***Official Soccer Discussion Thread*** (9 Viewers)

[jonessed]

It's official... good for him and the US, bad for RBNY.

BOLTON, England -- Bolton filled the gap in its squad created by the sale of Gary Cahill by signing Tim Ream from the New York Red Bulls on Thursday.The 24-year-old defender becomes the second United States international in the Premier League club's squad after midfielder Stuart Holden, and replaces Cahill following the England international's switch to Chelsea earlier in Europe's January transfer window.Ream signed a 3½-year contract but neither Bolton nor Major League Soccer's Red Bulls disclosed the transfer fee for a player that Bolton manager Owen Coyle said Arsenal wanted to sign before the start of the current English season."He is a U.S. international -- a player that year-on-year has progressed and got better, and he will continue to do that," Coyle said. "Tim is everything that we want in the players we are bringing to the club when we spend in the transfer market."He is young, has a tremendous attitude and a winning mentality."A finalist for the MLS Rookie of the Year award in 2010, Ream was named on the MLS All-Star team last year and has played seven times for the United States."This was a hard decision for me considering the fact that I enjoyed playing for the Red Bulls and was looking forward to the upcoming MLS season," Ream said. "However, after consulting with those closest to me, I decided that this was a once in a lifetime chance that I could not pass up."Bolton is 17th in the 20-team Premier League, just a point above the relegation zone after 22 of 38 matches.Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press

I think this is going to be fascinating to watch him to see if he can handle it. Seeing his struggles last year in MLS, I have my worries but I am interested. 3.5 years is a good length deal. Does anyone know if contracts in the EPL are typically gaureenteed?

As far as I know they are.

 

[jonessed]

Another thing I wondered about: When Lass chopped down Messi on the edge, already having a yellow, and FCB mobbed the ref, I wonder if he resented that and he kept the card in his pocket as a sort of retaliation. Working a ref for calls is part of sports, but I wonder if there's a more effective way of doing it (one guy, from a distance, for example) then crowding around him yelling.Three games against Valencia in the next month. Pique and Puyol are going to need to do better.

I really think that Casillas coming over first, getting in the ref's face and giving him an opportunity to put the yellow on someone other than Lass was the thing that sealed it.

This whole ensemble ref berating is terrible. Chelsea's usually the worst about this, Barca cant resist v RM. IMO the ref needs to stand his ground and then take the charge ala basketball instead of backing away- anybody that touches him gets a card. period. doesn't matter if you have your hands behind your back- bump into him and you're carded. I have no idea what happened to the captain being the only person allowed to directly confront/talk-with the ref, but it's definitely the lunatics running the asylum these days.

It would stop instantly if the ref handed out cards. I can only guess that the respective FA's have decided that issuing yellow cards is going to far because I don't think I have ever seen it happen. Not in a small group setting anyway. You get the occasional for dissent, but that's different.

 

[NewlyRetired]

CNNSI asked 10 writers to participate in the Ultimate Soccer Draft, where every player in history was available to be drafted in a ladder draft.

16 total rounds for a 16 player roster.

CNNSI then worked with the makers of Football Manager to try and create a realistic representation of these ten teams playing an 18 game balanced schedule.

Fun stuff. Here are all the teams and the simulation results

http://www.cnnsi.com/soccer/draft/ultimate/draft-results.html?sct=sc_t11_a1

 

[Slapdash]

CNNSI asked 10 writers to participate in the Ultimate Soccer Draft, where every player in history was available to be drafted in a ladder draft.16 total rounds for a 16 player roster.CNNSI then worked with the makers of Football Manager to try and create a realistic representation of these ten teams playing an 18 game balanced schedule.Fun stuff. Here are all the teams and the simulation resultshttp://www.cnnsi.com/soccer/draft/ultimate/draft-results.html?sct=sc_t11_a1

Messi and Ronaldo together would be unstoppable.

 

[The Gator]

Pele = SOD

 

[El Floppo]

Pele = SOD

Garincha too

 

[scoobygang]

It kind of cracks me up that Johnathan Wilson's team got housed. I thought his team made a ton of sense tactically, but there's no way for Football Manager to really take that into account. The entire point of Total Football is to allow the team to adjust tactically on its own. But I was biased because he picked Thuram, the best FB I've ever seen.

