Discussion The Football/Soccer Thread

[Mendes]

When I watched the match I finally realised why Barca were scoring so freely and dominating the league, it's not because they're the best team in Europe, but when you see the 2nd best team in Spain defending like crap, when teams like Fulham do better...

I would wait till wednsday night to say that... don't forget this time Chelsea will probably need to score, and that should leave enough spaces to see a normal match, unlike the 1st round where you only saw a football team and a huge blue bus parked in front of the other side's goal line.

Its fair to say Real Madrid, Lyon, Bayern and lots of other teams have relatively weak defenses, but that doesnt mean Barça doesnt have the merit of scoring 4-6 goals in those matches. Also their 3 goal/game ratio in the league is fabulous at this point in the league, even if you consider spanish teams weaker than british.

I bet on a MU - Barça final, the 2 clearly best teams this year imo. I hope the best team wins (although its very possible to have a London derby in the final, since its CL)...

@Saintz0r

Maracanã is Impressive!

Although I don't really understand Brazil's season schedule... I had just heard S.Paulo and Ronaldo had won a competition (don't remember which) and now Flamengo's won another, and there's the Brazileirão as well... don't tell me there's a state championship for every state in Brazil besides the main league?

 

[Imperium]

^ Tbh, i dont even understand the state championship thing. Is it a league within the league?..

In France mendes, bordeaux just won 3-0 in the weekend to go level on 68 points with Marseille (and only a goal separating them on goal difference..but i think in France they judge it on head-head..not sure). Lyon is 61 points and there is something like 4 matches left. So highly doubtful they'll win anything. Even the relegation battle is intense, with one point separating 19-16.

As for barcelona, real madrid may be utter rubbish. But its still something to go to madrid and score SIX goals against them (coincidentally this is the second time that has EVER happened, the other time being back in the 30's). And i doubt any other team could do that.

 

[Saintz0r]

@Saintz0r

Maracanã is Impressive!

Although I don't really understand Brazil's season schedule... I had just heard S.Paulo and Ronaldo had won a competition (don't remember which) and now Flamengo's won another, and there's the Brazileirão as well... don't tell me there's a state championship for every state in Brazil besides the main league?

Well, yes, there's a state championship in every state here We are a big country and the state championships began before the Brasileirão.
Ronaldo won ( playing for Corinthians ) the São Paulo state champ. Flamengo won in Rio, Cruzeiro in Minas, Inter in RS and so on...
Our season begins with the state championships somewhere between january and february ( each state has his own rules ), the Libertadores ( our CL ) already began, now the second fase begins next week if i'm not mistaken ( and all brazilian clubs got past the first fase ).
Meanwhile the Brasil Cup is going on too, we've a game next wednesday and if we win it's a Flamengo x Internacional in the quarter-finals.
The Brasileirão begins saturday and goes till december. Also there's the Sula-Americana by the end of the year. And that's basically it, including the world cup for teams and Recopa if some club wins the Libertadores or Sul-Americana

 

[Mendes]

LOL there is off-season there, right? :O

Anyway, things seem crazy in France and Germany... I may start watching some matches there, since our league is over, just like Lyon. There had to be an end to them, and Marseille is my favorite team in France, since they usually bring out excelent African players that eventually go to bigger clubs, so I hope they win.

 

[thsv]

I had to post this once I'd read it

A Mexican footballer has been banned for spitting and blowing "nasal secretions" at an opponent then telling him he had swine flu.

Guadalajara defender Hector Reynoso has provisionally been suspended from all matches in the Copa Libertadores following last week's game at Everton of Chile in South America's top club competition.

The South American Football Confederation said the length of the ban would be determined in the next 72 hours.

"At around the 90th minute of the aforementioned game, Reynoso, following an incident in the game, reacted by spitting at Everton player Sebastian Penco and then releasing nasal secretions at the face of the player," said the confederation in a statement.

"This situation, lamentable in its own right, was aggravated by the risk of a possible infection of the disease AH1N1 (swine flu)."

Reynoso was widely quoted as saying in the media that he had told Penco he had the disease.

What an idiot.

 

[Mendes]

@thsv :O that was truly unbelievable! I entirely quote:

What an idiot.

On to CL, Manchester's in the final, now I pray for Barça to join them...

I was expecting more from Arsenal in this match, MU had no problems at all. Of course its full merit for United, they seem like a perfect team. Strong in all sectors and cold blooded in elimination matches.

 

[Imperium]

Yea we were rubbish. Fully hope barcelona will win the damn thing. Dont think i could stand another Chelsea - united final.

 

[KnuckleheadedNinja]

Wow. JOY TO THE WORLD, MAN U. IS IN THE FINAL AGAIN.

