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Title: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on August 06, 2010, 08:51:36 AM
Community (Charity) Shield this weekend, so it is almost EPL time! New thread, new season. Anyone organizing a fantasy league? I just picked my team here (http://fantasy.premierleague.com).


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on August 06, 2010, 10:29:57 AM
I'm am so jonesing for the EPL, La Liga and Bundesliga season. ESPN will have more games I think (so more HD games) and GolTV is now in HD as well!

I'll try to remember to set up a fantasy league this weekend.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on August 06, 2010, 10:56:26 AM
I really really hope Comcast starts offering the FSC HD channel; I am not sure how much more I can take of their terrible SD broadcasts. The CCL games seriously look like they are being shot with a fucking iPhone. If you name your channel after the sport, it would be nice to, you know, throw some money into production values. I am assuming they blew their load on the HD side. If not,  :ye_gods:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on August 06, 2010, 11:37:40 AM
Yeah, the standard def on both Fox Soccer's (the Plus too) is subpar. Directv needs to get on the stick and add the HD feed - it's been a long time coming.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on August 08, 2010, 11:10:01 AM
That was actually one helluva Community Shield. I expected a boring, Carling Cup final style game, but they both went after it today. Chicarito looked pretty damn good - I'd like to see how he pairs up with Rooney.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on August 08, 2010, 06:08:31 PM
I am really happy with how Berbatov has looked during the preseason too. He looks interested, which is a nice change. Hope SAF can find some replacements for Scholes and Giggs soon, though. They aren't going to last forever.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: naum on August 09, 2010, 07:56:57 AM
GOLTV in HD now.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on August 09, 2010, 09:40:37 AM
Yeah, I watched the German Supercup on the GolTV in HD this weekend. It was a damn fine picture. Though it looks like some of the games aren't being broadcast in widescreen, such as the Colombian leagues.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on August 09, 2010, 02:34:29 PM
Good news is in the wind. Directv is supposed to add Fox Soccer in HD on Wednesday, Aug. 11th (http://www.epltalk.com/fox-soccer-channel-hd-coming-to-directv-on-august-11/22619). We'll see if that holds true, but EPL Talk has been pretty good about this stuff.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Mr_PeaCH on August 10, 2010, 10:18:56 AM
Cox has said they will be adding FSC in HD but I haven't seen it yet.

(Is there going to be an EPL FF League or can someone pass along the info?)

In Spurs news we haven't made the sort of noise in the transfer market that I was hoping for.  Harry says that Dos Santos has looked very impressive and I've got hopes for him esp. after a nice WC.  Here's hoping we don't bomb out of the CL altogether anyway.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on August 10, 2010, 11:25:19 AM
Just set the league up. It's named Bat Country, and the code to join the league is: 1215943-252986

This is a renewal of last year's league, so if you were in last year, you may already be in it.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on August 12, 2010, 07:32:26 AM
Turned on Fox Soccer Channel last night to check if the HD had come to DirecTv and YES! It has. I get to see Liverpool lose to Arsenal in glorious HD this weekend!


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on August 17, 2010, 10:13:46 AM
Watched a buttload of games this weekend.

The Liverpool/Arsenal game was the big one, and it did not disappoint. I liked Hodgson's approach to play, very balanced. I question his choice of Agger at left back, but it didn't seem to hurt them. Even in the first half when they were outplayed a bit, Liverpool still played with more fucking heart and belief than I've seen in that team since early 2009. Ngog is starting to make a believer out of me, though I hesitate to say he's anything more than a 10-goal a season man. Arsenal got severely outworked in the second half, and looked clueless for much of it. If not for a fluky goal, Liverpool gets 3 points. The Cole sending off I thought was a bit harsh - I can see how it was given, but I don't think it was malicious enough to warrant a straight red.

Spurs and Man City was an even better game, despite it ending 0-0. Joe Hart has just made Shay Given expendable, which is a shame because Given could start most places in the league. Hart was just on fire, though, absolutely standing on his head. City looked like a team who hadn't played together for more than a few weeks, very little chemistry. Spurs defense probably contributed to Hart having to make so many saves, though. Both sides' backlines were suspect. Gareth Bale is a star in the making like I always thought he would be.

OMG Wigan. I wish I could have seen this game, because I like Blackpool. They better savor this moment, because it's probably not going to get better than this. Same goes for West Brom, who I think will be right back down this season. Wolves looked much better against Stoke City, adding Fletcher seems to have done them wonders. Once Stephen Hunt comes back from injury, they'll be that much better.

Fox Soccer's HD feed looked pretty good on the EPL games, but the MLS game with Red Bulls/Galaxy looked like shit.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on August 17, 2010, 12:49:42 PM
That Spurs/City game was insane. I wonder if Arsenal can pry Given away now that Hart has revealed the giant S on his chest?


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: EWSpider on August 23, 2010, 11:02:40 AM
Anyone know if the Barcelona vs AC Milan game is going to be on TV anywhere on Wed.?


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Abagadro on August 23, 2010, 01:25:53 PM
ESPN3.com will be streaming it.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on August 26, 2010, 11:06:01 AM
UEFA Champions League draw results-

Group A: Inter Milan, Werder Bremen, Tottenham, FC Twente
Group B: Lyon, Benfica, Schalke, Hapoel Tel-Aviv
Group C: Manchester United, Valencia, Rangers, Bursaspor
Group D: Barcelona, Panathinaikos, Copenhagen, Rubin Kazan
Group E: Bayern Munich, Roma, Basle, Cluj
Group F: Chelsea, Marseille, Spartak Moscow, MSK Zilina
Group G: AC Milan, Real Madrid, Ajax, Auxerre
Group H: Arsenal, Shakhtar Donetsk, FC Braga, Partizan Belgrade

Ajax and Auexerre got proper fucked. Group A should be interesting...hoping to see Spurs do well. Don't know much about Bursaspor, but I think ManU can handle the other two. Would love to be in Manchester when the hordes of drunken Scots (redundant) come pouring into town.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on August 26, 2010, 11:30:37 AM
Group A is going to be a weird one. Inter should romp everyone in that group. Bremen's defense has been SHITTY SHIT SHIT SHIT in the last 3 games, but then Spurs ain't known for their defense either. Gomes is going to get hammered by Inter and Bremen. Twente could probably surprise anyone in that group besides Inter.

Group C is going to be Man U.'s to win. I think Valencia even without Silva and Villa will easily beat a depleted Rangers side and whoever Bursaspor is. Turkish team?

Group B is Lyon's, with Benfica or Schalke coming 2nd.

Group D is an easy one. Barca and Panathinaikos. Same with Group E - Bayen and Roma. Group F could be interesting. Chelsea will win and the other 3 could make for a good battle for 2nd. Don't see much question in Group H either - Arsenal and Shaktar.

Yeah Group G is the group of death, no question. I look forward to Madrid folding under the pressure like last year. :)


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on August 30, 2010, 09:12:43 AM
Liverpool has looked incredibly insipid and flaccid the last two games. Against Man City, I understand. Against West Brom, no. West Brom is not as good of a team as they looked yesterday. Liverpool couldn't even boss possession. The Torres' strike that sealed the game was fantastic, but they had done much of nothing most of the game. I think they miss Joe Cole already. And they sure as shit missed Mascherano. Lucas is a horrible replacement. Poulsen did ok, but didn't really distinguish himself much. Hodgson appears to want two defensive mids and I don't think I blame him. Agger is not a good left back, and the Skrtel/Carragher pairing should be renamed Old, Slow and Lumbering. The ref for that game ought to be flayed. He called almost nothing the whole game, and when he finally reached for his pocket, it was a red at almost full time.

Also, ROOFLES at Man City for losing. I still haven't seen the Tevez miss, but it sounds like a Zamora-level howler. Double ROOFLES on Spurs for losing to fucking WIGAN. HAH!  :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: lamaros on September 02, 2010, 06:44:52 AM
Yeah Group G is the group of death, no question. I look forward to Madrid folding under the pressure like last year. :)

Eh, Inter is more likely to fold than Real. Coaches are under-rated.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on September 17, 2010, 08:09:14 AM
Will No One Rid Me of This Turbulent Priest Owner? (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/9009381.stm)

Goddamnit, can Liverpool just not get the fuck rid of this shitbag Tom Hicks? The Scots can tell me if I'm crazy or not, but I prefer Royal Bank of Scotland to get control of Liverpool over continuing Hicks' ownership without even the counterbalance of Gillette holding his douchiness in check. How sad is that?

Also, kudos to Spurs for snatching a draw from the jaws of victory and letting Werder Bremen get back in that game. Hell, Bremen didn't even have their #1 striker Pizarro playing, but Marin was eating people up. Gareth Bale is looking like the superstar in waiting I knew he'd be. Of course, neither team really knows how to defend well, but neither side had their top-line defenders in the lineup. Good game, though.

Liverpool/Man U. this Sunday! I look forward to it with unease. I don't think Liverpool can win, but Man. U. missing Valencia will be helpful and the Reds will have Joe Cole back.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on September 17, 2010, 10:25:08 AM
Battle of the douchebag American owners!

Man U is really starting slow this year. They always seem to, but this season it seems even worse. Really wish my cable system would pick up whatever channel(s) I need to see more of their games though- ESPN and FSC have been skimping  :cry:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on September 17, 2010, 11:16:56 AM
Fox Soccer Plus is the channel you need. It's the Fox version of Setanta Sports, though it is missing the Scottish Premier League games Setanta had. And it's got RUGBY! But yeah, not all the cable outlets provide it.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on September 17, 2010, 12:35:00 PM
I can't even get FSC's HD feed yet, ffs.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Bokonon on September 18, 2010, 12:28:34 PM
Fulham is just chug-chugging along. Undefeated thus far (but only a home victory). I have to say though, that I had gotten so used to Roy's hyper-disciplined play that Hughes' more aggressive style makes me a bit nervous at times. I want to tell them all to keep their shape!


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Abagadro on September 18, 2010, 08:51:21 PM
A heads up that ESPN2 has the Barca game tomorrow if you are into the Spanish League. I didn't realize they were starting to broadcast that league.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on September 18, 2010, 09:15:11 PM
Since last year. and thanks


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Abagadro on September 18, 2010, 09:19:58 PM
Really? Wow, I really must have been spacing it since I usually actively look for Barca games.   Do you know if they are showing it a lot or is it a sporadic sort of thing?


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on September 18, 2010, 09:52:04 PM
Usually once a week, but it's a mixed bag of games - hardly any advertising either.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on September 18, 2010, 11:43:04 PM
A lot of times it's hard as hell to find out what La Liga game they are showing until the day of - it sometimes doesn't even appear on my guide until the day of if at all.

Just wanted to say Good On You, Sunderland.  :grin: Watched the Wolves/Spurs game today and Wolves collapsed because they spent most of the second half defending and not trying to add a second goal. Really irritating.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: EWSpider on September 19, 2010, 06:36:18 AM
I've been liking this website:

http://www.socceramerica.com/publications/soccer-on-tv/edition/

I signed up for the Newsletter and I get an email just about every day listing all the upcoming games for the week.  As someone that's had trouble in the past finding games on TV, this has been a huge help.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Abagadro on September 19, 2010, 09:56:01 AM
Cool. Thanks.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on September 19, 2010, 10:39:20 AM
Yeah, that's an awesome link. Subscribed.

