, the players they do have (with just one exception, maybe two) are not good enough and don't have any value in the market, and they can't draw a big name manager or players to the club looking like they do today. A shambles from top to bottom, and probably one of those rare occasions where the head coach is the least of the issues.

    For those interested, here's how the VAR drama unfolded:
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,134
    I hope the best for RBK, it's a household name in Scandinavia, I'm sure you can find your way back to the top!

    As for my own preferred teams:
    - Anderlecht: on the way back to the top, last year one of the title contenders, hope they can go the extra mile next year.
    - Lazio: terrible Serie A season last year, but a good CL campaign. Lost Sergej, Luis Alberto and Immobile the last two seasons. New signings look good, I think they can be a surprise package in this year's Serie A.
    - Sampdoria: missed out on promotion last year after a poor season start. Not sure where they stand now, I am sure though that this jersey should always be in Serie A.
    - Sparta Prague: back in the driver's seat in Czechia with back-to-back titles. The coach left but I hope they can find their way back into the CL group stage this year nonetheless, it's been almost 20 years now...
  • edited July 21 Posts: 17,756
    I certainly hope so, @GoldenGun! They're the biggest club in the country, and should have all in place to turn things around, but you can draw a comparison with other former "greats" across Europe; many hardly the same what they once were, due to years of mismanagement, spending and many other factors.

    Anderlecht and Lazio are "household names" for me, and although I don't follow Jupiler Pro League or Serie A closely, they are teams I look for when I browse through the European league tables.

    Sampdoria and Sparta Prague aren't team I have much knowledge about though, but there's one very obvious connection with Sparta Prague and Rosenborg: Bořek Dočkal played for both teams, and he was a great player for Rosenborg. Just the type of player they could have needed now!
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,134
    Sampdoria and Sparta Prague aren't team I have much knowledge about though, but there's one very obvious connection with Sparta Prague and Rosenborg: Bořek Dočkal played for both teams, and he was a great player for Rosenborg. Just the type of player they could have needed now!

    Oh yes! I remember Dočkal! There's another connection, they peaked in the CL as outsiders in the same period, 90's and early 2000's....
    I certainly hope so, @GoldenGun! They're the biggest club in the country, and should have all in place to turn things around, but you can draw a comparison with other former "greats" across Europe; many hardly the same what they once were, due to years of mismanagement, spending and many other factors.

    This is indeed the case for many former greats, such as Göteborg, Steaua, Red Star or indeed Anderlecht, or Sampdoria.

    I much prefer former greats to the new money of the likes of PSG though, so I always hope to see them do well in the European cups.
    Anderlecht and Lazio are "household names" for me, and although I don't follow Jupiler Pro League or Serie A closely, they are teams I look for when I browse through the European league tables.

    I applaud you, Sir :) I do the same with Rosenborg and I hope they can find their old form again. Wishing them, and you, the best of luck!


  • Posts: 17,756
    GoldenGun wrote: »
    Sampdoria and Sparta Prague aren't team I have much knowledge about though, but there's one very obvious connection with Sparta Prague and Rosenborg: Bořek Dočkal played for both teams, and he was a great player for Rosenborg. Just the type of player they could have needed now!

    Oh yes! I remember Dočkal! There's another connection, they peaked in the CL as outsiders in the same period, 90's and early 2000's....
    I certainly hope so, @GoldenGun! They're the biggest club in the country, and should have all in place to turn things around, but you can draw a comparison with other former "greats" across Europe; many hardly the same what they once were, due to years of mismanagement, spending and many other factors.

    This is indeed the case for many former greats, such as Göteborg, Steaua, Red Star or indeed Anderlecht, or Sampdoria.

    I much prefer former greats to the new money of the likes of PSG though, so I always hope to see them do well in the European cups.
    Anderlecht and Lazio are "household names" for me, and although I don't follow Jupiler Pro League or Serie A closely, they are teams I look for when I browse through the European league tables.

    I applaud you, Sir :) I do the same with Rosenborg and I hope they can find their old form again. Wishing them, and you, the best of luck!


