Soccer Thread 2012-13

[bhlloy]

If only Reading had managed to convert their try, they would have got a tie

[SirFozzie]

at least they would have gotten the bonus point loss if it had been a league game...

[Big Fo]

With a goal in the League Cup today, Ryan Giggs has now scored in 23 consecutive seasons.

[RainMaker]

This isn't good at all. Team really needs Donovan, even just to qualify.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1210888/landon-donovan-'always'-in-u.s.-plans,-jurgen-klinsmann-says?cc=5901

[sovereignstar v2]

landycakes

[SirFozzie]

Give me a break. the guy's basically played non stop over the last 2.5 years. Every January, he's off to Everton or whatever. He's scored one of the most important goals in USA history. And we still have to hear him called such crap?

He';s burnt out, and needs a few months or a year off.

[MrBug708]

Clint has probably passed him as the best player on the team, but there isn't anyone else on the team that is better than a healthy Donovan

[MrBug708]

Ian Holloway named as Crystal Palace manager

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

If only Reading had managed to convert their try, they would have got a tie

I'm amazed no-one has looked into this to see if it was a guerilla marketing match fix by Heinz

[rowech]

This Arsenal team is so uninspired. Best way I can put it. Maybe it's time for a change at the top.

[Big Fo]

Man Utd didn't play well but it was still enough, Arsenal were so flat.

[Big Fo]

This is from yesterday but I just saw it, welcome news for me.

MIAMI (AP) -- BeIN Sport says it has reached agreements to be carried in English and Spanish by Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks, deals that will expand the U.S. distribution for broadcasts on Spain's La Liga, Italy's Serie A and France's Ligue 1.

BeIN Sport, owned by the Al-Jazeera Sport Media Network, acquired rights to those leagues this season and at launch was available on DirecTV and the DISH Network. It added Comcast Corp. later in August.

Time Warner Cable spokeswoman Maureen Huff said Friday she did not know which of the company's systems will carry BeIN and when it will launch.

BeIN Sport also has rights to four U.S. World Cup qualifiers next year, the games at Costa Rica, Honduras, Jamaica and Panama.

Read more: BeIN Sport TV channel to air on Time Warner, Bright House - Soccer - SI.com

[kingfc22]

Ugh. Arsenal needs to mix up the lineup especially up top. Podolski and Giroud are not a match.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by rowech

This Arsenal team is so uninspired. Best way I can put it. Maybe it's time for a change at the top.

When you say at the top, are you talking about Wenger or Kroenke?

Though it says something about both clubs when an Arsenal player is asking for a Manchester United player's jersey.... at halftime.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

When you say at the top, are you talking about Wenger or Kroenke?

Though it says something about both clubs when an Arsenal player is asking for a Manchester United player's jersey.... at halftime.

I think Wenger needs to go.

[rowech]

Although it could be a matter of being too tight fisted I don't think this team has any kind of personality and is just going to be lacking in several ways.

[Big Fo]

There's hail in Swansea right now.

[miami_fan]

Does anyone know of a site that publishes wage bills for EPL teams?

[miami_fan]

So now the refs in the EPL are thinking about a strike against Chelsea?

Officials considering boycott of Chelsea matches - ESPN FC

As incompetent as some of these officials are, they do very little to protect themselves and the PL does even less to protect. Hell, I might even advocate for the refs to acquire a bit of Joey Crawford attitude to get control of the game.

Yes, you read that correctly and yes I still dislike Joey Crawford immensely.

[SirFozzie]

So, Juventus's undefeated streak is over....

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

So, Juventus's undefeated streak is over....

Alessio is a shit gameday coach. They should put Carrera back in charge.

The last goal they gave up cuz they threw everyone forward trying for the draw, so I'm moderately okay with that. They should have put Inter away after getting them down in the first minute, but didn't stomp them down and gave up far too much possession.

Now if you'll excuse me I have to go kill about 10,000 soldiers in Assassin's Creed before I can interact with real people again.

[Grover]

Hammers draw City! Had a clearly onside goal called off, should have taken it 1-nil.

I'm forever blowing bubbles; pretty bubbles in the airrrrr!

[law90026]

I have no idea what happened to Arsenal after the international break. Just before that, there were flaws but the team was still looking quite good. Immediately after the break? Completely flat, disinterested ... just perplexing.

[Big Fo]

Originally Posted by Grover

Hammers draw City! Had a clearly onside goal called off, should have taken it 1-nil.

I'm forever blowing bubbles; pretty bubbles in the airrrrr!

If West Ham had been screwed over like that against United instead of City, the media would be having a field day and people would cry about SAF bribing refs or some other complete nonsense. Funny how that always works.

[kingfc22]

Fantastic goal by Suarez.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Excited to watch the Sporting/Dynamo game today. Really hope that Sporting can put in a good effort today and take care of business.

[Leroy Veritas]

These Ajax kits look like the worst possible combination of all the elements the Seattle Sounders have ever used. If they eliminate city today, all will be forgiven for wearing that hot mess.

EDIT: Looks like they're going to be forgiven.

[whomario]

Dortmund up 2:1 at Bernabeu Shades of 97 ?
(Bundesliga champs 95 and 96, then a weaker league season but CL in 97, now they won the Bundesliga 11 and 12 and now having a weaker league season but in the CL ... )

2 awesome goals by Reus and Götze

[Big Fo]

It looked like Weidenfeller should have been able to make a save from Ozil's free kick.

Man City came from behind to draw Ajax and they still have a chance to progress.

