The Soccer Thread

[wolf stansson]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/gallery/2012/feb/07/clint-dempsey-football-gallery#/?picture=385560527&index=0

Most of these are dumb, but I liked this one.

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2012/2/6/1328534206032/Dempsey-Gallery-12-012.jpg

[USSoccer]

So within the past week LA added Juninho and Edson Buddle back from 2 Bundesliga....that team might not lose a game.

 

EDIT: Just realized they lose Beckham for 6 weeks, since he's going to captain the Great Britian Olympic team, Keane for a month or so for the Euros, and Landon to qualifiers. Still, though, their starting front 6 is nuts, and if Gonzo weren't hurt they'd be damn near unbeatable.

[Guest]

Capello resigns as England manager.

[shnsajax]

This makes no sense to me. Does he really care that much about Terry being captain or just the fact that the FA were the ones to strip him of it. Nice way for them to [expletive] up their Euro chances.

 

So are they going to roll out a dump truck to The Chosen One, or back to the "we need an English manager" mentality? I would give Guus Hiddink a call as someone who could take over today.

[jersey cubs fan]

the article says Redknapp is the new guy. I like his goofy britishness very much.

[bukie]

Grant Wahl just tweeted that the USMNT has scheduled a friendly against Brazil on May 30 in Landover, MD. He also mentioned that the new CONCACAF president wants to change/eliminate the Gold Cup, and combine efforts with the CONMEBOL Copa America in an effort to provide more consistent challenges for the better CONCACAF teams (basically USA and Mexico).

[wolf stansson]

Aw hell yeah. Ya'al ready for some Western Hemisphere futbol?

http://www.mediotiempo.com/futbol/internacional/noticias/2012/02/08/pretenden-nueva-era-en-concacaf

It's in Spanish, but they're exploring inviting CONCACAF to Copa America by 2016. F yes.

[USSoccer]

From what I gather, the 2016 invite would be as a guest team, and we'd host some 1st round games here.

 

I don't think that permanently scrapping the Gold Cup is going to happen, for a ton of reasons.

[wolf stansson]

I'm out of action after getting my wisdom teeth out yesterday. Percocet & and the EPL have been clutch for me. Ever ton-Chelsea was great with Everton at their heart/courage/opportunist best. Landon is a master at exploiting a defense's angles from the wing.

 

Suarez made me do something i thought impossible, root for United. Rooney is a bad dude. Suarez is a worthless piece of classless garbage.

 

And Deuce? No one man should have all that power:

http://deadspin.com/5884267/clint-dempsey-is-still-scoring-goals-and-this-one-was-a-tactical-nuke

[USSoccer]

I'm out of action after getting my wisdom teeth out yesterday. Percocet & and the EPL have been clutch for me. Ever ton-Chelsea was great with Everton at their heart/courage/opportunist best. Landon is a master at exploiting a defense's angles from the wing.

 

Suarez made me do something i thought impossible, root for United. Rooney is a bad dude. Suarez is a worthless piece of classless garbage.

 

And Deuce? No one man should have all that power:

http://deadspin.com/5884267/clint-dempsey-is-still-scoring-goals-and-this-one-was-a-tactical-nuke

 

Hope you're enjoying the painkiller fog after that, Wolfie

 

They called that an own goal. Horseshit. The keeper got a touch before it went off the bar and off his back; that's a goal. They'd better change that, since that was a bomb.

 

Landon's pass to set up Everton's 2nd was pretty great. I can't wait to see Clint and Landon finally on the field together against Italy.

 

Suarez is a complete wank-Evra running right past him to celebrate after the game was pretty funny, but Evra running right at Suarez and nearly wrecking Rio Ferdinand thirty seconds in was even better.

[Mark Priors Calves]

Is Dempsey currently playing at the highest rate any American player has ever played at?

[USSoccer]

Is Dempsey currently playing at the highest rate any American player has ever played at?

 

For field players, absolutely. Mikey had the 20 goal Eredivisie season, but that's sorta like the PCL of Europe, right? Deuce is going to get 20 goals for a mid table EPL side. That's unprecedented.

