Soccer thread 08/09 (will have spoilers!)

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 10:37 am

It will be sad if to USL teams make the knockout stage of the Concacaf CL while no MLS team does

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 3:04 am

Being reported here that Spurs have binned Juande Ramos in favour of....Harry Redknapp. Mmm, interesting decision....bin the guy who's won 2 European trophies (and led Spurs to the League Cup), in favour of the bloke who is inevitably mentioned when dubious transfer dealings are highlighted.

And only now do they decide to can the sporting director who actually is at fault for some of the poor signings...I'm presuming that Honest 'Arry doesn't want anyone looking over his shoulder when the brown paper envelopes start changing hands.

Great - now one of my most hated teams and most hated managers are together.....let the hatred flow

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 11:31 am

It's Word Jumble for Sunday October 26th!

Today's puzzle, re-arrange the following words for the sentence of the day:

Cockney
That
You
Take
Twats

Answers on a postcard and winners get to be 3 points clear at the top of the table.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 12:51 pm

And how sweetly just was it to win with a Lampard deflection special?

I really wish that Xabi's FK hadn't hit the post so I could've been spared the last 20 minutes of cardiac arrest though.

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 8:17 pm

RobVarak wrote:I really wish that Xabi's FK hadn't hit the post so I could've been spared the last 20 minutes of cardiac arrest though.

I agree though we contained them so well it wasn't as nearly as nerve-wracking as I thought it would be - I usually like to watch these matches down at the pub so I can have some liquid courage with me but today wasn't so bad.

Well done Xabi with another great game continuing to prove his doubters (me included) wrong.

My highlight was Babel going apesh!t on Mascherano for not-looking up when he passed across the box - hilarious!

Btw, did Robbie Keane win a contest? Seriously, he's like Diirk Kuyt but without the goals or the running.

Okay, now watch us go lose to Portsmouth!

Perhaps CSKA London need to spend more money.....

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 9:23 am

Donovan wants to go to England or Spain

I'd really like to see Donovan go to a relatively big team in England or Spain just to see what he can do. No matter what the naysayers say, he's quite clearly the best American player today. His last stint in Germany was pretty disastrous, but I think his head is in a totally different place now. Talent wasn't the issue.

He's coming off a phenomenal MLS season with 20 goals in 25 games, one of the best strike rates the league has ever seen, all the while playing with a pretty hapless team.

My team Tottenham could use some help, and as an added bonus, this move might make DaveT hate them even more!! I couldn't resist picking up a Donovan Spurs jersey. Donovan nearly went to Portsmouth on loan in January 2004 when Redknapp was the manager there so I suppose Tottenham might actually be interested now? This is all speculation and wishful thinking so I'm very curious to see what teams will actually be interested in Donovan.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 5:32 am

Ooo, I wish I could be in Portsmouth today, just to see Bungs Redknapp collect his freedom of the city, as awarded after their FA Cup triumph...

macsomjrr · Post by **macsomjrr** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 6:39 am

Naples39 wrote:Donovan wants to go to England or Spain

I'd really like to see Donovan go to a relatively big team in England or Spain just to see what he can do. No matter what the naysayers say, he's quite clearly the best American player today. His last stint in Germany was pretty disastrous, but I think his head is in a totally different place now. Talent wasn't the issue.

He's coming off a phenomenal MLS season with 20 goals in 25 games, one of the best strike rates the league has ever seen, all the while playing with a pretty hapless team.

My team Tottenham could use some help, and as an added bonus, this move might make DaveT hate them even more!! I couldn't resist picking up a Donovan Spurs jersey. Donovan nearly went to Portsmouth on loan in January 2004 when Redknapp was the manager there so I suppose Tottenham might actually be interested now? This is all speculation and wishful thinking so I'm very curious to see what teams will actually be interested in Donovan.

It'd be cool to see just how he'd perform over there but I just don't see that happening. Fulham barely escaped relegation last year with all their Americans and I think that is going to scare away any top flight teams from going after an MLS player. I realize that sounds kinda silly but unfortunately success in the MLS just isn't perceived very highly in Europe. Has Donovan been playing on the American squad during qualifying matches? I haven't seen any of those so maybe he is tearing it up there as well in which case that would be something.

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 9:11 am

macsomjrr wrote:It'd be cool to see just how he'd perform over there but I just don't see that happening. Fulham barely escaped relegation last year with all their Americans and I think that is going to scare away any top flight teams from going after an MLS player. I realize that sounds kinda silly but unfortunately success in the MLS just isn't perceived very highly in Europe. Has Donovan been playing on the American squad during qualifying matches? I haven't seen any of those so maybe he is tearing it up there as well in which case that would be something.

Donovan has played in all US qualifying matches and is the center of the team. He's only 26, but already has the US goal scoring record in international games, and far and away has the US assist record. He is a class above the rest of the squad.

