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f13.net General Forums => Sports / Fantasy Sports => Topic started by: HaemishM on August 03, 2009, 02:15:03 PM



Title: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on August 03, 2009, 02:15:03 PM
Time for a new season of FOOTBALL!

And to celebrate, I've started up a new Fantasy Premier League for those who want to join.

Go to http://fantasy.premierleague.com/ and sign up. Pick your team and once you have that set up, join a private league. The league name is Bat Country. If you experience any trouble, just PM with your email address and I'll invite you personally.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 03, 2009, 03:28:19 PM
what the hell, my annual fall coming of the drama has come early, so I should be able to halfway pay attention this time.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Xuri on August 04, 2009, 06:48:46 AM
Quote
"Join a private league

Have a code to join a league? Simply enter it in the box below and click on join league."
And then..
Quote
"Bat Country is not a valid code to join a league"
What am I missing?


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on August 04, 2009, 02:14:35 PM
Hmmmm, see if this league ID works: 569418-165514

If not, PM me your email address and I'll invite you by hand.

EDIT: Bloody hell, I don't think it could have put the code in bigger letters and I missed it. The code above should do it.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on August 05, 2009, 12:19:30 PM
Yeah that code works. I know slightly more about the EPL since the last time I played this, so I am brimming with confidence  :oh_i_see:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 05, 2009, 12:38:02 PM
Jozy Altidore is going to Hull... (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/230935-hull-city-swoop-to-sign-american-jozy-altidore-on-loan)


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on August 05, 2009, 12:38:27 PM
Edit: Damn you!  beat me by 25 seconds!

Wonder if he'll get any playing time.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on August 05, 2009, 12:43:13 PM
Jozy Altidore is going to Hull... (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/230935-hull-city-swoop-to-sign-american-jozy-altidore-on-loan)

FUCK YES!

And I don't see how he couldn't get playtime at Hull. They've been begging up and down the FA for a striker and have been turned down by pretty much everyone. I think the only real option they have up front is Cousin, who fell out of favor last season, and some Derby County castoffs.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on August 05, 2009, 12:49:55 PM
Never underestimate the ability of a non-goalie American on a non-Fulham team to collect splinters in his ass.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 05, 2009, 01:36:34 PM
Never underestimate the ability of a non-goalie American on a non-Fulham team to collect splinters in his ass.

If it wasn't for the fact that we're talking about crazy nutjob Phil Brown I'd agree with you.

One level it's the premiership, the second ... it's Hull.

so, my official stance on this is equal  :drill: and  :uhrr:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on August 05, 2009, 04:08:15 PM
Well at least there is a reason to watch Hull now. And even a reason to have a Hull player on a fantasy team (I am assuming he would be dirt cheap). Hope he gets to play a lot- the US desperately needs him to come into his own before next summer.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on August 05, 2009, 09:37:08 PM
Yeah goals are still going to be hard to come by unless Dempsey goes all Frank Lampard like he did at the Confed Cup again.

USA v Mexico in a week, I'm ready now damn it.  Planning on checking out some Europa League games tomorrow and the Spanish giants showcase games this weekend.  I'd wear my Madrid Ronaldo jersey but I'm too broke to buy one.   :sad:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on August 06, 2009, 12:47:39 AM
Wow, it turns out that FC Barcelona is better than Sounders FC.  Much to my shock!

Henry was making nicey nice with the crowd the whole pregame and postgame.  I think he really wants to be a DP here.  Probably in New York, unfortunately.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on August 06, 2009, 08:04:08 AM
Well, New York could play just Henry's thigh and still be a much improved team.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Mr_PeaCH on August 06, 2009, 01:15:06 PM
Wow, it turns out that FC Barcelona is better than Sounders FC.  Much to my shock!

Sounders team aside, I was very impressed by the strength of their fans; they looked and sounded great (and no stupid, mindless drumming or hornblowing).  First time I've watched them on TV all year; maybe this is well known.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on August 06, 2009, 01:16:12 PM
At first, I thought the game-length hornblowing was charming. Now, I just want to throat chop anyone using them. They make even watching the game on TV hard. That droning noise puts me to sleep.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on August 06, 2009, 01:28:20 PM
Wow, it turns out that FC Barcelona is better than Sounders FC.  Much to my shock!

Sounders team aside, I was very impressed by the strength of their fans; they looked and sounded great (and no stupid, mindless drumming or hornblowing).  First time I've watched them on TV all year; maybe this is well known.

Actually, there was a mindless hornblower standing right in front of me, and his neighbor buddy was a mindless Thunderstix banger.  And I mean really mindless.  They didn't even watch the game.  They just stared up in the air and thunderstixed and vuvuzelad.  Fucking idiot.  Thankfully, the old, grizzled Barcelona fan next to him threatened to pull his nuts out by his ears and he stopped.  Seattle fans were a little too polite.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on August 06, 2009, 04:38:32 PM
It was really interesting and educational watching FCB v FCSS. The difference in quality was apparent. The biggest difference I saw was the first touch from everyone- FCB players had immediate and total control of most balls played to them, and were able to then move the ball along quickly. Seattle had to take an extra touch or two to control the ball, by which time Barca was swarming them.

Also noticed how tiny the front 6 are for FCB. Obviously the defenders for Seattle were going to be bigger, but even in midfield they seemed to tower over them. Of course Seattle proceeded to play everything on the ground to help equalize things  :oh_i_see:

Barca is kind of growing on me. They are amazingly fun to watch, and seem to have a lower douche quotient than most of the other big European clubs. I will add them to the list of clubs to watch just for the pure spectacle.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on August 07, 2009, 12:12:26 PM
Hm.  My opinion of them actually lowered.  Because:

1) Fluorescent Salmon?  Really?

2) Their ball-control game when they have a lead is boring as fuck.  It reminds me the grindy NBA play in the early 90s.  It wins but it's atrocious to watch.  Admittedly, the alternative to grindy ball-control against our scrubs was scoring 11 more goals, but they even do it against good teams.

3) After the game, Pep was supposed to talk about how great the atmosphere was and how close the MLS is to being totally really competitive with European leagues (You're this close!  For reals!) and instead he was all on about his tactics.  Something about cutting down the wing play by driving the ball to the center.  Really?  You're one of the top 3 clubs in the world and you're playing against a team that would get relegated out of the Finnish second division and you're patting yourself on the back for your tactical brilliance?  Jesus Christ.

Chelsea were much better guests.

Edit: On the other hand 4) Holy shit, Yaya Toure is big in person.  Built like a linebacker.  He made Jaqua look like my little sister.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on August 07, 2009, 12:55:05 PM
Quote
Their ball-control game when they have a lead is boring as fuck

I seriously think that was them being kind to the Sounders and their fans...they probably could have scored another 3 or 4 goals if they went all out.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 07, 2009, 01:09:05 PM
GOALKEEPERS (2): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa: 5/3 SO), Tim Howard (Everton FC: 11/7 SO)
DEFENDERS (7): Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes: 21/3), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA, 2/0), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover: 18/0), Jay DeMerit (Watford: 2/0), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew: 0/0), Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan: 16/1), Jonathan Spector (West Ham: 2/0)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Michael Bradley (Borussia Mönchengladbach: 10/4), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo: 5/0), Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC: 17/4), Benny Feilhaber (AGF Aarhus: 1/0), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo: 0/0), José Francisco Torres (Pachuca: 5/0)
FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (Villarreal: 8/5), Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids: 5/0), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo: 15/6), Charlie Davies (FC Sochaux: 2/1), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy: 30/11)


Wow,  Dom Kinnear has got to be wishing somebody else in MLS would be good enough to make the national team. The core of his lineup away again.



Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on August 07, 2009, 01:55:29 PM
The English season hath opened.  Middlesbrough tied 0-0 at home against Sheffield United at hafltime.

Update: and a nil/nil draw!  Feel the excitement


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on August 07, 2009, 01:57:05 PM

FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (Villarreal: 8/5), Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids: 5/0), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo: 15/6), Charlie Davies (FC Sochaux: 2/1), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy: 30/11)

So I guess the Adu era is officially over.  FAIL.

It's cool to see Marshall and Holden in there.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 07, 2009, 02:03:35 PM
No way on gods green earth would I put freddy adu out to face mexico in Azteca at this point.he looked slow and ponderous, can't get playing time, and generally has looked like shit.


EPLtalk is standing by its story that  the early saturday morning and monday EPL games will be on  ESPN2 this year.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on August 07, 2009, 03:03:34 PM
EPLtalk is standing by its story that  the early saturday morning and monday EPL games will be on  ESPN2 this year.

In America?

Also, yeah, Adu has been absolute shit in the international games I've seen him in. Totally outclassed.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 07, 2009, 04:08:46 PM
yes, in america.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on August 07, 2009, 06:24:56 PM
GOALKEEPERS (2): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa: 5/3 SO), Tim Howard (Everton FC: 11/7 SO)
DEFENDERS (7): Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes: 21/3), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA, 2/0), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover: 18/0), Jay DeMerit (Watford: 2/0), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew: 0/0), Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan: 16/1), Jonathan Spector (West Ham: 2/0)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Michael Bradley (Borussia Mönchengladbach: 10/4), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo: 5/0), Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC: 17/4), Benny Feilhaber (AGF Aarhus: 1/0), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo: 0/0), José Francisco Torres (Pachuca: 5/0)
FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (Villarreal: 8/5), Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids: 5/0), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo: 15/6), Charlie Davies (FC Sochaux: 2/1), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy: 30/11)


Wow,  Dom Kinnear has got to be wishing somebody else in MLS would be good enough to make the national team. The core of his lineup away again.

That doesn't look too bad as long as Marshall, Holden and Casey are on the goddamn bench for 90 minutes.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 07, 2009, 06:29:15 PM
think marshall and holden get cut. Casey sits on the bunch unless we need the "big guy in the center of the box on corners because we're losing" sub.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on August 10, 2009, 12:06:25 PM
Anyone watch the Community Shield game? I don't why, but I am still surprised at the utter fucking incompetence of referees. Also, Michael Ballack is a huge cunt and I hope he snaps something in the first week and has to retire.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on August 10, 2009, 12:29:17 PM
Yeah, I thought the game itself was good, but the ref was shit. I can't figure out why he stopped the game entirely when Ballack went down - but then just a few minutes later he lets Ballack get away with a fucking shoulder check right in front of him. Despite all that, it was still worth watching. Poor Nani - scores a great goal, and starts to look like he might be worth having, then hurts his shoulder and might be out a few weeks.

As for Ballack, I'm still trying to figure out what use he is to Chelsea. He's never lived up to the money.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on August 10, 2009, 12:43:11 PM
Is there a rule for stopping play when a guy is down and giving the ball to his team without calling a foul?  NO THERE IS NO RULE FOR THAT.  Ass.

I hate ManU slightly less than I hate Chelsea, so I was just rooting for injuries and crushed egos.  I think the ManU backup keeper is properly destroyed, and Ballack probably has some injury comeuppance due, so all's well.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on August 10, 2009, 12:47:36 PM
Yep, Foster was TERRIBLE. Kuszczak for Birmingham, please SAF.

Growing sense of dread for Wednesday. Azteca is a hellhole.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 10, 2009, 03:33:21 PM
No dread. no fear, you're just playing into their hands.

so what if there's no ac in the visitors locker room... so what if   the mexican federation  will probably have people take huge crowning  dumps in select parts of the locker room and  the players hotels. so what if they're going to take t shirt launchers into the stands  and  use them to launch urine bombs tied to D Cell batteries. It's going to be fun


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 12, 2009, 08:29:23 AM
Game Day. I am stoked.


75 degrees and  40% chance of thunderstorms in Mexico City.



Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Abagadro on August 12, 2009, 09:02:07 AM
Is the game on TV anywhere?


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 12, 2009, 09:34:34 AM
Television Broadcast
mun2 and Telemundo, 3 p.m. CT


603 on comcast digital for mun2 in SLC

Online Broadcast
terra.com and futbolestelar.tv
The skinny: terra.com will be streaming the Telemundo feed of the game in the United States.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Abagadro on August 12, 2009, 11:08:27 AM
Thanks. I don't have comcast so I'll have to try to pick it up online.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on August 12, 2009, 11:19:04 AM
Cool I see you have a league setup, I entered my Spawny Gits. I put Valencia in there I have great hopes for him.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on August 12, 2009, 12:32:53 PM
Thanks. I don't have comcast so I'll have to try to pick it up online.

If you have Directv, it's on Channel 203 for free.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on August 12, 2009, 01:20:19 PM
I had my DVR set for Telemundo, but then heard they have it in English on Telemundo2- woohoo! Even though we are going to get crushed I am oddly excited.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on August 12, 2009, 01:53:39 PM
Wtf is Telemundo2 ?

Anyways, no Jozy no Spector starting?  Fuck you Bradley.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on August 12, 2009, 02:21:28 PM
Jozy's probably getting ready to start for Hull this weekend (hope!).


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on August 12, 2009, 02:33:58 PM
Fuck

Carlos

Bocanegra

minute 38, but I'm sure he's going to fuck us, playing like shit.  Fucker

***

Fucking Bradley too, wtf is he doing, if he tries to cut in front of a pass late and leaves himself completely out of position and out of the play 1 more time I'm going to scream.  Not to mention his horrible fucking passing and positioning to help the defense on a change of possession.

***

Oh no.  Our first sub is such a bad bad move.  Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.  Ok it was a double sub, but really, Holden?  Fuck me.  For our best defensive mid?  .....  Not happy


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on August 12, 2009, 03:39:37 PM
Was guarding the second goal Bocanegra's job, too?  Because he pussed out legendarily on the first one.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on August 12, 2009, 03:54:03 PM
He is a worthless sack and I swear if I keep having to see him w/ the armband and resting on non existent laurels and being guarenteed his starting spot I'm going to puke.  He was fucking awful the entire game in EVERY single phase of the goddamn game.

I don't get the starting lineup, Jozy > Ching every time, for so many reasons that its not even worth listing them.  I also don't get not starting Spector after the Confed Cup, that is just bullshit.  Cherundelo did ok but I would have liked to see Spector again after he did such a terrific job.

I can't believe that Holden pissed me off less then Benny.  Fuck he had an awful game and acted like a cunt during that tussle towards the end.  Also played nervy and made some awful passes.  They bring him in counting on him to provide presence on the ball and help w/ possession and he ends up making some of the worst passes of anyone.  Fantastic.

Not playing Torres in this game, I just can't fathom that.  I mean it really doesn't make dick for sense.  Holden did well but I just can't figure out what Torres has done so that he is just not going to see a minute of playtime anymore.

I feel bad for Landon, he didn't have a great game, but he could have.  His service was very nice on two of the free kick/corners but nobody made anything of it and then he was victimized on the last goal getting caught flat footed hella bad.  It was crazy watching the riot police try to protect him at the end.

Really just fuck Bocanegra, fuck him so much, its one thing if a young kid has a bad game, I can forgive Bradley for playing like shit for 90% of the time but Bocanegra is the vet, the captain, etc. and he was amateur hour the entire match in everything he did.

Big ups to Gooch, he had a terrific game and even looked ok w/ the ball at his feet.  I hope he gets P/T in Italy and continues to improve, I was really pleased with how he commanded things back there.  Besides that, what isn't to love about Charlie Davies, it was a daring and apparently inspired pick to start him by Bradley, I give credit for that but god I love the way that kid plays.

I also like Ricardo Clark a ton, if he continues to improve he will be the key to any run the US makes in the World Cup since a solid defensive minded mid can help cover our weakness in the back.  Holden, fuck I hated Holden but that service was just so perfect and he had some other moments that looked ok.  He's not a starter and I doubt he will be by 2010 but I'm almost ready to see him included in the squad if he can play well in a few more away qualifiers.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on August 12, 2009, 05:18:34 PM
(http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/376/bocanegra.gif)


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 12, 2009, 06:24:30 PM
Glad to see no one's bitching about cards, like in the twitterscape, because, duh  you're at Azteca.


Did altidore even touch the ball?


We're not quite there yet.  that second goal was Onyewu's makrk who got the goal. Boca dodged, but most times that ball goes over the bar.

One good strike, one mental lapse. That's all it takes.

Davies is now a solid fixture, compare to people not even knowing who he was back in February.



Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on August 12, 2009, 08:05:26 PM
(http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/376/bocanegra.gif)


Quality defending right there.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Abagadro on August 12, 2009, 08:22:32 PM
He was playing in Mexico. He just got into the spirit of the Ole! school of defense.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on August 12, 2009, 09:33:04 PM
It's amazing you can see the ball bobble right as he hits it but he still catches it sweet as a peach, that dude must examine the pitch before he plays.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on August 13, 2009, 08:50:16 AM
So tired of watching teams get a lead and then never attempt an offensive move again. The Canucks did it constantly last season, and the US did it yesterday. Sorry, but you can't play 80+ minutes entirely in your own end. God that annoys me. First touches were just clownshoes too- can anyone in America settle a ball that travels more than 10 fucking feet?

Refereeing was predictably abysmal and completely one-sided. Mexico should be embarrassed by the conduct of some of their players and fans. If CONCACAF/FIFA had any fucking balls they would ban matches at any stadium people throw that much shit at players. That isn't sport- that animal mob behavior.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on August 13, 2009, 08:56:56 AM
Mexicans are like the Turks of the Americas.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on August 13, 2009, 09:39:09 AM
We're not quite there yet.  that second goal was Onyewu's makrk who got the goal. Boca dodged, but most times that ball goes over the bar.

It was his mark but it was Bocanegra who provided late nonexistent help for Donovan and should have been trying to get back into the play since the breakdown was on his side.  But he was just standing around like a fucking bitch.  My scapegoat of the match hands down no question, I'm so sick of him being the captain when he can't defend worth a damn because he's not fast enough clever enough or skilled enough, he doesn't overlap on offense, his service is awful, his vision is awful, he doesn't play calm and collected and picks up stupid yellows at the same rate as the kids.

You would think  by now that USMNT would see that shaking up the lineup has good results.  Forcing some competition and not letting anyone feel owed their roster spot is good.  Yet for some reason Bocanegra gets that treatment, along with Dempsey and Donovan who have sort of earned it, while he has done fuckall.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on August 13, 2009, 09:45:26 AM
Glad to see no one's bitching about cards, like in the twitterscape, because, duh  you're at Azteca.

I was bitching about the cards. There was some seriously egregious home-cooking going on there. Fuck it, all I want in a ref is fucking consistency, of which there was none. He was shit.

Bocanegara, ALSO SHIT. That second goal I blame pretty squarely on him. Why is it the central defender and the winger are struggling to catch the guy with the assist when he runs straight through where the back should have been standing? He was lost most of the game, and when Howard got in trouble, it was usually because Boca was off somewhere the fuck else. Is left back even his natural position?

Davies was awesome. The midfield was shit most of the game. Dempsey is almost worthless except for the five seconds or so he shows up every game - I'd rather see Holden starting. There seemed to be no service out of the central midfield. The one thing I think our players need to practice until their toes fall off is being able to RECEIVE A FUCKING PASS. How many balls did we lose possession on in the midfield simply because the ball bounced 20 feet away off a guy's foot?

Gio Dos Santos is a fucking douchefaced cunt that I'd like to see get punched.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 13, 2009, 11:34:41 AM
blaming the wrong guy on that second Goal. You need to blame Landon Donovan. He got burned on that one pretty bad.

Donovan started believing the hype. Hell, they all did.

This is why US Soccer can't have nice things.

About the refs, now you know why people hate Jack Warner and the fat fuck in New York, his main toady and general shit stain who has  his own floor in manhattan. One Chuck Fucking Blazer. Il Bruce was right about Sunil. He's a micromanager who wants to run the team. Imagine Roger Goodell dealing with this  bunch of fuck heads. US Soccer being prominent opens the door for a total revamp of concacaf and becomes a major pain in FIFA's corrupt ass.

Mexico bullied the confederation to put a lesser ref on. the ref for the game is the one who threw out the mexican coach for kicking a panamanian player. he would not have dealt with the shit that mexico always does because they're a bunch of dirty filthy stinking cheats.

EDIT:Aaron Stollar of the fighting talker podcast and big soccer explains why I was such a moron for thinking the US could change CONCACAF (http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/blog.php?b=6312)


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on August 13, 2009, 03:43:40 PM
blaming the wrong guy on that second Goal. You need to blame Landon Donovan. He got burned on that one pretty bad.

Yes, he did. Strangely enough, though, the left back is closer to the goal than the left midfielder (Donovan) and is SUPPOSED to be there to backstop the midfielder if he happens to get burned. Bocanegra being pretty much nowhere in the picture is pretty much why that goal got scored. He wasn't marking Sabah in the box and he wasn't applying pressure to the man driving to the endline - so what the fuck was he doing? Standing there with his thumb up his ass, completely confused as to what he should be doing. If he chooses to either mark the goalscorer tightly or help Donovan with the run, that goal doesn't get scored.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on August 13, 2009, 03:45:56 PM
If he chooses to either mark the goalscorer tightly or help Donovan with the run, that goal doesn't get scored. he cups his nuts, runs away from the attacker, and turns his back on the shot

Fixed.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 14, 2009, 06:37:35 PM
FUCK YEAH!

EPL on ESPN2 tomorrow

Chelsea and Hull @ 7:45 Eastern



Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on August 14, 2009, 06:54:55 PM
Wait, what?  AM or PM?  Neither option makes any sense.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 14, 2009, 06:59:13 PM
7:45 AM easterm

ESPN now carries the EPL Saturday morning game and the Monday afternoon ones.

If there is no 7:45AM game they'll get one of the 10AM ones.


Saturday, August 15:

Chelsea v Hull City, 7:45am, ESPN2

Monday, August 24:

Liverpool v Aston Villa, 3pm, ESPN2

Saturday, August 29:

Chelsea v Burnley, 7:45am, ESPN2

Saturday, September 19:

Burnley v Sunderland, 7:45am, ESPN2

Saturday, September 26:

Portsmouth v Everton, 7:45am, ESPN2

Monday, September 28:

Manchester City v West Ham United, ESPN2

Monday, October 5:

Aston Villa v Manchester City, 3pm, ESPN2

Saturday, October 17:

Aston Villa v Chelsea, 7:45am, ESPN2

Monday, October 19:

Fulham v Hull City, 3pm, ESPN2

Saturday, October 24:

Wolves v Aston Villa, 7:45am, ESPN2

Saturday, October 31:

Arsenal v Tottenham, 6:45am, ESPN2

Monday, November 9:

Liverpool v Birmingham City, 3pm, ESPN2

Saturday, November 21:

Liverpool v Manchester City, 7:45am, ESPN2
Note: For those Saturday mornings when there isn’t a 7:45am ET game available, ESPN will have first choice of the Saturday 10am game from Setanta Sports.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Abagadro on August 14, 2009, 11:39:13 PM
FUCK YEAH!

EPL on ESPN2 tomorrow

Chelsea and Hull @ 7:45 Eastern



That isn't showing up in my program guide.  Only EPL on tomorrow according to my guide is on FSC.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on August 15, 2009, 01:13:32 AM
An hour ago it wasn't on espn's site either, but now it is (http://sports.espn.go.com/espntv/espnGuide).  Very sudden.  Unfortunately, I'm going to need to go through tivo shenanigans to get it to record, since it's not on that guide yet.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: lamaros on August 15, 2009, 02:13:23 AM
Hmmmm, see if this league ID works: 569418-165514

If not, PM me your email address and I'll invite you by hand.

EDIT: Bloody hell, I don't think it could have put the code in bigger letters and I missed it. The code above should do it.

I joined. I'm Humblebees. Should keep up with it more this year as the other league I do changed to this one also.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 15, 2009, 06:41:24 AM
ESPN2 is showing the  premier league in HD  :drill: :drill: :drill:

Also they don't have the ticker on constantly.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Abagadro on August 15, 2009, 11:17:13 AM
Man, either Arsenal is unstoppable or Everton is dreadful.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 15, 2009, 12:47:11 PM
absolutely hideous tp watch...


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Mr_PeaCH on August 16, 2009, 12:53:12 PM
Wow!  If Spurs can get refereeing like they did against Liverpool all year they are going to be tough to beat!   :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 16, 2009, 01:34:16 PM
BAE Had at least a red , two yellows and a PK waved off all by himself :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on August 17, 2009, 09:36:39 AM
That Liverpool game was fucking ridiculous. Absolutely dreadful. The ref and his assistants need to be flogged, especially for waving off that penalty when Voronin was charging into the box. One minute later at the other end of the field, a Spurs player gets his legs grazed outside the box and he gets a free kick. Fuck Phil Dowd in his earhole. That said, Liverpool looked shit. They didn't deserve to win. We are seriously going to be missing Xabi Alonso for a while now, because Lucas is not Premier League quality. I cannot for the life of me figure out why Babel is still being allowed starts. He has no ability to cross or hold the ball, all he can do is run into a tackle. His feet are the sloppiest mess. Benayoun for 60-90 minutes would have been much better. Shit, I'd rather see Benayoun in the center instead of Lucas and put Riera on the left wing. Voronin... really? That's the best bench striker option you've got? Oh right it is, because YOU DIDN'T FUCKING SIGN ANYBODY. You lose Hyppia and don't replace him with someone who didn't start shaving less than a year ago? Now we have 3 top quality centre backs all of whom are carrying a knock of some kind and have to rely on Ayala in a pinch - and he's just not that good yet. The worst part was that the set piece defense is just fucking awful - FUCKING AWFUL. While both Spurs goals were good goals, better defense on the Bassong goal might well have stopped that.

