2008/09 Soccer Thread in Shock £50m Chelsea Switch! (And Other Ludicrousness)

davet010 wrote:
UCRC wrote:

Hooray, Poland - Czech Republic 2-1. Two years ago, on October 11th, 2006, we've beaten Portugal 2-1. It's first time since then we've been playing in similar fashion and win is deserved, with Czechs grabbing late consolation goal in game we've might have won even higher.
btw: Keep your eyes on Kuba Błaszczykowski, Borussia's right-winger. There are rumours floating that Liverpool is willing to pay 6mil quid for him, and with his great assist and goal tonight it sounds like real possibility.

Pah - I bought him for my Glasgow Rangers team in FM 2006. I'm sure he also functioned as a full back in that version.

He was a full back back then. But he turned out to be too fast and technically gifted to be a defender, so now in Borussia he plays as a right winger or even second striker sometimes. That's his amazing assist

Ugh Portugal might fall short of the WC because they played one too many games while the team was in horrible form.

Just tied Albania 0-0 at home with a man advantage the whole second half. They really need to take out a Kijiji/Craigslist add "Willing to trade 3 wingers for 1 striker.".

They haven't had a striker since Pauleta. And based on your view of the French League, that may not be saying much.

I love the schizophrenia of reading commentary about England. Either Capello is a magician and is going to teach them to win, or Capello's mediocre, has managed a few flattering victories and England will qualify easily, get everyone's hopes up, and squander it in the Quarter-Finals again.

I vote for option B myself.

In the meantime, Spain is really f**king good. I know they can't possibly hold this form until 2010, but still, christ are they playing well. And how good is David Villa*?

Italy beat Montenegro 2-1, Holland beats Norway, Germany beats Wales, and the Czechs beat Slovenia. So, your early group leaders are Denmark, Greece, Slovakia (the HELL Poland?), Germany, Spain, England, Serbia Italy and the Netherlands. Malta, Armenia, and Andorra are all competing quite well for the title of "who is worse than San Marino?"

* - Really really good.

What I don't get is how they just don't nationalize a guy. Already have a pretty clear history of doing it.

I think the problem is they really want Hugo Almeida to succeed but that isn't going to work. You have to prove yourself at the club level first then earn the national team not the other way around.

Last year he had 25 games played 9 substitution appearances and 15 goals 10 assists to show for it. Not bad but not exactly a regular starter.

This year it gets even worse. 1 start and 3 subs in a possible of 7 Bundesliga games. Hes now started more times for Portugal this season then his own club.

I think its pretty indicative that in the last 10 years of the Portuguese league there has only been 1 top scorer who was even Portuguese and it was Simao from midfield/wing. They probably should of taken a run at nationalizing Liedson earlier but now hes 30 and the goals are drying up.

and oh yea whats my view on the French league I already forgot ;D these threads get so long I forget what I say.

Prederick wrote:

Slovakia (the HELL Poland?)

Let's not talk about it.

But hey, things happen.

Nasri shoots Nasri scores! Who's Hleb? been injured I think with 1 start 1 sub appearance and 0 goals. That was some tidy business.

Hooray for Amir Zaki. 2 goals -> 26 points in Fantasy League. Take that, Prederick ;]

I vote we start referring to Carlos Tevez as "the poor man's Dirk Kuyt". Also, Juande isn't going to make it to November at this rate.

Oh, and by the way IT'S 138-87 THIS WEEK, Prederick ;]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot... Huh? Newcastle is still buried deep on 19th place, but I see some potential there, I'm pretty sure that when January comes, they will be closer to 10th than to relegation.

Newcastle seem to do just enough to seriously flirt with relegation, and then pull it out at the end every time.

Also, i'm ceding defeat in this season, unless some sort of miracle occurs.

What the f*ck is wrong with you, Champions League? http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot... 6-3? 2-4? 4-3? 3-0?
EDIT: Another 3-0 is Bayern game, 3-5 in Steaua - Lyon and 2-5 in Arsenal games. Dear f*ck.
btw: BATE got another point, in away game with Zenit. If they could win at home they could have a go for second place as well, astonishing.

36 goals scored tonight. Thirty. Six. Tomorrow's going to suck by comparison.

EDIT: I've said it before and i'll say it again, Jose Mourinho is the king of spotlight manipulation and the most entertaining egomaniac i've ever seen.

£10 says that he's managing Man City next season.

Mourinho + rafts of cash + Man City = limitless opportunities for the winding up of the Scots Drunkard.

That's the rumour, anyways.

Well, that was boring. The games featuring teams from England at least. Liverpool throw it away at Atletico, and Chelsea are saved by John Terry.