Not surprised that the team with the most modern players "won." I'm not sure how FM would even begin to rate a CB from the 70s.

 

[SmoovySmoov]

I'm sure everyone has a ton of players they were surprised to see not taken, but I couldn't believe no one took Alan Shearer. Top quality in every way. Apparently I would have "reached" for him, because I would have taken him in the first few rounds.

 

[Bonzai]

I thought Wahl had the best team. Not sure how he screwed that up.

 

[NewlyRetired]

I'm sure everyone has a ton of players they were surprised to see not taken, but I couldn't believe no one took Alan Shearer. Top quality in every way. Apparently I would have "reached" for him, because I would have taken him in the first few rounds.

That is a good one! I missed that he was not taken. My surprise omission was Hristo Stoichkov (I scanned and did not see him )

 

[Native]

Sudan Records First Point in 36 Years

 

[NewlyRetired]

Messi is Time Magazines Man of the Year everywhere but in the US

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2012/01/messi-snubbed-by-time-in-us-editions/1

 

[Christo]

Messi is Time Magazines Man of the Year everywhere but in the US

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2012/01/messi-snubbed-by-time-in-us-editions/1

Forget that. Here's the real story:

Soccer star's injury blamed on 'too much sex'

Bedroom gymnastics are being blamed for the injury that will sideline AC Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng for a month.

The soccer star from Ghana has an injury to his left thigh, which his team described as "a muscular lesion."

But Boateng's girlfriend, actress and model Melissa Satta, told Vanity Fair that: "The reason why he is always injured is because we have sex 7-10 times a week."

We'll take her word for it.

And perhaps the solution is simply getting a softer mattress.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2012/01/soccer-stars-injury-blamed-on-too-much-sex/1?csp=obinsite

 

[Steve Tasker]

Messi is Time Magazines Man of the Year everywhere but in the UShttp://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2012/01/messi-snubbed-by-time-in-us-editions/1

Funny that Messi is arguably one of the most popular and influential athletes on the planet, but is largely ignored in the U.S. except for those who embrace the beautiful game.Bloomberg/BusinessWeek released its list of most powerful athletes Wednesday. The only soccer players to make the list: No. 55 Landon Donovan, 58. David Beckham, 79. Abby Wambach, 88. Hope Solo.

Is that "most powerful in the US" or "most powerful worldwide"?

 

[Moe.]

Messi is Time Magazines Man of the Year everywhere but in the US

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2012/01/messi-snubbed-by-time-in-us-editions/1

Funny that Messi is arguably one of the most popular and influential athletes on the planet, but is largely ignored in the U.S. except for those who embrace the beautiful game.

Bloomberg/BusinessWeek released its list of most powerful athletes Wednesday. The only soccer players to make the list: No. 55 Landon Donovan, 58. David Beckham, 79. Abby Wambach, 88. Hope Solo.

Is that "most powerful in the US" or "most powerful worldwide"?

Has to be just US. I can't find just a list but here is a link to a slideshow. Brees is number one. Regarding Messi, from what I can tell it's just the cover story. I don't think it's Man of the Year or anything like that. Which makes it even more suprising imo. Messi isn't worthy of a Time cover in the US?

 

[The Gator]

Did that draft make anyone else here want to have a draft?

Staying XI

Bench

Manager

Stadium

.

.

.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Reminder that Fulham vs Everton FA Cup match will be shown by FSC today as they changed their schedule to accommodate it.

If you don't see it in your guide, game starts at 3:00, and probably worth it to record for 2.5 hours.

FSC is for the first time going to use US based announcers for the game (Waldo and JPD I think)

 

[El Floppo]

Reminder that Fulham vs Everton FA Cup match will be shown by FSC today as they changed their schedule to accommodate it. If you don't see it in your guide, game starts at 3:00, and probably worth it to record for 2.5 hours. FSC is for the first time going to use US based announcers for the game (Waldo and JPD I think)

dvr set

 

[Mjolnirs]

Final Table

Black and Blue All Over  9-1-0	28	65-21	44Dazed and Confused       8-0-2	24	73-35	38Grass Kickers            7-1-2	22	43-12	31B League Bullies         6-3-1	21	47-23	24

Second place! Not bad when you consider a few seasons back we had a post season game to decide last place.

