Soccer Thread 2011-2012

[sovereignstar v2]

Originally Posted by MIJB#19

With the current from in the Premier League, people tend to forget that Manchester City has 0 experience at the Champions' League level.

Very true, but the biggest factor of a group stage exit is quite simply that we were in a tough, maybe the toughest, group. If we had been in Manchester United's group, for example, we would have qualified.

[sovereignstar v2]

In other news, Vidic might be out for a long time. IE United are fucked.

[Alf]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

Wow. Lyon had to win, hope Ajax lost to Real Madrid.. and make up a total of seven goals in Goal Differential

Lyon 7-1 Dinamo Zagreb
Real Madrid 3-0 Ajax

There are headlines in France about people talking about "corruption" for that 7-1 game.

[TroyF]

21 seconds in and it is 1-0 Real Madrid. Gomes with a disastrous mistake early. Real continuing to attack. Barca making some really poor touches. They have to regroup and fast.

ManU had an easy win, Arsenal saved by a terrific Van Persie goal in the EPL

[TroyF]

Well, Barca found their footing. . . and Real Madrid's at the same time. As Barca start picking them apart, Real are throwing two footed tackle after two footed tackle. Messi is very lucky he'll be playing again this year after one of those tackles. The ref has thrown a bunch of yellow, but now red. (which is what he did earlier in the match for Barca) There are 12 minutes left and I'll be very surprised if a RM player isn't sent off before this thing ends.

[Crapshoot]

There ought to have been at least two RM sending-off's (Ramos, Coentrao). Barca is just amazing.

[Crapshoot]

Originally Posted by TroyF

21 seconds in and it is 1-0 Real Madrid. Gomes with a disastrous mistake early. Real continuing to attack. Barca making some really poor touches. They have to regroup and fast.

ManU had an easy win, Arsenal saved by a terrific Van Persie goal in the EPL

Gomes? Been watching Tottenham?

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by Crapshoot

Gomes? Been watching Tottenham?

Brainfart. So 21 seconds 1-0 Real Madrid.

The other 89 and a half? Barca 3-0.

[Ryan S]

Real Madrid were the better team in the first half, but there was no end product. After the own goal Barca were the only team likely to win the game.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by Crapshoot

There ought to have been at least two RM sending-off's (Ramos, Coentrao). Barca is just amazing.

Messi should have been off before halftime. Ref pulled a "oh wait, he has a card" move and changed his mind.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

Messi should have been off before halftime. Ref pulled a "oh wait, he has a card" move and changed his mind.

I thought it was a "could have been sent off" thing rather than an obvious sent off thing. It wasn't even in the same ballpark as the two double footed tackles that Real Madrid did later.

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by sovereignstar v2

Very true, but the biggest factor of a group stage exit is quite simply that we were in a tough, maybe the toughest, group. If we had been in Manchester United's group, for example, we would have qualified.

It was definately an unusual group, with representatives from the top 4 competitions. Does that make it a tough group? I think there were tougher groups, ironically the ones with Chelsea and Arsenal come to mind. It wasn't an easy one either, as it included one traditional power (Bayern) and one second-tier team, which surprisingly played way below their own CL standards (Villarreal). In such a group the head-to-head clashes with the other 2nd place contenders are crucial and Man C ran into Napoli. Fwiw, going in, I expected Man City to survive this group as I gave little to no respect to Napoli for their unimpressive showing in the Europa League last season and I somehow didn't see Villarreal repeat their tradition of reaching the quarterfinals.

[Big Fo]

Good result in El Cashico today.

[Grover]

Originally Posted by MIJB#19

It was definately an unusual group, with representatives from the top 4 competitions. Does that make it a tough group? I think there were tougher groups, ironically the ones with Chelsea and Arsenal come to mind. It wasn't an easy one either, as it included one traditional power (Bayern) and one second-tier team, which surprisingly played way below their own CL standards (Villarreal). In such a group the head-to-head clashes with the other 2nd place contenders are crucial and Man C ran into Napoli. Fwiw, going in, I expected Man City to survive this group as I gave little to no respect to Napoli for their unimpressive showing in the Europa League last season and I somehow didn't see Villarreal repeat their tradition of reaching the quarterfinals.

