((Morpheus))
Footballguy
The gap between the top 4-5 of UEFA and the top 4-5 of the EPL has never been wider...
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***Official Soccer Discussion Thread*** (5 Viewers)
- Thread starter jpeace121
- Start date
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
Yeah, I don't think it's heresy. I think Bradley is better than Reyna, but it's not as if they really play the same position even if they're both center mids. Reyna was best as deep lying playmaker and Bradley is a classic box-to-box Number 8. Reyna is a better decision maker but Bradley is a much more dynamic player. Bradley can stamp his authority on more different types of games than Reyna could. Of course, Reyna might have been more dominant for another country where his skills weren't so unique. You can put Xavi on the USMNT and it will only get you so far if everyone else is giving the ball away.
Good Posting Judge
Footballguy
Madrid's looking pretty mediocre by Madrid standards as of late. Maybe things will start to click and they'll get some guys back from injury, but right now, they're certainly beatable. Either way, it should be a great matchup. I really like Barca's draw. This ACM team doesn't scare me much, especially with the prospect of them having to sell off more players this January. I doubt they're even going to face much of a hostile environment in Milan.
Mjolnirs
Footballguy
Bring on Podolski!The DFB Pokal quarterfinals were drawn as well and there will not be a repeat of last year's final as Bayern and Dortmund meet this round.
The Gator
Footballguy
The Gator
Footballguy
Let's take this to the bookie. What's your bet?Good luck with that.Sterling signs new 5yr contractThe Sturridge rumors picking up, so much so that talk shows are saying a deal is done in principle for £12M
Fair enough.Can you kindly remind me again who won the CL last year? My memory has failed me in my advanced age (and truth be told, I tend to block out some results from some hated clubs). Just curious.The gap between the top 4-5 of UEFA and the top 4-5 of the EPL has never been wider...
Sebowski
Footballguy
NY Giants.Fair enough.Can you kindly remind me again who won the CL last year? My memory has failed me in my advanced age (and truth be told, I tend to block out some results from some hated clubs). Just curious.The gap between the top 4-5 of UEFA and the top 4-5 of the EPL has never been wider...
Dinsy Ejotuz
Footballguy
I can't remember either.But it sure as hell wasn't the best team.Fair enough.Can you kindly remind me again who won the CL last year? My memory has failed me in my advanced age (and truth be told, I tend to block out some results from some hated clubs). Just curious.The gap between the top 4-5 of UEFA and the top 4-5 of the EPL has never been wider...
Sebowski
Footballguy
Not saying he won't sign. Saying he sucks. How do you want to quantify that?Let's take this to the bookie. What's your bet?Good luck with that.Sterling signs new 5yr contract
The Gator
Footballguy
Goals
CletiusMaximus
Footballguy
"Never" is pretty strong here. EPL didn't do very well in Europe from '85 to' 90.The gap between the top 4-5 of UEFA and the top 4-5 of the EPL has never been wider...
Eephus
Footballguy
I can't remember either.But it sure as hell wasn't the best team.Fair enough.Can you kindly remind me again who won the CL last year? My memory has failed me in my advanced age (and truth be told, I tend to block out some results from some hated clubs). Just curious.The gap between the top 4-5 of UEFA and the top 4-5 of the EPL has never been wider...
Good Posting Judge
Footballguy
2012: The Year That Fernando Torres Won Everything.
CletiusMaximus
Footballguy
Sterling or Sturridge? We've not yet seen the best from Sturridge. I think there's a decent chance he'll do very well paired with Suarez.Not saying he won't sign. Saying he sucks. How do you want to quantify that?Let's take this to the bookie. What's your bet?Good luck with that.Sterling signs new 5yr contract
The Gator
Footballguy
((Morpheus))
Footballguy
The EPL as we know it was founded in 92. That's a convenient cutoff for me because I'm not old enough to remember anything before then."Never" is pretty strong here. EPL didn't do very well in Europe from '85 to' 90.The gap between the top 4-5 of UEFA and the top 4-5 of the EPL has never been wider...
Good Posting Judge
Footballguy
City rumored to be bidding a whole lot of money for Ronaldo/Coentrao.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
It won't be starting out with a call to the January camp it appears as he will still be in rehab for his surgery to remove a bone in his foot. Won't be back until preseason for MLS.
