What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

***Official Soccer Discussion Thread*** (6 Viewers)

Hoping for a Chelsea 0-0 and Arsenal 2-1 results this weekend.

That means a playoff game will be played for third place in the BPL :excited:

 
Tijuana Xolos beat Palmeiras in Copa Libertadores. They advance to the quarters against Atletico Mineiro. Basically what that means is that I will be taking a 30min trip down to Tijuana to watch one of my old favorite players, Ronaldinho, play live. :pickle:

Joe Corona and Edgar Castillo play for Xolos, so I'll get to watch them as well.

 
Lampard had very positive comments about his contract situation after the game. Wishful thinking perhaps, but I think one could say it was a strong indication he'll be back in blue next season.

 
CletiusMaximus said:
Lampard had very positive comments about his contract situation after the game. Wishful thinking perhaps, but I think one could say it was a strong indication he'll be back in blue next season.
Click to expand...
I really hope so. Love Chelsea's Attacking midfield rotation with three of Hazard, Mata, Lampard, Oscar and Moses on the field at an given time. At 35, Lampard cannot play every match (nor should be) but hes still a quality contributor and has much to offer - as the last two games clearly demonstrated.

Additionally, I love Luiz as a defensive midfielder. One, it keeps Mikel on the bench as he sorely lacks creativity and does not properly link the defense and midfield together as he should. Second, Luiz has proven that he can play in front of the back four, keep the midfield neat and provide more offensive punch from a deeper lying role. Thirdly, moving Luiz to DM frees up the Chelsea's logjam at Center Back, where Terry, Ivanovic and Cahill are a sturdy three man rotation (while also keeping Ivanovic from playing out of position too often at Fullback).

Overall, I really like the team Chelsea has put together. I now wish theyd hire a permanant Manager who can implement a tactical philosophy that lasts more than a few months.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Here is the World Cup Qualifying roster... first thing that jumps out to me is no Cherundolo

GOALKEEPERS (6): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tally Hall (Houston Dynamo), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Tim Howard (Everton), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

DEFENDERS (8): DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Edgar Castillo (Club Tijuana), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Clarence Goodson (Brondby), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim), Michael Parkhurst (Augsburg)

MIDFIELDERS (10): Michael Bradley (Roma), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Maurice Edu (Bursaspor), Stuart Holden (Bolton), Jermaine Jones (Schalke), Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht), Brek Shea (Stoke City), Danny Williams (Hoffenheim), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar), Terrence Boyd (Rapid Vienna), Clint Dempsey (Tottenham Hotspur), Herculez Gomez (Santos), Eddie Johnson (Seattle Sounders FC)

 
Good to see Holden's name again. Is no Donovan even a surprise at this point? i haven't seen him play with LA since his sabbatical ended, any idea on how he's looked?

 
Moe. said:
Good to see Holden's name again. Is no Donovan even a surprise at this point? i haven't seen him play with LA since his sabbatical ended, any idea on how he's looked?
Click to expand...
Keane, back from a sprained ankle that sidelined him in four of LA's previous five games, scored a goal and assisted one by Donovan, who played a role in all four goals and would have had three assists except that the opening tally was ruled an own goal.
Click to expand...
“My suspicion is [Donovan] is a very good player, and so it's just a matter of time where he is going to get his touch back, his confidence, and his fitness on a more consistent basis,” Arena said. “We'd like to believe that that is going to start now. ... I thought his second half was spectacular.”
Click to expand...
Sounds like was pretty good last night at least. But I'm not surprised he hasn't been called up. Especially with the win and draw in the last two games.I will be surprised if he's not back for the last four or five Qs though.
 
I wonder who Chelsea is going to trot out next week in the exhibition vs. Man City here in St. Louis.

Getting pretty excited about going!!

 
David Beckham retires from soccerJoe Prince-Wright

May 16, 2013, 10:24 AM EDT
6 Comments
David Beckham’s glittering career as the world’s most recognizable soccer player is over.

This morning the 38-year-old Englishmanannounced his retirement from the game, after winning the French league title with Paris Saint-Germain.

The former Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy and PSG player has become not only one of the greatest names in world soccer but also a global icon.

After captaining his country for many years, Beckham also became the first English player to win league titles in four different countries.

Beckham released the following statement, confirming his retirement from the game.

“I’m thankful to PSG for giving me the opportunity to continue but I feel now is the right time to finish my career, playing at the highest level,” Beckham said.

