Soccer thread 08/09 (will have spoilers!)

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 4:46 pm

Dusty would be apt, but it isn't all that hot there in August. Victoria Falls was pretty awesome, particularly when you go swimming right on the edge of it in Devil's Swimming Pool.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 9:54 pm

For anyone willing to subject themselves to faces that are really made for XBL chat only, I've posted a few pics from the US v. T&T game, including two of Zep and myself. Zeppo is the dapper fellow on the left. I'm the scowling bastard on the right.

The stadium shots are poor, but I only had my little pocket-sized Canon with me.

http://picasaweb.google.com/VarakLaw/USVTrinidadTobago#

Jimmydeicide · Post by **Jimmydeicide** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 10:15 pm

Thats awesome lads, great that you got together.
Zepps dad must be wilum Defoe is it?. And Robs, pick any male over 55 in Eastern Europe.

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 9:44 am

Our terrible season continues.

Chunk from the Goonies MoM (even if he should have scored twice)!

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 10:33 am

How sweet...pics from your first date

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 10:40 am

XXXIV wrote:How sweet...pics from your first date

I can't wait to see Rob & Zep's eHarmony commercial!

MACTEPsporta · Post by **MACTEPsporta** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 12:29 pm

Looks like Zeppo had more beers in him by the time the picture was taken, he's touching Rob a lot more willingly.

Good to see ya, boys.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 2:20 pm

MACTEPsporta wrote:Looks like Zeppo had more beers in him by the time the picture was taken, he's touching Rob a lot more willingly.

Good to see ya, boys.

I think that's the reason for the ass shot of Bob Bradley.

macsomjrr · Post by **macsomjrr** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 3:47 pm

RobVarak wrote:For anyone willing to subject themselves to faces that are really made for XBL chat only, I've posted a few pics from the US v. T&T game, including two of Zep and myself. Zeppo is the dapper fellow on the left. I'm the scowling bastard on the right.

The stadium shots are poor, but I only had my little pocket-sized Canon with me.

http://picasaweb.google.com/VarakLaw/USVTrinidadTobago#

Ah so sweet. When is the big day? Great to see you guys having a blast at the match. Looks like a god time was had by all:)

Football Manager 2009 podcast is up on iTunes... very amusing:) Miles mentions new MLS stuff for 2009 somewhere around the 10 min mark including the inclusion of designated players and blah blah blah. Does anyone actually play in the MLS? Game won't be out til November.

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 5:26 pm

I kinda hate seeing pics of message board people...kills such a refined mental image.

*goes and clicks on pictures anyway*

MACTEPsporta · Post by **MACTEPsporta** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 5:33 pm

Naples39 wrote:I kinda hate seeing pics of message board people...kills such a refined mental image.

*goes and clicks on pictures anyway*

Somehow, both Zeppo and Rob look just as I pictured them. Which one is which, again?

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 5:59 pm

MACTEPsporta wrote:
Naples39 wrote:I kinda hate seeing pics of message board people...kills such a refined mental image.

*goes and clicks on pictures anyway*
Somehow, both Zeppo and Rob look just as I pictured them. Which one is which, again?

Twins ....

macsomjrr · Post by **macsomjrr** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 6:09 pm

OK once you guys are done 'oogling Zeppo and Rob can we get back to the beautiful game please!

Tough loss for ManU, you can't win 'em all I guess. Berbatov's cross to Tevez was a thing of beauty. Did he know he would be there? Maybe not, but the skill and concentration needed to put the ball across the ground while under such pressure is mind boggling.

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 6:12 pm

You saw that game live, down in San Diego?

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 6:19 pm

macsomjrr wrote:OK once you guys are done 'oogling Zeppo and Rob can we get back to the beautiful game please!

They are to me what sarah palin is to the media...

macsomjrr · Post by **macsomjrr** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 8:36 pm

wco81 wrote:You saw that game live, down in San Diego?

Not live. I downloaded the Setanta feed using nefarious means

You gotta do what you gotta do when you're living in this part of the world:)

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 9:46 pm

macsomjrr wrote: Tough loss for ManU, you can't win 'em all I guess. Berbatov's cross to Tevez was a thing of beauty. Did he know he would be there? Maybe not, but the skill and concentration needed to put the ball across the ground while under such pressure is mind boggling.

As a neutral observer to the EPL, that was about the only highlight in the lackluste performance by Fergie's boys. What was Vidic thinking? He saved a sure third goal by clipping the Liverpool attacker (can't remember if it was Babel) for a well deserved yellow, but to go all hands up throwing his body on a routine header at the end of the game?

MU's defense had brain collapses, especially during the second half.

