Football/Soccer Thread

[Guest Mr. Nobody]

well my Reds made it too and also happy the other reds failed, poor arnie, lol

[arnie_uk]

Moyes out...that's all

[Geving]

Moyes out...that's all

Seconded. Bring in Klopp. Errbody leaving Dortmund anyways, so convince him to leave for Utd. What a mess.

[Kaiowas]

Argentina WC!!!

Kun Aguero papá!!!

Edited January 11, 2014 by Kaiowas

[Ed_Reed20]

Crazy how far United have fallen this season.

 

Looking forward to the international friendlies next week. 

[52520Andrew]

Crazy how far United have fallen this season.

 

Looking forward to the international friendlies next week. 

 

Yeah they have dropped off the premier league it seems.

[Cville-Raven]

That Olympiakos vs United game made me laugh

[Clutch Ravens]

Alan Pardew, Newcastle's Manager, was just sent off for headbutting a player.

 

Classy.

[George70]

Just asking - do you think we'll have MLS this year, and if so, how does anyone think Columbus will place?

[Ed_Reed20]

Been a crazy season in the prem. While the way Arsenal has fallen out the title hunt still irks me, I hope Liverpool hang on and I'll be happy to see them win it. They're really fun to watch going forward. 

Edited March 31, 2014 by Ed_Reed20

[Ed_Reed20]

Ugly win for Arsenal but at least they're through to the final. Sanogo again put in a solid shift (although he should have buried the chance when he was put through on goal). He already offers more than Giroud. That said, he shouldn't be the #2 striker off the bench or someone to spell Giroud in such an important match. Ox is still playing good football and I pray Rambo stays healthy down the stretch. Now they need to get back on track in the Prem and handle business in May against Hull/Sheffield.

[arnie_uk]

Crazy how far United have fallen this season.

 

Looking forward to the international friendlies next week.

nit that far behind you buddy. Duno what's happened us, best away record in the league. Normally with that we'd have won the league months ago.

[Ozzsome]

I'll be the first to admit that - although he has recieved a lot of criticism over the last months - I'll be sad if Wenger leaves the Gunners, which could happen as soon as this summer.

He brought so much to Arsenal and the English football in general. He achieved so many great things and build one of the greatest teams the BPA has ever seen in the "Invincibles". Although he has a long trophy drought which hopefully ends this May, he is in position to coach the Gunners to their 17^th consecutive Champions League appearence. That in itself is remarkable.

The criticism Wenger has taken over the last month is just wrong in my opinion. He did some mistakes yes, he did not buy players in the Winter that could replace the injured Ramsey and Walcott. But let's not kid ourselves, you don't find a second player with the pace and skill that Walcott has, who is expandable in the Winter. And Ramsey developed into a player who is irreplacable to Arsenal, IMO, especially in january. If those two players would not have been out for so long as they were or still are, Arsenal would still be on title course I think. You saw it in the last few games, when Ramsey was on the pitch he was easily Arsenals best player and Arsenals second best player over some weeks now - Chamberlain - was also out for a long period and still isn't 100% fit.

I have huge respect for Arsene Wenger, and seeing him leave, maybe this year or some years later will be sad...

Edited April 19, 2014 by Ray The Day

[Cville-Raven]

I'll be the first to admit that - although he has recieved a lot of criticism over the last months - I'll be sad if Wenger leaves the Gunners, which could happen as soon as this summer.

He brought so much to Arsenal and the English football in general. He achieved so many great things and build one of the greatest teams the BPA has ever seen in the "Invincibles". Although he has a long trophy drought which hopefully ends this May, he is in position to coach the Gunners to their 17^th consecutive Champions League appearence. That in itself is remarkable.

The criticism Wenger has taken over the last month is just wrong in my opinion. He did some mistakes yes, he did not buy players in the Winter that could replace the injured Ramsey and Walcott. But let's not kid ourselves, you don't find a second player with the pace and skill that Walcott has, who is expandable in the Winter. And Ramsey developed into a player who is irreplacable to Arsenal, IMO, especially in january. If those two players would not have been out for so long as they were or still are, Arsenal would still be on title course I think. You saw it in the last few games, when Ramsey was on the pitch he was easily Arsenals best player and Arsenals second best player over some weeks now - Chamberlain - was also out for a long period and still isn't 100% fit.

I have huge respect for Arsene Wenger, and seeing him leave, maybe this year or some years later will be sad...

When they got Ramsey back they looked like a much better team. 

