2011/12 Soccer Thread - Because Vacations Are For Cowards

It's odd, I've been watching Spanish football since I got satellite TV, and have probably watched 2-3 live games a week for over 15 years. And I use to love Barcelona, with Rivaldo, Figo, Overmars, and my all-time favourite overseas footballer, Luis Enrique. And I hated the 'galactico' Madrid, with Beckham, and Roberto Carlos, and neo-fascists like Raul and Hierro. But I seem to have found that the more that shallow TV pundits lauded them, the more I admired them - but the less I loved them. And the more the same pundits had a go at Mourinho and RM, the more I had a sneaking respect for them.

I remember that the last time I was in Barcelona talking to someone in a bar, and noting that I was 100% sure that if I moved to Barcelona, I would end up supporting Espanyol. And going to watch them.

Hahahahahaha, listen to Gary Neville have an 'orgasm' when Torres sealed the game at the end there. He's put up a good 'front' of being a neutral since he switched jobs, but I think I sense a little glee. ;p

ps. That video probably won't last long on YouTube, catch it while it's hot.

I can't believe I'm typing this, but despite my reservation at the start of the season, Neville has rapidly become one of the better summarisers/colour commentators on Sky's voluminous roster. He's light years ahead of pretty boy talking heads (yes, Jamie Redknapp, I'm looking at you) and drooling idiots like Merson and Charlie Nicholas, largely because unlike them not only has he 'been there, seen it, done it', but can actually add something via analysis rather than just describing what anyone with eyes can see and trotting out lazy cliches. He's even fair to City most of the time, which I'm sure must pain him somewhat.

davet010 wrote:

I can't believe I'm typing this, but despite my reservation at the start of the season, Neville has rapidly become one of the better summarisers/colour commentators on Sky's voluminous roster. He's light years ahead of pretty boy talking heads (yes, Jamie Redknapp, I'm looking at you) and drooling idiots like Merson and Charlie Nicholas, largely because unlike them not only has he 'been there, seen it, done it', but can actually add something via analysis rather than just describing what anyone with eyes can see and trotting out lazy cliches. He's even fair to City most of the time, which I'm sure must pain him somewhat.

A lot of United haters I see seem to feel exactly the way you do about Neville (especially on him providing some proper insights/commentaries than some of the other former player-turned commentators... like Jamie Redknapp).

Good on him, he seems to have adapted really nicely to his new job. He's smart, concise, and insightful. And seems to suppress his Red origins well when need be.

ps. Someone brought up this as a funny point on the Red blog I read, can you imagine Scholes in a commentary booth? lol.

My gate is two off the press.... Beckenbauer just walked past me. Sorry save.

Remember, if you see that fat weebl Hoeness, the correct greeting is 'F**k off, you fat arrogant get'. I was going to suggest that you race after Der Kaiser and holler abuse, but I think anyone with a career like his deserves a bit more respect. And before you ask, Platini has totally negated his by his Blatter sycophancy and attempt to turn UEFA into a closed shop for already-rich clubs and nancy boys.

davet010 wrote:

EDIT2 - John Terry, what a balloon. "Anyone who knows me knows I'm not that sort of player". So you're telling us you saved that for a CL semi-final away at Barcelona ?

What a game so far. What a game. This could turn out to be even better than yesterday.

UCRC wrote:

What a game so far. What a game. This could turn out to be even better than yesterday.

Of course, at least these teams are close to being evenly matched.

Gomez, what a bottler. I saw him against Borussia and he was just as useless.

With all these yellows + suspensions in future games flying in the face of Bayern.

I ALMOST want to see the most ultimate gimped-final between Bayern and Chelsea.

Oh god, penalties... I was only kidding.

I love penalties!

edit: HAHA, RONALDO. I love penalties.

edit: Sweet Jesus, how I love penalties!

edit: jowner, you lucky bastard.

Well I got my wish for a non-"Classico" final. I expect penance for that will be Chelsea winning it after Newcastle finish 4th in the Premier League.

Amazing.

Bayern fight through to become the first team in Champions' League history to play in the final in their home stadium.

Also, I think this is probably also be the first time both CL semifinals featured second legs where the home side goes up 2-0 only to be eliminated.

God I hate Bayern Munich.

RM far too slack at the back after taking a 2-0 lead, Pepe proves to be a liability (again), both penalties in regulation play were poor decisions. Wonder if BM will get the same allocation as Chelsea at the Allianz (17,500 for Chelsea, per Sky Sports).

Was sitting in a corner on the PK shootout end. Live the Ronaldo/Kaka shots didnt look as bad as they were once I saw them on replay.

Exciting game but hardly high quality. Ozil and Marcelo were immense while Ronaldo managed to score 2 while looking very very average.

