Le Soccer Thread

[DrakonTheNightLord]

This is a thread for soccer (calling it that for our American members' benefit) fans to discuss soccer stuff!

The English Premier League has just finished not too long ago, and most of the other European leagues are ending soon, and there's the matter of an FA Cup Final and the World Cup to look forward to...

(No lengthy debates on whether it should be called football which would then turn into an argument on rugby, please... I now have Mod powers to enforce this request, so..)


@Baragash and @LanceWarrior will be happy to find their team in the FA Cup Final vs Hull City... your thoughts, good sirs?

@Andy would be pleased that a certain Mr. Pulis has managed to keep his team in the top tier for the first time in a long time

@sneggy @incubus @Njord and myself being Liverpool fans.... what is there left to say? Unlucky again! But definitely an improvement from last season!

@Beeva will be greatly annoyed at Forest's season... again?!
@Dave Robinson 's Barnsley team was sadly relegated after last season's close shave... how are you faring?

And of course, lets hear from the rest of you! Which team do you support? Who are you backing to win the World Cup? WILL ENGLAND EVER GET THROUGH THE GROUP STAGES THIS TIME? Let us know!

[Razor Cure]

Man United here. Mostly cause my best mate was mad for them growing up, and I sort of caught it too. That was the Man U generation when Fergy just started with Giggs, Becks, Butt, the Nevilles etc. It was nice to see teh teams youth development bringing out almost a team of great players..as opposed to just 'buying' a team of winners. Which is a different topic!

In the world cup..Australia (had to actually check we made it) of course. And most likely Germany and/or England too.

[Sneggy]

As far as Liverpool go we were not unlucky, we blew it. However second place is a great achievement for a side who finished 8th last year and I think Rodgers is a good manager and we will keep progressing with a solid young team of largely homegrown talent. Sure up that defence and get some better midfielders (I don't rate Allen or Lucas) and we'll be challenging again.

World Cup obviously I'm cheering England. We have not got a hope in hell. Praying for Costa Rico to cause an upset vs Italy or Uruguay then hoping for a lucky draw or something to scrape through on points.

[DrakonTheNightLord]

Razor, you're Australian then? Didn't know that What's your take on United's epic fall this season? Will they make it back to the top 4 under Van Gaal / Giggs?

Sneggy: Yeah, after thinking about it I have to agree. We blew it. We got Crystanbul'd. That was probably the worst part. We were three up and probably would have went on to win the league but we bottled it. That single game cost us the title. But I agree, mid-table to top three is nothing short of AMAZING.

And I remember you liked Lucas a few seasons back

Allen I think just needs more game time... he's good, but not as good as... dare I say it? JORDAN HENDERSON?! It's ridiculous how he has improved. We actually look weaker without him playing. Ridiculous. We'll be up there or thereabouts again, I'm sure.

Now, World Cup though...

I think Brazil will take this. The squad is magnificent, Paulinho aside. England is in a Group of Death-ish situation though, every point counts. 3 pts against anyone would be immense. I think they'll make it to the knockout stages and then proceed to be destroyed by Ghana or something.

[MattVonFat]

Ipswich town fan who's happy Norwich have come down - though mainly because I miss the derby games.

As for England I seem to be more optimistic than most! I think we'll get out of the group at least. It's quite an exciting squad and it will be nice to see the young players having a go at a tournament now -especially Henderson and Sturridge!

[Dave Robinson]

I was expecting the relegation to be honest and could turn out to be a good thing for us...the squad gets gutted and it's a chance to rebuild.

We're joint favourites with Doncaster to go straight back up so that's no coincidence and I'm quietly confident to next season and strangely looking forward to it. After 8 years of watching us struggle it will be nice watching us and going to games thinking we may actually win.

[Beeva]

Forests season was disappointing obviously. Things weren't going well before Davies was sacked but the chairman had pulled the trigger after putting all his eggs in one Neil Warnock shaped basket. When that fell through it put the final nail in the coffin of our season.

Pearce wouldn't have been my first choice of manager for next season, I'd have preferred instead someone a but more 'proven'. Having said that, there isn't a Forest fan with a pulse that isn't at least a little excited to have Psycho on the touchline and I can't wait to be there shouting his name from the terraces next season. It's a decision made from the heart rather than the head but that might actually work for us.

I like this England squad. Anything past the group will be an achievement so why not blood some youngsters?

[DrakonTheNightLord]

Saw the England squad that was announced yesterday, it's definitely stronger than the one in 2010, especially in midfield. No Gareth Barry though?

I feel Carroll should be in the team though >.>

[Razor Cure]

Razor, you're Australian then? Didn't know that What's your take on United's epic fall this season? Will they make it back to the top 4 under Van Gaal / Giggs?