 

[Ted Lange as your Bartender]

Interesting

"Another MLS player in the UK? Yep, @wmgllc client & @PhilaUnion player Danny Mwanga is training with Aston Villa for the next 10 days."

Odd timing on this considering that Union preseason camp opens today and this 10 day period straddles the transfer window. Wonder if this means the Le Toux deal fell through

 

[Slapdash]

Mourinho in car-park attack on red card ref

Jose Mourinho waited in the Nou Camp's car park to launch a sarcastic four-letter attack on the referee he blamed for his Real Madrid side’s latest failure against Barcelona.

­Real boss Mourinho ambushed whistler Fernando Teixeira a full 90 minutes after the end of Wednesday night's 2-2 draw that saw his side eliminated from the Copa Del Rey.

Teixeira had already been told by furious Real skipper Iker Casillas that he could “go and party” with the Barca players after chalking off a Sergio Ramos goal and then dismissing the Spain defender for a debatable clash with Sergio Busquets.

Bystanders claimed that ex-Chelsea manager Mourinho marched up to within two feet of Teixeira and screamed in his face: “Hey, some guy you are.

“Why do you just love always f****** up the ­professionals?”

In his press conference, Mourinho had said: “I learned nothing from this game. No. I do congratulate Barcelona for their win in Madrid, happily. They deserved it.

“But I played here with Chelsea, Inter and Real Madrid. It’s nothing new to me. I’m not insinuating anything.

“But I have heard people in the locker room say that it is impossible to win here.

“Ask the players who said it.”

 

[Steve Tasker]

Reminder that Fulham vs Everton FA Cup match will be shown by FSC today as they changed their schedule to accommodate it. If you don't see it in your guide, game starts at 3:00, and probably worth it to record for 2.5 hours. FSC is for the first time going to use US based announcers for the game (Waldo and JPD I think)

Yeah, I forgot about this until I got to work and I can't set the DVR from here. Will they be replaying it at all? I need to know whether or not I should follow online.

 

[scoobygang]

Did that draft make anyone else here want to have a draft?Staying XIBenchManagerStadium...

I actually would be willing to run something like this assuming we could get 10-12 participants.I don't know whether it would be better to do an all-time team or a currently playing team. Each has advantages and disadvantages. The current players would be easier to place into a Football Manager Sim, but a player like Messi drafted at #1 might be impossible to overcome. In my mind, you would pick a starting XI and a bench of six subs (just like in a game). Manager and stadium would be fine. SI had a smaller group of the drafters develop consensus ratings for the historical players, but I have to admit that I'm not sure I could trust my impression of even those I saw (which is fitfully back to around 1980 or so with a hole in the late 90s).I'd have to check what FM can do with custom leagues (good excuse to get the new verison!) but I could imagine either doing balanced home and home league schedule or setting up two Champions League styles "groups" of up to 6 teams. And then doing knockout round semis between the #1 and #2 finishers and either a neutral site final or another home and home.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Reminder that Fulham vs Everton FA Cup match will be shown by FSC today as they changed their schedule to accommodate it. If you don't see it in your guide, game starts at 3:00, and probably worth it to record for 2.5 hours. FSC is for the first time going to use US based announcers for the game (Waldo and JPD I think)

Yeah, I forgot about this until I got to work and I can't set the DVR from here. Will they be replaying it at all? I need to know whether or not I should follow online.

It is being repeated at 8:00http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/tvschedule

 

[The Gator]

Did that draft make anyone else here want to have a draft?Staying XIBenchManagerStadium...

I actually would be willing to run something like this assuming we could get 10-12 participants.I don't know whether it would be better to do an all-time team or a currently playing team. Each has advantages and disadvantages. The current players would be easier to place into a Football Manager Sim, but a player like Messi drafted at #1 might be impossible to overcome. In my mind, you would pick a starting XI and a bench of six subs (just like in a game). Manager and stadium would be fine. SI had a smaller group of the drafters develop consensus ratings for the historical players, but I have to admit that I'm not sure I could trust my impression of even those I saw (which is fitfully back to around 1980 or so with a hole in the late 90s).I'd have to check what FM can do with custom leagues (good excuse to get the new verison!) but I could imagine either doing balanced home and home league schedule or setting up two Champions League styles "groups" of up to 6 teams. And then doing knockout round semis between the #1 and #2 finishers and either a neutral site final or another home and home.