Great atmosphere. Have to hand it to the Real fans. Even after his miss they were chanting Ronaldos name. After the game the majority of them were still there to applaud im assuming their team for the season/run not the performance.

Will sort through the videos over next couple days and put them on youtube. Have a great one of Lahm getting stuffed which would of been an amazing ending and great party. Instead I rode a silent subway packed like sardines to come post this instead.

Never thought I would say this, but I'm rooting for Bayern. Simply because Belgium is 13th on the UEFA ranking, and if Chelsea qualifies for the CL by winning it while ending too low in the Premier League then our champion still has to play a qualifier next year.

So here goes: GO BAYERN!

I just threw up in my mouth a little...

Nothing makes me happier than seeing Ronaldo fail. I used to love RM, but that man alone has made me hate the team. Was rooting for Barca, but I'm glad the final won't be a Spanish team. Bayern or Chelsea, I'm glad with both making it to the end.

I want someone from Chelsea to put the ball in the German's net.

DOWN WITH MUNICH!

You know, I really wouldn't mind FIVE english teams in the Champions League next year.

That + I m secretly hoping that if Chelsea wins and Abramovich finally fulfills his dream, he will finally stop pouring money and buying up useful players out of the market for his horrible abomination of a team, all the while inflating transfer prices to no end... we already have enough teams doing that (and actually have a shot at winning things unlike Chelsea).

Pikey26 wrote:

You know, I really wouldn't mind FIVE english teams in the Champions League next year.

Chelsea winning means they bump the 4th team. They changed the rule as UEFA doesnt want 5 teams from any league in the competition. Honestly makes sense also. Crazy theories aside 5 teams in the CL could really screw up the coefficients.

So yea go Chelsea if Spurs are in 4th... go Bayern if Newcastle is in 4th...

Would love to see the potential fallout of Newcastle being the 4th team England send.

jowner wrote:
Pikey26 wrote:

You know, I really wouldn't mind FIVE english teams in the Champions League next year.

Chelsea winning means they bump the 4th team. They changed the rule as UEFA doesnt want 5 teams from any league in the competition. Honestly makes sense also. Crazy theories aside 5 teams in the CL could really screw up the coefficients.

So yea go Chelsea if Spurs are in 4th... go Bayern if Newcastle is in 4th...

Would love to see the potential fallout of Newcastle being the 4th team England send.

Ew nevermind then. I hope Chelsea burns. I hate Terry anyway. I want Newcastle to get its shot at its own "cinderella" like Tottenham almost had.

So, apparently Pep is going to take his bat and ball home.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/footbal...

One reverse and off he trots into the sunset, as he can do under his rolling one year contract. Personally, I'd have a bit more respect for him if he'd given himself another season to fix Barcelona's very few problems, but this seems to smack a bit of flat-track bully disease.

Of course, the papers over here are reading this as Pep getting ready for Man Utd..the conspiracy theory being that Sir Alex will do one more year, with Guardiola free to take over in Aug '13, having had a year to look around the Prem and start to acclimatise.

Of course, whoever takes over from SAF will be on a hiding to nothing, particularly if he is allowed to remain at the club. When Matt Busby left it took 5 years(and 2 managers, and Wilf McGuiness's hair) for his shadow to disappear.

I really dont want Guardiola, even more than I don't want Mourihno.

Guardiola did a very good job managing the key Barca players and retaining their respect, but I am strongly of the opinion that the FOUNDATION for golden age was set for him. He is but an exceptionally average manager.

When he comes to United, there will be cracks in the foundation by then. And I'd prefer a manager who can bring in the correct transfers and then properly deal with those players, not have feuds with them and waste the money he will little be able to afford.

If I were shopping for a manager at the moment, I'd be taking a long hard look at Jurgen Klopp, who's just won the Bundesliga for the second time with Borussia Dortmund, but who's also done stints in the lower divisions and with smaller teams. Without wishing to start the Guardiola hatchet job now, his record on signings is patchy (whatever happened to that Russian CB they spent €20m on ?), and it was clear both against Chelsea and RM that in the few times when tiki-taka doesn't work, there was no Plan B. The other thing which commentators here mention is that Messi hasn't been rotated for rest because he doesn't want to - and I don't think he looked like his usual self towards the end of the season.

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Apparently Geoff Shreeves went into the RM dressing room, went up to every player and told them "you're not in the final, you know.."

I can't believe people are praising that a-hole.

Which particular one ?

Looks like Pep leaving is a done deal. At least, from what I remember hearing, he was feeling the burnout near the end of last season as well. Be interesting to see where Barca goes from here.

Y'know, it'd be eighteen flavors of hilarious, but I can imagine a world where Mourinho takes over for him. Jose seems like the kind of dude who'd do it.