Beautiful Game 12/13 Thread (Major EPL slant)

[pk500]

I'm not crazy about Gus calling soccer. One of the hallmarks of great footy announcers -- such as Martin Tyler or Ian Darke -- is the ability to show restraint, to keep quiet. That's impossible for Gus.

One of the beauties of footy is subtlety. Gus is as subtle as a blowtorch at full flame.

[RobVarak]

Ah, CONCACAF qualifiers. Annoying crowds, unsuitable weather, $hitty conditions and a disappointing result on the road for the US. It's like you never left me.

I was much more disappointed with the performance than the result, actually. A draw is what they were obviously looking for going down there, and a draw would've been a fair result. But the way the US played was dreadful. Overconfident in attack and totally without confidence and lazy in defense. Bradley, Howard and Dempsey aren't going to be enough to get it done on their own.

They failed to close down properly anywhere on the pitch and were overwhelmed in the midfield and at the back when pressed. So many turnovers, even when there was no pressure they had trouble getting the ball out of the back.

Nobody save Bradley seemed willing to use their size and technique to any advantage.

In the final third, as I said, I think they were overconfident. Too many cheeky or speculative passes and too little smart, direct play. The goal was a notable exception, of course. They looked like a team that thought it could score at will, which isn't a terrible thing if you're bossing the midfield and moving the ball out from the back with alacrity. Neither of these was happening though, so valuing their chances a bit more would have been prudent.

Somebody needs to emerge as an organizational leader in the back. If Bocanegra's days are done, someone needs to step up and fill that void. Based on today, Cameron, Chandler etc. are clearly not ready to do that job.

On the Gus issue, I'm with PK. I love the guy and I admire his dedication to learning the game, but it would take a total stylistic makeover for him to be palatable as a football commentator.

[Naples39]

Turd is the best word for today's game. Always slow to close down on the ball, bad things are sure to happen. The team looked exhausted about 20 minutes into, and simply dead on their feet once down 2-1. They barely touched the ball from the 78-90 minute mark.

It is also strange to me to put out a lineup like that with Eddie Johnson in the midfield, and defend so much and aimlessly lob balls forward in the first half. That lineup seemed out of tune with the tactics employed.

This is going to be a painful qualifying process.

[fsquid]

defense is utter s***.

[RobVarak]

Funniest headline you'll read all day:

FIFA urged to show leadership to fight corruption

[Macca00]

I don't know what you're talking about, Rob.

Macca
(looking forward to the Qatari World Cup.....not really because it's going to be a f***in joke)

[10spro]

I dislike both teams, but I am hoping that Ronaldo can stick it to his old boss, more importantly here's hoping that the game doesn't stink.

[fsquid]

Gus actually isn't terrible. He's not good, but it isn't a trainwreck

http://www.awfulannouncing.com/2013/feb ... occer.html

[RobVarak]

Gus actually isn't terrible. He's not good, but it isn't a trainwreck

http://www.awfulannouncing.com/2013/feb ... occer.html

I actually thought that Warren Barton, who is usually very entertaining in the studio, was a bigger drag on the booth than Gus. His analysis was mediocre at best and they ended up gimping the studio side of things as well.

There are still some kinks with Gus, where he occasionally shows the cracks in his background (e.g., calling Giggs "the most decorated English footballer") but by and large he did a nice job.

[Jimmydeicide]

It f***in blew chunks Rob, i thought i was listening to Jack Edwards, how does that game get those muppets and the Borussia game get a regular English tandem?
God i hope NBC are not watching .

[RobVarak]

It f***in blew chunks Rob, i thought i was listening to Jack Edwards, how does that game get those muppets and the Borussia game get a regular English tandem?
God i hope NBC are not watching .

Face it, Jimmy. The brutal English monopoly on football announcing is going the way of the Empire.

[fsquid]

Gus actually isn't terrible. He's not good, but it isn't a trainwreck

http://www.awfulannouncing.com/2013/feb ... occer.html

I actually thought that Warren Barton, who is usually very entertaining in the studio, was a bigger drag on the booth than Gus. His analysis was mediocre at best and they ended up gimping the studio side of things as well.

