Soccer Thread 2012-13

[Easy Mac]

American fans keep asking why Altidore can't score internationally like he can in Holland. Maybe it's because he can't get service within 15 yards of the box for the US.

Three goals and an assist on Saturday.

[miami_fan]

Joe Hart saves City's ass early.

[Alan T]

What a great afternoon. While working I have my two tvs on Real Madrid vs Manchester City and Arsenal vs Montpelier. So far the Arsenal game has been great fun to watch. Both teams are playing very aggressively and Arsenal is winning 2-1 after 17 minutes

[DaddyTorgo]

I've got the DVR set, so I'll be avoiding this thread until later tonight, but you can figure my response to the 2PM gamewill be one of the following:

"SWEET TASTE OF VICTORY!"
"Alright...a draw is an okay result. If we just had a top-class striker."
"Damn. So that's what losing feels like? At least we're still well alive in the group."

[whomario]

Dortmund gets a win Not pretty, but they need, need, NEED to at least get 3rd place (and then go far in the Europa League) if they´ll ever want to get a semi easy group.

The winning 1:0 was amazing. Not spectacular, but one of those little things/moves that seperates the great from the good (Lewandowski gets a ball headed toward him standing about 7 metres from goal, instead of shooting it he does a little fake and then just drills the ball with a clear path)

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

I've got the DVR set, so I'll be avoiding this thread until later tonight, but you can figure my response to the 2PM gamewill be one of the following:

"SWEET TASTE OF VICTORY!"
"Alright...a draw is an okay result. If we just had a top-class striker."
"Damn. So that's what losing feels like? At least we're still well alive in the group."

But, but, you have the GOAT on your team. Nicklas freaking Bendter. If you don't believe my assessment, just go ask him. He'll tell you how good he is.

hxxp://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/72181.html

[Easy Mac]

Oh, well then

[whomario]

i love how the announcer anticipates what´s about to go down there in a "with such a brilliant first rouch, there´s no way the shot will be any less than stellar" way. Brilliant stuff

Bayern Munich beats Valencia very easily 2:1 (led 2:0, then with basically the first real chance Valencia scores with 3 minutes to go).

Surprise of the day is my old FM team Bate Borisov winning in Lilles, 3:1.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

I've got the DVR set, so I'll be avoiding this thread until later tonight, but you can figure my response to the 2PM gamewill be one of the following:

"SWEET TASTE OF VICTORY!"
"Alright...a draw is an okay result. If we just had a top-class striker."
"Damn. So that's what losing feels like? At least we're still well alive in the group."

#2

Although I'm frustrated. Juve shouldn't have given up that first (deflected) goal. The 2nd Oscar goal was gorgeous. Beautiful goals by Juve, although honestly they should have won...they had a good 4 chances or so that they failed to finish (including Quags shot that skimmed the crossbar in the 87th minute).

Still...I'm okay with the result, especially the comeback-nature of it. Good fight guys.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Sweet win for Sporting KC in New York last night. Two fantastic early goals was all they needed. Only team to beat the Red Bulls in their home stadium this year.

Got to keep winning to win the division. Chicago is playing extremely well right now.

[gstelmack]

I have a general soccer question. We went to the NASL Carolina Railhawks vs Tampa Bay Rowdies game last night (sidebar: all is right in the soccer world when the Tampa Bay Rowdies still exist). There were two calls that confused us and I'd never heard before. Basically the ref blew his whistle, moved his arm in a back-and-forth motion (or an over-and-back motion), and awarded a free kick to the team without the ball. Me and most of the folks sitting around me had no clue what that call was. Does anyone have any idea?

To describe the motion, the ref put his arm out in front, "hopped" it to one side (moved it in an arcing motion upward but ended up at the same height he started), then "hopped" it back.

[Big Fo]

It might have been an offside call where the player was well in front of the defenders when the ball reached him but was offside when the ball was kicked.

"Super Sunday" is off to a good start. Liverpool were the better team in the first half but the (deserved) red card changed the game. Gerrard put Liverpool in the lead but Rafael had a sick goal just minutes later and RVP won the game with a penalty kick.

