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The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thread

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 3:00 pm
by eldanielfire
Just thought with the new season kicking off, we can keep most discussions in here to stop it clattering the forums.

Anyways, as an Arsenal fan I'm much happier starting this season then last. We lost RVP, yes but he had one great season and stopped his insane scor ing run for the last couple of months anyway. I'm glad Wenger had already brought his replacements and added to the midfield. I still feel defence can be shakey and lose concentration too easily and looks weak with injury. However I'm expecting Arsenal should match or exceed their 3rd place finish from last season.

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 3:20 pm
by AND-y
eldanielfire wrote:Just thought with the new season kicking off, we can keep most discussions in here to stop it clattering the forums.

Anyways, as an Arsenal fan I'm much happier starting this season then last. We lost RVP, yes but he had one great season and stopped his insane scor ing run for the last couple of months anyway. I'm glad Wenger had already brought his replacements and added to the midfield. I still feel defence can be shakey and lose concentration too easily and looks weak with injury. However I'm expecting Arsenal should match or exceed their 3rd place finish from last season.
Arsenal are fine other than their only defenders who are good enough for the level they want to be are Sagna and Vermaelan. Amazing how this hasn't been addressed in years.

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 3:39 pm
by Bill
As a Chelsea fan still basking in the glow of our Champions League win (and FA cup), Im looking forward to a transition period as we phase out our older (fantastic) players and introduce some exciting new talent

A top 4 finish, a good cup run with our squad really taking off only next year and challenging or maybe even being favourite for the league is what Im hoping for

Id there is any one thing Id like to see happen it would be see the unfair and elitist FFP rules totally abandoned

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 3:42 pm
by AND-y
West Brom up against Liverpool. :lol:

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 3:46 pm
by iarmhiman
As a neutral who enjoys watching football I think it's between Chelsea and City for the premier league. We'll have to wait and see what United do but I think their lack of spine in midfield will cost them the league. United will finish 3rd with Arsenal in 4th.

Latest Scores:
18 Aug 15:00 Arsenal 0 - 0 Sunderland
18 Aug 15:00 Fulham 2 - 0 Norwich
18 Aug 15:00 QPR 0 - 1 Swansea
18 Aug 15:00 Reading 0 - 1 Stoke City
18 Aug 15:00 West Brom 1 - 0 Liverpool
18 Aug 15:00 West Ham 1 - 0 Aston Villa

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 4:18 pm
by iarmhiman
Latest Scores:
18 Aug 15:00 Arsenal 0 - 0 Sunderland
18 Aug 15:00 Fulham 3 - 0 Norwich
18 Aug 15:00 QPR 0 - 2 Swansea
18 Aug 15:00 Reading 0 - 1 Stoke City
18 Aug 15:00 West Brom 1 - 0 Liverpool
18 Aug 15:00 West Ham 1 - 0 Aston Villa

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 4:18 pm
by warriors
The mighty Fulham 3-0 up now 8-)

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 4:19 pm
by Big Mickey
iarmhiman wrote:Latest Scores:
18 Aug 15:00 Arsenal 0 - 0 Sunderland
18 Aug 15:00 Fulham 3 - 0 Norwich
18 Aug 15:00 QPR 0 - 2 Swansea
18 Aug 15:00 Reading 0 - 1 Stoke City
18 Aug 15:00 West Brom 1 - 0 Liverpool
18 Aug 15:00 West Ham 1 - 0 Aston Villa
Where are all the European scores? Pathetic effort.

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 4:19 pm
by OptimisticJock
I'm done with fitba for another season.

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 4:19 pm
by AND-y
Villa fans must be pissed off atm. Bet they wish O Neil was still around.

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 4:20 pm
by iarmhiman
Big Mickey wrote:
iarmhiman wrote:Latest Scores:
18 Aug 15:00 Arsenal 0 - 0 Sunderland
18 Aug 15:00 Fulham 3 - 0 Norwich
18 Aug 15:00 QPR 0 - 2 Swansea
18 Aug 15:00 Reading 0 - 1 Stoke City
18 Aug 15:00 West Brom 1 - 0 Liverpool
18 Aug 15:00 West Ham 1 - 0 Aston Villa
Where are all the European scores? Pathetic effort.
I didn't create the thread.

