2010/11 Soccer Thread - Hitting The Home Stretch

UCRC wrote:

Martin Jol is a new Fulham manager. Good choice, although they could have gone for Sven. He's a pro, not some journeyman like Jol who looks for highest bidder.

Monday, July 19th, 2010 - 10:17am

Prederick wrote:
UCRC wrote:

Although with Wilshere playing in exactly that role (and having definitely more potential) I wouldn't necesarilly see Parker as first team regular. Also, Lansbury (tireless central midfielder, good loan spell with Norwich) and Ramsey are two players who can make their breakthroughs next season, but that also means they might benefit much more from someone older playing in that formation.

I gotta admit, I don't really have faith of any kid who came through the youth System being the kind of "they don't like it up 'em" hardman/leader-type Arsenal have been dearly missing since Viera/Silva left.

Wilshere?

Jol's a good pick - Hughes was never going to be there for long, as he's got delusions of having the ability to manage a CL side. I'm hoping he can get a job soon so that City can unload Crockey Santa Cruz.

Yeah, I like Jol for Fulham. He was wronged at the Lane, though we've done more since. He seems a genuinely good guy and has proved that he can compete in the Premiership, and he knows a few of Fulham's boys (Murphy springs to mind.)

I think he'll be successful there. Maybe not as successful as MJ, but there you are.

EDIT: Oh, god. I see what they've done there! Frightening.

Canada-USA play in the Gold Cup tonight and I miss it because I have a meeting. First competitive Canadian Men's National Team match since the World Cup too.

Expect the USA to take this one. Dwayne De Rosario was named to the starting XI for Canada and our right-back is a German 3rd-division squad player. At least Rob Friend isn't starting.

Roke wrote:

Canada-USA play in the Gold Cup tonight and I miss it because I have a meeting. First competitive Canadian Men's National Team match since the World Cup too.

Watching with my 21-month old daughter.

Fedaykin98 wrote:
Roke wrote:

Canada-USA play in the Gold Cup tonight and I miss it because I have a meeting. First competitive Canadian Men's National Team match since the World Cup too.

Watching with my 21-month old daughter. :)

I hope you enjoyed it Fedaykin. Judging from the message a friend of mine sent me it doesn't sound like a good match for Canada.

So, Spain defeated Venezuela yesterday 3-0 in a friendly match, it was a nice game for us, especially the second period. I do find it disheartening how a national paper like "Diario ABC" publishes a piece of rubbish article where they mock our goalie for his physical appearance, height and complexion, argue about our game being focused on "hurting" or "kicking" the spaniards players, and a bunch of other regrettable utterances worthy of a high-school paper article directed against a rival school team.

I supply the link though it's in spanish, for the enlightened readers out there.

http://www.abc.es/20110608/deportes-futbol/abci-venezuela-espana-cronica-201106072051.html

No one's excited for the Gold Cup? We had tons of activity around the World Cup last year.

My brother told me today that the semi-finals are here in Houston; I may try to go.

Fedaykin98 wrote:

No one's excited for the Gold Cup? We had tons of activity around the World Cup last year.

My brother told me today that the semi-finals are here in Houston; I may try to go.

Excited-ish. Much as I want the US team to succeed, let's be honest. CONCACAF are a cavalcade of no-hopers, two middling teams (Honduras and Costa Rica), and the U.S. and Mexico. The U.S.'s group is Canada, Panama, and Guadeloupe. Basically, the only way this is news is if the U.S. doesn't qualify/win all of its group games. Noone's really going to pay a lot of attention until the Semifinals, which is the least one should expect from the USMNT.

Okay, I'm showing my ignorance here: I didn't realize that Brazil and other South American countries didnt participate. I thought the Gold Cup was for all of the Americas.

Still, this is the biggest event for Team USA this year, and I need something to tide memover until the Olympics.

Fedaykin98 wrote:

Still, this is the biggest event for Team USA this year

Agreed. Unless you'd like to count the Women going for the World Cup.

I am out of the loop for the women, but wildly interested, especially now that I have a daughter.

Say then that the Gold Cup is the biggest event for the men; I think of them totally separately, like the Aggie Men's and Women's basketball teams.

Women's World Cup is probably bigger for me since the Canadian women are actually pretty good. I only started following them this year though.