SOOOOO, how about that Liverpool/Man U game?  :why_so_serious: The first half was pretty horrid, and not just because Liverpool looked to have all the fight of a wet fucking noodle. I think I'm finally out of the Maxi Rodriguez supporters club. He did nothing and I can't see what he's going to give the team other than a warm body. He's not fast enough to give any real width and he doesn't seem all that interested in attacking these days. Or defending. Of course, natural width seems to be a real problem for Liverpool still. Everything comes through the middle and the fullbacks are the only ones providing any width. Poulsen doesn't seem that much better than Lucas though it's early days for him. Raul Meireles does seem a good signing but he appears to be the same type of player Aquilani was with a bit more bite. I think leaving Torres on his own up top didn't work because 1) Gerrard is too far back in the formation and 2) none of the midfield has the kind of passing ability Xabi Alonso had to spread the ball around and open up the defense from the center line. Once Ngog got in there though, their game opened up a lot. It's going to be a long fucking season.

Johnny Evans should have gotten a goddamn red for that challenge on Torres. Nani appears to be vying for Christiano Ronaldo's old place on the team as Diving Bitch. He needs to pick up his hand bag and get the fuck back down the field when someone shoulder barges him instead of rolling on the ground like he's been shot. And Berbatov? Yeah, that's the kind of performance you should expect out of him. He may not be 30 million pounds worth, but he's better than Liverpool's second options.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on October 05, 2010, 09:02:51 AM
Liverpool still can't put 90 minutes of good football together. Blackpool pretty much ran roughshod over them for at least half of the game this weekend. Bad enough to lose to Blackpool but to do it AT HOME? Seriously, I can't figure out what the fuck to do with the team. Torres is probably set for another stop start season after hurting his groin. Ngog and Kuyt are the second striker option - not pretty. There is no natural width in the side whatsoever. Poulsen looks no better than Lucas in midfield. Gerrard is playing so far away from Torres, he hasn't been able to really have a lot of impact in open play. Merieles is good but the team lacks someone in midfield to string together possession from front to back. They are getting beaten off the ball in midfield for long stretches of the game by guys like Charlie Adam - a good player, but not the level of quality you expect to dominate Liverpool's midfield. Glenn Johnson's defensive flaws keep getting exposed, not having a natural left back when Konciesky is out is really hurting both our defense and offense. The club's on-field state is about as shitty as it's financial situation.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Bokonon on October 05, 2010, 09:09:30 AM
Liverpool still can't put 90 minutes of good football together. Blackpool pretty much ran roughshod over them for at least half of the game this weekend. Bad enough to lose to Blackpool but to do it AT HOME? Seriously, I can't figure out what the fuck to do with the team. Torres is probably set for another stop start season after hurting his groin. Ngog and Kuyt are the second striker option - not pretty. There is no natural width in the side whatsoever. Poulsen looks no better than Lucas in midfield. Gerrard is playing so far away from Torres, he hasn't been able to really have a lot of impact in open play. Merieles is good but the team lacks someone in midfield to string together possession from front to back. They are getting beaten off the ball in midfield for long stretches of the game by guys like Charlie Adam - a good player, but not the level of quality you expect to dominate Liverpool's midfield. Glenn Johnson's defensive flaws keep getting exposed, not having a natural left back when Konciesky is out is really hurting both our defense and offense. The club's on-field state is about as shitty as it's financial situation.

So are you in the "Roy Hodgson must go!" contingent of the fandom? Seems to be the basic refrain at this point.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on October 05, 2010, 09:47:35 AM
Hell, no! I think Hodgson given time will do just fine. But he's also got to be given some goddamn funds. I'm in the "String Hicks and Gillette up by their jaxies" crowd. Those fuckers are poison to the club.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on October 05, 2010, 01:49:18 PM
They had many of the same issues last year with a different manager. You have to give Hodgson a couple of years at least to try to reform the club into something competitive. By the time that is done all the stars of today will be too old or have fucked off to greener pastures, which is too bad, I guess. I still get a little thrill when LFC loses, but it is starting to feel like rooting against a Special Olympics side.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on October 05, 2010, 02:11:37 PM
That's not too far off. Though rather than Special Olympics, more like the second string of the methodone clinic's weekend team.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on October 07, 2010, 12:29:52 PM
So are you ready to walk hand in hand with Red Sox nation Haem?

Fanbases are similar, I'll give them that.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on October 07, 2010, 01:29:58 PM
Look, at this point I'd accept almost anyone at Liverpool that was willing to wipe away the club debt and get rid of those two shitbags. When the club is 8 days away from possible administration (and the disastrous 9-point deduction that would mean) and the goddamn owners are trying to pussyfoot around installing ringers into the board to make sure they can still try to squeeze every cent out of the club before leaving it a tattered husk, I ain't too picky about who gets to write the checks.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on October 11, 2010, 09:09:41 AM
On the bright side I bet Liverpool would do pretty well in the Championship.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on October 11, 2010, 09:19:15 AM
It worked for Newcastle. :ye_gods:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: eldaec on October 11, 2010, 04:11:26 PM
The 9 points is irrelevant - Liverpool will take 50 points over the season.

The issue is that in administration the sale is entirely up for grabs again and any sort of bullshit could emerge.

On another note - Liverpool are incredibly lucky that the club isn't worth a few hundred million more than it is. If Liverpool were Man Utd right now, the banks would have let the debt ride up to 800M or more, and then when everything had gone tits up it would have been a fuck load more difficult to find a buyer who could cover that debt.

So are you in the "Roy Hodgson must go!" contingent of the fandom? Seems to be the basic refrain at this point.

This is a vanishingly small contingent.

Liverpool fans don't whine about managers, even when it is obvious they are functionally retarded. It's how we tell actual fans from tourists.

Liverpool fans didn't whine about Graeme fucking Souness.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on October 11, 2010, 09:46:30 PM
Hell, Liverpool fans didn't whine about Rafa even when it was clearly obvious he was out the door to Italy before the season was even over. Ok, I whined, but I got tired of his shit about midway through last season when he thought Lucas Leiva was the answer to Xabi Alonso.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on October 12, 2010, 04:42:08 AM
I hear a lot of people screaming for Hodgsons head on a plate. It dumbfounds me, Liverpools esprit de corps was not sacking managers rashly, to sack one with a third of the season gone is unmentionable. Especially considering he inherited a relatively bogus team with no money.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: lamaros on October 13, 2010, 04:59:40 PM
Laughing out loud.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on October 17, 2010, 11:13:05 AM
Liverpool could not have looked more limp if they were comatose today. Maxi and Lucas are useless fuckers and playing Carragher on the right is depriving the squad of what little natural width they'd have with an actual right back. I become less convinced by Skrtel with every game. The lack of a real holding midfielder who can tie the front to the back is killing Liverpool, especially with the formation they are picking. They need to be going with 2 strikers up front from the start. Torres is just not able to be the lone guy right now, whether through injury or lack of match fitness, and the midfield can't get the ball to him. It got so bad at one point I actually WELCOME Babel's entry into the game.

In sort of related news, my FIFA 11 Liverpool career has started just as badly.  :oh_i_see:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: K9 on October 17, 2010, 03:55:26 PM
Rooney to City perhaps? There will be blood.  :grin:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on October 18, 2010, 03:36:15 AM
100% agree with Haemish, United suffer the same problems when Scholes isn't playing. Losing Alonso and Masch has hurt Liverpool bad (among other things), you can see the defenders have no trust in Lucas et al and you can understand when he's basically sub-Championship standard. Also Gerrards touch is gone to shite.

United shoud swap Rooney for Arteta.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on October 18, 2010, 05:35:29 AM
See the thing is Ferguson prefers his players to be family men, in fact this is exactly how Lee Sharpe fell from grace including an ankle injury cover-up. I think Rooney is less likely to appear on Celebrity love island or never return to form.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: lamaros on October 18, 2010, 05:36:55 AM
Ronaldo leaving was sad. Rooney leaving... eh, do I really care?


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on October 18, 2010, 09:03:22 AM
I feel the opposite. I never liked Ronaldo, while I appreciated his talents and how he helped win silverware. Rooney, OTOH, I have always liked, despite his temper and off field problems (it isn't logical so I can't explain it). I will be sad to see him go to another team, especially another English team.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on October 18, 2010, 09:36:13 AM
He won't end up in England if he gets transferred. I'd love him over on Merseyside but we know that'll never happen. Ferguson generally doesn't like sending his star talent to other English outfits that might challenge him for a title. It doesn't sound like he'll end up in Madrid either, but I wouldn't be surprised if he showed up somewhere in Spain or Italy. I hear Benitez likes to overspend on talent.  :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on October 18, 2010, 09:39:47 AM
I can't imagine Rooney in some cosmopolitan Euro hotspot. He would be miserable! Liverpool or Everton would be best just so he could live amongst his fellow scousers. He would be a hero there  :grin:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on October 18, 2010, 09:49:04 AM
Fergie would sooner light him on fire than send him to Liverpool.  :oh_i_see:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on October 18, 2010, 09:54:00 AM
Oh I know. Not sure they could afford the rape-y transfer fee it would require anyway.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Luxor on October 20, 2010, 01:46:18 PM
Spurs are to release a new DVD I see  :grin:

(http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs443.ash2/71683_443451175939_544280939_5844619_2405033_n.jpg)


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on October 20, 2010, 02:41:57 PM
No they didn't. I haven't checked the scores as I don't want the Valencia or Werder Bremen games spoiled. Did Spurs really coax a draw out of Benitez's Inter Milan? I delight in his suffering.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Luxor on October 20, 2010, 03:41:26 PM
Check the part in quotes above the score. Extrapolate :P


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on October 21, 2010, 08:50:27 AM
Yeah, I found the score after. Heh.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on October 22, 2010, 05:07:05 PM
Gareth Bale is a monster, from that three foot square patch of grass he scored his hat trick on at least. :)


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on October 25, 2010, 08:40:29 AM
Hey, look at that! Liverpool won a game! Granted, it was against Blackburn but this may be the first game I've seen them play this season where they actually looked interested in the game. They played with tempo and desire. I hate that they keep playing Carragher at right back instead of the kid Kelly - Skrtel is really starting to wear on me as a defensive player. He's great if you want someone to stand there and hit a motherfucker. He's crap at distributing the ball out of the back. There is a real reluctance to play the young kids at Liverpool. Shelvey only got in with like 5 minutes to go, and that was after having one helluva good game against Napoli in the Champions League.

Next week is Bolton, another winnable game. Then Chelsea. Ugh.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on October 26, 2010, 03:04:03 AM
Even though Blackburn are quite poor it's never an easy game at Ewood park so it's a very good result in light of recent events. I really think Hodgson can do a job with Liverpool in restructuring but it will take time at least two years before you can fully assess his worth. Interesting to see the January transfer window.

Especially added twist with the Rooney debacle, I didn't see such a swift turnaround. I wonder did the 40 lads in balaclavas have anything to do with it? I now think fair play to Rooney for asking for assurances about the team, there are players in there that are definitely out of their depth and it needed to be said I gather there's a transfer kitty being released for the January window.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on November 03, 2010, 03:52:50 PM
Spurs are to release a new DVD I see  :grin:

(http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs443.ash2/71683_443451175939_544280939_5844619_2405033_n.jpg)

*removed hotlinked pic of Gareth Bale just destroying Maicon for the fifteenth time last night*

Hehe quiet now aren't ya. ;)


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on November 03, 2010, 04:09:11 PM
Even if Spurs hadn't won, Bremen pretty much guaranteed they're not only out of the Champions League, but out of Europe completely. Started well but couldn't score to save their lives. Valencia meanwhile didn't finish Rangers off, but put themselves in the better spot. Man U just needs one draw out of two games to ensure they move forward.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on November 03, 2010, 04:23:22 PM
They owe Rangers a beating, so hopefully they can do it up north.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Sir T on November 17, 2010, 04:18:27 PM
comments on a blog i read

Quote
Quote
The ungainly Peter Crouch saved England's honour
and in the last ten minutes, they almost looked like equalising, but that would have been a travesty -- they were shite for 90% of the game.

