***Official Soccer Discussion Thread*** (4 Viewers)

[El Floppo]

News continues to get worse for Rossi. Needs a second surgery that ups the new rehab from 6 months to 10 months.

MADRID (Reuters) -- Italy striker Giuseppe Rossi needs two surgical procedures on the damaged ligament in his right knee and will be out of action for another 10 months.

"With the objective that Giuseppe Rossi returns to his best physical condition ... the most secure procedure consists in two operations," the Spanish side said in a statement on Monday.

The 25-year-old had the first operation in the United States on Friday. He will go under the knife again in four months and will require a further six months to recover.

Rossi, who was born in the U.S, has already missed most of this season after tearing the ligament in the same knee in October. He suffered a relapse in training on April 13.

The initial prognosis was that he would only be out for six months.

Shouldn't he have stayed in Italy? you know... where he's from and all?

No. He's American for everything except soccer. Is medical care soccer?!?!!?As long as his club is picking up the bill for surgery and the cost of his care doesn't go into any American health care pool, I have no issue with this.

really.

 

[dparker713]

Ground rules for when I do it....I will stop the clock when:The ball goes oobThere is a foul give A goal is scoredBasically exactly like basketball or hockey....if the ball is "in play" the clock will be running.Someone needs to set an over under....Chelsea is going to put on a clinic in time wasting

Do the same for baseball when you get a chance

Football is actually the worst about this.

 

[dparker713]

Average time in play is a little over 60 minutes

This would probably make soccer the longest sporting match, by time the ball is in play.

Football is about 11-12 minutes. I'd put baseball at even less than that. Basketball is at 48 minutes, and hockey is at 60 minutes.

Except that the timekeeping for baseball is off. The game is live at all times during a half inning, except for the limited amount of time that the calls time, otherwise the hidden ball trick would be illegal.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

What is the story with this Neymar??Is he coming to Europe to play? I lack a good source for soccer news....

The Neymar transfer is extremely complicated because of the sponsors. You can read more about it here. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3277/la-liga/2012/03/21/2981672/neymar-to-spearhead-a-new-brand-barcelona-but-it-may-be

With guys like Neymar, its best to just ignore everything until he is actually signed somewhere.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Average time in play is a little over 60 minutes

This would probably make soccer the longest sporting match, by time the ball is in play.

Football is about 11-12 minutes. I'd put baseball at even less than that. Basketball is at 48 minutes, and hockey is at 60 minutes.

That is good...not saying the game isnt long enough or anything, I just think "time wasting" has no business in sports.

I would say this bothers me a bit, but is one of my lesser complaints about the game. First, its not really much of a problem in most league games until the last 15 minutes or so, and in that respect is no different than running clock in basketball or football to protect a lead. It becomes more of a problem in knockout tournament games, especially in two situations: 1) where a weaker team is trying to get to PK's to have a chance to win a coinflip; and 2) in a home/away setting, like this week's two CL games, where the technically weaker team is protecting a lead in the second leg.That said, I have seen Italian and Spanish teams play a catenaccio that in my view can be truly a thing of tactical beauty. Chelsea played a 0-0 at the Nou Camp first leg in 2009 that I thought was genius, but was widely criticized and ridiculed. Generally speaking, however, I think it is a fool's game to think you can go into Barcelona and play 90 minutes for a 0-0 game. That is a recipe for disaster imo. Chelsea will be very defensive of course, but they will be looking for counter opportunities from the first minute and will hopefully get a chance to repeat the brilliance we saw last week with the Lampard-Ramieres-Drogba goal.

p.s. - regarding FCB, saw one of my old favorites today on the net. Its two years old, but still gets me:

 

[Slapdash]

Average time in play is a little over 60 minutes

This would probably make soccer the longest sporting match, by time the ball is in play.

Football is about 11-12 minutes. I'd put baseball at even less than that. Basketball is at 48 minutes, and hockey is at 60 minutes.

That is good...not saying the game isnt long enough or anything, I just think "time wasting" has no business in sports.

I would say this bothers me a bit, but is one of my lesser complaints about the game. First, its not really much of a problem in most league games until the last 15 minutes or so, and in that respect is no different than running clock in basketball or football to protect a lead. It becomes more of a problem in knockout tournament games, especially in two situations: 1) where a weaker team is trying to get to PK's to have a chance to win a coinflip; and 2) in a home/away setting, like this week's two CL games, where the technically weaker team is protecting a lead in the second leg.That said, I have seen Italian and Spanish teams play a catenaccio that in my view can be truly a thing of tactical beauty. Chelsea played a 0-0 at the Nou Camp first leg in 2009 that I thought was genius, but was widely criticized and ridiculed. Generally speaking, however, I think it is a fool's game to think you can go into Barcelona and play 90 minutes for a 0-0 game. That is a recipe for disaster imo. Chelsea will be very defensive of course, but they will be looking for counter opportunities from the first minute and will hopefully get a chance to repeat the brilliance we saw last week with the Lampard-Ramieres-Drogba goal.

p.s. - regarding FCB, saw one of my old favorites today on the net. Its two years old, but still gets me:

that is awesome.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Rangers are banned from signing players for one year and owner is banned for life from Scottish Football.

