2013/2014 Soccer thread

[jterrell]

Mexico, you're welcome!
--says the USMNT

Seeding/Draw: The US being the top ranked team in pot 4 by about 20 is going to suck balls but there's no way to reach pot 1.

 

[joseephuss]

When Bob Bradley has nightmares, it is Ghana that torments him.

 

[jterrell]

Chelsea wins 4-1 today. Looked really strong in the 2nd half.
Oscar is playing fantastic soccer for club and country.
2nd in the table for now.

The genius one is at work here.

 

[UKCowboysFan]

Chelsea wins 4-1 today. Looked really strong in the 2nd half.
Oscar is playing fantastic soccer for club and country.
2nd in the table for now.

The genius one is at work here.

They are looking good right now, and are probably the title favourites currently (I don't trust Arsenal to keep their form going).
However, if Jose persists with Luiz at Centre Back I fear he will cost them. As a defensive midfield player he is very good, but just too error prone to be a good defender.

 

[jterrell]

They are looking good right now, and are probably the title favourites currently (I don't trust Arsenal to keep their form going).
However, if Jose persists with Luiz at Centre Back I fear he will cost them. As a defensive midfield player he is very good, but just too error prone to be a good defender.

He's definitely a risk-taker but pairs well with Terry who is a rock.
And he gives you great physical play in the air at both goal boxes.
There's a reason Barca was after him.

I actually think he makes too many mistakes to play holding **.

Have I lamented the Lukaku loan enough yet? That's my one major worry for UCL play: Striker.

 

[daschoo]

Moved house so not had internet outwith my phone for a few days, just seen this.
Yeah it's pretty hard to take that we came out both of the first 2 games with nothing to show for it when we could quite easily (maybe getting a bit carried away, perhaps feasibly would have been a better word) have been sitting on four points. The two Ajax games are massive for us, take four points from them and we go in to the home game against Milan knowing a win would give us a real chance of snatching the second qualification spot. Of course we could very easily end up losing both those games as Ajax are also a damn good side.

There's the first part done. Crazy to think that after picking up our first points a win in Amsterdam would likely leave us going into the Milan game knowing a win would see us qualify for the last 16 with a game to spare. I'm getting carried away again aren't I?

 

[joseephuss]

There's the first part done. Crazy to think that after picking up our first points a win in Amsterdam would likely leave us going into the Milan game knowing a win would see us qualify for the last 16 with a game to spare. I'm getting carried away again aren't I?

Just a little bit.

 

[joseephuss]

I agree. It is a shame that either Ronaldo or Ibrahimovic will miss the World Cup.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...-Zlatan-Ibrahimovic-or-Cristiano-Ronaldo.html

Brazil 2014 will be poorer tournament without either Zlatan Ibrahimovic or Cristiano Ronaldo

With the prospect of one of two greats missing the World Cup in Brazil, football is the loser

Mark Monday as the day football died, put out of its misery by Swiss striker Alexander Frei. It was his careless, shovel-like hands that consigned either Portugal or Sweden to a summer of regret and consigned all of football to a summer without Cristiano Ronaldo or Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Football is not an exact science. The best players do not automatically play for the best teams, nor do they showcase their ability on stages most befitting of their immense talent. Steven Gerrard has never won a league title, George Best never played in a World Cup. These should be anomalies, but they’re not; football is not a game that caters to one-offs often.

Ronaldo and Ibrahimovic have both won league titles – the Swede, most famously, won eight consecutively and nine in the last 10 years. Both have featured in a World Cup, two apiece in fact, playing a combined 15 games.

This week, both will play in the Champions League. Ronaldo and his Real Madrid team-mates will face a Juventus defence that will prove far more resolute than the backline of Costa Rica or Ecuador; a fortnight ago, Ibrahimovic scored two against a Benfica team far more fearsome than what Burkina Faso or Jordan (the country, not the bestselling author) could offer.

Reason tells you that the Champions League is more important, and more challenging, than the World Cup; reason says that it matters little if Ronaldo or Ibrahimovic fail to make it to Brazil because they’re available, every week, with the point and click of an oversized remote control.

Maybe, therefore, the widespread reaction is actually an overreaction. Maybe the mild disappointment, the raging apoplexy and the inevitable landslide of unfunny internet memes is undeserved. That Brazil 2014’s canvas will not be splashed upon by one of Ronaldo or Zlatan in their indomitable haphazard manner is frustrating, dissatisfying, but not a cause of extensive mourning. These things happen in football and, indeed, in life.

 

[joseephuss]

Chelsea wins 4-1 today. Looked really strong in the 2nd half.
Oscar is playing fantastic soccer for club and country.
2nd in the table for now.

The genius one is at work here.

I'm eager for Sunday. The Citizens have owned the Blues the last couple of years. If Chelsea can pull off a win against Man City, that will put them in good early shape in the EPL.