Wembley : France 2 - 1 England.

We're baaaack!


    to call us shite is to insult perfectly good footballing shite.

    It was horrible, I buried my nose in a book for most of it trying not to watch the shameful "display"

 :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on November 20, 2010, 07:19:21 AM
Arsenal 2- Spurs 3

It's a beautiful day today. filed with joy and happiness. Birds are singing, Trees try to go go green one last time and Arsenal fans have seen their team lose at home. To Spurs.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on November 20, 2010, 05:02:11 PM
That was a cracking game.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on November 20, 2010, 08:24:20 PM
Wish I could have watched it. I did manage to watch Liverpool dismantle West Ham, but it was hardly a fair fight. That is a terrible team, especially without Scott Parker. Green is a decent goalie and Cole is a decent striker option, but everything between those two players is shit.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Bokonon on November 21, 2010, 05:28:08 PM
Shoot me now. I thought Fulham were past relegation battles for the time being...


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on November 24, 2010, 06:24:19 PM
Spurs are in to the eliminations. I'm expecting the world to end any day now


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on November 25, 2010, 06:44:32 AM
As I said in last years thread Spurs have one hell of a squad & Gareth Bale really reminds me of Lee Sharpe, exciting to watch.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on November 25, 2010, 10:58:55 PM
Spurs are in to the eliminations. I'm expecting the world to end any day now

Bremen has been terrible since shortly after they played Spurs the first time. Lots of injuries, their defense has been horribly porous and no offense to speak of. I think their last two Bundesliga games I've watched they've been beaten like 6-0 and 5-1.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on November 26, 2010, 05:01:25 AM
Bremen were surprisingly poor but to be fair Spurs are also missing Woodgate, King and Dawson (not that two of them are any surprise).


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on November 26, 2010, 06:33:27 AM
Dawson's back to full training !

Spurs needs, IMO, would be:

world class finisher, (and good luck with that one...)
finding a replacement for BAE  (passes from him going forward scare the piss out of me every time and rightly so and his defending scares me too)

everything else I'm  happy with, hell even gomes can stay.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on November 26, 2010, 07:18:38 AM
world class finisher, (and good luck with that one...)
finding a replacement for BAE  (passes from him going forward scare the piss out of me every time and rightly so and his defending scares me too)

Defoe on form is this, he's probably the most clinical finisher in the Premiership. But he loses his nerve too easily.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on November 28, 2010, 03:02:39 PM
Observations from todays win:

Sometimes when Spurs score it can just take your breath away.

It's the goals they give up that make you want to scream.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on November 28, 2010, 05:19:33 PM
Liverpool should have been 3 or 4 goals to the good by the end of the first half. Maxi walked past an absolute sitter, and Torres failed to pull the trigger on two or three other opportunities. Kuyt had at least 1 or 2 pullback passes that he missed someone with an easy road to score. Of course, Defoe missing the penalty made up for that. Liverpool has a real problem with finishing, and now they are without Carragher for a little while. Spurs won and they should have.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on November 28, 2010, 05:32:22 PM
United top of the PL & Berbatov top scorer, I'm feeling pretty smug right about now.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Abagadro on November 29, 2010, 01:52:47 PM
Holy hell is Barca beating Real Madrid like a rented burro.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Fargull on December 01, 2010, 07:25:51 AM
Watching Barca play is like watching art.  Their midfield is just brilliant and they probably have the best talent on the planet right now (and not just Messi).


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on December 01, 2010, 04:05:38 PM
We may not win the bid because of vote sharing and bribes, but god damn if that bid presentation by the US didn't make me proud to be an American.


Title: Football isn't coming home [2018/2022 World Cups]
Post by: K9 on December 02, 2010, 09:05:50 AM
Russia to host in 2018, Qatar to host in 2022 (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/dec/01/world-cup-2018-2022-zurich)

 :oh_i_see:

Russia was a fair shout I guess, although I look forward to the inevitable corruption that will come with the event. Qatar is shameless money grabbing though. A country with a population of 1.6 million, with only a single stadium over 50,000, who have never qualified for the world cup (not surprising when you have talent like this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQLylizGmDs&feature=player_embedded)) where alcohol is illegal and the daily temperatures are around 106 during summer. Yeah, none of this screams "great venue" to me. Also some joker edited the team's wiki page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qatar_national_football_team) to say 2006 Did Not Qualify; 2010 Did Not Qualify; 2014 Will Not Qualify; 2018 Will Not Qualify; 2022 Qualified"  :grin:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on December 02, 2010, 09:06:59 AM
Is there anyone on the planet more corrupt and incompetent as Sepp Blatter?


FUCK QATAR.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: K9 on December 02, 2010, 09:09:09 AM
Sure

Also

Is there anyone on the planet more corrupt and incompetent as Sepp Blatter?

FUCK QATAR.

This


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Paelos on December 02, 2010, 10:08:56 AM
I've given up on the World Cup. They show no desire to fix what's wrong with the system.

EDIT: You know what, the more I think about this. I'm actively rooting for the Qatar idea to fall flat on it's face, or for information to come out about bribes that jerks the games away from them. They turn down the US who set attendence records and has more major sporting stadiums than anyone in the world? They turn down England who boasts the one of the most rabid football populaces in the world?

Fuckers are worse than the BCS


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Chimpy on December 03, 2010, 10:58:37 PM
So I was perusing the ESPN3 replay thing and saw this event on there. Decided to watch the announcement. All I could think of after he read off the winner of the first group was "I wonder how much Putin's cronies paid FIFA off for this?" Then the Qatar announcement came off and it was like..wtf.

I know the US and Japan/SK all recently hosted the cup, but come on.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Abagadro on December 03, 2010, 11:02:47 PM
Teams should just boycott it. Why the hell would you play in 100+ degree heat with a target on your back.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: 01101010 on December 04, 2010, 04:51:15 AM
Teams should just boycott it. Why the hell would you play in 100+ degree heat with a target on your back.

Will Qatar still be around in 2022? I mean there is still time to set up an alternate site right?  :why_so_serious:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Paelos on December 04, 2010, 09:01:54 AM
Teams should just boycott it. Why the hell would you play in 100+ degree heat with a target on your back.

But, but, they will have A/C there! That will solve everything!  :oh_i_see:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: naum on December 04, 2010, 09:17:46 AM
Teams should just boycott it. Why the hell would you play in 100+ degree heat with a target on your back.

But they'll be playing in fabulous constructed "portable" stadiums with A/C and that will be deconstructed and rebuilt in developing nations. Win win win.

I originally thought of the illegality of alcohol but my army friends inform me that alcohol is legal in Qatar, at least when they spent time there. Other reports state that it's still illegal in public, part of the Sharia law fabric of society there.

I do wonder if the onerous grope and X-ray scan measures, along with tightening travel restrictions served as an impediment to awarding U.S.. Of course, anything can happen in 12 years…


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Sir T on December 04, 2010, 12:24:49 PM
Hey the Stadium model and AC units model was designed in Ireland so you know it has the mark of quality!

*sobs*


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on December 04, 2010, 07:17:13 PM
There are unconfrimed reports that no one from CONCACAF voted for the US bid. that would include Chuck Blazer, US rep.

Even if he did it's pretty clear the other two did not.



Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on December 17, 2010, 03:30:45 PM
Just in time for the holiday season....  (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFTDdXCr_Lo)


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on December 17, 2010, 05:19:11 PM
Damnit, I miss Special1TV.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on December 17, 2010, 06:04:06 PM
um haem. it's on bbc 3 with weekly update on youtube for us yanks.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on December 17, 2010, 11:16:04 PM
Yeah, but it's not on Setanta Sports where I used to watch it.  :oh_i_see:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on December 24, 2010, 08:43:16 AM
Six Months is Enough (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/9302348.stm)

So Inter Milan's lackluster form has caused Rafa Benitez to lose his job again. Or it could that he pulled mediocrity out of a championship team and then publicly bitched that he'd need to buy a lot of new players in January to win. Whatever. He's a cocksucker and I revel in his failure. Mourinho took that same core and won a goddamn treble, you arrogant fuck.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on December 26, 2010, 06:13:34 PM
Spurs should have Xanax as a sponsor, I swear to God.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on December 27, 2010, 07:03:27 AM
Defoes' sending off was wrong, result was correct though.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on January 06, 2011, 09:33:28 AM
1 step forward, 3 retard's stumble steps backward for Liverpool. They played a good half against Bolton and probably didn't deserve to win that game at the weekend. But last night's performance against Blackburn was fucking awful. Awesomely awful. Joe Cole actually had a decent game. But the fucking defense was terribad. Skrtel looks completely fucking lost and Glenn Johnson has about one good defensive play in him per game. You can never tell these days what type of performance you'll get out of Torres. Maxi disappeared again and Lucas was useless as usual. I can't even pinpoint what the fuck is wrong with this team anymore. It's like they'll play their asses off for about 15 minutes, then totally switch off, looking completely disinterested in what they are doing. I'm even starting to doubt Hodgson - I mean, he can't seem to get this team to perform on a regular basis especially on the road. But shitcanning him may not do anything either, especially if his replacement is still stuck with the same bunch of donkey-legged fucktards like Skrtel. This team needs a serious overhaul. Either sell a bunch of players for less than market value and buy your ass off, or sell them off and play a shitload of youngsters like Martin Kelly and Pacheco. This team ain't qualifying for Europe as it is.

Also, LOL Chelsea.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on January 06, 2011, 09:39:16 AM
Quote
Also, LOL Chelsea.

This, 100000000000x.  :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on January 07, 2011, 03:58:50 AM
1 step forward It's like they'll play their asses off for about 15 minutes, then totally switch off.

That would be the Steven Gerrard influence. If I supported Liverpool he would drive me nuts more than anyone, he looks brilliant when it comes off,  but 99% of the time his passing and shooting is clownshoes. Sure would be fine if he wasn't captain and your star player. The defensive performance against Blackburn was atrocious.

Only team deserving to win EPL this year would be Arsenal, United could stumble to victory with their worst midfield since McClair, Phelan (the latter being their current assistant manager).


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on January 07, 2011, 08:22:48 AM
I disagree with what you said about Gerrard. He's on more than he's off. Unfortunately, when he's off (or off the pitch), he's the entire axis of their attack and it's very rare that anyone takes up his slack.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Hoax on January 07, 2011, 12:48:00 PM
Gerrard and Lampard (though his bandwagon is pretty empty these days) are both not tier 1 stars and only in England because they are English have people ever thought they were but that is true of essentially every modern English player.

I would really like to see Arsenal win it, they have consistently played the most attractive and entertaining football in England basically every year (except when United had Ronaldo and they were just carving people up) and never get rewarded for it because half their team is so damn brittle and they must have the worst team doctors in all of professional sports.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on January 07, 2011, 07:12:33 PM
I disagree with what you said about Gerrard. He's on more than he's off. Unfortunately, when he's off (or off the pitch), he's the entire axis of their attack and it's very rare that anyone takes up his slack.

