Football/Soccer Thread

[Geving]

He might have gotten his hands on some silverware while at Arsenal had he stayed healthy or stepped up when the team truly needed him save for one year.

 

As for "Player of the Year", Bale deserves it much more. Van Persie went some 2 months without scoring while Bale been consistently great.  

 

Very interesting. Whatever happens, I know Koscielny will barrel into RVP down at some point.

I agree with Bale deserving it. He's been outstanding all year long. But I'm 99% sure RVP gets it now. Bale won it once, United wins the title back from City, RVP wins the top scorer title. And he did have an outstanding campaign even though he went without scoring for a while.

 

I don't think Arsenal have had the squad to be champions for quite a while now. Even with Van Persie, Fabregas etc. Wengers reluctance to spend big bucks have really hurt them in the race with City, Chelsea and United. They have had need in the back four for a long time. They have always been talented and a good attacking team. But Koscielny, Mertesacker, Monreal, Squillaci etc aren't going to cut it.

[Guest Mr. Nobody]

so tripping happy my bayern boys thrashed those barca punks really good

[Geving]

so tripping happy my bayern boys thrashed those barca punks really good

Not a Bayern fan, but I'm thrilled they trashed Barca. Can't stand those whiny sissies.

[Inqui]

Bundesliga 8 - 1 La Liga. Insane stuff.

Well in in Manchester United too. I thought this was quite funny, in reference to everyone's favourite cannibal.

[arnie_uk]

Fergie messed up not buying lewandowski in the summer. Reminds me of van nistlerooy in that he just has a knack for creating that half yard and getting his shot away. Great finisher and movement to be in the right areas.

[Geving]

Fergie messed up not buying lewandowski in the summer. Reminds me of van nistlerooy in that he just has a knack for creating that half yard and getting his shot away. Great finisher and movement to be in the right areas.

I don't think they have a need with RVP, Rooney, Welbeck and Hernandez. But if he chooses to let one of them go this summer. Lewandowski is still very much a possibility if he prefers to play for United. His contract is up in 2014, so I'm not sure Dortmund will get his real value. But yeah, great player.

[arnie_uk]

I don't think they have a need with RVP, Rooney, Welbeck and Hernandez. But if he chooses to let one of them go this summer. Lewandowski is still very much a possibility if he prefers to play for United. His contract is up in 2014, so I'm not sure Dortmund will get his real value. But yeah, great player.

think Hernandez will go, he's unhappy at his starts, and we need a cm player, Rooney could fill that role and have rvp welbeck lew and kagawa rotating in up front

[Geving]

think Hernandez will go, he's unhappy at his starts, and we need a cm player, Rooney could fill that role and have rvp welbeck lew and kagawa rotating in up front

Yeah, I definitely think Rooney will see more starts as a cm next year. Seems like the transition has already started. rvp, lew, welbeck and kagawa would be an absolutely deadly rotation. 

[Ed_Reed20]

I agree with Bale deserving it. He's been outstanding all year long. But I'm 99% sure RVP gets it now. Bale won it once, United wins the title back from City, RVP wins the top scorer title. And he did have an outstanding campaign even though he went without scoring for a while.

 

I don't think Arsenal have had the squad to be champions for quite a while now. Even with Van Persie, Fabregas etc. Wengers reluctance to spend big bucks have really hurt them in the race with City, Chelsea and United. They have had need in the back four for a long time. They have always been talented and a good attacking team. But Koscielny, Mertesacker, Monreal, Squillaci etc aren't going to cut it.

[arnie_uk]

Arguably the most successful coach in sporting history retires. Thank you sir Alex

[Guest Mr. Nobody]

Arguably the most successful coach in sporting history retires. Thank you sir Alex

now get Moyes please so Liverpool wins twice - Everton to relegate next season and United to be mid table

on a more serious note - hope the best for sir Alex, brought honour to the game

[Geving]

now get Moyes please so Liverpool wins twice - Everton to relegate next season and United to be mid table

on a more serious note - hope the best for sir Alex, brought honour to the game

Doubt that, but I'm sure he will continue to make his team finish above Liverpool on the table like he has done with Everton the last couple of seasons..

[Guest Mr. Nobody]

Doubt that, but I'm sure he will continue to make his team finish above Liverpool on the table like he has done with Everton the last couple of seasons..

boo! lol...

[Ed_Reed20]

So, for the non-United fans here, how many seasons do you figure Moyes lasts? He's always been a solid manager but the sheer amount of scrutiny he'll face next year will be unprecedented. 

[Guest Mr. Nobody]

So, for the non-United fans here, how many seasons do you figure Moyes lasts? He's always been a solid manager but the sheer amount of scrutiny he'll face next year will be unprecedented.

i'll give him two - in the first they miss top 4, but "new manager" mantra will give him another season; in the second season they finish mid-table and he gets the sack and returns to his beloved blues, now playing in the championship

[arnie_uk]

i'll give him two - in the first they miss top 4, but "new manager" mantra will give him another season; in the second season they finish mid-table and he gets the sack and returns to his beloved blues, now playing in the championship

zero chance we miss the top four

[Guest Mr. Nobody]

zero chance we miss the top four

glad you didn't reject the second prophecy - everton relegating lol

pretty much certain, he'll do well enough next season, top four definitely, but i don't think he'll be able to win utd the title; the blues under the bridge will have the best chance of winning it if they get their new (same old) manager

[arnie_uk]

glad you didn't reject the second prophecy - everton relegating lol

pretty much certain, he'll do well enough next season, top four definitely, but i don't think he'll be able to win utd the title; the blues under the bridge will have the best chance of winning it if they get their new (same old) manager

Im not sure how it will go. Every team needs to add a few pieces but our squad atm is the strongest.

