2012/13 Soccer Thread

UCRC wrote:

Podolski hasn't been at 100% since coming to the club, is my understanding.

Still, Chamberlain should start. He can do everything Gervinho does and then also play football.

True. Speaking of OX, dribble through whole defense and earn a PK. Brilliant.

Podolski hasn't been at 100% since coming to the club, is my understanding.

Still, Chamberlain should start. He can do everything Gervinho does and then also play football.

edit: you know, like winning a penalty in first 30 seconds on the pitch

Podolski looks like he ate a 5 lb cheeseburger right before subbing in.

Memo to Cabaye.

If you are going to talk about a team not being very good, few things to ensure.

1. You aren't playing them next.
2. You don't let them see your comments.
3. You don't play for a team stuffed with second-rate boot boys and aren't yourself an overrated lightweight who's been well found out this season.

Seriously though, if City aren't very good and they've got almost double the points your team has got, what does that make Newcastle ? It was only United's goalie that stopped it turning into a rout.

davet010 wrote:

Memo to Cabaye.

If you are going to talk about a team not being very good, few things to ensure.

1. You aren't playing them next.
2. You don't let them see your comments.
3. You don't play for a team stuffed with second-rate boot boys and aren't yourself an overrated lightweight who's been well found out this season.

Seriously though, if City aren't very good and they've got almost double the points your team has got, what does that make Newcastle ? It was only United's goalie that stopped it turning into a rout.

4-0 is a rout in my book.

If they Newcastle fail to get results against Fullham and Sunderland they could be in trouble. Only 3 points clear right now and Pardew can resort to ineffective hoofball at any moment.

Oh Rafa.

And a big farewell to one of the most overrated managers in recent years, as Sunderland bin Martin O'Neill. They're just off the bottom, and this season bears all the markings of his Premiership campaigns - poor signings, and a post Xmas slump. Still, no doubt some other outfit will be swayed by his urbane charms and his pot-winning antics in the Pub League to the North and pick him up for next season.

Oh, and because I totally forgot to mention, guess what I did Saturday?

I was livid when they changed the name to "Red Bull New York", but i'll be honest, bringing in my favorite striker of all-time really made it hard for me to be against them.

I spent the afternoon with the Viking Army and holy sh*t, am I ever sold. I'm paying my dues to become a member ASAP. Spending 90 screaming, cheering, singing minutes in an all-standing section of fans.... it's blown every other NA sporting experience I've had completely out of the water.

Are they allowed to be standing, or do they just stand in a seating section ? I didn't think Americans went in for that sort of thing.

All-seater stadium, but certain sections stand and sing for the full 90. It was amazing.

I was brought up on that, City had a terracing (the Kippax) until 1994, one of the few stadia with a terrace as a full side rather than just behind a goal. Last time I actually stood at a game in England was 2003, Swindon v QPR (don't ask). I'm obviously getting old, as my feet were freezing and I wasn't very enthusiastic - still, it was November, and raining, and uncovered

I was going to write yesterday (before the sacking) that of all Premier League teams Sunderland are the most bland. Not the worst, mind you. But honestly, I can't imagine team I'd be less inclined to watch. (At this point I actually made mental inventory of those things and can confirm that I've seen at least one exciting game involving QPR, Reading, Wigan, Southampton, Newcastle, Villa, Fulham and all assorted mid-table teams. Even boring Norwich can rouse some emotions in me thanks to their, uh, pluckiness, for the lack of better compliments. Hell, even Stoke can be exciting in that anti-football kind of way. But Sunderland? 0.0 on my giveadamnometer.) The best thing I can say about them is that Seb Larsson scores up to two nice free-kicks a year.
So I though to myself yesterday: "Well, hmm, it's no wonder really, considering their last two managerial choices. Maybe they should just go for someone exciting, there is plenty of those young managers out there." So, of course, Guardian tells me that Mark Hughes is the favourite for the job.

Problem f*cking solved, as we like to say here.

davet010 wrote:

Swindon v QPR (don't ask).

I can almost admire that.

Prederick wrote:

my favorite striker of all-time

This is the sound of me high-fiving you over the Internet.

Mate's a QPR season ticket holder, I'd gone down to see him and that was the afternoon 'entertainment'. Still, it was better than the morning, which consisted of watching England play the Aussies at egg-chasing on the telly.

Oh, and I can spot a team you didn't mention who I'd like to watch less than Sunderland.

Stoke. I lasted about 15 mins of their game vs Everton yesterday, and that was a stretch. How they aren't in a relegation struggle is beyond me - I would really love it, LOVE IT if they got the drop.

Moron commentator on ESPN (Champion, I think, although he was paired with Craig Burley, so that could apply to either of them) mentioned that the ludicrous bag of excuses called Tony Pulis was apparently rumoured to be 'considering his position at the end of the season'. Well, unless you fancy a return to your natural environment of League One, Tony, I'd stay put. Of course, you could always do us all a favour and take Stoke and their neanderthal fans back to their natural environment as well...

