The Soccer Thread

[shnsajax]

Nice job, Arsenal. How do you blow a 4 goal lead in 30 minutes?

 

I thought I might have [expletive] up posting what I did. Pathetic showing, im getting frustrated with Wenger not wanting to spend to fix the problems.

 

I'm not even sure its a matter of spending, to be honest. He shouldn't have removed Walcott, and money can't solve the problems of players being stupid. They condeded two penalties and a wonder strike to level.

 

Obviously I'm biased here, but Arsenal are the kind of team that could use a Bradley or Jones or Dempsey. They need more fight in them, and those guys aren't all that costly. Clint is probably the priciest of the three. Arsenal have so, so much talent, but they fold at the worst times. So many of their players are soft. van Persie, Bentdner, Rosicky...all soft. They never really replaced Gallas as that leader in the back.

 

Look at United. They have less talent that like 5 other teams in the Prem, but the guys they have in the spine of the team are hardasses, and they never ever give up on a game.

 

And a big part of that is because Wenger doesn't want to sacrifice his style of play. The Diaby penalty was just stupid, though Barton could have broken his leg. I would like to see them at a Bradley type player in the back. The back line is also pretty weak and goalkeeping has been a question mark for 4 years. The bench is weak featuring the same type of players and not allowing him to mix it up based on the match up.

[USSoccer]

LULZ United.

[Guest]

Of all the teams to lose to, United falls to Wolves.

 

Amazing how much trouble ManU has had with Wolves this year.

 

They needed a 90th minute winner to win in the Carling Cup 4th round (albeit with a second-team roster), then needed a 90th minute winner to win 2-1 at Old Trafford on Nov. 6. Now they lose.

[USSoccer]

You know who's absolutely crap?

 

Nani.

 

Yeah, he scored today, but he probably killed like 8 other opportunities by holding on to the ball and then trying a poor shot or getting dispossessed. It's just like having Ronaldo, only without the pace and with like half the ability.

[Guest]

You know who's absolutely crap?

 

Nani.

 

Yeah, he scored today, but he probably killed like 8 other opportunities by holding on to the ball and then trying a poor shot or getting dispossessed. It's just like having Ronaldo, only without the pace and with like half the ability.

 

That's how I've always thought of him - a guy who thinks he is Ronaldo and tries to do the things Ronaldo does but isn't anywhere close to as talented.

[USSoccer]

http://i55.tinypic.com/rwqqv6.jpg

[reggiemiller rules]

Its amazing how good Meireles has been since Daglish moved him back to his natural position, instead of playing him out wide like Hodgson did.

[wolf stansson]

Bad first day for Charlie.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/2011/02/charlie_davies_begins_dc_unite.html

Good day today. Goal and assist so far in a goal fest v Canada's u-20's.

[Exile on Waveland]

Its amazing how good Meireles has been since Daglish moved him back to his natural position, instead of playing him out wide like Hodgson did.

 

And as every day passes, it becomes more and more apparent how truly incompetent Hodgson was in his brief stint.

[wolf stansson]

Its amazing how good Meireles has been since Daglish moved him back to his natural position, instead of playing him out wide like Hodgson did.

 

And as every day passes, it becomes more and more apparent how truly incompetent Hodgson was in his brief stint.

I think it says more about the culture in that locker room, led by the number one offender, Steven Gerrard. Clearly he thought Roy wasn't big enough to lead him.

[Exile on Waveland]

Its amazing how good Meireles has been since Daglish moved him back to his natural position, instead of playing him out wide like Hodgson did.

 

And as every day passes, it becomes more and more apparent how truly incompetent Hodgson was in his brief stint.

I think it says more about the culture in that locker room, led by the number one offender, Steven Gerrard. Clearly he thought Roy wasn't big enough to lead him.

 

Is it Gerrard or Carragher? I hear conflicting reports about who's the locker room lawyer. Regardless, a huge part of a manager/coaches job -- especially in the professional ranks -- it to manage egos. I see that as no less the fault of Hodgson.

[USSoccer]

I'm sure if anyone was the issue, it was Carragher.

[shnsajax]

The Dutch put up some pretty goals yesterday. Sneijder's was very nice, the Elia pass on the 2nd was sweet.

 

 

[Jon]

The adjustment by Rooney on his goal was impressive enough. Yeesh.

[Guest]

The adjustment by Rooney on his goal was impressive enough. Yeesh.

 

Great goal. City plays such a boring style in big games because they're playing not to lose, even when they're at home. And it's surprising because they've got a solid back line and some good attacking talent so there's no reason they shouldn't be able to attack a bit. It takes a goal from their opponent to make City come out of their shell.

 

In La Liga news, Barcelona's 16-game winning streak is about to come to an end. They trailed for most of the match before Villa equalized with a sick chip. This would be only the third game out of 23 in La Liga that Barcelona hasn't won.

[wolf stansson]

I'd be interested to see how many of those 3 losses were after a midweek international break. I think all 3.

[wolf stansson]

Holy [expletive], I just saw the Rooney goal. Oh my god.

[SpongeWorthy]

Am I just looking in the wrong places or is finding decent soccer highlights a way bigger pain than it needs to be?

[USSoccer]

Holy [expletive], I just saw the Rooney goal. Oh my god.

 

Just saw it myself. Wow.

[Guest]

I'd be interested to see how many of those 3 losses were after a midweek international break. I think all 3.

 

This tie and the 2-0 loss to Hercules on Sept. 11 were after international breaks. The 1-1 tie with Mallorca was after a midweek Champions League game.

[shnsajax]

Holy [expletive], I just saw the Rooney goal. Oh my god.

 

Just saw it myself. Wow.

 

Rooney made up for an entire season on one strike.

[Guest]

Last year we got Bellamy's 90th minute tying goal followed by Owen's last-second winner at Old Trafford, then Scholes' injury-time winner at City. Plus Rooney scored in injury time in the second leg of the Carling Cup semis to give Man U the win. Then this year we get a goal of the year candidate as the winner.

 

Ignore the 0-0 borefest earlier in the year and City-Utd has provided some memorable moments over the last two years.

[Banedon]

Here's the Rooney goal:

 

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xh07o9_wayne-rooney-manchester-united-2-1-manchester-city_sport#from=embed&start=4

[USSoccer]

Jozy got 80 minutes today in his Bursaspor debut, and had just a sick FIFA11 type spin move on a run that set up the first goal of the game:

 

http://i53.tinypic.com/2n83rk3.gif

[Guest]

Clint drew an injury time PK vs. Chelsea but then had the penalty saved by Cech and Fulham had to settle for a draw. Not a good penalty at all.

 

On a related note, one of the most ridiculous occasional calls is the encroachment on a penalty kick. Drogba was easily three yards inside the area by the time Clint took the kick and actually started jogging into the area when Dempsey started running at the kick. Refs occasionally call it but it just seems so arbitrary and random because encroachment happens on nearly every kick, usually by both teams.