***Official Soccer Discussion Thread*** (5 Viewers)

[CBusAlex]

Huge that the second leg of the final will be in Montreal. Can't imagine they'd want to go through that #### on the road again.

 

[roadkill1292]

Notts County with some trickeration against the Lady Gooners.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

When was the last time an MLS team made the finals?

NVM... Real Salt Lake in 2011.

Since DC United and LA won (and made three finals in four years from 1997-2000) that's the only appearance by an MLS team.

Mexican teams have won nine tournaments in a row.

 

[Mjolnirs]

DFB Pokal quarterfinals today and tomorrow:

Tuesday

SC Freiburg at VfL Wolfsburg

1899 Hoffenheim at Borussia Dortmund

Wednesday

Borussia Mönchengladbach at Arminia Bielefeld

Bayern München at Bayer Leverkusen

Wolfsburg win 1-0 on a pk in the 72nd minute.Dortmund win 3-2 aet with Sebastian Kehl's amazing shot in the 107th

 

[NewlyRetired]

When was the last time an MLS team made the finals?

NVM... Real Salt Lake in 2011.

Since DC United and LA won (and made three finals in four years from 1997-2000) that's the only appearance by an MLS team.

Mexican teams have won nine tournaments in a row.

That is all correct.

RSL is the only MLS team to ever have made the Champions League final before this. All other teams have been Liga MX. Should Club America not recover from the 3-0 deficit, no Liga MX team will make it this year.

Note that the tournament format changed significantly in 2008 to the Champions League format. Before that it was the old Champions Cup format which was significantly easier to progress to the finals (the MLS teams were seeded right into the quarter finals and they had only single game ties which were played at home).

The year DC won, they played every game at home, the entire tournament was held at RFK

The year LA won, they played every game at home, the entire tournament was held at HDC

It is a completely different beast today having to travel to the Costa Rica, Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, with a group stage and then two legged knock out rounds, as it should be.

 

[Autumn Wind]

Not sure if it's going to save Philly's season, but it looks like the Rais M'Bohli experiment is over. What a disaster that was.

 

[Jaysus]

Not sure if it's going to save Philly's season, but it looks like the Rais M'Bohli experiment is over. What a disaster that was.

The USL keeper probably isn't going to help much either... hopefully Blake is healthy soon.

 

[Jaysus]

P.S. Leeds United is now without their Director of Football, Chief Operating Officer, and Assistant Manager. After their sporting director resigned: link

I love Leeds!

 

[NewlyRetired]

Not sure if it's going to save Philly's season, but it looks like the Rais M'Bohli experiment is over. What a disaster that was.

The USL keeper probably isn't going to help much either... hopefully Blake is healthy soon.

It is beyond ironic that they continue to have issues at keeper when they spend more resources on keeper than any team in the league I think.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Not sure if it's going to save Philly's season, but it looks like the Rais M'Bohli experiment is over. What a disaster that was.

The USL keeper probably isn't going to help much either... hopefully Blake is healthy soon.

It is beyond ironic that they continue to have issues at keeper when they spend more resources on keeper than any team in the league I think.

When I first heard the news, it sounded like Mbohli was being benched but now I see it looks like he has left the team (Or was asked to train alone). I assume they will try and get pennies on the dollar for a transfer.

 

[Jaysus]

Not sure if it's going to save Philly's season, but it looks like the Rais M'Bohli experiment is over. What a disaster that was.

The USL keeper probably isn't going to help much either... hopefully Blake is healthy soon.

It is beyond ironic that they continue to have issues at keeper when they spend more resources on keeper than any team in the league I think.

When I first heard the news, it sounded like Mbohli was being benched but now I see it looks like he has left the team (Or was asked to train alone). I assume they will try and get pennies on the dollar for a transfer.

I have not seen anything official, but it sure sounds like he is done in Philly.

ETA: and it sounds like he is not even in the country at this point.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Not sure if it's going to save Philly's season, but it looks like the Rais M'Bohli experiment is over. What a disaster that was.