“If you had told me as a young boy I would have played for and won trophies with my boyhood club Manchester United, proudly captained and played for my country over one hundred times and lined up for some of the biggest clubs in the world, I would have told you it was a fantasy. I’m fortunate to have realized those dreams.”

(PHOTOS: The life and times of David Beckham)

Beckham’s time with the English national team was monumental, winning a record 115 caps as an outfield player and he reflected on his success with England.

“To this day, one of my proudest achievements is captaining my country,” Beckham said. “I knew every time I wore the Three Lions shirt, I was not only following in a long line of great players, I was also representing every fan that cared passionately about their country.”

The former Major League Soccer star then went on to send out one last thanks to those closest to him.

(MORE: Beckham’s five biggest moments in U.S. Socccer)

“I’m honored to represent England both on and off the pitch … I want to thank all my team-mates, the great managers that I had the pleasure of learning from. I also want to thank the fans who have all supported me and given me the strength to succeed.”

Beckham will retire after Paris Saint-Germain’s final game of the French season, when they travel to Lorient on Sunday May 26.

It will be the final game in his storybook career.

 
The Gator said:
Lamps was offered a one year extension from what was going around on the radio today.

Good for him, a respectable blue. :thumbup:
Click to expand...
Lampard signs one-year contract extension at ChelseaJoe Prince-Wright

May 16, 2013, 8:10 AM EDT
Leave a comment
Getty ImagesIt is official.

Chelsea’s all-time leading goalscorer will be staying put at Stamford Bridge for at least another season.

This morning Chelsea Football Club and Frank Lampard confirmed a one-year extension on his current contract, just hours after the London sidelifted the Europa League title in dramatic fashion.

Lampard captained the Blues to Europa League success last night and seemed extremely positive that a new deal would be sorted out soon, when asked after the game.

And now his future has been settled.

The England midfielder, who recently broke Bobby Tambling’s club record of 202 goals, was ecstatic at signing the new deal.

I’m absolutely delighted. Everybody knows I always maintained the dream was to stay at Chelsea. We’ve been talking for ages and even though it went on for quite a period it was always amicable. I want to thank Mr Abramovich for everything he’s done in making the dream a reality. I love this club, the staff, the players and especially the supporters, who have treated me fantastically since the day I arrived. The thought of helping the club to more success in the forthcoming years is all I ever wanted. I couldn’t be happier.

So this finishes the endless rumors of Lampard moving to Major League Soccer and signing with the LA Galaxy. The whispers have become more widespread in recent months as Chelsea made it clear that they wouldn’t offer Lampard a new deal. However — after a massive U-turn from Mr. Abramovich and the Chelsea hierarchy — the vice-captain will now spend a 13th season in West London as he hopes to further extend his goalscoring record.

Was this the right decision for both parties? Yep.

If Jose Mourinho is indeed returning to Chelsea as manager next season, he will have had a big say in this. But Lampard deserves the type of sendoff Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and others at Manchester United will have. Lampard should be the one to decide when his days at Chelsea are up and he should retire.

(More: Reports, Lampard to sign one-year extension at Chelsea)

This new one-year deal may let him do just that, as he aims to go out with even more success in yet another year with Chelsea.

Last night Lampard also completed the collection. In his twelve seasons with Chelsea he has won every-single trophy that can be won, the Europa League was the last one on the list. He has led Chelsea with his incredible amount of goals from midfield and his leadership in the dressing room.

As they say in West London, he is “Super Frankie Lampard.”

 
Good little interview with Donovan right before Klinsmann announced the squad.

http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/relegationzone/id/815?cc=5901

On the National Team:

"I do not expect to be in [the squad] based on what I have heard," he says, "but I am keeping my fingers crossed that something could change in the next hour." He picks up my tape recorder, then puts it down. "I will be disappointed, but that disappointment will wane pretty quickly because it is not something I can control. I will just keep going. If and when I get the chance, I will be ready."

This is the first time in ages that Landon Donovan has had to think about playing himself back into the U.S. men's national team, and I ask if being snubbed would be a motivator. The veteran does not shirk the question. "My ego would say that is crap, but the reality is you need to earn your way back in, and I have been given the benefit of the doubt many times in my career where I have played three or four very poor games in a row and still had a chance to play. It should not be that way," he declares. "Conversely, if I continue to play well, I should be called in. I just want it to be fair. I just have to keep producing."

