The Official Soccer, Football, Futbol, and Footie Thread

[Westy]

[humanoid]

...and if Adebayor somehow stays, which I don't think he will, I hope someone explains to him the meaning of the offsides rule...he doesn't seem to grasp the concept

[downingthief]

Ronaldinho update...

Looking like AC Milan, now. Wow. That squad will be sick, with Ronnie in the fold (provided he returns to form). More here:

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slu...ters&type=lgns

Update...it's official:

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slu...v=st&type=lgns

[downingthief]

Claudio Reyna retiring:

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...555448&cc=5901

Too bad he had to go out this way. He was huge for the US in 2002.

[sikiboy]

It's official Ronaldhino to AC Milan, he's signing tomorrow...

Inter has Mancini...

Arsenal will Get Gareth Barry??... We need big name players!!!!... Don't get me wrong Barry's really good, but, were is an Henry??...

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...ngland&cc=3888

[humanoid]

/\ I think they are waiting to see how Adebayor plays out....if he leaves, then obviously they need a striker, but with Ronaldhino going to Milan, Adebayor probably isn't....the next week should be interesting

[downingthief]

Finally, some potentially fantastic news Tyneside...

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...ngland&cc=5901

Aimar would be a steal at that price. Check this out:

[davrone]

Go both Chivas teams in the SuperLiga!

[sikiboy]

Hleb To Barcelona....

Aimar To Benfica...

Arsenal's Gilberto Silva to seal Panathinaikos deal... Another one leaving... great (sigh)....

[Hopeless Semantic]

What is happening to our Gunners? I'm kind've worried about next season's campaign...Is it that bad @ Emirates?

[downingthief]

Crap. The rumor to Newcastle just forced Benfica to up their offer. He would have looked good in black and white.

Also, looks like the De Jong rumor was just that...a rumor:

http://www.football365.com/story/0,1...826303,00.html

[downingthief]

Go both Chivas teams in the SuperLiga!

I think Chivas USA will lose today. That New England/Pachuca match looks interesting...might have to tune in.

[humanoid]

What is happening to our Gunners? I'm kind've worried about next season's campaign...Is it that bad @ Emirates?

its worrisome when you read things like Wenger saying that they're going to need to sell off big players for the next 20 years to pay for the stadium.....sounds like bizarre management to me

[Hopeless Semantic]

its worrisome when you read things like Wenger saying that they're going to need to sell off big players for the next 20 years to pay for the stadium.....sounds like bizarre management to me

I don't know what I'd do if they became the Pirates of the EPL...hopefully this isn't true.

[guest-1185]

Watching Ronaldhino, Kaka and Pato on the same club is going to sweet.

As for the gunners, fear not! Arsene's greatest skill is getting young, quality players on the cheap. While it sucks losing Helb and Flamini, Nasri will flourish in the Arsenal style of play.

[humanoid]

Watching Ronaldhino, Kaka and Pato on the same club is going to sweet.

As for the gunners, fear not! Arsene's greatest skill is getting young, quality players on the cheap. While it sucks losing Helb and Flamini, Nasri will flourish in the Arsenal style of play.

That Milan trio will be so much fun to watch


you're right, Wenger is highly renowned for development of young players...I think Nasri is a fantastic pickup...I just brought up the selling off of players story, because it worries me longterm...its difficult to constantly develop young talent if it is required on a yearly basis

[sikiboy]

Is the Nasri pickup a done deal????...

I think the article that was on the sellling off of players was about the whole EPL, I remember seeing examples not just for Arsenal, but for a lot of teams, that are in credit debt, correct me if I'm wrong... Honestly, It doesn't worrie me at all... If it comes to that, I think the whole market will be affected, not just Arsenal, the big name players will have to sell they're ass really cheap because clubs won't have the kind of money they're asking now to pay for them... I think we're headed to a world were players are not owned by clubs and they're owned by Banks, Lol...

I live in Mexico, in a border city, and honestly the MLS and the mexican league just puts me to sleep...

[humanoid]

Is the Nasri pickup a done deal????...

I think the article that was on the sellling off of players was about the whole EPL, I remember seeing examples not just for Arsenal, but for a lot of teams, that are in credit debt, correct me if I'm wrong... Honestly, It doesn't worrie me at all... If it comes to that, I think the whole market will be affected, not just Arsenal, the big name players will have to sell they're ass really cheap because clubs won't have the kind of money they're asking now to pay for them... I think we're headed to a world were players are not owned by clubs and they're owned by Banks, Lol...

I live in Mexico, in a border city, and honestly the MLS and the mexican league just puts me to sleep...

I know which article you're referring to, about the state of economy & EPL as a whole...its not that one though

This was specifically about Arsenal regarding money related to their stadium deal...I'll try and find it

[Stainofmind]

I found this on Digg.com

7 Reasons Why America Will Never Embrace Soccer

http://www.athlists.com/?p=19

1. Americans don’t have the Attention Spans.

Soccer is a continuous game that is heavily influenced by a teams endurance and stamina. Unfortunately, Americans do not understand that concept. While the most popular sport in the United States involves watching a car go around a track for 600 miles, soccer is players running constantly for 90 minutes. Unlike soccer, however, NASCAR also involves the elements of horrendous crashes, pit stops, and fan favorites. Football also stops after every play, and during the four quarters of the game. The same goes for the innings of baseball, and the quarters of basketball.

2. Low Scores.

Because soccer is such a competitive and trying sport, the scores remain relatively few and far between. Americans like scoring, in all ways, forms, and meanings. Look at every other sport and their average scores, and then compare them to a high scoring soccer affair involving 5 – 6 goals. While scoring a goal is exciting, you have to remember spectators endure 90 minutes of passing balls and running in order to witness the goal.

