If mean on a per-game basis. Sat Mex league derby games can easily get "millions" (ie. around 1.5 - 3million) for a single league game. More run of the mill get 6-700k I've seen 700k+ figure for ManU games in the US. I think EPL averaged about 500k last year on NBC. Which ain't terrible. Bund was more like 100k average on Fox, if I remember right.
I don't like Dortmund's attack nearly as much as most here this year. I feel like even their great "team goals" are really one player making a great run and/or pass and another finishing it off. Part of why they struggle to me is that they suffer from too many chefs trying to season the dish with their personal spice blend. I like watching them. I think they have a lot of great players. I just don't think they are that good of a team or even that great of a team attack. I guess what I'm saying is it sometimes seems like they all play a little selfishly. I think it's gotten progressively worse. Have a laugh at me, but I wouldn't choose Dembele as a building block. All hypothetical, but I'd be disappointed if the club I support bought him for a big price. It's not that he won't pass to Pulisic. He literally only wants to make the final pass it seems. I think it's rubbed off. And Piszcek and Smeltzer need someone to give them a nice "know your role" talk. They do a lot of stuff that shouldn't be tolerated when there is so much attacking talent in front of them. No reason for fullbacks to be cracking off 30 yard shots and 60 yard through balls all the time when you have what they have in front. Also, I swear I wish BVB wouldn't take 5 slow passes to switch the field. So ********ing annoying. All of that said, I think Bobby could actually be a great player for them, depending on who they keep around and whether or not they start to acknowledge that the game isn't FUT and you can't reliably play like it is. And don't start Durm and claim to be attacking ,please, TT.
I think this may a bit reactionary to getting physically dominated by Monaco in that second leg. Dortmund plays beautiful at times, incisive and slashing but they are soft, they need some physicality and attitude other than Sokratis. I agree that Dembele does not fit the team style, they are direct and he meanders about, he has eye popping numbers but I think as a whole the teams efficiency suffers.
I don't think he is overrated. His conversion rate as measured by (goals / xG) this season is on par with Lewandowski, and a lot of the so-called tap-ins would be more difficult or not even scoring opportunities were it not for his ridiculous pace. Auba is also an unselfish player who enjoys working hard on defense and setting up his teammates, as well as a positive presence in the locker room who gets along with everyone.
He's one of the fastest forwards in the world. His goals look easy because his speed is effortless, and his timing is perfect, but you can't find anyone else who can match his package, which is why he might break the transfer record. He's like Chicharito on steroids.
His sample size is so small and, thus, is prone to skewing. Don't read too much into these stats. One more goal and he jumps 5% in his conversion rate, which is very significant (and puts him within striking distance of PEA's conversion rate)- one goal less and he's miles away. My guess is that teams that are (actually) looking at him are not focused on his goals scored, shots taken or conversion rate. I go back to what I said before - is Bobby's skill set (i.e., Beast Mode) more appropriate for an isolated forward (a) not receiving good service but (b) not facing packed defenses or will he be even better on a team that will possess the ball and give him good service, but there will be less space? I'm torn on this. He's clearly not the "touch into space and run at you" type. In fact, he does very well in close contact with central defenders (they tend to get posterized by him). But does he have the tactical nous to be able to make the right runs in tighter space? I haven't seen that, but I don't think he's had a lot of opportunity to show that yet. Personally, I'd love to see him get a chance with a better team (BVB would be awesome). I think he can rise to the challenge, but it is a risk.
Agree with everything you wrote, except the reactionary being pertinent specifically to Monaco. I think it's been tilting that way for much of the season. They have to be one of the most frustrating sides to watch in the world. You can predict almost exactly how matches will go 90% of the time just by looking at their line-ups. The only unpredictable part is usually whether one of the 5-10 opponent counter-attacks with a numbers advantage end up in the crowd, the net, or Burki stands on his head. Dahoud should be a big help. I think he's got the makings of a great player, and he'll bring some mettle to the midfield. Also, just to clarify, I certainly didn't intend to imply anything negative about PEA. That guy really does work his balls off and play extremely unselfishly for a striker with his goal record. I meant more that since everyone knows what Dembele is going to do when he gets the ball (try to beat half the defense and send one into the box or shoot), I think it might be having a detrimental effect on how much off-ball movement there is. Hell, if for no other reason, you can't make a good run because Ousmane is liable to wind up running right into it, extra defender be damned.
Wow. The only American in all those games was Jonathan Bornstein. So, basically, our soccer fans are either El Tri fans or plastics.
How can you be a plastic USMNT fan? And I'm not surprised at the Euro support. It's how I got into soccer (Arsenal and Thierry Henri on FIFA, then a lull for years, then watching the US in the 2010 WC really sparked interest for the USMNT and the Earthquakes), and it's what's on TV that people who only speak English can understand!
Well, I'd have expected more people watching Stoke. But we also have overlap: bet a lot of those watching MX games also were watching the big name EPL games. Still, a bit sad that only the most hardcore of us are out there watching Bochum or Hearts.
Henry got me into English soccer so I understand. Even with the available MLS games on tv now it's still nothing compared to liga mx, EPL, La Liga, and even Bundesliga that are on. It's all good as long as it gets people into the sport, they'll become US NT fans eventually. I digress. The rumors of Wood going to Dortmund, as long as Hamburg aren't relegated I rather he stay where he gets the most minutes.
GMs and managers never ask players how they would like a transfer. Rues strikes me as a very confident guy anyway.
Messi dictates where most of Barca's money is spent. Already told them the four players they should buy this summer.
And on top of that, he actually plays regularly, as opposed to being injured practically every third appearance.
He is in the 18. Unser 18-Mann Kader für #HSVD98:Hunt, Waldschmidt, Sakai, Gregoritsch, Ostrzolek, Jung, Walace, Kostic, Djourou, Mavraj 1/2 pic.twitter.com/HnTNv9Z92i— Hamburger SV (@HSV) April 21, 2017 Wood, Douglas, Papadopoulos, Diekmeier, Jatta, Holtby, Mathenia und Mickel. 2/2 #nurderHSV #HSVD98— Hamburger SV (@HSV) April 21, 2017
Fox soccer2go stream is not working. Ridiculous. Update: it's on the untitled stream. Double update: no it's not. that's some whiparound thing. Final update: It's fixed.