Edit - According to Sky, someone is on their way up to Sunderland for talks...that someone being Paolo di Canio. Could be interesting, either a disaster or the shot of pepper up the arse that might last for 8 games and keep them up. Then be a disaster over the next season.

Well, to clarify my position, I look forward to Stoke games because there's always a chance that someone will thrash them.

UCRC wrote:

Well, to clarify my position, I look forward to Stoke games because there's always a chance that someone will thrash them.

Fair point, well made. I have been there in person to see them thrashed, although it was marred by the fact City were going down (though at least we took them with us). And marred also by the bricking our coach got on the way out of the festering dump that is Stoke.

davet010 wrote:

Are they allowed to be standing, or do they just stand in a seating section ? I didn't think Americans went in for that sort of thing.

A different type of football, but Texas A&M has the largest student section in the country, and they stand for the entire game. And sing and yell, as appropriate. There are five yell leaders who lead the fans in synchronized yells.

Many people wish to punch Nasri Roberto, albeit for different reasons. You'll have to get in line.

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

One of life's simple pleasures, as Arseblog calls it.

Was wondering why the commentator on this Leeds v Derby game was on about it being a big 3 points for Derby, when they are in 8th.

Then they showed the table. There's 7 points between being 2 places off the playoffs and being in the bottom 3.

EDIT - Christopher Samba, 100k a week and £12m fee. Wonder how much of that fee went back into Twitcher's pocket...he better hope it's enough to keep him going after Fernandes bins him at the end of the season once QPR get the drop.

The season is done for Leeds anyway so out goes Warnock. Not that anybody in Leeds should have been watching the football when the Rhinos were playing away in France at the same time. Better game and Leeds won.

<3 U Berba.

Speaking of that, I like Samba's "get over it" reaction. If Fernandes and Redknapp threw this money at him he'd be stupid not to take it. I know I wouldn't hide in his situation.

Carlos, you're rich. You could've hired someone to drive you around.

Any predictions for the big Derby on Monday Night. Hoping for a Utd win but I think a score draw will be the result. RvP looks terribly out of sorts. When you look at how his season has gone for Utd, it almost mirrors how a typical Arsenal season goes. Makes you wonder about the training methods and fitness prep if they look burnt out by March.

Considering United usually wakes the f*ck up around spring, I'd say it's just RvP.

r3idy wrote:

Any predictions for the big Derby on Monday Night. Hoping for a Utd win but I think a score draw will be the result. RvP looks terribly out of sorts. When you look at how his season has gone for Utd, it almost mirrors how a typical Arsenal season goes. Makes you wonder about the training methods and fitness prep if they look burnt out by March.

My prediction is I won't even watch it cause honestly meh. The race is over so its just going through the motions.

Way more interested in whats happening at the bottom of the table and the 4 team race for 3 and 4.

Speaking of which Arsenal manage to get the 3 points to keep the pressure on Spurs and Chelsea for tomorrows games.

Everton Spurs with Spurs catching a bunch of injuries from the Uefa cursed cup.
Chelsea vs Sunderland Di Canios first game as manager.

Stoke lost to Villa today pulling them realistically very close to the final drop spot.

Huge game for QPR and Wigan also but I'm pretty sure QPR and Reading are to far back now that only 1 relegation place is realistically in play.

edit: Stoke get no favors on their run in either. The only team with nothing to play for really is United.

I'd consider hoping for a United win if it helped to send Pulis's bootboys down into the Championship.

EDIT - 'consider' for about 0.001 of a second then reject, but I'd remain pithily unarsed.

jowner wrote:

Speaking of which Arsenal manage to get the 3 points to keep the pressure on Spurs and Chelsea for tomorrows games.

"Manage" doesn't really apply here. More like "happened to". Last 20 minutes were atrocious.

edit: Nice one from Stoke. I've also seen Reading-Southampton, impressed by visitors. They can move ball around quickly, probably have to improve the defence.

edit: Actually, I can't remember Arsenal playing so badly (apart from... against Barcelona) as they did in those last 25 minutes. They managed 17 (seventeen!) passes during that time, compared to 310 before red card - just kept giving ball back to West Brom, waiting for the inevitable goal that didn't come only because West Brom strikers didn't care too much either, I presume.

Nice set of results so far

Shame Everton couldn't win to help stay in the top 4 race but a draw puts a good dent into Spurs hopes. Everton are pretty much out of it IMO as I'm pretty sure they have the hardest run in.

Pulling for QPR to win so more than 1 relegation spot comes into play but down a man at half? Not holding my breath.

edit: Remy! what a strike o no lol! well what a finish. Cya Arry.

Suicide defending from QPR, Maloney has done it before from that range and they give him not one but two opportunities.

I'd be arf'ing at Twitcher, but my mate'll be gutted.