Ongoing Soccer Thread

[Worak]

All hail King Messi

86 Goals in a calander year, breaking Gerd Mullers 40 year record

Awesome accomplishment and the fact that it took 40 years to break the old record puts Müllers deed into perspective, too.

Especially for the younger folks who only know him being legend.

Without him Bayern wouldn't be standing where they are today.

On a side note German Bundesliga table halfways through the season:

 

[Dorkus Malorkus]

I went to Stoke v Liverpool on boxing day cos I'm in Stoke for Christmas family superfun and stuff. Here are my thoughts

- Liverpool are bad. The Rodgers style doesn't work against a team who will press and close down like Stoke. The number of times for example that Reina played a short ball to one of his full-backs who then proceeded to get closed down and get into or at least nearly get into trouble was ridiculous.

- Downing seems to have suddenly realized he's awful at crossing and this has made him not want to cross anything ever. I'm not sure whether this is a good or bad thing for Liverpool.

- Gerrard was woeful. Has he had a good game this season, last week against Fulham aside?

- When your defence is getting run ragged by a strikeforce consisting of Kenwyne Jones and, err, that's it, it's time to hit the panic button.

- Reina's ball distribution is usually good but put him under a little pressure and it suddenly becomes worse than, say, Joe Hart's

- N'Zonzi is really out of place at Stoke because he's actually a good player. The two times I've been to Stoke this season he's been sponsors MOTM and deservedly so.

- "Luis Suarez, your teeth were offside" to the tune of that "You know what you are" chant made me giggle like a schoolgirl.

- IDK if it was a penalty seeing as I didn't see a replay and missed MOTD but Suarez is a tosser regardless. It's amusing that the penalty worked in Stoke's favour and led to them completely wrecking Liverpool for the proceeding 20 minutes or so haha.

- Jonjo Shelvey LMFAO

 

[beardyian]

I went to Stoke v Liverpool on boxing day cos I'm in Stoke for Christmas family superfun and stuff. Here are my thoughts

- Liverpool are bad. The Rodgers style doesn't work against a team who will press and close down like Stoke. The number of times for example that Reina played a short ball to one of his full-backs who then proceeded to get closed down and get into or at least nearly get into trouble was ridiculous.

- Downing seems to have suddenly realized he's awful at crossing and this has made him not want to cross anything ever. I'm not sure whether this is a good or bad thing for Liverpool.

- Gerrard was woeful. Has he had a good game this season, last week against Fulham aside?

- When your defence is getting run ragged by a strikeforce consisting of Kenwyne Jones and, err, that's it, it's time to hit the panic button.

- Reina's ball distribution is usually good but put him under a little pressure and it suddenly becomes worse than, say, Joe Hart's

- N'Zonzi is really out of place at Stoke because he's actually a good player. The two times I've been to Stoke this season he's been sponsors MOTM and deservedly so.

- "Luis Suarez, your teeth were offside" to the tune of that "You know what you are" chant made me giggle like a schoolgirl.

- IDK if it was a penalty seeing as I didn't see a replay and missed MOTD but Suarez is a tosser regardless. It's amusing that the penalty worked in Stoke's favour and led to them completely wrecking Liverpool for the proceeding 20 minutes or so haha.

- Jonjo Shelvey LMFAO

Saw the game and pretty much agree - why Suarez kept running offside and just standing there waiting for a pass (which they then did - cue linesman flag) baffled me.

Gerrard has been over-rated for the last couple of years imo (sorry Joe ) some woeful passes and the team seem to rely way too much on him.

Crossing the halfway line seems to confuse them - maybe next season will be better?


Side note -Sir Alex Ferguson, what the freaking hell is he on over this Christmas period? - van Persie incident, the referee/linesman incident and now calling Pardew a serial official hassler (he should know) - Fergie, put the glass down and have a little sleep. ok?

 

[Dorkus Malorkus]

More proof that Fergie is literally the Grinch.

 

[shamanalix]

I think I'm in heaven! Football chat amidst a poker forum. Next round's on me... Go Man U. (this week; my PL loyalties keep shifting, no team has sold me on it yet, have bounced from ManU to Chelsea to Norwich to Arsenal to West Brom back to ManU. First team to give me a scarf wins me!).

