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

England with the better chances in the 1st half but nothing to show for it. I still think that Hodgson would be smart to take off Delph and put Chamberlain on. This looks like a classic England match where a defensive blunder or goalkeeping howler has them lose.

 
Delph is going to be sent off if he plays the full 90.
Agreed as of when you posted that, but he's settled down. Oxlade-Chamberlain still figures to go on for him at some point.
Was typing as you posted - I still would take him off, he had a couple of "oh ####" moments after that where he could have taken a Swiss player out and there's a few of them out there that would be happy to let him to get him sent off.

 
So nice to have the Zlatan back on the international stage.

Give me one Zlatan game with Sweden over the crap Portugal and Rawnaldo put out.

 
So my brother is starting to get calls from colleges about my niece. I'm enjoying reminding him that no colleges ever called about him.
Not to change the subject but where is your avatar? Are you protesting or is there some SJWing going on that I haven't been informed about? Because I'm very prepared to get on my high horse and be outraged about something. Almost anything, really.

 
So my brother is starting to get calls from colleges about my niece. I'm enjoying reminding him that no colleges ever called about him.
Not to change the subject but where is your avatar? Are you protesting or is there some SJWing going on that I haven't been informed about? Because I'm very prepared to get on my high horse and be outraged about something. Almost anything, really.
I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. [\rant]

 
So my brother is starting to get calls from colleges about my niece. I'm enjoying reminding him that no colleges ever called about him.
Not to change the subject but where is your avatar? Are you protesting or is there some SJWing going on that I haven't been informed about? Because I'm very prepared to get on my high horse and be outraged about something. Almost anything, really.
Only thing to be outraged about is my incompetence. I tried to change to shirtless Giroud. The file was too big. I never tried to fix it.

 
When is international soccer done? So boring. I was watching the NFL last night and thinking "I could have watched 3 EPL games in the length of time I'm watching this slugfest".

BTW, any news on Sturridge? Is he going to miss first CL game?

 
When is international soccer done? So boring. I was watching the NFL last night and thinking "I could have watched 3 EPL games in the length of time I'm watching this slugfest".

BTW, any news on Sturridge? Is he going to miss first CL game?
Next weekend they're back.

Sturridge likely out 3-4 weeks, not too bad

 
When is international soccer done? So boring. I was watching the NFL last night and thinking "I could have watched 3 EPL games in the length of time I'm watching this slugfest".

BTW, any news on Sturridge? Is he going to miss first CL game?
Next weekend they're back.

Sturridge likely out 3-4 weeks, not too bad
I posted a week or so back on the Twitters that I didn't really understand the hatred that was being spewed at Borini for wanting to stay and fight for his place at Liverpool. My point was that 'Pool is in 4 competitions right now, and I didn't see a problem with having 4 strikers for them. (Not to mention the fact that I think he's better than Lambert). I had one Liverpool supporter in particular ranting to me about it repeatedly after I posted that, complaining that Liverpool could have gotten good money for him. "Yeah, but they don't NEED it. Plus, there's nothing wrong with having cover."

Next day, Sturridge is out, and my point was proven. That Liverpool fan then reposted my original post. #Winning #RealLifeTwitterStories

 
When is international soccer done? So boring. I was watching the NFL last night and thinking "I could have watched 3 EPL games in the length of time I'm watching this slugfest".

BTW, any news on Sturridge? Is he going to miss first CL game?
Next weekend they're back.

Sturridge likely out 3-4 weeks, not too bad
I posted a week or so back on the Twitters that I didn't really understand the hatred that was being spewed at Borini for wanting to stay and fight for his place at Liverpool. My point was that 'Pool is in 4 competitions right now, and I didn't see a problem with having 4 strikers for them. (Not to mention the fact that I think he's better than Lambert). I had one Liverpool supporter in particular ranting to me about it repeatedly after I posted that, complaining that Liverpool could have gotten good money for him. "Yeah, but they don't NEED it. Plus, there's nothing wrong with having cover."