The USL keeper probably isn't going to help much either... hopefully Blake is healthy soon.

It is beyond ironic that they continue to have issues at keeper when they spend more resources on keeper than any team in the league I think.

When I first heard the news, it sounded like Mbohli was being benched but now I see it looks like he has left the team (Or was asked to train alone). I assume they will try and get pennies on the dollar for a transfer.

I have not seen anything official, but it sure sounds like he is done in Philly.

I really hate to ask but with McCarthy starting and Blake still recovering, do they have to sign yet another keeper to back up McCarthy, at least until Blake gets back?

 

[Jaysus]

Not sure if it's going to save Philly's season, but it looks like the Rais M'Bohli experiment is over. What a disaster that was.

The USL keeper probably isn't going to help much either... hopefully Blake is healthy soon.

It is beyond ironic that they continue to have issues at keeper when they spend more resources on keeper than any team in the league I think.

When I first heard the news, it sounded like Mbohli was being benched but now I see it looks like he has left the team (Or was asked to train alone). I assume they will try and get pennies on the dollar for a transfer.

I have not seen anything official, but it sure sounds like he is done in Philly.

I really hate to ask but with McCarthy starting and Blake still recovering, do they have to sign yet another keeper to back up McCarthy, at least until Blake gets back?

Blake is back, but is not in game shape yet. My guess is they just roll with two if they can't call one up from Harrisburg temporarily.

 

[Jaysus]

p.s. McCarthy wears a helmet like Peter Cech

 

[The Z Machine]

Barça won 4-0 today. They simply aren't dropping any points, with 7 wins straight in la Liga and 2 more in CL play. They have Sevilla, PSG, Valencia, PSG upcoming though...

 

[shader]

Great win for Liverpool. Looking as explosive as ever.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Dammit. Completely forgot about the game.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Will be interesting to see what Rodgers does with Gerrard for the final if Liverpool get through Villa.

"Hey, Steven. Ya. So. Uh...

Oh, first... happy birthday! Pretty wild we made Wembley on your b-day, huh?!

And, you know... last game and all. We'll miss you lad. Great servant to the club. Memories. Probably seems like just yesterday you got here, I bet?

Also, you're on the bench."

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Will be interesting to see what Rodgers does with Gerrard for the final if Liverpool get through Villa.

"Hey, Steven. Ya. So. Uh...

Oh, first... happy birthday! Pretty wild we made Wembley on your b-day, huh?!

And, you know... last game and all. We'll miss you lad. Great servant to the club. Memories. Probably seems like just yesterday you got here, I bet?

Also, you're on the bench."

He could just rest Stevie G the first 45 then bring him on at the half. Seems foolproof. What could go wrong?

 

[B Maverick]

Ronaldo with his 300th goal for Real Madrid

 

[B Maverick]

Will be interesting to see what Rodgers does with Gerrard for the final if Liverpool get through Villa.

"Hey, Steven. Ya. So. Uh...

Oh, first... happy birthday! Pretty wild we made Wembley on your b-day, huh?!

And, you know... last game and all. We'll miss you lad. Great servant to the club. Memories. Probably seems like just yesterday you got here, I bet?

Also, you're on the bench."

He could just rest Stevie G the first 45 then bring him on at the half. Seems foolproof. What could go wrong?

Think Rodgers could slip and tell him to stamp his name on his final game?

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Will be interesting to see what Rodgers does with Gerrard for the final if Liverpool get through Villa.

"Hey, Steven. Ya. So. Uh...

Oh, first... happy birthday! Pretty wild we made Wembley on your b-day, huh?!

And, you know... last game and all. We'll miss you lad. Great servant to the club. Memories. Probably seems like just yesterday you got here, I bet?

Also, you're on the bench."

He could just rest Stevie G the first 45 then bring him on at the half. Seems foolproof. What could go wrong?

Think Rodgers could slip and tell him to stamp his name on his final game?

