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MetalFingaz wrote:Jota from Celtic might be the youngest star (24) who moved to Saudi Arabia. Definitely seems like he was primed to move to a so-called "bigger" club, but opted for Al-Ittihad instead.

Apparently Jota wasn't ever registered by the club. Looks to be on his way to West Ham.

Just seeing this:

https://soccer.realgm.com/wiretap/10564/Paul-Pogba-Receives-Four-Years-Doping-Ban

So not sure how much he was playing but he's 30 and if he does serve a 4-year ban, he won't have a career to come back to.

Presumably no international competition either, so no WC or Euro.

He denies taking any banned substances and says will appeal.

He got injured at the very start of his first season back at Juve, opted to not get surgery in hopes of making the world cup team...realized that wasn't going to work so he got surgery and missed essentially the whole season. There were high hopes for him this season, but the news of his failed drug tests broke after the first game or two...and he's been out since.
He denies taking banned substances but the test doesn't lie, so he's really just denying taking a banned substance knowingly.
I believe that he didn't try to cheat in any way, but it happened. Very sad, he is one of my favorite players of all time.
The witchcraft his brother put on him may have worked.

He got injured at the very start of his first season back at Juve, opted to not get surgery in hopes of making the world cup team...realized that wasn't going to work so he got surgery and missed essentially the whole season. There were high hopes for him this season, but the news of his failed drug tests broke after the first game or two...and he's been out since.
He denies taking banned substances but the test doesn't lie, so he's really just denying taking a banned substance knowingly.
I believe that he didn't try to cheat in any way, but it happened. Very sad, he is one of my favorite players of all time.
The witchcraft his brother put on him may have worked.

Also, I feel I am partly to blame for Pogba's issue...
growing up, whenever I bought a player's jersey from one of my favorite teams, they would get transferred during the very next transfer window. So, I haven't bought a jersey with a name on it in idk how many years...

Over the summer, I got ballsy and was feeling like mayne this curse was over. I found a brand new Pogba Juventus jersey for $20. I told myself, well he's already struggling with injuries, but at the very least no one can take away what he did at Juve during his first period with the club. I bought the jersey, and two weeks later it was announced that he failed his doping test. Shame on me.

I also wanted to buy a Magic jersey this summer, ideally Banchero...but if I did that, they'd trade him for three second round picks and cash considerations. So, I bought a Dwight Howard jersey. What could go wrong? The guy was my favorite player along with Jameer Nelson back when they made a finals run, and nothing could take away what he accomplished in Orlando. Less than one week later the news broke [basically] that he was gay and was going to court with some guy who was claiming sexual assault.

I ought to take full responsibility for tarnishing Dwight's reputation and ruining Pogba's career

That's why I don't dare buy a Curry jersey while he's still playing.

I also have a couple of generic Barca jerseys, no player names on the back.

magik9113 wrote:Also, I feel I am partly to blame for Pogba's issue...
growing up, whenever I bought a player's jersey from one of my favorite teams, they would get transferred during the very next transfer window. So, I haven't bought a jersey with a name on it in idk how many years...

Over the summer, I got ballsy and was feeling like mayne this curse was over. I found a brand new Pogba Juventus jersey for $20. I told myself, well he's already struggling with injuries, but at the very least no one can take away what he did at Juve during his first period with the club. I bought the jersey, and two weeks later it was announced that he failed his doping test. Shame on me.

I also wanted to buy a Magic jersey this summer, ideally Banchero...but if I did that, they'd trade him for three second round picks and cash considerations. So, I bought a Dwight Howard jersey. What could go wrong? The guy was my favorite player along with Jameer Nelson back when they made a finals run, and nothing could take away what he accomplished in Orlando. Less than one week later the news broke [basically] that he was gay and was going to court with some guy who was claiming sexual assault.

I ought to take full responsibility for tarnishing Dwight's reputation and ruining Pogba's career

To be fair, $20 is a steal even if it was a soon-to-be banished Pogba. Authentic football jerseys are really expensive.

I have a decent collection of Spurs shirts I've acquired over the years, but it's been harder to keep up because of the prices. I rarely get them with player names on the back because I feel like I'd curse it too, but I have an Eriksen 2013/14 third kit, and Vertonghen 2012/13 home kit. Both players have since left of course, but I got a good half decade or so out of them at least.

