The Soccer Thread

[shnsajax]

2nd half should now be fun.

[Guest]

Looks like it's an all-Madrid final.

[USSoccer]

hahahahahaha [expletive] off, Chelsea.

[wolf stansson]

While I think it will be an epic game, I bet ratings are terrible here.

[wolf stansson]

I'm so excited for Copa America 2016. Almost as excited as I'd be for a World Cup.

http://www.americansoccernow.com/articles/copa-america-centenario-could-be-a-game-changer

[Mark Priors Calves]

While I think it will be an epic game, I bet ratings are terrible here.

I'm just hoping its on big Fox.

[shnsajax]

While I think it will be an epic game, I bet ratings are terrible here.

I'm just hoping its on big Fox.

 

Has the Gus Johnson experiment been killed yet?

[Guest]

While I think it will be an epic game, I bet ratings are terrible here.

I'm just hoping its on big Fox.

 

Has the Gus Johnson experiment been killed yet?

 

Unfortunately no.

[shnsajax]

While I think it will be an epic game, I bet ratings are terrible here.

I'm just hoping its on big Fox.

 

Has the Gus Johnson experiment been killed yet?

 

Unfortunately no.

 

Hopefully I can just find it in Spanish then.

[wolf stansson]

I'm so excited for Copa America 2016. Almost as excited as I'd be for a World Cup.

http://www.americansoccernow.com/articles/copa-america-centenario-could-be-a-game-changer

It's official: http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2014/05/01/copa-america-will-be-held-us-soil-in-2016

 

Man that's going to be awesome. Our team is going to be great with vets still young enough to contribute and youth maturing another two years after the WC. Messi is going to have perhaps his last chance to win a major trophy for Argentina and cement his legacy, Suarez will be in his prime...this is going to be awesome.

[USSoccer]

FIFA adding it to the calendar is the final step. That happens, and it becomes immense. If it doesn't, it could be a giant letdown.

[Guest]

Umm: http://m.washingtonpost.com/blogs/soccer-insider/wp/2014/05/02/arsenals-zelalem-nearing-u-s-eligibility/

 

http://www.starsandstripesfc.com/usmnt-news/2014/5/2/5677158/gedion-zelalem-usa-citizenship-arsenal

 

Is Arsenal midfielder Gedion Zelalem about to pledge his future to the U.S. national team?

 

The Insider has learned Zelalem is close to becoming an American citizen, and by virtue, become eligible to represent the United States in international competition. Zelalem, who turned 17 in January, is believed to be in Washington with his father this weekend for naturalization purposes. By the time they return to London, both will likely be carrying U.S. passports.

 

Zelalem is a German-born midfielder of Ethiopian descent who lived in the D.C. suburbs for six years and honed his craft with Olney Rangers before joining Arsenal last year [His Gunners profile]. He trained with the U.S. under-15 team twice, but without citizenship, did not meet eligibility requirements for official matches.

 

Zelalem is in the German national team system, but in March, abruptly withdrew from the under-17 squad ahead of European Championship qualifiers. Had he played in any of those matches, he would have relinquished any hope of representing the United States. FIFA does allow players to switch affiliations once, provided they are citizens of both countries at the time they make their international debut.

 

At the time, Arsenal said Zelalem withdrew in order to concentrate on his work with the club’s under-21s. That may well have been true, but international eligibility also seemed to have played into the decision.

 

Zelalem is eligible for a U.S. passport through the Child Citizenship Act of 2000, which “serves to facilitate the acquisition of U.S. citizenship of the foreign-born children of U.S. citizens - both biological and adopted - who did not acquire citizenship at birth.”

 

In other words, because he is under age 18, he would automatically become a citizen when his father becomes a citizen. His father, Zelalem Wolydes, was a medical technician in the Washington area, and despite joining his son in London, maintained U.S. permanent residency. At some point, he began pursuing citizenship. His application has apparently been approved, and both arrived in Washington in recent days to finalize the process.

[shnsajax]

This would be some pretty awesome news.

[Guest]

Pretty annoyed by ManU. Kaboul went and got himself red carded daly to help Spurs get the loss the needed to fall out of the Europa League spots only to have it undone by ManU losing at home to Sunderland.

[USSoccer]

Positive for the Fire: Harrison Shipp looks like he's going to be a really good MLS player. His set pieces are excellent, and he's just got a great instincts. The ball finds him in good spots and he makes good decisions. I'm not sure if he has the pace to ever be an NT prospect, but it's nice that the Fire have an interesting player for the first time in years. Johnson, Shipp, Joya (if they can keep him) and Magee make for a potentially good core in a year or two.

 

Negative for the Fire: Juan Luis Anongano is [expletive] pants. A complete waste of money. There's still too much dead weight on that roster for me to believe in them as a playoff side.

[Guest]

Major carnage at the top of La Liga this weekend.

 

Barcelona tied at home on Saturday, Atletico lost today on the road and Real needed a 90th minute CR7 goal just to get a tie. If any of the three had won, they would control their own destiny in the title race.

 

Atletico will win the title if they win their last two games but they play at Barcelona to end the year. Real needs Barcelona to at least get a draw while Barcelona needs to win out and have Real drop points somewhere.

[wvcbxl]

Liverpool lead Crystal Palace 0-3 after 55 minutes and have another half hour to work on their goal difference.

[wvcbxl]

And Palace level it at 3-3 with 2 minutes to go #-o

 

Man City will love this [expletive].

[USSoccer]

Liverpool=2003 Cubs.

[jersey cubs fan]

why is suarez crying so much?

[USSoccer]

why is suarez crying so much?

 

Because LFC probably blew any chance they had of winning the title by virtue of that 3-goal chokejob. And all the players know it. Between Gerrard's first touch/slip last week and this, they've blown a chance at their first title in 25 years.

[jersey cubs fan]

why is suarez crying so much?

 

Because LFC probably blew any chance they had of winning the title by virtue of that 3-goal chokejob. And all the players know it. Between Gerrard's first touch/slip last week and this, they've blown a chance at their first title in 25 years.

 

I get that, I just thought maybe he did something specific, because nobody else looked like they were crying.

[wolf stansson]

HO. LEE. [expletive].

 

 

Though your dreams be tossed and blown. Walk on. Yikes.

[Guest]

Suarez tears are delicious and wonderful.

[wvcbxl]

Though your dreams be tossed and blown. Walk on. Yikes.

 

City will be very focused come wednesday