I'm going on the handful of full Liverpool matches I've managed to snooze through for the last few seasons and his performances at the World Cup. In all those games I've seen him unsuccessfully attempt hollywood passes and long range shots for the course of 90 minutes (then I watch highlights of him and he looks like Roy of the bloody Rovers). For all his flair he never just plays the simple stuff in the way Lampard will, maybe he doesn't trust the team around him or maybe his ego has gotten the better of him. Seen this happen to others who haven't been managed properly, post Mourinho Deco being the first that comes to mind.



Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on January 07, 2011, 11:29:02 PM
You are both wrong about Gerrard. He has at times single-handedly carried the entire Liverpool team, especially the last two seasons. England's problems are too many stars who do not gel well with others, which makes them all look like fools. Since Benitez ran off Xabi Alonso before the 09/10 season, Gerrard has absolutely not trusted anyone on that team not named Fernando Torres, which is why his performances are either "I will win this fucking thing by myself, you cunts" or "fuck this, why didn't I go to Chelsea when I had the chance, at least I wouldn't be playing with fuckfaces like Jermaine Goddamn Pennant."


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on January 08, 2011, 10:28:18 AM
Well fuck. Seven months? (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/862382/roy-hodgson-leaves-liverpool-by-mutual-consent?campaign=rss&source=soccernet&cc=5901)

Hodgson's out at Liverpool. Daglish is in. Not really that surprised, just disappointed. I really don't think it was Hodgson so much as the shitty state of the locker room that put them in this position. He never even really got the chance to shape the team into what he wanted, and was saddled with fuckheads like Lucas in key positions. We'll see how well Daglish can do with them. My guess? Not that much better.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on January 08, 2011, 12:15:56 PM
Yeh I don't think he was given enough time, but you need a certain temperament to manage a near unmanageable. team. Hodgson wasnt it apparently.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on January 08, 2011, 09:51:54 PM
You have to applaud Hodgson for not running on the pitch and choking the shit out of half that team every game.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on January 08, 2011, 10:04:46 PM
No matter how bad the results are under Dalglish fans won't turn against him.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on January 09, 2011, 07:29:58 PM
It is physically painful to watch Liverpool these days. I made it through half the game before I had to just fast-forward to the end. I thought the Gerrard red card was harsh but letter of the law, but that penalty was fucking clownshoes. Berbatov took Ronaldo's Diving Boots today.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: eldaec on January 10, 2011, 01:30:12 PM
I really don't think the Hodgson thing was ever going anywhere. I was in favour of hiring him as the best of a bad lot, but it really hasn't worked out and clearly wasn't ever going to. It is the only time I've ever seen Liverpool fans really turn on a manager, and it wasn't really his fault - but getting rid of him was the only possible fix.

As for the Daglish hiring, although the guy is clearly a legend I'm not sure this is such a great idea. It seems a lot like something Newcastle would do.



I'm sure he'll have us finish 8th instead of 15th or whatever, but the problem is going to come at the end of the season, there is no way anyone worth having is going to be stupid enough to want to follow Kenny Daglish without an Abu Dhabi transfer budget (which we will not ever have). The guy literally cannot be fired and this is not a healthy position for us to be in when he hasn't been a football manager for a decade and hasn't been successful football manager for 15 years.

Barring the Scottish League Cup (which doesn't fucking count) Kenny Daglish's last trophy was in the pre-UO era. There are posters on this forum who were not yet born.


Also that Damian Collonnionioi director of football guy might as well get out - because that shit clearly isn't going to work now.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on January 10, 2011, 02:56:06 PM
his son has won more trophies than him in the past ten years :D


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: lamaros on January 12, 2011, 04:16:16 AM
There are people who were born after UO on this board? Who?!


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on January 16, 2011, 06:54:13 AM
That 45 minute supports my Gerrard theory, Liverpool's best team performance for a few months.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on January 25, 2011, 11:52:08 PM
Berbatov sensational this season, my belief in him nearly faltered end of last season, but still two fingers to all you soccer hacks.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on January 31, 2011, 10:55:42 AM
Fuck me, what the goddamn holy monkey fuck is going on in England? Andy Carroll to Liverpool for 35 million pounds AFTER they bought Suarez for 22.5 million, then Torres maybe going to Chelsea for 50 million AND Charlie Adam for a rumored 14 million to Liverpool? Jesus fucking Christ, you'd think Liverpool were in a title race. Carroll is good but do they really need a guy who has been hurt and had run-ins with the law in his first year in the Prem? And they shipped Konchesky off to Nottingham Forest on loan. Ummm, that leaves Aurellio as the only natural left back, which means Johnson will be playing that spot a lot. I'll be glad to finally have strikers but holy shit that's crazy money for an unproven guy.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on February 01, 2011, 08:49:31 AM
I would rather have Carroll and Suarez than an injury prone superstar in Torres, but yeh 35m for Carroll is insane considering how much Barca payed for Villa. All the same it's slighlty similar a coup to how he landed Shearer for BB way back when, if he proves as valuable it's a snip.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on February 01, 2011, 10:00:53 AM
Yeah, I'm not that sad to see Torres go based on the crazy amount of injuries he's had over the years. His little dig at Liverpool about how he's finally at a top class club means he can fuck right off personally. It really sucks that after all these years when they finally get him some goddamn cover in the form of Suarez, he ups and decides to leave 3 days before the window is closed.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on February 01, 2011, 07:22:55 PM
Spurs had reached agreement with Blackpool over Charlie Adam, but couldn't get the contract signed before midnight.  :awesome_for_real:

Also, the featured player on the Newcastle United Team Calendar for February. You already know who it is  :awesome_for_real: :awesome_for_real: :awesome_for_real: :drill:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on February 02, 2011, 02:12:45 AM
Craziest end to a transfer window in a long while. I put it down to Dalglish, he got got big cajones.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: voblat on February 04, 2011, 04:07:55 AM
I would rather have Carroll and Suarez than an injury prone superstar in Torres, but yeh 35m for Carroll is insane considering how much Barca payed for Villa. All the same it's slighlty similar a coup to how he landed Shearer for BB way back when, if he proves as valuable it's a snip.

I think the price involved is causing everyone to look at it too closely.

Chelsea inflated the prices, if it had been Ł30 million for Torres and Ł15 million for Carroll, I doubt anyone would have queried the move, same price difference between the two, there was just a 20 million Chelsea tax added onto the money movement.

Torres hasnt been good for nearly two years, including the world cup, so there is more than 'didnt want to be at liverpool' involved in my view.

I think Liverpool got the better deal long term.


Also sad to see Gary Neville retire, hes a pantomime hate figure for everyone but Man Utd fans obviously, but I still think there has never been a full back better at crossing the ball in the game, and I doubt Beckham would be quite where he is now without him. Beckham's legend at Man utd is bullt largely on Neville's sweat.

Fan of the club, playing his whole career at that club , once Carragher, Giggs and Scholes follow suit, I doubt we will see that again.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: lamaros on February 04, 2011, 04:51:18 AM
I can appreciate Neville, but I've never loved him. He's been done for about 2-3 years now and it is good to see him know it's time to move on.

People talk about the crazy transfer money, but it's really just Chelsea money getting spent, and spent again mostly.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on February 05, 2011, 01:55:57 PM
I think the price involved is causing everyone to look at it too closely.

For sure it's a bit of a gamble, but personally I think Carroll is top quality just needs to stay out of trouble and concentrate on achieving his full potential.

Also sad to see Gary Neville retire, hes a pantomime hate figure for everyone but Man Utd fans obviously.

He irritates Man United fans too with his antics and sloppy defending. Glad he's stepped down he's a liability on the pitch in the last couple of years, the way he was in his early days.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on February 05, 2011, 02:01:04 PM
Also what a day...  :facepalm:

Hope Liverpool nail Chelsea tomorrow.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on February 05, 2011, 08:02:05 PM
I decided against Tivo'ing the Wolves/United game because I didn't think it'd be close.

Fuck. I would have loved to have seen that.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on February 06, 2011, 11:10:41 AM
Carragher was vintage Carragher, got a foot on everything.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on February 06, 2011, 11:51:51 AM
It was good to see him back. That was a great performance by Liverpool. I would have liked to have seen Suarez get some minutes but hey a win's a win.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: ghost on February 12, 2011, 06:29:22 PM
Wow.  Rooney owns Machester City.  This is a spectacular goal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4WV4rPkWZM (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4WV4rPkWZM)


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on February 13, 2011, 12:31:28 AM
Yeah, I watched that game and had to pause it to show my wife. That was just goddamn incredible.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on February 13, 2011, 08:03:16 AM
We had to sit through 75 minutes of dredge to witness why they call it the beautiful game. Harkens me back to Hornby's fever pitch especially as Rooney couldnt even execute a 3 yard pass for most of the game.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: K9 on February 13, 2011, 12:14:22 PM
A beautiful shot.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on February 15, 2011, 06:14:53 PM
What a glorious game (yeah I know it was a brawl) for Spurs. Spurs showed much composure in the face of that.

And of all the people for Gattuso to go all red mist on, Joe Jordan?  :roffle:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on February 16, 2011, 02:41:51 AM
Spurs doing good in Europe, I like fairytale stories :grin:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: ghost on February 16, 2011, 11:32:34 AM
Charlie Davies staying with DC United for the season (http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/news/_/id/6127386/us-team-charlie-davies-play-dc-united-season).

Good for him.  That car wreck was pretty bad.  He's lucky to be alive. 


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on February 16, 2011, 09:09:51 PM
Someone asked Coach Ben Olsen if Davies was to have a curfew :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on February 22, 2011, 08:47:34 PM
Oh you Spurs.  :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: rk47 on February 27, 2011, 08:25:46 PM
(http://www.notrealnews.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/emirates-trophy-cabinet_835475.jpg)


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on February 27, 2011, 08:49:04 PM
Oh goddamn that's cold.

Of course, not nearly as bad as that winning goal. Holy shit. I bet Gunners fans are begging for Almunia now.

On another note, really Liverpool? You can't even get a win against fucking West Ham? The Hammers looked the much better side. Suarez had some flashes of brilliance, but took too long to get into the game. I really hope Kelly and Meireles aren't out for any real length of time.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on March 06, 2011, 07:25:31 AM
Oh goddamn that's cold.

Of course, not nearly as bad as that winning goal. Holy shit. I bet Gunners fans are begging for Almunia now.

On another note, really Liverpool? You can't even get a win against fucking West Ham? The Hammers looked the much better side. Suarez had some flashes of brilliance, but took too long to get into the game. I really hope Kelly and Meireles aren't out for any real length of time.

So, how much are you bouncing off the walls after today?

Sweet, sweet, SWEET little bit of dribbling on the first. Kuyt hat trick. First pool hat trick in 20 years.  Nicely done.