Glad to see ESPN is just rebroadcasting an existing English broadcast AND that they didn't interrupt the game for their 30 at 30 shit. That really annoys me when they do it to MLS. But damn do they need to start updating the Tivo/DVR guides sooner. I don't think it ever showed up on my guide, I had to manually record it. Hull looked decent but what the fuck is Phil Brown doing starting Caleb Folan as the lone striker? Way to give possession to Chelsea for most of the game. Ghilas looked a better striker option and I KNOW Cousin is better. Hell, Jozy would have been better.

Stoke City look much improved this year, and Wigan even more so. Villa got owned by Wigan - not replacing Barry or Larsen with anyone of note is really going to hurt. I like Steve Sidwell, but he's no Gareth Barry. Wolves fell to a complete lack of finish - they could have equalized a few times, but missed their shots.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on August 17, 2009, 11:26:54 AM
That Vollolagres strike was pretty amazing as was the Ahouto-Ekoto one.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on August 17, 2009, 11:51:18 AM
Hell, Jozy would have been better.

Jozy is still getting his work permit sorted out.

Otherwise, I'm pretty sure he would have started.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on August 17, 2009, 12:05:35 PM
That Vollolagres strike was pretty amazing as was the Ahouto-Ekoto one.

Actually his name was "Rodallega" for Wigan my bad, shame he scored it right at the start of the season in a nothing game cause it's bound to be forgotten about, but it was definitely goal of the season contender.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 17, 2009, 07:20:26 PM
stoke was playing burnley... I'd wait a bit before declaring success.

Champions league tomorrow for Europe and North America  :)


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on August 18, 2009, 11:58:58 AM
Shit first week for me in fantasy, plus I had to burn 12 points in transfers to try and cover this week. Word to the wise- there are a shitton of teams not playing EPL games this week, so check your lineups and do the best you can.

Also- can someone confirm that ESPN was showing live EPL games in the US? I assumed their takeover of the Setanta stuff was limited to UK broadcasts. If not, woot!!


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on August 18, 2009, 12:12:10 PM
Also- can someone confirm that ESPN was showing live EPL games in the US? I assumed their takeover of the Setanta stuff was limited to UK broadcasts. If not, woot!!

Yep, I watched the Hull/Chelsea match on Saturday morning on ESPN2. I had to manually set the Tivo to do it, though - the goddamn guide still hasn't updated the schedule.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 18, 2009, 02:41:56 PM
Shit first week for me in fantasy, plus I had to burn 12 points in transfers to try and cover this week. Word to the wise- there are a shitton of teams not playing EPL games this week, so check your lineups and do the best you can.

Also- can someone confirm that ESPN was showing live EPL games in the US? I assumed their takeover of the Setanta stuff was limited to UK broadcasts. If not, woot!!
I wasn't pulling that info out of my ass, you know...

and again, espns sat morning and Monday games will be your only chance for EPL in HD for now.


ALSO DirceTV will be showing the  entire Chamions league in HD ala NFL Sunday ticket. Started Today.

This from multiple sources, and me looking at a direcTV schedule grid.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on August 18, 2009, 03:05:50 PM
Also, I was just channeling through at work and noticed that we're getting Setanta.  It used to be a premium upgrade for like $20 a month (separate from the sports package) but now it looks like it comes with the sports package.  Had a live EPL game running.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on August 18, 2009, 04:25:47 PM
Setanta for free would be a goddamn bargain. I've been a cheerleader of the package for years. It's the awesome - though less so with the problems the parent company had which caused it to lose broadcast rights.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on August 19, 2009, 09:29:04 AM
Shit first week for me in fantasy, plus I had to burn 12 points in transfers to try and cover this week. Word to the wise- there are a shitton of teams not playing EPL games this week, so check your lineups and do the best you can.

Also- can someone confirm that ESPN was showing live EPL games in the US? I assumed their takeover of the Setanta stuff was limited to UK broadcasts. If not, woot!!
I wasn't pulling that info out of my ass, you know...

and again, espns sat morning and Monday games will be your only chance for EPL in HD for now.


ALSO DirceTV will be showing the  entire Chamions league in HD ala NFL Sunday ticket. Started Today.

This from multiple sources, and me looking at a direcTV schedule grid.

I had a brain cramp and thought you were one of our UK posters. That is great news! Pity I don't have DirectTV yet, and won't for at least a year- I just badgered Comcast into a decent deal for the next 12 months.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Mr_PeaCH on August 19, 2009, 03:22:05 PM
I'm a Cox cable subscriber and I don't see where ESPN has updated it's schedules to include any EPL action either.  After two years now of enjoying EPL on the Fox Soccer Channel my only complaint has been the lack of HD.  My understanding is that it is coming 'next year' but perhaps as soon as January.

In checking out the Champions League action this week I noticed that games were being shown (live) on both FSC and the regular Fox Sports Network channel as well.  Unfortunately again for me, Cox (or Fox) does not provide FSN in HD.

But looking ahead to this weekend I just noticed that on Monday on FSN they are showing an EPL game... it isn't live but looks to be a re-broadcast from one of Saturday or Sunday's games.  Just seems odd that both ESPN and Fox Sports are invested in EPL and European Soccer all the sudden.  I guess it makes sense if ESPN has gotten Setana's rights and Fox is just spreading around what they already had between their soccer channel and their main sports channel.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on August 19, 2009, 03:31:57 PM
ESPN bought a good bit of Setanta UK's broadcast rights in the UK. Setanta US lost some of the rights (I assume for financial issues) to show them in the US and ESPN snapped them up. They've already been showing Spanish language soccer broadcasts on ESPN Deportes for other Euro leagues, so I'd imagine the chance to show ANY games from the most popular league in the world would be worth the money, probably because they lost the Champion's League rights.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on August 19, 2009, 04:23:01 PM
Ick no midfield  :ye_gods:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 19, 2009, 04:49:01 PM
Burnley  :drill: MAN U   :uhrr:


Tottenham Fucking Hotspur  :drill: :drill: :drill: :drill: :drill:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on August 19, 2009, 04:51:56 PM
I moved Defoe out of my Fantasy Football team to make way for Rooney & Drogba, during the week epic fail haha.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on August 20, 2009, 09:14:05 AM
Haven't watched the Liverpool game yet - for some reason, the only showing they have is TONIGHT. Bastards.

Hull City looked shit against Spurs except for about 10 minutes of the first half - I stopped watching after the 3rd goal. What the fuck is wrong with Phil Brown? Why why WHY would you start Caleb Folan at all? And then, when you realize you need a guy like Geovanni on the pitch, you pull out Cousin and leave Folan in? Folan is at best a 4th striker option - he's not necessarily even a good starter for the Championship. He's crap. Cousin, Ghilas and Altidore all have more talent. Why would you start 2 big men up front then pull off the big man with actual talent? For the 20 minutes w/o Geovanni, they couldn't hold the ball in midfield. I'm also souring on Olifanjana - he doesn't seem capable of being a holding midfielder at this level. Better to leave him out, put Boateng in the holding role and Geovanni as the attacking midfielder, put Cousin and Ghilas up front and Mendy/Hunt on the wings. Hunt is probably the best signing Brown did all summer. Still can't figure out why he's starting Gardner instead of Zayatte or why he hasn't upgraded the goalkeeper position. I am beginning to expect that Hull is relegation fodder unless Brown smarts up or ships out - and I am actually one who likes Phil Brown. But he's got to pull his head out of his ass.

Spurs meanwhile still looked fragile on defense, but goddamn this side has some firepower. Why is it Spurs can have Crouch, Defoe, Keane and Pavlyuchenko as strikers and Rafa Benitez cannot get bring in ONE GODDAMN STRIKER to backstop Torres' fragile hamstrings? I don't get it.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 20, 2009, 10:15:24 AM
he wants to see Jozy, but Jozy has been in the states since Donovan had h1n1 and Altidores  biometric passport wasn't done yet or some shit which kept him in quarantine.


Also, Dynamo get Landin from Cruz Azul (formerly from Pachuca) on a a loan for the rest of this year and the next. If he plays as well for us as he does against us... Dynamo to get their third star  this time around.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Mr_PeaCH on August 20, 2009, 01:45:40 PM
You know who else has looked really, really good for Spurs the first two games... Palacios (Honduras).  He seems much more physical than the typical Central American / Carribean player trying to get on the pitch in Europe.

Also, just noting this for posterity that after Week 2 in the EPL it is Spurs occupying the top spot.  (Suck it ManU!)  :grin:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on August 20, 2009, 01:57:30 PM
They have more points already than they did by about Halloween last year. Uncle Harry is a miracle worker.

Palacios has definitely looked good, but I have seen some chippy/dirty stuff from him too. IMO you can't be an elite player until you get rid of that part of your game. Unless you are Wayne Rooney  :grin:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 20, 2009, 05:22:46 PM
You know who else has looked really, really good for Spurs the first two games... Palacios (Honduras).  He seems much more physical than the typical Central American / Carribean player trying to get on the pitch in Europe.

Also, just noting this for posterity that after Week 2 in the EPL it is Spurs occupying the top spot.  (Suck it ManU!)  :grin:


Palacios has looked awesome, but let's not press our luck too much :)


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Abagadro on August 20, 2009, 07:23:22 PM
Anyone ever watched a match from the third row? I'm planing on going to the USA/El Salvador match and can get seats either on the third row or in the upper deck.  I'm worried that if I am that far down I won't be able to see much of the action.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 21, 2009, 05:09:08 AM
Third row where? Midline? corner? You sitting with Sams Army or the American Outlaws?

You get a much better appreciation for what's going  on in regards to the speed and physicality off the players (and in a perfect world more of the  emotion in exchange for being able to see what happened on the far side a little bit easier.

My advice, Third Row and record the game just in case you miss something. :)


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Abagadro on August 21, 2009, 09:43:08 AM
There are third row seat available in midfield and also near the corner.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on August 21, 2009, 09:56:28 AM
Sounders looked like crap again last night. Even worse was the officiating. The only good thing I can say is that the ref was utterly terrible both ways. I know every league in the world complains about the officiating, but MLS has to be leader of the pack there. These guys are fucking clueless and hand out cards like Halloween candy, especially when someone dare question their judgment. It is fucking embarrassing.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Mr_PeaCH on August 21, 2009, 10:39:56 AM
Yeah, Sounders a bit lackluster last night.  How about that ripper that Montero blocked with his head... how the hell could he not have been paying attention with the ball still in the Rev 18-yard box and him right in front of their goal?  Ouch.  Still, nothing but great things to say about the fans... your stadium looks and sounds fantastic.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on August 21, 2009, 10:54:15 AM
They play well going forward until the final 25 yards. Then everyone goes to sleep and loses all aggression. Time and time again they pass up open chances to either take several more touches on the ball or lay it off to someone else. I would really like to see some more one timers from the ~20 yards or so. They won't always be on frame, but make the defense aware that you can and will take that shot and they will have to spread out to adjust.

Also, Nate Jaqua is killing me. He works his ass off, but he is just awful with the ball at his feet. He is like Peter Crouch's even more retarded little brother.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on August 21, 2009, 12:37:16 PM
Yeah, Sounders a bit lackluster last night.  How about that ripper that Montero blocked with his head... how the hell could he not have been paying attention with the ball still in the Rev 18-yard box and him right in front of their goal?  Ouch.  Still, nothing but great things to say about the fans... your stadium looks and sounds fantastic.

He was also offsides, making his presence there totally pointless.  The league has figured out how to deal with Montero, which is to triple team him and knock the shit out of him.  He doesn't deal with contact well and he's bad at passing it off.  I've seen him go 1-on-3 and lose the ball 2 seconds later at least 20 times so far this season.  Jaqua just marks himself.  He's a big guy who's supposed to sit in the box using his height to head in corners.  I think he has 0 (maybe 1) headed goal this entire season.  He plays like he wants to be Montero.  Juking shit around and dribbling up the field, except he's big and slow so it works out poorly.  It's at the point now that if the ball gets to Jaqua's feet, I go to the bathroom, because I'm sure there won't be any action in the next 3 minutes.

The Sounders' fundamental problem is that nobody has any offensive ideas except Ljungberg, who's migrained himself into irrelevance.  When he's not on the field, they just dink it around hoping someone will figure out what to do.  Or the wings will make a great run to the corner and then decide to cross it to absolutely no  one.  Like their job is to just make the cross and not worry too much about whether there's actually anyone making a run.

Also, we're now 0-2 on penalties (0-3 if you count Ljungberg's All-Star game shot)

All that said, Leo is looking good, and except for the San Jose game, I've never seen a game where the Sounders didn't have more offensive chances.  They just need to finish.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on August 23, 2009, 09:56:48 AM
So who watched Hull City beat Bolton?  :awesome_for_real:

Jozy gets his first EPL action, assists on one goal, and almost nets two others. He looked fantastic. Granted, it's against Bolton, but hey, an EPL team is an EPL team and Bolton is at least not complete relegation fodder. After watching Folan be absolutely useless for 60 minutes, it was quite a change. Any worries I had about Altidore being outclassed by Premier League football evaporated. If Phil Brown DOESN'T put him in the starting lineup sharpish, he is a fucking idiot. The understanding between Ghilas, Altidore and Geovanni was superb, like they'd been playing together all along. Also, hearing an English crowd chant "USA! USA!" was surreal and awesome. I did want to punch one of the broadcasters though - right after the only goal, they said "Phil Brown - tactical genius!" No, because if he was, he'd have had Altidore in from the whistle. Hull got bossed around most of the game until Altidore came on.

Watched Wolves lose to Man City, but they actually acquitted themselves really well. City controlled most of the game, but couldn't score more than a goal despite the vast gulf in quality. Wolves was inches away from equalizing a few times as well. I'm still not sure any of the newly promoted teams (or Hull) can stay up this year, but at least they can be competitive at times.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 23, 2009, 01:42:44 PM
Hull's side is not terrible. I'd put them as upper lower level, not quite relegation fodder, but the team went absolutely ice cold last year. They couldn't buy a break.

Altidore and the other new signing look to be promising.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on August 24, 2009, 01:47:50 PM
Liverpool currently imploding at Anfield v Villa. This is wonderful!


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 24, 2009, 03:22:24 PM
Liverpool  :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on August 24, 2009, 03:54:49 PM
That's a good start :P

I put an interesting bet on with a friend the other day who's convinced that Liverpool and Chelsea are the favourites for the title. Basically I backed United and Arsenal to get more combined points at the end of the season than Liverpool and Chelsea he gave me 2/1. I'm bound to lose but it'll be interesting.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: lamaros on August 24, 2009, 10:05:04 PM
I hope this continues. Liverpool has a shit squad and a terrible league manager (good for cups, tho). Was hilarious reading all the "Liverpool to win, Arsenal to drop out of the top 4" hacks at the start of the season. Hope they all get the sack.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on August 25, 2009, 04:04:27 AM
As I said in the previous thread Arsenal have the most talented first team and are capable of winning if they get a good stride together. The missing link was a decent centre back or two and thus far Vermaelen looks the part, Song is no Viera but he looks ok at least better than some of Uniteds hapless benchwarmers. They'll likely run out of steam again and fall short of mounting a serious challenge but I wouldn't write them off, be an interesting match up next week.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on August 25, 2009, 04:07:34 AM
I hope this continues. Liverpool has a shit squad and a terrible league manager (good for cups, tho). Was hilarious reading all the "Liverpool to win, Arsenal to drop out of the top 4" hacks at the start of the season. Hope they all get the sack.

But but, they have Lucas :)


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on August 25, 2009, 05:11:17 PM
This is what I've been saying for ages, as a neutral who just enjoys teams playing splendid soccer you can't top Arsenal prior to half their starting 11 being injured.  When they are on it just fucking amazing.  United for the last few years was a close second except when they couldn't field a useful striker or Ronaldo was not feeling like participating.  Liverpool and Chelsea have never come close, they don't even seem to try to come close.  Everton & Blackburn were more likely to play a truly enthralling half then those two sides, which is why I've enjoyed a laugh any time they fail for the past 4 years.

Big day for MLS sides in this CONCACAF champion's league tomorrow, I think I'm still going to miss the games but if I'm around I'll try to catch them.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on August 25, 2009, 10:01:32 PM
I think Chelsea has the best chance for the title, provided they can all get along and not get injured. United will likely finish second. Liverpool - they disappoint the fuck out of me. They have 4 stars (Torres, Gerrard, Reina and Carragher) an up and coming star (Johnson) and a bunch of squad players. What the fuck kind of plan is it to sell one of your most creative passers for 30 million, then spend 20 million on a guy who will miss the first two months of the season and call it a day? No backup striker, no left back, and they didn't bother getting an extra centre half until their top three guys were hurt. It's a recipe for fucking disaster. Lucas has talent, but it isn't top flight talent. And he sure isn't a replacement for Alonso - I don't think he'd make a good replacement for Mascherano. Rafa has no excuses, he's been the guy behind the transfers and they've done jack and shit. And he still feels the need to start flops like Babel. And why is Reira on the fucking bench? Hell, I'd rather he starts Reira on the left, Benayoun on the right, Gerrard and Mascerhano up the middle and Torres and Kuyt up front if he's not going to bother getting another fucking striker. At least Kuyt works his ass off and he can occasionally head the ball in. The Villa and Spurs games were fucking jokes. Lucas gets an own goal but the worst part is that most of the goals against them so far this season were on set plays. How's that fucking zone working out now Rafa?

Just based on the early days, I'm not sure the Reds can finish top 5. Their squad depth, which was paper-thin BEFORE they lost Alonso and Hyppia is horrid.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Abagadro on August 25, 2009, 10:08:54 PM
I'm loving having Setanta free on The Dish.  They are showing Arsenal v. Celtic tomorrow on delay as well as several other UEFA games.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on August 26, 2009, 06:43:35 AM
I agree with you Haemish especially about Liverpool the only real addition they have brought this season is experience, but for me the main problem with Chelsea is the amount of managers they have had in the last couple of years could mess with their cohesion a little. Everyones discounted United cause they have lost Ronaldo and Tevez but seriously Tevez was never all that Ferguson was right to let him go and we can live without Ronaldo there was plenty games where he was a liability. I really like the look of the United team that played against Wigan everyone playing in their natural postion, a solid 442 formation with Rooney leading the line but they still lack a great midfielder when Scholes is not playing and Berbatov is unlikely to turn it on every game, I still reckon they are the slight favourites. I agree with Hoax Arsenal are by far and away the most talented bunch of sods to grace the Premiership ever and even have a World Class Brazilian in Eduardo who kind of reminds me of Bebeto or Romario, good/astonishing to see him fully recovered. Damn it's gonna be intriguing though.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on August 26, 2009, 09:11:47 AM
we can live without Ronaldo there was plenty games where he was a liability.

el oh el  :awesome_for_real:

I just hope to see some English failure this year in the CL, it'd be nice to have only 1 or 2 of their teams in the semis for a change.  Also I almost have to not want United to win the title even if they do play better football then Chelsea/Liverpool because of the whole "see! we didn't need Ronaldo he was a pussy and holding us back" shit that I don't want to hear.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on August 26, 2009, 12:15:28 PM
But Nani is pretty fucking good.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on August 26, 2009, 03:04:42 PM

el oh el  :awesome_for_real:


You disagree?


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on August 26, 2009, 03:50:33 PM
I presume so, everyone said the same when Ferguson offloaded Ince, Kanchelskis and Hughes one summer, next season they won the double.

When Nistelrooy was offloaded everyone was like omg who's gonna score goals now? Nistelrooy was actually a curse cause our team was so centred around Beckhams crosses and his goals when he didn't play we were fucked. After he left the team became much more dynamic, I'm predicting the same situation here. Just need a good midfielder and we're sorted I wish we got Arshavin :( (I know I've been saying that since the start of the other thread still pissed off about it, betcha Fergie feels the same)


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: lamaros on August 26, 2009, 07:53:12 PM
we can live without Ronaldo there was plenty games where he was a liability.

More than offset by the games where he was fucking amazing, though.

Still, I think Utd can be just as good without him. If someone turns into a top quality central midfielder all of a sudden (which is a big if).


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on August 27, 2009, 09:42:46 AM
Man MLS is terrible, so I didn't see any of the games outside of the DC United game where they actually looked like a halfway competent side if you ignored their back line. They got tired though in the midfield and stopped being able to harass and disrupt Toluca and it was quickly all over. That was at home in DC.  Ruh roh.

Meanwhile Dynamo couldn't get better then a draw with 80minutes versus 10 men and Columbus got curb stomped 5-0 so in case anyone was still confused about it. Mexico > USA. Still.

Thought this was a fun article, the photos he links to are pretty cool also (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/090817)


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 27, 2009, 11:37:10 AM
You should read more about that dynamo game. They wound up playing with 8 men. that ref totally fucked that game. Total fuck job/

Dynamo is the only MLS team to go to Mexico and not lose.  But MLS as a whole sucks on these. part of it is talent, a lot more is depth.

MLS is going to need to take some steps to address that druing the CBA negotiations after the end of the year


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on August 27, 2009, 11:44:47 AM
we can live without Ronaldo there was plenty games where he was a liability.

More than offset by the games where he was fucking amazing, though.

Still, I think Utd can be just as good without him. If someone turns into a top quality central midfielder all of a sudden (which is a big if).

I agree. Though I wasn't saying United are a better team without him just they will have a better team without him.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on August 27, 2009, 01:47:25 PM
MLS is going to need to take some steps to address that druing the CBA negotiations after the end of the year

What little I understand of MLS salary rules leads me to believe the salary cap is killing them. Not that having a salary cap is bad, but the way it's structured, there are too many squad players who make less than school teachers to have any kind of depth in quality. The DP is actually exacerbating the problem.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on August 27, 2009, 02:12:26 PM
Yes, there's a cap on how much a DP counts against a team's salary cap (I think it's something like 400K out of a total cap of something like 2.5M) and the team pays for the rest out of pocket (vs the league paying the salary, which is how it works for everyone else).  But the cap-counting part is still something like 15% of the cap.  I have no interest in delving into the intersection of math and lawyers, but I wonder if they'd just make 0% of the DP count against the cap it'd help clear some room.  Apparently the DP slots are tradeable and there was some talk of Seattle picking one up from a team that isn't using theirs (I believe it was Kansas City), but an 800K hit on a 2.5M cap for 2 players is brutal.

Or, you know, just get rid of the cap completely, but the USL pyramid, and implement promotion and relegation.

It's kind of weird rooting for a team (Seattle) that has to be raking in the dough from the huge attendances, since you know they can't really spend it on players.  What are they going to do?  Get the best scouts, coaches, and physios in the league, I guess.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on August 27, 2009, 02:43:36 PM
I'd be all for promotion and relegation from the MLS with the USL, but that ain't happening. I think eventually, there's going to have to be a reckoning with MLS and they are going to start having each team run its own operation like the rest of the goddamn world. The structure was a good idea for a nascent league, but it's quickly outgrowing that structure. And that structure is absolutely a hindrance on the world stage.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on August 27, 2009, 02:48:46 PM
I think promotion/relegation might actually work if you make it so the current MLS teams are never (or not for a long time) at risk.

If I were trying to sell it to current MLS clubs, I'd say that they're all 'blessed' clubs that are safe from relegation for 20 years, so you take the current clubs plus the new expansion teams and add in the top 8 USL1 teams, refill USL1 by adding a bunch of USL2 teams and on up the chain, then implement prom/rel at every level, with the caveat that blessed clubs stay at the top (and either a higher placed unblessed team goes instead, or you just don't relegate and there's one less spot available for a promotion).


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 27, 2009, 11:49:04 PM
Yes, there's a cap on how much a DP counts against a team's salary cap (I think it's something like 400K out of a total cap of something like 2.5M) and the team pays for the rest out of pocket (vs the league paying the salary, which is how it works for everyone else).  But the cap-counting part is still something like 15% of the cap.  I have no interest in delving into the intersection of math and lawyers, but I wonder if they'd just make 0% of the DP count against the cap it'd help clear some room.  Apparently the DP slots are tradeable and there was some talk of Seattle picking one up from a team that isn't using theirs (I believe it was Kansas City), but an 800K hit on a 2.5M cap for 2 players is brutal.