As far a Napoli goes, I feel as if there are a lot of teams throughout Europe that just don't care about the Europa League. Whether that was the case with them last year, I obviously can't say. I would be interested to see if other clubs gripe about having to play on Thursday nights and then again on Sunday afternoons in the league like some of the English clubs (I'm looking at you Spurs).

[Big Fo]

I remember reading that even the smaller Italian clubs didn't play their best teams in the Europa League and this contributed to Serie A losing the fourth Champions League place to the Bundesliga.

[Big Fo]

Anyone else getting up at 5:30am eastern to watch Santos take on Barca in the CWC final? I'm looking forward to it.

And I'm happy that Time Warner cable finally got Fox Soccer Channel in HD during the last week or so.

[SirFozzie]

yet another Itally Calcio scandal, this time with illegal betting and match fixing:

Arrests reach 17 in Italian match-fixing scandal - ESPN

[DaddyTorgo]

Woo!

Juve still top of the table - 2pts clear now!!

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

yet another Itally Calcio scandal, this time with illegal betting and match fixing:

Arrests reach 17 in Italian match-fixing scandal - ESPN

Is there something inherent with Italian football that creates the environment this corruption or should I expect things like this to pop up in the other top footballing nations?

[SirFozzie]

There has been a lot of shadiness in Italian Football history, especially as the big magnates moved in (like the country's ex-PM, Berlusconi, buying AC Milan and using it as a vehicle to promote his politics). There is always speculation at the lower levels and on key games: This is an interesting read on the world of illegal sports betting n the far east and how the tendrils of matchfixing have stretched back to Europe:

Amazon.com: The Fix: Soccer and Organized Crime (9780771041396): Declan Hill: Books

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

Is there something inherent with Italian football that creates the environment this corruption or should I expect things like this to pop up in the other top footballing nations?

The Mafia.

[Critch]

Own goal of the year:

[oykib]

Effing Ridiculous

Suarez has been banned for eight matches and fined 40,000 pounds for a racist comment that hasn't been proven, on the testimony of a player who says that he doesn't think Suarez is racist.

[Easy Mac]

Just because he isn't a "racist" doesn't mean he did utter a racial slur.

[Big Fo]

Whoever wrote Liverpool's PR statement deserves a gold star, basically it says "Suarez has black friends" and questions Evra's character.

[sovereignstar v2]

Couldn't happen to a classier guy.

[sovereignstar v2]

I could get used to this haha:

Real fume as Manchester City look set to take Jose Angel Pozo out of Madrid
By Alex Kay
Last updated at 10:58 PM on 20th December 2011

Manchester City are on the brink of snapping up one of the most exciting prospects in European football - 15-year-old Real Madrid striker Jose Angel Pozo.

The Spaniard’s parents have been in Manchester in the past few days looking at houses and schools ahead of a move in January, which will be completed in the next few days.

Pozo is very highly rated at Real but has been swayed by considerably better wages at City and the promise of reserve team football next year.

City could have signed him for free as he does not have a professional contract with Real but have instead chosen to pay the Spanish club around £100,000 compensation as a gesture of goodwill.

Chelsea and Liverpool had also been interested in Pozo, who scored 34 goals for Real’s youth team last season but City moved quickly following the recommendation of football development executive Patrick Vieira.

Real are very upset at losing one of the stars of their academy and president Florentino Perez made a last-ditch attempt to keep Pozo in a meeting a few weeks ago.

But the boy’s family believe his future is better at City and have been encouraged by City saying they will try to help them find jobs.

Signing Pozo is the latest step in City’s move to bring Europe’s best young players to the club so they can cut spending in future years and fall in line with UEFA’s financial fair play rules.

[moriarty]

I'll have to wait to see the details come out on the Suarez case, but if the only evidence is Evra's word and no one on a crowded pitch including referees heard it ... it sets a dangerous precedent.

It'll be interesting to see how the FA handles the Terry case in comparison.

[Katon]

Well, Suarez admitted using the word, and not in a positive way; even taking his version of events, he was still in dangerous territory. Terry has claimed a version of events where he didn't do anything wrong (although even in his own account he could have handled things more intelligently); Suarez hasn't. It'll be interesting to see the evidence for both cases.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by moriarty

I
It'll be interesting to see how the FA handles the Terry case in comparison.

