Ultimate Football (Soccer) Thread (2011-2012)

[Serrland]

This is a reboot of the 2010-2011 football thread. Given that the 2011-2012 season is fast approaching (only two weeks until the first bouts of pre-season friendlies) I think it's time to start up a new one.

A few questions to get this up and running:

Is anyone following the Women's World Cup?

Early predictions for Premier League Winner?

Early predictions for Premier League Relegations?

Early predictions for Championship promotion winners?



I'm thinking Man U will probably repeat, with Liverpool nipping at their heels.

I could see Wigan, Norwich, and Swansea dropping, but Wolves could be in there too.

I wouldn't be surprised to see West Ham come back up, Cardiff I think can get promoted, and maybe either Forest or Reading sneaking up, too.

[Vonners]

Leeds to win everything

[Nazis in Space]

Is anyone following the Women's World Cup?

The north korean chicks look like horses, and the games have exactly the quality expected.

Also, my local sportsteam went and has, to date, sold or otherwise gotten rid of over a third of its players from last season.

/glorified tag.

[Serrland]

Is anyone following the Women's World Cup?

The north korean chicks look like horses, and the games have exactly the quality expected.

Also, my local sportsteam went and has, to date, sold or otherwise gotten rid of over a third of its players from last season.

/glorified tag.

I can't recall, are you German? How's the atmosphere there with the WWC and all? Can't be anywhere near as brilliant as it was when the real World Cup was there a few years back.

[-St George]

Leeds to win everything

Vonners to finally go completely insane.

[Great Void]

Liverpool to win the World Cup.
But honestly; Aquilani coming back from Italy, Gerrard promising a stellar season, Meireles showing promise, Maxi shooting two braces last year, now Adam in the team, Lucas mooching around and Kuyt to be placed somewhere, plus all the young kids (Cole, Spearing, etc.)... Interesting midfield.

Good to be a fan. (as always pre-season)

[Vonners]

Leeds to win everything

Vonners to finally go completely insane.

Finally?

[-St George]

Liverpool to win the World Cup.
But honestly; Aquilani coming back from Italy, Gerrard promising a stellar season, Meireles showing promise, Maxi shooting two braces last year, now Adam in the team, Lucas mooching around and Kuyt to be placed somewhere, plus all the young kids (Cole, Spearing, etc.)... Interesting midfield.

Good to be a fan. (as always pre-season)

Key phrases bolded.

[Nazis in Space]

I can't recall, are you German? How's the atmosphere there with the WWC and all? Can't be anywhere near as brilliant as it was when the real World Cup was there a few years back.

The worldcup is noticeable (Staiyng in one of the cities hosting games over the weekend), but certainly nowhere near 2006. Still, for a women's cup, it's not unimpressive. And in fairness, it's not like one can expect the bars to roll out their screens until the KO rounds, when the interesting games will happen.

Admittedly, I spend a decent fraction of my time during games being staggeringly misogynistic about the whole thing on 4chan's /sp/ board, but hey. We all need hobbies.

[Great Void]

Key phrases bolded.

Oh Aye.

[Miasto Lodz]

Is anyone following the Women's World Cup?

The north korean chicks look like horses, and the games have exactly the quality expected.

Also, my local sportsteam went and has, to date, sold or otherwise gotten rid of over a third of its players from last season.

/glorified tag.

Afair they were interested in Semir Stilić. It would be pretty good signing for a team lying in the bottom half of the table.

[SD_Film Artists]

Norwich to win everything! ....... Or at least do fairly well...I guess..

Canaries!

Is anyone following the Women's World Cup?: They let women play football? They'll be letting'em vote next.

[Cosmopoles]

I predict Chelsea to win the league.
Swansea, Blackburn and Wigan to go down.
City to keep Liverpool out the top four again.

[Nazis in Space]

The north korean chicks look like horses, and the games have exactly the quality expected.

Also, my local sportsteam went and has, to date, sold or otherwise gotten rid of over a third of its players from last season.

/glorified tag.

Afair they were interested in Semir Stilić. It would be pretty good signing for a team lying in the bottom half of the table.

Still are, as far as I'm aware. Problem is, we're hilariously broke* - Coach & Manager are already just shy of trying to kill each other over 'I want more big signings' vs. 'We're fucking broke' issues -, and I'm rather less than excited about offensive midfield players.

We've a shitton of those anyway, and pretty good quality ones at that (Favré's even managed to convince them to do a little defensive work as well o_O). Our big issue in the last two seasons was defence, and while using an eighteen year old with zero professional experience as our keeper actually worked out remarkably well when we did it in the last half-dozen games, (Same goes for a number of reasonably effective mid-season signings for defence), there's still something we absolutely do not have - namely, a functioning double six. That is a problem that needs to be resolved. Our offence is fine.

* Well, by the standards of managements that don't plan to build up a dozen million in debts. Ottherwise we'd have a dozen million to spend, I guess.