Next day, Sturridge is out, and my point was proven. That Liverpool fan then reposted my original post. #Winning #RealLifeTwitterStories
:lmao:

Yeah, Borini will get a chance to prove himself at some point soon. Maybe it's the Capital One Cup, maybe it's low-level EPL games. But he will be playing, as will Lambert. I like the fact that he wants to stay and prove himself.

 
Yuke is starting U4 in a couple weeks. Our head coach is a former college player. I'm the assistant. Our stated tactical goals for the year are for everyone to kick the ball and not try to pick it up. That and choreographed goal celebrations.

 
When is international soccer done? So boring. I was watching the NFL last night and thinking "I could have watched 3 EPL games in the length of time I'm watching this slugfest".

BTW, any news on Sturridge? Is he going to miss first CL game?
Next weekend they're back.

Sturridge likely out 3-4 weeks, not too bad
I posted a week or so back on the Twitters that I didn't really understand the hatred that was being spewed at Borini for wanting to stay and fight for his place at Liverpool. My point was that 'Pool is in 4 competitions right now, and I didn't see a problem with having 4 strikers for them. (Not to mention the fact that I think he's better than Lambert). I had one Liverpool supporter in particular ranting to me about it repeatedly after I posted that, complaining that Liverpool could have gotten good money for him. "Yeah, but they don't NEED it. Plus, there's nothing wrong with having cover."

Next day, Sturridge is out, and my point was proven. That Liverpool fan then reposted my original post. #Winning #RealLifeTwitterStories
:lmao:

Yeah, Borini will get a chance to prove himself at some point soon. Maybe it's the Capital One Cup, maybe it's low-level EPL games. But he will be playing, as will Lambert. I like the fact that he wants to stay and prove himself.
Chelsea start a run of 6 games in 18 days on Saturday. I expect other CL teams all have similar schedules. The "squad players" on these teams better be ready.

 
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I've told this story before, but what the hell. I spent one season as an assistant coach with my old college friend when his daughter was five (she's now a sophomore in high school, I'm old). Practices weren't particularly structured. We'd run a few simple drills, but it always ended after a one on one drill against a small cone goal with me taking on my friend one on one. And if I scored, I'd always do a ridiculous goal celebration.

Anyway, we had a girl named Emily who started the season really terrible. She couldn't even really kick the ball. She improved a lot through the course of the season but she still must have missed like 5 open goals in the course of the season. Finally, in the last game of the season, she sees a loose ball and springs on it for a good poacher's goal. Like a five year old Ingazhi. And she then starts calmly walking back to the center circle. I'm thinking, "Wow, she's really calm about all this. I'd be way more excited." But after about 15-20 seconds, she breaks into a pitch perfect impersonation of my own version of the Merton Hanks chicken dance. I had pulled the delay chicken dance on my buddy Dan about 3 weeks earlier. That's pretty much my Rafa in Istanbul coaching moment.

 
I've told this story before, but what the hell. I spent one season as an assistant coach with my old college friend when his daughter was five (she's now a sophomore in high school, I'm old). Practices weren't particularly structured. We'd run a few simple drills, but it always ended after a one on one drill against a small cone goal with me taking on my friend one on one. And if I scored, I'd always do a ridiculous goal celebration.

Anyway, we had a girl named Emily who started the season really terrible. She couldn't even really kick the ball. She improved a lot through the course of the season but she still must have missed like 5 open goals in the course of the season. Finally, in the last game of the season, she sees a loose ball and springs on it for a good poacher's goal. Like a five year old Ingazhi. And she then starts calmly walking back to the center circle. I'm thinking, "Wow, she's really calm about all this. I'd be way more excited." But after about 15-20 seconds, she breaks into a pitch perfect impersonation of my own version of the Merton Hanks chicken dance. I had pulled the delay chicken dance on my buddy Dan about 3 weeks earlier. That's pretty much my Rafa in Istanbul coaching moment.
Awesome. :lmao:

I love young kids' uninhibited fun.