 

[El Floppo]

Wow. So what do you think happens to Boca et al?

 

[NewlyRetired]

Wow. So what do you think happens to Boca et al?

Everything depends on who the new owners will be and how much money they are willing to invest.My guess (total guess) is the following1) Boca is let go during the summer and signs with an MLS team (Vancouver or NE)2) Edu is transferred, possibly to a low level EPL team or maybe a Championship team.3) Bedoya, by far the cheapest of the three, is kept to play next year on a budget squad.

 

[CBusAlex]

That said, I have seen Italian and Spanish teams play a catenaccio that in my view can be truly a thing of tactical beauty. Chelsea played a 0-0 at the Nou Camp first leg in 2009 that I thought was genius, but was widely criticized and ridiculed.

I have no problem with "honest" timewasting. If a team wants to take the ball to the corner and hold it, or pass it back and forth between defenders forever, or just boot it downfield at every opportunity, then it's up to the opposing team to prevent them from getting the chance to do that. It's stuff like faking an injury, or taking absurdly long to make a substitution that bothers me, where there's nothing the other team can do about it.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

I need this game to kick off so I can get out of my office, get a beer in front of me and stop making stupid homer prop bets.

Cmon the Chels %$#%&

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Colleague in London says "Barca to win at a canter. 3-0 at least. "

 

[The Gator]

Colleague in London says "Barca to win at a canter. 3-0 at least. "

Hoping that happensI'll go with Barca jumping out to a 2-0 lead and Chelski scoring in the 96th minute to win on away goals

 

[The Z Machine]

Barça takes it 3-1 or 3-0. Sánchez and Cesc will make the difference from the Clásico results.

 

[El Floppo]

Wow. So what do you think happens to Boca et al?

Everything depends on who the new owners will be and how much money they are willing to invest.My guess (total guess) is the following1) Boca is let go during the summer and signs with an MLS team (Vancouver or NE)2) Edu is transferred, possibly to a low level EPL team or maybe a Championship team.3) Bedoya, by far the cheapest of the three, is kept to play next year on a budget squad.

But if the team is banned from buying new players for a year, I'd think thye'd want to hold on to what they've got as best they can. No? or will it just be a fire-sale as you're describing?

 

[El Floppo]

That said, I have seen Italian and Spanish teams play a catenaccio that in my view can be truly a thing of tactical beauty. Chelsea played a 0-0 at the Nou Camp first leg in 2009 that I thought was genius, but was widely criticized and ridiculed.

I have no problem with "honest" timewasting. If a team wants to take the ball to the corner and hold it, or pass it back and forth between defenders forever, or just boot it downfield at every opportunity, then it's up to the opposing team to prevent them from getting the chance to do that. It's stuff like faking an injury, or taking absurdly long to make a substitution that bothers me, where there's nothing the other team can do about it.

 

[El Floppo]

Speaking of pet-peeves...

When a team kicks the ball out of play so the other team can deal with an injury- I HATE it when the injured team then kicks the ball downfield AND out of bounds- pinning the "nice" team back in their defensive third. #### that. Give it back to the GK or push it right back out of bounds when you're throwing it. Mexican/Central American teams are horrible with this.

Who's with me?

 

[El Floppo]

I'm still too disappointed to even look at the Olympic's draw.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Wow. So what do you think happens to Boca et al?

Everything depends on who the new owners will be and how much money they are willing to invest.My guess (total guess) is the following1) Boca is let go during the summer and signs with an MLS team (Vancouver or NE)2) Edu is transferred, possibly to a low level EPL team or maybe a Championship team.3) Bedoya, by far the cheapest of the three, is kept to play next year on a budget squad.

But if the team is banned from buying new players for a year, I'd think thye'd want to hold on to what they've got as best they can. No? or will it just be a fire-sale as you're describing?

Depending on the owner, they are likely to have to significantly cut salary so players must go as and as such their squad size will likely be much smaller than normal. They may be able to sign players on free transfers, the wording was not specific.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Speaking of pet-peeves...When a team kicks the ball out of play so the other team can deal with an injury- I HATE it when the injured team then kicks the ball downfield AND out of bounds- pinning the "nice" team back in their defensive third. #### that. Give it back to the GK or push it right back out of bounds when you're throwing it. Mexican/Central American teams are horrible with this.Who's with me?

