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

[El Floppo]

I'm watching the red bulls game and they flashed a French game being played later in the month at red bull stadium. Not a friendly, a real match. That's cool

Montpellier v Lyon in the French Supercup (same idea as Community Shield, I think).

I would think these types of games would do really well for the leagues' brands if played elsewhere like this.

I always got the impression that the Community Shield etc were basically pre-season type of approach for teams, not "real" in the way a cup or league game would be. Anybody else know more?

I think in most countries it is treated as a semi serious game. Basically the last strong tune up game. More than a friendly but less than a real league game is how I see the various Super Copa's.

By the way, Italy started this way back in 1993 when they played their Supercoppa Italiana at RFK in DC. They have also played at Giants stadium in 2003 and in recent years have played this game in China.

Yeah- that was basically my take.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Just looked it up and Liverpool finished with the same points as Fulham last year! This is not an upgrade.

Liverpool points - Fulham points last five years...76-3686-5363-4658-4952-52A worrying trend, but Liverpool are still a buying team. When they quit wasting money on the Carrolls and Adams of the world they'll be better again.

 

[NewlyRetired]

I'm watching the red bulls game

I still don't get the scheduling of this game in the afternoon on a weekday. A player is going to drop dead in this heat. :(

Steeeeenkin' hot here today. Not a good one for playing pro anything, let alone walking to the store for lunch.

Hey andy- that link for the Seedorf post didn't seem to take me to anything Seedorf related. Was there news about this other than him being let go, or were just linking back to the original post about it?

hmm. It looks like it does. Let me cut and paste in case I screwed something up. I will bold the important part=================================

The Brazilian clubs are suddenly flush with cash compared to where they were years ago.

You are going to see a slow migration of players to Brazil in the future. It won't be the super stars of course but you will see some surprisingly big names going to Brazil which has be nearly unheard for a long long time.

They are even starting the the China/MLS technique of signing big name players in their 30's. Clarence Seedorf has become the highest paid foreigner in Brazilian football after recently signing for Rio de Janeiro outfit Botafogo.

This influx of cash will also allow them to keep their good younger players a little longer than normal in the domestic league.

 

[AcerFC]

I'm watching the red bulls game

I still don't get the scheduling of this game in the afternoon on a weekday. A player is going to drop dead in this heat. :(

Yeah. It's hot and humid. Im guessing they are trying to get the camps in. But it's mostly empty

 

[NewlyRetired]

I'm watching the red bulls game

I still don't get the scheduling of this game in the afternoon on a weekday. A player is going to drop dead in this heat. :(

Yeah. It's hot and humid. Im guessing they are trying to get the camps in. But it's mostly empty

I know the season ticket holders were pissed. They felt like they paid for 17 games and got 16. Probably a bunch of unused tickets for people who did not want to miss work.

 

[azgroover]

Im vacationing in Portland and happened to make it to the game last night. It was my first pro soccer game. What a freaking atmosphere the Timbers fans have. Tickets were tough to come by, so I had to split my family up just so we could get in the gates. Being the gentleman that I am, I put my wife and daughter in the good set of seats while my son and I took the cheap seats and sat with the Timbers army. I was a little peeved on the inside until we took our seats and started singing along with all the die hards. When the Timbers scored early, the place blew up.I've been to a hoops game at Duke, which is sort of my benchmark for fans that are just as entertaining as the game. I'd have to put the Timbers army right up there in that echelon. Just a blast. I went to bed last night singing "onward Rose City" in my head. Gonna hit the Whitecaps game on Wed. for comparison sake,

The atmosphere comes across on TV so well, I can't imagine how good it must be in person. And now imagine them having a good team some day to go with those fans So you are seeing LA twice in 4 days? Cool. They are fun to watch. Vancouver is a nice atmosphere but not as good as Portland (and Seattle), at least from what comes across on tv.

In Vancouver now. Things aren't looking hopeful to make it to the game tonight. This matchup is the talk of the town. Beckham is on the front page of the paper, morning radio was excited, and all of the Craigslist ads are buyers rather than sellers. If it were just my son and I, I'd figure out a way, but since the wife and daughter want to go too, I'm not ready to break the bank for 4 crap seats. My hotel is downtown though, so we'll probably head down to BC Place about 30 mins before kickoff just to gauge the scalper market.BTW, this city has got to be the most beautiful in North America. My eyes are gonna hate leaving, but my wallet will be better for it.