1. Scooby2. Gator3. Tasker

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Mourinho in car-park attack on red card ref

Jose Mourinho waited in the Nou Camp's car park to launch a sarcastic four-letter attack on the referee he blamed for his Real Madrid side’s latest failure against Barcelona.

­Real boss Mourinho ambushed whistler Fernando Teixeira a full 90 minutes after the end of Wednesday night's 2-2 draw that saw his side eliminated from the Copa Del Rey.

Teixeira had already been told by furious Real skipper Iker Casillas that he could “go and party” with the Barca players after chalking off a Sergio Ramos goal and then dismissing the Spain defender for a debatable clash with Sergio Busquets.

Bystanders claimed that ex-Chelsea manager Mourinho marched up to within two feet of Teixeira and screamed in his face: “Hey, some guy you are.

“Why do you just love always f****** up the ­professionals?”

In his press conference, Mourinho had said: “I learned nothing from this game. No. I do congratulate Barcelona for their win in Madrid, happily. They deserved it.

“But I played here with Chelsea, Inter and Real Madrid. It’s nothing new to me. I’m not insinuating anything.

“But I have heard people in the locker room say that it is impossible to win here.

“Ask the players who said it.”

http://img01.mundodeportivo.com/2012/01/26/Mourinho-esperando-a-Teixeira-_54245352485_54115221152_960_640.jpg?t=1327579961112

 

[scoobygang]

Somewhat of a shame that Mourinho's antics are still eclipsing his players' efforts.

I thought the latest Classico was the rare example of a true moral victory. Madrid were the better team for much of the game. They didn't play particularly more negatively that Barca. While Pepe was a goon, Dani Alves was tackling just as recklessly (he just also had a masterpiece of a goal to with it). The game was played at a high level, and while some breaks went against Real, some other breaks went in their favor (Lass not getting carded for knocking Messi tiny *** over tea kettle, for example).

The last few Classicos have pretty much show that Barca has one unalterable advantage. Messi can track back to center circle, pick the ball up between the lines, and turn a game when Real is doing everything right. Jose has to resign himself to that. He can't do it EVERY game (can he?). I do feel bad for Sergio Ramos (who's not the most likable guy anyway), but I think Jose's paranoia is hurting his team in these close games. They need to just play their game and be at peace with the result. That game, even for all the ugliness, was a win for football. If he just demands that effort, Real will start to win their share of these games.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Somewhat of a shame that Mourinho's antics are still eclipsing his players' efforts. I thought the latest Classico was the rare example of a true moral victory. Madrid were the better team for much of the game. They didn't play particularly more negatively that Barca. While Pepe was a goon, Dani Alves was tackling just as recklessly (he just also had a masterpiece of a goal to with it). The game was played at a high level, and while some breaks went against Real, some other breaks went in their favor (Lass not getting carded for knocking Messi tiny *** over tea kettle, for example). The last few Classicos have pretty much show that Barca has one unalterable advantage. Messi can track back to center circle, pick the ball up between the lines, and turn a game when Real is doing everything right. Jose has to resign himself to that. He can't do it EVERY game (can he?). I do feel bad for Sergio Ramos (who's not the most likable guy anyway), but I think Jose's paranoia is hurting his team in these close games. They need to just play their game and be at peace with the result. That game, even for all the ugliness, was a win for football. If he just demands that effort, Real will start to win their share of these games.

I think they're going to be closer going forward. Mou, at this point, has to realize that his only hope is to field an attacking side and just realize that he's still going to lose occasionally no matter what. But with three defensive mids and very few creative/attacking players, the game is lost already. Barca will just stream more people forward if they bunker in.Of course, he's reportedly walking in June, so there may only be one Liga game and a very possible CL match left to go.