 

He's single handedly kept Fulham out of relegation this season. Without him, they'd be screwed. He's the only guy you have to game plan and try and mark out of a game, and he's still scoring and creating like mad.

[Mark Priors Calves]

Is Dempsey currently playing at the highest rate any American player has ever played at?

 

For field players, absolutely. Mikey had the 20 goal Eredivisie season, but that's sorta like the PCL of Europe, right? Deuce is going to get 20 goals for a mid table EPL side. That's unprecedented.

 

He's single handedly kept Fulham out of relegation this season. Without him, they'd be screwed. He's the only guy you have to game plan and try and mark out of a game, and he's still scoring and creating like mad.

Well put, especially in regards to field players versus keepers. Howard, Friedel, and Keller all have had great careers in the EPL, but there are so many more factors in determining the level of quality for goalkeeping.

[wolf stansson]

Clint is the best American player ever. Landon has had a better career because he's been this consistently good for 10 years, but the way Clint has evolved and done it the EPL pressure cooker is astounding. He's such a funky, atypical player too. Not a forward, not a midfielder, he can do it all. He's a Swiss army knife. Also, he's been incredibly durable for club and country. The right manager at the right Champions league club could really do special things with him.

[wolf stansson]

Charlie Davies returned for Sochaux today @'Rennes in the 78th minute. Good for him.

[wolf stansson]

Saha-Adebayor looked like the best forward tandem in the league today. Best they've looked in years. Tottenham is potent.

[wolf stansson]

Pretty awesome how influential Donovan, Keane & Henry have been in this loan period.

[Guest]

Suarez made me do something i thought impossible, root for United. Rooney is a bad dude. Suarez is a worthless piece of classless garbage.

 

Does any fanbase outside of Liverpool and Uruguay like the guy? He pissed off the whole continent of Africa with the handball against Ghana, he's a notorious diver who goes crazy and complains when he doesn't get the call, and now this whole thing.

 

Going in, I was rooting for a tie in the hope that Tottenham could pick up a couple points on ManU, but after the handshake, like you, I was rooting for ManU.

[Guest]

Saha-Adebayor looked like the best forward tandem in the league today. Best they've looked in years. Tottenham is potent.

 

That first half was impressive. They just took Newcastle apart. At 10 points up on Chelsea and Arsenal with 13 games left, they're virtually assured of a spot in the Champions League group stage next year.

 

Hopefully Man City's recent poor away form (2 wins, 4 losses, 3 ties in the last three months in all competitions) continues against Villa tomorrow.

[wolf stansson]

Ronaldo is a bad man.

http://deadspin.com/5884459/cristiano-ronaldo-seals-hat-trick-with-sublime-strike

[Guest]

Arsenal is getting torn apart in Milan right now, down 3-0. They absolutely have to get a goal here to have a chance in the return leg.

 

After getting 9 of the 12 semifinal spots from 07-09, England had none in 10, one in 11 and only Chelsea has a realistic shot (at the moment) this year.

[shnsajax]

Arsenal is getting torn apart in Milan right now, down 3-0. They absolutely have to get a goal here to have a chance in the return leg.

 

After getting 9 of the 12 semifinal spots from 07-09, England had none in 10, one in 11 and only Chelsea has a realistic shot (at the moment) this year.

 

So much for losing to Barca once again in the Champs League.

[wolf stansson]

Eddie Johnson to Seattle could be a brilliant signing. His speed either starting or off the bench, playing with the best attack in MLS? Zakuani, Alonso, Montero, Hernandez and Rosales Is already the best front 5 in the league. He could be a serious catalyst if he can find any kind of form.

[Guest]

Not a very good week for Arsenal as they're out of the FA Cup after losing 2-0 at Sunderland.

 

Chelsea tied Brimingham 1-1 at Stamford Bridge, Everton and Bolton won while Leicester City upset Norwich.

[shnsajax]

Brighton have 3 own goals vs Liverpool. Two of which were just awful.

 

They actually don't look bad on offense controlling possession but lack the finishing. Defensively they are a mess.