Soccer thread 07/08

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 8:19 pm

Thanks for the explanation Adam.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 8:57 am

Oddly enough, Real Madrid v Barca was also known as 'el Derbi' in Spain, but is now known as 'El Classico'. All this despite the fact that they are hundreds of miles apart.

Many of them, therefore, now seem based upon rivalries other than being located in the same city or even region.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 12:59 pm

And then...there's only one 'Superclasico' Boca-River-River-Boca.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 1:28 pm

I predict that I will fall asleep 20 minutes into today's CL game.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 1:35 pm

fsquid wrote:I predict that I will fall asleep 20 minutes into today's CL game.

That's 20 minutes longer than Grant.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 4:56 pm

I think you call that a Sunday Pub game?

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 6:55 pm

I feel physically sick.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 8:58 pm

Riise might be walking alone tonight

Jimmydeicide · Post by **Jimmydeicide** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 10:52 pm

fsquid wrote:Riise might be walking alone tonight

If he is he'd better stay to well lit streets.

Left footed and left headed apparently.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 3:44 am

Scousers have already done his house, during one of the other European games.

Maybe he's getting his revenge.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 8:04 am

scousers sure are cute in that Chucky kind of way

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 9:17 am

My mistake - they were preparing for the Final by going to Spain and robbing Frank Rijkaard's house instead.

In slightly related football news, Ronald Koeman has been fired by Valencia, and claims to be proud of his record there.

Mmm...22 league games, W4 D6 L12, fallen from 4th to 16th and in danger of relegation. Oh yes, and falling out with some of the club's best players and have one of them take the club to court.

Apparently Ronald was very proud of having won the Copa Del Rey. It is fair to say in response that the trophy isn't taken that seriously by a number of clubs, that Getafe were awful on the night, and also that Koeman must be one of few people who holds up a trophy and has his own fans booing him,

I'm so hoping they go down.

Jimmydeicide · Post by **Jimmydeicide** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 11:23 am

fsquid wrote:scousers sure are cute in that Chucky kind of way

Cute until they open their mouths.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 5:53 pm

JRod wrote:I think you call that a Sunday Pub game?

Actually it's called a UEFA Champions League Semi-Final. If you'd like I can include a link to Wikipedia to explain to Newcastle fans exactly what that is

How did that Austrian stooge get selected to oversea a semi-final? No biased, but certainly not competent either.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 3:24 am

JR - that was officially classified as a 'Big Game'.

You could tell because the Portuguese Show Pony went missing.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 11:31 am

I cannot take these relegation games anymore at all.

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 12:01 pm

A thought - clearly Alex Ferguson doesn't value the Premier League because they lost today due to his rotation policy which lead to Ronaldo spending 2/3 of the match on the bench and Tevez not even playing. When will he learn to stop tinkering?

In the Liverpool match it was amazing how different we played after going 2-0 down - absolutely sh!t before and then a complete 180 afterwards. Pennant had a fantastic match. Voronin....well he did create one good chance but jeezzus - when he's off form he makes Dirk Kuyt look like Marco Van Basten....

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 12:30 pm

Macca00 wrote:A thought - clearly Alex Ferguson doesn't value the Premier League because they lost today due to his rotation policy which lead to Ronaldo spending 2/3 of the match on the bench and Tevez not even playing. When will he learn to stop tinkering?

He's won the league. You can rotate when you actually win.

dougb · Post by **dougb** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 12:34 pm

Macca00 wrote:A thought - clearly Alex Ferguson doesn't value the Premier League because they lost today due to his rotation policy which lead to Ronaldo spending 2/3 of the match on the bench and Tevez not even playing. When will he learn to stop tinkering?

In the Liverpool match it was amazing how different we played after going 2-0 down - absolutely sh!t before and then a complete 180 afterwards. Pennant had a fantastic match. Voronin....well he did create one good chance but jeezzus - when he's off form he makes Dirk Kuyt look like Marco Van Basten....

Yikes - a draw against Birmingham!?!?

I'd have thought we'd be able to bury them after the abuse they received last weekend from Villa. I just do not understand how Liverpool can play so well in the champions league and be so bloody abject so often in the Premiership.

BTW, Liverpool aren't the only team having trouble with meddling owners unsettling Managers - looks like Sven may be targetted for dismissal after the season based on reports a few weeks ago in the Guardian.

Best wishes,

Doug

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 12:40 pm

JRod wrote:
Macca00 wrote:A thought - clearly Alex Ferguson doesn't value the Premier League because they lost today due to his rotation policy which lead to Ronaldo spending 2/3 of the match on the bench and Tevez not even playing. When will he learn to stop tinkering?
He's won the league. You can rotate when you actually win.

