Soccer thread 07/08

dougb · Post by **dougb** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 7:55 pm

Capello gets his first win as England Manager in a friendly against Switzerland. Looks like he has his work cut out for him!

Best wishes,

Doug

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 8:13 pm

A win is a win but if Capello wants his team to be led by Gerrard & Rooney, his tactical play vs Switzerland had Wayne playing the lone ranger too often.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 11:29 am

Latest idea from the greedy scum who run the Premiership - let's have an extra round of league matches every year, and play them abroad..

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 233025.stm

Not content with hoovering every last quid out of English fans pockets, they want to do it round the world as well.

Not surprised to see the chairman of mickey mouse clubs like Birmingham are up for it (well, the chairman did make his money selling soft-core porn mags), but I was equally amused to see that The Drunken Scot was so against it.

Must have been some other club who went to Dubai to play in a Sheikh's nonsense tournament last month then.

So guys, get your wallets ready, you could be shelling out for the once-in-a-year chance to see Fulham vs Wigan at your local mega-stadium.

I used to laugh at my dad when he talks about sport going to the dogs and being ruined by money. I'm not laughing any more.

Post by **Jared** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 2:00 pm

Aren't there major concerns about having an unbalanced fixture by doing this? Especially with teams in the relegation zone...if Fulham gets an extra game against Man U, whereas Wigan gets an extra game against Derby, that's a huge 3 point swing.

I can understand something where a small team wants to take a home game overseas to make more money or get publicity (see the Dolphins/Giants game this year)...but adding an extra fixture seems stupid.

Oh, and no comments on the USA/Mexico game? It was a fun game to watch, and we probably would have won if we had people other than Moor and Corrales as outside backs. Man, they were brutal.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 3:09 pm

Simek at RB preserves the shutout, he'll be back in the summer to take the RB spot and keep it.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 5:17 pm

Jared wrote: Oh, and no comments on the USA/Mexico game? It was a fun game to watch, and we probably would have won if we had people other than Moor and Corrales as outside backs. Man, they were brutal.

Clark and Bradley were nearly as bad. I swear that every third Mexico possession found them taking a FK from a dangerous spot. LOL

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 5:27 pm

I watched the USA-Mex game. Entertaining game, but not exactly high quality play. The Dempsey goal being called back was a bit ridiculous, but I guess it was a byproduct of the noise in a closed-roof stadium that the offside call same absurdly late in the play.

I was also willing to forgive Moor for his first set-piece lapse, as he redeemed himself with an excellent cross for the Altidore goal, but being beaten on a set-piece again is unforgivable.

Other thoughts:
-Corrales - pretty dreadful. Hopefully the last we see of him there.
-Donovan - very quiet match. Maybe it's just me, but it drives me nuts watching him be marginalized out on the wings. We need his quality in the middle and closer to goal.
-Pretty disappointing performances from Convey and Bradley. Bradley is still finding his place on the team so that's okay, but Convey's role is pretty simple and he failed to execute again.
-Gooch seems to like playing against mexico
-I don't find myself hating the new generation of mexican players as much. No cheapshots, and some actual sportsmanship on the field and in the media.
-Adu didn't show much in limited minutes
-Altidore has already staked his claim to the number 1 forward choice for the next 10 years or so

Post by **Jared** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 6:23 pm

I agree about Donovan on the wing. He'd be much more effective in the center of the park...switching him and Dempsey might be an idea...either that, or maybe switching from Bradley's 4-4-2 with 2 DM's to a diamond midfield with Donovan as the attacking mid.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 12:01 pm

The final whistle has just gone in the Manchester derby.

No spoilers.

dougb · Post by **dougb** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 2:49 pm

davet010 wrote:The final whistle has just gone in the Manchester derby.

No spoilers.

Well,

Liverpool versus Chelsea was pretty dire for most of the 1st half - not sure how the 2nd played out. I'm really beginning to dislike the 150 mile an hour complete lack of tactical thought play that dominates the league. It's not surprising that England's national team seems so clueless when it comes to putting together carefully crafted scoring moves, rather than just hoofing it up the bloody field.

Best wishes,

Doug

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 4:42 pm

dougb wrote:
davet010 wrote:The final whistle has just gone in the Manchester derby.

No spoilers.
Well,

Liverpool versus Chelsea was pretty dire for most of the 1st half - not sure how the 2nd played out. I'm really beginning to dislike the 150 mile an hour complete lack of tactical thought play that dominates the league. It's not surprising that England's national team seems so clueless when it comes to putting together carefully crafted scoring moves, rather than just hoofing it up the bloody field.

Best wishes,

Doug

Might have been that way in the Liverpool game, but not in the Derby. Have a watch of Arsenal if you want to see passing football.

With regard to your suggestion of the impact on the England team, how do you then explain the failure of, say, Spain to ever have won a trophy since the 60s, or explain the success of France when the majority of players play in the Premiership ?

Fair comment though on Chelsea v Liverpool - it was dire.

dougb · Post by **dougb** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:21 pm

davet010 wrote:
dougb wrote:
davet010 wrote:The final whistle has just gone in the Manchester derby.

No spoilers.
Well,

Liverpool versus Chelsea was pretty dire for most of the 1st half - not sure how the 2nd played out. I'm really beginning to dislike the 150 mile an hour complete lack of tactical thought play that dominates the league. It's not surprising that England's national team seems so clueless when it comes to putting together carefully crafted scoring moves, rather than just hoofing it up the bloody field.

Best wishes,

Doug
Might have been that way in the Liverpool game, but not in the Derby. Have a watch of Arsenal if you want to see passing football.