 

[El Floppo]

I'm watching the red bulls game

I still don't get the scheduling of this game in the afternoon on a weekday. A player is going to drop dead in this heat. :(

Steeeeenkin' hot here today. Not a good one for playing pro anything, let alone walking to the store for lunch.

Hey andy- that link for the Seedorf post didn't seem to take me to anything Seedorf related. Was there news about this other than him being let go, or were just linking back to the original post about it?

hmm. It looks like it does. Let me cut and paste in case I screwed something up. I will bold the important part=================================

The Brazilian clubs are suddenly flush with cash compared to where they were years ago.

You are going to see a slow migration of players to Brazil in the future. It won't be the super stars of course but you will see some surprisingly big names going to Brazil which has be nearly unheard for a long long time.

They are even starting the the China/MLS technique of signing big name players in their 30's. Clarence Seedorf has become the highest paid foreigner in Brazilian football after recently signing for Rio de Janeiro outfit Botafogo.

This influx of cash will also allow them to keep their good younger players a little longer than normal in the domestic league.

tank's fer nuttin.

 

[Eephus]

Just browsing Wikipedia, it appears that Reading's captain played internationally for Jamaica (albeit only once) before retiring from international play. He also used to play for Wimbledon (Eephus>hi). He was actually born in England though.That raised the question....what other CONCACAF internationals have captained a team in the EPL? Brian McBride (Fulham) and Tim Howard (Everton) have done it. Who else? Doesn't look like Brad Friedel or Dwight Yorke ever did. There has to be some more. I don't have an actual answer to this, just tossing out the question.

Shaun Goater captained Man City for their last game at Maine Road but that was more of an honorary role than a regular gig. Other possibilities would include Craig Forrest, Marcus Gayle and Shaka Hislop but I couldn't find any verification.Many CONCACAF players are either Black or speak English as a second language. Until very recently, those have both been seen as negatives when it comes to assigning the armband.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Just browsing Wikipedia, it appears that Reading's captain played internationally for Jamaica (albeit only once) before retiring from international play. He also used to play for Wimbledon (Eephus>hi). He was actually born in England though.That raised the question....what other CONCACAF internationals have captained a team in the EPL? Brian McBride (Fulham) and Tim Howard (Everton) have done it. Who else? Doesn't look like Brad Friedel or Dwight Yorke ever did. There has to be some more. I don't have an actual answer to this, just tossing out the question.

Shaun Goater captained Man City for their last game at Maine Road but that was more of an honorary role than a regular gig. Other possibilities would include Craig Forrest, Marcus Gayle and Shaka Hislop but I couldn't find any verification.Many CONCACAF players are either Black or speak English as a second language. Until very recently, those have both been seen as negatives when it comes to assigning the armband.

Did Reyna ever wear the arm band for Man City or Sunderland? I believe he captained Rangers before moving to England.

 

[El Floppo]

Just browsing Wikipedia, it appears that Reading's captain played internationally for Jamaica (albeit only once) before retiring from international play. He also used to play for Wimbledon (Eephus>hi). He was actually born in England though.That raised the question....what other CONCACAF internationals have captained a team in the EPL? Brian McBride (Fulham) and Tim Howard (Everton) have done it. Who else? Doesn't look like Brad Friedel or Dwight Yorke ever did. There has to be some more. I don't have an actual answer to this, just tossing out the question.

Shaun Goater captained Man City for their last game at Maine Road but that was more of an honorary role than a regular gig. Other possibilities would include Craig Forrest, Marcus Gayle and Shaka Hislop but I couldn't find any verification.Many CONCACAF players are either Black or speak English as a second language. Until very recently, those have both been seen as negatives when it comes to assigning the armband.

Did Reyna ever wear the arm band for Man City or Sunderland? I believe he captained Rangers before moving to England.

IIRC, Reyna did captain City.So funny to think back to THAT City, as opposed to our $ity today.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Henry scored an awesome goal to win the game today in that incredible heat.

He is such a pro. Most guys of his stature and age would have found a way to sit this game out. Instead he does this in the 70th minute

http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-07-18-ny-v-chi/highlights?videoID=192900

 

[NewlyRetired]

Anyone besides Cletius watching the Seattle Chelsea game tonight? I am looking forward to it but only if Seattle plays its first team.