Now, to hope and pray that Spurs don't freaking choke and die AGAIN.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on March 06, 2011, 12:38:52 PM
Oh my God, I am busting. What a fantastic fucking game. I was hoping maybe Liverpool could get a draw out of it, but holy shit, did they ever look great and Man. U. look really ordinary. I do think having to use Wes Brown and Chris Smalling as opposed to Ferdinand and Vidic made a big difference, but even so, Liverpool's midfield just kept getting into the attack and United's didn't. And Suarez... holy goddamn fuck, that first goal he made was magic. The second goal is a whole bunch of  :ye_gods: on Nani. WTF was he thinking? I thought at first he wasn't facing the header when he made it but that appears to be exactly where he was trying to go with it. No excuse on that one. Nani is really pissing me off. After Carragher made that shitty challenge, he gets up to throw a bitch fit at Carragher, but then is too hurt to go on? What?  :oh_i_see: Either you're really fucking hurt, at which point, stay on the goddamn ground, or get up and keep playing. He really is trying to replace Ronaldo as the whiny bitch of the team. I'm sure some will say Carragher should have been sent off for that challenge, but if you look at it, it wasn't two-footed, just high. I don't think it was a sure red card. Andy Carroll looked good as well when he came on. Really got me excited for Liverpool again.

It may have only been two months, but I see no reason whatsoever the Liverpool board shouldn't just go ahead and give Daglish the permanent job. Even before his transfers started playing, he got the team winning and playing well again. A dismantling of United on top of that? Why would you look anywhere else? Whatever mystique he has, whatever intangible he brings to the side, it's working. I wouldn't be surprised if we hear about a confirmation of his appointment in the next few weeks.

Spurs should have dropped all 3 points at Molyneux. That was a fantastic game but the ref fucked up. I didn't mind the yellow card for Hutton instead of red on that penalty, though letter of the law says he really should have been sent off. Milijas went down really easy so I can see why he only got the yellow. But that disallowed goal? Fuck that. Stearman had every right to go after that ball, and the fact that Gomes made a shitty play on it and got beat, ending up with his arms wrapped around the Wolves' player's neck doesn't mean the keeper was fouled. Stop wrapping them in wool. The player has every right to go for that ball. Wolves dominated most of that game and should have had 3 points. Hutton got worked all day by Jarvis, and Gomes really showed how inconsistent a keeper he is. Good luck in Milan!  :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on March 06, 2011, 06:49:20 PM
Spurs did just fine in Milan.  :awesome_for_real:

we'll see how things go at the Lane.

Also it's Gomes, he's always had that spastic streak.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on March 07, 2011, 11:12:04 AM
Nani is really pissing me off. After Carragher made that shitty challenge, he gets up to throw a bitch fit at Carragher, but then is too hurt to go on? What?  :oh_i_see: Either you're really fucking hurt, at which point, stay on the goddamn ground, or get up and keep playing.

That was a shitty shit challenge, Carragher and anyone in support of it should be ashamed. The reason Nani got up ... he was trying to show the stupid ref this ...  so he'd actually send Carragher off as he should have, Nani has stopped his whining and diving this season, loathe him or love him that was just fucking wrong.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on March 07, 2011, 12:37:19 PM
Nani has stopped his whining and diving this season

No, he really really fucking hasn't.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on March 07, 2011, 02:06:09 PM
No, he really really fucking hasn't.

Meh who cares. Liverpool still need handouts from bent referees to make them feel like a top class team. Fair play to Gerrard for taking two matches a year seriously.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on March 07, 2011, 07:16:40 PM
Why is it United is always bitching about referees despite being top of the table? No one likes a whiny bitch winner.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on March 07, 2011, 07:53:57 PM
Ain't whining myself united don't deserve to win the title this year just pointing out it was a 100% definite red card. Also Gerrard and Carraghers behaviour was fucking despicable, puts them in the Terry, Cole, Barton league of scum. Gerrard can count himself lucky Roy Keane has retired.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on March 07, 2011, 08:52:50 PM
If it had been a two-footed challenge, I'd agree with you wholeheartedly. It wasn't. Sure, it hurt like fuck and left a gash, but that in itself does not make it a red card worthy challenge. And again, if he's well enough to go bitching  to the ref 20 yards away and trying to get a guy sent off, he's well enough to walk off the field instead of crying like a little girl with a skinned knee.

And what is your malfunction about Gerrard? What did he do?


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: lamaros on March 07, 2011, 09:07:24 PM
I was "well enough" to play goalkeeper for a half after breaking my metatarsil (spelling) in an indoor game. Then I went to the doctor and it turns out that was a stupid thing to do.

Pretty sure you can be well enough to get pissed off at someone and then recognise that you shouldn't aggravate the injury further, just in case.  :oh_i_see:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on March 08, 2011, 08:29:57 AM
If it had been a two-footed challenge, I'd agree with you wholeheartedly. It wasn't. Sure, it hurt like fuck and left a gash, but that in itself does not make it a red card worthy challenge. And again, if he's well enough to go bitching  to the ref 20 yards away and trying to get a guy sent off, he's well enough to walk off the field instead of crying like a little girl with a skinned knee.

And what is your malfunction about Gerrard? What did he do?

He screamed at Nani to get up like there was nothing wrong with him, that pass back last year & I just think he's a creep in general (he's overrated to boot). Ok fair enough Nani's crying was a bit gay, but we all know he's a ponse that's a non issue.

Definite red Haemish, high foot, studs showing, hit standing leg & likely intentional too. Two footed isn't the only way to get a straight red.

Check it out ..


Lucky his leg didn't break  :ye_gods:



Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on March 08, 2011, 08:33:30 AM
Shocking. SHOCKING, I say, that Carragher would be involved in something like that.

And yes, Gerrard is a cunt. As is Nani, but apparently this time he was also a victim.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on March 08, 2011, 08:56:26 AM
I see tackles like that all the fucking time and they are yellow if a booking is even given at all. It's a rare rare ref that awards a red on that and they are usually being harsh. In a derby with the visibility of Man U/Liverpool, or even a big game that could decide the title, that's never going to be a red unless the guy doing the challenging has just been hopping up and down on people's heads, especially not in the English Premier League.

As for Gerrard, he's only doing what you'd expect a captain to do, get in between his man and the ref and try to make sure his team doesn't get skullfucked by a bad ref in an important game. Oh yeah, and he's also keeping a screaming bitch from trying to attack Carragher. Nani crumples when Gerrard breathes on him trying to get Gerrard sent off too. I don't like it when players try to get other players sent off, especially when they play act that they were savagely attacked and yet were barely even brushed.

It's a good thing Fergie silenced his players before and after the game, otherwise I'd have to hear this kind of bitch talk from the Man U players all goddamn week. Fergie needs to learn to shut his fucking gob more often.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on March 08, 2011, 09:16:08 AM
The real problem was we didn't have our main players playing Ferdinand, Vidic, Clattenburg, Webb etc.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on March 08, 2011, 09:26:36 AM
That I will agree with. Even if you just had had Vidic, it would have made a big difference.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: rk47 on March 08, 2011, 02:02:44 PM
(http://www.notrealnews.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/emirates-trophy-cabinet_835475.jpg)

 :grin:



Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Hoax on March 08, 2011, 09:22:16 PM
Fuck Barca, never in 10 billion years will you see a second yellow given for that in such a high profile game. What a fucking shit ref.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: lamaros on March 08, 2011, 10:53:05 PM
I see tackles like that all the fucking time and they are yellow if a booking is even given at all. It's a rare rare ref that awards a red on that and they are usually being harsh. In a derby with the visibility of Man U/Liverpool, or even a big game that could decide the title, that's never going to be a red unless the guy doing the challenging has just been hopping up and down on people's heads, especially not in the English Premier League.


:awesome_for_real: Liverpool goggles are well and truly on I see.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Hoax on March 09, 2011, 04:52:28 PM
Anyone who says anything that stupid just watches too much EPL and believes all that English stiff upper lip style bullshit.

Fuck England. Fuck their shitty league full of hatchetmen and refs that don't protect players that keep games interesting. Fuck their awful national team, its the team they deserve.

Also if you've followed this thread for any amount of time you'd know to ignore anything Haem says about divers, whining, crying etc. He bases these decisions entirely on how much he likes the "look" of the player not on anything that resembles factual evidence.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on March 10, 2011, 04:33:19 AM
Meanwhile, Tottenham keep  pressing on. Quarterfinals!
Shakhtar Schalke Spurs and Barcelona Hands up those who expected that?


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on March 10, 2011, 07:58:03 AM
I sure didn't expect Schalke to beat Valencia. Spurs doesn't surprise me as much because the Italian teams are all down this year.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on March 15, 2011, 10:20:19 AM
Woohoo Champion's League and MLS opening night!


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: ghost on March 16, 2011, 06:53:21 PM
Chad Ochocinco to try out for MLS (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6224036).

I guess MLS wasn't enough of a joke as it currently exists. 


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on March 18, 2011, 05:15:49 AM
He's worth a run. he was quite the soccer talent until age 16 when he went for the money.

MLS is less of a joke than even three years ago The academies are churning out players now. I heartily recommend you check out Real Salt Lake. Possession game with an emphasis on passing. They took it to Saprissa in the first leg of Champions league semis


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on March 18, 2011, 09:42:06 AM
The MLS definitely isn't a joke. The quality of football is very variable, but there are some good teams and good players out there worth watching.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on March 18, 2011, 01:21:33 PM
He's worth a run. he was quite the soccer talent until age 16 when he went for the money.

MLS is less of a joke than even three years ago The academies are churning out players now. I heartily recommend you check out Real Salt Lake. Possession game with an emphasis on passing. They took it to Saprissa in the first leg of Champions league semis

RSL is unwatchable due to Beckerman's goddamned hair. What a twat.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on March 18, 2011, 01:59:58 PM
Don't diss the White Bob Marley.  :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on March 19, 2011, 03:02:45 PM
He's worth a run. he was quite the soccer talent until age 16 when he went for the money.

MLS is less of a joke than even three years ago The academies are churning out players now. I heartily recommend you check out Real Salt Lake. Possession game with an emphasis on passing. They took it to Saprissa in the first leg of Champions league semis

RSL is unwatchable due to Beckerman's goddamned hair. What a twat.

You're just bitter. Gonna suck to be 0-2 opening weekend  :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on March 19, 2011, 11:24:26 PM
And indeed it does. Bleah. If they could ever finish a goddamned chance they would be tough. O'Brian White... :facepalm:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on March 20, 2011, 05:07:54 PM
In a positive note for you, Dynamo are next week, and my boys looked positively punchless at times.

If we can keep  the sides healthy enough, RSL and RBNY duels are going to be fucking epic. which of course will mean Prus or Toledo will get that match and we'll have ten missed fouls, two phantoms calls and a red that will come out of nowhere. in a 0-0 snoozer


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on March 21, 2011, 12:51:48 PM
Watched the first half of the Colorado - Portland game. Portland got stomped enough that I just fast-forwarded through the second half. When did the Rapids get this good?

Also, LOLZ at Steve Bruce bitching for video replay. That's never going to happen, no matter how wrong the ref's assistant got that penalty call. Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll look damn good together though. Now if we could just sort the midfield and the goddamn fullbacks (oh and get some depth for the centre backs so the next time we have the entire defense come down with sprained everythings, we don't have to rely on Danny Wilson).


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: squirrel on March 21, 2011, 04:10:55 PM
As a football fan and new season ticket holder for our MLS expansion team (Vancouver) I'm thrilled by the MLS although I certainly recognize that the quality is well behind premiere euro and south American leagues. For me MLS does two key things for football in my city:

1. Provides accessible top level play for fans and families. We're a football family who never gets to see games live. We also support hockey but at $200+ a ticket we just can't justify taking 4 people to a game. We now have seasons tickets for MLS football at a reasonable price and can partake as fans for a whole season.

2. Builds an infrastructure for North American football. With MLS growing I can hope that the academies get the funds and support to denvelop talent year over year for the long term. I'm not fooling myself that Canada will become a world power but if the US and Canada can build a system we can at least be at the table for my favorite sport.

