Ultimate Football (Soccer) Thread (2013-2014)

[HC Eredivisie]

WTH: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/ ... ed-3402770

On the right side of the pond, de Telegraaf has the news. Let's see if a more trustworthy news source is willing to note this. I'm very wary.

Awesome.

[Eastfield Lodge]

you have to feel for Norwich with the games they have left.

I have no sympathy for a club that sacks their manager so ruthlessly at this stage of the season. Even if he used to manage the scum.

Fair enough. He really shouldn't have been sacked from Newcastle either (and Pardew was brought in under the guise of being much more experienced...)

[Polar Islandstates]

WTH: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/ ... ed-3402770

On the right side of the pond, de Telegraaf has the news. Let's see if a more trustworthy news source is willing to note this. I'm very wary.

That's a 'come and get me then' from LVG's people to Levy if ever I've seen one. I'm not convinced Moyes is actually under threat, not yet.

[The Blaatschapen]

WTH: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/ ... ed-3402770

On the right side of the pond, de Telegraaf has the news. Let's see if a more trustworthy news source is willing to note this. I'm very wary.

Awesome.

All successes of Manchester United by Sir Alex Ferguson were prepared by van Gaal

[KoloToure]

Cue manaical laugh.

[Auremena]

Hmm, I don't know if I agree with that second yellow for Flores. That would have been Flores' last chance if I was ref.

[Osarius]

I have no sympathy for a club that sacks their manager so ruthlessly at this stage of the season. Even if he used to manage the scum.

The 'new manager lift' got one game technique has backfired horribly.

I doubt it ever really works, personally.

Sunderland sacked Di Canio while 20th. Currently 20th, 7 points from safety (though they have two games in hand)
Fulham sacked Martin Jol while 18th. When René Meulensteen left they were 20th.
Fulham sacked René Meulensteen while 20th. Currently 18th and two points from safety.
Swansea sacked Michael Laudrup while 12th. Currently 15th, and in a relegation dogfight.
Cardiff sacked Malky Mackay while 16th. Currently 19th, 3 points from safety.

Maybe it's not the manager. Maybe these teams are just shit. *shrug*

[Auremena]

The 'new manager lift' got one game technique has backfired horribly.

I doubt it ever really works, personally.

Sunderland sacked Di Canio while 20th. Currently 20th, 7 points from safety (though they have two games in hand)
Fulham sacked Martin Jol while 18th. When René Meulensteen left they were 20th.
Fulham sacked René Meulensteen while 20th. Currently 18th and two points from safety.
Swansea sacked Michael Laudrup while 12th. Currently 15th, and in a relegation dogfight.
Cardiff sacked Malky Mackay while 16th. Currently 19th, 3 points from safety.

Maybe it's not the manager. Maybe these teams are just shit. *shrug*

I was thinking Tata would be out at the end of the season. If I had any say in it, he'd be out tomorrow. You just can't lose to Granada when you're Barcelona.

[Polar Islandstates]

Sincerely hope the FA Cup final lives up to those two semi finals.

[Auremena]

Sincerely hope the FA Cup final lives up to those two semi finals.

The Sheffield United-Hull was a real cracker, despite the Blades not making it through

[Northern Sunrise Islands]

The 'new manager lift' got one game technique has backfired horribly.

I doubt it ever really works, personally.

Sunderland sacked Di Canio while 20th. Currently 20th, 7 points from safety (though they have two games in hand)
Fulham sacked Martin Jol while 18th. When René Meulensteen left they were 20th.
Fulham sacked René Meulensteen while 20th. Currently 18th and two points from safety.
Swansea sacked Michael Laudrup while 12th. Currently 15th, and in a relegation dogfight.
Cardiff sacked Malky Mackay while 16th. Currently 19th, 3 points from safety.

Maybe it's not the manager. Maybe these teams are just shit. *shrug*

Easier than firing or loaning a bunch of people and hiring Fred. Why wouldn't you give it a shot?

[KoloToure]

I doubt it ever really works, personally.

