Soccer Thread 2012-13

[Big Fo]

I just don't understand why they wouldn't pair Johnson with a more experienced color guy if Fox is serious about this experiment leading into 2018. The first time Johnson and Wright were together, it was actually Wright's first game in the booth.

Also I am not sure if the average American can actually understand more than half of what Wright is saying, he doesn't have one of those BBC voices, his accent is think as hell.

[sovereignstar v2]

Ian Wright has no idea what dead leg(s) is? What the fuck?

And apparently David Silva represented Spain in the 2012 Olympics. Must've been tough after Euro 2012.

[Ryan S]

Originally Posted by sovereignstar v2

And Gus Johnson and Ian Wright will be fucking it all up arghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

I have never heard Gus Johnson do PBP for a soccer game, but I can promise that he won't be the worst in the booth with that pairing.

[IlliniCub]

That gratuitous Budweiser ad by the goal is highly distracting and annoying

[Katon]

Originally Posted by sovereignstar v2

Ian Wright has no idea what dead leg(s) is? What the fuck?

And apparently David Silva represented Spain in the 2012 Olympics. Must've been tough after Euro 2012.

Probably thinking of Juan Mata, who played in the 2012 Olympics, Euro 2012, the 2011 Euro U-21 championship, and World Cup 2010. And then made 60 appearances this season.

In theory, he should get some sort of rest this summer . . .

[IlliniCub]

Well this just got good

[kingfc22]

What the hell is Zabaleta arguing about? CLEAR card.

[IlliniCub]

WOW!!!!!!!!

[Big Fo]

Ref bottled it, should be a 90th min. pen

YES! Goal from the corner!

[Katon]

Amazing.

[Big Fo]

Originally Posted by sovereignstar v2

Wigan should make a tasty meal in the FA Cup final.

[Crapshoot]

Wigan proves there is justice in the universe.

[sovereignstar v2]

Fair play to Wigan. Their fans deserve it. Disgusting effort and tactics by City though.

[sovereignstar v2]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

What the hell is Zabaleta arguing about? CLEAR card.

Have you ever done something wrong and you are immediately angry afterwards?

[Katon]

The feed I was watching thought he was angry at his teammates for dropping him in it - certainly he didn't seem to be ranting at the ref in particular.

[bhlloy]

Should have started Pantilimon. Seems like a dick move to drop a guy when he got you there and he's been your cup goalie all year.

[sovereignstar v2]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

Should have started Pantilimon. Seems like a dick move to drop a guy when he got you there and he's been your cup goalie all year.

Agreed. Every City fan was under the impression that he was going to start today.

[Young Drachma]

Good on you, Wigan.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Young Drachma

Good on you, Wigan.

This

[DaddyTorgo]

Scudetto victory party continues @ my house.

Oh, and it's Goal.com, so take it with a (big) grain of salt (I haven't checked to see if it's reported elsewhere yet), but Juventus have apparently reached an agreement in principle with Higuain's agent, and are readying up a bid for him as he's on his way out of Madrid this summer by all accounts.

I love love love Higuain's game, so a Llorente/Higuain strike partnership would be SWEET!

//keeping my fingers crossed

[sovereignstar v2]

Everything points to Mancini being gone very soon. The handling of this has been a major fuck-up and I feel for Mancini as he has been hung out to dry the last several months. I think the players knew and it affected some players' performances.

Oh well. Mancini certainly doesn't deserve the sack, but it was pretty much bound to happen as a new DoF will want to bring in his guy. I will back whoever they bring in and know that the best days are very much still ahead.

[AlexB]

Bugger. Last minute of injury time, level on aggregate, Leicester win a penalty (win being the operative word: you'd be gutted if it was given against you). The winger who went down in the box got up and had the pen saved, came back to him, keeper blocked it again

10 seconds later the ball's in the net at the opposite end and we're out.

Second time in a row a Frenchman has cocked a penalty up for us at the end of the playoff semi final. 2010 Yann Kermogant, 2013 Anthony Knockaert.

Nevermind. We weren't really good enough to go up anyway, but they did manage to get my hopes up for a bit

Good luck tomorrow to Brighton.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by AlexB

Bugger. Last minute of injury time, level on aggregate, Leicester win a penalty (win being the operative word: you'd be gutted if it was given against you). The winger who went down in the box got up and had the pen saved, came back to him, keeper blocked it again

10 seconds later the ball's in the net at the opposite end and we're out.

Second time in a row a Frenchman has cocked a penalty up for us at the end of the playoff semi final. 2010 Yann Kermogant, 2013 Anthony Knockaert.

Nevermind. We weren't really good enough to go up anyway, but they did manage to get my hopes up for a bit

Good luck tomorrow to Brighton.

Isn't that kind of karma for the dubiously-given penalty?

[SirFozzie]

Unbelievable End To Watford v Leicester Play off Semi Final 2nd Leg - YouTube!

[sovereignstar v2]

Wow, I love the leap into the stands.

[MizzouRah]

Tottenham scores in the 82 minute to put the game away!

C'mon Wigan Tuesday, beat Arsenal!!!

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

Isn't that kind of karma for the dubiously-given penalty?

Missing it was probably enough I would have thought!

[SirFozzie]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

Tottenham scores in the 82 minute to put the game away!

C'mon Wigan Tuesday, beat Arsenal!!!

