ES Soccer Thread

[MartinC]

Even as a Leeds fan I'm almost starting to feel sorry for Moyes. Almost.

 

Seriously at 0-1 down at half time I still expect Utd to come back and win this - mainly because Sunderland are so bad. They are dropping deeper and deeper and giving the ball back to Utd far too cheaply. When Sunderland do get the ball and run at Utd they look very very vulnerable especially on Utd right were Nani and Raphael don't seem to have a clue what they are supposed to be doing defensively.

 

Vidic and Jones look they have never met before either at centre half.

 

By the way very good save from De Gea to keep it at 1-0 or Utd might be really in the mire.

Edited October 5, 2013 by MartinC

[SJValleySkinz]

When did United sign young Ryan Giggs?

[DC9]

Moses will play where Sterling was today.  Sterling has so much speed, he just needs to work on those touches.  He'll get better.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Moses will play where Sterling was today.  Sterling has so much speed, he just needs to work on those touches.  He'll get better.

 

Playing Sterling as a wing-back is not a clever idea. Leaves acres of space behind him defensively. Kelly would be far better there until Johnson's fit. 

 

Not sure why Rodgers has switched the system suddenly save for trying to fit everyone in. 

 

Hail. 

[jobaga]

Playing Sterling as a wing-back is not a clever idea. Leaves acres of space behind him defensively. Kelly would be far better there until Johnson's fit. 

 

Not sure why Rodgers has switched the system suddenly save for trying to fit everyone in. 

 

Hail. 

Is Kelly back? Wisdom? I thought he was playing 3 in the back out of necessity. I also think Rodgers wants to keep both Suarez and Sturridge in the middle. On the bright side, he kept Aspas out of the starting eleven.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Is Kelly back? Wisdom? I thought he was playing 3 in the back out of necessity. I also think Rodgers wants to keep both Suarez and Sturridge in the middle. On the bright side, he kept Aspas out of the starting eleven.

 

Wisdom's been on the bench the last 4 since he started at Swansea and has been in the 18 every game this season. Kelly hasn't been involved the last two since coming on at United in the League Cup. (He was in the 18 the previous 5 to that.). Not sure where he's been the last two games.

 

The one man it will benefit is Johnson when he returns. He's made for a wing-back role. What complicates it more is his insistence on playing Lucas and Gerrard as deep holding midfielders. No Lucas today, and the teams far more attack minded. No need, especially at home, to have two sat so deep. Totally nullifies what Steven does. 

 

Hail. 

 

*Edit* Congrats Sami Hyppia for holding Munich tonight as well. 1 point behind in third. He's doing great things at Leverkusen on a small budget. 

Edited October 6, 2013 by Gibbs Hog Heaven

[jobaga]

But are Wisdom and Kelly fully healthy? Or are they there because there aren't any other options?

[Elessar78]

Well that was a mixed afternoon. 

 

Brilliant first half. (If still dodgy defensively as we get to grips with the 3 at the back.). Ridiculous second half. Losing it 1-0 to them is woeful. Sounds picky, but it's an on-going trend of second half disappearing acts that will cost us against better sides as the year goes on. 

 

Still, another brilliant Sturridge individual goal. And back on top. Nice position to be in at the International break for once. 

 

Hail. 

It'll be interesting to see how that plays out in the next few weeks. I recall people saying L'pool are not deep. If that's true, are you rotating enough? Seems silly to mention squad fatigue in the first weekend in October.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

But are Wisdom and Kelly fully healthy? Or are they there because there aren't any other options?

If we're putting unfit players on the bench just to make up numbers then we do have problems.

Hail.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

It'll be interesting to see how that plays out in the next few weeks. I recall people saying L'pool are not deep. If that's true, are you rotating enough? Seems silly to mention squad fatigue in the first weekend in October.

The second halts are to do with fatigue?

This has been happening from week one. I'd personally be the other way and say now there's no League Cup or Europe, it should be the strongest XI every week until the Cup starts in January at least. No reason to be rotating.

Yesterday was more taking our foot off the gas and coasting through with the game won in the first 15 minutes or so. The danger when you do that is it's hard to pick the pace up again. And if the opposition score, nerves set in.

If we are fatigued that we can't get through 90 minutes football then something is SERIOUSLY going wrong in training.