Well, the FA may have to wait.

John Terry of Chelsea to face criminal charge over racism claim - ESPN

LONDON -- England captain John Terry will face a criminal charge over allegations that he racially abused an opponent in the Premier League.

Britain's Crown Prosecution Service said Wednesday that there is sufficient evidence to prosecute the Chelsea defender for his on-field exchange Oct. 23 with Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand.

"I have today advised the Metropolitan Police Service that John Terry should be prosecuted for a racially aggravated public order offense following comments allegedly made during a Premier League football match between Queens Park Rangers and Chelsea," said Alison Saunders, the chief Crown Prosecutor for London. "The decision was taken in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors and after careful consideration of all the evidence I am satisfied there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and it is in the public interest to prosecute this case."

The CPS said Terry will appear Feb. 1 before West London Magistrates' Court.

"He is now summonsed with a criminal offense and has the right to a fair trial," Saunders said. "It is extremely important that nothing should be reported which could prejudice his trial."

The 31-year-old Terry has publicly refuted the allegations that he racially abused Ferdinand, who is black.

Ferdinand submitted his account of the incident to the Football Association and said he has "very strong feelings on the matter."

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by sovereignstar v2

Couldn't happen to a classier guy.

+1

[Oilers9911]

Originally Posted by Big Fo

Whoever wrote Liverpool's PR statement deserves a gold star, basically it says "Suarez has black friends" and questions Evra's character.

8 games for what was said is a joke. Also, where is Evra's suspension for saying something derogatory to Suarez and admitting it? They should damn well question Evra's character. RVP scores and gives a Nazi salute earlier this year. Where's his suspension? The FA has screwed this up royally. Two games, maybe three would have been fine.

[Ryan S]

Originally Posted by Oilers9911

RVP scores and gives a Nazi salute earlier this year. Where's his suspension?

That was one of the more ridiculous "scandals" of this season. Did anybody seriously think that RVP was going to make a nazi salute after scoring a goal?

[Ryan S]

Worst injury ever?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16338426.stm

[Easy Mac]

Originally Posted by Ryan S

Worst injury ever?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16338426.stm

More like best quote ever:

"It's absolutely disgusting. He's going to be very sore, and I'm sure his wife won't be too happy either."

[Big Fo]

[NorvTurnerOverdrive]

henry going back to arsenal on a loaner. CAN'T WAIT

[Sweed]

Damn, Gerrard has sure looked good coming back from injury off the bench for Liverpool the last couple of games.

[sovereignstar v2]

Ahhhhhhhh. The fresh smell of ManU losing to Blackburn Rovers at Old Trafford on ESPN on a Saturday morning. Thank ya very much!

[sovereignstar v2]

Also:

[sovereignstar v2]

[miami_fan]

Okay now there can be that investigation into match fixing in the EPL.

[NorvTurnerOverdrive]

becks staying in LA. great news. LA's a fun team to watch.

[whomario]

my favourite team Borussia Dortmund just pulled off a total dream move, agreeing with 22 year old budding star Marco Reus (who would have been a permanent NT member if not for his weird tendency to get small injuries right before NT games) for a transfer after the season They also announced that Götze will stay to at least summer 2013.

I know this season´s CL campaign was a disapointment, but i will still and allready recommend them for viewing next season Götze, Reus and Kagawa is pretty much as good an offensive midfield as you´ll find anywhere.

as an added bonus he lived in Dortmund until he was 18 and played for Borussia youth teams (in the "dark ages" where young talent was run out of town ...)

Plus Bayern Munich was all "we get every player we want and we want Marco Reus" and now they have to eat it

[DeToxRox]

Tim Howard Just Scored A Goal

Tim Howard scored a goal for Everton today. Crazy.

[sovereignstar v2]

Chris Foy is a fucking joke and Wayne Rooney needs to be shot.

[miami_fan]

I smell a 9-1 coming.

[sovereignstar v2]

Depends on how much you paid Foy.

[sovereignstar v2]

Good god United are awful. Hopefully Brett Favre can save you.

[sovereignstar v2]

nevermind lol