***Official Soccer Discussion Thread*** (7 Viewers)

[Senor Schmutzig]

Just realized that the Copa Libertadores return leg is going on in Sao Paulo next week while I'm there. Great matchup between Boca Juniors (Buenos Aires, Argentina) and Corinthians (Sao Paulo, Brazil).

I remember being in the UK for the ManU v. Chelsea Champions League final in 2008. That was a fun time. Looking forward to seeing the atmosphere in Sao Paulo for this match.

Going to watch the 1st leg tonight to get more familiar with the teams.

 

[kblitz]

Did the Germany transfer window open earlier than normal? I know MLS opens today but I thought Germany was July 1st?

It`s opens July first. So his contract with Bayern won´t start before July

 

[NewlyRetired]

In case anyone was getting tickets, Juventus has pulled out of their US based games this summer affecting a game in Vegas against Real Madrid and a game in DC against DC United.Real Madrid will now play Santos Laguna (Herculez Gomez's team).

Damn, I was actually looking at that DC United game.

they are trying to lineup another team. Goff I think suggested possibly PSG but that was just based on speculation.

Goff nailed it as he usually does. PSG will replace Juventus in the game against DC.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Looks like both goal line technologies passed all tests and will be voted in by the IFAB next week.

They expect the World Club Cup in December will be the first place these are used.

I assume it will be up to the individual leagues and their FA's if this is adopted into domestic leagues but I am unsure.

I don't know what will happen if and when Platini takes over FIFA (god help us) since he detests the idea.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Did the Germany transfer window open earlier than normal? I know MLS opens today but I thought Germany was July 1st?

It`s opens July first. So his contract with Bayern won´t start before July

Oh ok. I didn't know the could announce the signings early. Thanks.

 

[GoFishTN]

Looks like both goal line technologies passed all tests and will be voted in by the IFAB next week.

They expect the World Club Cup in December will be the first place these are used.

I assume it will be up to the individual leagues and their FA's if this is adopted into domestic leagues but I am unsure.

I don't know what will happen if and when Platini takes over FIFA (god help us) since he detests the idea.

Harder to fix games with technology.Edit: From my (limited) research Hawk-Eye seems to be less reliable than GoalRef. I'm sure you can guess which one they'll most likely choose.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Spain starting Negredo up top. Wow.

 

[Sinn Fein]

Spain starting Negredo up top. Wow.

Great - I picked up Fabregas for nothing.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Spain starting Negredo up top. Wow.

Great - I picked up Fabregas for nothing.

Cesc is very dashing.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

I knew it.

 

[The Gator]

Spain starting Negredo up top. Wow.

Eeeeeeaaaasssy, Suarez

 

[Ursa M]

No doubt. Smaller leagues than Wales already exist in Europe - the Faroe Islands field an international side and, IIRC, used to have only two teams in their league. Not sure what they have now.

I am fascinated by sport in smaller nations like this so I looked up the Faroe Islands Football Federation and they have 40 teams with a population of only 50,000. Amazing. Premier League champ BC36 Torshavn just drew Northern Islands' Linfield in the first qualifying round (a home-and-home) of the 2013 Champions League.If I could find those games to watch, I'm silly enough to do it.

Forty??? I had no idea. Many years ago I read an article on FI and I'm sure they only had two teams and they may have even shared the same (artificial) field. It was close by a cliff and the ball often was lost to the sea. This was when they were first thinking about entering international competition, again IIRC.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Looks like both goal line technologies passed all tests and will be voted in by the IFAB next week.

They expect the World Club Cup in December will be the first place these are used.

I assume it will be up to the individual leagues and their FA's if this is adopted into domestic leagues but I am unsure.

I don't know what will happen if and when Platini takes over FIFA (god help us) since he detests the idea.

Harder to fix games with technology.Edit: From my (limited) research Hawk-Eye seems to be less reliable than GoalRef. I'm sure you can guess which one they'll most likely choose.

They are supposedly going to choose both and allow the countries to make their own deals. However, if push comes to shove I bet they choose Hawk-Eye since it is from Sony who is a major Fifa sponsor.

As you said, it's FIFA so they will find a way to screw this up.

 

[NewlyRetired]

No doubt. Smaller leagues than Wales already exist in Europe - the Faroe Islands field an international side and, IIRC, used to have only two teams in their league. Not sure what they have now.

I am fascinated by sport in smaller nations like this so I looked up the Faroe Islands Football Federation and they have 40 teams with a population of only 50,000. Amazing. Premier League champ BC36 Torshavn just drew Northern Islands' Linfield in the first qualifying round (a home-and-home) of the 2013 Champions League.If I could find those games to watch, I'm silly enough to do it.