Hail.

Edited October 6, 2013 by Gibbs Hog Heaven

[DC9]

I read Wisdom wasn't fully healthy.  Thought he was going to come in at the end of the Sunderland game and didn't.

 

We did play with 3 back yesterday. I think BR was trying to encourage everyone to go forward all the while getting guys like Sterling reps against a Palace side that stinks.

 

I get the feeling once Coutinho is healthy after the break (hopefully healthy, I should say) we'll have him in the middle and Moses coming from the side.  And of course Suarez and Sturridge up top.

 

Leave Enrique on the back 4, he has always been fine coming up if needed.  That would be a strong side with lots of weapons and creativity from both sides.

Yesterday was more taking our foot off the gas and coasting through with the game won in the first 15 minutes or so. The danger when you do that is it's hard to pick the pace up again. And if the opposition score, nerves set in.

 

I totally agree.  I don't even know what the commentators were talking about "Are Liverpool taking their foot of the gas or are Palace just playing better this half?"

 

Of course Palace wasn't playing any better.  Then one of the guys comes in from the studio to say "Most of these Liverpool players are already thinking about their international matchups this week and next week"

 

If goals were needed we would've seen more goals.

 

Rooting for West Ham to blow some bubbles today!

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

I read Wisdom wasn't fully healthy. .....

 

If Wisdoms not fit, he shouldn't be on the bench. In fact come to that, why have 3 defenders on the bench as he has this year period?

 

If we're so short staffed, put one of the kids on the there. 

 

Hail. 

Edited October 6, 2013 by Gibbs Hog Heaven

[DC9]

If Wisdoms not fit, he shouldn't be on the bench. In fact come to that, why have 3 defenders on the bench as he has this year period?

 

If we're so short staffed, put one of the kids on the there. 

 

Hail. 

 

Well BR had the option to just move Enrique back there the whole game.  I don't know why we didn't after we went up 3-0.

 

I like to think he thought we could get away with it, which is why Sterling got the whole game.  I doubt Lucas effects the lineup that much.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/exclusive-newcastle-united-lead-the-way-as-fans-pressure-forces-ticket-price-cuts-8867482.html

Nice to see a big club finally become pro-active in this fight. Subsidized away travel and a few pounds off away tickets have been nothing more than token gestures thus far. Ticket prices are the major problem.

Fair play to the Geordies. Be interesting to see if any other big club follows their lead and reciprocates.

Hail.

[dchogs]

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/exclusive-newcastle-united-lead-the-way-as-fans-pressure-forces-ticket-price-cuts-8867482.html

Nice to see a big club finally become pro-active in this fight. Subsidized away travel and a few pounds off away tickets have been nothing more than token gestures thus far. Ticket prices are the major problem.

Fair play to the Geordies. Be interesting to see if any other big club follows their lead and reciprocates.

Hail.

how much is a home ticket vs. an away ticket? liverpool and man u knocking off 2-4 pounds doesn't seem like all that much relief. not sure how much relief newcastle's 20 pound tickets are either.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

how much is a home ticket vs. an away ticket? liverpool and man u knocking off 2-4 pounds doesn't seem like all that much relief. not sure how much relief newcastle's 20 pound tickets are either.

Well for an example, when we go to Newcastle in 10 days time, it's double and more that proposed £ 20. (£ 42/ 44. The equivalent of around $ 67/ 70.). That's on top of your travelling costs/ food/ drink. Hell of an expensive day. And that's one of the cheaper away grounds this year. United in the League Cup a week or so back was £ 46 for Liverpool fans. ($ 73.). And there was uproar that the away fans got charged £ 10 more than most home fans. (Around $ 16.). For the same product. Arsenal, 2 weeks after Newcastle, is a nice, cheap £ 58 or £ 62. (Around $ 93/ 98). Throw in another 90 bucks or so for the train to London, as well as the underground ticket/ food/ drink; and that's your average weekly wage give or take gone in one away game. What REALLY grates is Liverpool and United, more so than any other clubs, have as good as 'subsidised' the rest of the league for years as they always without fail sell out their allocation and are that big of a pull the home tickets are all sold well in advance too. Clubs know whatever they ask, L'pool and Utd fans will blindly pay it unlike lesser clubs. I have Everton supporting friends who often pay a third and more less than I would purely for following a different club which is totally and utterly unfair to be kind.

