The 2009 Summer Soccer/Football Thread

[thekavorka]

I figure we should keep all soccer discussion in one thread to make it easier for everyone. All transfers, rumors, MLS, Confederations Cup, etc can go in here.

CONFEDERATIONS CUP Schedule

SUNDAY

South Africa vs. Iraq (ESPN2, 9:55 a.m.); New Zealand vs. Spain (ESPN2, 2:25pm)

MONDAY

Brazil vs. Egypt(ESPN2, 9:55 a.m.); USA vs. Italy (ESPN, 2:55p.m.)

WEDNESDAY

Spain vs. Iraq (9:55 a.m., ESPN2); South Africa vs. New Zealand (ESPN2, 2:55 p.m.)

THURSDAY

USA vs. Brazil (ESPN2, 9:55 a.m.); Egypt vs. Italy (ESPN2, 2:55 p.m.)

SATURDAY

Spain vs. South Africa (ESPN2, 2:25 p.m.); Iraq vs. New Zealand (ESPN2, 1 a.m., live on ESPN360)

SUNDAY, June 21st

Egypt vs. USA (ESPN2, 2:25pm), Italy vs. Brazil(ESPN, 2:25pm)

WEDNESDAY, June 24th

Group A(Spain, Iraq, South Africa, New Zealand) 1st vs. Group A (Brazil, Italy, USA, Egypt) 2nd (ESPN, 2:25pm)

THURSDAY, June 25th

Group B 1st vs. Group A 2nd (ESPN, 2:25pm)

SUNDAY, June 28th

Third Place Match (ESPN2, 8:55am)

Championship Match (ESPN2, 2:25pm)

I hope USA can squeak by Brazil and Italy with at least two points. It's going to be really tough. About 5 minutes till the Italy match. I hope Giuseppe Rossi gets his *** kicked.

 

[MC KAos]

i hate italy!!! GO USA!

 

[thekavorka]

ugh. well, Rossi didn't get his *** kicked. those were two awesome goals. Still think he's a traitor though.

 

[daschoo]

thought you guys were very unlucky to be honest. chiellini should have walked which would have evened it up numbers wise. rossi changed the game when he came on. what a hit for the first goal.

 

[thekavorka]

Pirlo's move and cross on the 3rd goal was just brilliant. The patience he showed on the cross was world-class.

I really hope Manchester United doesn't buy Rossi back from Villareal. I believe there's some sort of clause in his contract.

 

[RESIN8]

The way Egypt stood up against Brazil leaves me to believe that we shall not see a US victory in this tourney.

 

[thekavorka]

The way Egypt stood up against Brazil leaves me to believe that we shall not see a US victory in this tourney.

That's what I'm thinking too. Egypt has a lot of great attacking talent. But one thing that US can try to capitalize on is set pieces.

 

[daschoo]

iraq are giving spain a much tougher game than i was expecting (can't believe they have a player called mohammed ali). on another note i am going to be suffering from severe headaches by the time the world cup is finished next summer with these bloody horns the south africans insist on blowing throughout the game.

 

[thekavorka]

Yeah, that's been the universal complaint...the horns.

And I really hate Xabi Alonso. Dude injures Fabregas again in practice.

 

[daschoo]

its really not going to plan for you in the first half in saying that though in this kind of form theres not many teams could live with brazil.

also this might come as a relief http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/18062009/58/confederations-cup-fifa-discuss-trumpets.html
hopefully no angry wasps in my ear next summer

 

[thekavorka]

Bradley is just clueless. Starting Beasley was a terrible decision.

And someone should tell the team that long balls don't work against teams not called Barbados, Trinidiad, and Honduras

 

[MC KAos]

we have a long way to go if we ever want to compete with the big boys on the world stage.

 

[daschoo]

in fairness to you i would have brazil, argentina, germany and italy in a group way beyond anything else the rest of the world has to offer. at the moment spain and to a lesser extent france are up there with them but historically its those four. below that you have the chasing pack led by holland, croatia and as much as it pains me to say england (though england think of themselves in the first group)
brazil today were playing at the top of their game and like i said at half time theres very little anyone can do about them when they're in that form so theres no shame in losing 3-0. hoping to see a brazil v spain final in this tournament.

 

[MC KAos]

in fairness to you i would have brazil, argentina, germany and italy in a group way beyond anything else the rest of the world has to offer. at the moment spain and to a lesser extent france are up there with them but historically its those four. below that you have the chasing pack led by holland, croatia and as much as it pains me to say england (though england think of themselves in the first group)
brazil today were playing at the top of their game and like i said at half time theres very little anyone can do about them when they're in that form so theres no shame in losing 3-0. hoping to see a brazil v spain final in this tournament.

ya, spain always goes into world cups with a bunch of whoopla and never delivers. The hype has never been as big as it will be next year with them, as possible tourny favorites, but i still think they will dissapoint like usual. i think it will be brazil, just cuz they are the only team to ever win outside of their continent, and i dont see an african team winning it all

 

[UKCowboysFan]

in fairness to you i would have brazil, argentina, germany and italy in a group way beyond anything else the rest of the world has to offer. at the moment spain and to a lesser extent france are up there with them but historically its those four. below that you have the chasing pack led by holland, croatia and as much as it pains me to say england (though england think of themselves in the first group)
brazil today were playing at the top of their game and like i said at half time theres very little anyone can do about them when they're in that form so theres no shame in losing 3-0. hoping to see a brazil v spain final in this tournament.

England are obviously the best team in the whole world (ever)

It's just that we let other teams win, otherwise they would just go off and sulk


Have to say I've rarely seen an Italian team that I think is a good side. (Although they did, eventually, play some great football to win the 82 WC). What they do however have, is a very good habit of being able to win games.

I guess it's a style thing, more often than not Italy win games by attrition, which is often not pretty, but very effective.

I think that most neutrals would pick Brazil, I know they are one of the few national teams (outside of England) whose games I would pay to go and watch.

 

[thekavorka]

USA USA USA

hahaha. suck it rossi

 

[Arch Stanton]

England are obviously the best team in the whole world (ever)
It's just that we let other teams win, otherwise they would just go off and sulk


Have to say I've rarely seen an Italian team that I think is a good side. (Although they did, eventually, play some great football to win the 82 WC). What they do however have, is a very good habit of being able to win games.

I guess it's a style thing, more often than not Italy win games by attrition, which is often not pretty, but very effective.

I think that most neutrals would pick Brazil, I know they are one of the few national teams (outside of England) whose games I would pay to go and watch.

Not saying they are, but finally we have a manager that's worth the name. Who knows where it'll end, but it sure won't be the fault of the manager.

 

[RESIN8]

That's what I'm thinking too. Egypt has a lot of great attacking talent. But one thing that US can try to capitalize on is set pieces.

Thank god I was wrong. Who woulda thunk the scenario would have played itself out though.

Hopefully these guys can use this momentum over the next year. A good showing against Spain would be huge. Right now I think Spain is on top of the world of soccer and should give this team some solid work on what to expect.

 

[thekavorka]

Thank god I was wrong. Who woulda thunk the scenario would have played itself out though.

Hopefully these guys can use this momentum over the next year. A good showing against Spain would be huge. Right now I think Spain is on top of the world of soccer and should give this team some solid work on what to expect.

Egypt only looked dangerous a handful of times and that was pretty much only from crosses that were easily dealt with by Gooch. I wonder if they missed Zidan that much.

I just want to see the US remain competitive against Spain and not lie down to die like against Brazil.

or if it was from the damage caused by hooker-gate

 

[Cochese]

suck it rossi

i love watching this man fail.