2009/2010 Football (Soccer) Thread

[WayAbvPar]

CL games were insane yesterday. Good to see Obertan and Macheda getting some time- they are going to be needed sooner than later.

[Amarr HM]

Nothing useful came from the left side of the pitch until Obertan and Evra came on & loads of players look a bit off pace. United got lucky, but the second half fight back was good to see.

[sidereal]

 If Liverpool keep struggling in the Prem and Lyon (who have been crushing it so far this season) beats them up in the group, Rafa will be in a world of hurt.

 

 

[HaemishM]

News flash - Lucas still useless, Babel hits a screamer then fucks up everything else he does, their depth is so fucking thin they have to resort to Voronin and Babel for corners and free kicks, and Torres' legs are made of fucking glass. Champion's League is practically done as is the Premier League. They better win the FA Cup or Rafa may not make the Easter weekend. Their defense is a fucking joke. How does a team with this much worldwide recognition and support put together a team with so little depth and creativity?

[sigil]

Rafa to RBNY   

[HaemishM]

  I think Rafa's head would explode from having to deal with the MLS's restrictions.

[Hoax]

What is up with France this year?  Sure usually Lyon gets into knockouts but French teams never seem dangerous.

[HaemishM]

They played Liverpool.   

[sidereal]

How does a team with this much worldwide recognition and support put together a team with so little depth and creativity?

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

[lamaros]

What is up with France this year?  Sure usually Lyon gets into knockouts but French teams never seem dangerous.

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

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

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

[HaemishM]

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

[sigil]

y'know, even though he did get the game winner...

Liverpool was right. Robbie Keane is kinda shitty.

I miss Modric...

[Amarr HM]

Yeh betcha Liverpool are glad to see back of him, what with Voronin, Ngog and the rest.

[sigil]

Yeh betcha Liverpool are glad to see back of him, what with Voronin, Ngog and the rest.

Voronin, Ngog and the rest.

Voronin

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

[Abagadro]

Heh. Drogba gets spiked in the chest and HE gets tagged with a yellow.

[Amarr HM]

Yeh betcha Liverpool are glad to see back of him, what with Voronin, Ngog and the rest.

Voronin, Ngog and the rest.

Voronin

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

[sigil]

I've followed Voronin for a few years. Even during his loan period. I don't think he belongs in the premier league. 

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

[Amarr HM]

I've followed Voronin for a few years. Even during his loan period. I don't think he belongs in the premier league.  

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

 

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

[sigil]

You're right. and I'm retarded. Bad morning,
 

[Amarr HM]

You're right. and I'm retarded. Bad morning,
 

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

[sigil]

Well the plus side to being an elitist, is you get less shitty soccer. 

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

[Amarr HM]

You obviously haven't heard of the League of Ireland 

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

[sidereal]

Well the plus side to being an elitist, is you get less shitty soccer. 

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

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

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

[sigil]

Well the plus side to being an elitist, is you get less shitty soccer. 

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

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

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

Cant be Chivas. they play in about an hour.

Worse. it could be New England.

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

[sidereal]

Whoops, right.  Meant RSL, not Chivas.

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

[WayAbvPar]

You obviously haven't heard of the League of Ireland 

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

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

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

[lamaros]

When will Rafa get the sack? Anyone game to suggest?

[WayAbvPar]

I think he will survive at least through the next CL games. If/when they get eliminated he will be gone unless they go on a tear in the league before then.

[Hoax]

You guys sure?  I mean are the Americans that involved?

[HaemishM]

When will Rafa get the sack? Anyone game to suggest?

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

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

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

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

[Amarr HM]

I would be equally concerned with the lack of youth players coming through, when was the last time someone got promoted from the U21 squad at Liverpool? United have some good players coming through Wellbeck, Macheda, Evans and Obertan (I know they aren't from the Academy but still young talent coming through the ranks).

[WayAbvPar]

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

[HaemishM]

Liverpool's youth system is fucked. Despite doing well in the youth leagues, they don't seem to be bringing anyone up to starting 11, instead either loaning or selling most of them to lower tier teams. Rafa liked to blame it on the guys in charge of the youth system, but since Parry left, he's been in charge. I see nothing but bad times ahead.

[WayAbvPar]

God I hope this is real. Either way, damned funny. ERIN GO BRAGH!

[Amarr HM]

I wish it were true, especially the bit about hammering them but unfortunately we were foiled by a jammy Anelka goal. Defended well and had the matches two best chances, but we're fucked now we have to go to Paris and win.