Sunderland sacked Di Canio while 20th. Currently 20th, 7 points from safety (though they have two games in hand)
Fulham sacked Martin Jol while 18th. When René Meulensteen left they were 20th.
Fulham sacked René Meulensteen while 20th. Currently 18th and two points from safety.
Swansea sacked Michael Laudrup while 12th. Currently 15th, and in a relegation dogfight.
Cardiff sacked Malky Mackay while 16th. Currently 19th, 3 points from safety.

Maybe it's not the manager. Maybe these teams are just shit. *shrug*

I was thinking Tata would be out at the end of the season. If I had any say in it, he'd be out tomorrow. You just can't lose to Granada when you're Barcelona.

Shit happens. Even the most invincible Liverpool team in the 80s lost to the lowly teams.

[Auremena]

I was thinking Tata would be out at the end of the season. If I had any say in it, he'd be out tomorrow. You just can't lose to Granada when you're Barcelona.

Shit happens. Even the most invincible Liverpool team in the 80s lost to the lowly teams.

The team isn't the big issue, it's how you lose. 29 shots, but only 9 on goal? You're obviously not creating any really good chances, and when you do, you waste them. Same in the loss to Valladolid. We've been really weak and sporadic since late February, except against Real Madrid and Osasuna. Part of that could be due to mounting injuries to the back line, but that's only been within the last few weeks. No more Champions League, Spanish League hopes slipping away, at least a spot in next year's CL is guaranteed; Bilbao can't go any higher than 4th, due to a 19 point gap, and 6 games left for them. Still, it would be quite embarrassing to break downwards from the top of the group.

[Bundabunda]

Seeing Gerrard after the game was incredibly moving today. Every time I see him play, I'm reminded why I love the sport. Is hating him possible?

Wow, this is happening in my lifetime. Liverpool's ending their drought.

[Equestrian States]

Seeing Gerrard after the game was incredibly moving today. Every time I see him play, I'm reminded why I love the sport. Is hating him possible?

I do admire Gerrard as a player but I strongly disagree with his sense of fashion. Until he changes into something with considerably more blue, I will root against him every time he takes the field with that club of his.

As for the title race, I'm still holding out hope that the current top three will (somehow) all lose their remaining matches, with Liverpool vs Chelsea ending in a scoreless draw. If that doesn't happen, it's a no-win situation for me as I dislike them all, though I suppose I'd support Chelsea in the hopes that them winning a title would convince Mourinho he doesn't need Lukaku and give him to us for free.

(Delusional Everton supporter is delusional)

[Eastfield Lodge]

The 'new manager lift' got one game technique has backfired horribly.

I doubt it ever really works, personally.

Sunderland sacked Di Canio while 20th. Currently 20th, 7 points from safety (though they have two games in hand)
Fulham sacked Martin Jol while 18th. When René Meulensteen left they were 20th.
Fulham sacked René Meulensteen while 20th. Currently 18th and two points from safety.
Swansea sacked Michael Laudrup while 12th. Currently 15th, and in a relegation dogfight.
Cardiff sacked Malky Mackay while 16th. Currently 19th, 3 points from safety.

Maybe it's not the manager. Maybe these teams are just shit. *shrug*

Actually, in Sunderland's case, di Canio's and Poyet's appointments did give them small lifts... *grumbles*
Chances that Poyet will go less than a month before the next Tyne-Wear derby (if Sunderland stay up)?

[Osarius]

Seeing Gerrard after the game was incredibly moving today. Every time I see him play, I'm reminded why I love the sport. Is hating him possible?

Eh. Probably not.
I don't hate him, but I don't really like him either... though that's through no fault of his own, to be fair.

For me, Gerrard is the poster boy for poor English coaching over the past few decades. Gerrard is the modern day "Roy of the Rovers"^{SEE BELOW}. He's the superstar player that everyone seems to like, because he's a "down-to-earth, working class hero", who magically turns an otherwise not-spectacular team into a serious contender (see Champions League 2005, FA Cup 2006). Liverpool's reliance on him in the past is understandable, because he really is a great player... but it's also part of the reason they haven't won a title yet. See, I always got the impression that instead of building teams around him, they built them on top of him. Instead of freeing him up to be awesome, he was shackled with the responsibility of being "that guy".