 

[El Floppo]

Henry scored an awesome goal to win the game today in that incredible heat. He is such a pro. Most guys of his stature and age would have found a way to sit this game out. Instead he does this in the 70th minutehttp://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-07-18-ny-v-chi/highlights?videoID=192900

Well ok then.And btw- Le Toux looked great receiving, turning in midfield and then hitting that perfect ball to Henry.But lol at the both teams after the tackle that opened up this play... both teams looked GASSED and hot, standing around except for the guys on the play.

 

[Sebowski]

Henry scored an awesome goal to win the game today in that incredible heat. He is such a pro. Most guys of his stature and age would have found a way to sit this game out. Instead he does this in the 70th minutehttp://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-07-18-ny-v-chi/highlights?videoID=192900

What is the crowd chanting after the goal? Flops?

 

[NewlyRetired]

I got this email. Sharing in case there is anyone wanting to get tickets.

============

Exclusive Sporting Club Presale!

Tickets for the Tuesday, October 16th World Cup Qualifier featuring the U.S. Men's National Team and Guatemala go on sale today, Wednesday, July 18 at 11:30 AM! The presale will end on Friday, July 20 at 2:00 AM.

To purchase tickets, enter your personal promo code found below after clicking the link provided:

PROMO CODE: UXSTRONG

http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/060048E9A6083496?artistid=821723&majorcatid=10004&minorcatid=11

 

[NewlyRetired]

So funny to think back to THAT City, as opposed to our $ity today.

Back then it was spelled ¢ity.

 

[Native]

I'm sure everyone is eagerly anticipating an exciting opportunity to see the European Champions in action tomorrow night for he first time since the thrilling and well-deserved triumph in Munich last May. While several of the Champions have not yet joined the team on its US tour (Mata, Torres, Romeu, Meireles, Malouda, Cole, Bertrand, JT and Daniel Sturridge all MIA), we'll likely get to see several of the youngsters such as Lukaku, de Bruyne and Piazon and the newcomers / future Champions, Eden Hazard and Marko Marin. Hopefully, Oscar will be joining the team by the end of the tour.Here's the full roster:GK- Cech, Hilario, Turnbull, BlackmanD- Ivan, Luiz, Paulo, Cahill, Hutch, Kane and NateM- Ess, Ram, Lamps, Mikel, Hazard, Marin, Yossi, Josh, SavilleF- Lukaku, Kakuta, KDB, Bamford, Piazon

In case people don't know. Chelsea is playing Seattle tomorrow night on ESPN2 at 9:30pmIn the past Seattle has chosen to rest players and play the reserves and have gotten plastered. They are expected to play most of the first team tomorrow night for some of the game as they don't have another game until the 28th.

Really looking forward to this CM. Im excited to see some of our young players in action:Kakuta: A few yrs ago he was our prodigy but he seemed to have lost his mojo and now there are many other new faces in the fold. Hes still very young and immensely talented - this may be his last year for him to make his mark before being sold. De Bruyne: Will probably be loaned out but is another tremendous talent.Hazard/Marin: Will be fun to see players with such great ball control on the pitch for Chelsea.Piazon: Dont know what expectations we have for him. Hes very young and I dont know that hes ever going to stick with all the players in front of him. Especially if we continue to sign more playersLukaku: Was the hottest property in European football two seasons ago; now he'll have to fight for his place. Essien: Hoping he returns to full fitness this season. Were a different team when hes healthy

 

[NewlyRetired]

Josh Gatts team of Molde was in UCL qualification today and won 3-0 in the home leg. That puts them in good position to advance.

 

[El Floppo]

Henry scored an awesome goal to win the game today in that incredible heat. He is such a pro. Most guys of his stature and age would have found a way to sit this game out. Instead he does this in the 70th minutehttp://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-07-18-ny-v-chi/highlights?videoID=192900

What is the crowd chanting after the goal? Flops?

I route for them, but nowhere near a fanboy.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Brad Guzan got the start for Aston Villa tonight in goal against Philly. AV up 1-0 at half on what appears to be a hashed up lineup for Philly (no Adu, no Valdes etc even on the bench from what I can tell).

Lichaj is on bench for AV.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Geoff Cameron is not in the lineup for Hhouston tonight. He is not on the injury report.

Hopefully the Stoke City move is almost done.

 

[NewlyRetired]

I feel like at this point last year I was constantly posting Brek Shea highlights. It is like he is not even in the league this year how little affect he has had :(

 

[NewlyRetired]

Tasker, you seeing what FC Toronto has done since Mariner took over? Considering the historically bad start, it is pretty impressive. Tonight they won their 3rd straight.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Cool. Seattle is starting their first choice lineup.

