Other domestic leagues 2020/21

[Savi]

Fantastic game between Club Brugge and Genk today, probably the best game of the league season so far, between the top 2 teams
Genk were 9 points behind so basically had to win, held a 2-1 lead at the half but Brugge ended up winning 3-2

Mark McKenzie made his Genk debut, their best defender (Colombian Jhon Lucumi) missed the game due to suspension, and looked really good. Seems very mature for his age, showed leadership skills, was tough to beat in one-on-one battles and nicely played his way out of trouble a couple of times

For Brugge, Bas Dost scored again which means he scored in all 4 games since he arrived from Frankfurt. He's really been the missing link in a team that always played well but lacked finishing.
However. Noa Lang - what a player that €6m we payed Ajax looks like outright theft more and more with each game he plays. I think he has like 7G+7A in 15 games so far, nobody in the Belgian league can guard him, he's been the MVP of every game he played lately. I'm legitimately starting to get scared we're already going to lose him at the end of the season I can't remember the last team I saw such a talented player in Brugge. Maybe Ivan Perisic, and that's already over 10 years ago.

 

[Ajacied]

Told you Lang was a good one!

No one understood why Overmars let him go that easily. He’s better than Neres and on par with Antony I’d say. Hopefully he can keep this up.

 

[Savi]

Genk striker Paul Onuachu should garner plenty of attention from the bigger leagues after the season. He's now up to 22 goals (in 23 games). Genk bought him from Midtjylland just last year for about €6m, he is already 26 though. Playing style reminds a lot of Benteke.

 

[Savi]

Noa Lang again 1G 1A today in Brugge's dismantling of Standard. Brugge with a 14 point lead over 2nd place Genk already.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Getting crushed in a cup semi by St Johnston a few months after losing a cup semi to the Jambos is peak Hibs'd It.

What are you, Hibs or celtic fan? Damn man.

 

[sabremike]

What are you, Hibs or celtic fan? Damn man.

If you knew anything about Scottish football history you'd know why a Celtic fan would pull for Hibs to do well: If it wasn't for Hibs Celtic literally would never existed. The entire concept of an Irish Catholic club in Glasgow was 100% inspired by the success of Hibs in the capital and Hibs also gave much needed financial support to get Celtic off the ground as well.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

If you knew anything about Scottish football history you'd know why a Celtic fan would pull for Hibs to do well: If it wasn't for Hibs Celtic literally would never existed. The entire concept of an Irish Catholic club in Glasgow was 100% inspired by the success of Hibs in the capital and Hibs also gave much needed financial support to get Celtic off the ground as well.

Ok...but as far as I am aware they are two separate clubs.

And Hibs fans loathe Celtic.

 

[sabremike]

Ok...but as far as I am aware they are two separate clubs.

And Hibs fans loathe Celtic.

I am aware that there is understandable dislike of Celtic from Hibs supporters that are rooted in history (like Celtic raiding Hibs of it's best players in the early days and the idea that they supplanted them as the "Irish" club in Scotland) and was not helped by a group of fools in the Green Brigade who mocked a beautiful Remembrance Day tribute graphic created by a Hibee online (probably the same fools who rioted outside Parkhead in the middle of a pandemic over poor results). Celtic supporters generally have no real animosity towards Hibs. But the Jambos? Absolutely. If you show up in a Hibs top as an away supporter in a pub in the east end you are highly unlikely to have an issue.

 

[Ajacied]

Noa Lang deserves an Oranje call up. Kid’s a baller.

 

[Savi]

Noa Lang deserves an Oranje call up. Kid’s a baller.

No doubt he should be called up. Honestly running out of superlatives to describe him. Could have had 5 goals today, "only" had two so still room for improvement if I weren't a Brugge fan I'd say he has to get outta here ASAP because this league is way too easy for him (although being on the best team does help)

Chong has been good too in his first two games. Had 1G 1A on Wednesday, and a couple of close misses tonight. He does look a level below Lang though. Not as strong, not as elusive, less decisive.

 

[KlausJopling]

ESPN+ adds Belgium Pro League to growing portfolio of soccer rights - World Soccer Talk

First games this weekend. Looks like 3 games per week.

 

[Pouchkine]

No doubt he should be called up. Honestly running out of superlatives to describe him. Could have had 5 goals today, "only" had two so still room for improvement if I weren't a Brugge fan I'd say he has to get outta here ASAP because this league is way too easy for him (although being on the best team does help)

Chong has been good too in his first two games. Had 1G 1A on Wednesday, and a couple of close misses tonight. He does look a level below Lang though. Not as strong, not as elusive, less decisive.