Forty??? I had no idea. Many years ago I read an article on FI and I'm sure they only had two teams and they may have even shared the same (artificial) field. It was close by a cliff and the ball often was lost to the sea. This was when they were first thinking about entering international competition, again IIRC.

You may be thinking of another country. From wiki:

Their first division has been around since the 40's. 4 clubs started way back then. Grew to 7 teams in the 70's, and to 10 teams in the 80's. They have promotion and relegation as well. Second division was also formed backin the 40's.

The teams were allowed into Euro competition in the early 90's.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Can Spain bring in Mascherano for Pique? :mikeandmike:

Nice work by Negredo so far, IMO.

 

[NewlyRetired]

I do not like the fact that Euro 2016 will go to 24 teams. It is a poor size that allows for poor 3rd place side to advance to knock out rounds. It greatly reduces the drama of the group games IMO.

 

[Sinn Fein]

I do not like the fact that Euro 2016 will go to 24 teams. It is a poor size that allows for poor 3rd place side to advance to knock out rounds. It greatly reduces the drama of the group games IMO.

6 groups of 4, with 4 3rd place teams advancing?

 

[NewlyRetired]

I do not like the fact that Euro 2016 will go to 24 teams. It is a poor size that allows for poor 3rd place side to advance to knock out rounds. It greatly reduces the drama of the group games IMO.

6 groups of 4, with 4 3rd place teams advancing?

They have not decided on the final format but that seems likely. That was the format used in WC 1994.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Very good first half for Portugal.

 

[The Gator]

Very good first half for Portugal.

I was a little worried after the first 10min or so when they were sitting back. They need to keep closing down up high like they are now.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Did Darke just say Spain has only lost once since 2007?

Didn't they lose to both US and Switzerland in that time period?

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Did Darke just say Spain has only lost once since 2007? Didn't they lose to both US and Switzerland in that time period?

Maybe he just meant major comps? I think their only loss between Euro-WC-Euro was Switzerland in 2010.ETA: They also got pummeled by Portugal in a friendly last year.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

God, Pepe is a goon.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Did Darke just say Spain has only lost once since 2007? Didn't they lose to both US and Switzerland in that time period?

Maybe he just meant major comps? I think their only loss between Euro-WC-Euro was Switzerland in 2010.ETA: They also got pummeled by Portugal in a friendly last year.

Yeah, he did say "competitive competition" so that is probably just Euro and WC and qualifiers. FIFA must love the announcers saying the Confed Cup is not competitive

 

[NewlyRetired]

This game needs a goal. It is no way the snore fest that the Spain France game was but could really use the injection.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Ref is getting a bit uppity with the yellow imo.

 

[Sinn Fein]

I wonder if Spain set their line-up anticipating extra time. Wanting Fabregas in for the end of the game.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

This game needs a goal. It is no way the snore fest that the Spain France game was but could really use the injection.

I don't think either GK has made a save thru 75 min.

 

[NewlyRetired]

This game needs a goal. It is no way the snore fest that the Spain France game was but could really use the injection.

I don't think either GK has made a save thru 75 min.

I can only remember one (shot right at keeper). Awful. And Spain can't complain about Portugal parking the bus, because they have not. Both teams have been horrendous in the final 3rd.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Shame there is not a simple solution to the wall moving eh Macca?

 

[HughHoney]

How come nobody on the field can just let the refs call the fouls without the entire team swarming him. Could you imagine a missed PI call in football and 11 players just crowd around the ref, touching him, putting their arms up in the air. Every call or missed call, every offsides or missed offsides, players just stop and put their arms up. I'm trying to get into this but every player is such a baby its tough.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Portuguese still have two subs I believe. Spain with none left.

 

[HughHoney]

Ramos gets kicked in the shoulder, goes down holding his forehead. If this was the exception instead of the norm it'd be one thing but it's a practice that seemingly every single players does. It's pathetic.

 

[General Malaise]

Germany will run through either one of these teams like the Maginot Line.

 

[Native]

Gotta love Iamn Darke dropping all these player signings/resignation news in real time!

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Portugal must not trust anyone on their bench. I thought Postiga was good but don't know much about him. I know he scored 2 against Spain in the friendly last year.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Gotta love Iamn Darke dropping all these player signings/resignation news in real time!

Coaches have quit, transfers have been made...still no goals scored.

