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Yes, they're down to 32 teams now. There's an initial round or two where lesser teams get winnowed out ahead of that. No reason to pay attention to these early stages unless one of your teams is trying to qualify, but it's worth a lot of money to make the group stage. Tournament starts in earnest in about 3 weeks.
Playing out that way again today. The only chance he created was called back because the ball was OOB.
Ahh, thanks
When I first read and learned about it a couple months ago, I assumed it was going to be toward the ends of the seasons and happens over a short period of time. So, this should be fun to follow along with. And, now I can see how brutal that one group is....yikes.
I can follow this train of thought but both of those guys combined make #### happen. Suarez alluding defenders and Carrol posting up for crosses/long balls. I don't follow the rumor mill but I'm sure this was some interclub personal bs as opposed to $ or talent.
Fair comment but you need to draw a line between the Dalglish and Rodgers eras. Rodgers doesn't want a big #9 demanding service in the box--he probably doesn't want Suarez trying to dribble around multiple defenders either but that's another story. Carroll should fit in well for West Ham, at least until Big Sam is sacked. He's a good pairing with Matt Jarvis firing in crosses from the wing. I like contrasting styles and as an old Wimbledon fan, can see the beauty of Neanderthal soccer. West Ham won't be pretty but they'll be interesting.
Yes, they just got down to 32 teams and had "the draw" which puts the teams into the eight groups. In Europe, certain leagues have performed better in European competition than other leagues. That performance is tracked by something called a League Coefficient. The leagues with the best coefficients send the most teams to the Champions league. So the English Premiere League, for example, sends four teams. Lower place finishers (3rd or 4th) from big leagues may battle the champions or runners-up from smaller leagues (say the winner of the Romanian league) in the preliminary rounds to reach the group stage. For instance Lille was the 3rd place team in the French league and beat Copenhagen, the 2nd place team in the Danish league to go to the group stage.So now that we're in the group stage, each group is a mini double round robin tournament with the top two teams advancing. 3pts for a win, 1 pt for a tie. Once the group stage is over, there is another draw which sets up the rest of the competition as a tournament bracket. Initially, group winners are drawn against group runners up. Each "stage" of these "knockout stages" are a home and home series between two teams with the highest aggregate score advancing until the two finalists face off in a single game.
They could/should make things happen. One of the best post-up target forwards and one of the best counterparts at finding space, beating guys off the dribble and just hustling all out.But as Scoob says, Suarez can frustrate his teammates by putting the head down and avoiding their useful runs in support. I haven't seen enough of these two actually on the field at the same time to judge whether they actually work or not- so far not, but yeah- the combo of talents seems like a good fit.
No argument from me. I deleted a paragraph saying just about all those things (although I think Carroll can do more than just play Route One football when he's sharp). I do wonder if the Rodgers will really be able to change the squad the way he wants to. At this stage in his career, I think Stevie G. would be best served moving into a deep lying playmaking role in the Pirlo/Xabi Alonso/MLS Beckham role. That also doesn't really fit Rodgers vision, but is the guy going to marginalize Gerrard? He'd be run out of the Kop on a rail.
Does running count?
It might get to the point where yes, yes it does.Does running count?
Gatt, Mix and Cher all advanced at least. Mix scored in the 87th to push his side through. There has been some twitter scuttlebutt that if Chandler turns down Klinsmann again, that Gatt may get his first call for these two qualifiers.
In other news, I'm losing all faith in Reina. Rodgers should do like me in Football Manager............sell him for $60 million (which he wouldn't get at this point in real life, but does for me in FM), and bring in someone younger and better. My personal favorite is Neuer, but I don't see him moving on anytime soon. Taking out the clean sheet in the first leg, Reina has given up 6 goals in the last 3 matches. Not good.
so good. literally.
I've already sent him my manifesto.
Boyd is through as well and scored today in Rapids win over.4 out of the 5 American's involved today advanced. Jozy's team on the other hand got obliterated 5-0, at home no less.Gooch's team advanced as well, but I don't really count him since he never seems to make the game day roster anymore much less play.
It was actually a decent window to be looking for a GK. Cesar is still good, Lloris is a steal at 12M, Butland is an up-and-comer and was available. Teams don't really let go of top goalkeepers that often.I've already sent him my manifesto.
They have one player that can score goals. That leads to boom and bust offensive showings. Lampard still seems to have it, but Gerrard doesn't. He can pick a pass, but I think his time as a big offensive threat is coming to an end.
He and Nolan worked really well together, much like Torres and Gerrard worked so well together.
There are always more decent keepers than top flight jobs.It was actually a decent window to be looking for a GK. Cesar is still good, Lloris is a steal at 12M, Butland is an up-and-comer and was available. Teams don't really let go of top goalkeepers that often.I've already sent him my manifesto.
They'd probably just loan him out if they did
It's not really that they can't coexist, it's just that he doesn't fit the new manager's style, and was grossly overpaid for by the previous regime. It's hard to deal with a $35 million dollar player on the bench.
It was a run.
Here is some moreIves Galarcep (@SoccerByIves)8/30/12 5:03 PMDidn't think Josh Gatt would get a USMNT look until January, but the way he's playing right now, think Klinsmann will take a look sooner.Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta)8/30/12 5:15 PMI've been covering Josh Gatt since literally the day he signed for Altach. His career rise has been amazing. I think he's on the #usmnt soon
Hell, I'd love to see Dempsey stay at Fulham and get to work with Berbatov. It'd be great watching those two drama queens together.Boca and Dempsey.......
Rigged?
The seeding system they use stinks.
Actually the wiki articles are pretty good.Start with the main article for this season and follow the links to the different rounds.
Less than 24 hours after this has come rumors that the team is thinking of moving (San Diego, Arizona were rumored) and the press reported that the GM was fired today, although it looks like it has not yet been confirmed.As a fan of the league I would be highly in favor of a move, specifically if it comes with a rebrand. The "Chivas USA" was worth a questionable gamble at the time but they need to admit that it did not work. While they were wasting money chasing a latino fan base that was not interested, many other teams in the league were building their fans bases leaving Chivas USA wondering what happened.
The whole thing is rigged for established teams. I think it should be based on the quality of the current team, but that's not how the system works.Barca, United, and Milan got great draws, but that's going to happen more often than not. Real Madrid got a tough draw (not that it matters much), but you can see how the system created that. Barca, United, or Chelsea could have easily been put into the same spot.Rigged?
think you can get through with 6 points and no goals scored?
<says the Podolski owners in the FFL league>
