The Soccer Thread

[Tearz49ers]

Liverpool does have some highly regarded (at least in their circles) youngsters, like Jay Spearing, but I don't know if they will ever make a break through. Rafa doesn't exactly trust the kids unless he absolutely has to, and by then, they are so inexperienced they make giant mistakes (like Darby against Fiorentina)

As we all know the only way for them to gain experiance is to play in games such as those against Burnley or lower league opponents. Also that would allow him to rest players like Gerrard in those games.

[Vinsane]

Who played Soccer in High School, Intramural leagues, or Soccer Clubs? And what position did you/do you play?

When I was in High School we started a club team, as our school would not recognize us as a school sport. So basically we played nothing but friendlies/scrimmages. Our record never counted towards anything but we were able to play all the good high school teams in our area, and though they took it as a scrimmage we were playing to win. So on more then one occasion we were able to get one over on some of the top schools in our area.

I want to find a league/club here in San Antonio but haven't looked, yet. Also wouldn't mind once I get my degree to get into coaching.

I also played primarily Keeper/Defender/Sweeper and Midfield.

[calgaryballer]

I'm suprised there has been no mention of Donovan to Everton (at least that I've seen). What happens when this fails for him as well? That will be three top clups in Europe that he has flamed out at (with Bayern's brass saying he wasn't fit for their shirt).

He's obviously too good for the MLS, but when does he accept that he's not good enough for the top leagues in Europe? It almost seems he needs to go play in Holland, or a low-mid table side in Spain, where he will get more time on the ball.

Maybe he'll prove me wrong and be a saviour for Moyes, but on the balance of history, I doubt it

[davie]

Who played Soccer in High School, Intramural leagues, or Soccer Clubs? And what position did you/do you play?

I played for the high school team from 13 until I was 17 when I had 4 patella (knee cap) dislocations which ruined my cruciate ligaments and kept me out for basically 2 and a half years. I used to play centre midfield. Now I play for a local amateur team in the centre of defence because I don't have the stamina for midfield. Match fitness is coming back slowly though and I should be back in midfield by the end of the season.

[BigHouseUSA]

Who played Soccer in High School, Intramural leagues, or Soccer Clubs? And what position did you/do you play?

I played club for pretty much my whole life, and high school for four years. Also did intramural and am on an rec indoor team.

Bounced around a lot of different positions. I was usually LWF, or just a striker until high school. Then my travel and high school coaches had the brilliant idea of moving me to centerback and leftback, neither panned out. Although, I was pretty good at centerback. Then I was forward my last year of club, which was pretty succesful, and left mid in senior year, which blew. I wasn't really bad at any of the positions, but I was ten times better up top. I play there for my indoor team right now and have more goals than games played, so doing alright.

On the Landycakes/Everton talks, it's extremely intriguing. I wanted him to move to France, Protugal, Holland, or even Spain, because I think he fits well in their style of play, but I don't think he'll necessarily fail, nor do I think he did at Beyern. He played quite a few good games for them, and was very impressive, then the chairman comes out and says they won't sign him full time because they have enough attacking options. Then why sign him in the first fucking place? He was doomed from the start there. As long as he's given a good run of games, I think he could succeed in England, but I'm not exactly expecting it either.

[calgaryballer]

Hughes out, Roberto Mancini in

[davie]

Hughes out, Roberto Mancini in

The News Of The World paper today has his successes in their description of him. About how he delivered Coppa Italia (Italy's equivalent to the Carling Cup in terms of popularity and how much people don't care about it) to Fiorentina and Lazio. "3" Serie A titles with Inter - 1 of them was given, another was won when Milan started on -8 points and Juve were in Serie B. It also afforded Inter the luxury of buying Juventus players who refused to play in Serie B, Patrick Vieira for example. The third Serie A title is the only one I'd say he deserves credit for.

While he was at Fiorentina they went into huge debt (not his fault) and were relegated, while becoming Florentia Viola or some other name. Despite selling off a lot of their big names it looked like they could survive with a young Adriano looking good on loan from Inter and goals from Enrico Chiesa, even with Roberto occasionally playing because of the financial trouble the club were in.

Lazio won the Serie A title in 2000 under Sven Goran Eriksson who then left to coach England. Lazio replaced Eriksson with Dino Zoff who had taken Italy to the extra-time final loss in Euro 2000. Zoff failed and was replaced by Mancini after one season. Mancini managed to take Lazio back to winning ways and had them playing attractive, attacking football despite their financial problems (their chairman had been found guilty of fraud, I think) forcing them to sell off the likes of Juan Veron, Pavel Nedved, Alessandro Nesta, Sinisa Mihajlovic, Hernan Crespo.

I think he did his best work while he was at Lazio, I'm interested to see how well he does with Man City.

[Archer]

Newcastle win 2-0

10pts clear in first now

[1ke]

As far as Mancinci at City...its at least he doesnt have to come in a buy a bunch of people. Sell, maybe, but they have a lot of goal scorers.

As for Utd....They looked like shit yesterday. I had to taper my anger a but though, with the team they put out it was semi understandable.

The best news to com out of that game was that the Hammers held their London rivals to a draw.

[Bigpapa42]

Good Prem weekend, at least for Arsenal. Decent win given the injuries, plus both Chelsea and Manchester United dropped points!

[davie]

As far as Mancinci at City...its at least he doesnt have to come in a buy a bunch of people. Sell, maybe, but they have a lot of goal scorers.

As for Utd....They looked like shit yesterday. I had to taper my anger a but though, with the team they put out it was semi understandable.

The best news to com out of that game was that the Hammers held their London rivals to a draw.

Who?

It's all about perception: do you perceive Mark Hughes - hard working, industrial Welsh centre forward with little managerial history - to be the world class manager who can lead you to Champions League glory? Doubtful.

But do you perceive Roberto Mancini - skillful Italian centre forward, played at Lazio, won lots of stuff spending lots of money in Serie A - to be the man? Even though he failed with Inter in much the same situation? Of course you do.

Hughes doesn't know what to do when managing at that level (Champions League and above) clearly, neither does his 14 man strong backroom staff.

Mancini's best years with were Vialli at Sampdoria - Serie A 1991. He didn't spend much money at Lazio or Fiorentina, the big money players at those clubs were brought in before he arrived. The spending at Inter would have been Massimo Moratti and his throwing money away tactic that caused him to start whinging about the Calciopoli scandal.

[1ke]

Ill say this with caution knowing what your response will be but here we gooooo......

Tevez, Robinho, Bellamy, Santa Cruz, Ade, Wright-Phillips

[citizenerased]

Newcastle win 2-0

10pts clear in first now

Just shows how bad this division is - I can only imagine what Keegan's storm troopers from the 92/93 Championship Campaign would do to this league.

[BigHouseUSA]

It really is an awful league. Newcastle have played maybe 4 or 5 "good" games this season, all the rest have been elementary kickball matches.

[Archer]

It is what it is , we can only beat who is infront of us . We haven't hit 2nd gear yet and we are still cruising.... let's just get out of this shithole ASAP