It would be nice if Brugge could make a really deep run in the Europa for once.

 

[Savi]

It would although I'm not sure we have the depth. Couple of years ago we went to the QF in the Europa and it ended up costing us the title. Belgian League schedule with the Championship playoffs is so jam packed, even more so this year.
We should be slight favourites over Kiev though.

 

[Pouchkine]

What this stupid championship playoff still exists? Anyway your lead is big enough and it's time to go for a real meaningful trophy. It's now or never probably. For a club like Brugge, the biggest trophy they can win in the current era is the Europa so it should be the goal especially this year.

 

[Savi]

What this stupid championship playoff still exists? Anyway your lead is big enough and it's time to go for a real meaningful trophy. It's now or never probably. For a club like Brugge, the biggest trophy they can win in the current era is the Europa so it should be the goal especially this year.

Brugge winning the Europa isn't realistic. We've got a good team but there are at least 10 teams left in the Europa better than us. Winning the Belgian League will always be top priority.

The Championship playoff still exists only this year it will consist of 4 teams instead of the usual 6.

 

[Pouchkine]

Brugge winning the Europa isn't realistic. We've got a good team but there are at least 10 teams left in the Europa better than us. Winning the Belgian League will always be top priority.

The Championship playoff still exists only this year it will consist of 4 teams instead of the usual 6.

And how will they slash the pts? Do you think this format will be scrapped for good soon?

10 teams better isn't important. Now you play Kiev who have not played in months so you should win, then depending on the draw you could have another very winnable tie...You might "only" have to do one real upset to go very far.

Honestly I think the competition is wide open this year, no Sevilla, and we could have at least one surprise team in the semis.

 

[Savi]

And how will they slash the pts? Do you think this format will be scrapped for good soon?

10 teams better isn't important. Now you play Kiev who have not played in months so you should win, then depending on the draw you could have another very winnable tie...You might "only" have to do one real upset to go very far.

Honestly I think the competition is wide open this year, no Sevilla, and we could have at least one surprise team in the semis.

Point totals at the end of the regular season still get cut in half. But with only 6 games in the playoffs it's gonna be hard to make that up if Brugge hold their current lead.
I don't think it will be scrapped soon. Brugge have been very vocal about getting rid of the playoff but clubs like Gent, Genk, Standard.. don't want to get rid of it because they'd have less chance to win a title.
Honestly I'm not so much against the playoff, but I do hate the points slashing.

 

[Pouchkine]

Yes totally ridiculous and unfair.

 

[Savi]

Basaksehir who won the Turkish League last season are now in a relegation spot after 24 games. It's not like their squad has changed completely overnight, some of the older players did leave (Gael Clichy, Eljero Elia,..) but they only have won 6 games so far. They did alright in the CL, beating Man Utd at home, but really struggle in the league.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Basaksehir who won the Turkish League last season are now in a relegation spot after 24 games. It's not like their squad has changed completely overnight, some of the older players did leave (Gael Clichy, Eljero Elia,..) but they only have won 6 games so far. They did alright in the CL, beating Man Utd at home, but really struggle in the league.

I presume the usual suspects are top 3.

 

[Savi]

I presume the usual suspects are top 3.

Yeah, in a three-way tie even. Fenerbahce finally back to being a title contender after some off years.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Yeah, in a three-way tie even. Fenerbahce finally back to being a title contender after some off years.

Ugh. As morally repugnant as Basaksehir is, it was a nice break from the usual. Oh well.

 

[Savi]

Club Brugge won their 9th straight game tonight, their 12th in 13 matches since early December. Without the Championship Playoff, a win on Sunday would guarantee the title..
But now it's 6 more games, then their lead gets cut in half, and then another 6 playoff games.

 

[Pouchkine]

Maybe that's the thing that will really expose how stupid this playoff system is.

Actually it's not even a playoff system it's just a very dumb and unfair continuation of the championship.

A playoff system would be like in hockey-basketball-football-baseball or even MLS.

 

[DrMartinVanNostrand]

I don't see anything for Brazil so I'm posting this here...

Stop me if you've heard this happen before: Inter were playing the final game at home, against an inferior opponent, and they needed to win and also get help elsewhere in order to, in this case, win the league. They got the help they needed elsewhere; São Paulo (who had their own big stakes involved) beat first placed Flamengo, meaning all Inter needed to do was win at home against 10th-placed Corinthians, and their first Brasileirão championship in 42 years would be theirs.

They drew 0-0. They had a goal erased for offside in the 7th minute of stoppage time. Flamengo won the championship by a single point.

Oh brother. Internazionale and Internacional. Truly kindred spirits.