***Official Soccer Discussion Thread*** (3 Viewers)

[dparker713]

In a related topic, ESPN.com is running a 5 month long poll in which they are trying to determine The Greatest Athlete of All Time. The definition is a bit loose and when looking at the candidates, they are really talking about the greatest players, not athletes specifically.

There are 16 different categories and each category gets one week to pick its winner and then the 16 winners face off in a NCAA bracket.

Categories include Basketball, hockey, baseball, golf, combat sports, soccer, football, tennis, swimming, auto sports, action sports etc

This week is soccer's turn.

The 5 choices are Messi, CRo, Pele, Maradona and Ronaldo

The winner of the soccer vote then goes against the winner of the action sport in the first knock out round.

http://sports.espn.g...eatestofalltime

I'd have a problem with the top 5 selections if anyone outside of the top 3 was a serious contender.

 

[dparker713]

Im constantly amazed at how small top salaries are in comparison to transfer fees.

Walcott is asking for $7-$8MM/year. That's quite a salary and Arsenal is pretty far down on the wage scale of big teams.Teams like RM, Barca, Bayern, Chelsea, City, Milan, etc. are much higher than Arsenal, Liverpool, or even United. I think Barca's average salary is more than what Walcott wants. On a per player basis the only other sports teams that can compete with these guys are organizations like the Yankees or the Lakers.

He's asking for what, 4M pounds per year? His transfer fee would be a multiple of that amount. Messi turned down 30M euro year season from the Russian team, but his buyout was 250M euro - 8 times more than his proposed salary. Ronaldo's 80M pound transfer was for a salary of 17.6M pounds - something Man U wasn't going to pay in the first place. Seems off to me that the system allows for teams to profit so much for the services of players they're unable/unwilling to afford.

Most of these top players sign 5 year guaranteed contracts, so when commentators discuss the cost of a player, it is typically transfer fee + total value of the contract. (FFP rules also amortize the transfer fee over the length of the contract.) I think Anzhi's reported offer for Messi is anomalous, since it never had a reasonable chance of being accepted and was based on his buy-out clause, not a market price. One recent example from Chelsea is Eden Hazard, a top transfer target last summer, with a transfer fee of approx. 35 mil. pounds and a total five year contract value of approx. 45 mil.

Thats my point though. In baseball when Daisuke Matsuzaka was posted, the Red Sox were willing to spend over $100M (though that number was partially inflated because the posting fee was not subject to luxury tax calculations). However, since they spent $51.1M on the posting fee he received about half what he could have just 1 year later. I know 1 year can have a very significant effect on the earning power of these players, but it just seems like they've let a system develop where teams get far more value than they should on a regular basis.

 

[The Gator]

'arry's not 'appy

Hughes spent a fortune on crappy players. I'm not sure anyone can save them at this point.

They managed to stayed up last year with 37 points. I'm not sure they'll get 30 this time.

Joe Cole to the rescue!!!

Please let this happen.

Rink

 

[NewlyRetired]

Cudicini to the Galaxy is official, apparently. Not a DP. Excellent signing, IMO.

agreed. Free transfer, and no DP is perfect. I have not seen how many years this was. I assume it was a 2 year deal. It will be interesting to see what his salary was and if they had to use allocation money to get him without using a DP slot.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Cudicini to the Galaxy is official, apparently. Not a DP. Excellent signing, IMO.

Seems like the Gals have superior management for big signings to every other team in the league. NYRB have to be dead last.

Hard to argue with Henry. Marquez was a good signing on paper. I didn't really like the Cahill signing (still don't, really).

While Marquez was a good signing on paper, I think the club is at fault for not cutting bait last winter. By wasting another year on him, he could arguably be the worst DP signing ever when you factor in his cost. I am not ready to pass judgement on Cahill yet until later in the 2013 season. I have seen too many players come into MLS in mid season and look lost only to play much better the following year. One name not mentioned that NY deserves credit for is the DP signing of Angel who was excellent for the club.

 

[El Floppo]

Cudicini to the Galaxy is official, apparently. Not a DP. Excellent signing, IMO.

