Soccer Thread 2013-14

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

Yes, and to be fair, I've now watched the play from another angle (the reverse angle) and it's much, much less of an obstruction than it looks like in that gif. For instance, what looks like the defender making a final shove on Bale is actually the defender's plant foot slipping.

Mea culpa.

It reminds me of a time (years ago) that a buddy and I were watching a Serie A* game that Pierluigi Collina was reffing. We were huge Collina fans and considered him one of the best, if not the best, ref in the world, but it appeared as we watched the game that he made 3 or 4 absolute howlers. At the end of the game they replayed the key incidents in slow-mo and it was clear he made the exact right call each and every time.

So yeah, refs have a tough job. I also miss Collina reffing games. He had a great stare.


*on Football Italiano with James Richardson, for you UK-types (in the late-90s).

Yeah - I hadn't watched this play enough to make a judgement on it, so I wasn't saying in this specific case, was more making a general statement.

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

So, Cardiff are claiming that their 3-0 loss to Crystal Palace shouldn't count because an ex-Cardiff guy (now working for Crystal Palace) got the starting lineups from Cardiff folks days before the game.

Load of rubbish imho - frankly even if he did the game was fair and valid in my opinion.

[bhlloy]

Just one of the many examples where I'm ashamed to support the club I've been a fan of since I was 4 years old. We are a fucking embarrassment under Tan

[miami_fan]

José Mourinho's 77-game unbeaten league run at Stamford Bridge was ended today by... Sunderland?

[MrBug708]

What the heck is going on with Crystal Palace

[Katon]

If Liverpool win the title, they owe Connor Wickham a winners' medal.

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

José Mourinho's 77-game unbeaten league run at Stamford Bridge was ended today by... Sunderland?

Fighting against relegation football is the best kind of football.

[cougarfreak]

Originally Posted by Katon

If Liverpool win the title, they owe Connor Wickham a winners' medal.

I've got a feeling Norwich tomorrow is going to be a similar death match. They are fighting for their league lives as well, especially with Sunderland winning today.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

José Mourinho's 77-game unbeaten league run at Stamford Bridge was ended today by... Sunderland?

I've been busy laughing since his press conference today. He's upset at Mike Dean. a;lkfja;lskfjlsa;dkfjas Sorry, still laughing. Is this the same Mike Dean that has repeatedly screwed Arsenal, I dunno, forever? Is this the same Mike Dean who reffed the Chelsea/Arsenal game earlier this year and not only denied a Arsenal a clear penalty, but also didn't give a clear red card in a game that ended tied?

Funny, I don't remember a single comment about Mike Dean from the chosen scumbag after that game. Not one.

Dean sucks and has for years. Deal with it Jose.

Over the last four year Arsenal's record is about 1.90 points per game. With Dean they average .73. if anyone wants to know why Arsenal supporters can't stand the guy.

[Katon]

It's the same Mike Dean who failed to give Ramires a blatant penalty (with an argument for a red, given that Ramires was trying to head the ball into an open net when he was fouled), then evened that up by not whistling Ramires for elbowing Larsson in the face. Mourinho's focusing on the first terrible game-changing call against his team and ignoring the fact that no, that was a crap refereeing performance in every direction - basically, the same reaction you have to the Emirates game.

As far as I can tell, Dean just doesn't want to call anything in the first half of Chelsea games these days. It's a stupid policy, but it does explain every major mistake I can remember him making this year.

[Katon]

Originally Posted by cougarfreak

I've got a feeling Norwich tomorrow is going to be a similar death match. They are fighting for their league lives as well, especially with Sunderland winning today.

Hence the "if". Liverpool are clear favorites on paper in all their matches apart from Chelsea, but clear favorites + champions by winning out + relegation-threatened opposition has been a recipe for upsets this month.

[Ryan S]

Originally Posted by Katon

Hence the "if". Liverpool are clear favorites on paper in all their matches apart from Chelsea, but clear favorites + champions by winning out + relegation-threatened opposition has been a recipe for upsets this month.

I would not fear Norwich and Newcastle are in shocking form at the moment. The team that would scare me are Crystal Palace.

[Critch]

Originally Posted by Ryan S

I would not fear Norwich and Newcastle are in shocking form at the moment. The team that would scare me are Crystal Palace.

While Norwich and Newcastle are in shocking form, strange things can happen. Sunderland had only taken 2 points from the last 27 coming into today.

I was vaguely wanting Chelsea to win today because 1) Liverpool are the only English team I really dislike, 2) it would make the league run in more exciting and 3) f*** you, Poyet. Ramirez/Faria/Mourinho have me now happy that they lost, beyond classless.

[OldGiants]

Ramsey returns and Arsenal cruising at Hull.

