Soccer Thread 2013-14

[Passacaglia]

I got:

Argentina
US
Cameroon
Portugal

[Coffee Warlord]

Argentina
US
Ivory Coast
Italy
...Ew.

Belgium
US
Ecuador
Croatia
...Love it.

Germany
US
Ghana
Italy
....OW

Switzerland
US
Ghana
England
...I'll take it.

[miami_fan]

Uruguay
US
Cameroon
Bosnia and Herzegovina

Argentina
US
Nigeria
Italy

Brazil
US
Cameroon
Croatia

[DaddyTorgo]

Columbia
US
Nigeria
Portugal

I'd give us an outside shot at #2 behind Portugal - although African teams seem to habitually own us.

[DaddyTorgo]

Switzerland
US
Algeria
Ukraine

A group we could make it through!!

[finketr]

Spain
US
Chile
Netherlands.

[The Jackal]

aaron ramsey is still my hero

[kingfc22]

Superb finishing today by the Gunners.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

Superb finishing today by the Gunners.

That first goal was just stunning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uUcjadx7sU

All four goals were beautiful football, but the first and third (Ramsey) were football Godlike.

ManU with more dropped points.

[BishopMVP]

Sometimes the things Zlatan does can barely be described
Zlatan Ibrahimović Scores Absurd Goal On Back-Heel Volley

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Sometimes the things Zlatan does can barely be described
Zlatan Ibrahimović Scores Absurd Goal On Back-Heel Volley

I miss Zlatan.

[SirFozzie]

That Juve result must piss off DT, not just who won or lost, but who scored the goals to beat Juve

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

That Juve result must piss off DT, not just who won or lost, but who scored the goals to beat Juve

HOW DO YOU SHIP 4 GOALS AND BLOW THAT FUCKING GAME!!!!! OUR DEFENSE IS SHITE!!!!!!!! WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(I haven't watched yet, but I accidentally spoiled the result for myself. Almost went out and bought a new bottle of Scotch, cuz I have feeling afterwards I'm going to feel the need to drink rather heavily.)

[SirFozzie]

hehehehehehh. Getting DT to rage is so much fun

[TroyF]

Arsenal vs Norwich City 4-1 MOTD - Video Dailymotion

All of the Arsenal goals are there. Go to 10:20 and see a move by Ramsey that didn't result in a goal, but does show how ridiculous the guy is playing right now.

[law90026]

The Arsenal game was an odd one. It looked like the game was going to slip out of their control after Flamini went out but the attacking quality in the side is absolutely amazing.

[SirFozzie]

UEFA Playoffs drawn:

First Team has the first leg at home Nov 15, Second Team has second leg at home Nov 19

Iceland v Croatia
Greece v Romania
Ukraine v France
Portugal v Sweden

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by law90026

The Arsenal game was an odd one. It looked like the game was going to slip out of their control after Flamini went out but the attacking quality in the side is absolutely amazing.

For the last three years my first buy on fm has been a bruising DMC because Arsenal have always lacked it. Now we have one by pure luck and it scares the hell out of me. When people talk about Arsenal, they talk about how they need another striker. I think these people missthe fact that Giroud is a freaking beast and there are 2 or 3 other guys who could play up there if we had to.

There is nobody who can replace Flamini in the squad. He gets injured or gets a red card (a matter of when, not if) and Arsenal will be in some trouble.

The tests start soon. After the game against Palace:

Chelsea (cup)
Liverpool
@ Dortmund
@ Man U
Southhampton

I really hope we can beat Dortmund this week. Do that and we can win one of three in the cl and advance through. Lose to a depleted squad without their coach and then be forcedto go all out @ Dortmund? Not good.

[cschex]

I remember how pissed I was when Arsenal let Flamini's contract run down in his first spell when it was pretty clear how versatile a player he was then. I've of course been thrilled by the start to season and Ozil but having Flamini back has been my favorite part thus far. I certainly hope the concussion is very minor

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

hehehehehehh. Getting DT to rage is so much fun

[TroyF]

well, that hurt.