Seems like the Gals have superior management for big signings to every other team in the league. NYRB have to be dead last.

Hard to argue with Henry. Marquez was a good signing on paper. I didn't really like the Cahill signing (still don't, really).

While Marquez was a good signing on paper, I think the club is at fault for not cutting bait last winter. By wasting another year on him, he could arguably be the worst DP signing ever when you factor in his cost. I am not ready to pass judgement on Cahill yet until later in the 2013 season. I have seen too many players come into MLS in mid season and look lost only to play much better the following year. One name not mentioned that NY deserves credit for is the DP signing of Angel who was excellent for the club.

Tainio, Lindper... they've done a good job getting quality roll-players. And yeah- Angel was a good signing too.As much as I really, really, really hate Marquez- I hate Marquez.But as much as love Mattheus, good gravy he did not try to play even a little bit here in NYC/NJ. Still for me the worst MLS signing ever and the poster child of the guy not to get.

 

[Steve Tasker]

Arsenal getting thoroughly beaten by Southampton right now. Gaston Ramirez looks really dangerous.

 

[The Gator]

Lucas Moura joins PSG for €40M

 

[CletiusMaximus]

The rumored Ba/Chelsea deal has apparently been scuppered becaue Ba wanted somewhere around double his 20,000/wk and 20,000 appearance bonus. Chelsea's average 1st team player earns a bit over 70,000/wk. Considering the rush to get SuperFrank and Ashley Cole out the door, Chelsea certainly seems to be inordinately worried about the wage bill for a petrodollar club.

I have no idea what the team is doing now or will do this month, but the transfer window is open now and for the next 30 days so I hope they have a plan in place. If they actually let Frank leave I would be shocked, but there seems to be a fair bit of rumor activity indicating that is the case. They would then have lost their top three scorers from last season in Lampard, Drogba and Sturridge. They have only one striker on the roster with Torres and will be very thin at DM, especially when Mikel is out for a month during the ACN. I still have hope that one of these days I will open the browser and see that Lampard and Cole have signed 2 year deals with Chels.Maybe FFP is driving the Ba negotiations? Ba's buyout is cheap, but he's 27 (I think) and has had some history of injury, so perhaps the problem is the number of years he wants rather than the wages. He would probably still be second choice to Torres. From what I've seen of Ba, he is a good scorer but doesn't do much else.

 

[Sebowski]

Bay Area vets: crashing in Oakland tonight and in Haight tomorrow. No car. Where should I watch Liverpool-Sunderland and bonus question: how should I get there?

 

[The Z Machine]

Best soccer bars:

East Bay - The Englander in San Leadndro. You can walk from the San Leandro Bart, about 10 min walk. Good beers on tap and they will have the game on.

Haight - Mad Dog in the Fog on lower Haight. Best pure footy pub in the Bay. They WILL have the game on. Take whatever bud you want down Haight, or just walk if you walk to check out the scene and it's within walking distance.

Also, I'm officially jealous.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Didn't see this posted yet... from Oman, a cameraman has the touch of the match.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Houston Dynamo president Chris Canetti, who grew up near Newtown Connecticut, is organizing a soccer event to allow the towns kids to play in small sided games with some players. There will be an online auction that is associated with the event to help raise money.

Lalas, Wynalda, Cobi Jones, Landon, Christine Rampone, Kristin Lilly are amongst the names already stated they would come.

Marcus Tracy, who playes for the SJ Earthquakes, grew up in Newtown and his mother even taught at Sandy Hook Elementary School in the past will play as well.

Even Mia Hamm is chucking her mommy jeans to play.

 

[The Gator]

Then let's bet the beer. 22ozs for every goal over or under whatever is agreed upon.

Paid for at Hamilton's?

Done Deal

 

[Steve Tasker]

Then let's bet the beer. 22ozs for every goal over or under whatever is agreed upon.

Paid for at Hamilton's?

Done Deal

Sebowski>make sure you have any soccer-related beer bet with Gator formally drafted by your attorney with very specific language.