Except it backfired and he may not win the league this year because of this result.

EDIT: And I'll also point out that Rafa has won lots of matches where he's changed players...er I mean 'rotated' and the media doesn't bother pointing that out. It's like the zonal marking system, Liverpool concede very rarely from set pieces yet when ONE goal goes in it's evidence that zonal marking doesn't work. Btw, how's the lack of rotation helping Arsenal's season out?

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 12:42 pm

Fulham wins. Maybe they will stay up. And I wouldn't mind because of the number of Americans that play for the club.

Reading draw at Wigan. Rooting for them to stay up. I like the team but there might be 10 new outfield players next year if they stay up.

Newcastle score two in 4 SOG and 59% possession...WTF.

And hey Tottenham again get a 1-1 draw. That's 4 straight.

f***in Liverpool.

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 12:46 pm

dougb wrote:
Yikes - a draw against Birmingham!?!? I'd have thought we'd be able to bury them after the abuse they received last weekend from Villa. I just do not understand how Liverpool can play so well in the champions league and be so bloody abject so often in the Premiership.

That we didn't bury them today probably had something to do with the fact that the following players that play so well in the CL weren't playing today;

Gerrard
Torres
Alonso
Mascherano
Babbel
And yes...even Kuyt who's better than Voronin.

We played our second string away from home today in a meaningless game for us and a vitally important game for them, were two nil down and still drew back 2-2. I thought it was a pretty good result considering - if we were still chasing for a meaningful league position, played our starters and still drew 2-2 then that would be a crap result (much like when we drew with Brum 0-0 back at Anfield) - I thought today was a good point that practically guarantees CL football next season.

We're also only 4 points behind Arsenal who are supposed to be far and away better than us and unlike Arsenal we still have a trophy (a pretty damn important one) to play for.

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 12:49 pm

I stopped watching Fulham two weeks ago because I figured it was hopeless. Still unlikely but now distinctly possible. It's a shame that Tottenham (the other EPL team I support) and Liverpool didn't do Fulham any favors by allowing Bolton and Birmingham a point though.

pigpen81 · Post by **pigpen81** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 12:31 am

To change the topuic a bit....anyone see the Galaxy/Chivas USA match tonight?

What a fun match.

I have to admit, but watching Beckham and Donavan together is a huge treat. Donovan now has 8 goals in 5 matches after scoring 3 tonight.

Home Depot Center was abosulutely jumping...and packed full of both Galaxy and Chivas supporters....it came across as eletric on television.

I am really enjoying MLS right now and may even fork over the $20 to get the online season pass so I can watch gameas at my CPU when working.

Back to EPL talk....but gosh darn I hope Fulham stays up...what a terrific result today...but maybe to little to late.

It makes me think back to the first few games of the season when they got screwed over on aroun 6 points because of horrid calls....or all those points they lost late in games when they couldn't hold a lead at home.

With a home game against Birmingham they can pull even, but have to get a result away from at Pompey which is a tough place for anyone to get a point, let alone a road team as dreadfull as the Cottagers.

dougb · Post by **dougb** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 9:55 am

pigpen81 wrote:To change the topuic a bit....anyone see the Galaxy/Chivas USA match tonight?

What a fun match.

I have to admit, but watching Beckham and Donavan together is a huge treat. Donovan now has 8 goals in 5 matches after scoring 3 tonight.

Home Depot Center was abosulutely jumping...and packed full of both Galaxy and Chivas supporters....it came across as eletric on television.

I am really enjoying MLS right now and may even fork over the $20 to get the online season pass so I can watch gameas at my CPU when working.

Back to EPL talk....but gosh darn I hope Fulham stays up...what a terrific result today...but maybe to little to late.

It makes me think back to the first few games of the season when they got screwed over on aroun 6 points because of horrid calls....or all those points they lost late in games when they couldn't hold a lead at home.

With a home game against Birmingham they can pull even, but have to get a result away from at Pompey which is a tough place for anyone to get a point, let alone a road team as dreadfull as the Cottagers.

Watched Toronto FC yesterday on TV - what a difference Guevara makes in midfield!! The guy's out there and just looks head and shoulders better than 90% of the other players on both teams. It's also amazing how much of a load having him in midfield takes of their defense - hey, we can now keep the ball a bit and not hand it over immediately every time we get it. That free kick of Guevara's for his second goal was absolute class as well.

They keep playing like that and they're going to need to duct tape the stands together to keep the stadium from blowing apart.

Best wishes,

Doug