[New East Ireland]

Is anyone following the Women's World Cup?

The north korean chicks look like horses

Kimmie couldn't afford real women this year.

[Nemertea]

Is anyone following the Women's World Cup?

i'm not

Early predictions for Premier League Winner?

man u man city chelsea liverpool spurs arsenal is how i think it will end up

Early predictions for Premier League Relegations?

qpr...

Early predictions for Championship promotion winners?

no idea

I'm thinking Man U will probably repeat, with Liverpool nipping at their heels.

i think liverpool will flop (again)

[Serrland]

Afair they were interested in Semir Stilić. It would be pretty good signing for a team lying in the bottom half of the table.

Still are, as far as I'm aware. Problem is, we're hilariously broke* - Coach & Manager are already just shy of trying to kill each other over 'I want more big signings' vs. 'We're fucking broke' issues -, and I'm rather less than excited about offensive midfield players.

We've a shitton of those anyway, and pretty good quality ones at that (Favré's even managed to convince them to do a little defensive work as well o_O). Our big issue in the last two seasons was defence, and while using an eighteen year old with zero professional experience as our keeper actually worked out remarkably well when we did it in the last half-dozen games, (Same goes for a number of reasonably effective mid-season signings for defence), there's still something we absolutely do not have - namely, a functioning double six. That is a problem that needs to be resolved. Our offence is fine.

* Well, by the standards of managements that don't plan to build up a dozen million in debts. Ottherwise we'd have a dozen million to spend, I guess.

At least one of the perks of being broke is a better chance for the youngsters, right? It might suck for now but who knows, maybe in three or four years being piss poor this season will show itself to have been useful. Average youngsters playing with each other for years can make a solid team.

[Sun Aut Ex]

Still are, as far as I'm aware. Problem is, we're hilariously broke* - Coach & Manager are already just shy of trying to kill each other over 'I want more big signings' vs. 'We're fucking broke' issues -, and I'm rather less than excited about offensive midfield players.

We've a shitton of those anyway, and pretty good quality ones at that (Favré's even managed to convince them to do a little defensive work as well o_O). Our big issue in the last two seasons was defence, and while using an eighteen year old with zero professional experience as our keeper actually worked out remarkably well when we did it in the last half-dozen games, (Same goes for a number of reasonably effective mid-season signings for defence), there's still something we absolutely do not have - namely, a functioning double six. That is a problem that needs to be resolved. Our offence is fine.

* Well, by the standards of managements that don't plan to build up a dozen million in debts. Ottherwise we'd have a dozen million to spend, I guess.

Are you a Moenchengladbach supporter?

[Sun Aut Ex]

City to keep Liverpool out the top four again.

No way; Liverpool are on the up, while Arsenal are in a bit of turmoil. If anybody's out of the four, it's Arsenal.

[Nazis in Space]

At least one of the perks of being broke is a better chance for the youngsters, right? It might suck for now but who knows, maybe in three or four years being piss poor this season will show itself to have been useful. Average youngsters playing with each other for years can make a solid team.

We've had circa a youngster per season for a decade now (Okay, mildly exaggerating here). Kettelaer, Jansen, Marin... Usually they leave after a few years of the team not getting forward, and then they gas out as soon as they play in a different team.

Admittedly, at least now our youngsters aren't always on the same fucking identical position doing exactly the same style of play (And unlike Kettelaer, Jansen & Marin, ter Stegen & Marco Reus actually do something for the scoreline, rather than just running prettily up and down the field and doing ineffectual crosses). One of our youth coaches must've had a serious left winger fetish... Not that there's anything wrong with young left wingers, but it was a bit odd.

Are you a Moenchengladbach supporter? :P

My city of birth. Born a Borusse, die a Borusse.

... Mostly die, from heart attacks, considering how we've developed a fetish for saving ourselves from relegation at the last possible moment.

[Sun Aut Ex]

My city of birth. Born a Borusse, die a Borusse.

... Mostly die, from heart attacks, considering how we've developed a fetish for saving ourselves from relegation at the last possible moment.

Wow, I just realised that you stayed up. I assumed that you went down, you were last for like, the whole season.

[Socialist States Owen]

Come on Swansea!

[Angleter]

Another year of misery for Aston Villa. I make this prediction every year and it always comes true, so no reason to change.

[Central Lothian]

Is anyone following the Women's World Cup? No - it's only being shown on Eurosport in the United Kingdom and we don't have that channel.

Early predictions for Premier League Winner? England: Man United; Scotland: Rangers

Early predictions for Premier League Relegations? England: Swansea, Norwich and Wigan. Scotland: Either Dunfermline or St Mirren.

I'm not too familiar with English football outside the Premier League, so I won't answer that question. As for Aberdeen, probably more of the same (but hopefully without a repeat of the 9-0 demolition by Celtic).

[Laerod]

Is anyone following the Women's World Cup?

Aye. And as a proper viewer I'm beginning to hate some of those referees.