[Cville-Raven]

wow

 

 

Tony Pulis has done a hell of a job

Edited May 5, 2014 by Cville-Raven

[Ozzsome]

wow

Tony Pulis has done a hell of a job

Manager of the year in my opinion

[Ed_Reed20]

I'll be the first to admit that - although he has recieved a lot of criticism over the last months - I'll be sad if Wenger leaves the Gunners, which could happen as soon as this summer.

He brought so much to Arsenal and the English football in general. He achieved so many great things and build one of the greatest teams the BPA has ever seen in the "Invincibles". Although he has a long trophy drought which hopefully ends this May, he is in position to coach the Gunners to their 17^th consecutive Champions League appearence. That in itself is remarkable.

The criticism Wenger has taken over the last month is just wrong in my opinion. He did some mistakes yes, he did not buy players in the Winter that could replace the injured Ramsey and Walcott. But let's not kid ourselves, you don't find a second player with the pace and skill that Walcott has, who is expandable in the Winter. And Ramsey developed into a player who is irreplacable to Arsenal, IMO, especially in january. If those two players would not have been out for so long as they were or still are, Arsenal would still be on title course I think. You saw it in the last few games, when Ramsey was on the pitch he was easily Arsenals best player and Arsenals second best player over some weeks now - Chamberlain - was also out for a long period and still isn't 100% fit.

I have huge respect for Arsene Wenger, and seeing him leave, maybe this year or some years later will be sad...

 

Agreed that Wenger didn't deserve some of the harshest criticism he got when things were at their worst several weeks ago. And had Ramsey and Walcott stayed healthy, I have no doubt the team could easily have still been in the hunt for the title, if not already secured it. However, Wenger does deserve quite a bit of blame for the title challenge getting derailed. Yes, injuries to the aforementioned duo and others hurt greatly and it would have been difficult to add quality players in January. But that's what makes the the lack of urgency last summer all the more glaring.

 

Ozil was a great coup but the team needed more than him to compete with the depth of City and Chelsea. An imposing, athletic holding mid-fielder has long been a need yet no one was brought in. Arteta can't hack it against top competition and Flamini was a solid signing but is one-dimensional. That Giroud played so many games this year and Sanogo and Bendtner were the only guys to spell him is a joke. Yes, Wenger went after Suarez and Higuain but there were other potential additions. To top it all off, he signed an injured Kim Kallstrom. 

 

I'll be very happy if the team can end the trophy drought next week. The early transfer talk looks promising, especially the Loic Remy links but Wenger has to attack the window this summer. Assuming Sagna, Vermaelen, Podolski and Bendtner leave, Wenger would need a another CB, RB, left winger and two strikers. Pinning hopes on a small squad hasn't worked for 9 years. No matter when Arsene leaves, he's got to adapt. 

[George70]

I know that Real Madrid is the favorite in this year's Champions League final, but I am leaning toward Atletico Madrid; just my own belief.

[Ed_Reed20]

Well done to Man City. Had some shockers this year but they were the most consistent club overall.

 

Can't wait till next week for Arsenal. 

[Ed_Reed20]

So happy the trophy drought is over. Also glad that players like Sagna, Fabianski and even Vermaelen and Podolski were able to win trophies in what was probably their last games as Gunners. Conversely, players that will be in it for the long-haul like Rambo, Wilshere, Ox, Gibbs got their first taste of glory, which should make them hungry for more.

 

Hopefully, Wenger bolsters the squad a bit in the summer because the foundation is there but some key pieces are still missing.

 

Just the Champions League final and then it's World Cup time. 

[Clutch Ravens]

Chelsea have sold David Luiz to PSG for £50 Million.

 

Have fun with your freelancing liability, Parisians.

[Ozzsome]

Chelsea have sold David Luiz to PSG for £50 Million.

 

Have fun with your freelancing liability, Parisians.

 

This is getting ridiculous...

[52520Andrew]

HUGE goal there, now time for OT

[Geving]

What a let down. Was really pulling for Atletico. Having such a small squad, fighting for the spanish title to the end, injuries to Diego Costa and Arda Turan really came back to haunt them. They were exhausted when 90 minutes was played.

[52520Andrew]

Yeah that is a very tough way to go down for sure

[Mt. Crushmore]

HUGE goal there, now time for OT

 

Extra time...

[52520Andrew]

Extra time...

.

Oh please I call it OT in baseball as well instead of extra innings. Just habit I guess lol

[Cville-Raven]

…sigh, I was hoping Atletico would have pulled it out.

[George70]

…sigh, I was hoping Atletico would have pulled it out.

 

So was I, friend - I was hoping for Atletico to pull off an upset.

 

Ah, well, I now have the World Cup to look forward to.

[gabefergy]

Should there be a separate WC thread?