Just what I was afraid of. Dortmund with the W. Now Arsenal have to travel to Dortmund with a 100% full squad. If they can get a W in Germany and beat Marseille at home, they'll clinch. If not, it will mean the away game at Napoli might be for all the marbles.

Such a tough freaking group. 2 easy wins and suddenly it doesn't matter.

Still, they were the better side much of the night and there are still a lot of positives for the side. Take care of business against Crystal Palace which will set up the massive 5 game stretch that will see if Arsenal are actual contenders or if the early season run has been a mirage. (note, I don't think it has been a mirage, but we will find out for sure over the next 3 weeks)

[whomario]

Couldn´t understand why Arsenal were so non-comitting (in lack of me finding a better word) at the start of both halves, very passive for the first 20 or so minutes both times.
After that off stretch they played well i thought.

Dortmund with way too many easy mistakes in midfield and also in the final 3rd, they had numbers and/or good situation quite often but then missed an easy pass. Of course, the guy missing a ton of them (Großkreutz) then makes the most important one on that wonderfull cross to Lewandowski.
That guy (Großkreutz i mean) is amazing anyway, the way he plays that RB spot is just fun to watch. Especially since he´s "normally" a LAM (well, he also played like every other position during the last 2 seasons, including GK).

Both teams would have benefitted from a player stopping play and slowing things down every once in a while, pretty hectic affair.

[miami_fan]

Oguchi Onyewu has signed with QPR.

Queens Park Rangers sign USA international Oguchi Onyewu on free transfer - ESPN FC

[DaddyTorgo]

Interesting - just popped up in my FB feed

Why David Beckham had to go – Sir Alex Ferguson’s book lays into global superstar, MLS move | ProSoccerTalk

[DaddyTorgo]

Hoping Juve can hang on and stay in Europe next year at this point - their defense is clearly shit and Buffon is further along the path of losing it then anybody wanted to admit.

Don't believe they'll make it 3 Scudetto in a row, but if they can just stay Top 3.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

Interesting - just popped up in my FB feed

Why David Beckham had to go – Sir Alex Ferguson’s book lays into global superstar, MLS move | ProSoccerTalk

Ferguson comes off as somewhat silly there. Being uncomfortable that Beckham chose to be famous? Uncomfortable that he was a celebrity? From all reports, it seems Beckham worked really hard at training, regardless of his celebrity stuff. Wanting your star players to just live football 24/7 is a bit ridiculous in this day and age.

[DaddyTorgo]

To me it read like he came off as jealous in a lot of ways.

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Ferguson comes off as somewhat silly there. Being uncomfortable that Beckham chose to be famous? Uncomfortable that he was a celebrity? From all reports, it seems Beckham worked really hard at training, regardless of his celebrity stuff. Wanting your star players to just live football 24/7 is a bit ridiculous in this day and age.

I don't think he came off as 'silly' there - Beckham was trying to promote himself as a brand and Ferguson has been on record several times that it was a potential distraction for not just the player himself, but also his team-mates (ie. he felt it might encourage them to follow suit in the future).

[ISiddiqui]

Ok, maybe it comes off as silly to us Americans .

[TroyF]

I don't know if it's silly, but Sir Alex was kind of in a league of his own. Very few managers or head coaches across the professional sports world have the ability to be a true dictator anymore.

In the US, it might be Belicheck. I'm not sure who else would have the power or owner approval to dump a superstar "just because" Could you imagine if the Heat decided to cut Dwayne Wade's minutes for the upcoming season. "Sorry DWade, we need to rest you more, you will get 25 minutes a game in the regular season to keep you fresh. Besides, you've been in a lot of commercials and it's getting on our nerves"

Yeah, ok. This would last as long as it took the owner to hit speed dial and fire the coach. Fergie had that type of power, very/very few other managers ever get that type of pull.

[PilotMan]

Lots going on here:

From Nigeria Has The Most Absurdly Crooked Soccer League On The Planet

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by TroyF

I don't know if it's silly, but Sir Alex was kind of in a league of his own. Very few managers or head coaches across the professional sports world have the ability to be a true dictator anymore.