As my wife knows quite well, I do some of my best work in 48 seconds.

 

[El Floppo]

Ronaldo with his 300th goal for Real Madrid

unreal.

pretty incredible that we get two all-timers at the same time. 30 years from now we'll be telling our grandkids about watching Messi and Ronaldo. and most definitely about the Zlatan.

 

[B Maverick]

Ronaldo with his 300th goal for Real Madrid

unreal.

pretty incredible that we get two all-timers at the same time. 30 years from now we'll be telling our grandkids about watching Messi and Ronaldo. and most definitely about the Zlatan.

Zlatan added a hat trick today too.

But to your point its incredible who we get to watch play.

 

[Ted Lange as your Bartender]

Not sure if it's going to save Philly's season, but it looks like the Rais M'Bohli experiment is over. What a disaster that was.

The USL keeper probably isn't going to help much either... hopefully Blake is healthy soon.

It is beyond ironic that they continue to have issues at keeper when they spend more resources on keeper than any team in the league I think.

When I first heard the news, it sounded like Mbohli was being benched but now I see it looks like he has left the team (Or was asked to train alone). I assume they will try and get pennies on the dollar for a transfer.

I have not seen anything official, but it sure sounds like he is done in Philly.

I really hate to ask but with McCarthy starting and Blake still recovering, do they have to sign yet another keeper to back up McCarthy, at least until Blake gets back?

Blake is back, but is not in game shape yet. My guess is they just roll with two if they can't call one up from Harrisburg temporarily.

Does MLS still have an emergency GK pool like they used to?

 

[El Floppo]

Not sure if it's going to save Philly's season, but it looks like the Rais M'Bohli experiment is over. What a disaster that was.

The USL keeper probably isn't going to help much either... hopefully Blake is healthy soon.

It is beyond ironic that they continue to have issues at keeper when they spend more resources on keeper than any team in the league I think.

When I first heard the news, it sounded like Mbohli was being benched but now I see it looks like he has left the team (Or was asked to train alone). I assume they will try and get pennies on the dollar for a transfer.

I have not seen anything official, but it sure sounds like he is done in Philly.

I really hate to ask but with McCarthy starting and Blake still recovering, do they have to sign yet another keeper to back up McCarthy, at least until Blake gets back?

Blake is back, but is not in game shape yet. My guess is they just roll with two if they can't call one up from Harrisburg temporarily.

Does MLS still have an emergency GK pool like they used to?

I have a visual going of the Beetlejuice waiting room.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Not sure if it's going to save Philly's season, but it looks like the Rais M'Bohli experiment is over. What a disaster that was.

The USL keeper probably isn't going to help much either... hopefully Blake is healthy soon.

It is beyond ironic that they continue to have issues at keeper when they spend more resources on keeper than any team in the league I think.

When I first heard the news, it sounded like Mbohli was being benched but now I see it looks like he has left the team (Or was asked to train alone). I assume they will try and get pennies on the dollar for a transfer.

I have not seen anything official, but it sure sounds like he is done in Philly.

I really hate to ask but with McCarthy starting and Blake still recovering, do they have to sign yet another keeper to back up McCarthy, at least until Blake gets back?

Blake is back, but is not in game shape yet. My guess is they just roll with two if they can't call one up from Harrisburg temporarily.

Does MLS still have an emergency GK pool like they used to?

I think the relationship with the USL provides that type of function. Also, Philly has a pretty deep academy, they could likely just grab an 18 year old and hope he does not crap his pants if a huge emergency happens.

 

[CBusAlex]

Concacaf Champions League never lacks for entertainment value though. Every game is a blast.

Tomorrow's is going to be another war if Club America gets a goal in the first half.

Well, this certainly escalated quickly.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Concacaf Champions League never lacks for entertainment value though. Every game is a blast.

Tomorrow's is going to be another war if Club America gets a goal in the first half.

Well, this certainly escalated quickly.

Club America is so good. I have no idea what happened in the first leg.

