The Soccer Thread

[calgaryballer]

Gareth Barry doesn't like me talking smack. nice goal

 

[calgaryballer]

Knew I should have started Al-Habsi. Damn Klasnic

 

[BigHouseUSA]

Hilarious watching David Silva lay a perfectly weighted pass to Barry, only for Barry to way over power his ball for Dzeko. English football in a nutshell

That pass was one of the ugliest things I've ever seen. Since then my friend and I have been talking shit about him constantly, then he scored.

 

[Rudi]

Great game to watch today with 5 total goals being scored. Dzeko Silva and Barry are playing in great form right now. I hated Barry last season, he was real shitty. So far this year he has been a beast tho.

Had a great week in the predictions league notching 70 points so far with the Man U game left.

Bad week for my fantasy squad tho, only 30 points so far without the Captain/Vice captain bonues. Shoot.

 

[1ke]

Makhachkala is plagued by violence from insurgency that has spread across the North Caucasus after two separatist wars in Dagestan's neighboring region of Chechnya.

Anzhi players live and train at a training camp outside Moscow and travel to Makhachkala for home games, flying about 1,250 miles 15 times a season.

Your new home Eto'o. But 28 million per season might help all that out huh? :yep:

 

[NAHSTE]

Got called in to work this morning Lumbergh style, so I only kept one eye on the game. Great to see so much scoring output thus far though.

 

[Rudi]

Just seen Fox Sports/MSN has video highlights of every EPL game, and they do Goals/Saves of the week on here too. Pretty cool hub to get caught up on all the weeknds action

http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/premierleague

 

[1ke]

Manchester United Said to Agree on Four-Year, $66 Million DHL Sponsorship

Manchester United, the record 19- time English soccer champion, agreed on a four-year contract worth about 40 million pounds ($66 million) for delivery company DHL to sponsor its training apparel, according to two people familiar with the deal.

The contract is the first time any Premier League club has sold rights to sponsor only its training wear. The agreement is worth about half the 80 million pounds the team receives from principal sponsor Aon Corp., said one of the people, who declined to be identified because the accord hasn’t been officially announced.

United declined to comment on the report. DHL, controlled by Deutsche Post AG (DPW), wasn’t able to comment immediately.

The plan comes as the Premier League team plans an initial public offering in Singapore to raise $1 billion later this year, three people familiar with the IPO plans said last week. A stake of up to 30 percent may be sold, said one of the people.

Thanks to a series of sponsorship deals in recent years the team’s commercial revenue has surged to about 100 million pounds a year, bringing that part of the business in line with income from television and matches at United’s Old Trafford Stadium.

The club also plans to announce next month a sponsorship deal with Malaysian snack-maker Mamee Double Decker Bhd. (MAMEE)’s Mister Potato brand, said three people familiar with the matter.

 

[Bigpapa42]

So with Arsenal looking like they are heading to a pretty mediocre (by Gunners standards) season, I keep going back and forth and the idea of Wenger being "under pressure".

The reality is that Arsenal has been "puching above its weight" over much of Wenger's tenure. Over the past half decade, they haven't spent on transfers like Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, or Manchester City. Pretty sure I saw somewhere that Citeh has paid more for one single player than the entire Arsenal squad cost. They don't pay wages like most of them (not sure how close they are to Liverpool in that regard). Yet Arsenal have been in the top four and doing okay in Europe throughout that time. Its very much down to Wenger's ability to find and develop quality players that has allowed that to happen. His only peer in that regard, in my opinion, is Alex Ferguson.

Yet at the same time, Wenger's adherence to that policy has cost Arsenal. It was lack of squad depth that prevented them from legitimately challenging for titles these past few seasons. With a few more veteran players, and perhaps a bit more veteran leadership, Arsenal could have made more consistent pushes for titles. Not saying they would have won, but they would have been closer.

One of the great differences I see between Ferguson and Wenger, when it comes to their squad building policies, is that Ferguson mixes it up. Yes, he's willing to buy "kids" and give them chances, and give chances to quality prospects who come through the system, but he's off-setting that with the occassional bigger buy. He's not relying on those younger talents so entirely.

I don't like questioning the manager who has put Arsenal fans in the position where they can feel hard-done-by to not win titles. Yet its impossible to deny the frustration that myself and so many Gooners are facing over this. Fabregas is gone. Nasri is as good as gone - and if he stays, its just for the rest of this season. There are obvious depth issues. There are some apparent maturity issues. There is reportedly money to spend (as there always is). Yet I have zero faith that any new players will come in before the the end of the window. That's almost stupid.

I fear the day that Wenger leaves Arsenal, whether by choice or by force. I don't think he's going to repaced by someone of similar ilk.

The past few seasons, where I was hopeful but not really expectant of the Gunners winning something of note, didn't have me feeling frustrated. This season, only two matches old, already does. Can't say exactly why, but it does. And that's my rant.

 

[NAHSTE]

BigPapa, I just want to say that I always appreciate your well written analyses.

 

[Champ]

Forza Napoli

 

[Rudi]

The longer it stays scoreless the greater the chance De Gea will fuck up

 

[Champ]

Come watch the BS http://www.firstrowsports.eu/watch/79938/1/watch-fc-barcelona-vs-napoli.html

 

[Obst]

Forza Napoli

Well that didn't go so well

 

[Rudi]

I still think De Gea sucks. Wait till he gets tested by a better team. He's gunna fuck up.

 

[Bigpapa42]

Saying De Gea "sucks" is pretty harsh. The expectations on him at this point are for him to perform at a level which only a handful of goalkeepers have managed to do at his age. Literally, there's been maybe 10 keepers that young who could step into an elite side and perform as required in the past 20 years. Most of them got to do it without having to settle into a new league and culture.

There are very good reasons that De Gea is adjudged to be one of the most promising keepers around. Why SAF - one of the most successful judges of potential around - chose him. He needs a bit of time. Judging the value of any new player after 3 competitive matches is massively harsh. And as history has shown, not often that accurate.

...I now feel dirty for "defending" MUFC...

 

[Prodigal Son]

Saying De Gea "sucks" is pretty harsh. The expectations on him at this point are for him to perform at a level which only a handful of goalkeepers have managed to do at his age. Literally, there's been maybe 10 keepers that young who could step into an elite side and perform as required in the past 20 years. Most of them got to do it without having to settle into a new league and culture.

There are very good reasons that De Gea is adjudged to be one of the most promising keepers around. Why SAF - one of the most successful judges of potential around - chose him. He needs a bit of time. Judging the value of any new player after 3 competitive matches is massively harsh. And as history has shown, not often that accurate.

...I now feel dirty for "defending" MUFC...

Add to it that he still hasn't lost a game as a starter. He's 20. Replacing a legend.

 

[Obst]

Nani caught up in the Maltese Prison Riots?

 

http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/look...s-nani-caught-up-in-maltese-prison-riots.html

Here is Meireles' salute to Lucas in gif form.

 

 

[Rudi]

Tomorrows the last day for the Nasri deal to still be on...If the deal isnt done and he plays against Udinese, City is callin it off

 

[mgoblue2290]

Tomorrows the last day for the Nasri deal to still be on...If the deal isnt done and he plays against Udinese, City is callin it off

You don't need him. You guys should definitely be able to win the league with the team you already have.