[sovereignstar v2]

Liverpool were down a man before the match even started apparently.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by Big Fo

It might have been an offside call where the player was well in front of the defenders when the ball reached him but was offside when the ball was kicked.

"Super Sunday" is off to a good start. Liverpool were the better team in the first half but the (deserved) red card changed the game. Gerrard put Liverpool in the lead but Rafael had a sick goal just minutes later and RVP won the game with a penalty kick.

I think the red card was deserved, the penalty was an absolute joke, especially the way the ref had reffed the game before that. If that was a penalty, Evans tackle in the first half was worth two.

I wish to God I cheered for a team that got half the calls that team gets. I can't remember the last time Arsenal had a soft penalty at home, much less on the road in a critical match.

Speaking of Arsenal, I think I vastly underestimated how good this team is this year. There are finally competition of spots. I can't remember that happening in the last five years. I know there are always if's with Arsenal, but with Wilshire and Sagna back soon, this good be a really special team.

As always, the key is going to be better consistency and some better health than recent years, but I really like how this season has started.

[DaddyTorgo]

Woo - Juve still undefeated and topping the table!

[kingfc22]

Originally Posted by TroyF

I think the red card was deserved, the penalty was an absolute joke, especially the way the ref had reffed the game before that. If that was a penalty, Evans tackle in the first half was worth two.

I wish to God I cheered for a team that got half the calls that team gets. I can't remember the last time Arsenal had a soft penalty at home, much less on the road in a critical match.

Speaking of Arsenal, I think I vastly underestimated how good this team is this year. There are finally competition of spots. I can't remember that happening in the last five years. I know there are always if's with Arsenal, but with Wilshire and Sagna back soon, this good be a really special team.

As always, the key is going to be better consistency and some better health than recent years, but I really like how this season has started.

Would have been nice to see Arsenal capitalize on one of those first half chances from Gibbs and Gervinho.

[whomario]

Bundesliga well underway and Bayern mean business. Can´t see them not winning it 3 years in a row, first 5 games result in 5 wins and 17:2 goals.

Dortmund struggling early again a little bit (like last year) with a loss to Hamburg last saturday and today only a 3:3 at Frankfurt (who are an early season surprise, had won the first 4 games)

Also a surprise, newly promoted Dusseldorf have 9 points (2 wins, 3 draw, no loss) and 4:0 goals after 5 games. Talk about efficient.

[miami_fan]

Mr. Chelsea gets four matches from the English FA. Can we get this done a little quicker next time, FA? Someone MIGHT think you have different standards for different players

[I. J. Reilly]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

Mr. Chelsea gets four matches from the English FA. Can we get this done a little quicker next time, FA? Someone MIGHT think you have different standards for different players

The differences between the Suarez and Terry punishments are kind of strange, aren’t they? Not that they are different, just that one was heavy on games and the other is heavy on the fines. Seems odd.

CAPTAIN – LEADER – LEGEND

[Katon]

The FA statement on Suarez commented that the entry point (i. e. the default ban) would be four games [para. 406 or 429], and it was extended to eight due to extenuating circumstances including repeated use of the word "negro" [431]. Terry, meanwhile, used racial language exactly once whoever you talk to. Most of the other extenuating circumstances could be more convincingly argued to apply to Terry, but some difference between the length of their bans was pretty predictable simply looking at the justification for Suarez' treatment.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by Katon

The FA statement on Suarez commented that the entry point (i. e. the default ban) would be four games [para. 406 or 429], and it was extended to eight due to extenuating circumstances including repeated use of the word "negro" [431]. Terry, meanwhile, used racial language exactly once whoever you talk to. Most of the other extenuating circumstances could be more convincingly argued to apply to Terry, but some difference between the length of their bans was pretty predictable simply looking at the justification for Suarez' treatment.

Length of the bans wasn't in question for me, but the timing was. Terry should have been suspended last year, especially if they weren't going to pay attention to the courts ruling anyway.

I'm not English and I don't cheer for Chelsea, but if I did, it would gut me on a weekly basis to have to cheer for a scumbag like him.

