2012/13 Soccer Thread

Gareth Bale - classy as ever.

IMAGE(http://i.minus.com/iI04qBVyEBQp2.gif)

That Brazilian from BATE - in my FM game he's at Besiktas now and my scouts keep on telling me he's very good. BTW, I should do a short write-up on my Levante career in gaming thread, because I just got them into Champions League after season three.

Extra: why Suarez is my least favourite player in Premier League:

IMAGE(http://www.101greatgoals.com/wp-content/gallery/gimages/suarezgif.gif)
this, plus 'accidentally' kicking shins and stomping on ankles of opposition players all the time

edit: Haha, gif synergy!

He is right up there in the Hall of Shame.

There again, I am surprised that the no 15 didn't land on him or stamp on him, after all he plays for Stoke City.

The description under your gif, as soon as I read it I thought of two people.

IMAGE(http://www.google.co.uk/url?source=imglanding&ct=img&q=http://footballsci.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/shearer.jpg&sa=X&ei=ifBxUKTdK-bH0QWxxoD4Dw&ved=0CAkQ8wc&usg=AFQjCNGzMDWiVmpSNavZbB2F7IryqK0DTg)

IMAGE(http://www.google.co.uk/url?source=imglanding&ct=img&q=http://www.autotrader.co.uk/EDITORIAL/editorial_images/paul_scholes.jpg&sa=X&ei=qvBxULj2Foew0QXtyYE4&ved=0CAkQ8wc&usg=AFQjCNF86KieDlHElUjkQBuiZyMd8ov_HA)

Of course, the latter has to be said with a chuckle and using the words 'we know he can't tackle' as he goes in studs high through the back of some other unfortunate and then moans at the ref like the ginger prick he is. Much like this afternoon, actually.

Haven't posted for awhile, was home for the weekend.

Caught the game at a pub with a friend whos a big (real) West Ham fan. Family is originally from there and hes off to see his dad in England after the Interlulllllllzzzzz.

To say the least he didn't much like it when I stood up and yelled goal the second Giroud sent Walcott

Theres got to be a better way to do these international breaks. If it wasn't for the obscure strange leagues that play through the summer couldn't we just do the majority of them in the summer?

But then the players are going to get no rest periods, and there are some nations even in Europe where the weather is not conducive to playing in Summer. I have a more radical proposal.

Bin international soccer altogether.

You have my sword.

davet010 wrote:

Bin international soccer altogether.

But then where will Blatter get his pocket money?

Don't know, don't care

I'm presuming his greasy Gallic ally will still get his through UEFA's licensing of their various pointless competitions - how much they regret the vastly improved TV deals which were signed by the various national bodies in the 90's and 00's, which finally put paid to UEFA's dream of the European League controlled by them (hence the transformation of the European Cup into the bloated travesty of the Chumps League). And don't even start on the monumental waste of time and effort that is the Europa League, which UEFA has instructed (yes, instructed) coaches to say positive things about.

Of course, failing that he can always get kickbacks from the Qatar Foundation funnelled through his son, who works for them...so, no conflict of interest there then.

Nothing I like more than watching Dempsey suit up in a US jersey!

But I totally understand the hate for international friendlies, etc.

O CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN

IMAGE(http://chzupnextinsports.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/funny-sports-pictures-soccer-manchester-united-wayne-rooney-hair.jpg)

A chance for Shrek to demonstrate his hitherto well disguised leadership abilities.

There again, they are playing San Marino. I could get mates from the pub to beat them, so it's not like the drooling granny-shagger could do much damage. You can tell how desperate Sky Sports are desperate to generate interest in the fixture by keeping us up to date with the fact that Ryan Bertrand has withdrawn from the squad. Who on Earth is he ?

Sigh....

http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos...

very first part is the Walcott injury.

and super villain Gareth Bale at it again.

IMAGE(http://t.co/2ChfaFni)

Just waiting for Archangel Pulis to weigh in with his comments about diving, cheating foreigners. That would be as opposed to thuggish animals who like to stamp on players and elbow them in the throat, because diving is obviously more dangerous *cough* Robert Huth *cough*

Oh wait, Pulis is Welsh, isn't he.

As you were then.

Would it be racist of me to suggest that Gareth has picked up this propensity for falling down untouched from his time in the Premiership - a clear case of "Gargoyle see, gargoyle do" ?

Things that don't make sense, no matter how many times you see them on TV.

Edgar Davids - 'Joint Coach of Barnet FC'.

According to 'Fingers' Redknapp, Bale is up there in the same class as Messi and Ronaldo.