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 4:20 pm
by Deadtigers
Eldan, I agree a soccer thread is needed but you can' do England and Europe in one thread.

I have an English one, lets make this the CL thread.

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 4:21 pm
by AND-y
WBA 2-0 Liverpool. Long missed a pen a few mins back and now they score another one. Agger off too.

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 4:23 pm
by warriors
Liverpool 2-0 down now :lol: Roll on next season!

Swansea 3-0 up now. QPR :lol:

The Cottagers 4-0 :-D

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 4:24 pm
by rugbot 2.0
Is Planet Knackerball down?

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 4:34 pm
by AND-y
rugbot 2.0 wrote:Is Planet Knackerball down?

Is Planet Jerk Store down? :P

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 4:35 pm
by AND-y
WBA 3-0 Liverpool now :shock:

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 4:39 pm
by warriors
:lol:

Swans 5 up now. QPR :lol:

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 4:49 pm
by warriors
5-0 to the Super Whites

1-1 Reading Stoke.

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 4:53 pm
by OptimisticJock
Useless wit kant saints

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 6:42 pm
by warriors
Anybody watching Spartak v Fenerbache? Good game 80 mins played.

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 7:09 pm
by warriors
I'm sticking my neck on the line here but Madrid will win the European Cup.

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 8:06 pm
by earl the beaver
Hopefully not.

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 8:19 pm
by iarmhiman
Anybody but Barcelona

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 2:41 pm
by Deadtigers
Barca is re-loading, they will have slight down year and be back next. Nothing against Tito but coming first year and achieving titles and such is tough to do even in the two team La Liga.

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 2:48 pm
by earl the beaver
Deadtigers wrote:Barca is re-loading, they will have slight down year and be back next. Nothing against Tito but coming first year and achieving titles and such is tough to do even in the two team La Liga.
There's not actually been much change at all at the club, basically Song for Keita and Tito (formerly the assistant) taking over from Pep.

Oh and La Liga is as much of a 2 team league at the Premier League, look at the respective tables, big gaps between 2 and 3, but there were only 20 points between being relegated and being 3rd in La Liga while it was 35 in the prem.

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 2:53 pm
by Jim Lahey
I hope there is some sort of Valencia revival this season, or Athletico Bilbao/Madrid or even Sevilla get their acts together as the Spanish league is unwatchable at the moment. The standard of Barcelona is breathtaking, but boring as fudge to watch if you are like myself and enjoy the drama of sport much more than the actual skills on show.

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:07 pm
by Deadtigers
earl the beaver wrote:
Deadtigers wrote:Barca is re-loading, they will have slight down year and be back next. Nothing against Tito but coming first year and achieving titles and such is tough to do even in the two team La Liga.
There's not actually been much change at all at the club, basically Song for Keita and Tito (formerly the assistant) taking over from Pep.