Wigan HAVE to win 2 now.

[SirFozzie]

Originally Posted by sovereignstar v2

LOL

It very well may be that Txiki wants to bring in a guy of his own, but these stories always come up before big City games if you get my drift.

Looks like it actually has some fire under the smoke

BBC Sport - Roberto Mancini: Man City set to bring in Manuel Pellegrini

[SirFozzie]

Roma Vaffanculo...

BBC Sport - Racist chanting halts AC Milan-Roma game in Serie A

[whomario]

is anybody here planning to go see the USA/Germany match in Washington on June 2nd ?
Just wanted to give fair warning that it will indeed be the German C team playing, in case that´s part of your decicion to go or not. Dortmund/Bayern players can´t go due to the CL, Özil/Khedira won´t go due to still playing with Real, the young generation can´t go due to the U21 European Championship.

[sovereignstar v2]

Mancini out. All the papers are reporting Pellegrini, but some "insiders" say otherwise. Guess we'll find out soon enough.

[AlexB]

Hard lines Marc. Had the Barnes effort gone in likely been a different story: great save by Speroni

Another year in Championship for both of us

[Katon]

So before Benfica, had anyone ever managed to lose two different trophies in stoppage time in four days? First the league showdown with Porto and now the Europa League final . . . that has to be one of the worst weeks any team's ever had.

Meanwhile Chelsea get another trophy and also presumably a Steam achievement for not using any subs at the end of the club's longest-ever season, because otherwise it's hard to imagine why Benitez would have left everyone on - not short on exhausted players, by the end.

[sovereignstar v2]

Construction for the state of the art youth complex is well underway and set for 2014 use. And now Patrick Vieira is officially announced as the U21 coach. Could be an interesting development over the next few seasons as it's possible he is being groomed for the first team job. Things starting to look up already for City.

[AlexB]

Yesterday the National Game Awards (the non-league awards) were held at Craven Cottage, and as the company I am part of sponsored the Manager of the Year award, I got to present the trophy to Justin Edinburgh, which was kinda cool

He got sent off in a League Cup final against my team Leicester at Wembley back in the day, for taking a swing at Robbie Savage (Savage obviously has very sensitive hair, as Edinburgh missed Saavage's chin, but did catch his hair, which seemed to knock him down and cause him a lot of pain!). I reminded him of this, which he laughed about, largely I guess because Spurs won the final anyway. Athough he also quickly pointed out Savage is a Wrexham fan, and Edinburgh's Newport County beat Wrexham in the Conference play off final this year, so maybe he's not completely over it!

Top boss Justin Edinburgh reflects on achieving his ambition (From South Wales Argus)

Not the best photo of me (I'm on the left!) but it must have been an honour for him to receive his award from such a prestigious person

[MrBug708]

I'm looking forward to CP - Watford

[sovereignstar v2]

go Watford

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by AlexB

Hard lines Marc. Had the Barnes effort gone in likely been a different story: great save by Speroni

Another year in Championship for both of us

Both sides had a few good chances - but second half I thought Palace really turned it on (unfortunately) .... Zaha is a very good prospect, definitely looked dangerous every time he had the ball.

(I said it in another thread elsewhere but the turning point for me was the yellow card Calderon received - one he had that Zaha knew he wasn't able to challenge him quite as freely ...)

[SirFozzie]

Poyet suspended by Brighton for an alleged breach of contract.

[bhlloy]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

Poyet suspended by Brighton for an alleged breach of contract.

Everton?

[SirFozzie]

Right now, I think all it is telling the team "I don't think I'll return next year" and saying on TV that he'd taken the team as far as it could go

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

Right now, I think all it is telling the team "I don't think I'll return next year" and saying on TV that he'd taken the team as far as it could go

That's what the initial reaction was over here too. The only thing that doesn't ring true about that is that his coaches have been suspended too, which would be very harsh for something their boss said. Interesting situation

[Critch]

I've read some rumors that the suspension is due to him negotiating to become manager of another team without Brightons permission.

Maybe not unconnected, the betting on Poyet being next manager of Fulham has gone from 30-1 to 2-1 in the last few days.

[SirFozzie]

If a playoff between Chelsea and Arsenal for group stage qualification is necessary, it will be May 26 at Villa Park

[Katon]

Because naturally, when asking where two London teams should play one another on a neutral field, the first place that springs to mind is Birmingham.

Does the FA ever think about how fans are going to get to its showpiece occasions?

[Easy Mac]

The flopping in Atletico-Real was an abomination. Those teams should be suspended from Europe.

[SirFozzie]

Originally Posted by Katon

Because naturally, when asking where two London teams should play one another on a neutral field, the first place that springs to mind is Birmingham.

Does the FA ever think about how fans are going to get to its showpiece occasions?

yes, but they couldn't use Wembley due to the Champions League final and a couple other events.

Looks Like Bradford City is going up, they lead their League Two playoff final 3-0 at halftime

[sovereignstar v2]

Mancini took out a 7700 dollar ad in the local paper to thank the fans. Class act.

[Ryan S]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

yes, but they couldn't use Wembley due to the Champions League final and a couple other events.

Looks Like Bradford City is going up, they lead their League Two playoff final 3-0 at halftime

If this were a couple of years down the line, the Olympic Stadium would be the obvious venue.