***Official Soccer Discussion Thread*** (4 Viewers)

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

What is Moyes thinking with this?

Overall, my thought on Wayne is that if for any reason we had an injury to Robin van Persie we are going to need him. I want as many options as possible.

He says Rooney is staying at United, then this. This strikes me as an insult, meant to drive him away.

While at the same time saying they won't entertain a transfer until Rooney makes a written transfer request. Presumably United want to be able to sell Wazza while making it look like they had no choice, but you have to wonder how stupid they think their fans are.

Meanwhile, the English papers are busy "reporting" that Chelsea offered ten million and the choice of Mata or Luiz, which is so ridiculous that it's amazing that even the Daily Mail reported it. Now it appears that it was 20 million cash.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

You'd think that Man U would jump all over Mata and that kind of cash for Rooney.

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

You'd think that Man U would jump all over Mata and that kind of cash for Rooney.

Which is one reason we know the rumor was bull####. Chelsea has confirmed a bid, but have stressed that it was just cash (apparently 20 million).

 

[guru_007]

Yeah, I don't think Mata and cash was offered.

I also think it will be a very hard sell to ManU fans if he was sold to any EPL team prior to demanding a transfer.

Looks like Negredo to City is a done deal.

Also, will be interesting to see if Napoli are able to land Dimaio and Higuain with the Cavani money. Higuain seems like a big question mark with reports linking him to a number of teams.

Benteke to Spurs should happen soon. Think they're just hammering out final transfer details.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Negredo to City. They're also closing in on reinforcements for Centre ########, via a signing of Pepe.

 

[QuizGuy66]

Of course: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/blatter-ask-move-qatar-wcup-152652798--sow.html

Really hope FIFA loses it's az on this debacle.

And they should keep it in the summer as they awarded it. They should get ALL that they deserve with that ridiculous decision.

-QG

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Qatar isn't going to lose the cup, so they should move it to winter. I'm not willing to risk having some player drop dead just because I want the Qatar cup to fail.

 

[Slapdash]

''If this World Cup is to become a party for the people, you can't play football in the summer,'' Blatter said Wednesday. ''You can cool down the stadiums but you can't cool down the whole country.''

####### FIFA

 

[T Bell]

Well, Arsenal seem to be getting closer and closer to completely botching this transfer window by doing nothing.

This.

 

[T Bell]

''If this World Cup is to become a party for the people, you can't play football in the summer,'' Blatter said Wednesday. ''You can cool down the stadiums but you can't cool down the whole country.''

####### FIFA

Gee, Sepp, you really seem to be on top of this. Good work!

FIFA is such a corrupt organization.

 

[SmoovySmoov]

Well, Arsenal seem to be getting closer and closer to completely botching this transfer window by doing nothing.

This.

Oh, they're doing something alright. They're continuing to try to nickle and dime Liverpool for Suarez, who have repeatedly said "A) We don't want to sell him, and B) You have to bid $40 million for us to even listen."

Arsenal: How about $37.5? No? 38?

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Well, Arsenal seem to be getting closer and closer to completely botching this transfer window by doing nothing.

This.

Oh, they're doing something alright. They're continuing to try to nickle and dime Liverpool for Suarez, who have repeatedly said "A) We don't want to sell him, and B) You have to bid $40 million for us to even listen."

Arsenal: How about $37.5? No? 38?

I think Arsenal knows that any offer they make that is accepted for Suarez will just end up trumped by Real (which is where Suarez wants to be anyway). And that Real won't move Higuain until they get Suarez. So I think they're leery of setting a higher market value for Higuain.

With that said, we're a bit past any of that mattering, and the market is what it is. They're not going to get a striker of the quality they're looking for for anything less than the high twenties, and they won't get a World Best XI caliber player for anything in the 30s. So they should plan accordingly.

 

[T Bell]

Well, Arsenal seem to be getting closer and closer to completely botching this transfer window by doing nothing.