Or, you know, just get rid of the cap completely, but the USL pyramid, and implement promotion and relegation.

It's kind of weird rooting for a team (Seattle) that has to be raking in the dough from the huge attendances, since you know they can't really spend it on players.  What are they going to do?  Get the best scouts, coaches, and physios in the league, I guess.



If you guys are such great shakes where were you 14 years ago?

or back in 2001, where  honestly  the thing could have gone and folded with one more bit of bad news...

It's the structure of the league that has gotten this  thing  to the point that people can make money now. and just because you're doing well doesn't make it the same for everyone just yet. Getting rid of the salary cap will never happen, and if it does, this league has about five, six years left in it. Lets just hope for some fairness and  a better wage for the bottom end.

0.2 on ESPN2 means we're not making a massive dent.  Which is cool, we were coming along nice and steady and the rest of the league is continuing about the same way. Congrats, you guys have had 3/4ths of a great season. Toronto has had two.  Enjoy the ride.

On your shit field turf  :awesome_for_real:


 


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Triforcer on August 28, 2009, 12:24:41 AM
I'm glad that MLS is at the point where it can make money, but its simply never going to get to the point where (in terms of quality) it is anywhere near the top English, German, Italian, etc. leagues.  Messing around with structure won't change that.

At best, the relationship between MLS and the top Europe leagues will always be like the relationship of Japanese baseball to American baseball. The Japanese are pretty good, and when the Orioles or somebody swings through every year the team that plays them will win 1 or 2 out of 5.  But their best and brightest will always go where the obscene salaries are, which the Japanese teams can't hope to match. 


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on August 28, 2009, 01:05:43 AM
Blah blah

Sorry, I thought we were talking about the growth of the league.  I said it was weird rooting for a team with a lot of money that can't spend it.  Is that offensive to you?  I didn't get the memo that it was going to turn into jackass trash-talking day.  But since you asked, 14 years ago the Sounders won the A-League.  And then again the next year.  Where the fuck was Houston?  Hiding in San Jose?

And aren't we 2-0-1 against you this season?  You might want to sub an Earthquakes fan in for your smack talk.  They can actually beat us.



Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on August 28, 2009, 08:41:18 AM
Hey.  Fuck you both.  We have had a good team twice, but the league keeps taking them and putting them in other places.  Its obviously not because we can support one, since eventually we get another shitty team that needs to be fixed up but it is what it is.  Stupid bullshit, California is the biggest youth development program in the USA, NorCal is no exception to that.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on August 28, 2009, 10:24:21 AM
I'm glad that MLS is at the point where it can make money, but its simply never going to get to the point where (in terms of quality) it is anywhere near the top English, German, Italian, etc. leagues.  Messing around with structure won't change that.

Never expected it to compete with the EPL or the Italian league or La Liga Primera - but I DO think it can compete with the Bundesliga, the English Championship, the Scandanavian leagues and the better South American leagues given time. But to do that, MLS has to attract YOUNG stars and good squad players and it won't do that when they can go to Austria and make more money riding the pine than they could being a non-star starter in the MLS. Keep the salary keep, but up the minimum salary to at least a living fucking wage and the league will grow. As it is, a lot of the bench depth of teams wouldn't make a non-conference team in England, much less a second tier German side because those guys are getting paid way more. I'm amazed that Houston has maintained such a stranglehold on the league as is.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on August 28, 2009, 12:15:26 PM
Champions League group stage draw was yesterday.  I never manage to glean much from the draws until the games start, but the interesting group looks to be E.  It's got probably the least likely team in the stage in Debrecen, plus Liverpool, Lyon, and Fiorentina.  If Liverpool keep struggling in the Prem and Lyon (who have been crushing it so far this season) beats them up in the group, Rafa will be in a world of hurt.  Also, Fiorentina wear purple, and that's cool.

The TV tells me Group C (Real Madrid, AC Milan, Marseilles, FC Zurich) is exciting.

Arsenal is going to walk through its group.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on August 28, 2009, 01:00:59 PM
I'm not worried about Liverpool's group. If by some crazy turn of form Liverpool doesn't make it out of the group stage, AND doesn't win the title or any other hardware this season, yeah, Rafa's fucking gone. But I think they have enough class to just blow through this group.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Abagadro on August 28, 2009, 03:46:34 PM
Anyone know if La Liga is going to get any play here in the states that might be available on The Dish?


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Abagadro on August 28, 2009, 03:50:18 PM
I just realized I have asked that question previously.  Sorry, never mind.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on August 28, 2009, 06:36:15 PM
May have been answered already, but I'll throw in that GolTV has La Liga games. And if you have ESPN360 membership, they are streaming La Liga games.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 30, 2009, 09:52:12 AM
Modric out with a broken leg. Leave it to Birmingham to hack up the talent... Still, Good run so far. Don't think we'll see that streak continue though. Modric adds a lot to the team.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on August 30, 2009, 11:28:33 AM
I've heard amazing things about this Palacios guy, yet to see him an action properly though.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on August 30, 2009, 03:05:14 PM
Great EPL weekend.
Arsenal was :ye_gods:
Last minute of Tottenham was :awesome_for_real:
Last minute of Everton was  :grin:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on August 30, 2009, 03:26:09 PM
Man U were  :oh_i_see:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on August 30, 2009, 09:07:45 PM
Liverpool was bad again. Luckily, not only was Bolton worse, the ref gifted Liverpool the man advantage. Really, that second foul was in no way yellow card worthy, and Lucas is a diving bitch for selling it. Without that red card, I'm not sure Liverpool goes on to win. It was a really sad fucking performance by both teams, but worse for Liverpool because they are supposed to be better than fucking Bolton. The new Greek defender whose name I can't spell was ok, but had too many times where he dawdled on the ball like a moron. And holy fucking Christ, I have never seen such sloppy, shitty set piece defense as Liverpool continues to display weekly. Have they allowed any League goals this year that weren't from either a set piece or a penalty?

The Hull-Wolves game was a good one to watch. Phil Brown continues to be a dolt, holding Jozy back til the 60th minute, then subbing off the guys he has such chemistry with (Geovanni and Ghilas). Craig Fagan? Does Phil Brown secretly wish he was coaching Derby circa 07?

The Wigan-Everton finish was something else. Scott Sinclair, good job - take the bad angle shot against 2 defenders while your FOUR TEAMMATES stand just to your left waiting for the pass WIDE FUCKING OPEN.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on August 31, 2009, 12:49:06 PM
I just picked up Modric in fantasy. Sorry I broke him, Spurs fans.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on August 31, 2009, 03:01:52 PM
I just picked up Modric in fantasy. Sorry I broke him, Spurs fans.
note that even I, rabid spurs fan, did not pick up modric :)

This was inevitable. he's fragile.  Lennon is better value in  fantasy terms

Palacios is awesome  but not much of a scorer.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on September 03, 2009, 11:15:24 AM
Hulll Pick up Jan Vinnegoor of Hesselink form Celtic on a free (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=673087&sec=transfers&cc=5739) and  Chelsea is banned from the transfer market for four years (http://www.epltalk.com/fifa-bans-chelsea-from-buying-players-until-2011/10744).

Also, DC United is offically past it. They need a total overhaul.

Congrats to the Sounders. Now you too can enjoy the wonders of schedule congestion with a paper thin line up like all the better teams in MLS. :)


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on September 03, 2009, 11:37:42 AM
LMAO @ Chelsea.

Cup final was a fantastic game. I was disappointed to see Wicks do his thing- I had admired him watching him play in previous matches. That was just complete horseshit, and should be punished appropriately. There are red card offenses that happen in the run of play, and then there are deliberate attempts to injure. He should be banned for a few Cup games minimum.

Seattle finally fucking found the back of the net. They have had more shots going wide or over (and even directly on the frame) or right to the goalkeeper than I can shake a stick at. Hopefully this will give them some confidence and the will to put shots on frame instead of dicking around in the area trying to make a perfect pass. Make the keeper save the ball and see what happens from there.

Quote
Now you too can enjoy the wonders of schedule congestion with a paper thin line up like all the better teams in MLS. :)

Heh. The first thing I thought when they mentioned CL was that Seattle will need to seriously beef up its bench to be able to compete in all three next year. They are about 15 deep right now, and need to get closer to 20 to be competitive.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on September 03, 2009, 12:33:55 PM
Add on the fact that the entire team has weak ankles and gets cautioned on a regular basis for bitching at the ref (I'm looking at you, Ljungberg!), and I'm not sure we'll be able to field a full strength side in CL games next season.

I'm in the same boat with Wicks.  I had an inexplicable affection for him, just based on his play.  Now I learn that he's a boneheaded asshole.  The neck tat should have been a warning.

On Chelsea, they can eat a bag of dicks for all I care, but the worst part is that Kakuta is banned for four months.  Gael single-handedly carried my FM09 Wolves team to the Champions League.  If his real life play is anything like his fake computer game play, he's incredible.  For the same reason, I also have an inappropriate affection for Nathan Delfouneso, Arshavin, and Darren O'Dea.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on September 03, 2009, 12:37:15 PM
Jan Vinegoor of Hesselink (GOD I LOVE THAT NAME) will be a good pick up for Hull, especially if Phil Brown is smart (HAH!) and uses him in combo with Jozy. If he keeps playing him like he does Folan, well, he'll still be an upgrade, but Jan is better when paired with a speedy guy. He's a good target man.

Chelsea can suck it hard. I look forward to them withering and falling to mid-table by the time the ban is over, as they are already bordering being too old. Way to not build talent from within. Assgolbins.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on September 03, 2009, 02:57:13 PM
Arshavin
(http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/vLW-VfER9CE/hqdefault.jpg)


And how much did you pay to have Arshavin?


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on September 03, 2009, 03:18:25 PM
I do not know who that puppet is, but I fear it.

And how much did you pay to have Arshavin?

Like 8 Mil US.  He was cheap.  He'd been riding the pine for Man U behind Ronaldo, Berbatov, and Rooney and he was pissed off.  Then Barca signed him away from me a couple of seasons later.

Big issue with taking a lower-ranking team in FM is that it takes forever for the reputation to catch up with your actual performance and players way overvalue reputation.  So you can sit in the top half of the Premiership and go to Europe every single season for 5,6,7 seasons in a row, and your best players get poached away by 'reputation' clubs like Arsenal and Tottenham, even if they're crap (or hell, have been demoted).  I had Newcastle poach Milos Krasic away from me from the Championship because Milos was giddy as a schoolgirl at the prospect of playing for 'such a well-supported club' and demanded I accept a transfer offer.  Shit like that happens every season.  The only way to stop it is to just give up and play Man U.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on September 03, 2009, 03:32:22 PM
Oh My God...

Time to enlighten :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr_K_xEAGfg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr_K_xEAGfg)


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on September 03, 2009, 04:03:50 PM
God, I love Special1TV.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on September 03, 2009, 04:59:46 PM
 Chelsea is banned from the transfer market for four years (http://www.epltalk.com/fifa-bans-chelsea-from-buying-players-until-2011/10744).

It's actually two years but still that's pretty amazing.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Abagadro on September 05, 2009, 06:37:46 PM
Nice clearance Bornstein. You aren't supposed to serve it into your own box you know.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on September 10, 2009, 08:55:19 AM
Nice clearance Bornstein. You aren't supposed to serve it into your own box you know.

Fortunately, Costa Rica is choking like the dogs they are.

For top of the table, god damn do we suck. Deuce actually  looked stoned out there. Like glassy eyes and a permant "Wait, What?" face...

Holden needs to start a game over Deuce.

Really wanting Honduras to make the final three with us. Even if they tried their best to refuse to play a game against mexico.

Also, Uruguay V Argentina might be the game that keeps Messi out of the cup. Surely Diego Maradonna has to be considered the worst disgrace of a manager  in possibly the existence of football? Well except for Steve Sampson, of course


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on September 10, 2009, 10:17:31 AM
I'm feeling pretty damn right about the USMNT.  Dempsey is a sulking waste of space who doesn't deserve to start.  Bocanegra is terrible, Bornstein gets burned too easily but at least he's on the screen getting burned not just showing up to commit sloppy fouls and/or watch the play unlike our glorious captain.  When/if Maurice Edu finally returns we will almost have a solid midfield with a tiny bit of depth.  We're still going to be relying heavily on unpolished kids next year (Davies, Altidore, Clark & Bradley as starters) and a defense that is capable of turning in some awful games on a whim esp when Bradley can't seem to grasp that Spector provides better service when he can afford to push up and plays a more solid and dependable right back then anyone else on the roster or that Bocanegra sucks ass.

If things come together and Altidore becomes a more consistent and smarter striker along with some kind of epiphany in defense and Bradley/Clark continuing to improve as central mids I'd actually expect us to win a game in group for once.  That is probably asking too much though, unless we get North Korea in our group.

Argentina and Portugal not making the finals is pretty awful, though only Argentina surprises me.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on September 10, 2009, 10:38:46 AM
I'm feeling pretty damn right about the USMNT.  Dempsey is a sulking waste of space who doesn't deserve to start.  Bocanegra is terrible, Bornstein gets burned too easily but at least he's on the screen getting burned not just showing up to commit sloppy fouls and/or watch the play unlike our glorious captain.  When/if Maurice Edu finally returns we will almost have a solid midfield with a tiny bit of depth.  We're still going to be relying heavily on unpolished kids next year (Davies, Altidore, Clark & Bradley as starters) and a defense that is capable of turning in some awful games on a whim esp when Bradley can't seem to grasp that Spector provides better service when he can afford to push up and plays a more solid and dependable right back then anyone else on the roster or that Bocanegra sucks ass.

If things come together and Altidore becomes a more consistent and smarter striker along with some kind of epiphany in defense and Bradley/Clark continuing to improve as central mids I'd actually expect us to win a game in group for once.  That is probably asking too much though, unless we get North Korea in our group.

Argentina and Portugal not making the finals is pretty awful, though only Argentina surprises me.


I want to see edgar castillo starts against honduras, as he's now  back on the american side now. I think he'll take care of our left back issues this time around. Would like to see Jones in next years early friendlies. Think Holden will be starting 11 come  first game of the world cup or else Demspey will have a fire lit under his ass and makes Holden the super sub.

Actually thinking about it,
              Timmeh
Spector Onyewu Boca/JDM Castillo
             Jones
  Feilhaber         Donovan (Holden to switch between any of the wing/forward positions on the midfield)
            Dempsey
     Altidore      Davies

that's actually a decent linuep: Ching, Marshall, Cherundolo Holden Bradley Guzan and whoever else can make it.

this team still goes as far as Landon Donovan takes it, but gives him more viable options and sets the stage for a possible next step up coming real soon now.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on September 10, 2009, 11:11:32 AM
You overrate Holden who will do nothing against WC Finals competition.  I'm not sure how you can come up with a starting lineup without Edu who was one of our best mids before he got hurt.  I know nothing of this Jones kid since MLS is too terrible for me to stand watching but I think your overrating Feilhaber who should be coming off the bench if these last few tough games where he has been invisible or wishing he was so nobody would see his terrible play.

Holden is at best a 80th minute sub who might manage to get by some tired legs and if he does has decent service and a pretty good shot if its on target from what little I've seen of him.  No idea where you get this starter talk from.  He's not even in starter contention if you have everyone to choose from.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on September 10, 2009, 11:38:18 AM
As it stands now he's not a starter, I think he will be. Consistently solid performer who has done nothing but improve in his time on the olympic team, time with the Dynamo, (who unlike the rest of MLS takes international competition seriously and has had good meaningful games against UNAM, Pachuca, Atlante and has played well in some godforsaken hellholes in central america) And has done nothing but show positive  performances in all his appearances for the nats.

Jermaine Jones is from Schalke. One of the best definsive midfielders in the Bundesliga. He's doing as Edgar Castillo did and switching allegiances.

Notice, most of these players are not in MLS, but nearly all of them spent time developing in MLS. Don't make me get all nationalistic on you.  :grin:


You're not seeing the  nice passes that Benny is making. He is  moving the ball along, and keeping things progressing on offense. Unlike Dempsey he would also track back on D. I'm not alone on those assessments.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on October 05, 2009, 07:31:54 AM
(http://api.photoshop.com/home_f6af789f50f14ec681c315830bb2d97d/adobe-px-assets/2ca6e66ee06a4b8d970d506d8f366123)

Well it's been a bit, but  an interesting  few weeks it has been has it not?.   

Aresenal  should scare everyone right now, and vermaelen  added to that squad now looks like near overkill

I think Tottenham, provided they can stay healthy might just possibly take a top four,  but  I'm still uncertain who it would be that falls out.  Liverpool, perhaps, but  the whole situation is so damn fluid right now.


Well except for Man U injury time winners. that's  the surest ground one could hope to find :P

Also, English fans bitching about seeing the Ukraine game on the net only should come to the US and find one of the five places here that will show the Honduras game.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on October 05, 2009, 10:20:21 AM
Fucking Liverpool just burn a hole in my stomach. Lucas still in the fucking starting 11. Benayoun on the bench when he's clearly been our most consistent performer. Put Gerrard in Lucas' place, put Benayoun on the left or in the Gerrard hole and have those two switch all game, call it a day. Our defense is still suspect as hell.

Hull finally get a win AND score more than 1 goal with a good performance against Wigan. Still no Jozy Altidore in the starting 11, but Brown seems dead set on going with 1 striker up top. At least he picked Jan Vennegor of Hesselink for that role, since he can do that well.

Wolves losing to Pompey was sad. I don't quite get why both Ebanks-Blake and Maierhoffer were on the bench. Doyle and Keogh are hard workers, but dropping one of those for the tallest fucking in the EPL seems like a no-brainer. Portsmouth, though - I need Wikipedia just to figure out their lineup. Talk about a bunch of no-names. It's no wonder this was their first win.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on October 10, 2009, 03:22:56 PM
Looks like the playoffs will be something like, if its really just the fifa rankings that determine seeding.

Russia
France
Greece      
Portugal

versus

Ukraine
Ireland
Bosnia
Slovenia

I'd like to see Slovenia, Portugal and Russia make it don't really care beyond that except France not making it would be hilarious and Greece is so boring that I pray they don't get in.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on October 10, 2009, 03:48:43 PM
Nice of Platini to make the playoff draw seeded 80% way through the campaign when it's obvious France are going to come second. Cunt.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on October 10, 2009, 09:11:35 PM
Six World Cups in a row! American soccer fans are  starting their three part apologies to Conor Casey right about now...

But also, Honduras, choked choked choked choked. Carlos Pavon might need to be put on suicide watch.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on October 13, 2009, 01:42:03 PM
Charlie Davies was involved in a one car accident this morning in DC. One confirmed Fatality, think it's his girlfriend. He's in serious but stable condition ar a local hospital. Still currently in surgery.

Links and more as I collect them.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local-beat/One-Dead-Road-Blocked-in-GW-Parkway-Accident-64073357.html

USSF originally  said Davie's injuries were  considered as possibly career threatening, but then walked back that statement.

Unconfirmed, but those close to the persons involved , the woman was a friend of Alecko Eskandarian, but  Alcohol was definitely involved.

This is going to  be an unholy fucking mess.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on October 13, 2009, 03:52:48 PM
The pics from the accident scene are chilling. The SUV was split in half. Do you have any idea what it would take to do that in a 1 car accident? Whoever was driving had to be suicidal to be going that fast.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on October 13, 2009, 04:32:27 PM
Unconfirmed broken Femur and tibia.

Dude's going to be lucky to not walk like House, let alone play again.  

Update:

Fractured femur and tibia. titanium rods in both.  Fractured Elbow. Facial fractures. Lacerated Bladder.

His career is over.  He does get to live. A second chance, even.



Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Abagadro on October 13, 2009, 08:55:26 PM
The pics from the accident scene are chilling. The SUV was split in half. Do you have any idea what it would take to do that in a 1 car accident? Whoever was driving had to be suicidal to be going that fast.

Part of that could be the result of the extraction with them cutting the car up to get at the injured.

I feel bad for the guy, but what a fucking dumbass. Two days before a match and you break curfew to go out boozing?


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on October 13, 2009, 09:33:31 PM
Le fuck. What a great talent that's probably going to be completely wasted.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Tige on October 14, 2009, 06:33:41 PM
Sucks about Davies.

If his absence is the reason the US is playing like they are tonight we'll be having an earlier exit.....again.  I thought we would actually have a shot at being seeded this time around early on but no way with our team play and prior WC performance.  We're 11 now, don't see that getting any better.

WayAbvPar,

How is Osvaldo Alonso working out in Seattle?


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on October 14, 2009, 07:45:42 PM
MOTHER FUCKER

Gooch went down in a heap untouched. Knee buckled.


But, we kicked those  cheating  timewasting shits out of the automatic spot. Enjoy Uruguay, Bitches!


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Abagadro on October 14, 2009, 07:48:39 PM
I'm glad Argentina made it in just because a WC without Messi would be a bad thing, but good god is Maradona a fuckwad. All that cocaine must have rotten out his brain.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on October 15, 2009, 06:39:15 AM
I'm glad Argentina made it in just because a WC without Messi would be a bad thing, but good god is Maradona a fuckwad. All that cocaine must have rotten out his brain.
Just as long as the US is not in their group...

Gooch has a torn Patella Tendon:  out 3-4 months


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on October 15, 2009, 08:35:52 AM
Quote
WayAbvPar,

How is Osvaldo Alonso working out in Seattle?

He is one of my favorite players. Consistent ball winner @ CDM, and has chipped in a couple of sweet goals.[/quote]

Stayed up way past my bedtime to watch my USMNT recording. Wow, what a game. Sucks that Gooch got hurt, but more for Milan than the US  :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on October 15, 2009, 11:04:08 AM
They should loan Gooch to MLS to make sure he get playing time before the Cup  :drill:

Milan is requesting damages from the USSF for that too  :oh_i_see:

But if anyone can fix Gooch, it would be AC Milan. If they can keep that squad of Dinosaurs  out there for that long I think they'll have Gooch in good shape.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Tige on October 15, 2009, 04:15:00 PM

He is one of my favorite players. Consistent ball winner @ CDM, and has chipped in a couple of sweet goals.

Stayed up way past my bedtime to watch my USMNT recording. Wow, what a game. Sucks that Gooch got hurt, but more for Milan than the US  :awesome_for_real:


His first US team was the Charleston Battery in the USL after his defection, hated to see him go but not unexpected .  Unfortunately it looks like the MSL and USL talent gap is getting bigger.  I can see many USL teams losing talent of his caliber on a regular basis.


I wonder what slight of hand FIFA is going pull on Monday's draw to ensure Portugal and France don't wind up playing each other in the play offs?  






Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on October 15, 2009, 09:54:00 PM
weighted seeds by fifa ranking. problem solved for the cheating french and the french head of UEFA


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on October 17, 2009, 05:19:21 PM
FUCK.

Did Liverpool ever look like monkey shit today. Thanks, Rafa - let's list the things we're thankful to you for. How's that not buying a striker in the offseason working for you? Bet you wish you had more striker options than Ngog and Kuyt right about now, what with Torres' glass hamstrings. And about that - how come every fucking time he goes on international duty, he comes back broken? And we can thank Rafa for Aquilani's fantastic play - oh right, he's still fucking hurt and we have Luke the Burro in midfield. Yeah, Lucas is SHIT. Whatever potential he has just hasn't panned out. He's probably great Championship material, but he is not worthy of a place in the starting 11 of the top flight. What kind of whack ass formation was Rafa running today? 5 defenders, 3 centre halves who kept tripping over each other, and absolutely no creativity in midfield. Babel is worthless. Even Benayoun didn't have a great day. There was so much wrong with that lineup it's not even funny. Did he really lack that much respect for Sunderland? The Black Cats are a strong side this season, especially right now - 3 good strikers, scrappy midfield. They plain outplayed Liverpool today. Fucking disgusting.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on October 17, 2009, 07:53:00 PM
Johnson had a great save on the beach ball though.  :awesome_for_real:



Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: lamaros on October 17, 2009, 09:02:57 PM
I hope this continues. Liverpool has a shit squad and a terrible league manager (good for cups, tho). Was hilarious reading all the "Liverpool to win, Arsenal to drop out of the top 4" hacks at the start of the season. Hope they all get the sack.

Yep.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on October 18, 2009, 06:39:28 AM
Fuck Liverpool you were a good team in the 80's stop living on past victories, so sick of the hype surrounding them about time they delivered on it. Also fuck Jamie Redknapp and your pencil ties you are obviously dressed by your wife and you were one of the most distinctly average players around, but by Liverpools rosey tinted standards you were basically Zidane. Kudos to Valencia a (underrated) player who actually delivers the ball first time without a million stepovers, ok he won't score a million goals but he also won't insist on playing upfront at the cost of a natural striker.

To all the pundits and people who said United are fucked without Ronaldo.