 

[MarshallPlan]

Somewhat of a shame that Mourinho's antics are still eclipsing his players' efforts. I thought the latest Classico was the rare example of a true moral victory. Madrid were the better team for much of the game. They didn't play particularly more negatively that Barca. While Pepe was a goon, Dani Alves was tackling just as recklessly (he just also had a masterpiece of a goal to with it). The game was played at a high level, and while some breaks went against Real, some other breaks went in their favor (Lass not getting carded for knocking Messi tiny *** over tea kettle, for example). The last few Classicos have pretty much show that Barca has one unalterable advantage. Messi can track back to center circle, pick the ball up between the lines, and turn a game when Real is doing everything right. Jose has to resign himself to that. He can't do it EVERY game (can he?). I do feel bad for Sergio Ramos (who's not the most likable guy anyway), but I think Jose's paranoia is hurting his team in these close games. They need to just play their game and be at peace with the result. That game, even for all the ugliness, was a win for football. If he just demands that effort, Real will start to win their share of these games.

I think they're going to be closer going forward. Mou, at this point, has to realize that his only hope is to field an attacking side and just realize that he's still going to lose occasionally no matter what. But with three defensive mids and very few creative/attacking players, the game is lost already. Barca will just stream more people forward if they bunker in.Of course, he's reportedly walking in June, so there may only be one Liga game and a very possible CL match left to go.

That's how I would play Barca. I'd play a very attacking lineup and hope to play a game that they don't want to play - a frantic, end to end, tons of chances type of game. If you sit in and let them possess the ball your playing into their hands. That's what they want to do and in the end your players are going to be exhausted. At least by playing end to end, they'll be exhausted as well. There was many times when Barca broke the Madrid midfield line and could have went to goal 4 v4 but didn't want to. They slowed down and kept the ball. Barca (and all teams really) want to control the pace of the game. You need to break their rhythm and force them to play a type of game they don't like playing.

 

[El Floppo]

Somewhat of a shame that Mourinho's antics are still eclipsing his players' efforts. I thought the latest Classico was the rare example of a true moral victory. Madrid were the better team for much of the game. They didn't play particularly more negatively that Barca. While Pepe was a goon, Dani Alves was tackling just as recklessly (he just also had a masterpiece of a goal to with it). The game was played at a high level, and while some breaks went against Real, some other breaks went in their favor (Lass not getting carded for knocking Messi tiny *** over tea kettle, for example). The last few Classicos have pretty much show that Barca has one unalterable advantage. Messi can track back to center circle, pick the ball up between the lines, and turn a game when Real is doing everything right. Jose has to resign himself to that. He can't do it EVERY game (can he?). I do feel bad for Sergio Ramos (who's not the most likable guy anyway), but I think Jose's paranoia is hurting his team in these close games. They need to just play their game and be at peace with the result. That game, even for all the ugliness, was a win for football. If he just demands that effort, Real will start to win their share of these games.

I think they're going to be closer going forward. Mou, at this point, has to realize that his only hope is to field an attacking side and just realize that he's still going to lose occasionally no matter what. But with three defensive mids and very few creative/attacking players, the game is lost already. Barca will just stream more people forward if they bunker in.Of course, he's reportedly walking in June, so there may only be one Liga game and a very possible CL match left to go.

That's how I would play Barca. I'd play a very attacking lineup and hope to play a game that they don't want to play - a frantic, end to end, tons of chances type of game. If you sit in and let them possess the ball your playing into their hands. That's what they want to do and in the end your players are going to be exhausted. At least by playing end to end, they'll be exhausted as well. There was many times when Barca broke the Madrid midfield line and could have went to goal 4 v4 but didn't want to. They slowed down and kept the ball. Barca (and all teams really) want to control the pace of the game. You need to break their rhythm and force them to play a type of game they don't like playing.

Fwiw, every time I watch these teams play each other, RM plays a high, attacking pressure defense- doing their best to pressure the ball before it gets into Xavi/Messi/Iniesta's feet. Seems like most teams that are "good" try to do this vs Barca... but then either run out of steam or get torn apart anyways and are forced to do something else. RM had moments of ok possession, but I've never seen a team so committed to whole-field defense as Barca- I've yet to see a team hold the ball for long against them.When I've seen Barca beaten, it's usually on quick and direct counters that find the seams between the back 3- especially when one of them has pushed up.So for me, I'd go with high pressure for the full 90 minutes and counter my ### off with numbers.