Color me thrilled with the MLS as crappy as some of it is.

EDIT: Phone posting sucks


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Mazakiel on March 21, 2011, 04:56:46 PM
While it can be a bit rough quality wise, I'm also liking the MLS.  I'm a pretty new football fan, thanks to the World Cup last year, so one of the bigger draws for me is to have a somewhat local team I can go watch. 


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: ghost on March 21, 2011, 04:57:13 PM
I really wasn't intending to completely denigrate the MLS we have today.  It's good compared to even five years ago.  I was just really pissed that they would bother to give Chad Johnson a tryout and publicize it.  Oh well, maybe we'll have some Ochocinco jerseys for some lucky MLS team here soon.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on March 21, 2011, 06:22:03 PM
He won't make the cut. He won't run box to box and I don't know who he replaces, maybe Diop but  Diop is not horrible. Sporting already has one of the biggest names in North America on their team already. 

Very happy with the strides the league has made in the five years I've followed.I"m waiting for some sort of plateau, because the quality is improving across the board save for the totally hapless.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: ghost on March 28, 2011, 12:45:41 PM
Man U to play versus MLS All Stars again (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/soccer/03/28/manunited.mls.ap/index.html?eref=sihp).

Bleh.  Last year they won 5-2.  I wonder what would happen between Man U and any of the individual teams.   :grin:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on March 28, 2011, 07:04:24 PM
Man U to play versus MLS All Stars again (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/soccer/03/28/manunited.mls.ap/index.html?eref=sihp).

Bleh.  Last year they won 5-2.  I wonder what would happen between Man U and any of the individual teams.   :grin:

Real Salt Lake if healthy makes them  kick it into 90-95 percent to win as the Royals are playing right now.  RSL are on a whole different level at the moment. the passing, the movement, the interplay, watch them.

Based off what I've seen this year, RSL might survive relegation in the EPL. Attractive soccer.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: squirrel on April 04, 2011, 11:39:31 AM
Yeah RSL is playing really well from the games I've seen - they and Colarado seem to be the teams to beat in the West. I was at the Whitecaps game Sat. - we came back from a 3 - 0 deficit to a 3 - 3 tie. 2 goals scored in the 91st and 93rd minutes - stadium went fucking nuts. Am really enjoying this league so far.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on April 05, 2011, 09:08:19 PM
You were at that? Soo Jealous.

RSL just knocked off Saprissa. Now they go to the CONCACAF Champions League final. First American team to do that. 180 minutes from Tokyo. Just have to beat Cruz Azul. Or Monterrey.  Hoping Azul, ,the Buffalo Bills of Mexico


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on April 06, 2011, 02:16:45 AM
That was a pretty massive brick wall Spurs hit last night, Crouch obviously the culprit of their downfall.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: lamaros on April 06, 2011, 03:20:29 AM
Nah. Think they would have got done regardless. Pretty stupid but.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on April 06, 2011, 04:28:59 AM
Chelsea, United should be interesting.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on April 06, 2011, 08:36:25 AM
Chelsea, United should be interesting.

I am hoping I remember to keep my media blackout intact until I get home to watch it. Facebook is usually where I get tripped up.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on April 06, 2011, 08:53:08 AM
Inter getting hammered by Schalke like that really surprised me. I thought Inter was better than that. Good luck overcoming 3 goal deficit. Spurs... well, it's Spurs. Did anyone really think they were getting very far with Gomes in goal?


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on April 06, 2011, 09:50:40 AM
I am hoping I remember to keep my media blackout intact until I get home to watch it. Facebook is usually where I get tripped up.

Yeh that does me in every Saturday, if not Facebook the other halfs dad is brutal for telling me if I see him. I've reduced myself to using livescores.com.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: squirrel on April 06, 2011, 12:40:38 PM
Chelsea, United should be interesting.

Watching it now . MNU seem to be playing the better game so far.

WCFC against New England tonite's - taking the lad and gonna chant my ass off!
Edited out score for those on blackout!


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on April 06, 2011, 01:57:40 PM
United very lucky there, totally outplayed in second half & Evras lunge at the end was a stonewall penalty. I'll take it though, considering some of the bad decisions that have gone against us in recent encounters with Chelsea (eg. Drogbas' offside goal last season and David Luiz staying on the pitch in the last game).

Next leg set up to be a barnstormer though.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: lamaros on April 06, 2011, 10:01:37 PM
Utd - Chelsea is the only tie still in the balance. What a disgrace for Inter, Suprs and Shatkar.

I would think the winner of Utd - Chelsea would make the final too, with the way Schalke was playing.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on April 07, 2011, 10:35:20 AM
Shaktar an underfunded team from a second rate league make the Q. Finals & they're a disgrace? Not to mention Spurs who have been a revelation in their first CL outing? The smell of bullshit from that post is veritably toxic, go back to reading your tabloid.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on April 07, 2011, 01:46:28 PM
yes, those of use who were watching the Jol/Ramos death rattle are ok with getting as far as we did. Now, to get into 4th...


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: lamaros on April 09, 2011, 07:57:24 PM
At what point did I say making the QFs was a disgrace, or that they didn't deserve to be there?  :why_so_serious:

Thought the performances were very poor in the QFs, and basically killed all but one of the ties.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on April 11, 2011, 01:53:20 PM
Liverpool again proving they are better off without Gerrard, should have sold him off to Chelsea too (when they had the chance).


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on April 11, 2011, 02:10:54 PM
Please shut the fuck up.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on April 12, 2011, 01:39:13 PM
Blatantly stolen from elsewhere, but funny enough to pass along-

David Blaine's 40 day world record for doing nothing in a box has been broken by Fernando Torres.

Just a SHOT.

Also hahahahahahaha fuck you, Chelsea.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on April 12, 2011, 02:15:08 PM
As a Liverpool fan who watched 35 million pounds buy 2 goals against Man City, I can safely say Cheers, Chelsea! Have fun living and dying by a fucking hamstring.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on April 12, 2011, 02:26:08 PM
Fuck Chelsea indeed  :grin:

Three best bits of business this season have to be Hernandez for 6 million, swapping Carroll and Suarez for glass legs and Van Der Vaart.

Dzeko and Torres have to be the worst , but then at least with Torres you know he might come good next season (nah).


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on April 12, 2011, 03:00:44 PM
I think Torres will eventually come good, but I don't think he's going to be worth the 50 million - his injury history is just too spotty these days. It's one of the reasons I wasn't at all bothered to see him go. Dzeko needs time, but more importantly, he needs PLAYING time. Mancini keeps chopping and changing the lineup like he's Rafa Benitez. Good luck forming any sort of chemistry when you do that. Coming from the Bundesliga to the EPL is just a huge fucking change. Lots of Bundesliga teams are playing that diamond formation of 4-4-2 and I think only Chelsea has even come close to that type of formation in the last few years. He has to not only learn how the refs are going to call the game (totally different in England), but figure out a completely different style of defense, against better defenders than he's used to dealing with.

You're completely right about Hernandez for 6 million. That's a goddamn steal.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on April 13, 2011, 08:49:14 AM
There is a notorious Mexican SA member who was raving about Hernandez when the deal was announced. I assumed it was his normal pro-Mexico crap, but then I saw in in the World Cup. And then in the Community Shield...the kid is a beast. He and Rooney together are a nightmare for a defense...he makes great runs, and Rooney can make some pinpoint passes (like the cross in for the offsides goal yesterday). Rooney is also ok at the scoring part, so you can't play him solely to cross.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Hoax on April 20, 2011, 12:22:44 PM
Arsenal v Spurs tv feed on espn2 is fucking b0rked as hell for everyone?


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on April 20, 2011, 02:08:47 PM
I had the ESPN3.com feed running in another window on my computer at work and it seemed fine in the second half at least.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Hoax on April 20, 2011, 06:32:59 PM
Espn3 was fine but I needed that to watch the Copa del Rey. The tv feed was worthless all game, which is odd.

Looking forward to Wednesday's champs league game, got a whole lot more interesting with Barca losing.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on April 20, 2011, 06:42:07 PM
Espn3 was fine but I needed that to watch the Copa del Rey. The tv feed was worthless all game, which is odd.

Looking forward to Wednesday's champs league game, got a whole lot more interesting with Barca losing.

I'm more interested in what's going on in  about a quarter hour from this posting.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on April 20, 2011, 08:55:12 PM
Yeah, that was a helluva London derby.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on April 20, 2011, 09:29:13 PM
FT Monterey 2 Real Salt Lake 2

Second leg @ RSL's Rio Tinto, where RSL has not lost in all competitions in 38 games.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on April 21, 2011, 09:00:52 AM
Do they use away goals in CCF CL? I can't remember- the Sounders never get past the group stages  :oh_i_see: If so, wow.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Hoax on April 21, 2011, 10:24:01 AM
RSL was pretty fortunate to get out of that 2 - 2 from what I saw, which was most of the second half. Away goals is the first tie breaker so they are in a pretty good place except that they were getting shredded at the back.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on April 21, 2011, 04:34:05 PM
RSL was pretty fortunate to get out of that 2 - 2 from what I saw, which was most of the second half. Away goals is the first tie breaker so they are in a pretty good place except that they were getting shredded at the back.

RSL controlled play after the first 20 until the half. Morales had an awesome move to grab the equalizer.

http://youtu.be/Cb6EeuwQQrY


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Abagadro on April 22, 2011, 12:16:12 AM
Probably going to the game. Tough ticket so it is expensive for a crap seat, but a CONCACAF final game 2 miles from my house? How can I not pull the trigger?


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on April 22, 2011, 03:45:01 AM
Good man, also away goals rule is in effect, WAP.


Meanwhile This goal from Agudelo would make a highlight reel for just about any team. (http://nytv.neulion.com/mlsvp/console.jsp?catid=1879&id=13968)


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on April 22, 2011, 04:33:21 AM
That was an outstanding finish, the fact he had two players around him makes it even more so.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: ghost on April 22, 2011, 05:44:38 AM
That was amazing.   :heart:

I have a friend that has season tix for the Red Bulls.  Maybe I should go visit....


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on April 22, 2011, 08:29:49 PM
http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=114&id=13995

Just NASTY.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on April 23, 2011, 12:12:43 AM
OH MY FUCKING GOD!

I had seen that a tackle took place but hadn't watched the game to see the tackle yet. Fuck me, that makes my balls shrink up into my body.

On a more pleasant note, Real Salt Lake played pretty well. It's going to be hard to beat 2 away goals with RSL at home. And speaking of RSL, I got to see former RSL striker Robbie Findley's English debut playing for Nottingham Forest today. He only got about 10 minutes and didn't do much, but good to see him popping up in the Championship.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on April 23, 2011, 09:23:58 AM
As long as he doesn't pop up on the national team EVAR AGAIN.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on April 25, 2011, 07:55:21 AM
Not much better for spurs with a fucking draw to west brom.... but

(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/85685/gunners.jpg)

 :awesome_for_real: Such poetry, thanks to soccernet.



Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: stu on April 25, 2011, 11:35:19 AM
http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=114&id=13995

Just NASTY.