………../´¯/)
………,/¯../
………/…/
…./´¯/.’…/´¯¯·¸
../’/…./…./…./¨¨/¯\
(’(….´….´…..¯;/’…’)
.\……………..’…../
.’\'…\……….._.·´
…\…………..(
….\………….\


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on October 18, 2009, 08:37:44 AM
They aren't fucked, they just aren't anywhere near as good.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on October 18, 2009, 09:31:11 AM
They aren't fucked, they just aren't anywhere near as good.

We'll see at the end of the season.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on October 20, 2009, 01:46:48 PM
Welp, champions league looks like it's gotten a hell of a lot more interesting after today  :drill:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on October 20, 2009, 05:05:45 PM
Lyon!  Fuck yeah!  That's great, good for them they were really playing a fearless game for the 75 minutes I saw.  Didn't see either goal though because I had to get out of the house.

Really looking forward to watching some of the Real Madrid v Milan game tomorrow if I can swing it.  Nothing else really interests me though Utd in Russia could be good and Bordeaux must win at home v Bayern if they want to have any hope of winning the group so that could be a good one.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on October 20, 2009, 08:29:37 PM
 If Liverpool keep struggling in the Prem and Lyon (who have been crushing it so far this season) beats them up in the group, Rafa will be in a world of hurt.

 :why_so_serious:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on October 22, 2009, 11:14:12 AM
Lyon totally outworked Liverpool. The Reds had about what, 10 minutes of good play? The rest was :uhrr: Lyon deserved to win, plain and simple. Liverpool's defense is SHIT this year, absolutely unacceptable, and I can't figure out if it's just Carragher getting slower than normal or lack of execution or all of the above. But it's just terrible. No playmaker, no scorer, Benayoun is good but not Gerrard quality and Kuyt is hard-working but will never make up for the loss of Gerrard or a real winger. And Voronin? Fuck me, we can't even give him away? We got worse in the offseason, not better. Johnson's addition has not made up for the loss of Alonso or the lack of a second choice striker. Lucas - useless.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on October 22, 2009, 04:03:09 PM
Fulham almost bulled out the stunner today. The draw to roma was unfortunate.

Millions of people are confused about Rubin Kazan, as they are not in FIFA 10  :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: lamaros on October 25, 2009, 07:10:05 PM
Liverpool - Utd was a strange game. I enjoyed it, but not a lot happened, really.

I'm getting increasingly bored with how Fergie picks his team for the big games, too. This is not the Utd I fell in love with.

Liverpool is still a one man team though. Excellent finish.

NFI how Lucas got through the game w/o a booking either.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on October 26, 2009, 06:14:27 AM
It was almost a repeat of last years game.

Liverpool know all they have to do is cancel out Uniteds midfield and then they can spend all day defending those long balls. Carragher was immense but he should have been redcarded late on for taking Owen down, ref totally bottled it in front of the Kop crowd.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on October 26, 2009, 09:59:41 AM
I don't think Carragher should have got a card at all. If anything, it looked to me like he got fouled as much as Owen did. And Liverpool only got the clean sheet because Carragher played his best game of the season (which meant he played an average game since the rest of the season he's sucked monkey cock). Lucas - he is such a fucking waste of space. The announcers kept singing his praises for making runs into the box, but he did fuckall with them, so why even mention it? He never finishes chances. And he is a clumsy fouler, so he's not as good a holding midfielder as Mascherano. If Mascherano would have kept his mouth shut like Lucas does, he might not have been sent off. Lucas didn't get carded because he keeps his gob from flapping.

Of course, Liverpool is a one trick pony - two tricks if Gerrard is in. That's what I've been bitching about for most of a year now. Benayoun is certainly a better player than I thought at first, but the team is carried by Torres and Gerrard.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on October 26, 2009, 11:30:02 AM
Mascheranos foul on Van Der Sar was a straight red he didn't play the ball at all, his first foul was a definite card his removal was nothing to do with his general dissent. Owen was through on goal Carragher fell while trying to encroach him and then grabbed him while falling backwards, you obviously didn't see the incident properly it was a definite foul and a definite red card.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on October 26, 2009, 12:34:10 PM
I saw the Carragher "foul" just fine. I saw the replay multiple times. It was just as much grabassery on Owen's part as on Carragher's.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on October 26, 2009, 12:45:33 PM
It was a 50-50 tussle until Carragher fell over, taking the other player down with him was when the foul occurred.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: lamaros on October 26, 2009, 04:34:27 PM
I thought it was a red myself, but c'est la vie.

Lucas should have been carded in the first half though. That would have stopped him carrying on with all those obvious and poor tackles in the second.

And Scholes is a great player still, but I only want to see him in the big games when Anderson is in there too. For all his excellent passes he just didn't occupy enough space physically in the midfield.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on October 27, 2009, 08:57:16 AM
A Carragher red was probably warranted, but Lucas should have been off the pitch long before- he was persistently and obviously fouling the shit out of anyone near him.

United looked like they were sleepwalking through most of the game. I have no idea why SAF didn't take Valencia off at halftime- he was completely invisible. The midfield as a whole was terrible at supplying the ball to Rooney, and Berbatov was his normal quiet self. Scholes did nothing, which is obvious since he didn't pick up a yellow or two for his atrocious tackling.

Liverpool played very well. Torres is woman-faced beast. Fighting off Ferdinand and then beating VDS with a roofed shot was fucking incredible.

Are there are any world class midfielders for sale in January? I hate to say it, but United are really missing the Portuguese cunt.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on October 27, 2009, 10:05:05 AM
The Man U midfield did get the shit fouled out of them. You're right about Lucas. He should have been off, but really, he had no other option. The Donkey-Legged Fucker is too slow to catch up to a decent midfielder, his tackling skills aren't good enough to be a holding mid like Masch, and his shooting skills are terribad. Oh yeah, and his passing is bush league. I eagerly await Aquilani getting fit just so we won't see that shitbag on the pitch for 90 minutes.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on October 27, 2009, 12:21:23 PM

Are there are any world class midfielders for sale in January? I hate to say it, but United are really missing the Portuguese cunt.

I disagree he played in same fixture last year and didn't do squat, Liverpool were never gonna be a cakewalk in that fixture after four straight losses. The persistent fouling was to be expected but unfotunately United had noone to rise above it. Liverpool set out their stalls to defend and then break with Torres, this has always been Uniteds weak spot and Torres is the most equipped player in the league to dismantle Vidic & Ferdinand. Fabulous goal I even applauded it the way he shrugged off Ferdinand was immense.

Like last year the subs were a little too late to grab anything more than an equalizer. 1-1 would have been a fairer result but Liverpool have lost two games recently they definitely deserved to win, so swings and roundabouts.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on October 27, 2009, 06:11:26 PM
Don't forget, Amarr thinks that they are a better team without Ronaldo.  So you can basically ignore everything he says on the subject because he's full of shit.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on October 27, 2009, 07:36:26 PM
He did fuck all for team spirit, you just say fuck all.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on October 28, 2009, 09:16:25 AM
They are having trouble scoring this year. Ronaldo at least gave them a scoring threat outside the strikers, which is sorely lacking this year. Do any of the midfielders have more than 1 goal? Someone needs to step up and draw some attention so Rooney and Berbatov have room to operate. If Giggs and Scholes were 10 years younger I would feel a lot better, but Carrick and Fletcher aren't going to score many and I have zero confidence in Nani, Anderson, or Park. I don't know much about Valencia but he sure hasn't impressed me so far. Maybe Hargreaves coming back will help relieve some of their defensive responsibilities, at least until his leg flies off.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on October 28, 2009, 01:47:01 PM
I dunno if I agree WAP they've averaged two goals a game they even managed to score a goal in CSKA moscow and win that's a pretty mean feat in itself, also the 7 goal thriller against City?

Can they win the Premier league this season? I dunno, but if they don't it will be more to do with the strength of our opposition than the loss of Ronaldo. I was delighted that other guy was manager of Chelsea last year cause I knew he was shit, Ancellotti though he's got a track record. One thing that can fuck Chelsea up is the African nations and their transfer ban, incidentally I've heard Valencia might need to have a firesale in January (David Villa).

On losing Ronaldo > basically I'm saying, it's not good to be reliant on one player to score the bulk of your goals that's Liverpools main weakness, the best United teams could score goals from any position I think that's what SAF's striving for. Also why I believe the United team can flourish without Ronaldo in there, though apparently this makes me full of shit vOv


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on October 29, 2009, 08:23:00 AM
Don't take the Valencia fire sale rumors with too much seriousness. They've been needed cash for most of a year and a half now, and somehow they haven't sold either Villa or Silva. I would expect for anyone to make any kind of run at him, they better start putting up Ronaldo numbers (or at least Kaka numbers) or Valencia will tell them to go screw. The club is in serious deep shit financially - they were trying to build a new stadium with loans, which was already stretching them thin when the financial crisis hit. They tanked to the point of not being able to pay their players for a bit. They aren't out of the woods, but they are certainly better off than they were during the summer. If Villa didn't bolt then, with Real Madrid making overt offers for him, then I don't expect him to go unless the money is crazy good AND/OR his contract will be up soon and they don't think they can resign him.

But at least we know Chelsea won't get him.  :drill: Man. U. likely won't buy him either because they won't want to spend that much (nor do they need ANOTHER striker) and I'm sure Liverpool would love to have him but they obviously refuse to spend that kind of money. You know Arsenal won't spend that kind of cash, so you're really only talking about Man. City, Barcelona or Real Madrid willing to splash that cash in January, and I put Madrid out of it simply because they don't need him for that price. Not that either Man. City or Barca need him either but that's never stopped them before.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on October 29, 2009, 11:27:28 AM
But at least we know Chelsea won't get him.  :drill:

This a hundred times this makes me happier than anything about this season.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on October 29, 2009, 11:45:50 AM
At this point, I'm tapping Chelsea to win the Premier League and fall short in the Champions League. But next year should be a lot worse for them if they can't bring in new players.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on October 29, 2009, 04:12:34 PM
They are just kicking the shit out of everyone in the league right now. Maybe Drogba will step on a land mine or something during the AFC.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on October 31, 2009, 07:17:22 PM
I just cannot even express how fucking bad Liverpool looked today. The first half was ok, but the second half was a trainwreck. No possession, shit shit defense, and no attacking juice whatsoever. And the first two subs Rafa makes are to take off Torres and Benayoun, you know, the only fuckers who have been scoring for shit, to replace them with Babel and some 19-year old making his Premier League debut. What the fuck? I realize there's an important Champions League match this week, but fuck me, at least try to tie the goddamn game. Then two straight reds in two minutes? WHAT THE FUCK? The Degen red card was most definitely not deserved, but the Carragher one most certainly was. Fuck, but Carragher has been balls this season, absolute balls. Maybe the defense will actually defend without him. Kyriagkos was pretty bad too. He's slow, doesn't position well, and gives up on the play way too often. His best attribute is his strength, which does fuckall when guys just walk past him to score goals on the open side of the net. This team is a fucking shambles.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on October 31, 2009, 08:03:56 PM
I just cannot even express how fucking bad Liverpool looked today. The first half was ok, but the second half was a trainwreck. No possession, shit shit defense, and no attacking juice whatsoever. And the first two subs Rafa makes are to take off Torres and Benayoun, you know, the only fuckers who have been scoring for shit, to replace them with Babel and some 19-year old making his Premier League debut. What the fuck? I realize there's an important Champions League match this week, but fuck me, at least try to tie the goddamn game. Then two straight reds in two minutes? WHAT THE FUCK? The Degen red card was most definitely not deserved, but the Carragher one most certainly was. Fuck, but Carragher has been balls this season, absolute balls. Maybe the defense will actually defend without him. Kyriagkos was pretty bad too. He's slow, doesn't position well, and gives up on the play way too often. His best attribute is his strength, which does fuckall when guys just walk past him to score goals on the open side of the net. This team is a fucking shambles.

I was going to say something but Cesc Fabregas picked the thought as it was leaving my mouth and ran it  the other way for a spectacular, soul crushing goal. As such, I can't really comment about Liverpool other than Tottenham have lost  buckets full and are still fourth for a few more precious seconds before their slide  begins again.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Bokonon on November 01, 2009, 11:20:03 AM
Hey, howabout that Fulham team, eh?


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on November 01, 2009, 01:19:21 PM
Yeah, Kudos to Fulham. They didn't play badly even when Liverpool was bossing possession. They made good saves and they created chances. Liverpool didn't. Even without the sending offs, Liverpool was struggling mightily in the second half.

Fuckers.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Bokonon on November 01, 2009, 06:28:50 PM
Yeah, Kudos to Fulham. They didn't play badly even when Liverpool was bossing possession. They made good saves and they created chances. Liverpool didn't. Even without the sending offs, Liverpool was struggling mightily in the second half.

Fuckers.

Well, to be fair, they were lucky to go into the locker room at halftime with the score at 1-1. The way the wheels came off in the second half for Liverpool was astounding though.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: ShenMolo on November 02, 2009, 05:04:16 AM
Hey, howabout that Fulham team, eh?

COYW!


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on November 02, 2009, 12:00:34 PM
Quote
The Degen red card was most definitely not deserved

Really? Studs up, lunging in recklessly from behind? That is a red card every single time.

Video (http://vodpod.com/watch/2432955-degen-red-card-fulham-liverpool)


Dempsey is lucky he didn't catch him. That could have easily broken his ankle.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on November 02, 2009, 12:43:41 PM
Oh it was definitely reckless. I'm not surprised the ref handed a straight red in real-time. But after looking at it slower, I thought it was only worth a yellow. Maybe the suspension will be dropped on review, or maybe I'm talking out of my ass.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on November 02, 2009, 12:54:44 PM
I could see it going either way, but its not a bad red at all because like WAP says if he had caught him with that kind of tackle he would have seriously fucked him up.  It was close enough though to being just a bad play not a dirty play that a yellow would have  been ok but soft on the ref's part.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on November 02, 2009, 01:09:06 PM
It was similar enough a tackle to the one that nearly ended Eduardos career, I won't link it as I can't imagine anyone would enjoy watching that again. :uhrr:

I'm still tipping Arsenal to topple the table.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on November 02, 2009, 01:50:37 PM
I'd like it to be Arsenal, but it's going to be Chelsea.  They're a machine.  That Anelka to whoever to Deco to Drogba goal without the ball touching the ground was bonkers.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on November 04, 2009, 10:07:24 AM
CL games were insane yesterday. Good to see Obertan and Macheda getting some time- they are going to be needed sooner than later.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on November 04, 2009, 01:42:16 PM
Nothing useful came from the left side of the pitch until Obertan and Evra came on & loads of players look a bit off pace. United got lucky, but the second half fight back was good to see.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on November 04, 2009, 04:51:12 PM
 If Liverpool keep struggling in the Prem and Lyon (who have been crushing it so far this season) beats them up in the group, Rafa will be in a world of hurt.

 :why_so_serious:

 :why_so_serious:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on November 04, 2009, 08:58:30 PM
News flash - Lucas still useless, Babel hits a screamer then fucks up everything else he does, their depth is so fucking thin they have to resort to Voronin and Babel for corners and free kicks, and Torres' legs are made of fucking glass. Champion's League is practically done as is the Premier League. They better win the FA Cup or Rafa may not make the Easter weekend. Their defense is a fucking joke. How does a team with this much worldwide recognition and support put together a team with so little depth and creativity?


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on November 04, 2009, 10:38:04 PM
Rafa to RBNY  :awesome_for_real:  :grin:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on November 05, 2009, 08:05:17 AM
 :ye_gods: I think Rafa's head would explode from having to deal with the MLS's restrictions.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on November 05, 2009, 08:15:32 AM
What is up with France this year?  Sure usually Lyon gets into knockouts but French teams never seem dangerous.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on November 05, 2009, 08:56:48 AM
They played Liverpool.  :awesome_for_real:  :heartbreak:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on November 05, 2009, 11:28:06 AM
How does a team with this much worldwide recognition and support put together a team with so little depth and creativity?

They're owned by a fucking Texan.  What do you expect?  He probably keeps pressuring them to sign a better quarterback.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: lamaros on November 05, 2009, 05:09:59 PM
What is up with France this year?  Sure usually Lyon gets into knockouts but French teams never seem dangerous.

I wonder if they can keep it up. Would be nice to see the French league getting up there for a change.

And Benitez is a terrible talent scout. I have had the same conversation every year with a guy in my office about what Liverpool needs to get for the team, and what Benitez will get instead. Benitez never fails to fail to deliver.

(Torres doesn't count because everyone wanted him.)


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on November 06, 2009, 09:30:33 AM
Among the tattered remnants of Benitez's acquisitions, I'm still amazed he pulled Torres. I mean, just in the time I've followed the team, we've had Pennant, Zendan, Arbeloa, Dossena, Babel, Lucas, Skrtel and fucking Voronin. His minor successes were Kuyt and Riera and Agger. Johnson is like Torres in that everyone wanted him. Insua, Degen, and Ngog are too soon to tell. Benayoun is his most successful signing (IMO) that wasn't pursued heavily by other clubs, and he was almost benched for so long that he wanted to get away. Agger and Benayoun may be the only ones in all that worthy of a starting place on another top 4 side.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on November 07, 2009, 03:09:33 PM
y'know, even though he did get the game winner...

Liverpool was right. Robbie Keane is kinda shitty.

I miss Modric...


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on November 07, 2009, 04:45:10 PM
Yeh betcha Liverpool are glad to see back of him, what with Voronin, Ngog and the rest.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on November 08, 2009, 09:09:23 AM
Yeh betcha Liverpool are glad to see back of him, what with Voronin, Ngog and the rest.

Voronin, Ngog and the rest.

Voronin

Also, John Terry elbowed in the balls by Ashley Cole. Justice, that is.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Abagadro on November 08, 2009, 09:36:22 AM
Heh. Drogba gets spiked in the chest and HE gets tagged with a yellow.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on November 08, 2009, 10:05:04 AM
Yeh betcha Liverpool are glad to see back of him, what with Voronin, Ngog and the rest.

Voronin, Ngog and the rest.

Voronin


That's just retarded and you probably don't even realise why.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on November 08, 2009, 10:22:06 AM
I've followed Voronin for a few years. Even during his loan period. I don't think he belongs in the premier league. 

Take your elitist shit and shove them up your stuffed up ass. ya fucking glory hunter.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on November 08, 2009, 11:03:30 AM
I've followed Voronin for a few years. Even during his loan period. I don't think he belongs in the premier league.  

Take your elitist shit and shove them up your stuffed up ass. ya fucking glory hunter.

 :awesome_for_real:

Holy shit, you're still not getting it. I was saying Voronin is shit, while also attacking your inverse logic. Never listen to Liverpool supporters look where that got them .... get it now?


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on November 08, 2009, 11:38:55 AM
You're right. and I'm retarded. Bad morning,
 :facepalm:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on November 08, 2009, 12:02:37 PM
You're right. and I'm retarded. Bad morning,
 :facepalm:


Haha, happens to the best of us. Although I think it's pretty obvious to everyone, even a stuffed up elitist like me, that Voronin is an absolute turkey ;)


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on November 08, 2009, 02:54:59 PM
Well the plus side to being an elitist, is you get less shitty soccer.  :awesome_for_real:

I watched Houston v Seattle online. Good lord. 180 minutes 0-0. Brian Ching in extra time with the wonder goal. Sorry, Sounders fans.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on November 08, 2009, 03:05:57 PM
You obviously haven't heard of the League of Ireland  :ye_gods:

Johnny Evans should be promoted to first team status, any man who can win a header against Drogba while karate kicking him in the chest and then backheeling him in the rib as they land deserves player of the season right now.
While it was a horrendously bad decision from one of the worst displays of refereeing all season, I'm sure a lot of us laughed or cheered while Drogba got booked for his troubles.



Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on November 08, 2009, 03:15:43 PM
Well the plus side to being an elitist, is you get less shitty soccer.  :awesome_for_real:

I watched Houston v Seattle online. Good lord. 180 minutes 0-0. Brian Ching in extra time with the wonder goal. Sorry, Sounders fans.

I had a bad feeling about the game.  Houston's a better squad on paper, have been playing together a lot longer, and were right pissed that they hadn't been able to beat Seattle yet in 4 tries.  That's a recipe for a tough afternoon, and we were lucky to get out of the first half without being down at least 2 goals.  Can't argue with the result.  Good season, though.

Now I have to figure out what to do with my 2 MLS Cup tickets.  Do I really want to go down to Qwest and watch Houston grind one out with Chivas and then roll around on our pitch celebrating?  No, I really do not.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on November 08, 2009, 03:41:48 PM
Well the plus side to being an elitist, is you get less shitty soccer.  :awesome_for_real:

I watched Houston v Seattle online. Good lord. 180 minutes 0-0. Brian Ching in extra time with the wonder goal. Sorry, Sounders fans.

I had a bad feeling about the game.  Houston's a better squad on paper, have been playing together a lot longer, and were right pissed that they hadn't been able to beat Seattle yet in 4 tries.  That's a recipe for a tough afternoon, and we were lucky to get out of the first half without being down at least 2 goals.  Can't argue with the result.  Good season, though.

Now I have to figure out what to do with my 2 MLS Cup tickets.  Do I really want to go down to Qwest and watch Houston grind one out with Chivas and then roll around on our pitch celebrating?  No, I really do not.
Cant be Chivas. they play in about an hour.

Worse. it could be New England.

I'm desperately praying for RSL to win next week. They actually have a pretty decent team for MLS and will play agressively.  RSL and Dynamo or an LA team would be pretty entertaining.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on November 08, 2009, 04:38:35 PM
Whoops, right.  Meant RSL, not Chivas.

Chicago would be atrocious.  Blanco, McBride, and Ching jogging around complaining about the kids and their skateboards these days, waiting for their Social Security checks.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on November 09, 2009, 10:08:01 AM
You obviously haven't heard of the League of Ireland  :ye_gods:

Johnny Evans should be promoted to first team status, any man who can win a header against Drogba while karate kicking him in the chest and then backheeling him in the rib as they land deserves player of the season right now.
While it was a horrendously bad decision from one of the worst displays of refereeing all season, I'm sure a lot of us laughed or cheered while Drogba got booked for his troubles.



Another 100 times and Drogba's account might be close to even from all his fucking diving. That was easily my favorite play of the weekend  :awesome_for_real:
The entire game was a war- very entertaining. I really wish ManU could find someone to complement Rooney better, however. The guy has game-changing talent but can't beat 4 defenders every time.

Sounders  :heartbreak:
I knew it was coming, but it didn't make it any easier to watch. They just didn't play very well, and that abomination of a field surface in Houston certainly didn't help. People complain about playing on FieldTurf, but at least it never looks like THAT.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: lamaros on November 09, 2009, 02:50:22 PM
When will Rafa get the sack? Anyone game to suggest?


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on November 10, 2009, 09:43:00 AM
I think he will survive at least through the next CL games. If/when they get eliminated he will be gone unless they go on a tear in the league before then.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on November 10, 2009, 10:26:10 AM
You guys sure?  I mean are the Americans that involved?


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on November 11, 2009, 09:41:04 AM
When will Rafa get the sack? Anyone game to suggest?

When they draw 0-0 to Debrecen because they have no fucking able body that can score goals.

Fuck's sake. I finally got done watching the Liverpool/Birmingham game last night. What a fucking nightmare. You cannot control that much possession and draw to a bottom floor team like Birmingham without consequences. Both Birmingham goals were a result of SHITTY DEFENDING - the first one to a set piece (which has been a consistent problem all goddamn season, thank you very much Rafa). The second goal was a fantastic shot that should never have happened. You have two central defenders standing there watching Mascherano lose out to the guy, all while Masch tries damned hard not to fucking foul the attacker and get sent off. BAM, potted goal. And fucking Ngog - great goal, then he proceeds to disappear for 50 minutes until he reappears to commit one of the worst, most despicable dives I've seen since Eduardo v. Celtic. I absolutely hope the FA reviews that incident and suspends Ngog, that's how much I hate the diving. Carsley probably still deserves a yellow for continuing to bitch, but I wouldn't even mind it if that yellow was rescinded. You just do not fucking do that shit. Disgraceful. I GROANED when Gerrard was put on the pitch after Riera got hurt. Yeah, let's put a guy that's barely fit to walk out on the pitch on a cold, foggy ass night and watch his groin explode. Then Benayoun gets hurt and there goes any hope for the season from me. He was the last guy left ont the team that I thought had any real talent to score or create on a regular basis. Now? Fuck, I've no idea who will do that while Gerrard, Riera, and Torres are down.

You can blame every fucking one of Liverpool's problems on Rafa's transfer policies (or the lack of funds given him by the Ameridouches in charge). Rather than pick up a number of cheaper options for depth, he throws out big splashes on Aquilani and Johnson - they may be great picks. But for them to be the only influx of players while so many left, and for the most glaring hole not to be filled (that second striker), the same hole that has existed since Torres got there, it's inexcusable. Fuck, Hull picked up 2 strikers for nothing (Vennegoor and Altidore), either of whom I'd be happier to see in a red shirt than Ngog or Voronin. It's almost like he looks down on players who don't make big splash headlines. As for the Ameridouches, fuck them for buying the club on credit, which has now saddled the club with such huge payments that not only are they strapped for transfer funds, not making the Champion's League next season sounds like Leeds-level apocalypse in the making.