 

[El Floppo]

http://img01.mundodeportivo.com/2012/01/26/Mourinho-esperando-a-Teixeira-_54245352485_54115221152_960_640.jpg?t=1327579961112

hfs

 

[scoobygang]

Fwiw, every time I watch these teams play each other, RM plays a high, attacking pressure defense- doing their best to pressure the ball before it gets into Xavi/Messi/Iniesta's feet. Seems like most teams that are "good" try to do this vs Barca... but then either run out of steam or get torn apart anyways and are forced to do something else. RM had moments of ok possession, but I've never seen a team so committed to whole-field defense as Barca- I've yet to see a team hold the ball for long against them.When I've seen Barca beaten, it's usually on quick and direct counters that find the seams between the back 3- especially when one of them has pushed up.So for me, I'd go with high pressure for the full 90 minutes and counter my ### off with numbers.

Definitely the way to beat Barca is to counter. Mourinho's twist is to counter but still play high pressure. I think, going forward, the insight is that there have to be spells where you pull back a bit and let Barca pass it around. Otherwise, you end up with what seems to happen pretty often at the end of the first half. The Madrid midfield gets fatigued. Messi senses it, comes back deep for the ball and breaks the press himself with one of those 30 yard dribbles. He's done that in at least three Classicos, usually around the 40 minute mark. If Mourinho made a mistake, for me, it's in selecting Higuain to start. I think Madrid needed Benzema's ability to hold the ball a little, and Benzema also just has nearly perfect timing on his runs, which plays havoc with Barca's high line. I think pressing with flair players, like Kaka and Callejon is a good wrinkle as well. Players who can get the ball off their feet when they win in in the Barca zone. Mou picked a good mix because it allowed him to have the luxury of not having Ozil press too much, which isn't in his nature. I think that means that Di Maria has to sit, because he also lacks the workrate and they can't afford the luxury. Another guy who gets no press, but who is essential to pulling this off is Xabi Alonso. Madrid don't have another deep lying player with his passing range, and that's essential to start those quick counters.

 

[scoobygang]

One more thing. Jose, you have to get back to the suits, man. It's not the same seeing you in a puffy vest and sweatpants. You're at the Nou Camp, not your local WalMart.

 

[CBusAlex]

Could the US put together an all-EPL starting 11?

 

[Christo]

Could the US put together an all-EPL starting 11?

Maybe if they can start 3 GKs.

 

[CBusAlex]

Could the US put together an all-EPL starting 11?

Maybe if they can start 3 GKs.

4-4-2 with Friedel and Howard up top?

 

[scoobygang]

Could the US put together an all-EPL starting 11?

We could probably do something like a EPL 11 if we include US players who have been on EPL sides in the last two/three years. Howard/Friedel Spector Whitbread Ream Lichaj (cheating as he hasn't played LB for Villa) Bradley Germany Jones Landycakes Holden Deuce Jozy Obviously Bradley's cup of coffee with Villa is cheating as well. And Spector didn't play a ton of RB for Villa. And Jozy didn't light the world on fire. And the backline may have a combined 20 EPL starts. Nobody said it was a particularly good side.

 

[Christo]

This is what I can come up with:

Brad Guzan - Aston Villa

Tim Howard - Everton

Marcus Hahnemann - Everton

Brad Freidel - Spurs

Eric Lichaj - Aston Villa

Tim Ream - Bolton

Brede Hangeland - Fulham (Hey, he was born in Texas & we need all the help we can get)

Zak Whitbread - Norwich

Stuart Holden - Bolton (Inj)

Landon Donovan - Everton

Clint Dempsey - Fulham

Villyan Bijev - Liverpool (On loan)

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Watford giving Spurs all they can handle here.

 

[jonessed]

Watford giving Spurs all they can handle here.

They have been by far the better side. Spurs are pretty lucky to escape with the win.

 

[Spartans Rule]

Did that draft make anyone else here want to have a draft?Staying XIBenchManagerStadium...