El Floppo
Footballguy
Very well said and analyzed, Scoob.And to be fair to Bradley in my original post- I haven't seen him live enough to figure how many of his passes and touches are as directly useful as Reyna's were. Reyna triggered attacks with the slightest moves- and also with "how the hell did he see that" passes. IMO, he was better able to figure out how to use the guys around him to spark something going forward than Bradley is... which isn't to say that Bradley doesn't do this. Reyna's ability to unlock tricky opposition just seems a bit ahead of Bradley. And even though Bradley's growth has been amazing- that ability, IMO, is something innate. And IMO, Reyna is behind two US players in that regard- but they weren't and aren't anywhere near as complete players as Bradley or Reyna. Wanna guess who I'm thinking of?
Eephus
Footballguy
too soon"Never" is pretty strong here. EPL didn't do very well in Europe from '85 to' 90.The gap between the top 4-5 of UEFA and the top 4-5 of the EPL has never been wider...
berndog
Footballguy
I'll take a shot at one of them and say John O'Brien. He didn't play in the middle but he could pass.
El Floppo
Footballguy
Xbut with health, damn- he might have made it. and IIRC, he did play in the middle- no?I'll take a shot at one of them and say John O'Brien. He didn't play in the middle but he could pass.
yes. my man-love of Ramos is long.
Sebowski
Footballguy
In. Talking Sturridge, Cletius.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Obie did play in the middle occasionally for the US the few times he was not shattered like glass.I'll take a shot at one of them and say John O'Brien. He didn't play in the middle but he could pass.
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
I don't think that Sturridge sucks, but I do think he's an odd fit with Suarez.
Both Sturridge and Suarez are kind of selfish. And I don't really mean that prejoratively. Lots of great strikers are selfish. But I think it's hard to pair up one guy who wants to face up and run at everybody (Suarez) with another guy who wants to shoot at every chance, half-chance, quarter-chance, ... (you can stop me when we find what label would best apply to "any shot from 30 yards or in"), in Sturridge.
In the right setup, Sturridge, like his philosophical soulmate, Jermaine Defoe, will score goals. But I'm not sure how he and Suarez would bring out the best in each other.
Both Sturridge and Suarez are kind of selfish. And I don't really mean that prejoratively. Lots of great strikers are selfish. But I think it's hard to pair up one guy who wants to face up and run at everybody (Suarez) with another guy who wants to shoot at every chance, half-chance, quarter-chance, ... (you can stop me when we find what label would best apply to "any shot from 30 yards or in"), in Sturridge.
In the right setup, Sturridge, like his philosophical soulmate, Jermaine Defoe, will score goals. But I'm not sure how he and Suarez would bring out the best in each other.
CletiusMaximus
Footballguy
You may be right, of course. As Scooby noted earlier, he has a reputation for playing very selfishly, even for a striker, and taking lots of bad shots. I don't think he got a fair shake at Chelsea though. I think its probably a good buy for Liverpool, assuming they have a plan to deal with his contract situation, which I believe expires in 6 months.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
I can't guess who the other player is in terms of unlocking opponents. Cletus, Dempsey and Donovan all had/have this skill but I would not have put any of them above Reyna.
If it was not Obie, who am I forgetting? Young Mr Adu should have been the next in the legacy line but that did not work out.
What time frame did this player play in?
If it was not Obie, who am I forgetting? Young Mr Adu should have been the next in the legacy line but that did not work out.
What time frame did this player play in?
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Oh of course, Buddle. How did I forget him.
Yes I know you mean Freddy, I mentioned him above in a late edit.
El Floppo
Footballguy
That's the one. Of course- it's only come in moments, and against youngsters. But still...
CletiusMaximus
Footballguy
How's the television coverage for Europa League games here? I like the draw for both UEFA tournaments - looks like some good Euro footy for us in 2013.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Fantastic if you have Direct TV. On game day you can get anywhere from 5 to 7 games live for free. They are just the raw feeds, no pre game or half time. Other than that you get one game live I believe on FSC.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
I know he was a pain in the ### but I loved his Gun Slinger personality. We have really only had three of those players, Waldo, Clint, and Dempsey but much of Dempsey's edge has been removed (for his betterment) in England.