I did catch Hull's game. Altidore played decent but not spectacular for the time he was on. He suffered from lack of decent service from the likes of Craig "How Do I Still Have a Premier League Job" Fagan.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on November 11, 2009, 12:27:20 PM
I would be equally concerned with the lack of youth players coming through, when was the last time someone got promoted from the U21 squad at Liverpool? United have some good players coming through Wellbeck, Macheda, Evans and Obertan (I know they aren't from the Academy but still young talent coming through the ranks).


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on November 11, 2009, 12:58:14 PM
I really can't wait until Obertan takes over a spot for good. He is slippery as hell...he just looks super nervous. After a few games (and hopefully a couple of starts) he will hopefully settle down and keep me from having to watch Nani fuck things up. Macheda has been decent in flashes too, but I don't think he is quite ready. Evans is my new personal hero for studding one of the biggest cunts in football in his chest, and he is starting to really fit in. Wellbeck seems like a lost cause to me though...he just hasn't shown much in the few appearances I have seen. I imagine there is more to him that I have missed.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on November 11, 2009, 02:08:05 PM
Liverpool's youth system is fucked. Despite doing well in the youth leagues, they don't seem to be bringing anyone up to starting 11, instead either loaning or selling most of them to lower tier teams. Rafa liked to blame it on the guys in charge of the youth system, but since Parry left, he's been in charge. I see nothing but bad times ahead.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on November 14, 2009, 12:23:12 PM
God I hope this is real (http://irishsoccerinsider.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/french-and-irish-fall-out-over-box-incident/). Either way, damned funny. ERIN GO BRAGH!


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on November 14, 2009, 02:40:19 PM
I wish it were true, especially the bit about hammering them but unfortunately we were foiled by a jammy Anelka goal. Defended well and had the matches two best chances, but we're fucked now we have to go to Paris and win.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Mosesandstick on November 15, 2009, 06:41:15 AM
I watched the match, really impressive. Unlucky loss for ROI. I also watched England v. Brazil. That was a mistake.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on November 15, 2009, 08:43:50 AM
I watched the match, really impressive. Unlucky loss for ROI. I also watched England v. Brazil. That was a mistake.

I watches USA Slovenia,  which was the same sort of slog.

Best game of the day was Chicago V RSL Nick Rimando was a monster. Should provide an MLS final that is actually decent to watch. RSL is hard coded to press forward and can actually put together some nice extended  passing posession. I think they can beat LA.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on November 16, 2009, 08:19:51 AM
Yeah, that was a good MLS game, right up to the part where Chicago totally fucked up the penalties. How the fuck do you continue to go back to the lower left corner when the keeper has shown he can totally handle that area? Everything right - goal. Left and low - BUH BYE! Fuck.

I never realized it until I saw the way RSL plays, but Chicago is slow and old. Next season we lose Rolfe, maybe Blanco, Prideaux, our central defense is getting old and McBride will be my age. There better be some good signings/draft picks.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on November 16, 2009, 08:56:15 AM
I watched the match, really impressive. Unlucky loss for ROI. I also watched England v. Brazil. That was a mistake.

I'm surprised any impartial viewer could gain any enjoyment from watching Ireland, although they do have tenacity where they lack pace and raw talent. If only they could stop leaking crappy goals after going ahead we'd be set.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on November 18, 2009, 02:16:45 PM
Fuck You Thierry Henry


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on November 18, 2009, 04:06:28 PM
Thanks Sigil, we're very proud of that performance. Deserved to go through on effort.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on November 18, 2009, 04:27:32 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbIogc_RyHI

That is just fucking embarrassing for FIFA. What a fucking disgrace.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on November 18, 2009, 04:38:37 PM
Need those goal-line officials.

Any day now. . .


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Teleku on November 18, 2009, 04:47:22 PM
Does soccer have instant replay yet  :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on November 18, 2009, 09:13:06 PM
 :ye_gods:!!!!!

Realistically, the WC is better off with France instead of Ireland, also its not like they had it won without that goal.  But wow, that was about as bad as it could get.  The head ref had no angle to the play but the linesman should have been able to make that call.  It might have been so obvious he couldn't see it.  Sometimes the really blatant foul is hard to call because your brain can't believe it really happened.

Ronaldo doesn't miss the WC, Messi doesn't miss the WC, that's good.  Russia out some other team that looks and plays like Russia in?  No big deal though I think Russia is a more dynamic and interesting team.

Greece in, bleh, would much rather Scheva get a few goals and caps before bowing out of the group stage.  Greece plays such meh football.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Mosesandstick on November 19, 2009, 02:38:22 AM
It was an off-side and a handball  :cry:

The yank I was with couldn't understand why we don't have instant replay  :grin:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on November 19, 2009, 09:25:46 AM
That was a 50/50 offside at worst, stick to the handball that is the most egregious shit I've seen in a long time.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: IainC on November 19, 2009, 09:28:10 AM
That was a 50/50 offside at worst, stick to the handball that is the most egregious shit I've seen in a long time.

Haha wat? Henry was a mile offside before the ball was played to him.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on November 19, 2009, 11:56:16 AM
Bah Henry did what any striker would have done, Keane tried to do something similar only moments before but got caught. I'm relatively pleased though cause Ireland trounced France on their own turf and were by far the better team on the day, but Doyle and Duff (who played like he was 26 again) should have taken their chances. Doyle missed an easy header and Duff was unlucky when his one on one was tackled down. Bit of a shame on a personal level I was considering going to SA if we went through.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on November 19, 2009, 12:57:50 PM
FAI request France replay (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=700719&sec=worldcup2010&campaign=rss&source=soccernet&cc=5901)

Don't know enough about FIFA to have any idea of whether it's plausible that this would happen or if it's just the FAI tilting at windmills.

But if it did happen, the ratings would be astronomical.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on November 19, 2009, 01:08:05 PM
Can't and will not happen.  This may be just what was needed though to add in some kind of replay or additional tech to games though.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on November 19, 2009, 01:10:52 PM
Actually it happened before but it was a technical fault and it involved Tehran not France, I do think it's clutching at straws a little. I've seen so many bad decisions from referees lately it really is ruining watching the game for me, so though I'm not mad on the idea of video replays I think they might be needed. Or instead of vetting inexperienced refs for big games they could let experienced ones handle them vOv


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on November 19, 2009, 01:15:19 PM
They're not going to do video.  FIFA shot that way down last year (http://soccerlens.com/fifa-scraps-plans-for-goal-line-technology-in-favour-of-additional-linesmen/6354/).  Instead they wanted 2 extra linesmen (one at each goal) and they've been integrating it over the course of the year. 

Now they're doing it at all Europa League games (http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/clubfootball/releases/newsid=1095601.html).  It's impossible to know for sure, but it's very likely that the extra linesman would have been perfectly placed to catch that handball.  So the solution at this point is just to wait until FIFA pulls the trigger (assuming it goes well in Europa play) and there's 6 refs in every game.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Teleku on November 19, 2009, 01:28:00 PM
Why is FIFA so against instant replay?


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: IainC on November 19, 2009, 01:40:23 PM
Actually it happened before but it was a technical fault and it involved Tehran not France, I do think it's clutching at straws a little. I've seen so many bad decisions from referees lately it really is ruining watching the game for me, so though I'm not mad on the idea of video replays I think they might be needed. Or instead of vetting inexperienced refs for big games they could let experienced ones handle them vOv

Tehran is a city. Bahrain were ordered to replay both legs of their game with Uzbekistan though due to a technical error by the ref: - FIFA Ruling (http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/germany2006/news/newsid=27212.html).

FIFA are never going to mandate replays based on poor calls otherwise practically every single match would be under appeal.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: ShenMolo on November 19, 2009, 04:45:04 PM
(http://i46.tinypic.com/2094m85.jpg)



Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Mosesandstick on November 19, 2009, 04:48:21 PM
Bah Henry did what any striker would have done, Keane tried to do something similar only moments before but got caught. I'm relatively pleased though cause Ireland trounced France on their own turf and were by far the better team on the day, but Doyle and Duff (who played like he was 26 again) should have taken their chances. Doyle missed an easy header and Duff was unlucky when his one on one was tackled down. Bit of a shame on a personal level I was considering going to SA if we went through.

Yeah Henry did what any striker would've done, but had he tried to refuse the goal he would be an undoubtable legend. Though that's obviously a bit of a shit thing to do when he didn't score and it was a teammate.

Duff was fantastic, and the French goalie was really on form. Both matches were fantastic for such low-scoring results.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on November 19, 2009, 04:57:17 PM
Tehran is a city. Bahrain ....

Yah my bad  :oh_i_see:

Also McShane is a terrible defender, I was distraught when O'Shea had to leave the field. He should have applied more pressure on Henry or at least tried to get something on that ball, really soft.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: EWSpider on November 20, 2009, 07:18:56 AM
Why is FIFA so against instant replay?

Because it would cause a game stoppage and destroy the flow of the game.  The refs do everything possible to keep the game going.  For example, even on a hard foul if the team that was fouled has possession of the ball and the advantage than the ref won't blow the whistle and stop play.  He'll allow play to continue because the team that was fouled wouldn't gain anything by a game stoppage.  Only if the offending team regains possession within a short time period after a foul will the ref blow the whistle and give the ball back to the other team.  So the challenge for FIFA is more about how you would implement something like replay without slowing the game down.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on November 22, 2009, 08:33:42 AM
God Damn I love tottenham. Also, Wigan are total shit.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on November 22, 2009, 11:31:11 AM
9 fucking goals and Robbie Keane didn't even get on the pitch. Not exactly what I was hoping for in fantasy. A few goals might have helped him forget Hand of Frog.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on November 22, 2009, 11:58:28 AM
I bought Rooney to replace Van Persie, who I only bought the week before that. Feelin stupid now (and a little frustrated) :/


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: lamaros on November 22, 2009, 09:51:40 PM
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/8370497.stm

Amen.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on November 23, 2009, 03:15:17 AM
Yeh Keane pretty much mirrored my feelings on the whole thing, there's even silly people protesting the French embassy in Dublin. Although I'd be more inclined to commend their performance than be so berating, he has a point about the mentality not being sturdy. There's a lack of self belief in the Irish squad something Keane is never short of.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Mr_PeaCH on November 23, 2009, 08:31:58 AM
God Damn I love tottenham. Also, Wigan are total shit.

Heh.  The match was shown on FSC at 2pm on Sunday; same time as my Chargers were playing.  So I tape it.  Later in the evening I remember I have a game to watch but I check online to see if I even want to.  Fucking 9 to 1?  Oh yeah, I've got to see this to believe it.

Also, I have Lennon and Defoe on my fantasy team (with Defoe captain)... THAT was a nice cherry on the top.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Abagadro on November 23, 2009, 10:39:53 AM
We don't need no stinking winning record to win the MLS Cup!


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on November 23, 2009, 12:37:52 PM
It's not like the Galaxy deserved to win it.  After the first 45 minutes, they were complete shite.  Couldn't hold the ball for more than 30 seconds, no midfield to give service to Donovan.  It was a miracle they made it to overtime, and then their old, broken bodies were so tired it was another miracle they made it to penalties.  And then Greatest US Soccer Player in History Landon Donovan kicked a field goal.

So RSL deserved it, because they weren't as bad as the Galaxy.  Also, Nicky Rimando is choice.  He needs to be picked for the national team more often.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on November 23, 2009, 12:55:11 PM
Hopefully Donovan got that out of his system and won't repeat it next summer.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on November 23, 2009, 01:34:19 PM
We should start a Keepers for strikers program with France or some shit.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on November 23, 2009, 01:50:43 PM
Heh good plan. As long as we get the ones that don't use their hands.  :oh_i_see:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on November 23, 2009, 01:51:58 PM
Maybe they should start drafting strikers from the NBA.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on November 24, 2009, 01:43:09 PM
 If Liverpool keep struggling in the Prem and Lyon (who have been crushing it so far this season) beats them up in the group, Rafa will be in a world of hurt.

 :why_so_serious:

 :why_so_serious:

 :why_so_serious:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on November 24, 2009, 01:54:45 PM
Pompey have a spot for Rafa when he gets sacked.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on November 24, 2009, 02:00:59 PM
I'm not sure he wants to be an assistant in the Championship. 

Mallorca just got bought.  I bet they'll have an opening.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on November 24, 2009, 03:02:09 PM
By this point, I'm READY for Rafa to get shitcanned. The bench is just horrifying to look at.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on November 25, 2009, 06:03:43 AM
By this point, I'm READY for Rafa to get shitcanned. The bench is just horrifying to look at.

Look at this  way. Liverpool have a chance to win another trophy now, and one that Man U will probably Never ever win. :D

Special1 TVs tweets on this have been awesome.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on November 25, 2009, 10:12:12 AM
Liverpool looked pretty terrible against Debrecen. One poacher's goal is all they can muster? Lucas can't put free headers on target, the whole team apparently doesn't know where the goal is, and I still can't figure out what the fuck Rafa is thinking when he makes substitutions. He subs like Ron Moore writes BSG, with a dart board and a prayer. You paid 20 million for Aquilani, the least you could do is give him more than 30 seconds. Maybe they'd run out of horse placenta? Fuck, I don't know.

I'm not even sure they can win Europa League at this point.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on November 25, 2009, 10:35:45 AM
If they don't get healthy (especially Torres and Gerrard) they won't win much of anything.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on November 25, 2009, 10:43:27 AM
I think Haemish is right to look at the bench.  Yes, they've had some tough injuries, and Rafa has certainly not been shy about using that excuse over and over again.  But if Man U lost Rooney and Giggs for a month, or if Chelsea lost Drogba and Lampard for a month, neither one would be bounced out of the Champions League.  They've got depth.  And if you're not prepared for injury, then you're not doing your job.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on November 25, 2009, 12:20:48 PM
LeToux is now a member of the Philly Union. Just a bit of info for the Sounders fans here.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on November 25, 2009, 02:24:29 PM
 :heartbreak:

Love his work rate, but his finishing was subpar most of the year. Hopefully this will spur them into finding a proper forward so Ljungberg can play more midfield. I would have rather seen Jaqua go, tbh.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on December 02, 2009, 02:09:52 PM
Decent article re: US chances in 2010 (http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Mens-National-Team/2009/12/All-In-World-Prepares-for-FIFA-World-Cup-Draw.aspx)

Sure would have been nice to be able to draw an Asian team. 3 and out is a distinct possibility now.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on December 02, 2009, 02:27:06 PM
I predict the US draws . . Brazil, Ivory Coast, Portugal. 0 points.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on December 02, 2009, 02:50:40 PM
That sounds about right. Or they will draw France and lose, further enraging me.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: lamaros on December 02, 2009, 03:06:50 PM
South Africa or... Argentina would be nice from the first.
New Zealand or North Korea would be nice from the second... pity both the US and Australia are in the worst pot. We're the teams others will hope to avoid, at least.
Pot three is hard to call, the African and South American teams are often unpredictable with their form.
The fourth group doesn't look especially strong. France and Portugal both have worse coaches this time around. I'd hope to avoid Serbia.

Will be an interesting draw. I expect most of the seeds will get through their groups a bit easier this time around.



Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on December 02, 2009, 05:18:18 PM
US Soccers mock draaw had Group H: Italy, Uruguay, Greece, USA

My mock draw had Group H: Germany, USA, Chile, Switzerland

My Draw was notable for having  Group G: Argentina, New Zealand, Algeria and France. I dubbed it the  "we should not be here" group


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on December 02, 2009, 05:29:52 PM
It's a bit sick that N. Korea and N. Zealand got in but Ireland didn't  :uhrr:

I just noticed USA are like 14th in the World rankings which will mean you get second seed in your group and can get a somewhat easier draw (theoretically).


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on December 02, 2009, 05:58:26 PM
US Soccers mock draaw had Group H: Italy, Uruguay, Greece, USA

My mock draw had Group H: Germany, USA, Chile, Switzerland

My Draw was notable for having  Group G: Argentina, New Zealand, Algeria and France. I dubbed it the  "we should not be here" group

Weird.  Soccer By Ives has a mock draw, too.  I'm supportive of mocking in the caustic ridicule sense, but isn't mock sports stuff usually to make educated guesses based on strategies or whatever?  I'm thinking mock drafts.  Draws are just random.  Every combination has the same 1 in 4096 chance of happening.  So in the 1/4096 chance that a guy's mock draw is right, his mock analysis is just 2 days earlier than everyone elses, and in the 4095/4096 chance it isn't, it was just sports masturbation.  (Actually something like 3000, taking into account the rules about not grouping with teams in the same continent).


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on December 02, 2009, 07:12:34 PM
US Soccers mock draaw had Group H: Italy, Uruguay, Greece, USA

My mock draw had Group H: Germany, USA, Chile, Switzerland

My Draw was notable for having  Group G: Argentina, New Zealand, Algeria and France. I dubbed it the  "we should not be here" group

Weird.  Soccer By Ives has a mock draw, too.  I'm supportive of mocking in the caustic ridicule sense, but isn't mock sports stuff usually to make educated guesses based on strategies or whatever?  I'm thinking mock drafts.  Draws are just random.  Every combination has the same 1 in 4096 chance of happening.  So in the 1/4096 chance that a guy's mock draw is right, his mock analysis is just 2 days earlier than everyone elses, and in the 4095/4096 chance it isn't, it was just sports masturbation.  (Actually something like 3000, taking into account the rules about not grouping with teams in the same continent).


Frankly it's just something to do. I'm stuck waiting on the go ahead to start working. It took ten minutes. If I won the lottery and called it I'll get some fame on the places I posted the full, otherwise who gives a shit.

In reality, there's only a few really shitty draw opportunities and a lot of ones where I like the US' chances.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on December 04, 2009, 11:51:12 AM
How the hell are there no posts about the WC draw yet? Slackers!

If the US had to play a tough seeded side, I am glad it is England- the 6 months of Internet bravado beforehand will be quite enjoyable. Slovenia and Algeria are beatable, so they should be able to advance. My sinking suspicion is that they will fight England to a 2-2 draw and then shit the bed against the other two.

North Korea may give up 30 goals. Mexico got the easy seeded team, but probably the toughest non-seeded Euro team. Germany's group should be a serious fight for all 4 teams. All in all, very pleased with the draw, other than Italy's fucking cakewalk  :oh_i_see:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on December 04, 2009, 12:04:28 PM
Oh the LULZ - the dickwaving between the US and the Brits will be GLORIOUS.

Brazil and Portugal in the same group - so long North Korea and Cote De Ivore.  :drill: Spain got a bit of an easy group too, though not as easy as the diving Guiliani's. Should be a fun World Cup.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on December 04, 2009, 12:20:52 PM
Oh the LULZ - the dickwaving between the US and the Brits will be GLORIOUS.

Brazil and Portugal in the same group - so long North Korea and Cote De Ivore.  :drill: Spain got a bit of an easy group too, though not as easy as the diving Guiliani's. Should be a fun World Cup.

Epic Dickwaving indeed. Release Agent Spector.  Time to sweep the leg on a few brit strikers :P Also Grant Wahl just Guaranteed two more printings of his opus.


Swap out Portugal and I'l agree with you on that part. The Drogbas will reach the round of 16.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on December 04, 2009, 12:53:20 PM
US Draw is great.  Except for the Pot A team, it's almost exactly the draw I wanted (I wanted Slovakia over Slovenia, but honestly, what's the difference?).  And since top two advance, you can gloss over the best opponent.

I don't understand why everyone is saying the Mexico draw is so cake.  It's like everyone saw they got the patsy Pot A team and then stopped paying attention.  France will probably eat them up, Uruguay is comparable, and who knows what will happen with South Africa and home country advantage, which always seems to be a pretty big deal.  Right now I'd give Mexico a 50/50 chance to advance, at best.  Certainly worse than the American chance.

Also, it annoys me when everyone obsessively looks for a Group of Death even when there isn't one.  Toughest groups are probably D and G, but even those have a couple of teams that will get rolled.  There really isn't a group where the 4th best team is particularly dangerous (except maybe A, the supposedly easy group for Mexico).


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on December 04, 2009, 01:09:54 PM
North Korea is a good bunkerball team.I look for them to get one draw, and totally fuck someone over.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on December 04, 2009, 04:11:12 PM
Created an F13 bracket on ESPN.com-

Quote
First select which two teams will advance out of each the eight groups. The order you select them - 1st or 2nd - determines where they are placed in the 16-team bracket. Then predict the winner of the 15 bracket matches throughout the Finals. All picks lock with the first kickoff on Friday, June 11, 2010. Good luck!

Get in the action now:
http://games.espn.go.com/bpredictor/en/group?groupID=2129

Group: Bat Country
Password: f13.net



Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on December 04, 2009, 04:56:24 PM
Sung to the tune of If You're Happy and You Know It.

"If it wasn't for the Yanks, you'd be Krauts"


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: lamaros on December 04, 2009, 06:28:55 PM
Australia's group is tough. Bleh.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Righ on December 04, 2009, 08:26:45 PM
Oh the LULZ - the dickwaving between the US and the Brits will be GLORIOUS.

England should be plenty pleased to be in a group with three second tier teams. That should allow them to avoid Germany in the next round so that they can get knocked out by France in the following one.  :grin:

I'm sure we're in for some awesome surprises in this cup. Italy's group is hysterically easy, that might muck up their attitudes going into the following rounds. But if you really want to know what's going to cause havoc in this World Cup, check this out:

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/index.html

Click on some of the venues and look at the altitudes. You can be at sea level one match and at nearly 2km up the next. Quite apart from the players stamina levels if they're not acclimatized, the ball will travel at a different speed - almost 5% difference between Cape Town & Jo'burg. The weather will vary between dry and cold to wet and almost balmy. It's going to be great. Muhahahahaha.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Paelos on December 04, 2009, 08:31:54 PM
Wow, could Brazil and Italy get easier draws? Group of Death on Brazil? Please. Why don't we just send greeting cards to the teams we like?

"Wish you weren't diving"


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on December 04, 2009, 11:04:56 PM
This has got to be one of the hardest WC's to handicap in my lifetime at least.

How much of a boost will the African teams get?  Or will they fold under the added pressure of people for once actually expecting a good showing of them?  Typically everyone ignores the shit out of African teams and they play great underdogs this time it'll be a different story.

The location issues, especially the altitudes, I'm seeing coaches already commenting on it, a much bigger deal then I think any of us can realize.

That said here are my initial thoughts, groups ordered from strongest to weakest:

D - If you have to have a group of death this is it, weakest team is Australia, who aren't that bad.  Ghana is one of the best African sides and Serbia and Germany are both great.  I like Ghana and Germany to advance.

E - Dutch and Denmark to advance.

G - Brasil and Drogba to advance.  Portugal is fucked.

B - This is either the hardest or 2nd hardest behind the host's group to figure out.  Which Argentina team will show up, which of the top 3 teams is going to give up 2 points by only getting a draw with North Korea?  Is Nigeria any good, what about Argentina.  I'll take Argentina and Nigeria to advance because I hate Greek soccer.

F - If you compare this group to group C team by team its hard to make a case that this isn't a better group.  Not sure if Paraguay will choke or not but if they play well it'll be fun.  Italy and Paraguay to advance.

C - England and Slovenia to advance.  Before the car accident I would have been so fired up I might not have slept until summer, now my only hope is the kid from Germany, Maurice Edu magically reaching peak fitness in time and Jozy continuing to get good minutes and getting some goals in the Prem.  That is a shitton of if's.  What will really happen is the US will be overhyped, we will play sloppy against England, get thrashed 3-1 and then slump, over rely on "superstars" who have never been that good and crash out scoring only 2 goals the entire group phase.  England will go on to lose instantly in the knock outs because they are trash.

A - Who fucking knows with this group.  I mean can France be that bad, can Mexico be that bad, how much of a boost will RSA get?  I'm picking France and Mexico to advance.  I like the South Africans, they have some playmakers but those are two teams that are top to bottom much better and have a ton to prove.  France has got to figure this shit out somehow, the more dysfunctional they get the more convinced I am that somehow they are poised for another deep run its hard to believe they deserve.