I don't like this either. The rule used to be cool when faking was less prevalent. Now a days I would prefer the game to keep playing until the ball is out of bounds. I hate rewarding a team when a player is faking. Let the attacking team continue its movement.If a team with the ball wants a player to be looked at, they should kick out of bounds and not expect to get it back.

 

[NewlyRetired]

I'm still too disappointed to even look at the Olympic's draw.

¿Qué es Olympics?

 

[jonessed]

Hmmm... rookie referee from a small league. I don't understand the logic behind that. This is a big, highly visible game.

 

[ffldrew]

All 10 defenders in the box

 

[jonessed]

Chelsea already parking the bus.

 

[ffldrew]

Fans are brutal at Nou - booing this?

 

[ffldrew]

what do you think - the loss to RM an help or hindrance today?

 

[ffldrew]

Pique out cold?

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

I think he was out cold, yep. Very little chance Chelsea can sit this deep for ninety IMO. They'll get burned by this I think.

 

[ffldrew]

Pique being substituted

 

[jonessed]

This is so ugly from Chelsea. It would truly be a shame to see them advance. Barcelona are such a far superior team.

Edit: Thank God. I wonder if Chelsea will open up a bit now.

 

[ffldrew]

friggen crazy - got to make sure no one is looking at all on those - do it in a crowd if you have to

 

[jonessed]

Terry with the cheapshot and he's gone. What a ####### moron.

 

[jonessed]

Game over.

 

[The Z Machine]

Floodgates opened

 

[NewlyRetired]

Terry with the cheapshot and he's gone. What a ####### moron.

So cheap and so dumb!The announcers are saying the ref did not see it but the AR did. If the ref did not see it, how did he know to pull out the red immediately with out conferring with the AR?

 

[NewlyRetired]

Holy crap! Where did that come from!!!!

 

[Tremendous Upside]

Terry with the cheapshot and he's gone. What a ####### moron.

So cheap and so dumb!The announcers are saying the ref did not see it but the AR did. If the ref did not see it, how did he know to pull out the red immediately with out conferring with the AR?

They wear headsets, no?

 

[Spartans Rule]

Anyone see that coming?

Chelsea now winning on away goals.

 

[jonessed]

Valdez again. No reason to go that far out.

 

[ffldrew]

 

[jonessed]

Terry with the cheapshot and he's gone. What a ####### moron.

So cheap and so dumb!The announcers are saying the ref did not see it but the AR did. If the ref did not see it, how did he know to pull out the red immediately with out conferring with the AR?

They wear headsets, no?

Yes.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Terry with the cheapshot and he's gone. What a ####### moron.

So cheap and so dumb!The announcers are saying the ref did not see it but the AR did. If the ref did not see it, how did he know to pull out the red immediately with out conferring with the AR?

They wear headsets, no?

That must be how they did it.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Down 2-1, down a man, no central defenders, away to Barcelona and you have to score. About as tough an ask as you'll ever see. Chelsea's going to get a hiding.

ETA: LOL

 

[dparker713]

Down 2-1, down a man, no central defenders, away to Barcelona and you have to score. About as tough an ask as you'll ever see. Chelsea's going to get a hiding.ETA: LOL

Chelsea doesn't need to score, Barca does.

 

[B Maverick]

Speaking of pet-peeves...When a team kicks the ball out of play so the other team can deal with an injury- I HATE it when the injured team then kicks the ball downfield AND out of bounds- pinning the "nice" team back in their defensive third. #### that. Give it back to the GK or push it right back out of bounds when you're throwing it. Mexican/Central American teams are horrible with this.Who's with me?

I don't like this either. The rule used to be cool when faking was less prevalent. Now a days I would prefer the game to keep playing until the ball is out of bounds. I hate rewarding a team when a player is faking. Let the attacking team continue its movement.If a team with the ball wants a player to be looked at, they should kick out of bounds and not expect to get it back.

Agreed just play it to the keeper and get the game moving again.

 

[Major]

Anyone see that coming?Chelsea now winning on away goals.

And just when I thought I was going to be able to work through this match. Wow, just found out I have to meet a client. Hello pub.

 

[Tremendous Upside]

Down 2-1, down a man, no central defenders, away to Barcelona and you have to score. About as tough an ask as you'll ever see. Chelsea's going to get a hiding.ETA: LOL

Chelsea doesn't need to score, Barca does.

He posted that prior to the Chelsea goal

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Down 2-1, down a man, no central defenders, away to Barcelona and you have to score. About as tough an ask as you'll ever see. Chelsea's going to get a hiding.ETA: LOL

Chelsea doesn't need to score, Barca does.

He posted that prior to the Chelsea goal

Chelsea scored while I was typing. Thus the LOL.O/U on Barca's 2nd half shots on goal?

 

[The Z Machine]

Interesting turn of events in those last 10 minutes, eh?

 

[The Z Machine]

Valdez again. No reason to go that far out.

I don't blame him for coming out like that.