3. Americans are Fat.

The average weight for American men is 191 pounds, which is 20 pounds heavier than men 40 years ago. The childhood obesity problem doesn’t help either, with nearly 20% of children between the ages of 6 – 12 being overweight. Simple logic will tell you that being overweight means being unhealthy, which probably means you can’t perform well at stamina sports such as soccer. Other sports, however, rely on the big man to take the post, block and tackle, or mash a bomb out of the park. Soccer’s not a big man’s game . . . and a nation’s sports interest that is fixed in an unhealthy lifestyle will likely focus on sports that don’t require healthiness or losing weight

4. There are no Individuals in Soccer.

Although there are players like Henry, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, and Beckham, the majority of great players and teams rely on teamwork more than any other sport in existence. Football, baseball, and basketball can all stand to have a weak link during game play. Although the weakest link can be exploited in these sports, the offense does not suffer from their mishaps and great players can more than make up for them. Players like Peyton Manning, Lebron James, and Randy Johnson can single handedly take over the game and produce a win. However, soccer requires extreme teamwork and patience. One weak link could mean a collapse in offense as well as defense. American’s like a hero . . . and it’s hard to be a hero on the soccer field without losing it for the team.

5. The Lack of Stats.

In all athletics, stats are crucial for the sports junkie. Being able to rattle off batting, FG, or QB ratings bring joy to millions of Americans. In soccer, the only real stats are passes, tackles, goals, and saves. Of course there are the occasional corners and cards, but the stats simply aren’t as meaningful nor interesting as other mainstream American sports. I could not tell you the passing percentage of Spain in the UEFA Cup, but I can tell you the ERA of most NL pitchers. The same goes for most of Americans that follow any sport closely.

6. No Rivalries in America.

The MLS boasts an unimpressive 16 teams in 16 cities here in America. There are only 2 conferences, and their marketing has done little to focus on city rivalries. In other sports we have Carolina v. Duke, New York v. Boston, USC v. UCLA, and so on. In the MLS, there is hardly any gut wrenching rivalries to partake in. In Europe it is the complete opposite, where hundreds of teams have city rivals, as well as their country rivals. Until there’s some flare, American soccer will remain on the backburner.

7. American’s love exactness.

When a player drops a football, fans scream. They also do the same for dropped baseball, basketballs, or even when a NASCAR driver misses his line and falls behind. We love perfection and our team never turning the ball over. Which explains why American’s could become very frustrated while watching a game of soccer. Because the soccerball is handled by the feet and can be extremely hard to control, precision is hard to come by during a match.

[humanoid]

/\ that is, until Mexicans are the majority in the US

[idrive1life]

haha

http://www.vodacomchallenge.com/go/home







http://www.premierleague.com/page/Home/0,,12306,00.html

[sikiboy]

haha

http://www.vodacomchallenge.com/go/home







http://www.premierleague.com/page/Home/0,,12306,00.html

You Just Wanna Start A Riot, Don't You?

[downingthief]

/\ that is, until Mexicans are the majority in the US

Almost there...

[downingthief]

I live in Mexico, in a border city, and honestly the MLS and the mexican league just puts me to sleep...

did you watch any of the matches yesterday? I got a bit of both...the Chivas USA/ Santos match I thought was pretty exciting. Up and down action.

[sikiboy]

did you watch any of the matches yesterday? I got a bit of both...the Chivas USA/ Santos match I thought was pretty exciting. Up and down action.

No, I didn't saw that one... I saw the New England against Pachuca, did they finally give the diagnose on the guy from New England?... it was pretty scary, I didn't saw him move his feet or hands and they took like 7 minutes to take him of the field...

Hey I live in Nogales Mexico.. Love Phoenix, Scottsdale specially, but when I go shopping I go to Tucson, I'm going for a bachellor party in Phoenix, we're going to the D'backs Braves game in two weeks... lol...

[downingthief]

No, I didn't saw that one... I saw the New England against Pachuca, did they finally give the diagnose on the guy from New England?... it was pretty scary, I didn't saw him move his feet or hands and they took like 7 minutes to take him of the field...

Hey I live in Nogales Mexico.. Love Phoenix, Scottsdale specially, but when I go shopping I go to Tucson, I'm going for a bachellor party in Phoenix, we're going to the D'backs Braves game in two weeks... lol...

Not sure on the NE player. I didn't see the play.

Sounds like a good time will be had at the party. Enjoy!

[sikiboy]

Yup, saturday will be tubing... hehe...

Anyways, hope the US embraces soccer because you guys have all the money to pull big name players and make the MLS a powerhouse league, to at least be on the top 3 leagues of this continent being behind the argentinian and brazilian leagues. Also, hope Phoenix builds a franchise so I can experience an MLS game... I've been to two games in my life, one was at Estadio Jalisco for a Chivas America game... and the other one was at Emirates Arsenal against Man. City...

[downingthief]

Latest on the Berbatov/Keane transfer rumors...getting a bit fiesty now in the EPL:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...ur/7514933.stm

[sikiboy]

I see that the new Arsenal Jerseys are sweet.. also the new Barcelona away Jersey is cool too... oh!... and the Man U white one is awesome too...

Preseason match Arsenal 1 Szombathelyi Haladas 1... Walcott scored...

[downingthief]

Really? I thought the new Arsenal kit was kind of weak. Not a fan of the new Nike style, in general. Some exceptions. Like the new Celtic kit, but to be fair, that has always been one of my favorites.

EPL starts in about 4 weeks!