Posts: 4,481
Threads: 0
Joined: Nov 2012
The Soccer Thread
05-06-2013, 12:49 PM
Quote: (05-05-2013 04:00 PM)Teedub Wrote:
Gary Neville has become the best football pundit I've ever read. Yet another exquisite article from him, this time about how English footie can learn from the German model. Athlone, you'll be interested as I know you admire the German model.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footbal...^headlines
Yet again, the Daily Mail has all things manosphere contained inside!
Never realised how good Neville is as a journalist. He is the best pundit I have seen on TV. Would love to see him on MOTD since I cannot stand any of those pundits.
As for me. I have always liked Martin Samuel in The Daily Mail.
Posts: 4,481
Threads: 0
Joined: Nov 2012
The Soccer Thread
05-06-2013, 12:52 PM
Another thing. I am glad that Barcelona are no longer a world force in football. To me - the Tiki-Taka style of football is one of the most broing things I have ever seen. I can't stand teams that have 75% of the posession and only three shots on goal. That saps football of everything that makes it great. And if I was a professional - I would refuse to play in a team which robs the game of its beauty. It is one step away from the style of play Arsenal had in the late 80's when they regularly won 1-0 under George Graham.
Posts: 4,481
Threads: 0
Joined: Nov 2012
The Soccer Thread
05-06-2013, 12:56 PM
Speaking of George Graham - what do you guys think of this ingenious strategy?
As soon as your team takes the lead. Everytime your team gets the ball - they deliberately thump the ball a long way wide of the opposition's goal. That way - the losing team is continually pegged back in their half as they continually take one goal kick after another. And on top of that - it breaks up the game as well to prevent the opposition from developing an attack.
I love the simplicity of this. Especially since with the modern balls - it is easy to kick the ball past the opposition's goal from anywhere on the pitch.
George Graham called it Shoot To Miss.
Posts: 4,481
Threads: 0
Joined: Nov 2012
The Soccer Thread
05-06-2013, 12:57 PM
Well you know, Matt. Martin Samuel has won more journalism awards for his football writing than anybody else. So - he is doing something right. :-)
Posts: 399
Threads: 0
Joined: Sep 2009
Reputation:
5
The Soccer Thread
05-06-2013, 12:59 PM
^^ I agree it can sometimes be boring but it is by far and away the hardest way to play of any style out there. Every single player has to be incredibly gifted and skilled on the ball as well as tactically aware to press the opposition high up the pitch in numbers. Watch some of Barca's matches where they destroyed the opposition like the 5-0 Madrid drubbing a few years ago or the 4-0 v AC Milan this year. Definitely not boring.
Posts: 4,481
Threads: 0
Joined: Nov 2012
The Soccer Thread
05-06-2013, 01:10 PM
I think he was used in the centre at under 21 level. And it doesn't take too much skill to poke the ball in the bottom left hand corner. So - I think he can handle that.
Still - it is depressing that in the modern era - a guy like Walcott can become a top star purely based on his speed. He is pretty clueless about football - and has little skill. Equally - I think alot of the greats from the past would struggle with the fitness demands of today.
Posts: 399
Threads: 0
Joined: Sep 2009
Reputation:
5
The Soccer Thread
05-06-2013, 01:30 PM
I dunno, hes scored a few decent goals this season. Ill agree with you that he has no football brain and cant cross though. Then again barely anyone can at Arsenal. I honestly don't know what they do at training some times.
Posts: 188
Threads: 0
Joined: Apr 2013
The Soccer Thread
05-06-2013, 01:41 PM
Quote: (05-05-2013 02:50 PM)HeyPete Wrote:
Quote: (05-05-2013 02:43 PM)Teedub Wrote:
Quote: (05-05-2013 02:38 PM)HeyPete Wrote:
Quote: (05-05-2013 02:03 PM)Teedub Wrote:
Quote: (05-05-2013 01:46 PM)HeyPete Wrote:
It actually looks exactly the same as the men. Without all the gay sing-alongs.
If you think that looks anything like the men's game at the same level of competition, you're either trolling or blind.
Not trolling. Not blind. It's soccer. I worked in sports media for many years, the only thing detested as much as soccer was wrestling.
In America perhaps, but nowhere else!
Sorry man, It's where I reside.
For many, you outgrow soccer by age seven and eight and move on to more challenging, interesting sports.
Although I have noticed soccer catching on with the SWPL crowd.
I think European football is becoming more popular with White Americans in general, not just SWPL. I would argue it is also sport #1 for America's largest growing demographic, Latinos. One, I think it is because almost every single male college student has played FIFA at least once. Smoking weed and playing FIFA is basically a new American past time at University. Two, I think more White Americans are feeling less commonality with the NFL and NBA as they are primarily black and putting an increasing emphasis on hip hop culture in their marketing ploys. I think the hip hop and rap culture so many Whites embraced in late 90s and early 2000s is dying. Wiggers are becoming less and less common.