 

[The Gator]

Or, not on the deck of a bar after a day of drinking

 

[T Bell]

Multiple sources are saying that Walcott's signing an extension with Arsenal for 90k/week (4.5M/year). Great news for the Gunners if true. Now they just need to start playing more 4-4-2 with he and Giroud up front.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Multiple sources are saying that Walcott's signing an extension with Arsenal for 90k/week (4.5M/year). Great news for the Gunners if true. Now they just need to start playing more 4-4-2 with he and Giroud up front.

Not really sure I see how Arsenal would run a 4-4-2. Would they move Cazorla to the right wing? Play a diamond? If so, who plays as the holding mid? Neither Arteta or Wilshere appear all that well suited to a lone holding midfield role. And I'm not sure that Giroud is so important to the 11 to justify sitting either CM.

 

[NewlyRetired]

The announcers for the Liverpool-Sunderland game are stating that Demba Ba to Chelsea is official.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Who is this team, and what have they done with Liverpool?

Oh... and Luis Suarez is pretty handy.

 

[Steve Tasker]

US-born Nigerian international Bright Dike has scored in their friendly against Catalonia. He plays for Portland. Bright Dike

 

[NewlyRetired]

US-born Nigerian international Bright Dike has scored in their friendly against Catalonia. He plays for Portland. Bright Dike

If it wasn't for the Germans, our melting pot would be working against us instead of for us.

 

[Tremendous Upside]

God I despise Rafa Benitez

 

[Christo]

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

 

[Moe.]

apparently leighton baines did something cool today. link on grantland

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Rafa wait.

 

[SmoovySmoov]

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

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QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

SmoovySmoov likes this.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Looks like Sturridge to Liverpool is a done deal.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

And, Cavani's agent says he's gone in June. He listed PSG, RM, FCB, Chelski and MC as the only 5 clubs rich enough to land him.

 

[T Bell]

Rafa wait.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

You're still getting relegated.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Are people going to say "steady" to Brendan Rogers for the rest of his life, as a goof?

 

[Christo]

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR! QPR!

You're still getting relegated.

You lie.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Newcastle are dropping points at an alarming rate. I think they have grabbed only 3 points out of the last possible 18, and those 3 points were at home against QPR.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Alfredo Morales told the German media he will be attending the US January camp. He is 20 and plays very infrequently for Hertha in the Bundesliga 2 (relegated last season from Bundesliga).

He has played for US U20's and US U23's but not cap tied to US. He could represent 3 different countries, Germany, where he was born, Peru via father, US via mother.

 

[Tremendous Upside]

Who could have predicted that the person who arguably had the biggest impact on the US national team was Adolph Hitler?

 

[The Gator]

Tasker's Boy KPB Kicks Ball Into Crowd and Takes His Team Off the Field

 

[NewlyRetired]

Who could have predicted that the person who arguably had the biggest impact on the US national team was Adolph Hitler?

Morales is the first that does not appear to be soldier related as most of the other German American's I think were son's of US soldiers.I really love what Fabian brings to the team and am intrigued by Boyd's potential (while still realizing his is fairly limited at this point), but outside of them, I can't say I have been blown away.It is interesting to note as you did that German American's seem to be having as much affect as Mexican American's are on the US National team. To Klinsmann's credit he has given both groups ample opportunities to make an impression.

 

[GoFishTN]

Newcastle are dropping points at an alarming rate. I think they have grabbed only 3 points out of the last possible 18, and those 3 points were at home against QPR.

Losing Ba isn't going to help.

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Alfredo Morales told the German media he will be attending the US January camp. He is 20 and plays very infrequently for Hertha in the Bundesliga 2 (relegated last season from Bundesliga). He has played for US U20's and US U23's but not cap tied to US. He could represent 3 different countries, Germany, where he was born, Peru via father, US via mother.