In the US, it might be Belicheck. I'm not sure who else would have the power or owner approval to dump a superstar "just because" Could you imagine if the Heat decided to cut Dwayne Wade's minutes for the upcoming season. "Sorry DWade, we need to rest you more, you will get 25 minutes a game in the regular season to keep you fresh. Besides, you've been in a lot of commercials and it's getting on our nerves"

Yeah, ok. This would last as long as it took the owner to hit speed dial and fire the coach. Fergie had that type of power, very/very few other managers ever get that type of pull.

Either of the Harbaughs

[Critch]

Sentimental crap really, but I still liked it:

Everybody’s Free (To Support Spurs) | Dispatches From A Football Sofa

[rowech]

I don't know how anybody bad mouths Rooney. That dude has guts and heart equal to the sum of the rest of United's players. He has willed them to win today.

[sovereignstar v2]

Yeah, he really gets a terrible rap.

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by rowech

I don't know how anybody bad mouths Rooney. That dude has guts and heart equal to the sum of the rest of United's players. He has willed them to win today.

I found myself in the decidedly unusual position of wanting Utd to win today - I thought that Rooney deserved to be on the winning side, he played really well and popped up all over the park ...

(notably Carrick also played really well today - some very intelligent distribution imho)

[whomario]

Dortmund giving another lecture in the art of counter attacking:



great win in the Derby (only downside was a group of retards using the game as a platform for violence, delaying the game for 5 minutes ...)

great to see Sahin back in form, playing great this season. Mkitharyan with his best game of the season, had a foot in every dangerous scene.

The 1:2 for Schalke scored by possibly the next big thing from german youth ranks, Max Meyer.

[miami_fan]

What the hell was that? Horrible defending by City

[sovereignstar v2]

It was fun Joe.

[JetsIn06]

Terrible

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

Cape Verde thrown out of African WCQ final round for fielding a suspended player (the game was reclassified as a 3-0 win for the opponent, which meant Tunisia qualified instead of them)

It's going to CAS now. I doubt Cape Verde stands much of a chance, but I do wonder what the ruling will be on suspensions given based on a red card in a game that had it's result taken away.

[AlexB]

Last Championship side standing in the League Cup - we've got Man City at home in the QF. I'll take the home draw, but we'll be underdogs.

The SF line up could be Man City, Man United, Spurs & Chelsea, which would be the strongest LC SF list in recent years. New managers wanting their first trophies added importance to the competition this year?

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by sovereignstar v2

It was fun Joe.

Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart dropped for Norwich clash - ESPN FC

[AlexB]

Banished the demons from last year's play off loss a little today with a 3-0 win away at Watford. Our first goal was definitely not one off the training ground though!

Chris wood bizzare goal Watford v Leicester 02/11/2013 - YouTube

[sovereignstar v2]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart dropped for Norwich clash - ESPN FC

Thank god. He needs a proper kick in the ass. He's lucky he doesn't have better competition or I'm not sure he'd get his place back. Pantilimon is solid enough, but not good enough to displace Hart.

[sovereignstar v2]

I missed the end of the Newcastle-Chelsea match. Did anyone see if Mourinho jumped in the crowd?

[JetsIn06]

6-0 Man City...absolutely dominant.

Edit: 7-0 Final

[kingfc22]

Aaron Ramsey. Keep it going!

[bhlloy]

Fucking hell Ramsey. I don't think I've ever been so excited about another team's player performance ever.

[TroyF]

About five minutes earlier he got a pass from Ozil at the top of the box and had a wide open shot. He got cute and passed it, which Liverpool broke up. I was yelling at the TV, "Cmon, shoot the damned ball, you are on F'n fire, what are you thinking"

Then he did that. All I can say is wow. A nice, comfortable win. Two wins against top 6 sides so far. A bunch more on the way. Away at Dortmund and ManU before the break. this was a critical game.