They are supposedly in talks for Colombian striker Carlos Bacca, Venezuelan striker Salomon Rondon and Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic.

 

It's silly season for transfer news - I won't trust anything until I see them posing at Melwood awkwardly leaning against something

I thought the Kovacic stuff is just Italian make-believe. Bacca would be a serious "wow" purchase after already signing Firmino, although his release clause is high (£21.5 million) and he's not generally of the age FSG aims for. I could only see it if the Sterling to City for £50 million deal goes through (lol).

 

I'd love to know how Squawka calculates their player ratings, but he was 5th last year in terms of "attack rating" in La Liga, behind only Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, and Bale.

I haven't heard a "Paul Pogba to England" rumor in like 5 days so now I'm sure it must be happening this time.

Firminho hasn't looked very good in the Copa America, he missed a sitter in the game they lost to Colombia and was kind of lost in the last game.  Hopefully he steps up in the next game with Neymar out.  He probably will work better on the left wing as a replacement for Sterling, because I don't think he's the center forward people think he's going to be.  Liverpool would do well to play him on the left and if they can get a big guy like Rondon in the middle that would be great.  Bacca is probably more of a Suarez type of player, so he would work well for the CF role also.

U21 EURO Group stages done today.Watched booth games at the same time, so I caught glimpses of both, England´s 1-3 loss against Italy and Portugal drawing Sweden with one goal each.

England and Portugal respectively gained control of the game early. But while Portugal simply couldn´t score, England found themselves two goals down within 120 seconds, Belotti (25th) and Benassi (27th) scoring for the U21 EURO-record-winners. Italy played a clever match afterwards, England had a few chances to at least pull one back, but they were off target numerous times.

With Italy´s third - Benassi scoring again in the 72nd with a header - the match was done, but to the Young Lions´ credit, they put in a shift and pulled back one very late - and very nice - goal. This meant England were out and Italy had to hope for Portugal´s or Sweden´s help.

After Portugal dominating the first 20 minutes, they kind of lost grip. Especially in the second half Sweden was the team coming out swinging and having a few good opportunities. After a very late injury for one of Sweden´s centerbacks, the Scandinavians defence seemed disorganized for a few minutes. Portugal used this to score in the 82nd minute after a nice dribbling and shot from Paciencia. Sweden desperately pushed afterwards to get their foothold back into the semi-final and did so: After two good shooting positions, a long ball found his way to the same defender who had been beaten in the dribble who headed it to Tibbling, who with a lot of luck and a deflection equalized in the 89th. Afterwards, both teams seemed to settle for the draw, knowing it would put both teams through.

This will probably not sit well with the Italians, and it felt fishy to see a solid defense like the Portuguese giving up chances like that, but this is the same team that came back last minute against France in the play off, so I guess they have some sort of Fergie spirits.

Anyway, this means:

U21 EURO semi-finals:

Denmark vs Sweden

Portugal vs Germany

This also means that Denmark, Sweden, Portugal and Germany will be part of the Olympic Footie tourney in 2016.

Giovinco is the best player to have ever played for Toronto FC by so much that there's not even a discussion.

Firminho hasn't looked very good in the Copa America, he missed a sitter in the game they lost to Colombia and was kind of lost in the last game. Hopefully he steps up in the next game with Neymar out. He probably will work better on the left wing as a replacement for Sterling, because I don't think he's the center forward people think he's going to be. Liverpool would do well to play him on the left and if they can get a big guy like Rondon in the middle that would be great. Bacca is probably more of a Suarez type of player, so he would work well for the CF role also.

No, Firmino is a CF. he was great in the role ar Hoffeinheim and he'll be just fine at Liverpool.

Giovinco is the best player to have ever played for Toronto FC by so much that there's not even a discussion.

That's one of the best complete games I've ever seen them play

In what may have been the worst MLS match in years Metro beat RSL 1-0 tonight. We got a goal in the 5th minute, and before the 50th RSL had TWO men sent off, leading to a spectacular display of incompetence in trying to score for Metro. Seriously the skill level displayed here was right out of the early days of the league, it was that bad. I am filled with dread about Sunday after this one.

Atlanta United FC

(Shakes head)

Atlanta United FC

(Shakes head)

 

It was going to be Atlanta Confederate FC up until last week. They panicked. Heritage not hate!

There really should be a rule that two teams in the same league can't have the same nickname

There really should be a rule that two teams in the same league can't have the same nickname

Unless its Rough Riders and Roughriders.

If all the new American soccer clubs named themselves Roughriders, it would be a whole lot better than everyone naming themselves United. Allegedly rational people thinking naming their team Confederate is a good idea in 2015 boggles my mind.

Still better than Houston Dynamo paying tribute to noted communist sporting clubs in the heart of fucking Texas.

Still better than Houston Dynamo paying tribute to noted communist sporting clubs in the heart of fucking Texas.

 

Houston Apollo was right there. RIGHT THERE.

Still better than Houston Dynamo paying tribute to noted communist sporting clubs in the heart of fucking Texas.

Or Real Salt Lake.

Are you saying there's no Royalty in Salt Lake?

 

Back in the day, we wanted to name my soccer team Ajax Winnipeg, until we realized how cheesy it was and didn't do it. Everyone should be forced to wait two months after coming up with a team name to make sure their name doesn't suck.

We're agreed Liverpool de Montevideo is excused from this, right?

I'll never forget the early MLS when the Kansas City Wiz played the Dallas Burn in the infamous Wiz-Burn game.

Atlanta United? What's wrong with Atlanta Athletic? Or Atletico Atlanta if you want to be exotic.

I misread that as "Atletico Athletic" at first. Which would also be hilarious.

 

But not really worse than "The Los Angeles Angels" which translates as "The the Angels Angels" I guess.

Spartak Altanta! Atlanta Academicals! Hajduk Atlanta! Atlanta 1896!

 

See how Rangers are actually Glasgow Rangers, and Celtic are actually Celtic Rangers?

 

Why is there no MLS team called Texas Rangers?

Cuz there's an MLB team named that.

Atlanta Academicals makes me laugh. That's what I am going to call them from here on out.