Gold Cup: Five Mexicans caught with a banned substance, CONCACAF will not dock points from the team.

Roke wrote:

Women's World Cup is probably bigger for me since the Canadian women are actually pretty good. I only started following them this year though.

Gold Cup: Five Mexicans caught with a banned substance, CONCACAF will not dock points from the team.

Wow, they sound more clueless than FIFA and the NCAA combined!

Fedaykin98 wrote:
Roke wrote:

Women's World Cup is probably bigger for me since the Canadian women are actually pretty good. I only started following them this year though.

Gold Cup: Five Mexicans caught with a banned substance, CONCACAF will not dock points from the team.

Wow, they sound more clueless than FIFA and the NCAA combined!

Well, they were all kicked off the team, and it hasn't been decided yet if they will be allowed to replace those roster spots.

Yeah, and that is pretty big, no question - but they get to keep the win they got with the dopers on the field. That's pretty messed up, imho.

Fedaykin98 wrote:

Yeah, and that is pretty big, no question - but they get to keep the win they got with the dopers on the field. That's pretty messed up, imho.

My guess it has something to do with money, ie how much money in ticket sales and whatnot will they loose if Mexico doesn't make it at least to the semi-Finals.

Zaque wrote:
Fedaykin98 wrote:

Yeah, and that is pretty big, no question - but they get to keep the win they got with the dopers on the field. That's pretty messed up, imho.

My guess it has something to do with money, ie how much money in ticket sales and whatnot will they loose if Mexico doesn't make it at least to the semi-Finals.

Bingo. Much as I hate to admit it, even with the Gold Cup on American soil, the draw here is the Latin American teams. The USMNT will sell out Columbus Crew Stadium (20,000). Mexico will sell out New Meadowlands (80,000).

Canada's Men's National Team is so depressing. 1-nil win over 10-men Guadeloupe thanks to a soft penalty call... despite having the man advantage for 90 minutes (if you include added time). Not enough creativity or movement.

Apparently, the US lost (I had another engagement, which was awesomely fun). Poop. So do we need a win or a tie in our next game?

That was a decent outing for future United players in Spain vs England U21s. Smalling/Jones had a good game (especially Smalling), Welbeck goal (offside tbh), and some good saves from De Gea in the first half.

(Is de Gea deal done?)

guardian has interesting compilation of most unwanted players in Europe (England really)
For me it's between Cole, Almunia, Bebe and Jo.

Oh, wait, Wayne Bridge. And Robbie Keane!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/g...

If Jovanovic really is on 120k/week then... meh.

UCRC wrote:

(Is de Gea deal done?)

guardian has interesting compilation of most unwanted players in Europe (England really)
For me it's between Cole, Almunia, Bebe and Jo.

Oh, wait, Wayne Bridge. And Robbie Keane!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/g...

If Jovanovic really is on 120k/week then... meh.

Eboue.

There's a special list reserved for Eboue.

I dunno. Who's more unwated? Eboue or Bendtner? (I argue that Jo wins that list though.)

I was going to say it was nice of Harry to lend out his list of transfer targets but Jenas appeared on the list.

I think I've said it before, but I would like Bendtner in Newcastle if the fee and wages weren't outrageous. He would almost certainly be better than the group of Ameobi/Lovenkrands/Best/Ranger/Kuqi that were trotted out after Carroll's injury and sale. I still can't understand how Newcastle managed to score non-Nolan goals in the second half.

I'm so finished with guys like Bendtner, Eboue, Denilson and Diaby that if they are on the squad next year its going to make it very hard to watch if they are even on the bench.

Problem is they are all (besides Eboue) projects of Wengers and quitting on them pretty much is admitting a club cant develop the majority of its talent like he believes.

Those 4 + Almunia and Vela off on a loan to figure out if hes ever going to be good and thats a good start.

Round of of kits for next season.

My, there are some horrors in there.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...

Stupid: Corriere della Sera says that Real wants to buy Maicon. More stupid: ...they're are also willing to exchange him for Marcelo. Ditto: ...even though Moratti would prefer to swap for Ramos.

So basically they want to get rid of their only good left back to buy right back who would play in position of their current right back whom they won't sell. What.