Soccer Discussion

[count2infinity]

What sort of audience do they get there? I’ve not watched any Saudi games to have a clue. Are there people I. The stands? Are people watching on TV?

[Gaucho]

Al-Ittihad (in Riyadh) average 40.000, followed by Al-Nassr with ~17.000, and at the other end Al-Batin average ~3500. League-wide average is ~10.000.

[Trip McNeely]

It’s pretty obvious what’s gonna happen every year: some big name players go there for a pay day, realize it suck’s not being able to party or even look at a woman that’s not your wife, and then move out on loan back to Europe

The Saudis won’t care because it’s more about flaunting their buying power and making it seem like they aren’t a repressive country.

It’s never going to compete with Europe despite all their money because it’s still Saudi Arabia

[JC2]

Did any player in their prime go to Saudi this past year?

It seemed like a bunch of older players were getting one last payday despite knowing they were going nowhere.

[Dickie Dunn]

I don't know, but I don't think it's ever going to play out how the Saudis hoped, obviously having their eye on buying their way into UEFA competitions and being a relevant soccer country by the time the 2034 World Cup descends on their desert.

Neymar and Ronaldo obviously got a different treatment than everyone else, but this round of signings at least showed they won't be able to buy their way to relevancy. League attendance is a joke, no one watches on TV, even two of the biggest names in the sport have all but disappeared from relevancy in the public eye. The league sucks, 4 teams are owned by PIF so the competition is virtually rigged, no sporting culture, sure the better teams have a chance at playing in the AFC Champions League, but does that really mean a damn thing to someone who has played in/won the real Champions League?

Most exciting update to this story is that Henderson deferred payment to avoid UK taxes and wasn't paid a penny for his miserable, reputation destroying, career altering decision to collect some blood money.

[meecrofilm]

Did any player in their prime go to Saudi this past year?

It seemed like a bunch of older players were getting one last payday despite knowing they were going nowhere.

I guess Ruben Neves is probably the closest to fit this criteria.

[Dickie Dunn]

Neves for sure, but he's not a player or name that's going to attract the eyes or attention of any casual fan. He went to Al Hilal, which is part of the quartet owned by PIF, which also owns Newcastle and he has already been rumored to get the move back to the Premier League whether by loan or transfer.

Honestly, you go down the list and some solid, in their prime players moved to the Saudi Pro League, but they're not anyone people tune in to watch. Mitrovic, Milinkovic-Savic, Fabinho, Jota (who isn't even registered in the league and was rumored to have "cultural issues" that made his team interested to get rid of him, Gabri Veiga is only 21, and Saint-Maximin.

All above average players in their prime. While players of that nature help improve the league, problem is the Saudis wanted to used PIF to LIV the hell out of the league by buying the four most popular clubs in the league and bring in names that bring eyes to their product and it has not worked at all. Honestly it's been even less successful for LIV. At least there they **** up professional golf forever.

[Gaucho]

Gabri Veiga is the player whose move Toni Kroos called embarrassing, which then led to Kroos (and Beckenbauer, RIP) being booed the other day.

[Gaucho]

... when Spanish clubs played their Super Copa in SA

[Dickie Dunn]

... when Spanish clubs played their Super Copa in SA

Stadium attendance tonight for Italian supercup semi final between Fiorentina and Napoli in Saudi Arabia

[Freddy Rumsen]

Nuneatan Borough got wound up today.

[willeyeam]

Wtf was that game

Also Bowen got tackled on that last play. Boo

[RonnieFranchise]

Peak West Ham. Areola wtf?

They’re handing out pens like candy but then Bowen gets tackled like he’s Josh Allen and nothing?

[Gaucho]

[Dickie Dunn]

Benzama actively trying to leave, Milinkovic-Savic telling former Lazio teammates he'd like to return, Aymeric Laporte giving interviews stating that many players are unhappy and the league/teams are ignoring things guaranteed in contracts. Things are going swimmingly in the Saudi Pro League. Love to see it.

[meecrofilm]

Yeah, not gonna get any sympathy over here.

[Dickie Dunn]

Klopp out at the end of the season.

[NTP66]

Kloppout

[Gaucho]

[RonnieFranchise]

6th tier Maidstone Utd is 10 minutes out from knocking off Championship promotion candidate Ipswich Town

Ho lee fook they did it

[count2infinity]

lol. Wow.

I know there’s been some 5th division teams that have made similar runs relatively recently, but not 6th like this. Am I missing a recent run like this?

[RonnieFranchise]

1978 Blyth Spartans according to this. So, nothing recent.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... esult.html

As you would expect, the statistics were not remotely close. Ipswich 78-22 possession advantage, 13-2 SOG advantage, 38-2 shot attempt advantage, 11 corners to 0. Maidstone scored quality goals on their two shots and the ball stayed out of their net. Good for them, that's why it's the beautiful game.

[count2infinity]

Of course... those stat lines are seemingly the only way this kind of thing happens. Good for them, agreed. It's why you play the game.

Could you imagine next round if they got to host Liverpool or Man U? That would be so incredible for a season ticket holder to go watch that.

[Trip McNeely]

Southampton friends:

Who is Carlos Alvarez (not the tennis phenom) and should I be excited that he’s moving to Juve?

[NTP66]

**** Juve