If any of the English clubs are knocked out early (and finish third), I wonder if they will still be taunted with "Thursday Nights, Channel 5" or if something will replace it now that Channel 5 no longer has the Europa League rights in the UK.

[sovereignstar v2]

Terrible shocking refereeing cost City a great comeback.

[MIJB#19]

Yup, the referee won that game.

[miami_fan]

So Barca has decided not to include defending set pieces to its match preparation.

1-0 Celtic

[whomario]

Originally Posted by Big Fo

It looked like Weidenfeller should have been able to make a save from Ozil's free kick.

definitely Especially the way the Dortmund defense usually dominates in the air he ought to have considered that more (and then of course followed through rather than specualting ...)

Then again, he had at least 2 saves that were almost "un-saveable", especially the 1 foot save in the middle of the 2nd half where he made the save going in the oposite direction with his upper body but got his foot out to the other side.

Overall Dortmund didn´t play well in the 2nd half, problem was that Lewandowski had maybe his weakest day in months in terms of securing the ball and Gundogan was abysmal, those 2 are normally the players Dortmund relies on when it comes to controlling play and giving the quick hitters (Götze, Reus, Pisczek) that bit of time to get forward.

Still, basically all they need is 1 tie unless crazy stuff happens elsewhere...


Bayern just now having one of it´s patented "once they get going, they really get going" games, up 5:0 over Lille at the half (and scored all 3 within the first 33 minutes)

[bulletsponge]

snow game tonight in NY

[kingfc22]

And the Quakes are throwing away the season at the moment.

Galaxy are taking it to them.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Really frustrated about the late no-call in the KC-Houston game. KC played the ball forward and the Houston defender stuck out his leg and tripped him in the box. Young referee didn't blow the whistle and it cost KC the opportunity for extra time. Certainly were other opportunities, but that was a killer.

[DaddyTorgo]

Juventus Football: 5 Reasons Why Juve's Midfield Is the Best in the World | Bleacher Report

[Grover]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

Juventus Football: 5 Reasons Why Juve's Midfield Is the Best in the World | Bleacher Report

Man, letting Pogba go for nothing might be one of the biggest gaffe's of Ferguson's brilliant management career.

[Big Fo]

Pogba refused to sign a new contract, SAF wanted to keep him.

Juventus does not have the best midfield in the world. Real Madrid and Barcelona are definitely better in that department.

[Grover]

Originally Posted by Big Fo

Pogba refused to sign a new contract, SAF wanted to keep him.

Right, but it was obvious Ferguson needed to try new things in midfield over the past... 3-4 years. Sure, re-signing Scholes worked, but Ferguson refused time and time again to give Pogba any sort of run in the first team.

I'd want to leave too.

[Big Fo]

Pogba had only been promoted from the academy to the reserves at the start of last season, he wasn't ready to start EPL games or anything at that point. Man Utd got knocked out of the domestic cups early last year so there weren't as many chances for backups/reserves to get as much playing time compared to most seasons. And it seems that he'd agreed to join Juve well before last season ended so I can understand not giving him many minutes when he was halfway out the door, especially in the second half of the season where Man Utd only had league games to play and where every point was crucial in a tight race. He's getting playing time for Juventus now but that's after another year of experience (can be big at that age) and in a weaker league.

Right now losing Pogba wouldn't even make the top dozen bad transfer decisions of SAF's reign. Compared to selling Jaap Stam in his prime and replacing him with an ancient and practically stationary Laurant Blanc, going through so many goalkeepers including dross like Massimo Taibi and Roy Carroll in the years between Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar, spending million of pounds on players like Bebe and Eric Djemba-Djemba, I could go on.

If Pogba does go on to become a fixture in the French national team, is a top midfielder for years to come, etc. then it will look worse, sure. But it's not like management didn't rate him, they tried to resign him for months but just couldn't.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Big Fo

Pogba refused to sign a new contract, SAF wanted to keep him.

Juventus does not have the best midfield in the world. Real Madrid and Barcelona are definitely better in that department.

I could argue that all day. RM and Barca have more "star power" in their midfields sure, but it's all about the function of the midfield within the team tactic, and in that regard, Juve's is right there with them. Did they not just come off a run of 49 unbeaten league games (and only 1 non-league loss in the last year+)?

[DaddyTorgo]

Pogba's awesome. Love him. And Marrone too. The two of them will mean that even after Pirlo hangs it up in a couple more years we'll still have a midfield foursome that is fearsome.

[kingfc22]

WTF! Why didn't Arsenal let Giroud take that PK. He's the one with all the confidence at the moment. What a wasted opportunity to get 3 pts.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

WTF! Why didn't Arsenal let Giroud take that PK. He's the one with all the confidence at the moment. What a wasted opportunity to get 3 pts.

Wondered the same thing.

[Critch]

Justice was done, joke penalty decision.

[NorvTurnerOverdrive]

why wasn't there more interest in berbatov? 6 mil (to fulham of all places) seems nuts. attitude?

[sovereignstar v2]

Sit the fuck down Smalling!

[SirFozzie]

I'm beginning to believe Man Yoo is just fucking with us and toying with our emotions..

"Oh Noes! We've gone down a goal/two goals against lesser opposition again! Surely the end of Sir Alex's dynasty is finally at hand... PSYCHE! We're just going to turn it on and win late.. AGAIN. Suck it, losers"

[DaddyTorgo]

Juve 6 - Pescara 1

Still over 30 minutes left.

I think the guys needed the loss to release a lot of tension. 10 goals in the last 145 minutes.