I actually would be willing to run something like this assuming we could get 10-12 participants.I don't know whether it would be better to do an all-time team or a currently playing team. Each has advantages and disadvantages. The current players would be easier to place into a Football Manager Sim, but a player like Messi drafted at #1 might be impossible to overcome. In my mind, you would pick a starting XI and a bench of six subs (just like in a game). Manager and stadium would be fine. SI had a smaller group of the drafters develop consensus ratings for the historical players, but I have to admit that I'm not sure I could trust my impression of even those I saw (which is fitfully back to around 1980 or so with a hole in the late 90s).I'd have to check what FM can do with custom leagues (good excuse to get the new verison!) but I could imagine either doing balanced home and home league schedule or setting up two Champions League styles "groups" of up to 6 teams. And then doing knockout round semis between the #1 and #2 finishers and either a neutral site final or another home and home.

If we do an all-time draft, I'd watch with interest but my lack of historical knowledge would be prohibitive to participating. Working on reading Inverting the Pyramid though.In a current draft I'd be very interested, especially with the FM connection. Lots of possibilities there.There's something called FMRTE (Football Manager Real-Time Editor). I've never used it, but based on what I've seen from browsing FM forums, it's extremely powerful. I think we could set up pretty much anything we want.Lots of ways we could go about it too... do the draft and have FM be an afterthought, or draft for FM based on its ratings and match engine. We could create our own tactics, or draft managers and let them do it.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Watford giving Spurs all they can handle here.

They have been by far the better side. Spurs are pretty lucky to escape with the win.

They got close a few times. I think both teams hit the woodwork, but Watford definitely had better chances throughout.

 

[scoobygang]

Did that draft make anyone else here want to have a draft?Staying XIBenchManagerStadium...

I actually would be willing to run something like this assuming we could get 10-12 participants.I don't know whether it would be better to do an all-time team or a currently playing team. Each has advantages and disadvantages. The current players would be easier to place into a Football Manager Sim, but a player like Messi drafted at #1 might be impossible to overcome. In my mind, you would pick a starting XI and a bench of six subs (just like in a game). Manager and stadium would be fine. SI had a smaller group of the drafters develop consensus ratings for the historical players, but I have to admit that I'm not sure I could trust my impression of even those I saw (which is fitfully back to around 1980 or so with a hole in the late 90s).I'd have to check what FM can do with custom leagues (good excuse to get the new verison!) but I could imagine either doing balanced home and home league schedule or setting up two Champions League styles "groups" of up to 6 teams. And then doing knockout round semis between the #1 and #2 finishers and either a neutral site final or another home and home.

If we do an all-time draft, I'd watch with interest but my lack of historical knowledge would be prohibitive to participating. Working on reading Inverting the Pyramid though.In a current draft I'd be very interested, especially with the FM connection. Lots of possibilities there.There's something called FMRTE (Football Manager Real-Time Editor). I've never used it, but based on what I've seen from browsing FM forums, it's extremely powerful. I think we could set up pretty much anything we want.Lots of ways we could go about it too... do the draft and have FM be an afterthought, or draft for FM based on its ratings and match engine. We could create our own tactics, or draft managers and let them do it.

If you're reading Inverting the Pyramid, I think you'd be more than competitive with any of us (particularly with regard to Eastern Bloc players).

 

[El Floppo]

Fwiw, every time I watch these teams play each other, RM plays a high, attacking pressure defense- doing their best to pressure the ball before it gets into Xavi/Messi/Iniesta's feet. Seems like most teams that are "good" try to do this vs Barca... but then either run out of steam or get torn apart anyways and are forced to do something else. RM had moments of ok possession, but I've never seen a team so committed to whole-field defense as Barca- I've yet to see a team hold the ball for long against them.When I've seen Barca beaten, it's usually on quick and direct counters that find the seams between the back 3- especially when one of them has pushed up.So for me, I'd go with high pressure for the full 90 minutes and counter my ### off with numbers.

Definitely the way to beat Barca is to counter. Mourinho's twist is to counter but still play high pressure. I think, going forward, the insight is that there have to be spells where you pull back a bit and let Barca pass it around. Otherwise, you end up with what seems to happen pretty often at the end of the first half. The Madrid midfield gets fatigued. Messi senses it, comes back deep for the ball and breaks the press himself with one of those 30 yard dribbles. He's done that in at least three Classicos, usually around the 40 minute mark. If Mourinho made a mistake, for me, it's in selecting Higuain to start. I think Madrid needed Benzema's ability to hold the ball a little, and Benzema also just has nearly perfect timing on his runs, which plays havoc with Barca's high line. I think pressing with flair players, like Kaka and Callejon is a good wrinkle as well. Players who can get the ball off their feet when they win in in the Barca zone. Mou picked a good mix because it allowed him to have the luxury of not having Ozil press too much, which isn't in his nature. I think that means that Di Maria has to sit, because he also lacks the workrate and they can't afford the luxury. Another guy who gets no press, but who is essential to pulling this off is Xabi Alonso. Madrid don't have another deep lying player with his passing range, and that's essential to start those quick counters.