All that said, the big clubs are as bad as anyone now for out and out greed. Liverpool introduced a category system a good few years back (A,B,C) which is just another way of robbing fans. The prices for a matchday ticket at Anfield now varies from £ 38 through £ 52. (Around $ 60- 82.). You'd be averaging out around £ 44-48 over a season per home game. ($ 70-76 or so.). Liverpool have always narked me by not charging the fans of a visiting club the same as their own fans get scandalously charged. It should be a like for like until it stops.

The Greed is Good League, or Barclays Premiership as they like to be known; has been one of the worst things to happen to your average, working class, traditional supporter. Many of whom can no longer afford to attend. The game is a sanitised, middle class 'day out' now with very little atmosphere and passion among most crowds.

But I'd better not got started on the ills of modern day football, or I'll be typing all night.

Hail.

*Edit* Liverpool knocking £ 2/ 4 off the price of an away ticket this year out of their fan subsidy is a complete joke and nothing more than a token gesture. The inference being if you attend all 19 away games, you'll in effect get a 'free' ticket.

The fact you need a credit card with a limit equating to the Bank of England to do that is mere detail .....

Edited October 9, 2013 by Gibbs Hog Heaven

[DC9]

The Greed is Good League, or Barclays Premiership as they like to be known; has been one of the worst things to happen to your average, working class, traditional supporter. Many of whom can no longer afford to attend. The game is a sanitised, middle class 'day out' now with very little atmosphere and passion among most crowds. 

 

I see that happening in the NFL very soon, brother.  It's steadily happened over the last several years.

 

Though on your side of things, football (soccer) has only more recently become passionate amongst the economically elite as I've read.  Like within the last 20-30 years or so.

 

Soon it's going to be equal to a vacation to go see a sporting event.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

http://m.washingtonpost.com/blogs/soccer-insider/wp/2013/10/09/olsen-kasper-likely-to-return-in-2014/?wpisrc=nl_sports

It seems popularity as a player makes you immune to responsibility as a HC. Just WHAT does 'Teflon' Ben have to do to get fired? Just HOW much worse (if they can get worse) do DCU have to become to bring about change? And just WHAT do Olsen and Kasper have on the ownership to save their sorry ass necks?

Man I feal for you guys. It's like we're in a never ending cycle of abject mediocrity in DC sports.

And talking DCU, where on the heck have Ren and BSF disappeared to? Really miss their interjections, humour and darn right common sense in this thread. And that Ren one owes me like a brewery worth of ale. We need to find her! Like yesterday!

Hail.

Edited October 9, 2013 by Gibbs Hog Heaven

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

I see that happening in the NFL very soon, brother. It's steadily happened over the last several years.

Though on your side of things, football (soccer) has only more recently become passionate amongst the economically elite as I've read. Like within the last 20-30 years or so.

Soon it's going to be equal to a vacation to go see a sporting event.

The Sky generation, modern day football fan born out of the EPL are the bain of my life man. And being the massive club we are, we attract more than out fair share of day tripping, know nothing, passionless embarrassing retards.

But then their exactly the type of 'customer', not 'fan', that the club wants. The new bread with plenty of disposable income that will come and spend a **** load of cash in LiverWorld on medchandise from their 'day out' at the match. (And not be able to sing and support if they even knew the words for all their bags of goodies around their seat.).

Man I could go into an UBBER rant on modern day soccer so it's best I stop, lol. Save to say the game I grew up loving is TOTALLY unrecognisable save for eleven a-side, the pitch markings and officials. In ALL aspects. And many changes NOT for the better.

To think football is going the same way out there just had my heart sink even further.

Hail.

Edited October 9, 2013 by Gibbs Hog Heaven

[RichmondRedskin88]

http://m.washingtonpost.com/blogs/soccer-insider/wp/2013/10/09/olsen-kasper-likely-to-return-in-2014/?wpisrc=nl_sports

It seems popularity as a player makes you immune to responsibility as a HC. Just WHAT does 'Teflon' Ben have to do to get fired? Just HOW much worse (if they can get worse) do DCU have to become to bring about change? And just WHAT do Olsen and Kasper have on the ownership to save their sorry ass necks?