It's weird because that same Hertha team plays John Anthony Brooks extensively at CB. Morales has certainly been the more heralded prospect (many consider Hertha's refusal to release him for Olympic qualifying to have really hurt Porter's team, although I guess playing Kitchen at CB instead of having him cover Morales' #6 role also played a role). Morales was MoM in the Under 23's friendly win against Mexico.Probably not much to be made out of an invitation to Camp Cupcake.

 

[T Bell]

Newcastle are dropping points at an alarming rate. I think they have grabbed only 3 points out of the last possible 18, and those 3 points were at home against QPR.

Losing Ba isn't going to help.

It looks like they're gaining Debuchy who's good going forward from the RB spot, and the rumor is that they're in the running to sign Remy. Still, it's tough to make January transfers bed in quickly. I think they'll survive relegation, but this isn't going to be a banner year for them. And yeah, in the short term, Ba will probably benefit them more than Remy would. OTOH, aren't there complaints that Ba's insistence on playing through the middle was limiting Cisse?

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Newcastle are dropping points at an alarming rate. I think they have grabbed only 3 points out of the last possible 18, and those 3 points were at home against QPR.

Losing Cabaye and Ben Arfa hasn't helped, but they haven't really been moving the ball like they did last year all year. And I'm seeing more and more patches of the Coloccini who I thought was the worst regular starter in the EPL the year NU was relegated and fewer and fewer patches of the guy who had come back from the Championship as one of the best ball-playing CBs in the league. He never seems to be average. He's either great or just awful. I would bet that the numbers show Krul's shot stopping average regressing back to the mean this year as well.

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

It looks like they're gaining Debuchy who's good going forward from the RB spot, and the rumor is that they're in the running to sign Remy.

Ah, more Chateauneuf du Tyne

 

[Steve Tasker]

Tasker's Boy KPB Kicks Ball Into Crowd and Takes His Team Off the Field

I still hate that guy, but he was well within his rights to walk off the field in that instance. Shameful from the fans.

 

[The Z Machine]

Newcastle are dropping points at an alarming rate. I think they have grabbed only 3 points out of the last possible 18, and those 3 points were at home against QPR.

They're in trouble. Not far way from the relegation zone. Some is due to injuries, but this run must stop.

 

[CBusAlex]

Newcastle are dropping points at an alarming rate. I think they have grabbed only 3 points out of the last possible 18, and those 3 points were at home against QPR.

Losing Cabaye and Ben Arfa hasn't helped, but they haven't really been moving the ball like they did last year all year. And I'm seeing more and more patches of the Coloccini who I thought was the worst regular starter in the EPL the year NU was relegated and fewer and fewer patches of the guy who had come back from the Championship as one of the best ball-playing CBs in the league. He never seems to be average. He's either great or just awful. I would bet that the numbers show Krul's shot stopping average regressing back to the mean this year as well.

Krul's been playing well from what I've seen of them. The defense is just so godawful that there's rarely anything he can do.

 

[El Floppo]

Tasker's Boy KPB Kicks Ball Into Crowd and Takes His Team Off the Field

I still hate that guy, but he was well within his rights to walk off the field in that instance. Shameful from the fans.

I had to look that up... Gator made it sound like KPB acted like a ####- would've liked to have known why (repeated racist chants from the fans of 4th div club Milan was playing in a "friendly").

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Newcastle are dropping points at an alarming rate. I think they have grabbed only 3 points out of the last possible 18, and those 3 points were at home against QPR.

Losing Cabaye and Ben Arfa hasn't helped, but they haven't really been moving the ball like they did last year all year. And I'm seeing more and more patches of the Coloccini who I thought was the worst regular starter in the EPL the year NU was relegated and fewer and fewer patches of the guy who had come back from the Championship as one of the best ball-playing CBs in the league. He never seems to be average. He's either great or just awful. I would bet that the numbers show Krul's shot stopping average regressing back to the mean this year as well.

Krul's been playing well from what I've seen of them. The defense is just so godawful that there's rarely anything he can do.

Krul was better than just good last year, and my thesis is that shot stopping is probably a pretty random variable. I bet the percentage varies widely. Both because of team issues (like defensive depth) and because of pure luck.