This.

Oh, they're doing something alright. They're continuing to try to nickle and dime Liverpool for Suarez, who have repeatedly said "A) We don't want to sell him, and B) You have to bid $40 million for us to even listen."

Arsenal: How about $37.5? No? 38?

I don't know that that's going to happen, and I don't even know that it's worth getting the little rat regardless.

Look, I do know that any deal Arsenal makes will be for the best possible amount of money. They're brilliant at it. As Ferguson said last year in the wake of the Van Persie deal, "Wenger could run a poker school in Govan with his haggling tactics."

The problems is that I think they're at a point where they're just going to need to "overpay" a tad to ensure they get the talent they want and need. I supported the Walcott contract extension despite it being "over market" (meaning, more than what another team would likely pay for him) just because I think Arsenal's at a point where certain key players are more valuable to them than they are to others as a matter of on-field performance.

If they end up getting out bid by the funny money clubs like City or Chelsea, so be it, but they need to stop the nickle and diming when it comes to an important player like Higuain.

 

[The Gator]

Gonzalo and 20M for Suarez...

A lose lose for Arsenal....sweet

 

[The Z Machine]

I'm trying to work out some babysitting for Sunday so I can enjoy some USMNT action in searing heat in Baltimore. Anyone want to join me (and my wife) or babysit my twins?

 

[roadkill1292]

I'm trying to work out some babysitting for Sunday so I can enjoy some USMNT action in searing heat in Baltimore. Anyone want to join me (and my wife) or babysit my twins?

Cold front moving in Sunday. Could be under 90 at game time.

 

[Jaysus]

I'm trying to work out some babysitting for Sunday so I can enjoy some USMNT action in searing heat in Baltimore. Anyone want to join me (and my wife) or babysit my twins?

Sunday actually looks downright bearable at this point (compared to the rest of this week ), I was thinking of heading down myself, but I would have to figure out how to get out of the Dawes concert I told my wife I would take her to (unsure)

 

[The Z Machine]

BTW, my house has been without power for 2+ days now. We'll be spending the second night in a hotel tonight. I guess paying $200+/night is better than having your 2 month olds suffer in 90+ degrees in the house.

 

[T Bell]

BTW, my house has been without power for 2+ days now. We'll be spending the second night in a hotel tonight. I guess paying $200+/night is better than having your 2 month olds suffer in 90+ degrees in the house.

Now imagine the hotel loses power tonight.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Gonzalo and 20M for Suarez...

A lose lose for Arsenal....sweet

Good move for 'Pool, if true. I've also heard that Napoli's jumped into the Higuain race with their Cavani money.

Maicon shipped to Roma, too.

 

[T Bell]

Gonzalo and 20M for Suarez...

A lose lose for Arsenal....sweet

Good move for 'Pool, if true. I've also heard that Napoli's jumped into the Higuain race with their Cavani money.

Maicon shipped to Roma, too.

That would be a tremendous move for Liverpool, and on top of that it would screw Arsenal so all the better for them.

I'm not sure what Arsenal do at this point if Higuain and Suarez are going to be part of an exchange between those two clubs. They'll need to look elsewhere for someone, and that would appear to leave only Jovetic available to them at this late date.

I'd note that if Napoli is indeed being seriously considered as a trading partner with RM (and of course assuming Higuain is actually interested in playing for Arsenal), that would mean that Suarez is not necessarily needed by RM in exchange for Higuain, and Arsenal may still have a chance to land him. Time will tell as it always does during the Silly Season...

 

[Slapdash]

Gunners should go all in on Jese Rodriguez.

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

I'm trying to work out some babysitting for Sunday so I can enjoy some USMNT action in searing heat in Baltimore. Anyone want to join me (and my wife) or babysit my twins?

I know our mutual goateed friend and his son are planning on going. My wife has given me clearance to join them. Her only comment was, "I don't think you'll be able to drink cocktails there."