 

[Gesshoo]

I went to Stoke v Liverpool on boxing day cos I'm in Stoke for Christmas family superfun and stuff. Here are my thoughts

- Liverpool are bad. The Rodgers style doesn't work against a team who will press and close down like Stoke. The number of times for example that Reina played a short ball to one of his full-backs who then proceeded to get closed down and get into or at least nearly get into trouble was ridiculous.

- Downing seems to have suddenly realized he's awful at crossing and this has made him not want to cross anything ever. I'm not sure whether this is a good or bad thing for Liverpool.

- Gerrard was woeful. Has he had a good game this season, last week against Fulham aside?

- When your defence is getting run ragged by a strikeforce consisting of Kenwyne Jones and, err, that's it, it's time to hit the panic button.

- Reina's ball distribution is usually good but put him under a little pressure and it suddenly becomes worse than, say, Joe Hart's

- N'Zonzi is really out of place at Stoke because he's actually a good player. The two times I've been to Stoke this season he's been sponsors MOTM and deservedly so.

- "Luis Suarez, your teeth were offside" to the tune of that "You know what you are" chant made me giggle like a schoolgirl.

- IDK if it was a penalty seeing as I didn't see a replay and missed MOTD but Suarez is a tosser regardless. It's amusing that the penalty worked in Stoke's favour and led to them completely wrecking Liverpool for the proceeding 20 minutes or so haha.

- Jonjo Shelvey LMFAO

Saw the game and pretty much agree - why Suarez kept running offside and just standing there waiting for a pass (which they then did - cue linesman flag) baffled me.

Gerrard has been over-rated for the last couple of years imo (sorry Joe ) some woeful passes and the team seem to rely way too much on him.

Crossing the halfway line seems to confuse them - maybe next season will be better?


Side note -Sir Alex Ferguson, what the freaking hell is he on over this Christmas period? - van Persie incident, the referee/linesman incident and now calling Pardew a serial official hassler (he should know) - Fergie, put the glass down and have a little sleep. ok?

Yeah, I know. I do think Liverpool may be BETTER without Gerard. When hs is playing he seems to need to be everything and that makes the other players unsure of their own ability to play, and look for him instead.
His passing has been poor for a year or two now, often playing the team into trouble.
But, I do think Rodgers style is a plus, long term. I have seen us play very well several times this season, sometimes without the result the play deserved - Man C & Man U & Everton to name three.
Stoke are actually a good side - probably better than teams above them (West Brom/Everton) and on an 11-game unbeaten run. They played to their strengths, we didn't.
Fergie is not the joke, the officials & the FA are. They let him get away with it - I don't blame him for taking advantage of it. How much extra time do United get per season just because he looks at his watch every time they are losing in the 89th minute? How many of his players now play to take every possible advantage - Evra is the worst, diving way more than even Suarez, but Van Persie has caught on quickly - backing in in the 95th minute v Newcastle, faking the fall to win the free, then staying down for 60 seconds to run down the clock. Fergie has them all well coached. And they get away with it every time.

BTW - the penalty was nailed on - Suarez skinned Shawcross who proceeded to pull his shirt as he went past him and kept hold for 1-2 seconds til Suarez (finally) went over. Ref was 15 feet away. When I say "kept hold" that = almost pulled off his back!!

 

[beardyian]

Poor old Arsene Wenger will be needing a new coat for the New Year after his zip broke >>

 

[Suited Frenzy]

Poor old Arsene Wenger will be needing a new coat for the New Year after his zip broke >>

HaHa he sure is struggling with that.

That doesn't look too good for the Nike brand when their equipment that they provide (especially when it's for an established sports team) malfunctions.

 

[beardyian]

Cheeky Brendon Rodgers

 

[shaazy712]

liverpool eam needs to rebuild with youths and get new free agents

 

[shamanalix]

liverpool eam needs to rebuild with youths and get new free agents

Doesn't that go for just about every team outside the Manchesters? A lot of weak holes and inconsistencies, from most of the games I've watched on the tube. Of course, still 20 times better than the US league's teams...

 

[rotty]

Cheeky Brendon Rodgers

lol I would have stared longer

 

[Gesshoo]

liverpool eam needs to rebuild with youths and get new free agents

Doesn't that go for just about every team outside the Manchesters? A lot of weak holes and inconsistencies, from most of the games I've watched on the tube. Of course, still 20 times better than the US league's teams...

Well, English football has changed hugely in the past 10 years, since Abramovich became the first mega-rich owner to buy a club. Man United are the mosy commercially successful team and have been for a long time, so their wealth is earned and deserved. They also have the best manager, bar none - head and shoulders better than anyone else.