Too bad the UK can't get soccer right. Adding Ramsey and Bale to a UK national team would give the UK a chance. Instead those two waste away on a Welsh(?!?) team. Ludicrous.

Wales is not a nation. Nor is Scotland nor Northern Ireland.

[bhlloy]

You still have no idea what you are talking about

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by OldGiants

Ramsey returns and Arsenal cruising at Hull.
Too bad the UK can't get soccer right. Adding Ramsey and Bale to a UK national team would give the UK a chance. Instead those two waste away on a Welsh(?!?) team. Ludicrous.
Wales is not a nation. Nor is Scotland nor Northern Ireland.

Errr you might want to tone down ranting about national teams - most people from a nation are fairly patriotic about them ... sports shouldn't just be about 'winning' a tournament, its about playing for your country and national pride.

I'd personally be bloody chuffed to be able to represent England in any sport - it'd mean I was among the best in the country at it and frankly I'd be dead proud to represent the country.

[Marc Vaughan]

The run in is looking interesting - I'm feeling better about my prediction (within SI) that Sunderland would escape the drop ... although its still going to be a tooth and nail thing, be bloody amazing if they do make it out.

At the top - Liverpool 'should' win the league, but frankly its still hugely open, one of the best things about the Premiership is that on their day any team can beat any other team ... there are no real pushovers any more.

[Critch]

There's a fair amount of chatter in the English press that David Moyes is on the brink of being fired.

[SirFozzie]

So, the Championship is kinda interesting.. The two auto promotes are set (Leicester City can clinch the top spot with a win tomorrow against Bolton, and Burnley have clinched promotion and a top two spot with a win today against Wigan)

Derby County and QPR have clinched spots in the playoffs. But there's two more spots and nine teams who have a shot at them:


Live English League Championship Tables / Standings - ESPN FC

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Critch

There's a fair amount of chatter in the English press that David Moyes is on the brink of being fired.

Was just coming here to mention the same thing.

[miami_fan]

Ferguson cannot understand clubs who constantly chop and change managers without giving them time to succeed and he doesn’t expect Moyes to suffer the same fate.

“I can never understand that. They [the club’s board] must discuss the qualities of the manager they are going to offer the job to, you must look at his CV, his character, the philosophy he has,” Ferguson added.

“Now if that is the way they have gone about giving the man the job, why don’t they persevere with it?

“So then maybe it goes for a year, then they change, and then they go through the same procedure again. It seems to me so stupid.”

- Sir Alex Ferguson, January 2014.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

So, the Championship is kinda interesting.. The two auto promotes are set (Leicester City can clinch the top spot with a win tomorrow against Bolton, and Burnley have clinched promotion and a top two spot with a win today against Wigan)

Derby County and QPR have clinched spots in the playoffs. But there's two more spots and nine teams who have a shot at them:


Live English League Championship Tables / Standings - ESPN FC

I'm looking at the other end and hoping Birmingham City stays up since my boy Will Packwood seems to be in a good situation there. Tied on points for 18th, but easily leading Blackburn/Millwall on GD and have a game in hand.

[flere-imsaho]

The team are no better than they were at the start of the season, and quite possibly worse, and this is with the additions of Fellaini and Mata.

I look at someone like Jurgen Klopp (my favored hire) and I can't imagine any way it wouldn't be considerably better.

And can you imagine Klopp and Mourinho in the same league? Good chance Jose (who I love, btw) gets clocked by Klopp in the technical area at some point.

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

The team are no better than they were at the start of the season, and quite possibly worse, and this is with the additions of Fellaini and Mata.

Impossible to judge Moyes until he's had time to change personnel around properly and implemented his preferred tactics fully.

People have incredibly short memories in football - for the previous few years every season Brendan Rodgers has 'apparently' been on the verge of being sacked because of the lack of progress with Liverpool, this year all that has been forgotten conveniently, it could well be the same with United and Moyes if they hold their nerve and give him time to implement what he has planned.

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

So, the Championship is kinda interesting.. The two auto promotes are set (Leicester City can clinch the top spot with a win tomorrow against Bolton, and Burnley have clinched promotion and a top two spot with a win today against Wigan)

Brighton are doing their best to give me a nervous breakdown, no idea at all if we'll manage to squeeze into the play-offs or not ... in theory we should as we've a decent squad and have most of them fully fit (finally) ... but in practice we're miss firing all over the place ...

[Critch]

Seems like Moyes is all but confirmed:



Normally I'd agree that a manager deserves more time, but Moyes has been a disaster. Took a team that won the championship last year, spent 60 million pounds and turned them into also-rans. If I was a Man Utd fan, I wouldnt be happy with Moyes being given money to rebuild the team.

[sovereignstar v2]

No?

[sovereignstar v2]

Obviously someone in the Premier League would love to have the failure as their next manager. Newcastle maybe?