Posts: 15,023
Threads: 0
Joined: Mar 2010
Reputation:
216
The Soccer Thread
05-06-2013, 02:44 PM
Quote: (05-06-2013 06:34 AM)Vorkuta Wrote:
Quote: (05-05-2013 05:43 PM)Athlone McGinnis Wrote:
Tl;DR: If I were a competent footballer, I'd qualify by FIFA rules to represent Jamaica, England, the USA and St. Vincent.
Out of interest Athlone, which country would you choose to represent all things being equal? I know you have massive love for the Jamaican sprinters, you tight with the country in general?
Jamaica. That is where I've lived (aside from the USA), that is the culture I've been raised with, and it is where my home is (literally and figuratively). I am a Jamaican before anything else.
Were I good enough to be considered a target for all of those nations, I would happily become the Caribbean Gareth Bale (eligible and able to hold out for a much "bigger" squad, prefer a smaller one instead for personal reasons).
I hoped Raheem Sterling would be of a similar mindset, but that's not turning out to be the case. I still like the kid, though. Its just hard to see the greatest individual footballing talent born on our island in perhaps over a decade in an England shirt.
Know your enemy and know yourself, find naught in fear for 100 battles. Know yourself but not your enemy, find level of loss and victory. Know thy enemy but not yourself, wallow in defeat every time.
Posts: 2,406
Threads: 0
Joined: Sep 2012
Reputation:
34
The Soccer Thread
05-06-2013, 03:23 PM
Oh his father was a soldier
He couldn't play the football
His son he played for Watford
But now he play for Liverpool
His name is Johnny Barnes
He comes from Jamaica
And if you read the papers
He's going to Italia
Oh no no, no no no, no no no, no no no no
Posts: 2,406
Threads: 0
Joined: Sep 2012
Reputation:
34
The Soccer Thread
05-06-2013, 03:25 PM
£20m for Downing with 60k a week wages, pretty much the same as Mata which made it all the worse. We even had Valencia over for a friendly and to sort the deal out.
Posts: 4,481
Threads: 0
Joined: Nov 2012
The Soccer Thread
05-06-2013, 03:57 PM
Sunderland got the crucial point! Can't wait for the Wigan vs. Swansea game tomorrow. I am guessing the pubs acround the country will be filled with Wigan and Newcastle fans watching the game.
Posts: 7,843
Threads: 0
Joined: Nov 2010
Reputation:
121
The Soccer Thread
05-06-2013, 04:01 PM
Mourinho is a genius, he takes the spotlight and that keeps the focus away from his players.
Please don't tell me Downing is coming to Arsenal!!! Nooooooooo
Sterling was always going to play for England if given the chance, let's see how many caps he gets!
Posts: 5,010
Threads: 0
Joined: Jan 2013
Reputation:
80
The Soccer Thread
05-06-2013, 04:04 PM
I'm so very glad I made this thread, some great discussion going down and so far it's been friendly! Glad Sunderland got the point, and I hope Di Canio does well. All that hate he got was ridiculous political point scoring with journalists either trying to out left-wing each other, OR just jumping on a bandwagon to sell more papers.
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit upon his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats. - H L Mencken
Posts: 4,481
Threads: 0
Joined: Nov 2012
The Soccer Thread
05-06-2013, 04:09 PM
Newcastle are my local team. And I find it hillarious when they do badly. The shit that goes down with them is legendary.
I keep saying that no team has experienced what they have gone through over the past 20 years. It will get made into a film one day.
Posts: 4,481
Threads: 0
Joined: Nov 2012
The Soccer Thread
05-06-2013, 04:10 PM
Little known fact. Sir John Hall - who revived Newcastle Utd in the early 90's is not much of a football fan, and was more of a Sunderland fan than a Newcastle fan. He now lives in Spain. I was reading a book about Newcastle recently and came across that.
Posts: 50
Threads: 0
Joined: Oct 2012
Reputation:
0
The Soccer Thread
05-06-2013, 04:43 PM
cardguy Newcastle have been funny this season with all the attacking players the have the shouldn't be struggling right now,At one point there play was knock the ball to Ben Arfa and lets see what happens! dreadful football. so i think the fans will start to question Alan par dew. and his contract is insane what was it 8 years?.
Wigan are going to beat Swansea i see them wanting the game more and Swansea had a great season and now they are cruising. Pus they are WIGAN!!
Posts: 4,481
Threads: 0
Joined: Nov 2012
The Soccer Thread
05-06-2013, 06:20 PM
If Wigan win tomorrow - I can see Newcastle going awol against QPR and not getting the win.