 
Had the boys soccer practice tonight - no coaching for me as I just don't think I could handle dealing with other parents. Anyway, it's kind of killing me as my youngest son's team (U-8) has a coach who doesn't really know what she's doing. The goalie(s) for our team would stop a shot and then put the ball down in the 6-yd box and then try to kick it (like it's a goal kick). Me and the other parents kept yelling for them to boot it and stop sitting it down but they kept doing it and managed to give away 2 free goals when they couldn't get the ball much past the penalty area. Similar on the goal kicks - instead of teaching the kids that can't kick it as far to kick it out to the side she would just stand there saying nothing. During practice tonight I walked up to her with every intention of suggesting that they practice both but when I got there all I could think about was me being "that guy" and decided instead to just thank her for coaching and told her to let me know if she ever needs me to help.

I felt good about that but I swear to god the first kid that does it during the next game is going to cause me to have an aneurysm. Actually, I've already told my son to help his teammates out if it happens during the next game and if nothing is said then I do plan to maybe suggest they practice it. How big of an ##### will that make me?

 
Just finished watching the 2nd half of England v Switzerland. I had already said that I wish Welbeck wasn't sold and he showed today how useful he can be. I still think he's somewhat of a square peg in a round hole at Arsenal though. Welbeck's best moments have always been in a counter attack and I have a feeling he will frustrate some of the Arsenal players as his vision and passing aren't to their lofty level. He'll still get a few goals like he did today but I'm not sure if he'll complement what they already have that much. He's decent depth though when you have as many games as they do so I think he'll do ok and I hope he does as long as it's not against United.

 
Just finished watching the 2nd half of England v Switzerland. I had already said that I wish Welbeck wasn't sold and he showed today how useful he can be. I still think he's somewhat of a square peg in a round hole at Arsenal though. Welbeck's best moments have always been in a counter attack and I have a feeling he will frustrate some of the Arsenal players as his vision and passing aren't to their lofty level. He'll still get a few goals like he did today but I'm not sure if he'll complement what they already have that much. He's decent depth though when you have as many games as they do so I think he'll do ok and I hope he does as long as it's not against United.
I'm admittedly still learning from him, but his speed and athleticism and work rate are all huge for Arsenal. He'll fit right in. The top end technical skill to maintain possession can come from their gifted midfield so long as he works off the ball and out of possession like he does, and is available to make runs on the break or behind the last defender. And of course finish.

I'll also say as someone who hasn't followed him closely that I'm not seeing this only-modestly technically gifted guy United fans keep talking about. He seems plenty skilled to me. :shrug:

I'm gaining confidence that this could be a coup of a signing for Arsenal. One man's trash is another man's treasure I guess.

Edit- I'll say it another way: Welbeck brings a package of attributes to Arsenal that they don't have in another player.

They have a big CF/ST in Giroud, but he's not nearly as mobile or fast as Welbeck, and he's also not as technically skilled in possession - he's really only good making a single touch layoff, but you can forget about dribbling. Giroud does work hard and is courageous, and contributes defending set pieces, all of which are appreciated, but Welbeck seems to have those traits as well.

In Walcott they've got speed and a good finisher, but Walcott plays wide and doesn't have Welbeck's size. Walcott's also pretty weak defensively.

Campbell's untested in the PL and lacks Welbeck's size; he too is not known for tracking back and defending, but I admittedly don't have a lot of direct information on that. While Campbell is fast, I think Welbeck may have a top end speed in a straight line that is faster.

Alexis is plenty talented and willing to contribute in defense, but he's not really tested through the middle other than in international play and he's also 5'7" and figures to get battered a bit in the PL, especially as he adjusts. The hope is he'll turn into a Luis Suarez type of striker, so Welbeck again has traits that Alexis doesn't have.

Anyway, as a Gooner I'm excited about Welbeck. That he also seems to view the change of scenery as a fresh start is also encouraging.

 
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Like I said - I didn't want him sold but he had chances and never really took them - granted a lot of those were out of position with SAF and under the moron who shall not be named from last year.

He's skilled but differently skilled than your typical Arsenal player. He's much more in the mold of Walcott and Chamberlain than a Carzola or Ozil and to be honest I still feel as though those former two don't fit what Arsene wants to do as much as the latter two. I agree with you though that his work rate is fantastic and he's a really likeable kid so I hope he does well.

 
Top 25 attended matches in the US this year

ATT. MATCH (DATE/CITY)

109,318 (1) Man. United-Real Madrid (Aug. 2 in Ann Arbor, Mich.)