 

[jterrell]

I agree. It is a shame that either Ronaldo or Ibrahimovic will miss the World Cup.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...-Zlatan-Ibrahimovic-or-Cristiano-Ronaldo.html

Brazil 2014 will be poorer tournament without either Zlatan Ibrahimovic or Cristiano Ronaldo

With the prospect of one of two greats missing the World Cup in Brazil, football is the loser

Mark Monday as the day football died, put out of its misery by Swiss striker Alexander Frei. It was his careless, shovel-like hands that consigned either Portugal or Sweden to a summer of regret and consigned all of football to a summer without Cristiano Ronaldo or Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Football is not an exact science. The best players do not automatically play for the best teams, nor do they showcase their ability on stages most befitting of their immense talent. Steven Gerrard has never won a league title, George Best never played in a World Cup. These should be anomalies, but they’re not; football is not a game that caters to one-offs often.

Ronaldo and Ibrahimovic have both won league titles – the Swede, most famously, won eight consecutively and nine in the last 10 years. Both have featured in a World Cup, two apiece in fact, playing a combined 15 games.

This week, both will play in the Champions League. Ronaldo and his Real Madrid team-mates will face a Juventus defence that will prove far more resolute than the backline of Costa Rica or Ecuador; a fortnight ago, Ibrahimovic scored two against a Benfica team far more fearsome than what Burkina Faso or Jordan (the country, not the bestselling author) could offer.

Reason tells you that the Champions League is more important, and more challenging, than the World Cup; reason says that it matters little if Ronaldo or Ibrahimovic fail to make it to Brazil because they’re available, every week, with the point and click of an oversized remote control.

Maybe, therefore, the widespread reaction is actually an overreaction. Maybe the mild disappointment, the raging apoplexy and the inevitable landslide of unfunny internet memes is undeserved. That Brazil 2014’s canvas will not be splashed upon by one of Ronaldo or Zlatan in their indomitable haphazard manner is frustrating, dissatisfying, but not a cause of extensive mourning. These things happen in football and, indeed, in life.

I can't really lament it much. I've seen Ronaldo in a couple already and really Portugal was just disappointing.

Zlatan is who I'd rather see go through but end of the day we won;t lack as fans for tremendous players to watch.

The precise Germans, the young Belgians, the skilled Brazilians, the world class at every position Spanish.
We won't be lacking for much my friend.

And being in pot D I am probably going to see more great football (vs the US) than I want, lol.

 

[jterrell]

I'm eager for Sunday. The Citizens have owned the Blues the last couple of years. If Chelsea can pull off a win against Man City, that will put them in good early shape in the EPL.

City has been really playing poorly while Chelsea has found its stride.
I expect a win in this one to be honest with you.

As a weird side note: Crazy how Torres can score in the UCL but in the EPL.

 

[joseephuss]

City has been really playing poorly while Chelsea has found its stride.
I expect a win in this one to be honest with you.

As a weird side note: Crazy how Torres can score in the UCL but in the EPL.

Also, Tevez is no longer with Man City and he was the main thorn in Chelsea's side.

 

[jterrell]

Also, Tevez is no longer with Man City and he was the main thorn in Chelsea's side.

I actually hadn't checked on Man City in a bit. I have to give them credit for solid wins since October started. They are playing better than they were in September when I saw them.
They are up to 4th in the table and should make a good game.

 

[barney]

I can see Chelsea winning the premier league man city don't have that talent yet to keep a 1st place position and hold it arsenal will blow out near end November and united barely edged passed stoke

Marching on together lufc

 

[joseephuss]

I can see Chelsea winning the premier league man city don't have that talent yet to keep a 1st place position and hold it arsenal will blow out near end November and united barely edged passed stoke

Marching on together lufc

Manchester City has plenty enough talent. They may have more talent now than they did two seasons ago when they won the title. I'm not quite sure why they go into slumps the way they do.

Great win by Chelsea. Torres had a great game despite his miss in the first half.

El Classico was a pleasure to watch as usual. Horrible missed penalty call.

 

[jterrell]

That might have been the best I have seen Torres play in a blue shirt.
Definitely his most consistent 90 minute effort in a couple seasons.
Truly played with great grit and skill. World-Class.

Beat Man City with Mata and David Luiz on the sideline... only Jose.
CFC fans love him for a reason.

All that said Man City was missing key parts and this one was at Stamford Bridge.

 

[Phoenix]

http://soccer.si.com/2013/11/02/asmir-begovic-goal-stoke-city-southampton/?sct=hp_t2_a8&eref=sihp


Stoke City goalkeeper Asmir Begović scores 100-yard goal vs. Southampton
English Premier League
By Alexander Abnos

Mired near the foot of the EPL table with a sputtering attack, Stoke City entered Saturday’s game against Southampton looking for goals. They got one from the most unlikely of sources, at an equally unlikely time.

Goalkeeper Asmir Begović put the Potters on top after only 13 seconds, scoring the fifth goal by a goalkeeper in Premier League history in miraculous fashion.

This is how it happened:

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Vive La France

France came back after being down 2-0 in the sudden death two leg playoff to win 3-0 in Paris and advance to Brazil.

First time a team has ever come back from 2-0 down in aggregate after the first leg to win.

 

[RastaRocket]

Portugal/Sweden was pretty much the best worst game you can have. Absolutely sucks one of Ibra or Ronaldo was going to be out of the world cup.

 

[daschoo]

Well that didn't go to plan!