I wonder aloud whether the prospect of playing Gold Cup games against Belize on artificial turf in Portland excites Donovan, and he leans forward, locking his eyes on mine to emphasize his response. "I want to be back with the national team, whether it is playing five minutes in qualifiers or the Gold Cup," he says. "I want to be back there, and if at the end of the day I give everything I have and don't get back there, so be it. But if I do and I earn it back and deserve it, it will feel really, really good."
Click to expand...
 
Can an MLS expert unpack this?

goal.com

"In MLS, you have a group of owners that collectively have ruled it unacceptable for example for people like me to join one specific MLS team only, and with a right to continue a career in Europe after let's say three years depending on the player's choice," Diskerud explained.Diskerud's explanation reflects on a frustration with the MLS contract negotiation process. However, some of Diskerud's statements lead to more questions: Did he want a short-term contract with the league or an exit clause? Diskerud wouldn't reveal.A spokesman for MLS revealed to Goal.com that Diskerud's rights were traded to Portland, which was indeed his preference. Where the deal fell apart was in negotiations with the league, not Paulson, and that's where Diskerud's frustrations likely lie."I, for sure, want much more to belong to a team and a city than to be 'owned' by a league," Diskerud said. "Especially when the league puts so many restrictions on what kind of non–economic agreements the club and the player can make. The economic constraints I understand and accept, so it's not that."Despite a failed move to MLS, Diskerud had nothing but praise for the Timbers organization and particularly Caleb Porter, whom he played for with the U.S. Under-23 team that failed to reach the Olympics."Portland Timbers have everything a great football club should have: A dedicated owner, passionate, good, crazy and loud supporters, and an inspiring coach," Diskerud said. "Caleb Porter is going to evolve as one of those coaches that time and again can get almost all of the potential out of his 'soldiers'. Let us check his status in 15 years. I am willing to place my bets now."Just don't expect Diskerud to join MLS anytime soon."As far as I am concerned, I think the MLS policies of today are tailored to a little older players who accept to limit themselves to end their careers in the U.S./Canada and MLS," he said.
Click to expand...
 
I agree. The MLS player ownership model is lame, although I understand it had its place. I have to think that model won't be around in 10 years if the MLS continues to grow like it has.

 
TLEF316 said:
Why in the hell are there 6 goalies on the roster?
Click to expand...
Read an article that 4 of them will rotate through camp/qualifying in shifts to serve as #3, so that no MLS team is withouth their goalie for more than a couple of weeks.
 
wdcrob said:
Of all his accomplishments I'd rate Aberdeen winning three Scottish titles ahead of Rangers and Celtic and taking down the European Cup Winners Cup near the top of the list.
Click to expand...
In Age Before Fergie Time, a Manager’s Finest Hour and a HalfBy GRAHAM RUTHVENAs a mark of how Alex Ferguson has come to embody soccer’s biggest club, it is often said the Scottish manager became Manchester United. But before Ferguson was United he was something else. He was Aberdeen Football Club.Eulogies of Ferguson and his career at United — a 26-year reign that ends Sunday with a visit to West Bromwich Albion — have been plentiful, yet many agree that his greatest achievement came elsewhere and a whole generation before his retirement. This week marked 30 years since Ferguson led Aberdeen over mighty Real Madrid in the 1983 European Cup Winners’ Cup final. Many contend it remains his single greatest victory.A subsequent European Super Cup win over Hamburg, which had beaten Michel Platini’s Juventus in the European Cup final, came as no surprise, such was the strength of the Aberdeen side Ferguson had created in Scotland’s Northeast.Arriving at Pittodrie Stadium after four years coaching in Scotland’s lower leagues, Ferguson recognized just how far adrift Aberdeen were of Celtic and Rangers, before and since the two dominant forces in Scottish soccer.“The dominance established by the Glasgow giants virtually since the beginning of professional football in Scotland infects the mentality of other clubs with resignation,” Ferguson writes in his autobiography. “An acceptance that is their destiny to be the supporting cast.”In a country dominated by Glasgow’s Old Firm, Ferguson upset the natural order with Aberdeen. Eight years at Aberdeen saw him win three league titles, four cups and a league cup before the night of his greatest triumph in Gothenburg. In the decades and years that have followed his exit, the Old Firm stranglehold has yet to be broken.Ferguson elevated Aberdeen to such a level that when Arsenal and Tottenham came calling he resisted their overtures on the basis that a switch to either club wouldn’t represent a progression in his career. United was something else. (Now that it is embarking on a new era without Ferguson, it’s probably best it doesn’t look at how Aberdeen dealt with his departure; the Dons have won only three trophies in the 26 years since Ferguson left.)Many of the traits and qualities for which Ferguson became renowned at United were honed at Aberdeen, including the famous “hairdryer treatment.” After winning the 1983 Scottish Cup final against Rangers — 10 short days after the momentous victory over Madrid — Ferguson berated his players. “We’re the luckiest team in the world,” he raged. “It was a disgrace of a performance. Winning cups doesn’t matter. No way should we take any glory from that.”And adversaries like Arsène Wenger, José Mourinho and Rafael Benítez weren’t the only ones to fall victim to Ferguson’s mind games. Before the Cup Winners’ Cup final, Ferguson presented his opposite number, Real Madrid’s Alfredo Di Stefano, with a bottle of whisky. The gift was designed to make Real Madrid think Ferguson and Aberdeen were merely happy to be there. It worked.After rejecting a bid to take over at Rangers out of loyalty to his good friend John Greig, who still held the job, Ferguson took temporary charge of Scotland’s national team for the 1986 World Cup. By the end of that year, he had found the lure of Manchester United too strong to resist. Ferguson had outgrown the Scottish game and sought a new challenge, one that would consume him for the next 26 years.
Click to expand...
 