Brazil will play England in a friendly at Wembley today. The Brazilian national team manager apologized to rape victims of Robinho and Dani Alves.

What the hell?

Robinho was convicted in an Italian court and will serve a 9-year sentence in Brazil.

Alves was convicted of sexual assault in a Spanish court which handed down a 4.5
Year sentence which he’s appealing. Alves will have to report to jail as he’s trying to raise €1 million for bail. Neymar’s father said they won’t be helping pay that bail. Alves was arrested over a year ago and has been in detention for 14 months.

What is going on with Brazilian football? Isolated incidents or Brazilian football stars used to getting their way, treated like gods so they think they can do whatever they want?

What about serving a prison sentence in Brazil for a crime committed in Italy?

Guys, what do you think about Christopher Nkunku? I am a Chelsea fan, and at the start of the season, I had high hopes for this guy, especially after how he played in the pre-season. But then he got an injury, then another, and then another. Three injuries in a season. I feel that he doesn't want to play and is doing this on purpose. I have read an article on an online sports platform, and people there say that his body needs to adapt to the new league since the PL is more aggressive and dynamic. But I think that there is something else in the middle. What do you think about this matter?

dorkestra wrote:Guys, what do you think about Christopher Nkunku? I am a Chelsea fan, and at the start of the season, I had high hopes for this guy, especially after how he played in the pre-season. But then he got an injury, then another, and then another. Three injuries in a season. I feel that he doesn't want to play and is doing this on purpose.

I think most professional footballers would generally want to play regardless of club circumstances, especially those that are trying to generate some form so that they can get into their national teams for Euro 2024, like Nkunku. France are a deep team, his selection is definitely not a given even if he's fit.

I just think he's been injury prone in recent years, particularly since his knee injury at Leipzig in 2022. When healthy, he's undoubtedly a quality player.

Baphomet wrote:I think most professional footballers would generally want to play regardless of club circumstances, especially those that are trying to generate some form so that they can get into their national teams for Euro 2024, like Nkunku. France are a deep team, his selection is definitely not a given even if he's fit.

I just think he's been injury prone in recent years, particularly since his knee injury at Leipzig in 2022. When healthy, he's undoubtedly a quality player.

Has RB Leipzig produced a viable PL player?

My mind immediately comes to Naby Keita and Timo Werner as two who have certainly underperformed. Keita's downfall was more injury related compared to Werner's lack of goals.

Baseline81 wrote:

Baphomet wrote:I think most professional footballers would generally want to play regardless of club circumstances, especially those that are trying to generate some form so that they can get into their national teams for Euro 2024, like Nkunku. France are a deep team, his selection is definitely not a given even if he's fit.

I just think he's been injury prone in recent years, particularly since his knee injury at Leipzig in 2022. When healthy, he's undoubtedly a quality player.

Has RB Leipzig produced a viable PL player?

My mind immediately comes to Naby Keita and Timo Werner as two who have certainly underperformed. Keita's downfall was more injury related compared to Werner's lack of goals.

Gvardiol and Szoboszlai both look pretty good to me.

Werner has a mental block when he gets in the final third, his general play has been good for Spurs but his finishing is baffling at this point. I can't speak on Keita as I don't know him too well as a player, he looked okay at best when I saw him sparingly at Liverpool.

Baphomet wrote:Gvardiol and Szoboszlai both look pretty good to me.

Werner has a mental block when he gets in the final third, his general play has been good for Spurs but his finishing is baffling at this point. I can't speak on Keita as I don't know him too well as a player, he looked okay at best when I saw him sparingly at Liverpool.

I strayed away from those two as both are in their first PL season.

Liverpool fans, including myself, largely consider Keita a bust for the money spent vs. the time he actually played.

Baseline81 wrote:

Baphomet wrote:Gvardiol and Szoboszlai both look pretty good to me.

Werner has a mental block when he gets in the final third, his general play has been good for Spurs but his finishing is baffling at this point. I can't speak on Keita as I don't know him too well as a player, he looked okay at best when I saw him sparingly at Liverpool.

I strayed away from those two as both are in their first PL season.

Liverpool fans, including myself, largely consider Keita a bust for the money spent vs. the time he actually played.

Sure, but I think those two have already shown enough to suggest that they're viable PL players, at the very least.