The Official Football Thread

[germanturkey]

did lyon get significantly worse? i know they're no PSG or monacco in terms of money, but they're typically pretty good in the league (at least they were a few years ago).

of the CL draws, United is pretty done. Chelsea/PSG will be really good, Real should progress, and Barca don't have it easy against Athletico.

[SirAlex]

We have to play Bayern? Bloody hell.

[SuitUp]

Originally Posted by Nerroth

But then, Liga MX is in a pretty odd position in and of itself.
CONMEBOL "invites" certain Mexican teams to go and play in the Copa Libertadores, yet CONCACAF obliges the Mexican federation to send their top-finishing teams to the CCL instead. Despite the lower-finishing teams heading south instead of north for their regional competition, the latter is still viewed as a far more meaningful tournament for Mexican clubs to play in.
The only real drawback for Mexican "invitees" in the Copa Libertadores is that they would be barred from going to the Club World Cup even if they won it, since only a CONMEBOL team may represent that region at the FIFA level. (Unless Mexico followed Australia's lead in jumping from one confederation to another, but I wouldn't hold my breath on seeing that happening.)
It's hard to think of another professional league in the same conflicted situation.

Liga MX problems go beyond that, but they stay on Concacaf because they are (not so much lately, but you get my point) and have been the kings of the area for many years, whereas in Conmebol they would have to compete with argentinian and brazilian football, and that's something the higher-ups do not want happening, especifically, Emilio Azcarrága does not want that to happen, and he's the top dog.

Originally Posted by KiraYamatoFan

The buck stops here, Moyes.

Yep, after Bayern does his usal magic, it'll be the end of Moyes, who is already way past his due date, and hopefully the team will get Van Gaal.

[Fireminer]

Just asking, which defender has scored the most goal in PL this season?

(There is this question on the newspaper, and I want to get the prize.)

[risingstar3110]

It seems to be a tie between Steven Caulker (Cadiff) and Martin Sktel (Liverpool), 4 goals, the former probably win the tie breaker due to less appearance.

But don't quote me on it, I based on these:
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/footba...alscorers.html
http://epltopscorers.com/

[risingstar3110]

Anyone watching the Arsenal vs Chelsea match right now?

Arsenal is losing 3-0, and down to 10 men in just 20 minutes. The ridiculous thing is....Oxlade-Chamberlain was the one who accidentally hand-balled in the box, but referee gave Gibbs the red card 0_0

True that they have similar outlook, but how did they mess it up that bad

[LoveYouSaber]

I just want to pretend that the match didn't exist, that this wasn't Wenger's 1000th game.

This is much, much more painful than losing 2-8 to Manchester United...

[KiraYamatoFan]

Originally Posted by risingstar3110

Anyone watching the Arsenal vs Chelsea match right now?

Arsenal is losing 3-0, and down to 10 men in just 20 minutes. The ridiculous thing is....Oxlade-Chamberlain was the one who accidentally hand-balled in the box, but referee gave Gibbs the red card 0_0

True that they have similar outlook, but how did they mess it up that bad

I watched the first half before going back to bed for a few more hours. I saw the incident and... it was an absolute joke in itself to call the wrong player. I took a read at the rule book just for good measure and it should have been given only a yellow because the shot was going wide.

I know that the game was being played quickly and that the hand ball could have been interpreted as deliberate to save a goal. But sending off the wrong guy? Come on!

edit: Wayne Rooney just emulated David Beckham in terms of long-range goals.

[Elo the Blue]

Yet another shameful loss. So sick of these late-season capitulations. How in the world do you go against a team with Chelsea's fire-power and not play Flamini? Not that he alone would have changed the outcomes but he would have put up more of a fight than Arteta and helped with organization.

Just have to focus on maintaining a CL place and for-the-love-of-God taking care of business in the FA Cup, but how they've slipped out of the title race has just been pathetic.

[Irenicus]

It's just a flesh wound!

Not sure what the Professor's thinking, playing a high line against Chelsea's riches of attacking talents when our own best passers and game-makers are out. We deserved that.

I mean, the hell, we defended against Sherwood's rah-rah Totteringham when we didn't have to, and now we attack when we've been dull in attack for more than just a few matches? Was he hoping his players would put their best feet forward for the occasion?

Still, this is not as embarrassing as the 1-0 against Man Utd earlier in the season.

[RapidPotential]

The team was rubbish; they were making passes they couldn't afford to and the scoreline frankly could have been much worse than the amount we shipped in. I was seeing players passing square with a Chelsea player lurking behind. That's suicidal.

When we did break through we couldn't get close to the box often enough to deal any sort of damage. This is where the true problem lies, since a lack of pace and an outlet to always look for is a detriment to the attacking build-up. I'm very sure had Wenger played Oxlade-Chamberlain wide and Flamini in the middle we would have seen much greater results and less disaster. Really missed Theo very badly. His pace would have scared Mourinho and Chelsea would not have imposed themselves. And guess what, Ramsey was also unavailable, robbing us of a player who could really run the Chelsea midfield ragged with his work-rate.