86,432 (2) LA Galaxy-Man. United (July 23 in Pasadena, Calif.)

84,876 (3) Mexico-Ecuador (May 31 in Arlington, Texas)

73,479 (4) Brazil-Colombia (Sept. 5 in Miami Gardens, Fla.)

69,364 (5) Liverpool-AC Milan (Aug. 2 in Charlotte, N.C.)

68,212 (6) Mexico-Nigeria (March 5 in Atlanta)

67,175 (7) Mexico-Chile (Sept. 6 in Santa Clara, Calif.)

64,207 (8) Seattle Sounders-Portland Timbers (July 13 in Seattle)

62,583 (9) Real Madrid-Inter Milan (July 26 in Berkeley, Calif.)

62,462 (10) USA-Mexico (April 2 in Glendale, Ariz.)

61,238 (11) Man. United-Inter Milan (July 29 in Landover, Md.)

60,707 (12) Mexico-Bosnia&Herzegovina (June 3 in Chicago)

57,512 (13) Real Madrid-Roma (July 29 in Dallas)

56,385 (14) Seattle Sounders-Tottenham (July 19 in Seattle)

56,292 (15) Mexico-Portugal (June 6 in Foxboro, Mass.)

54,117 (16) Man. United-Roma (July 26 in Denver)

53,407 (17) Mexico-South Korea (Jan. 29 in San Antonio, Texas)

53,267 (18) Spain-El Salvador (June 7 in Landover, Md.)

52,961 (19) D.C. United-Fulham (July 26 in Jacksonville, Fla.)

52,033 (20) USA-Nigeria (June 7 in Jacksonville, Fla.)

51,014 (21) Man. United-Liverpool (Aug. 4 in Miami Gardens, Fla.)

50,276 (22) Seattle Sounders-Houston Dynamo (Aug. 10 in Seattle)

50,006 (23) San Jose Earthquakes-LA Galaxy (June 28 in Palo Alto, Calif.)

49,746 (24) Seattle Sounders-San Jose Earthquakes (May 17 in Seattle)

49,653 (25) Liverpool-Man. City (July 30 in Bronx, N.Y.)

 
A Mourinho counter-attack lead by guys like Ronaldo and Ozil will often look pretty good against a defense that is unwilling to tackle.

 
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So pumped for this weekend. Arsenal vs Man City, Chelsea/Swansea City and of course Liverpool vs Aston Villa. Great games.

Can Man U pull off the upset against QPR?

 
Hey Tony Fernandes, thanks for investing a ton of your personal money into your club that plays in our league.

QPR "could be relegated to Conference" unless they pay 40m FFP fine
He's right. The rule makes no sense as written. You can't expect a relegated team to dump and rebuild an entire roster before the next season. There has to be a period where they are allowed to taper off.
There is the parachute payment to help with that. QPR overspent foolishly the last time they were up. They were already in trouble financially before they added Remy and Chris Samba during the January 2013 window. There was a lot of speculation at the time that they would be screwed if they were relegated and here they are.

It's all just talk right now. There's too much at stake for this not to be resolved way before we see the dream matchup of Queens Park Rangers vs Forest Green Rangers.

 
Hey Tony Fernandes, thanks for investing a ton of your personal money into your club that plays in our league.

QPR "could be relegated to Conference" unless they pay 40m FFP fine
He's right. The rule makes no sense as written. You can't expect a relegated team to dump and rebuild an entire roster before the next season. There has to be a period where they are allowed to taper off.
I can't recall the details but I believe that there are financial cushions there for that first year. It's a mess though, especially given how many players don't want to stick around to play at the lower level and put in transfer requests, which means the club is dealing from the get go from a weak bargaining position.

 
This is interesting-

@martynziegler: Man City's huge FFP fine to be shared out among last season's CL clubs including Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/manchester-city-ffp-fine-to-be-shared-among-other-champions-league-clubs-9721874.html
Exhibit #2459043094353490590 that FFP is not about fair play at all, but about traditional powers preserving the status quo.
It should go to all teams not in the CL from the penalized team's league.

 

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