The Soccer Thread

[BigHouseUSA]

Was only able to watch about 20 minutes of the Leeds/Man Utd game, but I'll have to watch a replay, because it was great.

I wonder what this will do for the Beckford to Newcastle rumors.

[davie]

Wayne Rooney is great, better than Jermaine Beckford.

[citizenerased]

Wayne Rooney is great, better than Jermaine Beckford.

:sheep:

I'll send the memo to Hughton to switch up targets and enquire Man Utd about Rooney.

[Archer]

Speaking of Beckford

Sky sports news reporting that we are the favorite to sign him

[davie]

:sheep:

I'll send the memo to Hughton to switch up targets and enquire Man Utd about Rooney.

Wayne Rooney is my favourite footballer, he's better now without CR7.

[calgaryballer]

Wayne Rooney is my favourite footballer, he's better now without CR7.

Too bad the rest of the squad is terrible. Rooney has grown, but Ronaldo was what made that team so dominant.

And before we argue semantics, I say terrible in terms of how Man U is viewed. This is one of their worst squads in a while, and they'll still finish comfortably in the top 3

[calgaryballer]

Rafa only gets Maxi Rodriguez and loan signings

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jan/06/liverpool-rafael-benitez-loan-signings

Maxi could be good, but likely will be another winger who gets kicked off the park in England.

Doesn't look like much money will come from Voronin, Degen and Dossena. An 8 mil bid for Babel seems about right. He has talent, but I don't think it's been applied well. Playing weekly for Birmingham could be what he needs

[calgaryballer]

Rafa only gets Maxi Rodriguez and loan signings

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jan/06/liverpool-rafael-benitez-loan-signings

Maxi could be good, but likely will be another winger who gets kicked off the park in England.

Doesn't look like much money will come from Voronin, Degen and Dossena. An 8 mil bid for Babel seems about right. He has talent, but I don't think it's been applied well. Playing weekly for Birmingham could be what he needs

[davie]

Luca Toni is back in Italy (if only on loan at Roma)! Louis Van Gaal's personal problem will no longer stop him playing. Hopefully he'll find the net enough for Lippi to put him back in the squad on their way to consecutive WC titles.

He's still not as good as Wayne Rooney though, and doesn't score as many goals.

[Archer]

Gunmen have opened fire with machine guns on a bus carrying Togo's football team to the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola, wounding several players.

Officials say the shooting occurred in the Angolan oil-rich territory of Cabinda, where rebels have been fighting for independence.

The Angolan government called the incident an "act of terrorism". There are reports of serious injuries.

Togo is due to play its first cup game in Cabinda on Monday.

Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor was on the bus but is unhurt. In a statement, Manchester City said Adebayor had been "shaken by the terrible events" but was "unharmed"

The bus was travelling to Cabinda from the squad's training ground in the Republic of Congo when the shooting happened.

"This was an act of terrorism," Cabinda affairs minister Bento Bembe told Reuters news agency.

Competition officials said they had not known that the Togolose team had decided to drive directly to Cabinda.

They said they had expected the squad first to fly to the Angolan capital, Luanda, and from there to Cabinda.

Shot 'like dogs'

Togo striker Thomas Dossevi told France's RMC radio that several players were "in a bad state" after the attack.

"We were machine-gunned, like dogs," he said. "At the border with Angola - machine-gunned! I don't know why. I thought it was some rebels. We were under the seats of the bus for 20 minutes, trying to get away from the bullets."

The identities of those injured - who also included team staff - are not known.

Togo are due to play Ghana, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast in their group matches. Their first game is against Ghana.

Midfielder Alaixys Romao told RMC Togo were now likely to pull out of the 16-nation tournament.

"No-one wants to play," he said. "We're not capable of it.

"We're thinking first of all about the health of our injured because there was a lot of blood on the ground."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8449319.stm

[Bigpapa42]

The Togo thing is crazy. They've pulled out of the tournament, and there is talk that other nations might as well if they don't feel safe.

Both Man U and Arsenal held to draws today. Was hoping the Gunners could take a result at home against Everton, but they had to come back just to get the draw... Damn...

[davie]

The Togo thing is crazy. They've pulled out of the tournament, and there is talk that other nations might as well if they don't feel safe.

Both Man U and Arsenal held to draws today. Was hoping the Gunners could take a result at home against Everton, but they had to come back just to get the draw... Damn...

African football reeks and deserved it.

Man U must have won because Wayne Rooney is so great.

[1ke]

African football reeks and deserved it.

Man U must have won because Wayne Rooney is so great.

Just stating in general.....Your a moron.

[davie]

Just stating in general.....Your a moron.

"you're" is the apt one there.

My genius is only surpassed by Wayne Rooney's footballing brilliance. Read into that what you will.

[1ke]

Touche on the spelling....But i was speaking more towards the Africans "deserving it"