I'd be shocked if no one gives him a shot. Question for me is how big the team will be. Donovan would no doubt be disappointed if the only bidders are yearly regulation battlers like Clint Dempsey's Fulham.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 1:53 am

Looks like Diego will have his dream come true and will be the new coach of Argentina. With the national team struggling during the WC qualifying, A. Basile decided to step aside and Maradona will be in charge of the team. His right man will be former manager Carlos Bilardo.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 4:41 am

That has 'Car Crash' written all the way through it like Blackpool rock.

Let's tick off the plus points....err, OK, he wasn't a bad player.

Let's tick off the minus points...

Managed at any level - NO (I've subsequently discovered that he had a couple of brief spells in 1994/95 at Deportivo Mandiyu, with a record of W3 D12 L8...christ, even Steve McLaren had more than that.)

Thrown out of WC for failing drugs test - YES

Pissed-up junkie who has occasionally taken to shooting at journalists with an air rifle - YES (though to be fair I was considering putting this in the plus points)

Greedy swine who helped to throw his own club's attempt to retain the Italian Championship - YES, Napoli 1988.

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 7:02 am

davet010 wrote:That has 'Car Crash' written all the way through it like Blackpool rock.

Tell me about it, I fully expect Javier Mascherano to return to Liverpool after the next international break coked up, 80lbs overweight and sporting an air rifle. As you mentioned, that last part might not be so bad.

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 6:19 pm

If anyone gets a chance to see David Bentley's goals against Arsene Wengers Ohmigodgreatestcollectionofyoungsterseverohthey'resogood FC - do so, what a strike!

Liverpool's awful season continues.

MACTEPsporta · Post by **MACTEPsporta** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 12:40 pm

I love Italian football

http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=941630

macsomjrr · Post by **macsomjrr** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 5:33 pm

Macca00 wrote:
Liverpool's awful season continues.

So you saw the Spurs game then?

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 12:25 pm

What a crazy day in the Premiership. No spoilers for those with DVRs, but Saturday was filled with interesting results!

Take care,
PK

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 4:12 pm

Between the Spurs vs Arsenal and Spurs vs. Liverpool matches I'm fairly certain Harry Redknapp has a 4 leaf clover stuck up his ass. f***in lucky bastards.

For Sale: Irish Striker, runs a lot, refuses to take shots against his former team, doesn't do much else. 20 million or nearest offer.

Mac - this season has been a disaster, next thing you know we'll be in 3rd place 5 points off the pace!

Hughes out? I kid, I kid, Boro and Bolton have been bogey teams for Liverpool so I know what it's like to f*** up against them....immensely annoying. I like that Sturridge kid, he looks good.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 11:52 pm

Can someone please wake up Hoffenheim?

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 10:59 am

Screw Obama and McCain: After Newcastle's 2-0 win over Villa yesterday, I'm turning back the clocks and voting for JFK!

Joe F*cking Kinnear, that is!

Take care,
PK

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 9:18 am

That team from Cyprus is just great to watch

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 3:58 pm

See Arsene (I'm not under pressure just because I've won jack shite for 3 years') Wenger is having a go at Stoke's tactics on Sunday.

Some news for you Arsene

- tackling is still legal, even though none of your players can do it.

- both challenges in question were legal, as opposed to Adebayor's earlier high challenge on the Stoke player.

- complaining about foul play is a bit rich coming from a team with a record of approx 7-8 red cards per season during Wenger's reign, and which included people like Vieira and Martin Keown, as well as cheats like Van Persie and Reyes, as well as nasty sly sods like Bergkamp (who I loved as a player, but who was definitely adept at the sly elbow or ankle tap.)

He's definitely bottling it this year,

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 5:59 pm

Strange, a few weeks back they were toasting him about how he developed a team with young talent and interviewing him at length about his career on one of the BBC podcasts.

Now after two disappointing results, more talk of about how Arsenal haven't won a cup in so many years.

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 6:26 pm

This Tottenham turnaround is ridiculous.

Score 4 and tie Arsenal at Arsenal, beat Liverpool, now win in UEFA Cup 4-0. Hell of a week for the new coach!

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 12:39 am

FA Cup first round proper is tomorrow. 2 games on Setanta and FSC this weekend. Love watching teams play in a place that is no better than my backyard.

fanatic · Post by **fanatic** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 5:22 pm

Naples39 wrote:This Tottenham turnaround is ridiculous.

Score 4 and tie Arsenal at Arsenal, beat Liverpool, now win in UEFA Cup 4-0. Hell of a week for the new coach!

Yep..makes you think the team really turned on Ramos and refused to give it their all until he was sacked.

Also, letting Modric play further down the pitch has really helped his game. His creativity and ability are much more apparent now. Bent's confidence also looks to be on the rise thankfully.