[I. J. Reilly]

Originally Posted by Katon

The FA statement on Suarez commented that the entry point (i. e. the default ban) would be four games [para. 406 or 429], and it was extended to eight due to extenuating circumstances including repeated use of the word "negro" [431]. Terry, meanwhile, used racial language exactly once whoever you talk to. Most of the other extenuating circumstances could be more convincingly argued to apply to Terry, but some difference between the length of their bans was pretty predictable simply looking at the justification for Suarez' treatment.

I get that, and actually have no problem with the FA saying what Suarez did was worse than what Terry did. It’s the correlation of games to fine that I’m confused about; Suarez 8 games and 40k fine while Terry gets 4 games and 220k fine.

I guess at the end of the day it’s only the games that matter.

[AlexB]

I would imagine Terry earns a lot more han Suarez whic might explain some of the disparity, albeit not the full 5.5x as much

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by TroyF

Length of the bans wasn't in question for me, but the timing was. Terry should have been suspended last year, especially if they weren't going to pay attention to the courts ruling anyway.

This for me. I am not really buying the idea using a racial slur "only" once is significantly less egregious than seven times. I don't think a person does such a thin on a whim. Be that as it may, the fact that this process took eleven months could leave one with the perception of that there is one set of standards for the English international going into a major tournament and one set for Johnny Foreigner.

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

This for me. I am not really buying the idea using a racial slur "only" once is significantly less egregious than seven times. I don't think a person does such a thin on a whim. Be that as it may, the fact that this process took eleven months could leave one with the perception of that there is one set of standards for the English international going into a major tournament and one set for Johnny Foreigner.

The FA couldn't have done it much quicker: they had to let it go through the courts first: any decision before the court case would undoubtedly have influenced the trial.

[AlexB]

Dola, and to be fair i don't really care which of the two undoubted scumbags was most harshly treated

[sovereignstar v2]

Speaking of refs that are absolutely shocking.

[sovereignstar v2]

The message is divers win. I can't see it any other way. Fuck you Mark Halsey and fuck you John Arne Riise you fucking piece of shit.

[Grover]

Liverpool are really clicking today with the younger lineup. Wisdom and Suso have looked solid.

[Katon]

Originally Posted by TroyF

I'm not English and I don't cheer for Chelsea, but if I did, it would gut me on a weekly basis to have to cheer for a scumbag like him.

I think most big clubs have a player or two like that, unfortunately - Man U had Roy Keane deliberately injuring other players and Ryan Giggs carrying on a long affair with his brother's wife, Liverpool had Steven Gerrard being charged with assault and now employ Luis Suarez . . .

As a Chelsea fan, Terry and Ashley Cole are the two players who tend to make me wince when anything about their out-of-football behavior comes up. Sometimes it's inflated by the tabloids - the News of the World wound up printing an apology for the whole Vanessa Perroncel mess - but this time unfortunately the best you can say for Terry is that he's only probably guilty rather than proved beyond reasonable doubt.

[sovereignstar v2]

Rio Ferdinand should retire already.

[SirFozzie]

2-0 Tottenham becomes 3-2 Tottenham in the space of three minutes. CLINT DEMPSEY did score though

[sovereignstar v2]

United fans ripping into Giggs post-game. Love it!

[SirFozzie]

Definition of Chutzpah: Sir Alex Ferguson complaining about Fergie Time, er.. injury time:

"It is a flaw in the game that referees are responsible for time-keeping," he told BBC Sport. "It is nearly 2013 and the referee still has control of that. They gave four minutes. It is an insult. It is ridiculous. It is denying you the proper chance to win the football match.

The Scot was furious at what he believed was a lack of injury time, which he felt did not take into account six substitions and some time-wasting tactics from the visitors.

"There were six substitutions and the trainer came on. That is four minutes right away," Ferguson said. "The goalkeeper must have wasted two minutes. They took their time at every goal kick. That is obvious to everyone."

[bulletsponge]

holy fudge! Jozy with a goal the likes ive never seen from an American

[Grover]

Sweet Jesus, Jozy.

[miami_fan]

My goodness. But he needs to work on that celebration. I thought he tore something on that slide.