Brutal.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on April 25, 2011, 01:11:38 PM
I can't decide if the sound is worse than the leg waving all over independently.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on April 25, 2011, 01:30:08 PM
I have not been able to get that fucking sound and image out of my head all weekend. Every time I've watched football, I keep hearing it in my head and it makes me fucking cringe.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: ghost on April 25, 2011, 01:56:45 PM
Welcome to the wonderful world of twitter, Darron Gibson. (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/soccer/04/25/united.twitter.ap/index.html?eref=sihp)

I think I'll pass on the Twitter account, thanks.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on April 25, 2011, 02:54:23 PM
Gibson's problem is that most man u fans are smegheads.  :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on April 25, 2011, 03:32:56 PM
Gibson is a decent player and has progressed at a good rate this year. Like OShea he won't set the world alight in every game, but he's a good squad player.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on April 26, 2011, 11:58:35 AM
Neuer is going to be a pain in the balls, apparently. Maybe MancU can buy him this summer!


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on April 26, 2011, 01:48:41 PM
SAF shaking Neuers' hand at the end, sign him up  :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Hoax on April 26, 2011, 06:15:58 PM
I think Neuer is top5 and may be the best keeper in the world at the moment. He should end up at an English club the second his contract is up.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: lamaros on April 27, 2011, 06:35:38 AM
He's going to Bayern.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on April 27, 2011, 07:26:01 AM
That's the rumour, it hasn't been announced yet who he's goin' to.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on April 27, 2011, 07:54:29 AM
Bayern has a history of buying up all the good German players in the Bundesliga except when they get outbid by the big clubs outside Germany, like when Osil went to Real Madrid last year. If Sir Alex wants him, Bayern will be outbid, period. There isn't enough money in the Bundesliga to compete in the transfer market with the likes of Spain and England.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: ghost on April 27, 2011, 01:43:12 PM
Lionel Messi is fairly godlike (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU8UnQhV-8I).   :heart:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: lamaros on April 27, 2011, 08:37:51 PM
That's the rumour, it hasn't been announced yet who he's goin' to.

Hold on to hope. I will too. But it sounds very much like he is going to Bayern.  :heartbreak:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Abagadro on April 28, 2011, 12:05:43 AM
Lionel Messi is fairly godlike (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU8UnQhV-8I).   :heart:

Fairly?  He only beat 7 guys there single handedly.  :awesome_for_real:

The guy truly is amazing.

I'm a sad panda that RSL lost, especially since the goal they gave up was truly dreadful.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on April 28, 2011, 01:35:49 PM
Barca were disgraceful again with their play acting & I was hoping for a decent game. I know United have Nani, but Barca have Alves, Busquets, Puyol & Pedro. These lads need a kick in the nads.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on April 28, 2011, 04:44:18 PM
Lionel Messi is fairly godlike (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU8UnQhV-8I).   :heart:

Fairly?  He only beat 7 guys there single handedly.  :awesome_for_real:

The guy truly is amazing.

I'm a sad panda that RSL lost, especially since the goal they gave up was truly dreadful.

Agreed. That was a true utah final though, the big guy totally failed to show up.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Hoax on April 30, 2011, 01:22:42 PM
Barca were disgraceful again with their play acting & I was hoping for a decent game. I know United have Nani, but Barca have Alves, Busquets, Puyol & Pedro. These lads need a kick in the nads.

There is trying to draw a call by going down under contact and there is pretending to have been maliciously injured whenever you have the slightest chance to act as if someone has jabbed your eye or broke your ankle.

Fuck Barcelona and fuck the reffing in that game. Yes Messi is on a completely different level. At least I can rest easy knowing he will never make a world cup final. Dirty son of nazis piece of shit that he is.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on April 30, 2011, 07:14:51 PM
Gomes pretty much singlehandedly sends Spurs down to Europa league. Fitting because he plays like he only has one hand.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on April 30, 2011, 10:05:53 PM
That loss today means Spurs could still be out of Europa League with the way Liverpool has been playing. That last game of the season may be worth something after all.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on May 10, 2011, 07:16:03 AM
Right well that's that United have sealed a record amount of titles with their best performance of the season. Giggs has been a revelation this year, of all years, he always adds a spark but this year he's really delivered more, experience composure, creativity, great to watch. Sad to see Scholes become a fringe player but the legs are getting tired now. Big shock for me was seeing Carrick actually have a decent run of games, about time too I was beginning to think Ferguson had lost it. Never doubt the big scot though he knows his shit.

Now how to counter Barca, I think they have been giving too much credit for their sideways football. No better team setup to counterattack than United at the moment. I reckon it could be tighter than people are talking about, especially as Barca have been riding their luck lately.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: ghost on May 10, 2011, 12:32:33 PM
What do you mean that six FIFA members are accused of accepting or asking for bribes in the World Cup selection process (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/soccer/05/10/fifa.allegations.ap/index.html?sct=hp_t2_a11)?  I thought Sepp Blatter said it wasn't about the money (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1337140/Sepp-Blatter-says-FIFA-didnt-want-money-spread-word.html)? 

Blatter is so full of shit. 


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on May 10, 2011, 12:36:12 PM
Is there any hope they throw the selections out? Qatar is going to be a fucking joke.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on May 10, 2011, 12:45:09 PM
Yeah, I'm all for spreading the game, but Qatar? Is there even any indication they'll have viable stadiums built by that time?


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: ghost on May 10, 2011, 12:49:44 PM
Quote
Two of the paper's investigative journalists told the committee in a letter that a whistleblower who had worked for the Qatari bid told them in December that the country "had paid $1.5 million to two FIFA ExCo members - Hayatou and Jacques Anouma of the Ivory Coast - to secure their votes.''
Reporters Jonathan Calvert and Claire Newell added that "a similar deal had been struck with Amos Adamu, although he was prevented from voting because he was suspended following our original article."
:awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on May 15, 2011, 12:02:19 PM
From seattle last night

http://youtu.be/2a9aB8i92SQ



Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on May 16, 2011, 08:49:33 AM
I was there- just across the player tunnel from the tifo. Very impressive! Wish I could say the same about the weather. God it was fucking miserable.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on May 16, 2011, 03:20:22 PM
The drawing the line from the past to the present was special, and then at then end with picture of crazy ass Leveque  being strung up with 48 Seconds! underneath. I was rooting for Portland but I still thought that was a great "Fuck You" to the Tims.

 


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on May 16, 2011, 04:10:24 PM
Haha yeah, the Levesque thing was genius. I don't really get WHY he is so loathed by the Timber faithful, but using him to troll them just cracks me up. He has bought into it too, which makes it even more fun. Hopefully we can field a few more first teamers in July and kick their ass.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on May 16, 2011, 06:24:05 PM
His goal production has come primarily against the portland timbers. It's  like 10 against them and 2 elsewhere for his career

The biggest goal came in the 2009 US Open Cup, the last time those two had played before this weekend.

You can guess at what time in the match the goal was scored  :drill:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on May 17, 2011, 09:01:42 AM
I remember it well!


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on June 25, 2011, 04:56:05 PM
Gold Cup Finals BAYBEEE

I have no fucking idea which way this thing is going to go.

Meanwhile LA Galaxy are having to play a forward as  keeper for a half.


Holy Fuck, Adu is starting.

And at the half it's 2-2 and if I die from alcohol poisoning, I blame Bornstein.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: ghost on June 25, 2011, 07:44:23 PM
Fuck.  :heartbreak:

And double Fuck.  :heartbreak: :heartbreak:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on June 25, 2011, 08:37:55 PM
Yep. Good game, but the USA has a real problem at defense. Where is Onyewu, injured? The fullback positions are a bit of a wreck. Even Cherundolo doesn't light the world on fire. A team with the kind of class and speed that Mexico has can just shred that back line, especially when it's at a 45 degree angle. On a positive note, Adu looked pretty damn good. Not sure about Agudelo - he seems to be too easy to muscle off the ball to play as a single striker. Jermaine Jones also does not thrill me. But I'm starting to warm to Dempsey.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: ghost on June 26, 2011, 05:39:25 AM
Yeah, but you don't get up 2-0 and blow it that bad.  Fuck, put in a couple of defensive minded midfielders at that point. 


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on June 26, 2011, 11:00:21 AM
You do if your fucking fullback can't figure out that he needs to play even with the centre backs in order to catch speedy forwards offsides. The amount of times the centre backs just got blown away by someone being played onside by either Jermaine Jones or one of the fullbacks was horrible. Tim Howard got left on an island way too many times. Jermaine Jones is supposed to be a defensive midfielder, I thought - he certainly played like one (badly). Another problem the US has is some of them are too timid when faced with a shot. They want to take too many touches when they should be shooting first time. Jones had a particularly bad example. Once they got down, they forgot about going out on the wings and tried to hammer through route 1. Playing Donovan up top really didn't help - he needs to be the one to knit the play from the midfield to the striker. Dempsey would have been a better choice up top.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: ghost on June 26, 2011, 07:06:11 PM
Yeah, that's the point:  our fullbacks suck ass.  You don't want to go into a prevent defense that early but it was probably our only hope of winning. 


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on June 27, 2011, 09:43:51 AM
Cherundolo was probably the US's best player in the Gold Cup until he got hurt. Not sure he would have made much of a difference, but jesus fuck Bornstein is useless. Was nice to see Adu get some time and not piss it away...he looks like he might be useful going forward.

In other footballing news, got a call from a buddy Sunday morning- he had SUITE Sounders tickets and didn't realize they were for that day, and needed someone to go with him. Being a very loyal friend, I of course obliged. Wow. I really need to hit the lottery and buy suites for all my sporting events. What a great way to watch a game. Food and beverages everywhere, a great site line just over midfield, a parking pass, and a PRIVATE bathroom. Yes please.

Oh, and Seattle won, thanks in part to one of the sickest free kicks I have seen in recent memory from Tyson Wahl.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: ghost on June 27, 2011, 12:41:12 PM
I had completely forgotten about Freddy Adu.  That guy had a ton of pressure on him.  Glad to see he's coming through a little bit on the positive side. 


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Tale on July 04, 2011, 01:31:08 PM
The FIFA Women's World Cup just saw the most blatant handball ever - completely missed by the referee!

http://www.caughtoffside.com/2011/07/03/video-the-most-blatant-handball-ever-australia-v-equatorial-guinea-womens-world-cup/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/14013772.stm


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on July 04, 2011, 03:09:34 PM
seriously, she held that ball for like two seconds.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on July 04, 2011, 03:21:17 PM
I didn't realize Thierry Henry had family in Equatorial Guinea. LOLFIFA.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on July 05, 2011, 08:20:01 AM
WOW.  :ye_gods:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Der Helm on July 10, 2011, 11:08:15 AM
Holy shit, your girls know how to play an exciting game.

Now kick out France.  :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Paelos on July 10, 2011, 11:09:55 AM
That match had me in tears. I've never seen a game like that. Amazing.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: ghost on July 10, 2011, 01:00:09 PM
That was fucking compelling.  And, of course, I had to take the kid to swim lessons during the second overtime period...... 


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on July 11, 2011, 08:42:27 AM
Very very cool. Seriously dramatic.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on July 11, 2011, 06:45:34 PM
Very very cool. Seriously dramatic.

and hey Seattle scored FIVE GOALS yesterday... hehehe


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on July 11, 2011, 08:29:03 PM
Heh, that was a fun second half game to watch (the Sounders/Timbers game that is).


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Malakili on July 12, 2011, 07:59:50 AM
That was fucking compelling.  And, of course, I had to take the kid to swim lessons during the second overtime period...... 