3 goal margin gone just like that.

I think CA is going to murder Montreal in the first leg.

 

[NewlyRetired]

4 goals in the first 24 minutes. Just too good.

 

[CBusAlex]

It's only the 25th minute, for ####'s sake.

 

[NewlyRetired]

HEREDIANO 3 - 0 CLUB AMERICA

CCL is now wide ####### open. Any of the remaining teams could realistically lift the trophy now - even America, for whom clawing the whole way back at the Azteca is not out of the question. That second leg could be high-scoring, could be low-scoring, could be ugly or pretty or frantic or chippy, but the one thing it will definitely not be is boring.

Amazing result. America looked the clear favorite this year.

Montreal has a decent match up against Alaljuelence. They primarily beat DC based on an extraordinarily poor goal keeping performance (Hamid's backup) in Costa Rica.

This should be a fun game tomorrow night. Montreal has already sold a ton of tickets so it should be another lively crowd.

I got home late last night (every night ) and was too stressed to try to sleep- turned on the tv and stumbled onto the last 30 or so minutes of the America game with the game 1-0.

I ####### love watching these games that kinda matter between latin american teams (copa libertadores too)... some fun skills, not much D, lots of brutal hacking, lots of brutal diving, and lots and lots of chippy bs. at one point, the ref essentially held an America's guys hand, telling him to relax and use his head... this after the guy had single-handedly gang raped most of the Heredenio squad on 3 separate occasions within the span of about 4 minutes. the kid finally gets a yellow, and then one of the other team gets a yellow because an Amercia guy dived.

but yeah- I see this being like 10-2 in the return in Mexico.

And Floppo for the win!! Lol

 

[CBusAlex]

Just gonna start rooting for CA here. I've only seen a team light up the second digit on the scoreboard once.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Just gonna start rooting for CA here. I've only seen a team light up the second digit on the scoreboard once.

If they had an incentive they could hit 10 but they have already taken the foot off the gas pedal.

 

[NewlyRetired]

I wonder if the off the field folks in Montreal would rather host the first game instead of trying to sell a game they may be down 5 or 6 in aggregate?

In Montreal comes away only down 2 it will be probably the best they could expect.

 

[Sebowski]

Barça won 4-0 today. They simply aren't dropping any points, with 7 wins straight in la Liga and 2 more in CL play. They have Sevilla, PSG, Valencia, PSG upcoming though...

And then the Espanyol derby. That's 5 games in 14 days. Sevilla and Valencia are having great seasons. Horrible time to play them with all these midweek games. Still have an Atleti match too. Nothing is done in La Liga just yet.

 

[Sebowski]

Not sure if it's going to save Philly's season, but it looks like the Rais M'Bohli experiment is over. What a disaster that was.

The USL keeper probably isn't going to help much either... hopefully Blake is healthy soon.

It is beyond ironic that they continue to have issues at keeper when they spend more resources on keeper than any team in the league I think.

When I first heard the news, it sounded like Mbohli was being benched but now I see it looks like he has left the team (Or was asked to train alone). I assume they will try and get pennies on the dollar for a transfer.

I have not seen anything official, but it sure sounds like he is done in Philly.

I really hate to ask but with McCarthy starting and Blake still recovering, do they have to sign yet another keeper to back up McCarthy, at least until Blake gets back?

Blake is back, but is not in game shape yet. My guess is they just roll with two if they can't call one up from Harrisburg temporarily.

Does MLS still have an emergency GK pool like they used to?

I have a visual going of the Beetlejuice waiting room.

I don't know why this got me so good, but it cracked me up.

 

[Sebowski]

Ronaldo with his 300th goal for Real Madrid

unreal.

pretty incredible that we get two all-timers at the same time. 30 years from now we'll be telling our grandkids about watching Messi and Ronaldo. and most definitely about the Zlatan.

http://zlaaatan.com

Put in stuff like "house" or "car". Or get more creative!

