It’s odd because despite greater enforcement of the rule that goalkeepers need to stay on the line and allowing the penalty taker to be almost stop start in their approach, I don’t get the feeling that players are scoring a greater proportion of penalties. I don’t know if there are any stats on that?
I used to take penalties all the time and never missed in a game. I always had a side I’d pick to go to if the keeper didn’t move but I practiced so much that I was able to watch the keeper rather than the ball and place it differently as I was about to strike the ball depending on whether the keeper committed one way or the other.
Admittedly I didn’t have to do that in front of a large crowd! The very least a pro footballer ought to hit the target. Hitting the woodwork or missing entirely is unforgivable, imo.
May I propose that we don’t have the usual sub-forum next year? Just keep the usual threads for commenting on international football without affording the Qatar tournament any specific reference?
Would be good if a national team refused to go.
At least a national captain reading out a prayer before each game for migrant workers and slaves (they would probably get the national team banned hence the same as refusing to go. Of course they would have to weigh that up against being killed by the Qatar regime.
What context, that the Mexicans say it isnt an anti-gay slur…it’s just a slur about a gay person directed at someone we know isnt gay but we want to make feel bad about himself?
Because it’s a patently bullshit argument. This isn’t an issue of something getting lost in translation. It’s an issue of the argument completely missing the point of why it is homophobic. The exact same terrible argument is used in the UK and the US among english speakers and its a stupid, shit argument then as well.
This is not an issue of different cultural standards, or anything getting lost in translation. The mexicans who defend its use are using the exact same argument that Americans use to justify their allegedly non-homophobic use of the f word or gay.
“We’re not saying they actually like men. We’re saying they should be ashamed because they act like men who like men.”
I think there needs to be a in match specific thread for chatter for these tournaments but then another general tournament specific for actual discussion. 500 posts in 90 mins kills any general tournament conversation that was being had without endless scrolling.
I didn’t mind there being a fixture specific thread for every game, but then there was a lot of bleed into the general chatter, which is to be expected as discussions naturally expand beyond. I just avoided the in play threads through the Euros unless I was watching the game and wanted to get involved in the chat on that day.
I know you’re talking about his play on the field but he’s a White Nationalist right? Picked number 88 (a known shorthand for “Heil Hitler”) while playing for Parma and wore a T-Shirt with a Mussolini quote on it. He denies knowing what any of that meant but accidently stumbled upon two facist things within 12 months of each other. I guess him and Wayne Hennessey need to attend the same history lesson…
As far as I can find he also never apologised for these “mistakes”, he said he was stupid for doing it but never actually said sorry.
Buffon has a lot to admire as a footballer player (and by no means am I criticising you, HIYH) but I feel a reflex need to mention these major stains on his past whenever he is brought up.
He’s a complex guy isn’t he. He’s also acknowledged suffering mental health issues. I think those instances you mention were when he was quite young? Maybe age has brought wisdom for him?
This year’s Florida cup (big summer pre-season event held every year in Orlando) was scheduled to be Arsenal, Everton, Inter and Millonarios from Colombia. Buddy of mine I havent seen in 15 years called me today to say his wife got him tickets to come here with his son to watch them them as asked if I wanted to join so I bought tickets to watch the 3rd/4th place game and final next wednesday.
An hour later Arsenal cancelled their US tour because of a Covid outbreak and now the entire tournament is in jeopardy.
Inter pulled out the following day citing concerns with travelling to Florida so now the tournament is a single game played yesterday between Everton and club from Colombia. It is 1 mile from my house, but I sure as hell didnt go even though they were more or less giving tickets away at that point.
But even if the entire country was oblivious to how problematic it is, that still doesn’t make the argument they hide behind any stronger. It is considered a pejorative because it describes perceived undesirable behaviors that are associated with gay men. The whole point of it being an insult is that it portrays being gay as worthy of mockery and so it is homophonic even if it is not being used literally or directed to gay men.
Wayne Rooney is have a brilliant week. First he gets caught shagging around, and then he injures his own player in training, ruling him out for three months. What a bellend.