 

[The Gator]

Portugal must not trust anyone on their bench. I thought Postiga was good but don't know much about him. I know he scored 2 against Spain in the friendly last year.

He got hurt last game

 

[NewlyRetired]

One of the worst games on the tournament. This is not going to help Spain's cause of everyone calling them boring.

 

[NewlyRetired]

How come nobody on the field can just let the refs call the fouls without the entire team swarming him. Could you imagine a missed PI call in football and 11 players just crowd around the ref, touching him, putting their arms up in the air. Every call or missed call, every offsides or missed offsides, players just stop and put their arms up. I'm trying to get into this but every player is such a baby its tough.

You basically described the NBA for the last 20 years. At least they finally put in some changes this year to curb that.

 

[GoFishTN]

How come nobody on the field can just let the refs call the fouls without the entire team swarming him. Could you imagine a missed PI call in football and 11 players just crowd around the ref, touching him, putting their arms up in the air. Every call or missed call, every offsides or missed offsides, players just stop and put their arms up. I'm trying to get into this but every player is such a baby its tough.

The refs need to start carding for this nonsense.

 

[NewlyRetired]

How come nobody on the field can just let the refs call the fouls without the entire team swarming him. Could you imagine a missed PI call in football and 11 players just crowd around the ref, touching him, putting their arms up in the air. Every call or missed call, every offsides or missed offsides, players just stop and put their arms up. I'm trying to get into this but every player is such a baby its tough.

The refs need to start carding for this nonsense.

I feel like this is more common with Latin teams than say African or Asian teams. I think some of it is cultural.

 

[The Gator]

Torres> grab a seat

 

[Sinn Fein]

One of the worst games on the tournament. This is not going to help Spain's cause of everyone calling them boring.

Not sure the "boring" style is to blame here - they have been outplayed for stretches of the game. Portugal challenging up high and through the midfield forced a lot of bad passes and touches from Spain.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

How come nobody on the field can just let the refs call the fouls without the entire team swarming him. Could you imagine a missed PI call in football and 11 players just crowd around the ref, touching him, putting their arms up in the air. Every call or missed call, every offsides or missed offsides, players just stop and put their arms up. I'm trying to get into this but every player is such a baby its tough.

The refs need to start carding for this nonsense.

I feel like this is more common with Latin teams than say African or Asian teams. I think some of it is cultural.

I read a Ronaldo quote somewhere where he said that he considers a player coming in for a tackle at a right-angle is more of an offense than diving.

 

[Spartans Rule]

Awful game. It's a real shame somebody has to win. I'd be 100% for throwing both teams off the field and calling tomorrow's game the final.

 

[Sinn Fein]

How come nobody on the field can just let the refs call the fouls without the entire team swarming him. Could you imagine a missed PI call in football and 11 players just crowd around the ref, touching him, putting their arms up in the air. Every call or missed call, every offsides or missed offsides, players just stop and put their arms up. I'm trying to get into this but every player is such a baby its tough.

The refs need to start carding for this nonsense.

I think Busquets got a yellow in this game for dissent after a non-call against Ronaldo.

 

[Ursa M]

No doubt. Smaller leagues than Wales already exist in Europe - the Faroe Islands field an international side and, IIRC, used to have only two teams in their league. Not sure what they have now.

I am fascinated by sport in smaller nations like this so I looked up the Faroe Islands Football Federation and they have 40 teams with a population of only 50,000. Amazing. Premier League champ BC36 Torshavn just drew Northern Islands' Linfield in the first qualifying round (a home-and-home) of the 2013 Champions League.If I could find those games to watch, I'm silly enough to do it.

Forty??? I had no idea. Many years ago I read an article on FI and I'm sure they only had two teams and they may have even shared the same (artificial) field. It was close by a cliff and the ball often was lost to the sea. This was when they were first thinking about entering international competition, again IIRC.

You may be thinking of another country. From wiki:

Their first division has been around since the 40's. 4 clubs started way back then. Grew to 7 teams in the 70's, and to 10 teams in the 80's. They have promotion and relegation as well. Second division was also formed backin the 40's.

The teams were allowed into Euro competition in the early 90's.

I guess you're right, it must have been somewhere else. Maybe one of the Channel Islands or something. That's the trouble with getting older.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Awful game. It's a real shame somebody has to win. I'd be 100% for throwing both teams off the field and calling tomorrow's game the final.

The group games for the most part were fantastic. The knockout games for the most part have sucked. Hopefully Italy will continue their positive play and we can get a great game tomorrow.

 

[ffldrew]

Awesome stop X 2