As someone who's been banging the Sturridge drum for years now, I think he would be fine in Liverpool.I respect Ramseybang's opinions, but I think he's incorrect in this regard. In my eyes, you put the talent together and try to make it work, if it doesn't work, you try adjusting to see what does work. I seem to recall a number of posters saying that RvP and Rooney would have a difficult time gelling too - and it seems they've worked together quite fantastically (biased opinion).Sturridge to me passes the eye test in that he has world class talent. It just seems to me that it's been a matter of circumstance that he hasn't shown how good he can be. He came up with City at a time where the stars there were Ireland, Micah Richards, amongst others, and was poised to be their next big thing...and then, whammo, team is bought by richest owners in the world and they decide it would be quicker and easier to just buy Tevez, Arguero, Balotteli, Dzeko, Adebayor, and so on and so on. Well, obviously these guys would favor first team treatment so he is bought by Chelsea. Too young probably to play on a CL level, he is then buried by coaching turmoil/rollover, and of course more big name stars brought in Torres, Hazard, types. So he has a hard time getting a sniff, and when he is thrown on the field, he's pretty much asked to be the danger man, the scorer, so he does what he can.Now, Liverpool is in dire straits in the attack, it's evident. They have a world class talent in Suarez and then nothing. Teams can scheme against this, and no matter how good Suarez is, he needs an attack partner in some fashion, be it someone who plays up top with him, or attacking wingers that can break down defenses, etc.. And, as much as I dislike Suarez, he is a polished enough player that I think he could play fine with another 'selfish' striker such as Sturridge - and to be honest, I don't necessarily think defining Sturridge as selfish is necessarily fair, as he is only 22 years old and can certainly change his play to the team/situation he is around. It just seems to me in the appearances I have seen him play at Chelsea, that he's been under a great deal of pressure to perform (read, score) as it may have been AVB's job/#### on the line for starting him, or he gets subbed in late for a usually ineffective Torres. In my eyes, Sturridge is a nice player and I think he can fit in very well with another striker in a 4-4-2 type lineup.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Cool.
As some know Gale Agbossoumonde was one of the bright lights in the US system, but unfortunately got caught up in a complete mess with Traffic, the agency that basically owned his rights. Here is a story from a couple of years ago that goes into the ugly details of the mess he got himself into.
http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/news/_/id/5764564/anguish-gale-agbossoumonde
Well it looks like he may have finally extracted himself from Traffic contract as he signed with MLS and will be playing for Toronto.
He is still just 21(just turned 21 last month) and has time to restart what was once a promising career.
As some know Gale Agbossoumonde was one of the bright lights in the US system, but unfortunately got caught up in a complete mess with Traffic, the agency that basically owned his rights. Here is a story from a couple of years ago that goes into the ugly details of the mess he got himself into.
http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/news/_/id/5764564/anguish-gale-agbossoumonde
Well it looks like he may have finally extracted himself from Traffic contract as he signed with MLS and will be playing for Toronto.
He is still just 21(just turned 21 last month) and has time to restart what was once a promising career.
The Gator
Footballguy
Who wants to set the O/U on goals in 2013? GPJ?
All fair points, but I think his conversion rate would still be best on the team .
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
Final Draft of the Post I'm Using for Great Footy Draft, which I'll Likely Post Tomorrow.
At the risk of boring 90% of the FFA, I am seeking participants in a Great Footballers Draft and “Awesome” Champions League Tournament. We’re going to try to make this something a little bit different. What I call a “narrative draft.” Think of the project as part old school FFA draft (the early Rock Band ones, the Russian Bride Draft, roughly none of the TimDrafts) and part portis26 “Awesome Dynasty” thread.
We’ll draft teams and will set up a tournament modeled after the European Champions League “Knockout Rounds”. Voting in individualized threads for each “leg” of the “home and home” matchup will impact the result. Yes, I said impact. I didn’t say determine. As they say, “it’s a funny old game.”
Draft participants and Your Humble Narrator (if possible, I plan to run the draft and tournament but not to have a team) will deliver the game results in the form of a (hopefully) entertaining narrative featuring the things we enjoy about the game. Stunning goals (no promises, but I imagine there might be some YouTube links), awful mistakes, horrific red card tackles, maybe even some soccer hooligan ultra-violence. So here’s how it works.
