***Official Soccer Discussion Thread*** (5 Viewers)

[Good Posting Judge]

GO SWANS.

 

[guru_007]

Any other Swansea fans here? They kick off their Europa competition against Malmo today. If Bony is the real deal I think Michu could be in for an even bigger year playing the false 9 behind a real striker.

Yeah, I'm going to make an effort to watch them. I like an underdog that's built itself up into a good, competitive team.

Yep.

Them and Sunderland gonna be two teams I go out and watch a number of their games early this year. Want to see how they play out on the field.

 

[guru_007]

LOL, just looked up Swansea's stats Not bad, 26 goals for, 1 allowed.

27.07.2013 CF Reading FC 0-3 Swansea City

21.07.2013 CF Exeter City 0-2 Swansea City

19.07.2013 CF Yeovil Town 0-5 Swansea City

13.07.2013 CF ADO Den Haag 0-1 Swansea City

10.07.2013 CF Haaglandia VV 0-10 Swansea City

07.07.2013 CF Excelsior Maassluis 1-5 Swansea City

 

[T Bell]

Can't find any updates on Shea's knee - was supposed to undergo an MRI yesterday.

Can't find any video of the tackle either.

 

[guru_007]

LOL, just looked up Swansea's stats Not bad, 26 goals for, 1 allowed.

well ####, formatting for ####

 

[T Bell]

Any other Swansea fans here? They kick off their Europa competition against Malmo today. If Bony is the real deal I think Michu could be in for an even bigger year playing the false 9 behind a real striker.

Yeah, I'm going to make an effort to watch them. I like an underdog that's built itself up into a good, competitive team.

Yep.

Them and Sunderland gonna be two teams I go out and watch a number of their games early this year. Want to see how they play out on the field.

Well, you HAVE to follow DiCanio, don't you?

 

[Good Posting Judge]

I'm fairly amazed that the EPL didn't find a way to keep Di Canio out.

 

[guru_007]

Malmo been in good form scoring 9 in 2 games vs Hibs,

Last game though they got shut out by Gefle in league play 0-2. And ffs, if Gefle didn't get the living hell beat out of them today by FK Karabakh Aghdam. Only lost 1-0, but were outshot like 25-1, seriously.

Think Swansea may put an ### stomping on today.

 

[guru_007]

Of course, ManCity about to play BM...game on, may be a CL finals preview

 

[The Gator]

Of course, ManCity about to play BM...game on, may be a CL finals preview

lol

 

[Good Posting Judge]

At worst I hope they hang in the title race. Last year was kind of a bummer with all of the major domestic leagues being wrapped up by February.

 

[Slapdash]

Where does RM get the money for a deal like this? The petro-clubs just pull from the sugar daddy, but is RM just sitting on 80M in cash? Do they get some kind of sweetheart finance deal from a bank? That is a boatload of money for any normally run club (even RM).

They're the most commercialized club in the world, and they have sweetheart deals with Spanish banks (deals which have gotten the banks in trouble with Spanish regulators from time to time I believe.)

By "sweetheart deals," do you mean the banks take some kind of financial hit on their loans to the clubs? I've read that but never quite understood it, what's in it for the banks?

This gives you an idea. The closest American parallel to the near-religious backing that these big clubs have would be like college football at Alabama. You're regarded as one of society's fundamental institutions, like the church in the middle ages. It's a ridiculous mindset that breeds corruption, but it's how it works there.

That article blog post is not really describing anything corrupt. These clubs are probably some of the most valuable, credit-worthy enterprises in Spain right now with massive amounts of revenue. It doesn't surprise me at all that they would have generous lines of credit. It is better paper for the institution to hold than Spanish mortgages or European sovereigns.

Seeing a bank give those kind of terms is a little troublesome but I guess you could make the argument that it's still not a terrible business decision if it results in positive PR, or at least heads off negative PR, for the bank. Those customers who disapprove could always take their business to a competitor who doesn't engage in that kind of financing, I guess.

It's a little more worrisome when government entities step in to smooth the way for the clubs. But, hey, it's not like that never happens in the NFL, right? We could have a whole nother thread arguing about that particular practice.

Not that I know too much about those terms beyond what I read, but they don't seem troublesome to me at all from a banking perspective. Have a credit line of over 136 million Euros is pretty damn miniscule. Being changed +125 bps over the ECB deposit rate is not very favorable either. The bank mentioned in the post eventually had to be bailed out because of the massive amount of European Sovereign Debt it held and was losing money on. A loan to Real Madrid is nowhere near risky for them.