Now that you've picked yourselves up from the floor, allow me to agree...with him.

Bale is as much of a snide diving cheat as Ronaldo, and tracks back as much as Messi. Which was a problem when he was playing left back, I guess. I'm starting to properly dislike him now, I hope some nails Croatian defender cleans him out.

On the subject of amusing underachievers, Gerrard has being going on about players behaving now that England have a code of conduct. So no beating up DJs in clubs then Stephen, just get your 6 mates to do it like last time.

Ronaldos 100th cap... 100 games 37 goals. Not exactly the same goal return he gets at Real.

Don't give me the f*cking bullsh*t about quality of teams and his caps from when he was younger either. Just in qualifying alone some of the teams he plays he should be knocking in 5 to pad those stats.

Englands U21 squad edges out Serbia for the U21 Euros next year, in a game marred by fan racism.

Diving and racism are the two things I'd really like to see taken more seriously by the various regulatory bodies.

In hopefully more-upbeat news, USA hosts Guatemala tonight for the final WC qualifier of the group stage. We were extremely lucky to make it out with a win against Antigua / Barbados, and haven't been at all impressive against what in all honesty is fairly tepid opposition.

We advance with a win or a tie, as does Guatemala. Coach Klinsmann has said the US will be playing to win, but if the game is tied up late I wouldn't be surprised to see both teams just kick the ball around (I'd still be disappointed, just not surprised).

I'm not sure whats more embarrassing.

8-1 Honduras Canada or 1-1 Portugal Northern Ireland.

Today I'm 100% a loser. ;/

Giroud scored in the final minutes to make it 1-1 France Spain though.

http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos...

if he can start tapping in those on a consistent basis I'm not worried about him getting the service.

Beat me to the Honduras result jowner. I'm glad I wasn't able to watch it. Also glad I didn't get all that optimistic this qualifying cycle.

How on Earth can you have a match called off with a waterlogged pitch when the stadium has a roof ?

Just seen highlights of that Serbia - England u21 game. Some very unpleasant scenes at the end, with Serbian fans and players attacking England players and staff. Serbia have plenty of previous, Platini nearly slung them out of Euro 2012 qualifiers after their match vs Italy was abandoned due to a riot.

Crikey, just seen that Germany score. 4-0 up at home against Sweden, and it finishes 4-4 ??

davet010 wrote:

How on Earth can you have a match called off with a waterlogged pitch when the stadium has a roof ?

ITS POLAND LOGIC DONT APPLY

U S A! U S A!

Sorry to Canadian folks - saw the highlights of the Honduras match.

USA has rallied well so far after going conceding early on a terrible defensive miscommunication. We still look terrible at the back, but there have been some nice sequences of possession on the attack.

Coach Klinsmann is going to have to manage a generational turnover at the back ahead of Brazil, assuming we advance far enough to qualify.

IMAGE(http://bi.gazeta.pl/im/f6/90/c1/z12685558W.jpg)

Apparently the Polish technician responsible for closing the roof was in London doing someone's guttering.

Wow, how bad is English national team? Same Polish side (with Błaszczykowski!) barely managed to beat Moldova (and you've seen them yourselves at Euros) and today England was just barely hanging on in there at times.

They're sh*te. It would have been worth taping the game just to show to anyone who believes that Gerrard or Shrek are world-class.

In other news, apparently The Serbian FA deny any racist activities. Mmm, right.

davet010 wrote:

They're sh*te. It would have been worth taping the game just to show to anyone who believes that Gerrard or Shrek are world-class.

In other news, apparently The Serbian FA deny any racist activities. Mmm, right.

Not only do they deny it, they also blame Danny Rose.

via The Grauniad wrote:

"The FA of Serbia absolutely refuses and denies that there were any occurrences of racism before and during the match at the stadium in Krusevac," it said. "Making connection between the seen incident – a fight between members of the two teams – and racism has absolutely no ground and we consider it to be a total malevolence." The statement further accuses Danny Rose of having "behaved in inappropriate, unsportsmanlike and vulgar manner towards the supporters on the stands"

It's cruel piling on, but i'm just reminded of a joke a friend who traveled through the Balkans told me. Namely that he found Croatians were some of the kindest, most welcoming people he'd met on his journey, because they would do anything to convince/remind people that they are not Serbs.

I'm a bit waffly on a ban, but given that this kind of thing is apparently ingrained throughout the entire culture of the Serbian FA, what other option is there to get it through their heads that it's not okay?

"The statement further accuses Danny Rose of having "behaved in inappropriate, unsportsmanlike and vulgar manner towards the supporters on the stands."

I.E - by being black.