Meanwhile, Basel are annihilated by Barcelona (might they be finding their stride?) Inter scrape past Anorthorsis, an own-goal sends Bordeaux over Cluj, and Bremen and Panathinaikos draw in probably the match of the night.

Really, I've been reading some Bundesliga wrapups, and I think Werder Bremen should be the featured team every week. Apparently they're going into games looking to win 4-3.

DENNIS BERKAMP IS COMING BACK !&!*@!!!!!$*!$*@$!!11111!

oh wait as a coach... http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/7687404.stm

Eduardo to start training again in 3 weeks!

and just for fun!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCEXk...

I saw that movie few months ago and wanted to post it here Bergkamp and Henry are probably two biggest reasons why I love football. It will be great to see him back at Arsenal.

Hull are joint top of the league, if only for Today.

Y'know, if this was a game of FM, i'd be angry because i'd be saying that something like that was totally unrealistic bullsh*t.

Prederick wrote:

Y'know, if this was a game of FM, i'd be angry because i'd be saying that something like that was totally unrealistic bullsh*t.

Exactly the same thing came to my mind

Happens quite often - I seem to remember Ipswich finishing 5th not long ago, and only missing out on 4th on the last day.

In other news, it's being reported here that Spurs have binned Juande Ramos in favour of....Harry Redknapp. Mmm, interesting decision....bin the guy who's won 2 European trophies (and led Spurs to the League Cup), in favour of the bloke who is inevitably mentioned when dubious transfer dealings are highlighted.

And only now do they decide to can the sporting director who actually is at fault for some of the poor signings...I'm presuming that Honest 'Arry doesn't want anyone looking over his shoulder when the brown paper envelopes start changing hands.

Great - now one of my most hated teams and most hated managers are together.....let the hatred flow

davet010 wrote:

Happens quite often - I seem to remember Ipswich finishing 5th not long ago, and only missing out on 4th on the last day.

I wouldn't say that often. That was back when Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was good.

Prederick wrote:

Also, Juande isn't going to make it to November at this rate.

You're a prescient guy, Predders.

But Redknapp? Pompey (as a city) is going to be pissed. I like Redknapp the Elder, but I think Ramos is at least on his level, if not above.

And honestly, Levy should probably be the one to go. Not Comolli or Ramos.

I don't give a sh*t as long as they keep losing ;] I hope that Harry won't ruin the joke.

UCRC wrote:

I don't give a sh*t as long as they keep losing ;] I hope that Harry won't ruin the joke.

Mind your head. I'll throw rocks at those on the bandwagon.

Haakon7 wrote:
UCRC wrote:

I don't give a sh*t as long as they keep losing ;] I hope that Harry won't ruin the joke.

Mind your head. I'll throw rocks at those on the bandwagon.

Oh, wait, I forgot that you're Londoner ;]
btw: Xabi Alonso is destroying Chelsea. Goal in first half and now he just have hit the post. Chelsea looks uninspired, to say at least.
EDIT: Who is this Franco di Santo kid from Chelsea? Never seen him before.

I'm not on any bandwagon - one of my first games at Maine Road was in 1977 when City smashed Spurs 5-0 and sent them down....

But seriously...Redknapp and Spurs deserve each other. Now if only Redknapp senior could bring his son back as well, and save us from his moronic attempts at being a football pundit, all would be well.

It's official folks, Liverpool are for real and they have their eyes on the title. 1-0 to the Reds.

Meanwhile, Ol' 'Appy 'Arry convinces Tottenham to beat Bolton 2-0, underlining the kind of job Ramos must've been doing (an utterly atrocious one).

Prederick wrote:

It's official folks, Liverpool are for real and they have their eyes on the title. 1-0 to the Reds.

Meanwhile, Ol' 'Appy 'Arry convinces Tottenham to beat Bolton 2-0, underlining the kind of job Ramos must've been doing (an utterly atrocious one).

Liverpool should cash in now, while their astonishing luck holds (massive deflected goals changing both the MU and Chelsea game, appalling refereeing allowing them to beat City), Dirk Kuyt actually scoring, etc.

And I fail to see how a victory over a garbage team like Bolton proves anything about Harry 'Bungs' Redknapp....after all, he's had no input into training, didn't pick the team, and isn't remotely as good a manager as Ramos.

I'll believe Liverpool are contending when its February and they are still in the hunt for the league. Pretty huge win especially with Torres out.

davet010 wrote:

And I fail to see how a victory over a garbage team like Bolton proves anything about Harry 'Bungs' Redknapp....after all, he's had no input into training, didn't pick the team, and isn't remotely as good a manager as Ramos.

Admittedly, no, he hasn't, but on recent form, if Ramos was still in charge I don't see them winning that game. This year had been a unmitigated disaster, his obvious quality as a manager be damned. Tottenham were probably just reacting to Ramos being out though.