Beautiful Game 12/13 Thread (Major EPL slant)

[fsquid]

Messi-Neymar will be a beauty to watch.

Just thought I'd bring this up again.



It's 3-0 now, Tiki-Taka getting smashed.

EDIT: With all of Spain's incredible pool of talent they can't find better right backs than Arbeloa (whom I love, regardless) and Azpilicueta? Madness.

He's fun to watch, it will be interesting to see him go up against the size of Bayern if Barca can get that far again.

[RobVarak]

I wasn't nearly as impressed as everyone else was with the Brazil performance. They were strong at the back, which augers well for the WC next year. But I thought much of their "physical" play was pretty cheap and they were fortunate to have the right ref for that style of play. Spain looked knackered, but if Ramos buries that PK (or if someone really competent takes it and does so), it changes the game. I thought the straight red was harsh and effectively killed the game. Brazil were deserved winners, but I just didn't feel like it was the throttling that the final score suggested.

The home field advantage is going to be tremendous, but I can't imagine that they wouldn't have kicked off next year's tournament as odds-on favorites regardless of what happened in the final yesterday. I think that having the WC tournament recently in Asia and Africa has obscured the perfect records in the tournament by European/South American continental hosts. It's a pretty enormous challenge for a European team to win a high-profile game on South American soil and vice versa.

Headed to Vegas in August and my WC money was only ever going to back the hosts, win or loss yesterday notwithstanding.

[wco81]

Brazil won in 2005 and 2009 and teams other than Brazil won in 2006 and 2010.

Last time a host nation won the WC was in '98 and before that, '78.

We'll see if Brazil could pull it off.

It would be the first time a country won the Confederations Cup and the WC in consecutive years.

Which is less prestigious, the CC or the Olympics Gold medal in soccer?

[Naples39]

I'm a big believer in geography regarding the WC.

Between 66 and 78 the host won 3 of 4 times. While the host has only one once since, some of that is attributable to hosts like the USA, S. Korea and S. Africa. When you actually put it in powerful football counties, you see Italy taking 3rd at home in 90, France winning in 98, and Germany taking 3rd in 2006.

Of the 11 WCs held in Europe, 10 were won by European countries.

Of the 7 WCs held in the Americas, all 7 were won by S. American countries.

[10spro]

I'm a big believer in geography regarding the WC.

Of the 11 WCs held in Europe, 10 were won by European countries.

Of the 7 WCs held in the Americas, all 7 were won by S. American countries.

And that explains why Argentina will win their third WC.

[XXXIV]

I'm a big believer in geography regarding the WC.

Of the 11 WCs held in Europe, 10 were won by European countries.

Of the 7 WCs held in the Americas, all 7 were won by S. American countries.

And that explains why Argentina will win their third WC.

I was wondering what team he was pointing to. I would have guessed wrong.

Olympic gold medal? Cant remember a one. Isnt that an exhibition tourney? A friendly.

[Macca00]

Gentlemen - please listen, this is important;

In the summer of 2000 I bought a Liverpool jersey with 'Berger' on the back as my favourite Liverpool player at the time was the explosive Czech, Patrik Berger. A few months later he suffered an ACL tear that basically signalled the end of his career.

The next summer I bought another Liverool jersey with Fowler on the back (even then I kinda knew Owen was a bit of a twat). That November he was sold to Leeds.

Being a bit superstitious I waited several years before I bought another replica jersey with a name on it, this time it was 2006 when I bought a Luis Garcia jersey. Within 6 months he had torn his ACL and was then sold to Athletico Madrid.

I had enough....but about 2 months ago the Liverpool FC website had an online sale of the Liverpool 2012/2013 jersey and you could get a name on it for a pittance. So about 6 weeks ago I got my #33 Shelvey jersey delivered........

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013 ... jo-shelvey


Here is what I propose:

Do you have a player on your team that you can't stand and wish they would just get lost? If so, I'm a size medium - send me a jersey with his name on it and I'll wear it. Chances are within 3-6 months he'll be off your team.

PM me if you're interested.


Macca
(my sister pleaded with me to get an Agger jersey instead of a Shelvey one)

[Jimmydeicide]

How about a plain white Tee with Suarez on it for now. Its in the mail dont wear it until hes gone though.

[Macca00]

Jimmy - will wait till Mr. Henry gets a 50+ million pound cheque in hands first and then I'll wear that shirt if you want!

Looks like Dortmund are going to beat Liverpool to the signing of Armenian superstar Henrik Mywjhrwlhjfselwjnhhsss (I think that's how you spell it).


Spurs signing Paulinho. Me = Jealous


Juve now add Llorente and Tevez to an already top notch team!

[Macca00]

Bayern already have, IMO, the most bad-ass midfield in the world and now add Thiago Alcântara. Madness. Utter madness!!!

Speaking of midfielders, Real added Illarramendi (£33.6m) and Isco (£23m) - that's a lot of money but those are two quality players (I think Isco is fab).

Waiting for Gollum to bust out the chequebook for United....

[10spro]

I think Isco is finally ready for big things to come, while I am curious about Illarra. Real has a very young team this season.

Thiago is horse, is Cesc going back to England and play for United?

[fsquid]

Bayern already have, IMO, the most bad-ass midfield in the world and now add Thiago Alcântara. Madness. Utter madness!!!

Speaking of midfielders, Real added Illarramendi (£33.6m) and Isco (£23m) - that's a lot of money but those are two quality players (I think Isco is fab).

Waiting for Gollum to bust out the chequebook for United....

Thiago is a talent, but he might actually find himself coming off the bench for the most part which is nuts.

[Murph]

Does anyone play on more hostel home fields than the USMNT?

[fsquid]

I'm sure they do when a majority of the native population is oblivious to soccer and the immigrant population loves the sport. No idea if any country fits that bill, but surely there is one.

[Macca00]

Canada has the same issue (except you guys win and we lose to the visitors, usually).

Me and a bunch of guys from my Sunday team have been to see Canada play a few times in Toronto and it's crazy the amount of away support certain visiting teams get. The irony of a Indo-Canadian and a bunch of Italian & Portuguese Canadians complaining about 'f***in immigrants' at a soccer game is not lost on us though!

[FifaInspected]

the 2nd leg of the Copa final was unbelievable!