Sounders Matchday (@LiveSounders)

7/18/12 8:54 PM

Sounders FC XI - Meredith, Scott, Parke, Hurtado, Gonzalez, Rosales, Evans, Alonso, Fernandez, Montero, Johnson.

 

[jonessed]

Hope he keeps his job, but that's not so good...

Egypt, coached by the former United States coach Bob Bradley, has failed to qualify for its second successive Africa Cup of Nations after a 1-1 draw at the Central African Republic ensured that Egypt missed out, 4-3 on aggregate.After a 3-2 win in Egypt, Central African Republic scored first Saturday in Bangui on Foxi Kethevoama’s 23rd-minute header at the back post. That left Egypt needing three goals to advance to the final round of qualifying for next year’s tournament in South Africa.Bradley was hired after Egypt failed to make this year’s finals.

Yeah, that's not acceptable. Egypt is definitely talented enough to qualify.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Here is the Chelsea starting lineup

Sounders Matchday (@LiveSounders)

7/18/12 8:54 PM

Chelsea XI - Hilario, Ivanovic, Luiz, Ferreira, Chalobah, Mikel, Hazard, McEachran, Marin, Benayoun, Lukaku.

 

[Native]

Jeez Lukaku really did look like the second coming of Drogba on that goal.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Jeez Lukaku really did look like the second coming of Drogba on that goal.

If they sign Hulk, they would make fun tag team wrestlers

 

[Native]

Im calling it now - Belgium is going to turn heads at 2014. They are absolutely loaded.

 

[Native]

Jeez Lukaku really did look like the second coming of Drogba on that goal.

If they sign Hulk, they would make fun tag team wrestlers

 

[Native]

Seattle playing a very nice first half.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Seattle playing a very nice first half.

They are creating a ton of chance

 

[NewlyRetired]

Wow, those two Chelsea deflected goals were carbon copies of each other.

 

[NewlyRetired]

I think Chelsea has created 5 chances and buried 4 of them. So efficient.

 

[Native]

Marin and Hazard are going to be very fun to watch for Chelsea this year.

 

[Steve Tasker]

Tasker, you seeing what FC Toronto has done since Mariner took over? Considering the historically bad start, it is pretty impressive. Tonight they won their 3rd straight.

Yeah, it's been impressive. All I can do is read about it though, the games aren't on TV here.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Tasker, you seeing what FC Toronto has done since Mariner took over? Considering the historically bad start, it is pretty impressive. Tonight they won their 3rd straight.

Yeah, it's been impressive. All I can do is read about it though, the games aren't on TV here.

I have watched bit and pieces on MLSLive but did see them play a full game against the Revs.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Jose Villareal is a home grown player for the Galaxy. He is 18 and has represented both the U18 and U23 US youth teams.

Last week he broke his MLS cherry with subbing in for a minute of play.

This week he scored this sweet game tieing goal. About as good a goal as you will see for a players very first professional goal.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-07-18-van-v-la/highlights?videoID=193103

 

[ffldrew]

Dallas FC gets a PK awarded to them against SJ in 93rd min with chance to tie and the shooter skys it over the net

 

[ffldrew]

Tasker, you seeing what FC Toronto has done since Mariner took over? Considering the historically bad start, it is pretty impressive. Tonight they won their 3rd straight.

Yeah, it's been impressive. All I can do is read about it though, the games aren't on TV here.

Uh - guys it was against the Rapids - who are just taking the word suck to a new level.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Tasker, you seeing what FC Toronto has done since Mariner took over? Considering the historically bad start, it is pretty impressive. Tonight they won their 3rd straight.

Yeah, it's been impressive. All I can do is read about it though, the games aren't on TV here.

Uh - guys it was against the Rapids - who are just taking the word suck to a new level.

I was not talking about this one game. More to the fact that Toronto got off to the worse start in MLS history, fired Winter and have found a way to win some games. And yes, the Rapids are awful

 

[NewlyRetired]

Dallas FC gets a PK awarded to them against SJ in 93rd min with chance to tie and the shooter skys it over the net

I just saw the highlight. What a strange choice for a pk taker. The guy has never scored a goal in MLS. SJ is in great position to win the Supporters Shield.