I haven't follow the PL so much this/last year..I think United got..8th? I could be wrong. But I think calling it an epic fall (unless they actually did finish in the bottom half..) is a bit much. We are talking about basically the most successful coach in any sport..ever. How do you follow that? How do you even come close?
Unless Van Gaal came out and took them to the Treble again, it wouldn't get close to Fergy. And considering how many titles ManU have won in 20 years..moaning about missing that years would be a bit greedy.
It's quite interesting compared the way the PL is run to the Aussie Football (that's football, not the aussie soccer league)..and I think you guys do a lot of things better..aside from sacking coaches every 5 mins. Of course it does happen here too, but no where near as often.

[DrakonTheNightLord]

Everyone was expecting United to fall back a bit, considering Sir Alex's departure, but 8th is an astounding drop for even United, considering they were champions the last season The fans moaning about it has been precious... but a fraction of what Liverpool fans have gone through.... not to mention the fans of Forest, Leeds.. >.>

Still, I think United still have all the tools to get back to the top. I quite fancy Giggs for the job, would be an amazing twist.

[Woggie_666]

As a united fan, only highlights were the signing of mata and the glimpses of pure talent from that lad Adnan. Awful over all season and excited as I am to see what happens over the summer, this season was one of transition (despite keeping bulk of the same team....) but with the experience we have leaving the club I hold little hope for next season which should be far more of a transition with another new manager and even more new players.

As for world cup, supporting England and will keep an eye on the USA and Belgium but my pennies are on Argentina romping to the WC trophy

[Razor Cure]

I guess it means more if you a die hard crazy fan of ManU (or any team which starts to go bad, or less good). Looking at the league as a whole, it cant be a bad thing to have different teams winning (even if it is Liverpool, who are up near the top a lot).
In the Footy league here, we have Salary Caps on every teams budget. WHile I do understand how that can seem unfair (ie..TeamX is owned by a billionaire, why cant he buy players for them?) it does work..mostly.

[DrakonTheNightLord]

I think in Britain / England, they used to have this player salary cap, which they removed and hence heralded the arrival of foreign players into the league. On the matter of salaries though..

Tottenham Hotspur has been spending lots on players lately, and transfer rumors linking players to their club never seems to stop! If they don't put a break on the spending, they'll implode..

[Sneggy]

We don't have salary cap. We have financial FairPlay, which basically means you spend what you earn. But punishments for breaking it are not harsh enough so a few teams are just ducking it off.

[DrakonTheNightLord]

Yeah, City and PSG have been fined (lol) and had their Champions League squad reduced, but I can't see this being effective at all.. I wouldn't be against having City docked 4 points off from the league table

In other news! Quite a number of big names have been released today! I would probably take:

Costel Pantilimon
Ashley Cole
Joleon Lescott
Frank Lampard
Gareth Barry

Lots of experience here to balance out the youthful Liverpool side, much more squad depth, I feel. Sign em up, Brendan!

[Baragash]

Financial Fair Play is a bullshit stitch up designed to protect the established clubs. There's nothing "fair" about it.

[Sneggy]

In other news! Quite a number of big names have been released today! I would probably take:

Costel Pantilimon
Ashley Cole
Joleon Lescott
Frank Lampard
Gareth Barry

Lots of experience here to balance out the youthful Liverpool side, much more squad depth, I feel. Sign em up, Brendan!

Ashley cole is apparently on our radar...not sure I really want him though, hes a dick.
Fond of Joleon Lescott and Gareth Barry.
Thought we were signing Vorm to cover Mignolet? Technically Reina is still ours too. So I dont see Pantillimon being worth looking at.
Fat Boy Frank can bugger off, that guys a dick. Plus hes pretty terrible when playing alongside Stevie as England has proved.

[DrakonTheNightLord]

I'm not sure if Vorm will settle for second fiddle to Mignolet tbh, but he's solid if he can stay off the injuries. I'd rather take Pantilimon on a free though. If Reina doesn't want to fight for his place he can go off on loan or be sold to Barca / Napoli. If Reina doesn't leave we shouldn't be looking for other keepers.

Cole would be at least twice as better than any left back we currently have with Enrique still injured, so a two-year deal sounds good. Lampard would be a good super sub, but yes lets keep him and Gerrard away from each other. But yeah, really rate Barry.

Oh, and QPR found their way to the Premier League again, and Madrid won their 10th Champions League title. How do you think QPR would do next season? I think they'll barely stay up, Burnley will probably go straight down.

[grismund]

drackon what follows should be parsed in the fact im a derby county fan who was there

1STLY they spent more on wages than athletic madrid 2ndly we spent less than a 6th of that. 3rdly they play shocking football and finaly have a look at the full game and get back to me.

Gris

[DrakonTheNightLord]

Derby got absolutely robbed! 1 shot = 1 goal. Will be interesting how they pick themselves up after this.

QPR are a very strange club. Poorly run with a bunch of highly paid bums who couldn't care less. But if they put a decent enough showing in the Premier League all the money would be well spent in the end... it's a big if.