H - Spain may end up regretting this draw, what a crap group.  If they are still sleepwalking when they hit the knock outs it may be a big problem.  Spain and someone to advance, who cares really.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on December 05, 2009, 06:11:39 AM
I agree with the majority of that. Germany's is the group of death but they'll qualify just cause they always turn it on when the tournament starts. Only bit I don't agree with is the England are trash, they have a good coach this time to match their squad so I'm a bit concerned about their ability to actually win this thing. They won't, though they should definitely make the Semi's.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on December 05, 2009, 08:20:01 AM
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/players/powerranking?cc=5901

This is the most depressing thing I've looked at in some time.  Look how low Torres is, how low Edu is how high they rate a worthless dick like Dempsey the order of the fullbacks etc.  I think its a fairly accurate look at what Bradley is thinking.  Bocanegra is utter shite, he has played so poorly in every game I've watched in 2009 maybe he's amazing in MLS, who gives a fuck, MLS is not competition that prepares you for WC so stop using MLS "talent" to determine anything but a player's fitness ffs.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Numtini on December 06, 2009, 03:17:54 PM
Quote
This is the most depressing thing I've looked at in some time.

God, I'm just not going to think about it. Makes me want to open a vein.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on December 06, 2009, 04:50:50 PM
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/players/powerranking?cc=5901

This is the most depressing thing I've looked at in some time.  Look how low Torres is, how low Edu is how high they rate a worthless dick like Dempsey the order of the fullbacks etc.  I think its a fairly accurate look at what Bradley is thinking.  Bocanegra is utter shite, he has played so poorly in every game I've watched in 2009 maybe he's amazing in MLS, who gives a fuck, MLS is not competition that prepares you for WC so stop using MLS "talent" to determine anything but a player's fitness ffs.


Just a sec. you're saying Bocanegra  is MLS? :grin:

There are two forwards who are not on that list who I'd rate above Casey. Findley and Freaking Jeff Cunningham for starters. That list is shit. Outdated too.

Don't get all sandy vag just yet. Do you really think Charlie Davies was that Good? Really? You people are saying the USA lives off of individual effort?



Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Bokonon on December 06, 2009, 05:20:57 PM
Please, Dempsey is one of the USA's top 3 outfield players, for whatever that's worth. Yeah, he has his moments, for reasons only he knows why, but saying he is a "worthless dick" is just utter garbage.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on December 06, 2009, 05:46:10 PM
1) You are right, but honestly how else can you explain why Bocanegra is an automatic starter every game even when he's at a horrible fitness level and he gets the goddamn armband?  He has been playing worse then DeMerrit and Gouch the only guys who they put back there that didn't play better defense were Hejduk and Bornstein that time he was at LB getting burned every 5 minutes.  I just assumed he must be one of these MLS guys who gets P/T because he's great in the MLS even though they look out of place and lost against real competition.  I'm looking at you Holden, who I'm still not at all sold on.

2) Dempsey is probably the best non GK American at club level currently.  BUT he is also the American Anelka, the guy is invisable, sulky, prone to shit decisions and even worse fouls.  He will play entire games where it seems like its his mission to make bad passes and he's fucking lazy as shit defending set pieces.  You can't not start him but I bet money that everyone will be talking about how Donovan and Dempsey need to lead the team to victory.  As long as that is the plan we're totally fucked.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on December 06, 2009, 08:17:52 PM
1) You are right, but honestly how else can you explain why Bocanegra is an automatic starter every game even when he's at a horrible fitness level and he gets the goddamn armband?  He has been playing worse then DeMerrit and Gouch the only guys who they put back there that didn't play better defense were Hejduk and Bornstein that time he was at LB getting burned every 5 minutes.  I just assumed he must be one of these MLS guys who gets P/T because he's great in the MLS even though they look out of place and lost against real competition.  I'm looking at you Holden, who I'm still not at all sold on.

2) Dempsey is probably the best non GK American at club level currently.  BUT he is also the American Anelka, the guy is invisable, sulky, prone to shit decisions and even worse fouls.  He will play entire games where it seems like its his mission to make bad passes and he's fucking lazy as shit defending set pieces.  You can't not start him but I bet money that everyone will be talking about how Donovan and Dempsey need to lead the team to victory.  As long as that is the plan we're totally fucked.


Carlos is captain because he's the  leader of the team. He sets the example in practice and in all facets of the game on and off.  Now, wether otr not that should be Landon doing that, is a whole different matter.



Landon's better than Dempsey. The team dies without Landon. the team makes do and adapts without Dempsey.

Dempsey has shown up plenty when he's played in a position where he gets the ball regularly with space to go forward. CD9 getting hurt might  just force Bradley to do the better overall move and put Dempsey in as forward He'd probably work best with a target man, but we'll also need to see if and how Jozy develops. I still think Findley needs a shot to prove himself.  but  realistically that's probably going to be Gold Cup 2011



Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on December 06, 2009, 09:38:52 PM
I have no idea what kind of crack you have to be on to think Bocanegra is our best defender.  I'm not even sure he's in the top four after the final month of WC qualifiers.  Bob Bradley and by extension the USMNT "media" sure as shit seem to think he's the best.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on December 07, 2009, 04:10:23 AM


Did not say he was the best defender.

He's the leader of the team. He's a vet and the hardest worker. He does a lot of stuff behind the scenes on  the training ground and off the field.

The captain of the team is not the best player. He's the spokesman and leader.

Although, once again, I think Landon should step up for that. But you don't exactly beg for it unless your a whiny Brit who's overrated.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on December 07, 2009, 09:52:42 AM
Please, Dempsey is one of the USA's top 3 outfield players, for whatever that's worth. Yeah, he has his moments, for reasons only he knows why, but saying he is a "worthless dick" is just utter garbage.

No, I'd agree with him. Dempsey is shit. Almost every goal I've seen him make in international play he lucks into. He disappears for most of the game, shows up to head home an easy one, then disappears again. I can't stand him.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on December 07, 2009, 10:50:08 AM
Well, you'd be wrong as well...  :awesome_for_real:

Mostly i'm just playing around, although if you're going to nitpick the yanks, at least try to know who they play for.  :grin:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on December 07, 2009, 12:06:32 PM
Well, you'd be wrong as well...  :awesome_for_real:

Mostly i'm just playing around, although if you're going to nitpick the yanks, at least try to know who they play for.  :grin:

I assumed he was playing for MLS because he sucks yet always makes the starting lineup.  My bad, jesus.

Dempsey is the American Lampard + Anelka he poaches odd goals which is a talent but he's hardly a superstar.  The people who say that he should be playing forward because he scores goals are clueless.  He's not a big physical player so how exactly do you think he's going to get the space to shoot?  A blistering run at defense (lawl) a cutting run (triple lawl) if he would pull his head out of his ass he'd be a great player as a midfielder.  He has a nose for goal and is always around in the box.  But every other facet of his game is shit when its against top competition for the national side.  If we played a 4-4-3 or something fine you can say he's a forward.  But him and Jozy as a strike pair has the work rate of a dying tortoise.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on December 07, 2009, 01:29:31 PM
Well, you'd be wrong as well...  :awesome_for_real:

Mostly i'm just playing around, although if you're going to nitpick the yanks, at least try to know who they play for.  :grin:

I assumed he was playing for MLS because he sucks yet always makes the starting lineup.  My bad, jesus.

Dempsey is the American Lampard + Anelka he poaches odd goals which is a talent but he's hardly a superstar.  The people who say that he should be playing forward because he scores goals are clueless.  He's not a big physical player so how exactly do you think he's going to get the space to shoot?  A blistering run at defense (lawl) a cutting run (triple lawl) if he would pull his head out of his ass he'd be a great player as a midfielder.  He has a nose for goal and is always around in the box.  But every other facet of his game is shit when its against top competition for the national side.  If we played a 4-4-3 or something fine you can say he's a forward.  But him and Jozy as a strike pair has the work rate of a dying tortoise.

With that logic,  Eddie Robinson and Wade Barrett would have a shitton of caps. Just jerking your chain.  :awesome_for_real:

All I'm saying is that you're quick to smack down everything American, when the reality is they not as bad as that.  They're not megastars with lots of cash and WAGs to die for, true. But  when the US get amped up, and they play their game together, they overcome their deficiencies to produce a damn decent product. It can boggle the mind when you really break down those pieces as you have done. The US survived a second half meltdown against portugal in 02 with a lineup that was not this good overall as this one, then they outplayed Germany in the quarters.

It used to be that when the US was up, they'd still get smacked down by most of the better teams no matter what.  Now USA has a window where when things kinda fall their way they have a decent shop of taking down top class competition. We have a little time left to solidify a few holes. As long as the US doesn't make it all about England, they should be in good position to move into the round of sixteen . We'll see what happens there.

The US has at least one upset in them for South Africa. Frankly I'd rather it be later than early, but  it looks to be fun.



Also, Fabio Capello is scheduling Mexico to "play a team that's similar to the Americans" I'd still be laughing from that but the US just lined up a frinedly with Northern Ireland, so  :facepalm:.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on December 08, 2009, 11:07:50 AM
I think the logic behind putting Dempsey up top is that he can finish and he does the least damage defensively from there  :grin:

US is training at altitude and their home base in SA is at altitude, so I don't think it will affect them as much as it may others who end up based near sea level.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on December 08, 2009, 03:44:51 PM
I think the logic behind putting Dempsey up top is that he can finish and he does the least damage defensively from there  :grin:

US is training at altitude and their home base in SA is at altitude, so I don't think it will affect them as much as it may others who end up based near sea level.

I'd buy both of these :)

also playing a full tournament with those god damned vezuvelas will help as well.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on December 12, 2009, 12:27:32 PM
The Premiere league this season is fucking  goofy.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on December 15, 2009, 08:02:44 PM
So, Birmingham City is in sixth place behind Spurs,  Arsenal  and Aston Villa and the usual Two.

And London Donovan is going to Everton on a Beckham type loan.

Just keeps getting weirder.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on December 16, 2009, 05:50:38 AM
United should probably buy David Bentley.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Bokonon on December 16, 2009, 05:32:56 PM
Huzzah Fulham!


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on December 17, 2009, 08:49:59 AM
Liverpool can barely put 2 goals past a Wigan team with a chaotic defense and a goalkeeper that took a knock early on in the game. And they cough up a decent but not spectacular goal in the 92nd minute that made the last few minutes of the game nervy. Again, Rafa sits Aquilani for 60 minutes, but at least he didn't start Lucas. The team is plodding, slow and for some reason most teams who aren't in the top 6 just sit back and wait or Liverpool to miss their goal 30 times a game before they can pot an easy one instead of attacking the shit out of Liverpool's slow and inept defense. It's like some of the Premier League teams feel bad about beating Liverpool when they clearly deserve to get the piss knocked out of them.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Bokonon on December 21, 2009, 01:42:43 PM
Haha ManU!

Looks like you got your wish, Haemish.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on December 21, 2009, 02:30:13 PM
The Reds just keep kicking their fans in the balls. I eagerly await next week's Wolves fixture, where Rafa runs Jay Spearing out in the midfield instead of Aquilani - he's going to have to put someone in for Masch. It makes about as much fucking sense as putting Adrea Dossena at left midfield instead of left back or instead of Yossi Benayoun. Either he wasn't taking Pompey seriously, which means he deserved to lose, or both Benayoun and Aquilani are hurt more than he's letting on.

The team deserves to lose. They get a goal down to the bottom team in the league and fall the fuck apart. They started brightly, with composure - they just didn't have the finish. They get a goal down from a poor clearance and they never recovered. Their passing went to shit, they had NO FUCKING IDEAS about how to score, and then they lost Mascherano to a harsh red card (should have been a yellow at worst) and the game was fucking over. They are starting to look like a not-relegation-bound version of Newcastle from last year. Their fans think they are better than they are - or their manager does and won't listen to anybody the fuck else about it. If they keep playing like they did this weekend, forget top 4 - they might be lucky for a top 10.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on December 21, 2009, 03:08:02 PM
Mascherano to a harsh red card (should have been a yellow at worst)

I thought the Ref was spot on. Liverpool were poor United even poorer, though they have the worst injury crisis in their history (if you don't inlcude the Munich air disaster).


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on January 03, 2010, 08:49:47 AM

That was a well earned win by Leeds. Wes Brown looked like total crap today. Gary Neville looked ancient. Beckford owned his ass.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on January 03, 2010, 04:17:29 PM
Unlucky not to have won 3-0.  Man U had one legitimately good chance (when the ball was pinging around the box for 10 seconds).  Leeds had 4-5 clear runs that ought to have finished better.  They obviously wanted it a lot more.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on January 03, 2010, 06:34:38 PM
Agreed.  Beckford and Snodgrass were both unlucky.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on January 03, 2010, 06:59:02 PM
It's no secret United threw that game, now lets talk about an important competition.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on January 03, 2010, 07:22:12 PM
It's no secret United threw that game, now lets talk about an important competition.

You can pull that newcomer frontrunner bull if you want, but Man U losing to their ultimate archrival Leeds United is going to royally piss off the faithful.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on January 04, 2010, 09:27:07 AM
I keep telling myself that it will save wear and tear on the already dicey back 4. That is about all I can cling to at this point. That was dreadful. I am shocked that A) Wes Brown wasn't sent off in the first half, and B) that Rooney didn't snap and stomp someone's nuts. You could feel the waves of frustration coming off of him. And wow do they miss Van der Sar. Going to be scary when he retires unless they sign someone soon.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on January 04, 2010, 12:02:35 PM
You can pull that newcomer frontrunner bull if you want, but Man U losing to their ultimate archrival Leeds United is going to royally piss off the faithful.

If by faithful you mean 70 year old buspassers who can remember when Leeds had a great team, jaysus that rivalry died when the FA cup stopped being an important competition. Leeds fans are a pack of wankers and the club deserves to be in League one I hope they stay there I'm sure I'm not alone on that. As far as my own team goes I'm delighted to be out the FA cup so early with the recent injury list & I'd be surprised if SAF wasn't secretly a little pleased about it too.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Endie on January 04, 2010, 01:27:57 PM
It says something about Leeds fans and their club that, despite being a Liverpool fan, I would have preferred United to win that game.

The Van Der Saar thing WayAbvPar mentions is true, though: last time Man United had a settled keeper who was the obvious front choice and one of the best in the country (Schmeichel, of course) his departure lead to years of searching and dodgy experiments.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on January 04, 2010, 02:04:45 PM
As far as my own team goes I'm delighted to be out the FA cup so early with the recent injury list & I'd be surprised if SAF wasn't secretly a little pleased about it too.

You're fucking kidding me.  I thought your first post was some quality sarcasm, but you're actually serious.  Yeah, no doubt Ferguson was aching to lose at home to a rival.  So much that he played Berbatov and Rooney and had the temerity to bitch about getting 'only' 5 minutes of extra time in a half with no major injuries and no goals.  All the hallmarks of a guy throwing the towel in.

But whatever gets you to sleep at night.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on January 04, 2010, 02:18:37 PM
Heh, I was being sarcastic I never said we didn't try and win, just genuinely think it's a good thing.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Righ on January 04, 2010, 03:27:53 PM
It says something about Leeds fans and their club that, despite being a Liverpool fan, I would have preferred United to win that game.

Manchester United or Leeds United?  :grin:

It's always good to see Ferguson's blood pressure get raised. Even though Leeds' fans are unlikely to get any more pleasant collectively, their bad form will come to an end at some point. If that means more wins against Man U, I'm in favour of it.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on January 04, 2010, 04:45:30 PM
Manchester United or Leeds United?  :grin:

There's only one United.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on January 04, 2010, 04:53:44 PM
Newcastle?


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on January 04, 2010, 08:25:00 PM
DC?  :awesome_for_real:



Also Leeds was in the Champions league  in 2001. I seem to remember a semifinal... It's not like those old timers are all that old.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on January 05, 2010, 09:04:07 AM
Sheffield?


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on January 05, 2010, 09:50:27 AM
Screw you guys  :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Endie on January 05, 2010, 11:29:28 AM
He's Irish.  He probably means some potato-botherers like Waterford United.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on January 05, 2010, 02:56:45 PM
Say what you will about Clint Dempsey for country, for Fulham he's a fucking beast.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/2010/01/video_dempseys_goal.html


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on January 06, 2010, 11:07:08 AM
That was amazing. Finally having him on my fantasy squad pays off!

Dempsey is two completely different players when playing for club and country. His work rate is easily doubled when he plays for his club, and his first touch seems far better.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on January 06, 2010, 01:12:40 PM
It's also possible his Fulham service is a lot better.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on January 06, 2010, 03:09:15 PM
It's also possible his Fulham service is a lot better.
I won't disagree with that.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on January 09, 2010, 10:05:56 AM
Landon looked solid in his first start Got the inswinger that resulted in the first goal and was  a threat on the right.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on January 11, 2010, 04:57:25 AM
Sorry for the triple posting, but evidently calling your supporters Fuck Face is not a good thing to do (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=723689&sec=england&cc=5901).


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on January 11, 2010, 10:08:31 AM
Gee, how would have thought that Tom Hicks could produce such a douchebag for a son?  :why_so_serious: Shit, I'd be happy if they threw Hicks out on his ass with his cunt son. He's been a worthless piece of shit drag on the whole organization since it started. I don't know that Gillette is any better, but at least he isn't such an overt douche.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Endie on January 11, 2010, 02:04:44 PM
On a footballing level I didn't realise that - if we'd beaten fourth-placed Spurs in the postponed match we'd only have been one point behind them.

Let's pretend all the other teams lost and Man City didn't have a game in hand that's not important right now...


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on January 13, 2010, 02:49:38 PM
(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/85685/liverpool-fan-crying.jpg)

Torres left hurt. Gerrard left hurt.  No goals scored  by this red sack of shit, your Reading own goal wiped away by Benayoun making a silly penalty in stoppage time, then mercifully  finished off for the Reading vicrtory.


You want to talk about Liverpool making the top four? Really?


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Endie on January 13, 2010, 03:20:37 PM
http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/sport/sport-headlines/liverpool-squad-down-to-four-players-201001112368/

Quote
The manager said the club's next big task is to move the entire stadium slightly to the left 'so we can unearth the pirate king’s onions that have cursed us with poor results'.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on January 13, 2010, 04:54:21 PM
Pirate King's onions is funny but what is that site?  The crappy English version of The Onion?


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on January 13, 2010, 09:03:17 PM
Yeah, that was a truly shitty game. Liverpool never looked dangerous, not one bit. I have few words left. I sure hope Maxi Rodriguez can score goals, because the rest of this fucking team can't do shit. Rafa has balls - turns down 8 million pounds for that useless sack of shit Babel, because he wants 10 million. Is he high? Babel ain't worth 5 IMO. Lucas can't even head in a sure goal. It's not much good making offensive runs if you can't hit the fucking net to save your balls.

I never thought Liverpool would be the first of the big 4 to drop out of the top 4 but yeah, it's going to be a minor miracle.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on January 13, 2010, 10:13:36 PM
Rafa must go?


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on January 13, 2010, 10:46:25 PM
Rafa must go?

hopefully not just yet


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on January 13, 2010, 11:58:58 PM
There's still the Europa League to flame out of. 


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Endie on January 14, 2010, 02:11:46 AM
Pirate King's onions is funny but what is that site?  The crappy English version of The Onion?

You need to understand British culture and politics fairly intimately to get a lot of the humour in it: the Al Mujihadeen story, for instance, requires you to know about British anti-terror legislation, other stores require you to get subtle cultural references to people like Ben Fogle.  It's not for people outside Britain, in general.

On the upside, if you do get the references it is far funnier than the Onion has been since the end of the nineties.  The Onion is the shitty version of the Onion, these days.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on January 14, 2010, 08:20:19 AM
Rafa must go?

Been saying that most of the fucking year.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on January 14, 2010, 11:51:25 AM
Torres out six weeks, Gerrard out two.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on January 14, 2010, 12:40:03 PM
Torres out six weeks, Gerrard out two.

 :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Endie on January 14, 2010, 02:27:17 PM
Benayoun out 2-3, and he has actually been performing this year.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on January 14, 2010, 03:06:17 PM
Goddamnit. You fuckers are just doing this to torture me now, aren't you?


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Endie on January 14, 2010, 03:21:41 PM
It's no easier for me, you know.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on January 14, 2010, 03:43:31 PM
Goddamnit. You fuckers are just doing this to torture me now, aren't you?

Pretty much.

Hey, the MLS draft looked good, though!

Sounders reach to get a 2nd rounder in the 1st round, but I suspect Sigi knows better than I do.  Also drafted Seamon.  Instantly shoots to the top of the most popular jersey name list.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on January 14, 2010, 05:59:19 PM
Philly kicked ass. They picked up Fred, three of the top seven.

DC got their keeper of old back. Clint Mathis joins Bruce Arena's 2002 world cup reunion tour.


My team got some decent guys who won't hurt if they suck and Stuart Holden's brother.


And just for the record Columbus got the name of the Draft in Bright Dike. that's Dee-kay

Sons of Ben are going to be awesome. With RBNY finally getting something decent to play in, we have a real northeast rivalry  battle royale set.



Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Bokonon on January 17, 2010, 11:29:30 AM
And the Curse of the USMNT continues... Dempsey has "Cruciate Ligament damage" according to Hodgson.

I guess this is one way for Dempsey critics to not have to see Dempsey in the WC (possibly, he may be back in time, as it doesn't appear to be an ACL injury). Not saying this is how people wanted it to go down, of course.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on January 17, 2010, 01:28:45 PM
This one hurts a bit,but I'm in the Eric Wynalda camp of thinking Robbie Findley will turn heads.  I think we can  do * OK* without Deuce.

Now if this was Landon, who may I say was solid against Citeh as Everton just bitch smacked them, then I'd be in abject misery.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on January 19, 2010, 04:33:39 PM
Deuce will be back before the  end of the season. no need for surgery, at least not for a few years...


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sidereal on January 27, 2010, 01:25:58 PM
Donovan just scored for Everton.  Think we'll ever see him in a Galaxy jersey again?  I think no.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on January 27, 2010, 02:20:48 PM
He almost got two. Second was cleared off the line

In other news,  Charlie Davies is jogging and doing agility drills, and will be back in Sochaux at the end of February,  scheduled to return to action this April. If that happens, he's going to South Africa unless he just totally sucks.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Endie on January 27, 2010, 02:49:25 PM
Benitez is refusing to answer questions about a possible move to Juventus.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on January 27, 2010, 03:22:04 PM
(http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Football/Pix/pictures/2010/1/27/1264629990764/Wayne-Rooney-001.jpg)

Suck it, City.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on January 27, 2010, 03:24:34 PM
(http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Football/Pix/pictures/2010/1/27/1264629990764/Wayne-Rooney-001.jpg)

Suck it, City.

Great game that was.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on January 27, 2010, 03:39:04 PM
Benitez is refusing to answer questions about a possible move to Juventus.

I thought he said it wasn't happening. Of course, they can fucking have him. That game against Wolves was downright sorry. Not only boring football, but just plain bad football on Liverpool's part. Why risk Gerrard instead of Aquilani? For that matter, why use Lucas instead of Aquilani? Fucking useless donkey-legged sack of shit he is.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on February 02, 2010, 09:05:07 AM
So Setanta Sports US is dead as of March 1st. Fox Soccer bought some of their rights, is negotiating for others but likely won't get all of them, and have will launch a new channel, Fox Soccer Plus on March 1st. Of course, there is no word from any of the carriers as to who will be carrying it and when. DirecTV still has no word on that. Also, Fox Soccer Channel is now being broadcast in HD - but none of the carriers are actually showing it in HD. No word on when that will happen from DirecTV either. Fuckers.

What it likely means is us Setanta subscribers will lose a few weekends of EPL, and any hope of seeing rubgy in the US is dead.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on February 02, 2010, 07:51:24 PM
LOL hardly anyone is Carrying  FSC in HD. I want to punch Nick Webster when he starts talking shit about it on Fox Football Fone-in

Heard about setanta couple weeks ago.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on February 06, 2010, 06:14:38 PM
If you didn't watch the Hull/Man City game today, not only did you miss a good match, but you missed Jozy Altidore's first Premier League goal! WOOT! Good shot too. He seems to have a good relationship going with Jan Venegoor of Hesselink (still the greatest name in football). He went off in the 60's with a niggling little limp, but I don't think it was serious. Man City looked pretty shitty most of the game.

The Merseyside Derby was an ugly ugly game, despite being able to watch it in HD on ESPN2. If you watched it and didn't think both that Greek guy and Fellaini should have gone off with red cards, you are wrong and I don't know what game you were watching. There were a ton of shitty challenges in that game. It was entertaining, but ugly football. Donovan didn't have a bad game, but he didn't distinguish himself either.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on February 06, 2010, 06:24:34 PM
Yeh that Derby was really old school kicking lumps out of each other, not easy on the eye. Saw the Altidore goal I liked the way he kissed the Haitian wristband after scoring. Though until his explanation it was a bit vague, I thought he was blowin his nose with a hanky.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on February 08, 2010, 08:51:53 AM
I have always loathed Felllaini and would have been happy to see him get sent off (even though I was rooting for Everton). That was really ugly. I wonder if the FA will do anything to him retroactively?