 

[The Z Machine]

I've learned my lesson with my wife on soccer games. I need to invite her otherwise she's hurt, even if I sell it as a "guy's thing".

 

[GoFishTN]

Well, Arsenal seem to be getting closer and closer to completely botching this transfer window by doing nothing.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Chelsea v Roma friendly confirmed at RFK Aug 10.

Come out and help fund CFC's FFP break even compliance.

 

[roadkill1292]

BTW, my house has been without power for 2+ days now. We'll be spending the second night in a hotel tonight. I guess paying $200+/night is better than having your 2 month olds suffer in 90+ degrees in the house.

It's been brutal around here.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

TTO?

http://www.marca.com/2013/07/17/en/football/international_football/1374084383.html

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

TTO?

http://www.marca.com/2013/07/17/en/football/international_football/1374084383.html

Man he's an #######.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

TTO?

http://www.marca.com/2013/07/17/en/football/international_football/1374084383.html

Man he's an #######.

But he is insanely tanned.

 

[T Bell]

TTO?

http://www.marca.com/2013/07/17/en/football/international_football/1374084383.html

Man he's an #######.

But he is insanely tanned.

I saw that too. It looks fake even though I'm sure it's not.

 

[Steve Tasker]

I don't really see much wrong with that Mourinho comment. He wants his players to strive to be the best, win the biggest tournaments, play on the biggest stage. Looks like he didn't explicitly say anything bad about Rafa Benitez, just that he wants to win the CL and not the Europa.

To me, Wenger's persistent "happy to finish top 4" and "happy to make the round of 8/16 in the CL" comments are worse than Mourinho's. Not that I'm bashing Wenger because he gets a lot out of his talent. But Mourinho talks a big game and can actually back it up with top results.

 

[T Bell]

I don't really see much wrong with that Mourinho comment. He wants his players to strive to be the best, win the biggest tournaments, play on the biggest stage. Looks like he didn't explicitly say anything bad about Rafa Benitez, just that he wants to win the CL and not the Europa.

To me, Wenger's persistent "happy to finish top 4" and "happy to make the round of 8/16 in the CL" comments are worse than Mourinho's. Not that I'm bashing Wenger because he gets a lot out of his talent. But Mourinho talks a big game and can actually back it up with top results.

Correction, Mourinho gets top results when he's got top dollar to pay for it.

Everyone knows what he was driving at with those comments, and he took great glee in skewering Benitez, knowing full well that Benitez remains a controversial coaching selection even on an interim basis with the Chelsea fans and he's playing up to them.

I do agree though - Wenger and Arsenal need to #### about 4th place being good enough. It's not anymore.

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Correction, Mourinho gets top results when he's got top dollar to pay for it.

He won the Champions League with Porto, for Christ's sake. His Inter Milan team was good, but had nowhere near the budget of some of the other teams in the competition that year.

I don't even really think his success with Chelsea could be tied to just the big budget. Probably the most money he paid for a transfer with Chelsea was for Sheva, who was a failure (and who wasn't the player Mourinho wanted in the first place).

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

I don't really see much wrong with that Mourinho comment. He wants his players to strive to be the best, win the biggest tournaments, play on the biggest stage. Looks like he didn't explicitly say anything bad about Rafa Benitez, just that he wants to win the CL and not the Europa.

I agree with this. The headline writer is the one who added the "Mourinho sneers at Rafa stuff." Of course the Europa League isn't a suitable goal for Chelsea. If it was, Rafa would still be manager. Nobody remembers Zenit's Europa League win. Everyone thinks of Atletico Madrid as star-crossed little brothers who never win anything. And they've won 2 Europa Leagues in the last four years.

Arsenal fans are starved for trophies, but winning the Europa League would be like winning the League Cup. It would end the "trophy drought" but it wouldn't signal a return to the type of relevance that Arsenal fans expect.

