Ultimate Football (Soccer) Thread (2012-2013)

[DesAnges]

http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB1 ... %3Darticle

A reason why soccer had a hard time breaking into American society perhaps? Play lasts for 90 minutes, for the most part as a continuous stream of movement. If you're used to something more fractured it might be difficult to sit through something that continuous without getting bored.

[Miasto Lodz]

Dunno. Basketball is quite fluent (at least until fifth foul in the quarter). So is the hockey.

[DesAnges]

Dunno. Basketball is quite fluent (at least until fifth foul in the quarter). So is the hockey.

Basketball is the other way though, there are no respites from scoring.

Hmm. I should revise my original statement to something along the lines of "Perhaps it hasn't caught on because there are long continuous periods of play without goals." Not to say that those periods can't be exciting - but if you're used to either continuous scoring or stody, broken play, I can see why you would think football is a bit shit.

[The Blaatschapen]

And Dortmund misses a penalty against Ajax. Vermeer managed to save it.

[Rubiconic Crossings V2 rev 1f]

Unbelievable game...Real Madrid v Citeh...hate to say it, and I really really do, but Ronaldo does seem to have a little bit of talent.

[Super Bwitain]

Unbelievable game...Real Madrid v Citeh...hate to say it, and I really really do, but Ronaldo does seem to have a little bit of talent.

I think we should direct compliments at Marcelo. He was fucking excellent tonight. I can only hope Madrid use this to get some momentum in La Liga.

[Rubiconic Crossings V2 rev 1f]

Unbelievable game...Real Madrid v Citeh...hate to say it, and I really really do, but Ronaldo does seem to have a little bit of talent.

I think we should direct compliments at Marcelo. He was fucking excellent tonight. I can only hope Madrid use this to get some momentum in La Liga.

Yeah he's a decent player. Not a fan of Real however...never liked the entire Franco thing...

[Disserbia]

Ronaldo is so obnoxious. His goal is all everyone will talk about but I think other people on RM had a better game. I can't believe they didn't score earlier. But what I really don't understand is how City kept RM from scoring for so long and then conceded two goals in less than 5 minutes. You can't stop playing before the game is over, especially against a side as good as RM.

[I V Stalin]

Dunno. Basketball is quite fluent (at least until fifth foul in the quarter). So is the hockey.

Basketball is the other way though, there are no respites from scoring.

Hmm. I should revise my original statement to something along the lines of "Perhaps it hasn't caught on because there are long continuous periods of play without goals." Not to say that those periods can't be exciting - but if you're used to either continuous scoring or stody, broken play, I can see why you would think football is a bit shit.

If you* can't sit through 45 minutes of sport with no breaks, what the fuck are you* doing watching sport?

Though even football has mini-breaks during play - set pieces generally allow a short break in concentration, and they generally take up maybe 15-20 minutes of a match.

*Not you, obviously.

[Forsher]

http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052748704281204575002852055561406-lMyQjAxMTAwMDEwNTExNDUyWj.html#articleTabs%3Darticle

A reason why soccer had a hard time breaking into American society perhaps? Play lasts for 90 minutes, for the most part as a continuous stream of movement. If you're used to something more fractured it might be difficult to sit through something that continuous without getting bored.

I'm not sure, rugby is constantly criticised here (who knew, true dedication is complaining about an almost twenty match winning streak?) and the lack of fluidity is a chief complaint. It's also why we don't see a sensible reason for not having a TMO in cricket...

[Wopruthien]

http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052748704281204575002852055561406-lMyQjAxMTAwMDEwNTExNDUyWj.html#articleTabs%3Darticle

A reason why soccer had a hard time breaking into American society perhaps? Play lasts for 90 minutes, for the most part as a continuous stream of movement. If you're used to something more fractured it might be difficult to sit through something that continuous without getting bored.

Another theory, the TV companies cannot get behind football/soccer as they can't shove in the ad breaks during match play as they will miss something. So do not promote it the same.