    That's a good point, and something I miss is the more modern era of football. The money in football these days means we are unlikely to see teams like Rosenborg and Sparta Prague compete in the CL…

    Göteborg is another good example. I don't watch that many Swedish league games each season, but Göteborg have been struggling for a long time. They recently appointed Stefan Billborn as their new head coach, who came from the same role at Sarpsborg 08 here in Norway. That is hardly an exciting choice, and really just shows that their ambition these days is to be a mid table team at best – which can also be said of Sarpsborg 08…

    Likewise with you and Anderlecht and Lazio! These two teams, along with the other teams you mentioned above, are teams that fills me with nostalgia about how the football map in Europe used to look like, before the days of Man City and PSG.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,134
    Yep, I agree. The modern era of football has lost some of the allure of the older days. Maybe though, that's also because I'm getting older :))
  • Posts: 17,756
    GoldenGun wrote: »
    Yep, I agree. The modern era of football has lost some of the allure of the older days. Maybe though, that's also because I'm getting older :))

    Haha, you and me both! Also regarding modern football, someone made a point on Twitter earlier this year, that you wouldn't see a player like Ronaldinho in modern football. A dribbler and entertainer like that wouldn't find a way into a team like Man City, where everything is about being so effective. Pep would go crazy watching a player like that doing his own thing!
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,134
    GoldenGun wrote: »
    Yep, I agree. The modern era of football has lost some of the allure of the older days. Maybe though, that's also because I'm getting older :))

    Haha, you and me both! Also regarding modern football, someone made a point on Twitter earlier this year, that you wouldn't see a player like Ronaldinho in modern football. A dribbler and entertainer like that wouldn't find a way into a team like Man City, where everything is about being so effective. Pep would go crazy watching a player like that doing his own thing!

    That's a shame, but I think that's what it's all about these days. It's all about discipline. Unfortunately.
  • edited July 26 Posts: 17,756
    GoldenGun wrote: »
    GoldenGun wrote: »
    Yep, I agree. The modern era of football has lost some of the allure of the older days. Maybe though, that's also because I'm getting older :))

    Haha, you and me both! Also regarding modern football, someone made a point on Twitter earlier this year, that you wouldn't see a player like Ronaldinho in modern football. A dribbler and entertainer like that wouldn't find a way into a team like Man City, where everything is about being so effective. Pep would go crazy watching a player like that doing his own thing!

    That's a shame, but I think that's what it's all about these days. It's all about discipline. Unfortunately.

    Indeed it is. It's very evident when you look up player compilations on Youtube for example. Look up early to mid late 2000's, and you'll see players that were very much entertainers, like Ronaldinho. If you look up a player compilations of modern footballers, it's more about clinical finishing, the ability to hold the ball, passing it to the next player, and things like that. To put it like this: a compilation featuring Haaland will never be as exciting as one with Ronaldinho.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    edited September 5 Posts: 7,134
    San Marino has just won their first competitive game ever, a 1-0 victory over Liechtenstein.

    I have always had a soft spot for the minnows in sky blue. Well, I'm probably their only fan from outside the Italian-speaking countries.

    I've seen them lose 13-0 to Germany and 10-0 to England, but this time they won! So happy! Forza San Marino!
  • edited September 6 Posts: 17,756
    Incredible! Must feel very special to be a Sammarinese football fan today.

    Today, what is probably the best ever Norwegian side only managed 0-0 away against Kazakhstan in Nations League. With head coach Ståle Solbakken we are unlikely to see this generation of players qualify for an international tournament.
  • Posts: 12,526
    Interesting times to be a Norwich fan.

    Definately a season of transition this year. Team was too old last season, exciting to see so much young talent coming into the club, regardless of whether they are loan or permanent deals.

    I like what Ben Knapper and Manager Johannes Hoff Thorup are looking to achieve. :-bd
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,134
    San Marino wins an away game for the first time, and it secures promotion for them!

    I've been following i Titani for years and this just fills me with joy :)
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