[Ed_Reed20]

i'll give him two - in the first they miss top 4, but "new manager" mantra will give him another season; in the second season they finish mid-table and he gets the sack and returns to his beloved blues, now playing in the championship

 

That would be awesome. Unless the Blues replace Moyes with a quality manager, I wouldn't be surprised if they suffered a fall like you're predicting. 

 

Anyone one here follow the npower Championship? 

Edited May 13, 2013 by Ed_Reed20

[Guest Mr. Nobody]

That would be awesome. Unless the Blues replace Moyes with a quality manager, I wouldn't be surprised if they suffered a fall like you're predicting. 

 

Anyone one here follow the npower Championship?

now those Blues I like!!! i'll be watching some game there this next season

[Ed_Reed20]

now those Blues I like!!! i'll be watching some game there this next season

 

Same. I'll never put them above my Gunners but I really hope they stay up. 

[flaccopoe]

I tip my hat to David Beckham!  Thank  you for all you've done for the sport of football and the world in general!!  Have a great post-football career!

[Geving]

Go Dortmund!

[Guest Mr. Nobody]

get 'em good Bayern!

[Ozzsome]

Hey guys I just have a quick question, I grew up admiring UK Football, especially English Football, Club and National Team. I loved to watch guys like Beckham, Giggs, Shearer, Scholes, Neville and nowadys guys like Rooney, Carrick, Wilshere, Lampard, Gerrard, but over the last couple of years English Football seems to kind of "slow down".

When I started watching Football on a regular basis, about ten years ago, everybody was raving about English Football how they owned every other club in the Champions League, but over the last years Spanish and German club and national team football seems to have taken over from the UK. I just wanted to get a perspective from someone in the UK having more knowledge of their football about what they think happened over the years

I still think the BPL is by far the best league in the world, but there aren't as many top notch talents from the UK as there used to be IMO

[arnie_uk]

Technical ability. We just aren't as good on th3 ball. Passing range skills etc. Starts with the coaching. In Spain when your very young the teach triangles passing angles encourage beating a man. Here its more geared to being tight at the back. More old school type coaching. They can't develop youth as well. Its why England always have good defenders but struggle with flair guys. Even Rooney isnt a flair type player. They just are brought up in a different style. Just look at the goal keeper's. De gea could play outfield for most teams his passing is exquisite. Whereas English keepers smash the balls 60 yards up field to target men like crouch and Carroll

[Ed_Reed20]

Hey guys I just have a quick question, I grew up admiring UK Football, especially English Football, Club and National Team. I loved to watch guys like Beckham, Giggs, Shearer, Scholes, Neville and nowadys guys like Rooney, Carrick, Wilshere, Lampard, Gerrard, but over the last couple of years English Football seems to kind of "slow down".

When I started watching Football on a regular basis, about ten years ago, everybody was raving about English Football how they owned every other club in the Champions League, but over the last years Spanish and German club and national team football seems to have taken over from the UK. I just wanted to get a perspective from someone in the UK having more knowledge of their football about what they think happened over the years

I still think the BPL is by far the best league in the world, but there aren't as many top notch talents from the UK as there used to be IMO

 

Like arnie said, countries like Spain and Germany have simply done a better job at developing their players from the youth for over a decade now. Still, it's not as if England completely lacks play-makers. Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott, Daniel Sturridge, Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain, Aaron Lennon, Ashley Young and others can all create relatively well but injuries and inconsistency have all prevented them reaching the heights of their Spanish and German counterparts to this point. Th national team's mind-numbing style of play doesn't do them any favors either. 

[Ozzsome]

Technical ability. We just aren't as good on th3 ball. Passing range skills etc. Starts with the coaching. In Spain when your very young the teach triangles passing angles encourage beating a man. Here its more geared to being tight at the back. More old school type coaching. They can't develop youth as well. Its why England always have good defenders but struggle with flair guys. Even Rooney isnt a flair type player. They just are brought up in a different style. Just look at the goal keeper's. De gea could play outfield for most teams his passing is exquisite. Whereas English keepers smash the balls 60 yards up field to target men like crouch and Carroll

Ok I see, a team like Stoke lol

But some years ago you had those great playmaking CM who could make every pass to everybody, guys like Beckham, Lampard and Gerrard, nowadays I don't see one on your national team that can fill those shoes if Lampard and Gerrard retire for good, maybe Wilshere if he can get over his ankle problem, and IMO that can't be because of your philosophy because it didn't really change still you dont have those great midfielders anymore.

I think it has a lot to do with the BPL itself, top clubs don't want to wait and develop their youth players. the BPL is such a huge league, every player wants to play there and the big clubs willing to spend a lot of money like Chelsea, ManU and ManCity just buy already developed players from Brazil, Portugal, Belgium, Spain, Germany, France and really don't care about their youth players and just give them on loan to somebody in the championship

[Guest Mr. Nobody]

yack Stoke yack

[Ozzsome]

Like arnie said, countries like Spain and Germany have simply done a better job at developing their players from the youth for over a decade now. Still, it's not as if England completely lacks play-makers. Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott, Daniel Sturridge, Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain, Aaron Lennon, Ashley Young and others can all create relatively well but injuries and inconsistency have all prevented them reaching the heights of their Spanish and German counterparts to this point. Th national team's mind-numbing style of play doesn't do them any favors either. 

Just like I said to arnie, I think the BPL is the biggest problem because big clubs dont want to wait and develop their youth players anymore and why should they, Abramovich and the ManCity owner dont care what it costs they just wanna win

 

Thats the next thing, I remember reading months ago that English players dont want to play for their national team anymore, I mean really?? Whats wrong with that, I would love to represent my country, I really don't get that at all