Chelsea & Man City are bought teams. Player after player after player bought, managers changed regularly - I think it is bad for the game, and there should be caps on how much owners can contribute to the club.

 

[beardyian]

so Pompey lost 5-0 away to Swindon but still the fans cheered >>

http://www.swindon.vitalfootball.co.uk/sitepage.asp?a=304160

:top:

 

[Gesshoo]

Is Abramovic crazy, do you think? I mean, really?

Sacks Ancelotti for Villas-Boas & pays Porto a fortune to get him - seems like a sound move to get one of the best young managers in the game. 8 months later - sack Villas-Boas, appoint Di Matteo as temporary manager - wins FA Cup AND the Holy Grail - to be sacked 3 months into the new season....and replaced by RAFA????

Yeah, he's crazy.

 

[Gesshoo]

I didn't realise how truly AWESOME I am at Fantasy Football - until tonight!!

Look at this AMAZING score for this game week!!



1,234 points, mostly due to an AMAZING 260 goals from Raheem Sterling!! LOL!

On the other hand, Mignolet did SUCK with -129, but Raheem covered that on his own!

Oh yeah - and Raheem only played 18 minutes apparently....

 

[beardyian]

Is Abramovic crazy, do you think? I mean, really?

Sacks Ancelotti for Villas-Boas & pays Porto a fortune to get him - seems like a sound move to get one of the best young managers in the game. 8 months later - sack Villas-Boas, appoint Di Matteo as temporary manager - wins FA Cup AND the Holy Grail - to be sacked 3 months into the new season....and replaced by RAFA????

Yeah, he's crazy.

And then lose to that lying tax-dodger scums QPR

I didn't realise how truly AWESOME I am at Fantasy Football - until tonight!!

Look at this AMAZING score for this game week!!

View attachment 47520

1,234 points, mostly due to an AMAZING 260 goals from Raheem Sterling!! LOL!

On the other hand, Mignolet did SUCK with -129, but Raheem covered that on his own!

Oh yeah - and Raheem only played 18 minutes apparently....

Wasted on the head to head leagues though, still only 3 points for the win

 

[Gesshoo]

Bye bye Newcastle, 2-0 down with 1 minute left....I knew Gary Dicker almost from when he was born. He lived in the same cul-de-sac as us in ireland, and is the same age as my eldest daughter. His Mum, Margaret, took him to trial after trial in England when he was 11, 12, 13 etc. but it obviously paid off in the end!

 

[Gesshoo]

so Pompey lost 5-0 away to Swindon but still the fans cheered >>

http://www.swindon.vitalfootball.co.uk/sitepage.asp?a=304160

:top:

Class is timeless - and that is class!

 

[beardyian]

Bye bye Newcastle, 2-0 down with 1 minute left....I knew Gary Dicker almost from when he was born. He lived in the same cul-de-sac as us in Ireland, and is the same age as my eldest daughter. His Mum, Margaret, took him to trial after trial in England when he was 11, 12, 13 etc. but it obviously paid off in the end!

Newcastle...oh dear, so very poor, so many Premier league teams only put out their reserves and they do themselves no good at all.

You would think it would be a great opportunity for some of these players to get noticed and maybe a move to a club that will play them.

I suppose that would need them to take a wage cut though .

 

[Gesshoo]

Yeah, like Joe Cole going to West Ham! 100k per week wages saved so I guess a 3 or 4 million pay-off PLUS a free transfer was ok....currently watching Saints-Chelsea live over here - no prizes for guessing who you are pulling for!

 

[beardyian]

Yeah, like Joe Cole going to West Ham! 100k per week wages saved so I guess a 3 or 4 million pay-off PLUS a free transfer was ok....currently watching Saints-Chelsea live over here - no prizes for guessing who you are pulling for!

it was a tough call but you probably guessed right lol

 

[blott]

I think I'm in heaven! Football chat amidst a poker forum. Next round's on me... Go Man U. (this week; my PL loyalties keep shifting, no team has sold me on it yet, have bounced from ManU to Chelsea to Norwich to Arsenal to West Brom back to ManU. First team to give me a scarf wins me!).

stick to baseball maybe

 

[shamanalix]

stick to baseball maybe

Naw, soccer's a bigger kick than the Curdinals...

 

[onemorechance]

Messi GOAT