 

[Battles]

Ronaldo with his 300th goal for Real Madrid

unreal.

pretty incredible that we get two all-timers at the same time. 30 years from now we'll be telling our grandkids about watching Messi and Ronaldo. and most definitely about the Zlatan.

http://zlaaatan.com

Put in stuff like "house" or "car". Or get more creative!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcioyj3a8mw

You said creative.

 

[Mjolnirs]

DFB Pokal quarterfinals today and tomorrow:

Tuesday

SC Freiburg at VfL Wolfsburg

1899 Hoffenheim at Borussia Dortmund

Wednesday

Borussia Mönchengladbach at Arminia Bielefeld

Bayern München at Bayer Leverkusen

Wolfsburg win 1-0 on a pk in the 72nd minute.Dortmund win 3-2 aet with Sebastian Kehl's amazing shot in the 107th

Bielefeld win 1-1 aet, 5-4 on pks over Gladbach

Bayern win 0-0 aet, 5-3 on pks over Leverkusen

Semi Final draw:

4/28 Dortmund at Bayern

4/29 Wolfsburg at Bielefeld

The final will be 5/30 in Berlin

 

[roadkill1292]

Let me make sure I have this right -- if Liverpool and Arsenal make the Cup finals, seventh place in BPL gets Europa Leeg?

 

[Jaysus]

Let me make sure I have this right -- if Liverpool and Arsenal make the Cup finals, seventh place in BPL gets Europa Leeg?

I bet a fun twist would be Liverpool winning the cup and finishing in 7th place.

 

[Jaysus]

I like this goal: http://gfycat.com/SplendidCrazyCollardlizard

 

[Jaysus]

I wonder if the off the field folks in Montreal would rather host the first game instead of trying to sell a game they may be down 5 or 6 in aggregate?

In Montreal comes away only down 2 it will be probably the best they could expect.

Tickets already selling like crazy: link

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

I like this goal: http://gfycat.com/SplendidCrazyCollardlizard

One of my favorite things about Zlatan is he scores a lot of unique goals.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Jose Mourinho: 'I have a problem. I'm getting better at everything.'

 

[roadkill1292]

I like this goal: http://gfycat.com/SplendidCrazyCollardlizard

I saw this last night, maybe it was on tape delay, and giggled out loud.

C'MON YOU SAINTS. BEAT (possibly) SALONIKA!

 

[Sebowski]

Jose Mourinho: 'I have a problem. I'm getting better at everything.'

I truly love to hate this guy. I've got a pretty good impression of him down now too.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Jose Mourinho: 'I have a problem. I'm getting better at everything.'

Very well-done interview. Great read, thanks.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

the most important thing is not that you are prepared from the technical point of view; the most important thing is the relationship you establish with the person. Of course you need the knowledge, the capacity to analyse things. But the centre of everything is the relationship, and empathy, not only with the individual but in the team. And to have that empathy in the team we all must give up something. It’s not about establishing the perfect relation between me and you; it’s about establishing the perfect relation to the group, because the group wins things; it’s not the individual who wins things.”

“For me, football is collective. The individual is welcome if you want to make our group better. But you have to work for us, not we have to work for you. When the top player arrives, the team is already there. It’s not him who comes to discover the team, like Columbus discovering America. No, no, you are coming now to help us be better. And as a manager you have to give this message every day – not with lectures or words. It’s about what the players observe in relation to the behaviour and to the feedback – the way you react to this player and that player; the empathy with this one and that one.

“The only thing you cannot give to a player is the talent. But can you work the talent properly so that he understands the team’s needs? Is he an intelligent, open guy waiting for you to help him be better? Is he the kind of maverick guy, the selfish guy, where it is much more difficult to persuade him the team is more important than he is. I’ve had all of these in every club I’ve ever worked at. There is no perfect group anywhere but if you ask me what’s the most important thing in a player, it’s the talent.”

Pretty much the central tension for any manager, anywhere. Can you build relationships and harness talent to get them to work for the common good?