I really hate speaking up from Real's perspective, but I hate even more reading rstuff that misinforms about the money markets....

The land stuff is a little murkier IMO.

 

[Slapdash]

At worst I hope they hang in the title race. Last year was kind of a bummer with all of the major domestic leagues being wrapped up by February.

I think Citeh is going to run away with it this year.

 

[The Gator]

At worst I hope they hang in the title race. Last year was kind of a bummer with all of the major domestic leagues being wrapped up by February.

I think Citeh is going to run away with it this year.

I don't think they run away with it, but then and Chelsea should pull away early.

 

[jonessed]

At worst I hope they hang in the title race. Last year was kind of a bummer with all of the major domestic leagues being wrapped up by February.

I think Citeh is going to run away with it this year.

United hung in there because of Ferguson, but I think from here on it out it's going to be a battle of the petrol-teams.

 

[T Bell]

Swansea looks much the better team even though they lack some sharpness, which is to be expected in their first competitive match.

Very lively overall though.

 

[T Bell]

Swans now looking sharper and sharper in the final third. Wow, they're going to be good this year.

 

[berndog]

And Michu scores the first goal of the season for the Swans.

 

[T Bell]

And Michu scores the first goal of the season for the Swans.

And Bony scores the second.

 

[Native]

And Michu scores the first goal of the season for the Swans.

And Bony scores the second.

How does he look in general?

 

[T Bell]

And Michu scores the first goal of the season for the Swans.

And Bony scores the second.

How does he look in general?

He's been working hard, contributing more in build-up play than in the 18-yard box, at least until that nicely headed goal.

Shelvey's been the guy who's most noticeable in the middle.

 

[guru_007]

3-0

over hits, for those that play that kind of thing

 

[T Bell]

Malmo are thoroughly beaten here, and Swans look legit to me. Yes, it's not a PL matchup, but Malmo's not crap either.

 

[guru_007]

Malmo is meh.

They'd be a middling Championship Level team.

 

[guru_007]

BM just went up 2-1

 

[guru_007]

First half of that game was a bore. Second half really picked up

 

[Good Posting Judge]

50-1 on the Swans to win the Europa?

 

[The Gator]

50-1 on the Swans to win the Europa?

Worth a bet at those odds

 

[T Bell]

50-1 on the Swans to win the Europa?

Worth a bet at those odds

They definitely look good.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Let's get it.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Liverpool have triggered Diego Costa's release clause with a £21mil bid, but maintain the offer has no bearing on the Suarez situation.

 

[The Gator]

Liverpool have triggered Diego Costa's release clause with a £21mil bid, but maintain the offer has no bearing on the Suarez situation.

FM11 stud...I think he played on the right wing with Falcao...massive upgrade over downing

 

[Slapdash]

Liverpool have triggered Diego Costa's release clause with a £21mil bid, but maintain the offer has no bearing on the Suarez situation.

FM11 stud...

I think he played on the right wing with Falcao...massive upgrade poverty downing

Costa can play a few different roles, I think he is best as a second striker.

 

[T Bell]

Liverpool have triggered Diego Costa's release clause with a £21mil bid, but maintain the offer has no bearing on the Suarez situation.

It'll be interesting to see how it impacts the Suarez stuff though.

 

[The Z Machine]

NO NO NO NO

 

[The Z Machine]

That would leave my team with only Villa!

 

[Native]

You guys back in it for Torres?

 

[The Z Machine]

I think if Atleti banks another 25m€ from Costa, they'll move on a big name up and comer from South America (again).

 

[The Gator]

I think if Atleti banks another 25m from Costa, they'll move on a big name up and comer from South America (again).

Damaio

 

[CletiusMaximus]

You guys back in it for Torres?

Ool - there's always hope, right?

 

[The Gator]

Dempsey to Seattle rumors floating around

 

[T Bell]

Dempsey to Seattle rumors floating around

That's a step down for him.

How is Crystal Palace not all over him right now?

 

[Moe.]

Dempsey to Seattle rumors floating around

Should have stayed at Fulham.

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Those rumors seem highly unlikely to me.

On the other end, Stoke is apparently interested in Omar Gonzalez and Aguedelo. Shea's injury also could have been worse

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Stoke: America's Team

 

[The Gator]

Stoke: America's Team

oof

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Finally getting a good look at this van Ginkel character...

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Oscar is pretty good with space at the top of the box.

 

[Christo]

WTH is this?????

 

[Native]

You guys back in it for Torres?

Ool - there's always hope, right?

ray: