OT: soccer thread

e4Nf6 · Post #921 » by **e4Nf6** » Mon Nov 28, 2011 4:12 am

I'm an MLS fan. I usually pick 2-3 teams that I find interesting for whatever reason and follow them throughout the season. This year was Galaxy, Red Bulls, Real Salt Lake, and Seattle in no particular order.

Det the Threat · Post #922 » by **Det the Threat** » Fri Dec 2, 2011 6:00 pm

The drawings for the groups of the european championships next year are complete.

The groups are:

Group A:
Poland
Greece
Russia
Czech Republic

First games: Poland vs Greece, Russia vs Czech Republic

Group B:
Netherlands
Denmark
Germany
Portugal

First games: Netherlands vs Denmark, Germany vs Portugal

Group C:
Spain
Italy
Ireland
Croatia

First games: Spain vs Italy, Ireland vs Croatia

Group D:
Ukraine
Sweden
France
England

First games: Ukraine vs Sweden, France vs England

I was completely right that we'd be in the toughest group, but at least we've got to go full speed from day one.

Post #923 » by **fatlever** » Fri Dec 2, 2011 6:29 pm

sorry det, that is brutal. doc should be thrilled with that group A though.

Det the Threat · Post #924 » by **Det the Threat** » Fri Dec 2, 2011 6:49 pm

fatlever wrote:sorry det, that is brutal. doc should be thrilled with that group A though.

Honestly? I don't really care.
We've just beaten the Netherlands(albeit only in a friendly) 3-0 and looked pretty good against Portugal most of the time. The game against Denmark we'll have to watch the Danish Dynamite(they didn't even qualifiy for the Euro 1992, but were invited thanks to Youguslavia being banned and then won it, beating us 2-0 in the final) thing in pre-game shows and they might the the toughest one, as everyone will expect us to beat them.

Though, we're being hyped as the heavy favourites(together with Spain and maybe Netherlands and Italy to win it all) and if we want to finally win something again(last title we won was Euro 96 in England) we've got to beat every team.

BTW: Something positive out of this draw can be found as well. If we do manage to make it to the quarterfinals, we'll play against a team of group A, which is the crappiest group of all of them. And if Germany and Spain win their groups, they could only meet in the final.

Post #925 » by **fatlever** » Fri Dec 2, 2011 7:42 pm

like you said, to win it all you have to beat all the good teams, so it really doesnt matter when you beat them.

doc.end · Post #926 » by **doc.end** » Fri Dec 2, 2011 8:06 pm

fatlever wrote:sorry det, that is brutal. doc should be thrilled with that group A though.

Not sure about thrilled but we have one of he easiest group available that's for sure. The bad thing is that our coach is more unlikely to be sacked. Also those games will be hard to watch on the other hand there would some great ones from the start in other groups. I won't attend but group being played in Poland not far from borders is a plus for devote fans.

Duncan Ferguson · Post #927 » by **Duncan Ferguson** » Fri Dec 2, 2011 8:11 pm

doc.end wrote:
fatlever wrote:sorry det, that is brutal. doc should be thrilled with that group A though.

Not sure about thrilled but we have one of he easiest group available that's for sure. The bad thing is that our coach is more unlikely to be sacked. Also those games will be hard to watch on the other hand there would some great ones from the start in other groups. I won't attend but group being played in Poland not far from borders is a plus for devote fans.

Watch out for Greece, they're on the rise, with a lot of youngsters in Premier League, like apostolos Vellios.

Russia, they're useless, Arshavin, Bilyaletdinov and the like have a lot of quality, but no will to play. Beat them, please.

doc.end · Post #928 » by **doc.end** » Fri Dec 2, 2011 8:14 pm

Many people here doesn't really know whether cheer for or against. Surely we would like to beat Russians.

Try to dunk me · Post #929 » by **Try to dunk me** » Fri Dec 2, 2011 8:15 pm

Duncan Ferguson wrote:
Russia, they're useless, Arshavin, Bilyaletdinov and the like have a lot of quality, but no will to play. Beat them, please.

It's the same situation with this Pavlyuchenko crap. He only plays UEFA's Europe League, and Haeey Redknapp it's not quite interested in the tournament, isn't he?

I think Russia has not enough encourage to face the tournament. Neither (Peter) Czech Republic with this Rosicky... :roll:

Duncan Ferguson · Post #930 » by **Duncan Ferguson** » Fri Dec 2, 2011 8:18 pm

doc.end wrote:Many people here doesn't really know whether cheer for or against. Surely we would like to beat Russians.

Well, almost everybody wants to beat the russians. Even the russians themselves

David Mourtin · Post #931 » by **David Mourtin** » Sat Dec 3, 2011 9:54 pm

Duncan Ferguson wrote:
doc.end wrote:
fatlever wrote:sorry det, that is brutal. doc should be thrilled with that group A though.

Not sure about thrilled but we have one of he easiest group available that's for sure. The bad thing is that our coach is more unlikely to be sacked. Also those games will be hard to watch on the other hand there would some great ones from the start in other groups. I won't attend but group being played in Poland not far from borders is a plus for devote fans.

Watch out for Greece, they're on the rise, with a lot of youngsters in Premier League, like apostolos Vellios.

That's an interesting point, but they have problems with their left back, you know, a lot of doubts between Zaradoukas, Tzavellas and Spyropoulos. No one knows who is going to be their first-choose LB, and that is a big disadvantage. Anyway, I heard of a young promise, I think 14 years but in a very close future he is going to be very famous, Georgios Petakkulos or something similar. I don't remember in which team he is, I think still in Greece.

R Gorgy · Post #932 » by **R Gorgy** » Tue Dec 6, 2011 2:36 pm

fatlever wrote:great day today, man u and arsenal both draw today. maybe liverpool and city can draw tomorrow.

I will not start another discussion about which league is better (certainly not the proper thread :lol:

)

I just came to tell you, if you noticed us while looking to the mirror, that your best teams are at risk of being left out of the Champions.

That if, already all Premier teams could stay out of the Champions League in the first phase, outside the El, who was the top scorer Rodallega and Michel Salgado on MVP and for you the Premier would still be the best, but still there is someone who stops to think 'oysters, the best teams in the Premier ate it all and now ... "

Try to dunk me · Post #933 » by **Try to dunk me** » Tue Dec 6, 2011 3:34 pm

Big game tonight. Chelsea v Valencia in Stanford Bridge. Wich team do you prefer, guys?

One tip: A future member of Bobcats's staff it's a big supporter of Valencia CF, aka the sheeps.

Post #934 » by **fatlever** » Tue Dec 6, 2011 5:39 pm

yes HUGE game today. i am a massive chelsea fan so obviously i am rooting for them

i have the game recording at home on DVR since i will be at work during the broadcast. i have to avoid all soccer sites today. its not hard to avoid soccer news here in the US. you have to go out of your way to get scores here, so its not that hard.

i really have no idea what to expect from chelsea today. we have been awful in big games so far. luiz is a walking red card so there is no telling if an when he will give up a penalty in the box or get tossed. torres and drogba are both out of form. and our midfield is painfully slow at times.

the only players working for us right now are mata (who has been our best player by a mile - thanks Valencia) and sturridge.

Try to dunk me · Post #935 » by **Try to dunk me** » Tue Dec 6, 2011 7:03 pm

Chelksi without Lampard and Fernando Lolwers.

R Gorgy · Post #936 » by **R Gorgy** » Wed Dec 7, 2011 12:03 am

Chelsea hasn't been detoned :lol:

Post #937 » by **fatlever** » Wed Dec 7, 2011 4:15 am

how about them apples? chelsea with the massive win!!!! old school performance. solid defense, sit back, defend and counter with drogba holding the ball. drogba looking close to form again. and of course mata with two brilliant assists.

lets see if it can continue over to next week vs man city.

David Mourtin · Post #938 » by **David Mourtin** » Wed Dec 7, 2011 10:45 am

fatlever wrote:how about them apples? chelsea with the massive win!!!! old school performance. solid defense, sit back, defend and counter with drogba holding the ball. drogba looking close to form again. and of course mata with two brilliant assists.

lets see if it can continue over to next week vs man city.

Drogba may not be 100% fit and we all know he is 33 now, but he is probably the best taquel striker in the last 10 years. No comparison with Robert Soldier.

Post #939 » by **fatlever** » Thu Dec 8, 2011 2:38 am

LOL @ man u and man city.

Det the Threat · Post #940 » by **Det the Threat** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 11:58 am

The last 16 of the championsleague have been drawn.

Here are the matchups:

Lyon - APOEL
Napoli - Chelsea
Milan - Arsenal
Basel - Bayern
Leverkusen - Barca
ZSKA Moscau - Real
Zenit St. Petersburg - Benfica
Marseille - Inter