[DesAnges]

http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052748704281204575002852055561406-lMyQjAxMTAwMDEwNTExNDUyWj.html#articleTabs%3Darticle

A reason why soccer had a hard time breaking into American society perhaps? Play lasts for 90 minutes, for the most part as a continuous stream of movement. If you're used to something more fractured it might be difficult to sit through something that continuous without getting bored.

Another theory, the TV companies cannot get behind football/soccer as they can't shove in the ad breaks during match play as they will miss something. So do not promote it the same.

There is that as well. I've been watching streams of Fox Soccer games and they show banner ads at the bottom, which is distracting.

[Farfadillis]

Another theory, the TV companies cannot get behind football/soccer as they can't shove in the ad breaks during match play as they will miss something. So do not promote it the same.

There is that as well. I've been watching streams of Fox Soccer games and they show banner ads at the bottom, which is distracting.

Same happens here, and I don't live in the US. It must be that even doing that, the lack of interest won't give them money at all. It's a vicious circle.

[Nazis in Space]

Different countries occasionally have different popular sports.

It happens.

[DesAnges]

Different countries occasionally have different popular sports.

It happens.

Oh I understand that, but it's kinda interesting to talk about why different sports have evolved in the different ways.

It's no different to discussing why one kind of finch evolved on one Galapagan island over another, at a base level.

[The Blaatschapen]

Different countries occasionally have different popular sports.

It happens.

Oh I understand that, but it's kinda interesting to talk about why different sports have evolved in the different ways.

It's no different to discussing why one kind of finch evolved on one Galapagan island over another, at a base level.

Blasphemy. All sports were designed by an intelligent creator (except for curling)!

[DesAnges]

Oh I understand that, but it's kinda interesting to talk about why different sports have evolved in the different ways.

It's no different to discussing why one kind of finch evolved on one Galapagan island over another, at a base level.

Blasphemy. All sports were designed by an intelligent creator (except for curling)!

All sports were designed by Sky Sports. All praise the almighty Murdoch!

[The Blaatschapen]

Congrats NAC Breda, for being 100 years old today

[Nadkor]

Congrats NAC Breda, for being 100 years old today

There's a place in Belfast called Knockbreda, and with a really strong Belfast accent it would be pronounced nac(k)breda.

That's all I have.

[Serrland]

Here I was thinking that Man U had played away in Istanbul. 1-0 is a respectable win away - it's about as hostile an environment as you can imagine. But 1-0 at Old Trafford seems a bit low to me. I didn't watch the match, so I don't want to put too much stock in just the scoreline, but I wonder if Fergie isn't feeling a bit relieved that the group is weak enough that goal difference won't matter...

Glad to hear Fletcher made his comeback though.

[I V Stalin]

Here I was thinking that Man U had played away in Istanbul. 1-0 is a respectable win away - it's about as hostile an environment as you can imagine. But 1-0 at Old Trafford seems a bit low to me. I didn't watch the match, so I don't want to put too much stock in just the scoreline, but I wonder if Fergie isn't feeling a bit relieved that the group is weak enough that goal difference won't matter...

Glad to hear Fletcher made his comeback though.

Galatasaray should've had a first minute penalty, and Lord Ferg admitted that United looked shaky at the back for most of the game. And Nani missed a penalty.

Surprised that Cluj beat Braga - who knocked out Udinese in the qualifying round - in Portugal.

[Nadkor]

United were class for half an hour, okay for half an hour, and shit for half an hour.

That's all you need to know, really.

[Rubiconic Crossings V2 rev 1f]

So...Demba Ba...on his way?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19655578

7 million...not a bad deal but he doesn't seem to want to be a second fiddle. Also his agent seems to be a bit of a dick. Then again most if not all these football agents seem to be dicks.

[The Blaatschapen]

Congrats NAC Breda, for being 100 years old today

There's a place in Belfast called Knockbreda, and with a really strong Belfast accent it would be pronounced nac(k)breda.

That's all I have.

Better than nothing.

And we do have a bit of a British tradition, so it fits

[Super Bwitain]

Liverpool 5-3 Young Boys.

That game was on crack.