[Critch]

Originally Posted by sovereignstar v2

Obviously someone in the Premier League would love to have the failure as their next manager. Newcastle maybe?

He seems ideal for a team that would be happy being boring and finishing 6th or 7th every year. Newcastle might be a fit, but they still have pretensions of being entertaining, so I'd go for Aston Villa.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by Marc Vaughan

for the previous few years every season Brendan Rodgers has 'apparently' been on the verge of being sacked because of the lack of progress with Liverpool

I believe this is Rodgers' second season with Liverpool. In his first (2012-13), they finished 7th, an improvement of one place from the previous year.

give him time to implement what he has planned.

Watching the games and the way he sets up teams and then reacts, I don't believe he has a tactical mind astute enough to make Man U a top-4 team. And, critically, can't cover for that deficit in other ways.

[miami_fan]

Manchester United confirm David Moyes sacking - ESPN FC

Manchester United have confirmed that David Moyes has been dismissed as manager.

[The Jackal]

Hopefully they don't get Klopp. I like him.

[SirFozzie]

Klopp says "I'm not going anywhere."

Jurgen Klopp rules himself out of Manchester United gig | ProSoccerTalk

[flere-imsaho]

If they bring in Andre Villas-Boas I will send a dead fish in the mail to the Glazers (not really).

They should also get rid of Ed Woodward, too. Or at least make him in charge of business operations only, not football operations.

[Flasch186]

RAFA

[Grover]

Step forward Louis van Gaal.

[The Jackal]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

Klopp says "I'm not going anywhere."

Jurgen Klopp rules himself out of Manchester United gig | ProSoccerTalk

Good. I want him to replace Wenger (in 3 years or however long his next contract is - assuming he does decide to extend his stay)

[flere-imsaho]

Good commentary here:

The kind of defensive rigidity and timidity going forward that ensures avoiding the drop for teams like Everton won't win you the points and plaudits you need to keep your job at a top, top club. It never looked like Moyes's United had any semblance of an attacking philosophy past packing the middle and, when that area inevitably got too congested, playing in a fullback who would proceed to bomb in innumerable crosses off of the heads of the other team's defenders. It didn't help that despite an emphasis on it, the defense wound up a sieve.

This was, though, less about the manager than a squad full of decrepit old-timers and injury-plagued stars. I don't care what kind of black magic Alex Ferguson used to conjure up a title last year, even voodoo dolls and burying some down feathers from Arsène Wenger's coat at the crossroads at midnight weren't going to turn this team into one befitting of the Manchester United crest, and that's not really Moyes's fault. That he only dipped into the much-discussed transfer kitty to bring in Marouane Fellaini and Juan Mata can't be blamed solely on him. The chief force behind United's transfer dealings is executive Ed Woodward. It's been obvious for some time that the club needed help and lots of it, and you don't miss out on Thiago Alcântara, Cesc Fàbregas, Paul Pogba, and Ander Herrera just because those players are unsure about Moyes.

As I said earlier, Ed Woodward needs to go too. ManU were embarrassing on the transfer market this past year.

Of course, it later emerged that Moyes's sacking was, in fact, just another one of the cheap-ass decisions the club has been known for under the Glazer family ownership. The Independent reported yesterday that the decision to fire the manager was actually made back in February; United's delay in making it official was apparently due to a clause in Moyes's contract that allowed the club to avoid paying him for the remaining years on his contract should he get fired while failing to qualify for the Champions League. This weekend's loss mathematically ruled out a top four finish, which made today's announcement actually as swift a firing as was fiscally responsible.

[AlexB]

Wonder when the last time three proper goalkeepers from one team played in the same match?

(I say proper GKs to rule out Leicester v. Shrewsbury 1981, as Lynex & Young were both forwards)

[OldGiants]

Originally Posted by Marc Vaughan

Errr you might want to tone down ranting about national teams - most people from a nation are fairly patriotic about them ... sports shouldn't just be about 'winning' a tournament, its about playing for your country and national pride.

I'd personally be bloody chuffed to be able to represent England in any sport - it'd mean I was among the best in the country at it and frankly I'd be dead proud to represent the country.

If they were from an actual nation, I'd agree with you. The United Kingdom is a nation. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are regions like Burgundy, Bavaria or Veneto (to name but a few).

Why would you not be just as proud to represent the UK as 'England'? Or more so, since you'd be representing an even larger population.

California and Texas are much larger than the regions in question, and were once nations. So was the Confederacy. But those facts are as irrelevant as Wales is today.

My objection is purely political--there is no reason for Wales and Scotland to be treated with more respect than one of the United States.

The Olympics gets this right, why can't FIFA?

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by AlexB

Wonder when the last time three proper goalkeepers from one team played in the same match?