With regard to your suggestion of the impact on the England team, how do you then explain the failure of, say, Spain to ever have won a trophy since the 60s, or explain the success of France when the majority of players play in the Premiership ?

Fair comment though on Chelsea v Liverpool - it was dire.

Didn't see the Derby - bet that put a smile on your face!!!

And yes, that Liverpool game was absolutely dire.

You're quite right that the majority of the French players play in the premiership. But the French players play quite differently on the national team than in the Premiership. Don't most of them come up through the national training academy with superior coaching than say most English players? As for Spain, they do have a serious record of undeperforming and I'm not quite sure why.

Arsenal and Manchester United and Chelsea (not in the Liverpool game) are the three teams that seem to be able to play a controlled, tactical game in the Premiership. Of the three I'd say that Arsenal under Wenger are probably the best of the three. I had hoped Liverpool would be able to be amongst those three but things have gone completely tits up at Anfield. But for the most part the Premiership is played at a very fast pace which doesn't seem to allow for the controlled tactical buildups or pretty finesse passing you see in the continental game.

Best wishes,

Doug

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:56 pm

heh heh

Catch the highlights if they are on TV over in the US, and hear an acoustic miracle as 3,000 blues make more noise than 73,000 glory-hunting tourists

Nice also to see that MU's stated desire to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Munich air crash with clash was sabotaged by their own staggering hypocrisy and greed.

- Sunday papers full of the Drunken Scot moaning about it being a disgrace them having to play City on this particular weekend...strange that he's only moaning now when the fixture list has been out for 6 months.

- 'No sponsors names on our shirts to honour the dead..' - pity that didn't extend to the mascots, whose shirts had logos bigger than the league permitted maximum.

- Amount of time elapsing between the end of the minute silence and the startup of the electronic advertising hoardings peddling crap...approximately 3.54 seconds.

- Amount of time between the end of the game and the first Man U official commemorative scarf and program being available on e-Bay...46 minutes. Bear in mind these were only available inside the ground, and only one per supporter.

For the literature-minded among you, let us compare this to Greek tragedy..after hubris, there is always nemesis

Nice to see 'The World's Greatest Footballer' and Portuguese show-pony go missing in another big game as well.

I feel better now

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 7:04 pm

As Dave will tell you, the problem with Spain is that they would rather be on vacation in the summer than playing soccer. Xavi or Cesc have said as much in interviews.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 7:22 pm

Dunno about that, but anyone who's ever been to Spain knows that it's more like a loose federation of regions rather than a strongly centralised nation. Basque players often claim to be discriminated against, and Euzkadi, Catalunya and Galicia all have 'national' teams that play friendlies against the smaller European nations over the winter break.

I can guarantee that before Euro 2008, I will hear the phrase 'Could this be the year that Spain get it right ?' at least 10 times, usually then followed by me placing a bet on them and ripping it up as they contrive to lose despite having a team that I would give my right arm to construct in Football Manager 08.

Seriously though, I do think that the 'nationalities' issue in Spain sometimes leaves them lacking the unity of purpose which could have seen them through tough games. It's perhaps noticeable that among their best performances of recent times was at USA 94, just after the Barcelona games had given Spanish, as opposed to Catalan, national pride a significant boost.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 10:53 pm

Owls still suck.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:01 pm

Life contracts for Raul and Casillas at Real. C. Fabregas looking to extend his in Arsenal.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 8:06 pm

10spro wrote:Life contracts for Raul and Casillas at Real. C. Fabregas looking to extend his in Arsenal.

Low risk giving a lifetime contract to Raul. He's alreay 86 years old, how much longer can he go on?

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 1:13 pm

"Taxi for Mr Benitez.....taxi for Mr Benitez..."

dougb · Post by **dougb** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 3:18 pm

davet010 wrote:"Taxi for Mr Benitez.....taxi for Mr Benitez..."

Well said Dave.

Unfortunately can't say I'm shocked at the result. They've been pretty poor this season with a couple of exceptions. Perhaps we could squeeze the two American co-owners in the same taxi.

Best wishes,

Doug

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 3:41 pm

Keeper for Barnsley played great.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 3:51 pm

fsquid wrote:Keeper for Barnsley played great.

Absolutely! Liverpool has laid eggs left and right this season, but they certainly played well enough to win today. That kid, not even Barnsley's No. 1, was out of his mind. I don't know what Carragher was doing giving all that space on the winner and Itandje was shocking throughout, but Liverpool were unlucky not to at least be facing a replay. Granted, that's not a result you want to look for against a Championship side, but it's not like this is an unprecdented result in the FA Cup.

All that said, it's looking like Rafa's losing any chance of staying. That troubles me because I like him and frankly can't think of a manager in the world that is available who would be any better. And yes, that includes Mourinho...I wan't no part of him. Without a payroll the size of a mid-size nation's GDP his prima dona act would wear thin very quickly.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 4:37 pm

Don't worry you aren't getting Mourihno. He'll either get AC Milan or Barcelona.

But if you lose Rafa, I expect Torres goes as well. And how many of the spanish contingent leave with Rafa.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 11:27 pm

I don't know, I feel for Rafa. Liverpool could have and should have put this game out of reach by the first half. They played really well. But a great goal by B. Howard nevertheless. Never mind a contigent of Spaniards leaving, if Benitez is ousted, it seems that lanky forward P. Crouch is seeking a buyout of his contract as well.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 11:56 pm

Crouch was looking to be out regardless. If Liverpool was on track to win the league, he would still be on Rafa's bad side.

Losing Crouch isn't as bad as losing Torres. I can't see Torres staying if Rafa goes. Torres would probably be sold in the summer.