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: veredus on February 16, 2010, 12:36:45 PM
For anyone without Fox Soccer Channel, foxsoccer.com is doing a free stream of champions league Man U vs Milan. Halftime now so can at least catch the second half.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on February 16, 2010, 02:35:51 PM
Fox Sports regional channels had it in HD. I am so glad I noticed- was planning to watch it at 2 on FSC then saw it was live on FSN in HD.

Pure skill on the Scholes goal. Love that Valencia contributes a gorgeous assist 2 minutes after replacing the utterly useless Nani. VDS kept them in the game until they got their feet under them. Should be clear path to the semis now.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on February 16, 2010, 02:55:20 PM
we can live without Ronaldo there was plenty games where he was a liability.

Anyone see the Lyon Real game? If that Ronaldo had played for Utd tonight we would have probably lost 2-1. We were lucky and Rooney made it count.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on February 16, 2010, 06:10:33 PM
Agreed, it could have very easily been 4-1  Milan in the first half. One near miss and a couple great VDS saves allowed for it to be close.

And Rooney with two headers, He's becoming truly fierce.

I saw the second half of the Lyon match, Real just do not look like a 200 million Euro team.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on February 18, 2010, 06:52:36 AM
Indeed Sigil it's good to see Rooney blossoming without that twinkle toed faggot hogging the limelight.

I think the problem with Madrid is the same problem I reckon Liverpool had and that is the overall ability of Alonso. He's a crafted passer of the ball and rarerly loses it, but he doesn't dictate the pace of the game or press forward when it's called for, he's always doing the same thing. They are really missing the craft of Sneijder in the final third he was their best player last year.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on February 18, 2010, 08:07:48 AM
Arsenal, more to the point Fabianski had a total shocker last night.

Also Fox Soccer Plus will be picking up rugby as well as  Carling cup and Championship matches, so some of those earlier fears should be relieved. :looks at Haem:

Hold on... pure skill on scholes goal? you mean the one where he missed the kick and it bounced in off his plant foot? Not sure that was skill, myself.  :grin:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on February 18, 2010, 08:09:46 AM
Also Fox Soccer Plus will be picking up rugby as well as  Carling cup and Championship matches, so some of those earlier fears should be relieved. :looks at Haem:

It won't be a relief until I hear DirecTV say they are actually going to fucking carry the goddamn channel. Bastards have been fiddle-farting around with this AND the FSC in HD question for far too long.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on February 18, 2010, 08:15:54 AM
Also Fox Soccer Plus will be picking up rugby as well as  Carling cup and Championship matches, so some of those earlier fears should be relieved. :looks at Haem:

It won't be a relief until I hear DirecTV say they are actually going to fucking carry the goddamn channel. Bastards have been fiddle-farting around with this AND the FSC in HD question for far too long.

I'm on comcast (damn pine trees on other people property) so I will just continue being thankful that  they added FSC and Gol last year.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on February 18, 2010, 10:22:35 AM
Quote
Arsenal, more to the point Fabianski had a total shocker last night.

God that was horrifying. And all the Arsenal fans were excited that someone beside Almunia was in the net. Whoops.

Also- Porto plays some ugly, dirty football. I hope Arsenal gets their shit together and whips them at Emirates.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Bokonon on February 26, 2010, 07:15:56 AM
Fulham grinds their way to the Europa League Round of 16!

Woohoo!


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on February 26, 2010, 08:28:40 AM
Fulham grinds their way to the Europa League Round of 16!

Woohoo!

Good for them :) Everton choked like dogs. . .

So, update time:

Pompey in administration, and i would not be surprised if they wound up being shut down anyway.  Liverpool will have to go small if they don't make the top four or they'll be just as fucked as Leeds were. Crystal Palace can't fund a buyer,and they'll likely  fade away.

A salary cap is coming. It just about has to.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on February 26, 2010, 09:26:08 AM
I really don't think a salary cap will help the Premier League in anyway. Maybe a cap on transfer fees, or some kind of restriction on just how retarded an amount of debt a club can put on itself. Pompey has been a goddamn shambles since Redknapp left, and I can't say part of the blame shouldn't rest on him for overspending. Of course, Liverpool is probably in as precarious a position as you can get, because not only are they saddled with debt and two owners who could give a flying fuck, their football is passable at best and if they don't make the top 4, it won't get any better in the summer. The football part I put on Benitez - he seemed unwilling to get a striker even on the cheap when that was the most glaring weakness in the whole team. When I look at the bargain deals teams like Wolves got with Kevin Doyle, or Hull got with Zaki, Vennegor of Hesselink and Altidore, it pisses me off that when Torres' glass hamstrings go out like they always do, the best options are Kuyt and N'Gog.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on February 26, 2010, 03:05:51 PM
I really don't think a salary cap will help the Premier League in anyway. Maybe a cap on transfer fees, or some kind of restriction on just how retarded an amount of debt a club can put on itself. Pompey has been a goddamn shambles since Redknapp left, and I can't say part of the blame shouldn't rest on him for overspending. Of course, Liverpool is probably in as precarious a position as you can get, because not only are they saddled with debt and two owners who could give a flying fuck, their football is passable at best and if they don't make the top 4, it won't get any better in the summer. The football part I put on Benitez - he seemed unwilling to get a striker even on the cheap when that was the most glaring weakness in the whole team. When I look at the bargain deals teams like Wolves got with Kevin Doyle, or Hull got with Zaki, Vennegor of Hesselink and Altidore, it pisses me off that when Torres' glass hamstrings go out like they always do, the best options are Kuyt and N'Gog.

Fox Soccer plus on Direc TV and Fios on Monday.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on February 26, 2010, 03:26:44 PM
I keep hearing that but the Directv website doesn't tell you a fucking thing about it and my program guide says nothing either.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on February 27, 2010, 03:42:34 PM
Oh Jesus that tackle on Aaron Ramsey...  :ye_gods:

for those that missed it,  don't say you weren't warned.





Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on February 27, 2010, 04:10:15 PM
I saw it live, felt a bit ill :(



Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on February 27, 2010, 04:17:13 PM
OH HOLY MOTHER OF CRAP!  :ye_gods: :ye_gods: :ye_gods: :ye_gods:

I heard it was bad, but OH GODDAMNIT MY EYES!! That's like Theismann bad.

On a happier note, I watched the Bolton/Wolves game, which wasn't happy at all except that Stuart Holden made his first Premier League start for Bolton. Didn't even know he'd transferred to England. He played well, made a few good runs into the box from midfield positions to get a crack at goal, did decently on corners and free kicks, all in all, he acquitted himself well. Of course, it was against Wolves, but still.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on February 27, 2010, 05:00:55 PM
I have to say the Americans are really making an impression in the Premiership these days, Landon Donovan was man of the match against Man U. I believe you have a bit of a Golden era going at the moment.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on March 02, 2010, 09:03:33 AM
From man of the match to miss of the year. That was a pure MLS moment that was.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Numtini on March 03, 2010, 06:14:50 AM
Quote
I keep hearing that but the Directv website doesn't tell you a fucking thing about it and my program guide says nothing either.

$15 a month. So $30/month total for FSC and FSC+  :ye_gods:

No, gonna pass on that.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on March 03, 2010, 09:50:17 AM
If you were already a Setanta subscriber, Directv enrolled you with Fox Soccer Plus automatically.

FSC should only be $12.99 with the Sports Pack on Directv, and it's included with the top tier package.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on March 10, 2010, 04:40:08 PM
Ahahahahahahahahhahahaahah Real Madrid out of the CL. So awesome.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on March 10, 2010, 08:02:02 PM
Was an interesting game, Real's first goal was a bit fortunate considering the quality of Lyon's keeper but then they proceeded to just make a mess of things in front of goal and from corners/free kicks.  If they had gone up 2-0 in the first half the entire game would have been different.  Instead the French came out with fire in the second, Kaka got lost and Ronaldo was double marked and service became nonexistent.  Very deserving win for Lyon but a shame as a neutral since the first 20 minutes or so of the match showed a dangerous attacking football that almost no other teams can ever be capable of against quality opposition.

The French league is really doing well this year.  Now if Chelsea could just get knocked out somehow that would make my day.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on March 10, 2010, 09:20:16 PM
Real lost to a French side. /snicker

I'd be laughing out loud if it weren't for the losses Liverpool took to French opposition in the CL as well.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on March 11, 2010, 02:33:07 AM
How could it happen with such an amazing team player as Ronaldo, we'll never know I guess.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on March 11, 2010, 07:49:01 AM
Funny how buying as many of the best players in the world as you can afford doesn't translate into instant success. They should have paid attention to the Yankees.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on March 11, 2010, 04:24:51 PM
What was that about losing to French opposition Haem?

Fulham got smacked around, but three cheers for Clint Dempsey back playing!


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Bokonon on March 11, 2010, 06:43:59 PM
About the only consolation Fulham has is that they got an away goal. Now they have to win 2-0; at home, at least.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on March 12, 2010, 07:49:55 AM
What was that about losing to French opposition Haem?

If you watched Liverpool's Europa Cup game with Lille, you saw the same shit you saw against Wigan. This team has completely lost the fucking plot. They turned into a useless long ball team, with no passing ability, no ability to hold possession, no real attacking prowess whatso-fucking-ever. It was pitiful. You have two holding midfielders (Lucas & Mascherano), and everyone else in the midfield is running up field waiting for a pass. Lucas and Masch are outnumbered in the midfield 4-2 so either lose the ball when they get it or have to pass back to the defense who then either have to try to run it up field themselves or kick it long. Kuyt has completely forgotten how to play in the last two games - maybe he's wore down. Babel was up there doing his usual - i.e. running directly at people and losing the ball to the slightest hint of a tackle. Gerrard kept trying to get open but even when he did, he had no one to pass it to. Torres was on a fucking island all night getting beat to shit by the backs which the refs never call because half the time he's diving anyway. Neither fullback is capable of playing how Rafa's trying to get them to play, as a full fledged winger while the guys playing on the wings are supposed to squeeze inside. And when they lose possession, the fullbacks have to bust their asses to get back and cover their spots because Lucas sure as fuck can't do it.

And the bench is even worse. You have a decent real left winger on the bench in Riera and apparently Rafa just doesn't think he can play anymore. Aquilani has been a complete flop through no fault of his own - Benitez refuses to start him instead of Lucas, despite the fact that Lucas can't see a pass out of midfield that isn't square or back to the defense. 20 million pounds to come off the bench every 2 or 3 games and have no real impact because he's not what you'd call a super sub. When he's played, he's looked ok, but he hasn't played. And their set pieces are fucking nightmares. When they aren't asleep, they usually just aren't anywhere near where they need to be. That Lille goal was a fucking crime. No ball that lazy should be let go to drift into the net like that - either the keeper needs to come out for it and risk being beaten by a header or the fucking defense needs to get a touch on it. Standing there like statues killed them.

4th place? Fuck it, they'll be lucky if they get a Europa League spot.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on March 12, 2010, 04:38:21 PM
One of the three is Tottenham. I'm pretty sure they'll find a way to fuck it up. I'm just waiting on it to happen. I say this as a Spurs fan,  where the unofficial motto is, "This is why we can't have nice things"

Villa? eh maybe I'd feel more comfortable with them than City.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Bokonon on March 13, 2010, 11:33:00 AM
See, the above two comments is glad I happened into supporting FFC. Sure, the first two years were rough, but right about now the fans are like, "this is pretty good, what's next?"


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on March 13, 2010, 03:39:31 PM
See, the above two comments is glad I happened into supporting FFC. Sure, the first two years were rough, but right about now the fans are like, "this is pretty good, what's next?"

True, but we have a  competing train wreck that may just combine to have something really good happen, just so that something really bad can happen later. I refer to the Pavy/'arry feud. Pavy may be the spark that lifts Tottenham to fourth, only to be sold off by the Redknapp in the summer  :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on March 15, 2010, 08:43:50 AM
I'd definitely tap Villa over Man City. They shouldn't be a better team, just based on the money spent, but they are. Man City shouldn't have let Dunne go, as I think he's a better defender than Lescott. With all the strikers on the team, you'd think City would be running up the scores on people, but it isn't happening.

Big Harry has a problem - he gets in a snit about a player, and he won't play that guy no matter how good he is. Pavy is better than Harry thinks - shit, I'd be happy to have him in a Liverpool shirt. But he did the same damn thing with Portsmouth. David Nugent is showing his quality now at Burnley, but Harry refused to play him at all - meanwhile, he continued to put Pappa Booba Diaop in the lineup despite the fact that guy didn't seem to have any real footballing skills. Harry gets results, but he has a blind spot with some players that I can't quite figure out.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on March 16, 2010, 03:18:17 PM
Adios Chelsea.  :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on March 16, 2010, 04:01:22 PM
That was awesome, though I never thought I'd be cheering a Mourinho team on.

Also like I said.

They are really missing the craft of Sneijder in the final third he was their best player last year.

Edit: grammar


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on March 17, 2010, 08:43:44 AM
Adios Chelsea.  :awesome_for_real:

Yeah, much ROOFLES. Fuck you, Roman.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Abagadro on March 17, 2010, 08:33:24 PM
Messi is a fucking wizard.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on March 18, 2010, 11:01:03 AM
Messi is a fucking wizard.

Yeah he is pretty amazing to watch.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on March 18, 2010, 11:29:59 AM
Messi almost singlehandedly won the game for Barca against Valencia in La Liga this week. Valencia was doing pretty decently in the first half, holding Messi in check and actually making some decent attacks without David Villa in the lineup (he was out with a shoulder problem). Second half comes, they take out Bojan Kircic and replace him with Henry and Messi just owns face. Hat trick, shots of pure beauty.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on March 18, 2010, 11:37:46 AM
He's a rare talent, great attitude to the game aswell.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on March 18, 2010, 12:07:02 PM
Messi almost singlehandedly won the game for Barca against Valencia in La Liga this week. Valencia was doing pretty decently in the first half, holding Messi in check and actually making some decent attacks without David Villa in the lineup (he was out with a shoulder problem). Second half comes, they take out Bojan Kircic and replace him with Henry and Messi just owns face. Hat trick, shots of pure beauty.

Henry made 2 of those really fucking easy, that one ball he had to lunge to get off to Messi was fucking fantastic.  Messi is a rare talent though, hes almost impossible to disposes with the ball at his feet.  Its a shame that both him and CR9 play on such dysfunctional national sides that just can't play anywhere near potential.

Looking forward to the champ league draw tomorrow - a no English final would be real treat after the last few years but I'm still pulling for Arsenal in the meantime since they make such a point of playing attractive football.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Bokonon on March 18, 2010, 01:36:22 PM
Yeah, it was dodgy in parts, but Fulham just beat Juve 4-1, to move into the quarters on aggregate (5-4).

Holy smokes.

Also, nice chip by Dempsey there.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on March 18, 2010, 04:16:28 PM
What is up with Juventus this year? They have been Liverpoolesque  :oh_i_see:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on March 18, 2010, 04:23:49 PM
Inter aside, the whole Italian league is in decline and has been for a few years. I mean just look how a not completely on form United team dismantled Milan. Inter happen to have the one of the best managers in the world right now, otherwise they would be in the same boat.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on March 18, 2010, 04:59:52 PM
That was a freaking amazing bit of skill by Deuce.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on March 19, 2010, 08:10:57 AM
Liverpool makes it through, though I would hardly call the win against Lille convincing. 3-0 and Lille never really seemed to mount any serious challenges on Liverpool's half. Hazard who absolutely ran the game last week was totally shut off this week. And Liverpool get Benfica next - winning Europa is not going to be easy.

The Albert Riera criticisms of Rafa ring so true to what I see as an outsider. And all the rumors that Benitez will be gone after the season and replaced by McLeish or O'Neill - bring them on. I don't want O'Neill leaving Villa because I like Villa and would hate to see him go from a decent American owner in Randy Lerner to the asshole brigade at Liverpool. McLeish though, I would welcome with open arms. Maybe he'd actually find and play some of the young talent that is supposedly waiting in the wings at Liverpool. Rafa has Glenn Johnson out for months, and rather than play Martin Kelly at right back, he shifts Carragher over there where he clearly is not comfortable. Hell, even when he was forced to put Carragher back in the center by injury, he fucking put Mascherano back there instead of a natural right back like Degen or Kelly. Torres was out for months and he barely used the kid Pacheco who is supposed to have some talent. How does he expect these kids to get any seasoning?

He may be a fine tactician in a game (though I dispute that based on his team selection and choice of subs) but he's crap as a guy who controls all transfer policy and the reserves and academy callups.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on March 25, 2010, 02:05:17 PM
Woot MLS kicks off tonight with FC Seattle Sounders v Philadelphia Union. They missed it by a day- yesterday was one of the nicest early spring days I have ever seen around here (68 and sunny), while today is off and on rain all day and at about 15 degrees cooler. Should still be a fun crowd. ESPN 2 6:30 PDT.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on March 26, 2010, 11:04:41 PM
Watched most of the game til I fell asleep. That second goal was good work by Montero.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on March 26, 2010, 11:26:52 PM
2 nice goals, and 2 or 3 others that should have been goals. God I hope there isn't season full of bad finishing. If they can put away most of their chances they will have a good year.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on March 30, 2010, 09:30:27 PM
Ahahahahahahahahahahahahaha



Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on March 30, 2010, 10:55:51 PM
 :heartbreak:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on March 31, 2010, 07:13:02 AM
Now is Berbatovs time to shine  :uhrr:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on March 31, 2010, 08:34:53 AM
Since Liverpool is out of the Champions' League this year, I'm really hoping for a non-English final. I'd laugh my ass off if it came down to Lyon v. Bayern, if only to watch Fergie's face as he lost to a Bundesliga side.

Finally started watching the Tivo'ed MLS game from last week, Fire vs. Red Bulls. Man, that new soccer-only arena in New York is FINE. They did a helluva job.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on March 31, 2010, 08:47:15 AM
Now is Berbatovs time to shine  :uhrr:

He at least looks more interested in what is going on the past few weeks, and he was good against Bolton. Not going to be enough against the blue cunts, however.  :ye_gods:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on March 31, 2010, 01:41:33 PM
Best game since probably the France v Nederlands Euro 2008 match.  Holy fucking hell.

How anyone can dare to root for any other English side over Arsenal is beyond me.  I'd post more but I don't want to spoiler until everyone has had a chance to watch.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Abagadro on March 31, 2010, 06:07:00 PM
Give me a rundown if you would.  I'm in Vegas without much access so don't know much beyonf the final score and that it looks like Barca's entire backline is suspended for the next match.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on April 01, 2010, 08:21:14 AM
That was fucking insane. Almunia was invincible in the first half, then loses his mind and comes after a ball he had no hope of getting near 40 seconds into the second half. Also, the next Arsenal fan I hear bitching about other teams being lucky and playing too physically is getting a shot to the pills. They were hacking the fuck out of Barca and were lucky as fucking hell to not lose that game 6-1.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on April 01, 2010, 09:05:26 AM
Give me a rundown if you would.  I'm in Vegas without much access so don't know much beyonf the final score and that it looks like Barca's entire backline is suspended for the next match.

At the 20-30min mark the shots were 12(6) to 1(0) in favor of Barca and Almunia had made two point blank reflex saves.  Barca was taking it to them for the first half hour at will, it was insane it could have should have been 3-0 it felt like.  Arsenal looked helpless, Barca was pressing up so much that they were having to go for long balls constantly which wasn't working at all and they were just getting zero possession.  The halftime stats for possession were 70% for Barca according to the feed I watched which I have almost never seen.  In the last 15 minutes after somehow not giving up a goal Arsenal sort of found their way into the game, Arshavin and Gallas had to be subbed off due to injury but they were causing some trouble with Nasri and were setting up crosses but they really just didn't have a lot of targets in the middle.  So it goes to halftime where if you had only seen the last 10 minutes it looked like a more normal contest that Barca were still better but that either team might possibly break through.

Immediately in the second half despite all sorts of heroics in the first Almunia gets caught in no mans land and chipped by Ibra and really Barca start taking it to them harder and harder again, it wasn't quite first half bad though since Arsenal's strategy of playing a really high line in defense to shorten the field plus actually developing a plan to use the counterattack was at least resulting in brief bits of possession and half chances.  So Arsenal even down 1-0 was still more in the game then they had been in the first 30 minutes they even had a golden chance where their big white striker who I hate rose up and cleanly headed a cross from about 8 yrds but he didn't aim it away from the keeper.  For me that seemed like a miss that they really badly needed.

Not long after that Ibra split the defenders high line with ease and the ball in was perfect so he got an almost uncontested shot and finished it beautifully 2-0 Barca and now I figured the game and the tie was totally over.  But Arsenal dug deep and then when they subbed in Theo Wolcott the game started to just change quickly.  Barca started playing lazy Barca style and Wolcott was just charging down the right wing at will effectively uncontested.  I really can't do this justice Arsenal literally had looked for most of the game just completely outclassed, on their own pitch, their strategy of keeping a high line had been broken twice the second time with such supreme ease it felt like Barca was going to score 5 more now that they had figured it out.  The game had been looking like Utd. v Roma from last year or Arsenal v Porto this year the skill disparity had seemed so great at times.  Now all of a sudden Barca starts playing really really lazy in midfield and they almost entirely stop pressuring or closing down anyone anywhere on the pitch. 

Suddenly Wolcott gets a pretty good pass in and makes a decent run and the Barca defense just isn't really there and he slots it in 2-1, I would still say against the run of play though not really since Barca had been fading fast out of the game for a good 5 minutes at that point.  Arsenal then completely flipped the tables and came after them as hard as they had been jumping down Arsenal's throats in the first half.  Seriously to watch a game make such a complete 180 and have two lopsided as fuck periods of play especially in a Champion's League round of 8 game between two teams that are this good was just crazy shit.  Arsenal was all over them looking for the equalizer and got it through a pk off a very ticky tack foul in the box on Pujols that did come about from some fucking great build up so it felt a little more justified then such calls usually do.  Cesc steps up and ices the pk but he fucking destroys his knee while doing it.  They have no subs left so the game basically is 10v10 just Pujols was given a straight red for the foul in the box.  Thats when shit got really crazy for awhile.  Barca woke up and tried to start playing again and Arsenal was still out for blood and it really felt like if Cesc could have actually participated they might have found the winner.  As it was it ended 2-2 and was the best game I've seen in terms of having a little of everything in a long long time.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Abagadro on April 01, 2010, 11:50:52 AM
Thanks. Bummed I missesd it.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on April 03, 2010, 09:43:02 AM
One of the three is Tottenham. I'm pretty sure they'll find a way to fuck it up. I'm just waiting on it to happen. I say this as a Spurs fan,  where the unofficial motto is, "This is why we can't have nice things"


Fuck you Spurs.

Fuck. You.

*looks at the TV, sees 3-0 Citeh before  the what, the sixth minute?*

Motherfuck you Spurs.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on April 03, 2010, 03:36:57 PM
It's a fucking disgrace!


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on April 03, 2010, 04:20:44 PM
By Darren Bent no less. God Dammit


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on April 04, 2010, 09:09:02 PM
Should have never gotten rid of Bent.  :drill:

Watched the Sounders/Red Bull game. If you haven't watched MLS lately, there is some really good, exciting football being played. Having seen both their games, the Red Bulls are a MUCH improved team. They aren't great by any stretch of the imagination, but they are a significant upgrade over last year's version. Both teams played some good passing, attacking football. That Kandji guy is a fast motherfucker. A bit of better finishing and the game could easily have been 3-0 for the Bulls or 3-1 for the Sounders.

Also, fucking Liverpool. Talk about missing wide open chances. And WTF Benitez? Taking Torres out in the 64th minute so that N'Gog can miss 3 wide open shots on goal? FUCK.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on April 05, 2010, 05:15:25 AM
RBNY is a nice little outfit. That new stadium of theirs is really freaking sweet as well. Quality appears to have gone up across the board, well except for DC and San Jose


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Bokonon on April 05, 2010, 07:00:21 AM
RBNY is a nice little outfit. That new stadium of theirs is really freaking sweet as well. Quality appears to have gone up across the board, well except for DC and San Jose

And New England...


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on April 05, 2010, 08:52:25 AM
It was actually kind of a shame that Seattle and New York were playing on that artificial turf, which looked fucking terrible. I don't see the Sounders getting a soccer only stadium of their own for a while - after all, they sold 31,000 SEASON TICKETS. They'd need at least a 35,000 seat arena. I don't see a 2nd year franchise putting together the loans needed to justify that, not when Qwest is still packing them in like it is.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on April 06, 2010, 12:12:33 PM
Areselona has been entertaining so far. Oh, and that Messi guy is kinda good.  :oh_i_see:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on April 06, 2010, 01:45:41 PM
^^^^^^^
Posted after his first goal. Holy shit.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Abagadro on April 06, 2010, 05:52:01 PM
Ya, he's slightly impressive.  :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on April 07, 2010, 06:02:49 PM
LOL Fulham. England's Last Best Hope in Europe :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on April 07, 2010, 08:46:33 PM
Carrick should have been wearing clownshoes most of the match. And I am pretty sure no one will ever find Rafael's body where Fergie hides it. What a fucking moron.