Oh and La Liga is as much of a 2 team league at the Premier League, look at the respective tables, big gaps between 2 and 3, but there were only 20 points between being relegated and being 3rd in La Liga while it was 35 in the prem.
Earl, We have this back and forth all the time. the Gap between 2 and 3rd in the prem and 3, 4,5, 6 in prem is tighter than La Liga, the gap between 3 and bottom may be tighter in La Liga and fair play on that but with a league that has revenue sharing for its TV rights and all of that you would expect the domestic table to be closer. There was bigger gap between 2 and 3rd that 3rd and bottom.
Overall Home Away
POS TEAM P W D L F A W D L F A W D L F A GD Pts
1 Real Madrid 38 32 4 2 121 32 16 2 1 70 19 16 2 1 51 13 89 100
2 Barcelona 38 28 7 3 114 29 17 1 1 73 11 11 6 2 41 18 85 91
3 Valencia 38 17 10 11 59 44 11 4 4 40 20 6 6 7 19 24 15 61
4 Málaga 38 17 7 14 54 53 13 3 3 35 21 4 4 11 19 32 1 58
5 Atlético Madrid 38 15 11 12 53 46 11 5 3 36 17 4 6 9 17 29 7 56
6 Levante 38 16 7 15 54 50 11 3 5 33 19 5 4 10 21 31 4 55
7 Osasuna 38 13 15 10 44 61 10 6 3 26 19 3 9 7 18 42 -17 54
8 Mallorca 38 14 10 14 42 46 9 5 5 21 15 5 5 9 21 31 -4 52
9 Sevilla FC 38 13 11 14 48 47 9 4 6 32 25 4 7 8 16 22 1 50
10 Athletic Bilbao 38 12 13 13 49 52 8 7 4 29 21 4 6 9 20 31 -3 49
11 Getafe 38 12 11 15 40 51 8 6 5 24 19 4 5 10 16 32 -11 47
12 Real Sociedad 38 12 11 15 46 52 9 6 4 29 17 3 5 11 17 35 -6 47
13 Real Betis 38 13 8 17 47 56 7 7 5 28 25 6 1 12 19 31 -9 47
14 Espanyol 38 12 10 16 46 56 9 4 6 31 24 3 6 10 15 32 -10 46
15 Rayo Vallecano 38 13 4 21 53 73 8 1 10 29 26 5 3 11 24 47 -20 43
16 Real Zaragoza 38 12 7 19 36 61 8 4 7 19 24 4 3 12 17 37 -25 43
17 Granada 38 12 6 20 35 56 8 5 6 22 20 4 1 14 13 36 -21 42
18 Villarreal 38 9 14 15 39 53 6 10 3 26 20 3 4 12 13 33 -14 41
19 Sporting Gijon 38 10 7 21 42 69 7 4 8 24 26 3 3 13 18 43 -27 37
20 Racing Santander 38 4 15 19 28 63 3 7 9 11 24 1 8 10 17 39 -35 27
OVERALL HOME AWAY
POS TEAM P W D L F A W D L F A W D L F A GD Pts
1 Manchester City 38 28 5 5 93 29 18 1 0 55 12 10 4 5 38 17 64 89
2 Manchester Und 38 28 5 5 89 33 15 2 2 52 19 13 3 3 37 14 56 89
3 Arsenal 38 21 7 10 74 49 12 4 3 39 17 9 3 7 35 32 25 70
4 Tottenham 38 20 9 9 66 41 13 3 3 39 17 7 6 6 27 24 25 69
5 Newcastle United 38 19 8 11 56 51 11 5 3 29 17 8 3 8 27 34 5 65
6 Chelsea 38 18 10 10 65 46 12 3 4 41 24 6 7 6 24 22 19 64
7 Everton 38 15 11 12 50 40 10 3 6 28 15 5 8 6 22 25 10 56
8 Liverpool 38 14 10 14 47 40 6 9 4 24 16 8 1 10 23 24 7 52
9 Fulham 38 14 10 14 48 51 10 5 4 36 26 4 5 10 12 25 -3 52
10 West Brom Albion 38 13 8 17 45 52 6 3 10 21 22 7 5 7 24 30 -7 47
11 Swansea City 38 12 11 15 44 51 8 7 4 27 18 4 4 11 17 33 -7 47
12 Norwich City 38 12 11 15 52 66 7 6 6 28 30 5 5 9 24 36 -14 47
13 Sunderland 38 11 12 15 45 46 7 7 5 26 17 4 5 10 19 29 -1 45
14 Stoke City 38 11 12 15 36 53 7 8 4 25 20 4 4 11 11 33 -17 45
15 Wigan Athletic 38 11 10 17 42 62 5 7 7 22 27 6 3 10 20 35 -20 43
16 Aston Villa 38 7 17 14 37 53 4 7 8 20 25 3 10 6 17 28 -16 38
17 Queens Park Rrs 38 10 7 21 43 66 7 5 7 24 25 3 2 14 19 41 -23 37
18 Bolton Wanderers 38 10 6 22 46 77 4 4 11 23 39 6 2 11 23 38 -31 36
19 Blackburn Rovers 38 8 7 23 48 78 6 1 12 26 33 2 6 11 22 45 -30 31
20 Wolverhampton 38 5 10 23 40 82 3 3 13 19 43 2 7 10 21 39 -42 25

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:10 pm
by earl the beaver
I'd wager that swapping Man City and Man Utd with Barca and Madrid would lead to a big gap at the top as well, simply put Barca and Madrid are consistently the two best sides going they'd knob whatever league you put them in, the relative strengths in the league was reflected in overall participation in Europe, 5 of 8 European semifinalists were Spanish, 1 was English, yes the English side fluked it's way to the win but on the whole Spanish sides did better given the failure of all the other English sides.