Really good stuff Scooby.Totally agree about Higuain, who has seemed like a lost man vs Barca. I actually liked what Kaka was bringing the other day with his ability to hold and break down the Barca MF (a bit) of the dribble, but he seemed to disappear in the 2nd half. The last time I saw DeMaria play he was a force all over the field with pace and desire that outmatched his opponents (IIRC, it was vs Barca)- given that, I'd prefer to see him in the lineup as a guy who can break and get behind the defense quickly. I'm a big fan of Alonso (you can trace Liverpool's diminishing returns to the second he left Anfield) and agree that he's the lynchpin to getting RM countering well- and controlling possession too- but he just seems like he's always overrun against Barca... but I guess everybody is.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Looks like Juan Agudelo won't be transferred or loaned, at least until the summer. He is out 3-4 weeks with an ankle injury (which is why he sat out both US friendlies). He is expected back to Red Bull after they return from a preseason tour of Mexico.

 

[NewlyRetired]

The draw of Mexico is just amazing.

Univision Wins with Young Men on Wednesday Night as 7.6 Million Tune in to All or Part of Mexico vs. Venezuela

Wednesday night’s coverage of the Mexico vs. Venezuela international friendly reached 7.6 million viewers who watched all or part of Univision’s broadcast. Overall the match averaged 3.5 million viewers and ranked as the No. 2 program on the night only behind FOX’s “American Idol” among young male demos.

Across other key demos the match averaged 1.3 million Adults 18-34 and 2.2 Million Adults 18-49.

 

[El Floppo]

The draw of Mexico is just amazing.

Univision Wins with Young Men on Wednesday Night as 7.6 Million Tune in to All or Part of Mexico vs. Venezuela

Wednesday night’s coverage of the Mexico vs. Venezuela international friendly reached 7.6 million viewers who watched all or part of Univision’s broadcast. Overall the match averaged 3.5 million viewers and ranked as the No. 2 program on the night only behind FOX’s “American Idol” among young male demos.

Across other key demos the match averaged 1.3 million Adults 18-34 and 2.2 Million Adults 18-49.

wow. I wonder what #3 was on the night in that demo.eta: and Mexico won 3-1, btw... not that we need further evidence of their relative superiority.

 

[Christo]

Suck it ManU!

 

[NewlyRetired]

Holy Christ. Isn't this the identical format we laid out before in this thread?

Consensus is that the US was robbed of the 2022 World Cup. Well, here comes the next best thing. And it even comes six years earlier!

The president of the Ecuadorean soccer federation, whose brother is on the CONMEBOL executive committee, told Mexican media that the USA is a potential candidate to host the 2016 Copa América in celebration of the South American confederation's 100-year anniversary.

"We are going to have the opening so that it's not held in one of the 10 countries of South America. It could be Mexico and it could be the United States as well," said Luis Chiriboga.

Chiriboga noted that the special edition of the 2016 Copa América would feature 16 teams: 10 from South America and six from CONCACAF. Apparently there would be a qualification process to determine the six CONCACAF nations.

Four groups of four teams with Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and the USA in separate groups? Fans will flock.

If US fans thought that was big news, the Ecuadorean chief also mentioned that the US would likely get an inivitation to participate in the 2015 Copa América in Brazil.

"I have no doubt that the obstacles [in CONCACAF] are being overcome," said Chiriboga. "Mexico's invitation has never been in question. Of the two teams we invite, one is Mexico and the other could be the United States or Japan."

Imagine this schedule for the USMNT: 2014 World Cup in Brazil, 2015 Copa América in Brazil and the 2016 Copa América on US soil. Something tells me Jurgen Klinsmann is not the type to decline these kind of invites.

 

[Steve Tasker]

Dirk Kuyt is good.