There are still some kinks with Gus, where he occasionally shows the cracks in his background (e.g., calling Giggs "the most decorated English footballer") but by and large he did a nice job.

yea Barton was s***/.

[10spro]

Goal-line review technology to be applied at the next WC 2014.

[fsquid]

Arsenal is not very good.

[GB_Simo]

I forget if anyone other than Squiddy with Sheffield Wednesday knows the pain of supporting a team that's habitually rubbish - as in genuinely, gut-wrenchingly awful, not ha-ha-let's-all-laugh-at-Liverpool - but my beloved Hartlepool United managed, somehow, to collect only 13 points from their opening 27 games. 81 points available, 13 gained, with no wins at all from 1st September to 29th December across 22 games in all competitions.

Having taken 13 points from a possible 81, we're now on a run of 17 points from a possible 21 in our last 7 matches. Tonight we took Crewe Alexandra apart in a display of dominance I haven't seen from a Pools side in a good 3 or 4 years and though other results went against us, we're 6 points adrift of safety with 12 games left. We haven't been that close to the safety line since November.

Suddenly, there's hope. Might the end of Oldham's FA Cup run halt their recent revival? Maybe we'll get something from relegation dogfights against Colchester and Bury - on this form, we might even thwart Doncaster and Tranmere's attempts to win the league. Perhaps by season's end, our luck will extend far enough that the board's filters might finally let me say S-c-u-n-thorpe United without classing me as a purveyor of filth, and do you know what?

At Christmas, when I knew for certain that we were relegated, I wasn't anything like as anxious about our last 12 matches. I bloody hate this game.

[fsquid]

I do feel your pain. I wonder if history had been any different if that penalty wasn't given in 2005.

[Macca00]

(not mine)


"Chelsea have confirmed that their interim fans will leave the club when Roman Abramovich does."

[10spro]

No need to apologize #7.

[Macca00]

I'm not sure who's more upset - Fergie or Niall Quinn on the TV? Quinn has been going on and on about the red card for the last 20 minutes. I know United fans who wouldn't be moaning as much as he is. Quinn didn't even think it should have been a card. Martin Tyler I can understand, he sits there commentating with a United jersey on but Quinn....didn't he play for City?

[pk500]

Terrible call. That's a yellow card, period. Nani should have had better control of his leg and foot, but there was nothing malicious about his move. He was trying to head the ball.

I'm no Man U fan, but that call changed the tide of the game. United got f*cked.

[10spro]

I'm no Man U fan, but that call changed the tide of the game. United got f*cked.

Yeah, it was a reckless challenge but not worth of a red card for sure. They were more solid up to that point but that call alone just changed the game for the hosts. It's not often that Jose admits the adversary being a better team as he did after the match.

[pk500]

It's not often that Jose admits the adversary being a better team as he did after the match.

That's because Mourinho wants the Man U job after Fergie retires. Plain and simple.

[10spro]

It's not often that Jose admits the adversary being a better team as he did after the match.

That's because Mourinho wants the Man U job after Fergie retires. Plain and simple.

They are quite a fit for each other, although my instincts says that Chesea may push harder for his services.

[Macca00]

United got f*cked.

Karma.

Then again, it's a bloody reckless challenge - whether he meant it or not you can't jump with your leg extended up like you're an extra in a Tony Jaa movie. Jonjo Shelvey got sent off against United for 1/2 of that earlier this season....



Someone also needed to tell United that when they went down to 10 men that didn't mean you have to suddenly collapse - they were leading at that point. Chelsea beat Barca last year with 10 men at the Nou Camp (and scored 2 goals).

Did Van Persie even play?



Mourinho after the game was the funniest unofficial interview for a job I've ever seen.

That's because Mourinho wants the Man U job after Fergie retires.

They are quite a fit for each other

Indeed they are.

[fsquid]

put your leg up like that and you are at the mercy of the ref.