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:11 pm
by London Pride
earl the beaver wrote:I'd wager that swapping Man City and Man Utd with Barca and Madrid would lead to a big gap at the top as well, simply put Barca and Madrid are consistently the two best sides going they'd knob whatever league you put them in, the relative strengths in the league was reflected in overall participation in Europe, 5 of 8 European semifinalists were Spanish, 1 was English, yes the English side fluked it's way to the win but on the whole Spanish sides did better given the failure of all the other English sides.
How was it a fluke? Did they not intend to play that way or something?

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:13 pm
by earl the beaver
Relying on the opposition to squander chances is not a particularly efficient technique, Chelsea defended well and attacked clinically, they really should have beaten by either Barca or Bayern.

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:14 pm
by Jim Lahey
earl the beaver wrote:I'd wager that swapping Man City and Man Utd with Barca and Madrid would lead to a big gap at the top as well, simply put Barca and Madrid are consistently the two best sides going they'd knob whatever league you put them in, the relative strengths in the league was reflected in overall participation in Europe, 5 of 8 European semifinalists were Spanish, 1 was English, yes the English side fluked it's way to the win but on the whole Spanish sides did better given the failure of all the other English sides.
I may be wrong here, but do Spanish teams not sell their own TV rights? If that is the case, surely that would create a massive financial gap between Real and Barca to the other teams, meaning that the league will be less competitive.

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:15 pm
by London Pride
Backing your defence and goalkeeper to stop the opposition from scoring isn't an effective technique? Okay.

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:16 pm
by earl the beaver
Relying on the player to miss or hit the post is more what happened.

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:16 pm
by Jim Lahey
I should also say that obviously Chelsea and City are rolling in it due to their owners, setting them aside from the rest of the English league. But still, across the board at least the English teams get decent TV money.

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:17 pm
by earl the beaver
Jim Lahey wrote:I should also say that obviously Chelsea and City are rolling in it due to their owners, setting them aside from the rest of the English league. But still, across the board at least the English teams get decent TV money.
From sky yes but the likes of Man Utd get millions upon millions more from the Asian market compared to the lower sides.

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:19 pm
by Jim Lahey
earl the beaver wrote:
Jim Lahey wrote:I should also say that obviously Chelsea and City are rolling in it due to their owners, setting them aside from the rest of the English league. But still, across the board at least the English teams get decent TV money.
From sky yes but the likes of Man Utd get millions upon millions more from the Asian market compared to the lower sides.
The same would apply to Barca and Real surely?

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:20 pm
by London Pride
earl the beaver wrote:Relying on the player to miss or hit the post is more what happened.
:lol:

You'd have been better off accepting that you're riddled with bitterness because you think there's some sort of aesthetic which grants teams a right to win, you clown. Players not being good enough to put the ball in the net doesn't make Chelsea's win a fluke.

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:22 pm
by earl the beaver
Jim Lahey wrote:
earl the beaver wrote:
Jim Lahey wrote:I should also say that obviously Chelsea and City are rolling in it due to their owners, setting them aside from the rest of the English league. But still, across the board at least the English teams get decent TV money.
From sky yes but the likes of Man Utd get millions upon millions more from the Asian market compared to the lower sides.
The same would apply to Barca and Real surely?
Yes.

Ultimately every club in Europe negotiates their own revenues for the Asian market.

As for Spanish domestic TV money, it's changing slowly as politicians and the like are starting to go after it.

Re: The OFFICIAL English and European Football (soccer) thre

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:23 pm
by earl the beaver
London Pride wrote:
earl the beaver wrote:Relying on the player to miss or hit the post is more what happened.
:lol:

You'd have been better off accepting that you're riddled with bitterness because you think there's some sort of aesthetic which grants teams a right to win, you clown. Players not being good enough to put the ball in the net doesn't make Chelsea's win a fluke.
Chelsea won, I have no issues with that, Barcelona and Bayern did not play well enough on the day.