What hustle by J. Mascherano (hope he's not seriously injured) on the winning goal, R. Keane had his moments and I was surprised that S. Gerrard played after all.

Anyone seen Rooney?

macsomjrr · Post by **macsomjrr** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 10:12 pm

10spro wrote:
macsomjrr wrote: Tough loss for ManU, you can't win 'em all I guess. Berbatov's cross to Tevez was a thing of beauty. Did he know he would be there? Maybe not, but the skill and concentration needed to put the ball across the ground while under such pressure is mind boggling.
As a neutral observer to the EPL, that was about the only highlight in the lackluste performance by Fergie's boys. What was Vidic thinking? He saved a sure third goal by clipping the Liverpool attacker (can't remember if it was Babel) for a well deserved yellow, but to go all hands up throwing his body on a routine header at the end of the game?

MU's defense had brain collapses, especially during the second half.

What hustle by J. Mascherano (hope he's not seriously injured) on the winning goal, R. Keane had his moments and I was surprised that S. Gerrard played after all.

Anyone seen Rooney?

Liverpool's winning goal was a sequence of fairly lucky plays IMO Mascherano picks up a ball that bounces to him of of Evra's block which takes the entire defense of guard. He makes a"nice try" move around Giggs but really just gave up the ball which then proceeds to bounce around like a pinball machine off both Giggs and Vidic eventually falling neatly into Kuyt's feet who is free and now has about three choices sitting front of the net to cross the ball to. Babel gets it and does what any premier leaguer should do when they receive a ball while wide open 15-20 feet in front of the net. Giggs really should've easily kicked it out for a corner.

Overall I thought both teams played a decent game with Liverpool picking things up a bit in the second half. Could of easily been a 1-0, or 1-1 final score too me.

Here is the goal til Youtube takes it off.
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/OMcY3shNr3k&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 11:33 pm

macsomjrr wrote:[
Overall I thought both teams played a decent game with Liverpool picking things up a bit in the second half. Could of easily been a 1-0, or 1-1 final score too me.

I thought ManU played great for 10 minutes and spent the remainder of the game thanking the heavens for Rio Ferdinand. They were far from decent after scoring.

Edit: The old drunk appears to agree LOL

"We can take nothing positive from this. We didn't have one performer on the pitch apart from possibly Rio Ferdinand. It was disappointing."

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 2:51 am

I watched that game and then went off to watch City V Chelsea.

On those displays, Chelsea are at least 10 points better than MU, and that was without Drogba and Ballack. City looked quite good early on, but struggled in midfield. Robinho played well after a hectic week of 2 WC qualifiers in South America, but Zabaleta was less successful.

Still, full house, excellent atmosphere and, given the lack of any training together, a relatively coherent performance. Fair play to Chelsea though, deserved the 3 points.

macsomjrr · Post by **macsomjrr** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 2:55 am

You know you're right. I think I jumped a bit on that conclusion. It really wasn't that impressive of a showing on the back half of the game especially considering ManU's high standards. Scholes and Giggs are perhaps showing their age a bit, Carrick's ankle was might've been bothering him, I'm sure Berbatov needs a game or two to start getting comfortable with Rooney and Tevez's styles. Not sure what Vidic was thinking but everyone has a bad game (excuses excuses excuses). As a fan I'm worried that they'll fall to third or even fourth this year with Liverpool, Arsenal or even.. *gulp* Man City taking that next step (Chelsea looks on target to win it all). I'm sure once Ronaldo takes the pitch everything will be hunky-dorey but til then I've gone a bit pessimistic.

Gonna go try and find the Chelsea / Man City game now to see what happened there (I've already seen the score:lol:).

EDIT: Dave got his post in before me, I'm obviously replying to your comment Rob.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 4:01 am

Nice of summer's biggest spenders (hello Spurs !) to give everyone a head start in the Prem this year...very sporting of them.

It's also rumoured that the REAL Ronaldo is touting himself at City, who could sign El Gordo as he is out of contract. Manchester's pie makers are said to be bucking the trend of economic collapse and are 'cautiously optimistic' at the possibility.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 9:46 am

After City buys all these players in January, can you send Elano on loan to Wednesday?

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 10:57 am

fsquid wrote:After City buys all these players in January, can you send Elano on loan to Wednesday?

I'll have a word with Mark.

You'll also be delighted to know that City's 'list of 15' serious targets included 2 from BM....Podolski and PigForeman, or whatever he's called. Dunno whether they are still on the cards... I suspect Piggie has been removed after the purchase of SWP.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 1:07 pm

you all are welcomed to Podolski. His international record doesn't translate to the club