Man I feal for you guys. It's like we're in a never ending cycle of abject mediocrity in DC sports.

And talking DCU, where on the heck have Ren and BSF disappeared to? Really miss their interjections, humour and darn right common sense in this thread. And that Ren one owes me like a brewery worth of ale. We need to find her! Like yesterday!

Hail.

 

Well I'm not Ren or BSF but as a Screaming Eagle with DCU I can shed some light.  Basically Olsen may have bailed himself out temporary with the US Open Cup.  Had he loss that match he'd been fired on the spot.  I don't think he's gained much time though.  Funny enough DCU's old leadership which when to Toronto FC has already been fired.  Two questions will be thrown out for next season though.  One- Does Olsen think he can use this US Open Cup to bounce back with a good season next year? Two- How will they treat the Concacaf Champions League now that they are in it?  

[DC9]

The Sky generation, modern day football fan born out of the EPL are the bain of my life man. And being the massive club we are, we attract more than out fair share of day tripping, know nothing, passionless embarrassing retards.

But then their exactly the type of 'customer', not 'fan', that the club wants. The new bread with plenty of disposable income that will come and spend a **** load of cash in LiverWorld on medchandise from their 'day out' at the match. (And not be able to sing and support if they even knew the words for all their bags of goodies around their seat.).

Man I could go into an UBBER rant on modern day soccer so it's best I stop, lol. Save to say the game I grew up loving is TOTALLY unrecognisable save for eleven a-side, the pitch markings and officials. In ALL aspects. And many changes NOT for the better.

To think football I going the same way out there just had my heart sink even further.

Hail.

 

Well, when I get to my first match at Anfield I will be that guy in that I will be taking pictures with my brother like a mofo. 

 

Maybe walking down the fields of Anfield Road, I'll grab a beer (which I hate) at the pub.  And I have to get after that Stevie Gerrard - Gerrard guy.  And I just can't get enough of that guy who bites people.  Is he spanish?  Something like that.

 

You see a lot of that here to my brother.  Our fanbase lives off the reputation of our parents and our aunts and uncles.  Few and far between are the ones who understand what a crowd is about.  That is a whole other topic, too. 

 

It is what it is, sadly.  Anfield was once a fortress.  RFK was inpenitrable.  We have to make do.  At least you enjoyed a few more years of those days than I did

 

I'm stuck selling these last few years to my kids.  I think both sides are on the right track though.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Man, I wish you could of experienced a standing derby, Utd game or European night on the Kop in all it's glory DC9 man. You'd of been totally and utterly blown away. Gates locked a few hours before kick-off. 18 thousand or so like minded individuals packed in. (Or upwards of 25/30 going further back.) Swaying and moving as one. Song after song after song. Everyone knowing all the words. New songs invented off the cuff and everyone instinctively picking the lyrics up. The wit and humor. Often horribly cutting if you happened to be on the wrong end if it. The colour. The banners filled with invention and wit that set us apart.

Man I'm getting sentimental, lol, and it wasn't always like that every week; but when a standing Kop was in full flow there was no sight, sound or experience like it ANYWHERE in the World.

Man I wish some of you guys could of experienced that just to have the memory's.

Hail.

Edited October 9, 2013 by Gibbs Hog Heaven

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Is it wrong of me to say 'Come on Poland' ?

 

Hail. 

[Kilmer17]

How messed up is FIFA?

If Colombia and Uruguay win tonight, they will be seeded at the World Cup as will the Swiss.

But England Italy and Netherlands will not

How messed up is FIFA?

If Colombia and Uruguay win tonight, they will be seeded at the World Cup as will the Swiss.

But England Italy and Netherlands will not

[btfoom]

I can't believe the change in fortunes for two countries that happened in the last 6 minutes of the US v Panama game tonight.  A late goal for Panama, with Mexico losing (and eventually lost) had Panama singing out Si, Se Puede!!  A great header and then a bolt from Johansson means that Mexico are still alive.

 

I was going back and forth between these games late and I have NEVER heard a Mexican announcer so happy that the US won a game.

 

As much as I hate Mexico when the US plays them, I still think they represent the region much better than Panama (that is, if they can beat New Zeland over 2 legs).

 

Dos A Zero!!!  Dos A Zero!!!