The Draft:
I need at least 8 participants. Depending on interest and people’s ability to go deeper I can make it work with 10, 12, 14, or ideally 16 teams. It’s a standard snake draft.
The Teams:
Each team will pick a starting 11 and 3 reserves. I hate rules, so please forgive the following (loose, I hope) eligibility requirements. Each team must have at least 4 players who are best classified as having significant careers before 1990. Of those 4 players, 2 players must be best classified as having significant careers before 1970. So, for instance, Pele would count as one of the 5 before 1990 and one of the 2 before 1970. I picked pretty obvious cutoffs and I’m willing to be lenient on these. If the guy had a significant club or national team achievement before 1970, I’m not going to get into an argument if his best years were still in the 70s. And that’s pretty much it. I guess each team will need a goalkeeper, but I otherwise don’t care what formation you run. We’ll make it work.
The Surprises:
You won’t draft home stadiums or managers, but I have assigned associated stadiums and managers to certain players as bonuses that we can use for storylines. No drafter needs to accept a “bonus” manager or stadium when offered and can instead select an unassigned manager or stadium at the end of the draft on a first come first served basis.
The Tournament:
Each leg of a matchup will have a voting thread. The first post will hype the match, and focus on some possible storylines.
Each thread will have certain deadlines that we will designate as “half time” “regular time” and “injury time.” At that time, the voting will impact certain game features. I have created three “game event tables” for each deadline—a “close matchup” table for when the vote is within a 10% margin, a “control matchup” table for when the vote difference is between 10% and 20%, and a “blowout matchup” for when the vote difference is greater than 20%. Each table contains thirty events. Obviously events are more evenly distributed in the close matchup table and more heavily weighted toward the higher voted team in the blowout matchup.
At “half time” I will consult the vote, select the appropriate table, and generate a random number between 1-30, which will determine a game result. (“2 Goal lead”, “player sent off”, “shock counter attack goal, underdogs lead”). We will then write up a narrative. At regular time and injury time, I will do the same (keeping in mind that injury time tables have less “events” assigned and more null entries.) “Impact subs” may be made after “half time” and “regular time” of each leg. After all narratives are written, that leg is complete.
We will then do another leg (at the other home stadium) the same way. Top aggregrate score will advance with the usual away goals tie breaker. In the event of the need of a penalty kick shootout, we’ll give the tie to the team with the most aggregrate votes between legs.
The Tourney will advance round by round until the final, which will be only one leg and at a neutral site.
So that's it. I'd like to start the draft right after Christmas.
At the risk of boring 90% of the FFA, I am seeking participants in a Great Footballers Draft and “Awesome” Champions League Tournament. We’re going to try to make this something a little bit different. What I call a “narrative draft.” Think of the project as part old school FFA draft (the early Rock Band ones, the Russian Bride Draft, roughly none of the TimDrafts) and part portis26 “Awesome Dynasty” thread.
We’ll draft teams and will set up a tournament modeled after the European Champions League “Knockout Rounds”. Voting in individualized threads for each “leg” of the “home and home” matchup will impact the result. Yes, I said impact. I didn’t say determine. As they say, “it’s a funny old game.”
Draft participants and Your Humble Narrator (if possible, I plan to run the draft and tournament but not to have a team) will deliver the game results in the form of a (hopefully) entertaining narrative featuring the things we enjoy about the game. Stunning goals (no promises, but I imagine there might be some YouTube links), awful mistakes, horrific red card tackles, maybe even some soccer hooligan ultra-violence. So here’s how it works.
The Draft:
I need at least 8 participants. Depending on interest and people’s ability to go deeper I can make it work with 10, 12, 14, or ideally 16 teams. It’s a standard snake draft.
The Teams:
Each team will pick a starting 11 and 3 reserves. I hate rules, so please forgive the following (loose, I hope) eligibility requirements. Each team must have at least 4 players who are best classified as having significant careers before 1990. Of those 4 players, 2 players must be best classified as having significant careers before 1970. So, for instance, Pele would count as one of the 5 before 1990 and one of the 2 before 1970. I picked pretty obvious cutoffs and I’m willing to be lenient on these. If the guy had a significant club or national team achievement before 1970, I’m not going to get into an argument if his best years were still in the 70s. And that’s pretty much it. I guess each team will need a goalkeeper, but I otherwise don’t care what formation you run. We’ll make it work.