So what are the chances I'll be able to watch the Copa del Rey final from my wife's hospital room? What channel is it showing on?

Wife gave berth to twins, Andrés and Julia on Tuesday, fyi.

 
Looking for a soccer game for the xbox. Something where family can play each other on the same screen. Sometimes on the same team and sometimes together if possible.

What say ye Soccer nerds?

TIA

 
The Gator said:
Hoping for a Chelsea 0-0 and Arsenal 2-1 results this weekend. That means a playoff game will be played for third place in the BPL :excited:
Click to expand...
The playoff game for 3rd place is set for May 26 @ Villa Park. If played, it would be CFCs 70th competitive game this season. Chelsea has two sold-out exhibition games v Man City in St. Louis and NY on May 23 and 25. Then intl friendlies begin for most of these players late May/early June ahead of WC qualifiers in mid June.
 
Congrats, Z!

Nice Q&A with Klinsmann on the roster.

http://www.ussoccer.com/news/mens-national-team/2013/05/jurgen-klinsmann-roster-release-qa.aspx

I like him mention Johannsson

ussoccer.com: Did you leave some players off this roster because you thought they had a better chance of proving themselves as starters in the Gold Cup as opposed to being reserves in these upcoming games?
JK: “There are definitely some 50-50 cases for players that we moved toward the Gold Cup where we want to have a very strong roster as well, and we are very excited about that tournament. A player like Kyle Beckerman could be in this camp, but having him in the Gold Cup is a tremendous value. We have players like Josh Gatt, Mix Diskerud, and Alejandro Bedoya, guys that are doing really well who could be ready for the upcoming camp, but will also be in a full rhythm for the Gold Cup, so in that moment we shift them over to that roster. Another player we have a very close eye on is Aron Johannsson, who’s playing now with Jozy Altidore at Alkmaar and is coming off an injury. He has dual citizenship with Iceland and the United States, and we want to have him with us in the near future. There are a lot of players out there on our radar screen. We want to watch the Under-20s play in Turkey for the FIFA U-20 World Cup. We have some players there on the list that we want to introduce to the senior National Team program one step at a time, so we work on all fronts.” - See more at: http://www.ussoccer.com/news/mens-national-team/2013/05/jurgen-klinsmann-roster-release-qa.aspx#sthash.x5wRn1ig.dpuf
Click to expand...
 
Slapdash said:
Sinn Fein said:
TLEF316 said:
Why in the hell are there 6 goalies on the roster?
Click to expand...
Read an article that 4 of them will rotate through camp/qualifying in shifts to serve as #3, so that no MLS team is withouth their goalie for more than a couple of weeks.
Click to expand...
That seems really silly.
Click to expand...
It's just the 3rd keeper. I think it is a good way to get a quick look at a bunch of them in an important camp, and for the keepers to experience the camp as well.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

El Floppo
Official US Women's soccer thread: ***Update- Macario brace leads US past Italy 3-0
70 71 72
Replies
4K
Views
298K
El Floppo
El Floppo
SIDA!
The Official Thread for Official Threads - MASTER LIST
Replies
1
Views
444
mquinnjr
mquinnjr
Ramsay Hunt Experience
***Official Soccer Discussion Thread***
1021 1022 1023
Replies
51K
Views
1M
El Floppo
El Floppo

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 5 (members: 0, guests: 5)
Back
Top