 

[Slapdash]

I don't really see much wrong with that Mourinho comment. He wants his players to strive to be the best, win the biggest tournaments, play on the biggest stage. Looks like he didn't explicitly say anything bad about Rafa Benitez, just that he wants to win the CL and not the Europa.

I agree with this. The headline writer is the one who added the "Mourinho sneers at Rafa stuff." Of course the Europa League isn't a suitable goal for Chelsea.

Headline sounds more mild on the Spanish version of Marca...

 

[The Gator]

Gomez leaving the US team to go train with his club team....

 

[Jaysus]

I've learned my lesson with my wife on soccer games. I need to invite her otherwise she's hurt, even if I sell it as a "guy's thing".

how much are tickets for the games on SUmday? Ticketmaster is being a #### right now.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Marca has some weird translations.

I just posted that article for the pic only. Mou trolling isn't news anymore.

 

[The Z Machine]

I've learned my lesson with my wife on soccer games. I need to invite her otherwise she's hurt, even if I sell it as a "guy's thing".

how much are tickets for the games on SUmday? Ticketmaster is being a #### right now.

Prices on Stubhub ranged from $50+. Definitely available in the $75 range.I ride past M&T every day on my bike. I'm not sure when the ticket window is open but I'll try and stop in tomorrow. The stadium is within walking distance from my work.

 

[TLEF316]

Per Grant Wahl's twitter....

US Gold Cup player changes: OUT-Ashe, Gómez, McInerney, Onyewu. IN-González, Gordon, E. Johnson, Besler.

Sorry to see Jack not get a shot, but I'm glad the first team CB duo is back in. Guessing this is probably the nail in the coffin for Gooch.

 

[The Z Machine]

Gooch looked far too slow and showed a distinct lack of passing ability out of the back. He was done before this tourney.

Gomez disappointed. I expected more from him as I like his game. Will Wondo start? Will EJ step into a starting role?

Has Mexico added any first teamers to make the tourney more interesting?

 

[T Bell]

#### you, Premier League. ####. You.

 

[The Gator]

#### you, Premier League. ####. You.

 

[Sebowski]

#### you, Premier League. ####. You.

Eh. If nbc comes through with everything they promised all the games should be easy to watch. And there are other sites out there.

 

[T Bell]

#### you, Premier League. ####. You.

Eh. If nbc comes through with everything they promised all the games should be easy to watch. And there are other sites out there.

Oh, I know. I just like First Row. It's my go-to for pirated, low-fi sporting goodness.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

#### you, Premier League. ####. You.

Eh. If nbc comes through with everything they promised all the games should be easy to watch. And there are other sites out there.

Oh, I know. I just like First Row. It's my go-to for pirated, low-fi sporting goodness.

They do seem very thorough.

 

[Sebowski]

Mourinho:

Now that Falcao, Cavani, Tevez, Nedrado, Neymar, Villa... have all moved on, and we've already signed a few guys ourselves I can safely tell everybody that the only person on the Chelsea shopping list this year is Wayne Rooney.

 

[TLEF316]

looks like Wahl's tweet was wrong. Now apparently its Zusi, besler, EJ and gordon for Jack Mac, gooch, gomez and ashe

 

[Sinn Fein]

Gooch looked far too slow and showed a distinct lack of passing ability out of the back. He was done before this tourney.

Gomez disappointed. I expected more from him as I like his game. Will Wondo start? Will EJ step into a starting role?

Has Mexico added any first teamers to make the tourney more interesting?

"Klinsmann was the only coach to use all four allotted changes. Trinidad and Tobago brought in another MLS representative, adding Columbus Crew midfielder Kevan George to their roster in place of Khaleem Hyland.

The only other two quarterfinalists to make changes were Mexico, who replaced defender Darvin Chavez with midfielder Jose Maria Cardenas, and Honduras, who replaced defender Johnny Palacios with defender Erick Norales."