The hand-ball was kind of silly but I'd say Ox is a very unlucky lad. Shouldn't have raised his hand as he dove to try and get his head on it. Gibbs doubly so because the referee needs to be dropped from officiating Premier League matches.

[Bri]

While Wenger is very good at squad building, he might want to hire a coach who can help him with the tactical side of the game. With City and Chelsea having top managers his flaws in that area are more exposed than ever.

[King Lycan]

I don't think Manchester United can beat Bayern Munich. And is Aresnal becoming the new Man U ?

I can barely watch United play City right now I won't be surprised if they score 6 on our asses

[KiraYamatoFan]

Originally Posted by King Lycan

I don't think Manchester United can beat Bayern Munich. And is Aresnal becoming the new Man U ?

I can barely watch United play City right now I won't be surprised if they score 6 on our asses

Half of 6, but still... Moyes was out of his depth regarding player selection to begin with. At the same time, our defensive line has been crap all around. Not only we need players (that's a given that it will happen), but we will need a new manager from Europe to lead them. With all due respect to Sir Bobby Charlton, he can respectfully f*** off if he continues to support Moyes for the sake of the British factor among managers.

Speaking of Arsenal... today's result against Swansea is more of the same as recent years to say the very least.

edit: I just read reports and saw a photo of a supporter shouting stuff at Moyes only a few yards away from him and almost going at Moyes before stewards escorted the supporter out. This is reaching boiling point! *evil grin*

[LoveYouSaber]

Thank god, we are back in business. Arsenal in the race for the fourth place again. This season, we are trying to defend rather than playing catch up! What an improvement~!!

[risingstar3110]

The sad thing about United right now, is how they played against stronger opponent. When you see them thrusting ahead, even when 4 vs 2, there is this feeling that they won't score. And even if they do, you will feel like they won't be able to hold on the lead for long. Completely different with back in Ferguson time. Same players but packed with so much confidences, that you almost expect them to score the winner in injury time every match.

In that sense the responsibility lay on Moyes. But i'm almost certain that he won't be there next season, so Untied fans won't have to worry so much

Originally Posted by LoveYouSaber

Thank god, we are back in business. Arsenal in the race for the fourth place again. This season, we are trying to defend rather than playing catch up! What an improvement~!!

Watch out for Everton. You lose to City next (which likely happen to any team bar Chelsea now)and then you will go to Goodison Park, similar in GD, 3 points ahead but plays one more game

[Irenicus]

Originally Posted by risingstar3110

The sad thing about United right now, is how they played against stronger opponent. When you see them thrusting ahead, even when 4 vs 2, there is this feeling that they won't score. And even if they do, you will feel like they won't be able to hold on the lead for long. Completely different with back in Ferguson time. Same players but packed with so much confidences, that you almost expect them to score the winner in injury time every match.

I'm really quite annoyed with a number of United fans that bought the media line about inadequate players and not the fact that the point of difference is the manager and his coaching team.

Very few world class football players are the type who are just so naturally brilliant that they can play under bad management and still deliver magic. The Zlatan, probably. Christiano Ronaldo, maybe, and even then he was nurtured under, uh, United. Witness the failure of the Galacticos era at Real, and those were the best in the world.

Half the Arsenal team wouldn't be stars without Wenger's mentorship. Brendan Rodgers over at Liverpool is also changing the Scousers' opinions on many players they previously wrote off, like Henderson. So why are Smalling, Jones, etc. suddenly Bad Players who aren't worthy of the red shirt? Why did Juan Mata, among the best players in the league, suddenly turn sour at the Theatre of Dreams?

This United is a sleeping giant. They play like they have no hopes and dreams (/Yumekui Moyes!), but with proper management and recovery they should be back to fighting for the top places.

Until then, though, I'll enjoy their complete meltdown now that my own beloved Arsenal is back in the good old Crisis mode. With the exception of Chelsea...fuck Chelsea...this is the best league in years.

[RapidPotential]

The second-half of the Manchester City game leaves Arsenal fans like me wondering: why can't they just play like that from the first-half of games? We always give the accelerator to the opponents and end up playing catch-up in the big games, which isn't a smart thing to do, to say the least.

[Blaat]

Result of the English sides surprised me, didn't expect Chelsea to lose big nor ManU to get a draw. Bayern weren't impressing me with their sterile possession game.

[RapidPotential]

PSG winning convincingly shouldn't come as a surprise because they really have the money and depth to show for it. United drawing was a surprise because Bayern have been putting goals in for fun this season, but they get really frustrated against "10 behind the ball" tactics.