It's no coincidence that their first serious title challenge in years comes when Gerrard is not the focal point of the team, and is not surrounded by unspectacular players. If I like Gerrard at all, its more of an admiration for enduring the ridiculous burden of basically carrying Liverpool for a decade (or however long it's been). It's an admiration for somehow not letting the pressure of being that magical superstar player break him (like it did Gazza). While I would prefer to see Jose win another title with Chelsea (because I fucking love Jose), I won't say Gerrard doesn't deserve a title, and I don't begrudge him one at all. But I think he'd probably have a few already if he'd left Liverpool years ago.

And this isn't even a dig at Liverpool. It's just something that happens in English football in general, I'm sure of it. Wolves were notorious for it with Steve Bull. Blackburn arguably did it with Shearer (and Newcastle followed suit). Even my beloved Villa do it, especially lately with Benteke.



NOTE: While the whole "Roy of the Rovers" thing isn't a bad trope in and of itself, and one I use fairly often when writing myself, to be honest... in real-life, it contributes to a detrimental outlook on football coaching, and general play. When a team has a superstar they can rely on, invariably they will rely on him. This stunts their development and progression, and they cease to really function effectively as a team. Evidence? See every England team in at least the past 20 years. All had a single "golden boy" whose mere presence was assumed to somehow inspire victory (Gascoigne, Shearer, Owen, Beckham, Gerrard, Rooney, Wilshere... etc).

This idea that if a team is decent, and you can get a "Roy", you will become contenders is prevalent at grass roots level too. Teams will put nine kids out on a field, and make little attempt to develop them because they have Roy to do all the hard work. Those other nine kids are just sideshows to the Cirque du Roy, and it really grinds my gears. Can you tell?

Actually, in Sunderland's case, di Canio's and Poyet's appointments did give them small lifts...

But they're no better off now than they were. Soooo.....

[KoloToure]

I'd agree with a lot of that, tbh, Os. The most successful season we've had before now was the 2008/09 season where Gerrard was supplying a Torres in full flow and supported by a midfield of Alonso and Mascherano (probably the best double pivot pairing of the last 5/6 years), where the pressure was off him.

The team itself is known by the fans to play better football without Gerrard, under Rodgers, Rafa, and Dalglish (in that first half season). When he's there, he's always the first pass looked for (unless you're Jose Enrique, then you always pass to Suarez, no exceptions).

[Yellow Yellow Red]

I really hate having to send off youngsters. Reffing a u-13 match today and a kid was standing on the post (just inside it) defending a corner. A ball came through to him and he instinctively caught it. Feel bad for the little guy, he clearly wasn't planning on catching it, it was just reflexive. But he was standing on the goal line all the same, so it was a red and a pen.

It was one of those rare moments when after the match his coach wasn't at all upset about me sending off one of his players. Still, though, I absolutely can't stand showing red for stuff like that, even if I really have to.

[Auremena]

60 days until the World Cup begins.

[Polar Islandstates]

60 days until the World Cup begins.

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[KoloToure]

60 days until the World Cup begins.

I'm really struggling to care, really. I'm not sure this one will be much of a spectacle for the football.

[Yellow Yellow Red]

60 days until the World Cup begins.

I'm really struggling to care, really. I'm not sure this one will be much of a spectacle for the football.

I'm worried it will be a Brazil v Argentina final

[Apox]

60 days until the World Cup begins.

Unfortunately, this WC comes during the middle of my A-Levels, so I won't be able to watch a great deal.

Happily I'll be done on the 19th June, so I'll be able to watch the later stages.

EDIT: Just looked up match timings, I'll only miss the first week or so really. Huzzah!

[Auremena]

I'm really struggling to care, really. I'm not sure this one will be much of a spectacle for the football.

I'm worried it will be a Brazil v Argentina final

I'm saying Brazil-Spain, but Belgium and Germany will get close. Of course, this is barring future injury and pending squad finalization.