Title: .
Post by: Amarr HM on April 08, 2010, 02:52:45 AM
Carrick was the main culprit god he was terrible, rafael was playing out of his skin  and i reckon he didn deserve the second yellow was totally innocuos challenge, ref bottled it 


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on April 08, 2010, 08:57:45 AM
His first yellow was totally and completely his own petulant fault. The 2nd was soft, but having already taken the first he can't make that kind of challenge. He played very well going forward but wasn't a lot of help in his own half, at least that I noticed.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on April 08, 2010, 11:04:45 AM
His first yeh no question, but the second was ridiculous. Rafael momentarily tugged Ribery's shoulder to try and gain ground on him and then let go, in turn Ribery made an angry and petulant lunge into the young guy and then called foul play, ref was easily duped and the whole gameplan went out the window thanks to the moment of insanity. All I can be thankful for is we would likely have been trounced by Barca and Robbens goal was in fact a screamer.

But I'm gutted, having been robbed by the officials in the two most important games of the season so far.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on April 08, 2010, 12:20:00 PM
He pulled on Ribery's shoulder from behind, impeding his advancement of the play. Gary Neville's evil uglier twin made a meal out of it, but Rafael can't allow the question to be asked of the official. He was all over the map on calls all day long, and you can't give him the opportunity to show you another yellow. I think it was a terribly soft call, but I think Rafael's judgment was worse than the call.

I don't think the official necessarily cost them the game. The Chelsea game, on the other hand...Jesus. How Mike Dean isn't busted down to reffing in the park by now is beyond me. The guy is fucking clueless.

Fake edit- went to double check that it was in fact Dean as I remembered, and found this (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=767352&sec=england&cc=5901). So he is on the way to the park, it seems. One game too late  :mob:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on April 08, 2010, 12:44:33 PM
Bullshit, you don't get cards for tugging a players shoulder on the half way line. If you did every game would finish with five players on each team. If he was persistently doing it, which he wasn't, ref has a quiet word and gives a warning doesn't just jump to his pocket.

I reckon what happened is the ref went to book him and then realised after it was his second so had to send him off.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on April 08, 2010, 01:36:40 PM
I see people booked for that all the time, although it is usually a hell of a lot closer to the goal. However, it looked more like the Bayern players railroaded the ref into the card- he didn't whip it out initially. That is my biggest complaint. That and the fact that Rafael can't let himself be in that position. He was straying too far forward, and was desperate to get back in time (so we didn't have to watch Carrick get abused in the area in his place again  :oh_i_see: ).

I agree that is was soft and that the yellow was way overboard, but Rafael has his share of the blame, both for his utter stupidity in the first half (he was absolutely right that he was fouled, but he can't retaliate), and for not bring more cautious after being cautioned  :oh_i_see: . You see refs all over look past relatively minor offfenses when someone has been booked, because sending someone off (especially with 35 minutes left in the game!) is a huge, game-changing event, and MOST refs want to be sure they are completely justified.

Now- how do we get Chelsea to spit the bit at this late stage?


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on April 08, 2010, 02:21:10 PM
You're right though Rafael is overexuberant and inexperienced. He likes to try and nip in and intercept passes, which leaves him trailing back if he fails, he generally has the pace to get away with it but not against Ribery or similar. He's young and he has huge potential I don't think he should be too down on himself, he played a great game up til then which I guess is why I feel sorry for him.

Now- how do we get Chelsea to spit the bit at this late stage?

We don't we're fucked, I reckon no trophies for us this season :oh_i_see:

What really fucked us up this season was the Fulham & Villa losses and the glut of defenders we had injured around that time, I knew that would come back to haunt us.

But we do have some exciting prospects to look forward to next season. Nani & Fletcher are getting better all the time, Rafael's a promising talent. Valencia was man of the match against Bayern, De Michelis couldn't cope and Rooney is proving he's better than Ronaldo up front. Our glaring weakness is a world class midfielder, Gibson maybe? who knows. I reckon we need to sign someone who can play in the hole behind Rooney and deliver, I've totally lost faith in Berbatov (I guess Sigil was right, yes you can say I told you so now).


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on April 08, 2010, 02:33:53 PM
Nani is starting to grow on me. He has been infuriating for years, but all his little tricks and feints are starting to pay off. His first goal was just sick. As for Valencia- why do defenders not just take away his right foot? He fakes left, fakes left, fakes left and goes right. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. and still gets away with it.

As for the rest of midfield, maybe Hargreaves?  :oh_i_see:

I wish the Glazers would fuck off so the club could get its debt under control and be in a position to buy a couple of players.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on April 08, 2010, 02:57:57 PM
I've always reckoned Nani deserved a chance, after all Ronaldo was equally infuriating for his first two seasons. But we'll see if he can maintain it, he's got amazing ability.

As for Valencia- why do defenders not just take away his right foot? He fakes left, fakes left, fakes left and goes right. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. and still gets away with it.

Haha, too true :awesome_for_real:

EDIT: He has always reminded me of Andrej Kanchelskis, now I have figured out why. If my memory serves me he used to do the same thing.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on April 08, 2010, 08:53:52 PM
I wish the Glazers would fuck off so the club could get its debt under control and be in a position to buy a couple of players.

I'll trade you Hicks and Gillette for the Glazers. World class assholes they are, but at least they had the balls to pay for a second striker (and a third in Owen) when Rooney goes down, and that's with like 3 times the debt Liverpool has.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on April 14, 2010, 02:10:57 PM
One of the three is Tottenham. I'm pretty sure they'll find a way to fuck it up. I'm just waiting on it to happen. I say this as a Spurs fan,  where the unofficial motto is, "This is why we can't have nice things"


Fuck you Spurs.

Fuck. You.

*looks at the TV, sees 3-0 Citeh before  the what, the sixth minute?*

Motherfuck you Spurs.

And today is why I haven't given up. Fucking glorious.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on April 16, 2010, 09:54:24 AM
Hey look good news for Liverpool. (http://football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_6096369,00.html)

Now if only the Glazers would do the same.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on April 16, 2010, 10:18:21 AM
Lucky scouser bastards! I was reading yesterday that Barclay's was in the middle of the negotiations to try to get H&G to sell. Maybe they will do the same for Man Utd to help protect their 'brand'.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on April 17, 2010, 07:13:05 AM
Another exciting finish for the United scrapbook & at least we fucked over City twice this season :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on April 17, 2010, 10:11:20 PM
Another exciting finish for the United scrapbook & at least we fucked over City twice this season :awesome_for_real:
God I love that Ginger bastard. And thanks, Spurs!


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on April 18, 2010, 08:09:14 AM
Sorry, was too busy dancing after that total domination of Chelsea. If only Spurs could have finished better. I'm really looking forward to the game at Old Trafford. 


And wow, Arsenal, trying to give Spurs a sniff at third are you?


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on April 18, 2010, 12:28:40 PM
I officially hate Tom Hicks (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=772958&sec=england&cc=5901&campaign=rss&source=soccernet).

He wants 3 times what they paid for Liverpool, despite saddling the club with huge debts, half-assing the transfers, not even breaking ground on the stadium and leashing the club's fortunes to a manager who has likely led them out of Europe and is what, 3-4 years removed from any silverware whatsoever? What a cunt.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on April 18, 2010, 02:30:07 PM
yep he's a a douche

I should stick this in the MLS thread... but how about Edson Buddle to South Africa?  :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Mr_PeaCH on April 19, 2010, 11:00:06 AM
Sorry, was too busy dancing after that total domination of Chelsea. If only Spurs could have finished better. I'm really looking forward to the game at Old Trafford. 


And wow, Arsenal, trying to give Spurs a sniff at third are you?


What a week!  Bale is my new hero.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on April 20, 2010, 07:20:41 AM
Liverpool could not have looked more comatose against West Ham last night if they'd been dosed with Roofies and dropped from a very great height. They were absolutely catatonic - yet still managed to beat West Ham 3-0. The game was fucking boring. West Ham camped at the 50-yard line and any service into the box could have been delivered better by a paraplegic. How the fuck is West Ham not wallowing the mire with Pompey? Oh right, because the management position at Hull apparently renders perfectly sane managers with temporary retardation that causes them to think guys like Craig Fagan are automatic first 11 picks.

If Liverpool can't muster any more enthusiasm than they showed last night on Thursday, it's going to be a long two-leg affair.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on April 20, 2010, 09:07:52 AM
As long as they find a way to drub Chelsea for the good of everything that is holy then they will be forgiven. At least until next season.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on April 20, 2010, 01:13:17 PM
At this point, they HAVE to beat Chelsea and everyone else they play to even have the faintest glimmer at 4th. Even if they do, I don't think they'll get 4th because I don't see Spurs and City losing enough of their remaining games. And without Torres for the rest of the season, I don't think we can beat Fulham, Hamburg or Atletico Madrid to win UEFA Cup. N'gog certainly has some potential, but no way do I have any confidence he can score consistently.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on April 22, 2010, 08:49:41 PM
I am sure tired of having to bitch about officiating in every sports thread, but jesus fuck MLS.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on April 24, 2010, 09:22:02 AM
Luckily for us Spurs didn't play as well as they have been playing of late, Bale was definitely out of sorts left back and made more of an impact when pushed forward. Looking at the bench though Spurs have a pretty decent squad for a change, puts Liverpools to shame.

That was a massive victory for United and there is an outside chance we can nick this now, although I think it's unlikely still. The ref was fairly decent today for a change and I think both penalties shouts were spot on. On a sidenote if John Terry played for Spurs and had committed them, they wouldn't have been given.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on April 24, 2010, 05:51:49 PM
Fucking worthless Liverpool better at least tie at Anfield versus Chelsea.

Hull going down, only 1 goal scored, straight red to Jozy for pulling a Zizzou?  Jesus, what a fucking mess and not what I prayed we would see from him this season going into the World Cup.

I really want to watch the Citeh v Spurs game, hope its winner gets fourth place though Citeh can't sleep on the AV game on Wednesday.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on April 24, 2010, 05:53:09 PM
Hull going down, only 1 goal scored, straight red to Jozy for pulling a Zizzou? 

I missed this, did he headbutt someone?


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on April 25, 2010, 12:14:20 AM
Altidore headbutted a guy, though it didn't look like he was really trying to headbutt so much as he lost control. Having seen him play with Hull a number of times, his performance hasn't been bad - he's had fuckall for service and the team around him has been crap. Phil Brown insisted on playing complete duds all season - Dowie didn't do much better. The game with Sunderland today was just fucking awful. Sunderland should have won by at least 3 goals, Bullard couldn't complete a pass or make a penalty shot. Horrible football.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on April 26, 2010, 06:35:28 PM
I am sure tired of having to bitch about officiating in every sports thread, but jesus fuck MLS.

LOL don't think bad calls had anything  to do with the beatdown the Reds put on your boys.  :awesome_for_real:



Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on April 27, 2010, 08:45:20 AM
No that was well deserved. They played like total shit, especially in the 2nd half. Of course they had like 5 regular starters on the bench, but still...

I was referring to the incredibly soft penalty given with 30 seconds to go in stoppage time from a referee who would have been in a better position to make the call if he was season ticket holder.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on May 02, 2010, 12:06:32 PM
Liverpool  :facepalm: Can't even make a good go at trying to beat fucking Chelsea at home. I quit watching after the second goal, it was just too fucking painful. I'll be seriously debating whether to watch next week's absolutely meaningless game against Hull. And now Rafa is sort of making rumblings that he's going to leave for the same reason he left Valencia, the owners wouldn't let him buy the players he wants.

Fuck off. Really, just fuck off to Juve or wherever they will put up with your prima donna bullshit. Yes, Hicks and Gillette are douchebags who have ran the club into idiotic levels of debt for no good result at all and now expect to make double the profit they paid for the fucking club. You spent 20 million pounds on a guy you refused to start for most of the season. You refused to buy backup strikers for a star you had to know would get hurt - fuck look at a club like Wigan or Hull. These guys got good strikers on loan or on the cheap. You could have taken the 20 million you spent on Aquilani and bought a decent 2nd striker and a creative midfielder and had change for tea. It's entirely your fault that you had no depth in defense or up front or the wings for that matter. It's also not their fault that you refuse to play young players like Pacheco when your injuries mount. He can't be any fucking worse than Ryan Bobbley or Donkey Legs Leiva. I could write a novel on what went wrong with this season, and most every problem can be laid at the Spanish cunt's feet.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on May 03, 2010, 06:16:05 PM
 :uhrr: :ye_gods: :uhrr: :ye_gods:

pretty much switching between these two for the next day and a half


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on May 03, 2010, 09:11:43 PM
Looking forward to the Spurs/City game. It's the last EPL game I care about the results from this season. Whether United or Chelsea win the title, it'll still go to a team of Douchebags.  :oh_i_see:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Bokonon on May 04, 2010, 10:01:04 AM
You guys better not steal Hodgson away this summer... Though honestly, big team status aside, I think Hodgson knows moving to Liverpool would only hurt him, especially if he wants the England job after Capello. With Liverpool in general disarray, plus the added expectations from the supporters, the shine is going to rub off real quick on Sir Woy's reputation if he moves.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on May 04, 2010, 02:32:38 PM
At this point, I'd take Neil Lennon for Liverpool over Rafa. Or Tony Mowbray, I hear he's not busy these days.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on May 05, 2010, 05:56:42 PM
I am so happy right now.

But now I want Spurs to go for the kill. Beat Burnley, Arsenal lose and nab third.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on May 05, 2010, 08:20:37 PM
I'd love to see Arsenal drop to 4th. I was also glad to see that Peter Crouch, a man Liverpool sold away, scored the goal that put Spurs into the Champions League. How's that transfer policy working out for you, Rafa, you cunt?  :oh_i_see:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on May 06, 2010, 06:23:39 AM
I'm delighted for Spurs was a great game. Yeh haha Crouchy sure stuffed that to Rafa red face.

How about this for a mad referee decision? (http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/world-of-sport/article/1224/)


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on May 06, 2010, 08:58:13 AM
Wow that sucks. But to be fair to the refs most divers go down like they got hit by sniper fire, so a heart attack would look much the same.  :oh_i_see:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Mr_PeaCH on May 08, 2010, 09:49:55 AM
I am so happy right now.

But now I want Spurs to go for the kill. Beat Burnley, Arsenal lose and nab third.

CHEERS!  (And come on Fulham!)


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on May 09, 2010, 08:08:55 PM
Sounders played so bad that they offered a refund to their season ticket holders, and Wigan bent over and let Chelsea rape their way to the title. What a shitty weekend.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on May 10, 2010, 03:51:36 AM
Sounders played so bad that they offered a refund to their season ticket holders, and Wigan bent over and let Chelsea rape their way to the title. What a shitty weekend.

Kasey had like what, two goals slip through his fingers?

I want to see just what happened in the San Jose New York Game. I didn't expect that result.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on May 10, 2010, 11:40:56 AM
Fucking Liverpool. Couldn't even manage to score or let in a goal in their game with Hull. Battle of the Limp Dick teams. Glad I didn't watch it.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on May 10, 2010, 12:09:18 PM
Sounders played so bad that they offered a refund to their season ticket holders, and Wigan bent over and let Chelsea rape their way to the title. What a shitty weekend.

Kasey had like what, two goals slip through his fingers?

I want to see just what happened in the San Jose New York Game. I didn't expect that result.

The first one was really bad...he dove and it tailed back into him and he just got his fingertips on it. He makes that save 99/100. The other 3 (jesus) were a combination of piss poor marking and LA (and Landon Donvan in particular) just being really fucking good. If Donovan plays like that next month in SA i like our chances to make some noise. He was lethal.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on May 26, 2010, 11:09:51 AM
23-man roster is out.

Forwards
Some big gambles here, I love the picks. Fuck Ching. Dunno who Findley is but love taking Gomez and Buddle, its still going to be Jozy's show and he'll need to step it up for the USMNT to get out of group. I still wish Davies was along for the ride even if he never touched the field, we're going to miss him more then any other player I suspect.

Midfield
I'm resigned to the idea that keeping DMB was not stupid. That really pains me but its possible we'll need his speed and service and some point and sadly we can't get it anywhere else. Maurice Edu will make this the best midfield we've had for quite some time. I hope Ricardo Clark has sharpened his skills and gotten a bit smarter, I really liked him last time the national team was playing. I hope the Torres starts against Turkey, I think he is what we need more of (intelligent calm and creative ball control and passing) in our midfield but he never seems to get a chance.

Defense
Gooch looks bad, but I guess the chance of having him is better than taking some no name mls defender who would get smoked. Oh wait we did do that, hi Bornstein good to see you again you fucking chump. Sigh. This defense looks terrible. Gooch and the always overrated anyways Bocanegra are suspect as fuck, Jay DeMerrit had that crazy eye thing that I haven't followed up on in forever how many games did he miss and did he manage to close out the season w/ Watford getting P/T? Spector is my favorite of the bunch and thats just because while average he plays fairly smart and plays hard.

All in all, we're going to let in a goal every game and probably 2 without Howard making at least one highlight reel save, that is unless Bradley and Clark suddenly become nasty hardnosed clog up the middle cover back beast midfielders WHICH WOULD BE AWESOME. So here is hoping that Bob Bradley continues to take the risks in order to have the creativity and skill on the field to create some scoring chances and rolls w/ his hot strikers and then we just pray. I'm so fucking nervous, god I love the World Cup.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on May 26, 2010, 01:37:29 PM
Judging from what I saw last night, the defending will definitely be the weak point. Obviously some of those guys aren't going to SA, but yeesh.

Forwards-I disagree about Ching- he is not an overly skilled or scary player, but he has a nose for the ball and seems to be the only forward who can hold possession long enough to get an attack started. I like Gomez, and Buddle is hot. Glad EJ is not going- that guy has perpetually sucked. I can't believe he still gets called up.

Midfield- I agree about Edu. I was praying he would be healed and back in form in time to go. I can't stand Ricardo Clark- have hated him since his red card vs Italy (why do we always get fucked over against them? Fuck Italy), and he just doesn't impress me. He is also blocking me from being the captain of the team in FIFA World Cup 2010, so doubly fuck him! This is a deep group who should hopefully be able to hold and control the ball better than the scrubs last night. Hopefully DMB will be used as a late sub to run the right back into the ground. I don't want him starting.

Defenders- Not a fan of many people here. Onyewu looked rusty as hell; hopefully he plays his way into form in the next 2 games. Cherundolo looked the best of them last night, at least going forward. Tim Howard is going to have to play like Friedel did in 2002 to give us any chance in the knockout rounds.

2nd in group, lose to Serbia in the 2nd round. Interesting that they play a friendly with Australia and then might meet them in the 2nd round if things shake out right.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Hoax on May 26, 2010, 11:23:39 PM
I hope next month will prove you are off base about Clark, he was too stupid in that game but if he has matured and wised up a little he has the skills to be a missing piece in terms of defensive midfield and his partnership with Bradley at times has been something to write home about in the center of the pitch.

Ching added nothing, the likelihood we are playing with a huge lead where its useful to play a hold up striker is low, also he can only do that against CONCACAF level opposition not against real world powers so we are better off searching for goals which Ching never has nor will provide at this level.

I think Cherundolo, DeMerrit and Spector can all get enough of a job done to not lose the game for us but 3 out of 4 just doesn't cut it especially when you have nobody who is great enough to make up for the inevitable mistakes except Howard.  We'll need Howard to play like Friedel circa '02 to get out of group, its not even worth mentioning the knock out rounds.

Its really hard to tell how this campaign is going to go because so much is riding on a game between two very unpredictable teams who might be even more strange when facing each other in the first game in England v USA, I already feel like I'm starting to lose sleep over that game.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on May 27, 2010, 03:58:22 AM
Flying out to Philly tomorrow to see the boys off against Turkey. Hopefully the party will be a little better than the slop seen earlier this week.  Happy that Ching is staying home, as he can help the Dynamo get a few wins under their belt and I don't think he fits in with the chemistry Bradley is looking for.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on May 27, 2010, 12:27:00 PM
I think Ching is decent enough at holding up possession. But I wouldn't mind if Bradley plays with only 1 up top against speedy teams anyway, since our midfield is as strong as it is. He can always add a second striker if behind late in the game.

Our defense is definitely our weak point. Gooch has never impressed me as anything more than a physical giant with little football skill. He has a horrible time figuring out the right pass when trying to transition out of the back. I had hoped his time in Italy would help that but he got hurt. Howard however, is certainly capable of playing out of his mind when his defense lets him down. I fully believe Jolean Lescott got exposed as an average defender once he didn't have Howard behind him anymore.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on May 27, 2010, 01:39:24 PM
Unfortunately, a hot keeper can only take you so far. In the NHL, a hot goalie can win you a Stanley Cup, but soccer is so team-defense dependent that there is only so much a keeper can do.

As for playing 1 player up top- That could possibly work, especially if you put Dempsey or Donovan behind him in the CF/CAM spot. Donovan is so good on the wings that I would hesitate to move him inside, unless DMB has actually seen the light and can be useful down the wing. Or Holden, who has really impressed me in the past year or so.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on May 27, 2010, 02:01:57 PM
Holden is still recovering from a broken leg, so I don't expect him to start much. That's what you get for signing with Bolton.  :why_so_serious: I don't think Beasley can do enough for 90 minutes to make a difference. If I were to go one up top, I'd leave Donovan and Dempsey on the wings (Luckiest man alive), and go with 3 mids like Clarke, Bradley and Feilhaber, allowing Bradley and Feilhaber to switch off making attacking midfielder runs. Maybe move Torres or Edu in one of those slots as form permits.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on May 27, 2010, 03:04:11 PM
I think it was the Gaffer from EPL Talk half seriously positing a version of Man U's Rooneyless Fuck Berbatov 4-6-0


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on June 03, 2010, 11:12:39 AM
Strike up the band, bitches... the wicked witch is dead! (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=792423&sec=england&cc=5901&campaign=rss&source=soccernet)

I'm fucking ecstatic. Fuck off to Italy please, and take Lucas with you. Liverpool can only be improved by this.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on June 03, 2010, 11:43:09 AM
Liverpool would be even more improved by deporting all the scousers  :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on June 03, 2010, 04:31:30 PM
Guys, go to a national team game, supporters section.  it's like a cross between the Fourth of July or Joe Cain Day/Fat Tuesday.

Torres needs to start. his passing, his coolness under pressure, I like him.

I don't hold Spector under as much heat as i do the rest defenders who should have covered for his forward run.

Findley was the man in the second half.


Cannot wait for this shit to kick off. 


 


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: WayAbvPar on June 03, 2010, 04:39:40 PM
I went to a friendly versus Honduras in 2002. Didn't get a chance to sit in the supporters section, but it was still really fun. I was shocked by how many Honduran supporters there were.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: sigil on June 03, 2010, 04:48:28 PM
Next time i go to a game I'll get whoever wants to in. Be ready to sing and drink though.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Bokonon on June 09, 2010, 08:26:13 AM
Hey Haemish, what are your preferences for the new LFC manager? It seems that the Hodgson possibility is not being seen favorably by the supporters, do you agree with that?


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on June 09, 2010, 10:36:31 AM
I'd be fine with Hodgson. He made Fulham into a winner with less than Rafa had, did better in Europe too. I don't really see why he'd take the job though. Sure, Liverpool has history, but all the backroom bullshit drama and money problems they are saddled with? Why bother leaving a good job? Most of the managers I'd want don't have to take a job where they are sure to deal with so much bullshit. Hiddink, O'Neil, McLeish - these guys are comfortable and on the upswing, while Liverpool is on the downswing without some transfers that they may not have the money to make. Daglish wants the job, but trying to revive past glories 20 years on doesn't usually work out too well.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on June 25, 2010, 12:21:59 PM
Reports going around that Hodgson is going to be the man to replace Rafa at Liverpool. Sven-Gorn Erikson will replace him at Fulham. Both of these things are good news. I look forward to Sven leaving Fulham halfway through the season to drag some other international side to mediocrity, while Hodgson brings some good play back to Anfield with players worth 1/4 of the ones Rafa bought.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Amarr HM on June 25, 2010, 01:33:32 PM
Likely the best available man for the job, but he has walked into a horrible state of affairs hopefully he can make things tick. But he is definitely a lot more likeable than his predecessors.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: HaemishM on June 25, 2010, 01:34:59 PM
He made Fulham into a winner with less money than Rafa spent. The biggest hurdle he's going to have is convincing Torres/Gerrard/Mascherano to stay and find the funds to build from there. Without Benayoun, if one of those three go, it's going to be a LONG FUCKING SEASON.


Title: Re: 2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread
Post by: Bokonon on June 29, 2010, 06:30:33 PM
Enjoy Sir Roy, Liverpool...