[bulletsponge]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

My goodness. But he needs to work on that celebration. I thought he tore something on that slide.

technically he tore the defense a new one, so yea he did

[Marc Vaughan]

Multi-ball soccer - bizarre ref/goal in a Finnish match ...

Multi-ball goal

[Critch]

Just seen Carlos Puyol's injury from this afternoon. Ick.

Here's a photograph for people who's curiosity gets the better of them:

Spoiler

[miami_fan]

Is that what David Moyes taught Rodwell at Everton? Geez

[whomario]

awesome game by Dortmund, shame they didn´t score the 2nd. City had great oportunities in the first half (but Dortmund, too), then in the 2nd it was pretty much all Dortmund with a basically flawless game. Well, goal scoring aside unfortunately ...

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by whomario

awesome game by Dortmund, shame they didn´t score the 2nd. City had great oportunities in the first half (but Dortmund, too), then in the 2nd it was pretty much all Dortmund with a basically flawless game. Well, goal scoring aside unfortunately ...

Yeah, that was one of the three games I was watching while I worked, and I was rooting for Dortmund there, they looked really good for most of the game. I easily thought they played the better of the two.

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by Alan T

Yeah, that was one of the three games I was watching while I worked, and I was rooting for Dortmund there, they looked really good for most of the game. I easily thought they played the better of the two.

Dortmund were robbed imho - the penalty seemed extremely harsh to me, it wasn't like he went to block the shot the chap shot from around two foot away from him straight into his upper arm its not like he could have dodged it.

(Hart was really good for City and kept them in it but Dortmund really should have been 2 or 3 up by the time City got that penalty)

[whomario]

Hart was brilliant, one of the better GK efforts i´ve seen the last few years. Heck, Weidenfeller was great as well (has been for years and Germany might be the only country where a guy like that never even gets near the national team), both GKs with class games.

What is most impressive about Dortmund is that they never stop playing their game. Even after going up 1:0 they pressured Man City like crazy and played far up the pitch to create it, while they often played 3 on 2 or 2 on 2 in the back.

For City, David Silva is amazing to watch, the ball sticks to him like glue and he allways sees where everybody else is moving for a through ball.

For Dortmund, Götze is definitely on his way to become one of the best players around, after an injury plagued 2nd half of last season he´s now slowly getting to where he should be. Looks a lot faster and explosive now compared to even 3 weeks ago. Good times

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by whomario

What is most impressive about Dortmund is that they never stop playing their game. Even after going up 1:0 they pressured Man City like crazy and played far up the pitch to create it, while they often played 3 on 2 or 2 on 2 in the back.

For me Dortmunds movement and ability on the ball was awesome to watch, but most impressive to me was their crossing from out wide .... in the Premiership you often see very fast players out wide (Walcott, Bale etc.) who get into advanced positions but fail to deliver a final ball of quality, Dortmunds wide players instead were happy to cross from deeper positions - playing lovely curling balls to the central players with an accuracy which was very consistent.

[Sebastian Palkowski]

Yesterday was a good day to be from Dortmund. They played with so much discipline, Manchester had no clue (especially in the second half) how to react. But in the end you have to score the second goal, then the penalty is not important anymore. Bad luck that we played against a British goalie who had his only good day in his career yesterday (I'm pretty sure he would have saved a Dortmund penalty).

Only thing that worries me: Sir Alex in the stands. It's not cool to develop all this great young players and then lose them to England because they have not to worry about money at all.

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by Sebastian Palkowski

Bad luck that we played against a British goalie who had his only good day in his career yesterday

I'm presuming you haven't followed Hart's career so far? - he's an incredibly good keeper considering how young he is and is only improving year on year ....

[sovereignstar v2]

So glad Germany got toasted in the Euros.

[Sebastian Palkowski]

Originally Posted by Marc Vaughan

I'm presuming you haven't followed Hart's career so far? - he's an incredibly good keeper considering how young he is and is only improving year on year ....

Yeah, I was joking. Both keeper were fantastic yesterday, otherwise a 4-4 would have been more likely.