I hope Barca beat Chelsea. I want us to face the best team of the two, and i think Barca is that.

Barca vs. Man U. will be a dream match.

 

[Mendes]

I think everyone agrees Barça - MU would be awesome... almost make me consider buying a ticket for Rome!

 

[Lohnt]

What the hell was that 0-3 goal... Arsenal was just non-existant in that fast break play down the ENTIRE field, by 3 players..

Jesus I envy coaches like Sir Alex.

 

[◆ T.D.A ◆]

Messi won't be able to top Ronaldo's perfomance against Arsenal. Ronaldo has everything an attacker needs, when he's on form, he's the best player in the world.

 

[blai]

Let's hope Man U will screw up 2games in PL so Liverpool can get the trophy shall we?
Since it's 9 easy pts the next games.

West Ham 09/05 Liverpool
West Bromwich 17/05 Liverpool
Liverpool 24/05 Tottenham Hotspurs

 

[Saintz0r]

Ok, 'bout the champions:
Arsenal x Man. Utd -> Boooooring game after the first 12 minutes, when the game was decided. Personally I don't think C. Ronaldo did a greeeeat game, but it was good, he scored twice and his team won.

Chelsea x Barça -> It was even worse
I mean, Essien kick was great, but Barça couldn't get Cech to make a save, Messi got Ronaldo's invisibility cloak for this game and Chelsea played like the small team they are, always in the defense. The best of course was Iniesta's goal ehehe

Let's see Man. Utd against Barça now, I hope Messi decides to show up there.

 

[◆ T.D.A ◆]

Ok, 'bout the champions:
Arsenal x Man. Utd -> Boooooring game after the first 12 minutes, when the game was decided. Personally I don't think C. Ronaldo did a greeeeat game, but it was good, he scored twice and his team won.

Chelsea x Barça -> It was even worse
I mean, Essien kick was great, but Barça couldn't get Cech to make a save, Messi got Ronaldo's invisibility cloak for this game and Chelsea played like the small team they are, always in the defense. The best of course was Iniesta's goal ehehe

Let's see Man. Utd against Barça now, I hope Messi decides to show up there.

Man U vs Barca, we will be favourites, Abidal and Alves miss the match and Ronaldo is better than Messi.

Messi did nothing against chelsea.

Ronaldo, rooney, tevez, berba, park, all licking their lips in anticipation.


btw referee was awful but the way chelsea reacted like drogba was horrific.

 

[KnuckleheadedNinja]

MAN U. VS BARCA FOR FINAL. The dream match is going is on. Man, i can't wait for the match.

I think we are the stronger team, and we should be raising the trophy again.

 

[Mendes]

I think that Chelsea-Barça's referee was also full of finals between MU and Chelsea! They were robbed... Pique's hand ball was outrageous.

I think Chelsea did a good and cold game, just like in the 1st hand, but this time they invested more on counter-attacks. They could/should have decided the game sooner, and they didnt, and they paid for it. It was Barça's 1st strike at goal and it got in. Iniesta, you're my hero! I won a bet thanks to you!

Looking forward to my dream final match! I do think the absence of Abidal and specially Daniel Alves will have an important effect on the final, but that doesnt make MU favorites at all. Its a final, and I dont believe Barça is weaker than MU in most sectors. I think Messi is better than Ronaldo because of the number of chances he creates in most matches. It wasnt the case against Chelsea, but usually he's behind every offensive move of his team, and that being Barça, its a hell of a complement. Ronaldo just takes his chances, brilliantly. But he's totally not a playmaker.

Man this final makes me want to go to Rome so bad!

 

[◆ T.D.A ◆]

I personally think Ronaldo is better, he can do more things, play different styles, adapt to different tactics, better at long ranged shots, better header of the ball. IMO Messi plays against weak defenses, still he's the 2nd best player, but I would rather have ronaldo than messi.

 

[Lohnt]

That was a penalty, but I don't care, Barca is in the finals, hopefully Henry plays.

 

[Lelo]

Oh my god, what the hell was that. I can't believe what happen in the Barca game, and with a man down. I just finished watching it. When Iniesta scored I went nuts, what a goal. I'm happy they won, now we get the dream match, hopefully every player on both teams are healthy and ready to go. I can't wait, GO MAN U

And at the end of that game I thought Ballack and Terry were going to knock out that ref, they were pissed off, that's the worst way to go, by far. But I'm happy Chelsea lost

 

[Starzen]

you should have seen drogba, if thought terry and ballack was bad, for me chelsea should have finished off barca instead of defending they lead. I hope henry makes it for the finals cos barca suck with out his runs and supply. Looking forward to messi vs ronaldo in the finals.