 

[NewlyRetired]

A raw feed of BeIn Sports in being tested right now on Galaxy 23 (a DISH Network satellite).

http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-forum/288426-bein-sport-channel-request-5.html

 

[NewlyRetired]

I love confidence like this

====

"It's true I don't know that much about Ligue 1 but Ligue 1 knows who I am."

-- Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic on joining French Ligue 1 club Paris SG on a $25 million transfer from AC Milan. (Guardian)

 

[NewlyRetired]

I feel like at this point last year I was constantly posting Brek Shea highlights. It is like he is not even in the league this year how little affect he has had :(

Jeff Carlisle (@JeffreyCarlisle)7/19/12 2:06 AM#fcd mgr Schellas Hyndman on Shea's present form: "I think it's better that I don't make any comments about his performance."Jeff Carlisle (@JeffreyCarlisle)7/19/12 2:07 AMWhen asked what Shea said to him when he was subbed, Hyndman said: "I think it's better I don't make that comment either." #fcd

 

[Slapdash]

I love confidence like this ===="It's true I don't know that much about Ligue 1 but Ligue 1 knows who I am."-- Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic on joining French Ligue 1 club Paris SG on a $25 million transfer from AC Milan. (Guardian)

 

[Steve Tasker]

Article

Tottenham defender Ledley King's retirement from football prompts the question: what could have been?

There was a sad inevitability when, at 11am today, a short story on Tottenham Hotspur’s official website confirmed that Ledley King had retired from professional football.

King is only 31, a full decade younger than his team-mate Brad Friedel and fully seven years younger than Ryan Giggs.

As a central defender, King should be at his absolute peak and could conceivably still be targeting another two international tournaments with England and further honours with Tottenham.

But, for the last six years, King has been playing through the pain of a chronic and incurable knee injury.

Despite never training and being so carefully managed by Harry Redknapp, the stark facts were that he has managed to play just 24 times during the past two years.

Even in doing that, he was taking a huge gamble with his own fitness and health during his life after football.

In truth, given the severity of his injury, it has been a remarkable achievement to have got this far and still managed to play such a major part in Tottenham’s successes over the past three seasons.

The question that people will be asking today, however, is just how good King might have been.

Having joining Tottenham as a trainee at the age of 14, King’s pace and physical strength were among his key attributes.

Both qualities were clearly hugely diminished by his injuries and so it is an indication of his rare quality that, even without training, he remained one of England’s best centre-backs.

His greatest gift was almost a sixth-sense for reading the game. It is a cliché that, with some players, the first few yards in the head.

With King, it was more like the first 10 yards. “He is like a magnet for the ball, a thoroughbred of a defender, the best centre-half in the country,” said Jamie Redknapp, his former Tottenham team-mate.

“What amazes me is that he doesn't train, but then plays as if it is so easy.”

Without injury, it is clear that King would have been an England regular – possibly even the captain – and would almost certainly have led Tottenham to even greater heights.

Yet while it is natural today to consider what might have been, we should also still salute what was.

As the announcement said, King will go down as one of Tottenham greats, a one-club man who still played more than 300 games and helped Spurs to win a League Cup and reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

He also collected 21 England caps but, by prolonging his career in the face of such a serious injury, perhaps his greatest accomplishment was the character he showed and the example he set in the face of such adversity.

 

[The Z Machine]

These stupid threads on Page 1 make me lose track of the most important thread in the FFA... this one.

 

[El Floppo]

These stupid threads on Page 1 make me lose track of the most important thread in the FFA... this one.

I just open threads I've already replied in... basically this one and the movie thread.

 

[NewlyRetired]

If you hate technology in sports, look away now. You have been warned.

The micoach Elite System includes a small data cell that fits into a player’s base layer in a protective pocket on the back between the shoulder blades. Connected by a series of electrodes and sensors woven into the fabric of the base layer, the cell wirelessly transmits more than 200 data records per second from each player to a central computer and then is displayed in a series of simplified insights and results on the coach’s iPad. At the touch of his fingertips, a coach can monitor the workload of an individual player, compare one athlete with another or view the whole team to gain a complete picture of the squad.“Our long-standing partnership with adidas and our combined goal to bring innovative and game-changing experiences to the sport of soccer are key reasons behind the success of Major League Soccer,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. “Working with adidas, we are bringing players, coaches and fans across the league a revolutionary technology to help teams perform at the highest level.”In the future, MLS fans will be able to experience greater insight from the field of play as live, on-field player data will become an integral part of the game experience, whether watching from home or within the stadium.