This is why you shouldn't have children.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on July 12, 2011, 08:38:52 AM
Very very cool. Seriously dramatic.

and hey Seattle scored FIVE GOALS yesterday... hehehe

Heh. I was screaming and bitching about how fucking ridiculously lucky Portland was...then they scored on the PK and I didn't care any more  :grin:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Paelos on July 13, 2011, 10:07:30 AM
The US Women look terrible so far against France. They are just weathering the storm and can't do that forever. Unless they decide to attack, France is going to win.

EDIT: Different team in the last 20 minutes of the half. US 3-1!


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: 01101010 on July 13, 2011, 10:56:08 AM
The US Women look terrible so far against France. They are just weathering the storm and can't do that forever. Unless they decide to attack, France is going to win.

EDIT: Different team in the last 20 minutes of the half. US 3-1!

This was going to be my post almost verbatim - :D


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on July 13, 2011, 11:16:47 AM
Yay final! I have had a crush on Hope Solo for a decade or so now.  :pedobear:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Paelos on July 13, 2011, 11:20:31 AM
I really really want a picture of her holding the trophy with her arm around Harrison Ford.

Epic.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Der Helm on July 13, 2011, 01:02:00 PM
Japan vs Sweden. Epic goals. Watch it.


 :ye_gods: :grin: :awesome_for_real:
 :drillf: :drillf: :drillf:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Malakili on July 17, 2011, 02:18:59 PM
Japan really out played them I think.  US was clearly physically dominant but they seem to rely on that to win, and they just made a lot of sloppy plays. 


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Azuredream on July 17, 2011, 03:09:07 PM
Japan really out played them I think.  US was clearly physically dominant but they seem to rely on that to win, and they just made a lot of sloppy plays. 

The first Japan goal just made me cringe, no way that should've happened.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: pants on July 17, 2011, 03:22:42 PM
Yep. Good game, but the USA has a real problem at defense. Where is Onyewu, injured? The fullback positions are a bit of a wreck.

I only caught extra time and the penalties, so I don't know what the rest of the game looked like, but hell yeah.  The US back 5 were a mess - Japan should have scored 3-4 times in the last 15 minutes. 


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Numtini on July 17, 2011, 03:42:11 PM
Japan has been extremely consistent throughout the tournament. They play their game. They don't get rattled. They were simply better and that's really been the story of them the whole tournament.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on July 17, 2011, 04:13:40 PM
Can we get someone to make a fucking penalty shot? I didn't watch any of the World Cup before this, so was this poor spot kick performance a new thing?

Good game otherwise.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: EWSpider on July 17, 2011, 04:29:39 PM
The US dominated the game with 27 shots, but only 6 were on goal and only 2 were converted.  It came back to bite them in the ass.  They went into the game with a plan to counter Japan's possession game and they executed it perfectly, playing beautiful possession football of their own.  It was quite possibly the best game the USA played the entire tournament.  Unfortunately, a defensive blunder by the US led to the first goal, and a lucky deflection off a set piece gave Japan the draw.  The PKs can't be explained.  They were 5 for 5 in the Brazil game, it just wasn't meant to be this time.   :cry:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Triforcer on July 17, 2011, 04:53:45 PM
I attended a World Cup viewing party with my wife and her Japanese female friends.  A rather hostile atmosphere for US fans...  :ye_gods:

But seriously, if the US couldn't win it, I am glad Japan did.  Good technical football, a great team attitude, and they are providing a shot in the arm to a country that really needs it. 

Overall, this was a great World Cup.  I enjoyed watching this more than the 2010 World Cup.  I hope it grows women's football.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on July 18, 2011, 09:06:16 AM
Agreed that if US couldn't win, glad Japan did. Dear god, the first Japan goal was such a gift.  Clearing the ball BACK THROUGH THE MIDDLE of the 6 yard box is really never never a good idea. I would rather have her try to kick it up over the bar or something. PKs were just fucking embarrassing.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Chimpy on July 23, 2011, 11:43:42 AM
So Bin Hamman has been banned for life for trying to buy the election from Blatter:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/14262937.stm

How long until they pull the cup from Qatar for the same reason?


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: ghost on July 23, 2011, 01:10:09 PM
Hopefully in about 10 minutes.  I can't fathom keeping it there.   :uhrr:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Sir T on July 25, 2011, 09:17:21 AM
Qatar seems to be the one thing that is uniting soccer worldwide. Pretty much nobody thinks its a good idea bar the people that voted.

Hell it might be entertaining watching teams trying to lose games rather than go there.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on July 25, 2011, 09:29:47 AM
Qatar seems to be the one thing that is uniting soccer worldwide. Pretty much nobody thinks its a good idea bar the people that voted paid for it.

Fixed that for you.

Yeah, playing a World Cup in Qatar in the goddamn summer is pants on head retarded. You'll need IV breaks twice a fucking half, not to mention the fact that their stadiums probably aren't anywhere near world competition level. I find it funny that Sepp banned Bin Hamman for life - that fucker's about as corrupt as they come.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: ghost on July 25, 2011, 11:35:53 AM
Is it ever not "summer" there?  I assumed it was hot all the time.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on July 25, 2011, 12:39:27 PM
Been out of town since Thursday morning, so this a bit late, but-

Got to see my 2nd live Manchester United hat trick (other RVN in 2003) Wednesday night. I didn't mind that they were running circles around my Sounders, since I love both teams and it was a joy to see the guys really doing their thing. Kind of dirty pool from SAF to save Rooney for the 2nd half after the mass subs though, the bastard!  :grin:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on July 28, 2011, 12:53:17 PM
Bob Bradley shitcanned. (http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Mens-National-Team/2011/07/Bradleys-Tenure-Ends.aspx)

FINALLY! The guy has been an anchor around the program for years. Sunil needs to go too, but one step at a time. Hopefully they will hire a foreign coach.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on July 28, 2011, 12:59:41 PM
The best contribution Bradley made to the US team was Michael Bradley.  :why_so_serious:

Meh, I didn't mind him so much, but he really seemed incapable of developing defenders of an international quality level.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on July 28, 2011, 01:01:38 PM
His team selection and lineups were atrocious. No way players like Buddle or the little fast guy who dribbles out of touch every chance he gets (blanking on his name) should have been on the WC roster. And Sacha Klestjan...god he is so bad and BB loves him.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on July 28, 2011, 01:04:37 PM
Which guy, Bedoya?

As for Klestjan, if you saw his performances for Chivas USA in the MLS, you'd think he was ready for the big-time too. The World Cup proved he really, really wasn't, at least not the way Bradley used him.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on July 28, 2011, 01:08:42 PM
He has stepped on his dick every chance he gets with the national team, although he wasn't quite as bad as usual against Mexico in the Gold Cup (his teammates were more than bad enough to make up for him of course).

Robbie Findley was who I was thinking of. And I forgot about DaMarcus Beasley and Ricardo Clark.  :ye_gods:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: ghost on July 28, 2011, 01:35:16 PM
Jurgen Klinsmann time? :awesome_for_real:


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on July 28, 2011, 02:06:50 PM
Rumors are saying it won't be a surprise name, so that sounds likely.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Hoax on July 28, 2011, 02:58:09 PM
I'd maintain that Ricardo Clark wasn't a bad idea, with some good coaching and seasoning he could turn into a respectable defensive mid. He has the speed and the willingness to get stuck in but he did get caught watching far too often in 2010.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on July 28, 2011, 03:02:10 PM
Problem I saw with Clark was he was a defensive mid standing alongside another defensive mid. Michael Bradley does get forward some but I wouldn't exactly call him an attacking mid. So in a 4-4-2 it was two defensive mids, Dempsey and Donovan on the wings and whoever was up top and not enough knitting down the center of the pitch. Feilhaber would have been a better choice alongside Clarke (or with Bradley talking the Clarke role).


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: WayAbvPar on July 28, 2011, 03:42:53 PM
You can have all the athleticism in the world and still be terrible. His brain (or lack thereof) is the problem. Terrible terrible judgement, never in position, etc.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: sigil on July 29, 2011, 04:34:39 PM
Annnd we get the Baker's Boy.

The key is going to be who he picks for a staff. I'm hoping he gives Claudio Reyna the freedom to continue the work that he's just started.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Stabs on July 30, 2011, 07:06:16 PM
You can have all the athleticism in the world and still be terrible. His brain (or lack thereof) is the problem. Terrible terrible judgement, never in position, etc.

One of the problems is the level. The English and the Spanish top leagues move the ball really fast, much faster than in the lower leagues. Over here we quite often see a player from the Championship or lower who was magnificent turn out to be utterly unable to cope in the top league.

I think the same disparity may exist in the USA domestic leagues with regard to international football. Defenders who have perfectly good anticipation and reactions at a lower level might fail to rise to a game played more quickly.

The only real solution for the USA is to get defenders playing in some of the top EU leagues. From what I've seen of your national side the players who have played in the Premier League (eg Howard, Donovan and Dempsey) seemed much more comfortable with the demands of the international game. This may be in progress - you guys do have a squad of young defenders who mostly play in Europe according to Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_men%27s_national_soccer_team

That page also confirms Klinsmann as your coach.

I think you may have a pretty decent 2012 World Cup if people like Eric Lichaj can get regular places in their club sides.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: HaemishM on July 30, 2011, 09:30:19 PM
Right now, I'd rate the US domestic league (MLS) somewhere between the English Championship and League One. Real Salt Lake and the Galaxy could probably hang mid-table in the Championship, though a side like Chicago (sad panda) or Vancouver would struggle in League One. Though I think we turn out good goalkeepers, our defense just don't get it and I can't figure out why.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Stabs on August 03, 2011, 01:36:06 AM
Perhaps because defenders need a more profound understanding of the game. Goalkeeping is mainly just catching and figuring out when to stick and when to come. Attacking is trying little tricks and tactics, to people brought up on American Football you're probably better at that than us Europeans as that's a much more tactical game that is analysed very cleverly in the TV coverage. (Certainly American attackers seem generally to be very clever players).

But for defending there's no substitute for having played soccer all your life. You need to see patterns.

I suspect you have a generation coming through that are sufficiently immersed. When did you host the World Cup? 94? Kids born then will be 17 now.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Chimpy on August 03, 2011, 10:26:36 AM
I suspect you have a generation coming through that are sufficiently immersed. When did you host the World Cup? 94? Kids born then will be 17 now.

The problem is not people picking up soccer at a young age. Even in the 1980s when I was growing up practically every kid played soccer. The U.S. has had extremely high numbers of youth soccer players for 30 years. The problem has always been that children in the U.S. stop playing soccer when they get to their early teens. That mass exodus from the game really has not changed considerably even since 1994. Soccer is still a program that is not offered to teenagers as a viable athletic activity.


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: ghost on August 03, 2011, 10:34:54 AM
I read an article the other day discussing how soccer was not a serious sport for folks in the US.  I think that supports your point very well, Chimpy.  I can't tell you the number of kids that I see that drop soccer when they hit middle school to play football or basketball.  American football is king. 


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Xuri on August 03, 2011, 10:52:56 AM
Goalkeeping is mainly just catching and figuring out when to stick and when to come.
I think you're downplaying the role of the goalkeeper a bit there. Goalkeeping is as much about keeping the defense focused and aware of potential dangers, having a "commanding presence" in the box and even starting attacks as it is about "catching the ball".


Title: Re: 2010/11 Football (soccer)
Post by: Amarr HM on August 03, 2011, 01:50:50 PM
I suspect you have a generation coming through that are sufficiently immersed. When did you host the World Cup? 94? Kids born then will be 17 now.

They jumped out of the womb with Vuvuzela in their mouth.