(I say proper GKs to rule out Leicester v. Shrewsbury 1981, as Lynex & Young were both forwards)

Apparently Wednesday according to a Facebook friend. Who also came up with another example within 5 minutes

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by OldGiants

If they were from an actual nation, I'd agree with you. The United Kingdom is a nation. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are regions like Burgundy, Bavaria or Veneto (to name but a few).

Err actually if you'd care to check the nations are Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England.

The United Kingdom is an alliance between them in the same way 'Europe' isn't a nation - its a collection of countries.

For easy reference please watch this:

The Difference between the United Kingdom, Great Britain and England explained

California and Texas are much larger than the regions in question, and were once nations. So was the Confederacy. But those facts are as irrelevant as Wales is today.

So you're now indicating any country below a specific size should no longer be deemed a country? - I'm sure half of the nations in Europe would be happy to know that

My objection is purely political--there is no reason for Wales and Scotland to be treated with more respect than one of the United States.
The Olympics gets this right, why can't FIFA?

In reality considering most European countries fit within individual states of America what you're saying is that America is far too large and should be split up into individual countries which can then enter tournaments on their own then? ... or should there just be continents in all competitions so we'd have "America", "Asia", etc.

Somewhat bemused by your comments so far - keep them coming

[SirFozzie]

So Cech is out for the season (dislocated Shoulder).

John Terry MIGHT return for the Champions League Final, should they make it. (Hamstring).

Makes this weekend's clash even rougher for Chelsea.

[TroyF]

I don't call that cheap by the Glazers, I call that smart. No manager was going to get them CL football this year. Make sure he gets eliminated before making the cut. That saved them millions of dollars. I think it's smart.

[vex]

Originally Posted by TroyF

I don't call that cheap by the Glazers, I call that smart. No manager was going to get them CL football this year. Make sure he gets eliminated before making the cut. That saved them millions of dollars. I think it's smart.

Agreed.

[SirFozzie]

Mourinho says that only folks not going to play in the 2nd leg next Wednesday will play Sunday against Liverpool.

Now the only question is, do you believe him, or is this mind games?

BBC Sport - Jose Mourinho: I want to rest key players against Liverpool at Anfield

[Katon]

He can't literally rest everyone who's on track to play in the second leg without playing enough youth teamers to make the FA throw a fit, but I definitely expect to see Tomas Kalas in defence - with no Terry, Chelsea's central defence options are Luiz (needed in midfield given the multiple suspensions), Ivanovic (who Jose'd rather start at fullback) and Cahill, so an injury to any of them would be crippling for the second leg.

Chelsea have had excellent luck with injuries for a lot of this season, but we're sure making up for it at the end.

[Ronnie Dobbs3]

Originally Posted by Ajaxab

I'm wondering how serious this ban really will be when all is said and done. Is it just some parading by FIFA that they have always known will be overturned on appeal or will this ban actually have teeth?

Hahahaha, summer transfer ban already overturned.

Barcelona transfer ban suspended by FIFA with Catalans free to go on summer spree

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by OldGiants

If they were from an actual nation, I'd agree with you. The United Kingdom is a nation. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are regions like Burgundy, Bavaria or Veneto (to name but a few).

When did Burgundy, Bavaria or the Veneto hold a referendum on becoming an independent country? Or have their own parliament?

I understand what you're saying from a political / borders standpoint, but you grossly misunderstand the quite distinct and different national characters of the four entities.

My objection is purely political--there is no reason for Wales and Scotland to be treated with more respect than one of the United States.

Well, there's over 100 years of precedent relating to the makeup of national teams.

Originally Posted by TroyF

I don't call that cheap by the Glazers, I call that smart. No manager was going to get them CL football this year. Make sure he gets eliminated before making the cut. That saved them millions of dollars. I think it's smart.

While it's smart from a bottom-line standpoint, it's not smart from a long-term perspective. They will now have less time to find a suitable replacement, and allowing the disaster to continue as long as it did will serve to dissuade some candidates who may have been interested.

And saving millions? The Glazers loaded what, a billion dollars of debt on the club?

I also don't agree that no manager was going to get them CL football this year. A manager considerably more worldly than Moyes with a clear vision for the club would have come in with a very clear idea of who he needed to sign and how to do it in order to have a competitive team, and would have had the contacts to do so. A different manager may not have signed a former player for 4M over that player's release clause. Not that they would have taken the job, but Mourinho, Guardiola, Klopp and Ancelotti (just to name 4) would have probably brought a top-4 finish. Heck, Martinez might have as well.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by TroyF

They will appeal it and get it delayed until the winter window and the appeal will drop it to one transfer window, which will be be eliminated. How much does anyone want to bet?

Well, the first part of it happened as noted by Ronnie. I still hold to my bet. They'll get punished for the winter transfer window and that will be that.