The Surprises:
You won’t draft home stadiums or managers, but I have assigned associated stadiums and managers to certain players as bonuses that we can use for storylines. No drafter needs to accept a “bonus” manager or stadium when offered and can instead select an unassigned manager or stadium at the end of the draft on a first come first served basis.
The Tournament:
Each leg of a matchup will have a voting thread. The first post will hype the match, and focus on some possible storylines.
Each thread will have certain deadlines that we will designate as “half time” “regular time” and “injury time.” At that time, the voting will impact certain game features. I have created three “game event tables” for each deadline—a “close matchup” table for when the vote is within a 10% margin, a “control matchup” table for when the vote difference is between 10% and 20%, and a “blowout matchup” for when the vote difference is greater than 20%. Each table contains thirty events. Obviously events are more evenly distributed in the close matchup table and more heavily weighted toward the higher voted team in the blowout matchup.
At “half time” I will consult the vote, select the appropriate table, and generate a random number between 1-30, which will determine a game result. (“2 Goal lead”, “player sent off”, “shock counter attack goal, underdogs lead”). We will then write up a narrative. At regular time and injury time, I will do the same (keeping in mind that injury time tables have less “events” assigned and more null entries.) “Impact subs” may be made after “half time” and “regular time” of each leg. After all narratives are written, that leg is complete.
We will then do another leg (at the other home stadium) the same way. Top aggregrate score will advance with the usual away goals tie breaker. In the event of the need of a penalty kick shootout, we’ll give the tie to the team with the most aggregrate votes between legs.
The Tourney will advance round by round until the final, which will be only one leg and at a neutral site.
So that's it. I'd like to start the draft right after Christmas.
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Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
Yeah, I was one of the idiots who thought Rooney and RvP wouldn't gel. So maybe treat me like George Costanza when building striking tandems.
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The Gator
Footballguy
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Will this be the first time Ronaldo plays at Old Trafford since left left?
jonessed
Footballguy
Rodgers has worked pretty hard to move Liverpool out of the 4-4-2. The idea that he would backtrack on that to try and fit one player in really doesn't make sense.I suspect Sturridge will slot in on the right (as he did at Chelsea) in place of Sterling in the 4-3-3. The problem with Sturridge in that position at Chelsea wasn't a lack of goals, but his entire disregard for his defensive responsibilities.I don't think his work rate will actually fit well with the way Rodgers plays. As much as I dislike Suarez, he does bring a high work rate in addition to his other attributes.
Eephus
Footballguy
He's an upgrade over Borini
jonessed
Footballguy
I'm not sure that's saying much. Liverpool has spent a small fortune to buy a lot of mediocre talent. This really just seems like a step in that same direction.He's an upgrade over Borini
Dinsy Ejotuz
Footballguy
John Doyle?
The Gator
Footballguy
You're right about the 4-3-3, but this is where I think we differ: I don't think he'll be out wide, but in the middle up top. The very fluid wingers Rodgers uses means playing left and right wings during the game. Sturridge making runs with Suarez and Steriling behind him makes a lot of sense to me. The last time Suarez had a decent forward in front of him was when he had Hunelaar at Ajax. He put up 22 goals and 15 assists that year in league play and 28/19 overall.
Think it has the potential to be really good.
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It's relatively difficult to play an effective 4-4-2 when you have only one strikerFurther, Liverpool has about 15 midfielders on their roster.And again, you're judging Sturridge's workrate from a few games you've seen him play at Chelsea? Players can change, young players can certainly adjust their game. And sure Sturridge probably lacks defensively - as do most younger players, you don't often see Chicharito or Welbeck tracking back defensively. With Liverpool having Lucas back in the fold, they have a lot of flexibility in my eyes. Gerrard has looked like a fish out of water. And they have young options that can play attacking wingers.I'm not going to say Sturridge is a world beater, I just think the guy has a lot of untapped talent and lots of people are making sweeping generalizations against him in a very small sample size.
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