The Soccer Thread

[davie]

So Inter can win the Scudetto (and thus beat all the other 'amazing' Italian teams), but those players are shit?

What happens next year when AC are being coached by the walking train wreck known as Van Basten (Ajax worked out well) and an aging Juventus? Especially if Mourinho gets who he wants (Milito, Motta, etc).

Like I said, Jose Mourinho had a lot to do with making them a consistent team this season. That's all you need a manager to do when you're a team that's spent 450million over the last 12 years. Although I'd let them keep spending money if Jose wants to go out and pick more gems like Sulley Muntari. Let him have Motta.
They're losing Crespo too, just because he's not a donkey striker who'll work his balls off, preferring instead to score goals. Look for him to do well at the right team

An aging Juventus isn't my problem and probably won't be Inter's either.

AC might end up challenging for the league, but since they see it as a more prestigious competition they'll have the Champions League as number one priority. Ancelotti may be staying yet, I hope so. If not then I wouldn't like to see Van Basten as coach.

[1ke]

For those who enjoy a humerous read.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11096_5336566,00.html

Its what Ive been dealing with all year.

[Archer]

Yay more stories on Man U players *falls asleep*

[calgaryballer]

Bundesliga as it stands at half time

Wolfsburg are champs, 3-1 up on Werder.
Bayern are second, 1-0 up on Stuttgart
Stuttgart stay in the Champions League as Hertha is losing 2-0 to Karlsruhe
Hertha gets the Europa League, while Hamburg is in too as they are winning and Dortmund is drawing

Right now Cottbuss and Karlruhe are going down while Bielefeld is in the playoffs

[calgaryballer]

With his two goals, Grafite and Dzeko have tied Mueller and Hoeness for top scoring pair in a Bundesliga season

[Bigpapa42]

With his two goals, Grafite and Dzeko have tied Mueller and Hoeness for top scoring pair in a Bundesliga season

That is impressive.

I'm both thrilled and bothered by the Wolfsburg league win. Its great to see a club win the title for the first time, especially won that was hardly favored coming into the season. The downside is that they got there by heavy spending. They went out and laid down some big money for the likes of Barazagli. Its basically the Chelsea route. Same way I would feel conflicted if Man City some day win the league title.

[1ke]

Nobody, can disagree with that statement. I just think there had to be more than just spending. In every sport including this one, money cant really buy titles.

[calgaryballer]

Wolfsburg is still a small club, and they spent their money wisely. To compete against Bayern, money is a necessity. It will be interesting to see what happens next year, with Grafite and Dzeko attracting tons of attention. Do they stay for the Champions League run, or does VFB sell them and rebuild?

[Bigpapa42]

Wolfsburg is still a small club, and they spent their money wisely. To compete against Bayern, money is a necessity. It will be interesting to see what happens next year, with Grafite and Dzeko attracting tons of attention. Do they stay for the Champions League run, or does VFB sell them and rebuild?

Can't really argue that they didn't spent wisely, given the result. But they spent something like 15m pounds on Barazalgi and Zaccardo. Not many German clubs are laying out that kind of money, not unless they are selling big first. While I realize that competing against Bayern means spending is necessary, it always bugs me a bit when clubs overspending their incomes. The Volkswagen Arena isn't huge and its not like Wolfsburg are regulars in European competition. Overspending your income works when its results in a title, like it did here, but for most clubs it just results in debt.

[Archer]

I dont know if you guys get playoff football over there but if you do did anyone see that Milwall goal?

Omg amazing , the best goal ive seen at the new wembley for sure

Its also "survival sunday today" .... i feel nervous as fuck about Newcastle`s chances

[citizenerased]

Two Hours till kick off against the Villa, not even going to try to sleep tonight (1am here).

Got my Spurs 7-1 and Man Utd 5-0 help with the depression if/when things turn sour. Wonder if the fat man is going to have the balls to show up, only away game I think he has showed up for since he fucked the shit up was the Man City game where he sold Given to the richest club in the world for a packet of chewing gum and some lint.

The sad thing is all he would've had to do was spend what he did (i.e. make a profit in both windows), but let Keegan do the shopping list and chances are we would've been challenging for a Europa League spot.

[Archer]

Two Hours till kick off against the Villa, not even going to try to sleep tonight (1am here).

Got my Spurs 7-1 and Man Utd 5-0 help with the depression if/when things turn sour. Wonder if the fat man is going to have the balls to show up, only away game I think he has showed up for since he fucked the shit up was the Man City game where he sold Given to the richest club in the world for a packet of chewing gum and some lint.

The sad thing is all he would've had to do was spend what he did (i.e. make a profit in both windows), but let Keegan do the shopping list and chances are we would've been challenging for a Europa League spot.

I have to disagree slightly , I honestly thought the Keegan appointment was a bit of a head scratcher . And on the Given note , it was in the chronicle (daily newcastle paper) that Man City wernt willing to up their price and Given asked Newcastle as a sign of grattitude to him to let him go for that price.

I almost feel sick having to root for a Man Utd win but yet i am forced into no other option , we are too big of a club to go down. I just hope Villa dont turn up or something

[citizenerased]

I was shocked as anyone when Keegan came back, but he was doing the job - Owen was revitalised and scoring again at the end of last season and made the zimmer frame brigade that is our midfield into a compenent unit with the 4-3-3. And he is still the only manager apart from the Fat Spanish Waiter (Who's attempt at a Keegan style rant sucked) to leave Old Trafford with point/s.

And when you look at what really are average teams like West Ham, Fulham, Tottenham and Man City duking it out for 7th spot I don't think it's too extreme to say that we could've been up there with them if Keegan had stuck around and had been allowed to buy who he wanted (Something tells me he would've spent 7 million pounds on something better than Xisco, he was the one who found Bassong despite Llambias' attempts to credit the dwarf).

Although it's all pointless to talk about now, all we can hope for is that a team of hungry Man Utd fringe players with an eye on possibly nicking a bench spot for the Champs League final will send the Hull and their Mackem Manager back to their level. And no clubs too big to go down as we might be about to see sadly, although I can imagine the media touching themselves in glee at the thought of the mong boycoutt brigade reactions, going on about deluded Newcastle fans who expect to win the league every year and how we are not a big club, despite focussing so much airtime and column inches on us.

[Archer]

I was shocked as anyone when Keegan came back, but he was doing the job - Owen was revitalised and scoring again at the end of last season and made the zimmer frame brigade that is our midfield into a compenent unit with the 4-3-3. And he is still the only manager apart from the Fat Spanish Waiter (Who's attempt at a Keegan style rant sucked) to leave Old Trafford with point/s.

And when you look at what really are average teams like West Ham, Fulham, Tottenham and Man City duking it out for 7th spot I don't think it's too extreme to say that we could've been up there with them if Keegan had stuck around and had been allowed to buy who he wanted (Something tells me he would've spent 7 million pounds on something better than Xisco, he was the one who found Bassong despite Llambias' attempts to credit the dwarf).

Although it's all pointless to talk about now, all we can hope for is that a team of hungry Man Utd fringe players with an eye on possibly nicking a bench spot for the Champs League final will send the Hull and their Mackem Manager back to their level. And no clubs too big to go down as we might be about to see sadly, although I can imagine the media touching themselves in glee at the thought of the mong boycoutt brigade reactions, going on about deluded Newcastle fans who expect to win the league every year and how we are not a big club, despite focussing so much airtime and column inches on us.

I know for sure that no club is too big to go down , its just the thought of it ..... horrible to think about .

[Archer]

Oh Jesus David Edgar , kill us now