Real Football (Soccer to you Yanks) Thread

[CaptainTurtles]

You might be able to start a Canadian Swansea fan club

You know, I've never even thought of that!
I've been living in different parts of Canada but we've just settled in Vancouver, I've heard of a bar downtown that shows football and rugby games, and it's the spot for all the ex-pats to go to. I think I'll check it out and see what's already around!

I went to watch the Swans game from yesterday on Setanta but for some reason the program stops at half time! I've sent them a complaint, I don't pay a monthly subscription to watch just half a match!!

 

[Springsteen]

2-0 win over Galati in the Champions League. Pretty mediocre performance but good enough to ensure a three point haul which takes us top of our group. Valencia got the early goal which seemed to have opened the floodgates but the passing was askew, and the finishing wasn't much better. The second half was worse and with better finishing Galati might have got more than a 2-0 defeat. A deflected drive from Rooney settled matters late on. It'll do for the group stages.

 

[Barney]

Hi all!
Anyone of you watched yesterday match between Athletic de Bilbao vs FC Barcelona?
The final score was a draw 2-2, but I think it was one of the most intense and struggled matches I've ever seen.

The field was totally wet, it looked like a pool and it was very funny to see players falling with dribbling
As a Real Madrid supporter, I have to say that I enjoyed the match, and the final score, of course, Barsa was loosing until the 91 minute though !!

 

[skyblue]

madrid are still second best to barca

 

[porterjack]

madrid are still second best to barca

has a team other than these two won the spanish league in the past ten years

 

[skyblue]

yes.....valencia i think

 

[skyblue]

heres a list

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Spanish_football_champions

 

[porterjack]

thanks

 

[Peter Parka]

So I see FIFA have backed down and compromised by allowing the England team to have poppies on black arm bands. Big fuss about nothing as far as I'm concerned. The players can wear poppies off the pitch and have already had a chance to wear them on the pitch playing for their clubs. That and a dignified minutes silence wherever they are tommorow is enough.

 

[Zorak]

I could envisage a draw tonight. If Young, Walcott and Bent all play up front I'd hope that we can stretch them on the long wembley pitch.

 

[Springsteen]

Most of them are used to playing on big pitches, like the Nou Camp, so the pitch can't be seen as an advantage. The fast players maybe will, because the likely starting 11 is this

Casillas - Sergio Ramos, Puyol, Pique, Alba - Busquets, Xavi, Xabi Alonso, Iniesta, Silva - Villa

Puyol and Pique aren't the quickest, but they are so comfortable on the ball and they shouldn't find themselves in trouble too often with the possession Spain will undoubtedly have, and that midfield/forward line is just

 

[Tuffdisc]

Referee scores a goal in the last minute when it was at 0-0
[video=youtube;o0Z_6uy_rTI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0Z_6uy_rTI&feature=related[/video]

 

[Zorak]

Most of them are used to playing on big pitches, like the Nou Camp, so the pitch can't be seen as an advantage. The fast players maybe will, because the likely starting 11 is this

Casillas - Sergio Ramos, Puyol, Pique, Alba - Busquets, Xavi, Xabi Alonso, Iniesta, Silva - Villa

Puyol and Pique aren't the quickest, but they are so comfortable on the ball and they shouldn't find themselves in trouble too often with the possession Spain will undoubtedly have, and that midfield/forward line is just

You are right, the Nou Camp is a fairly big pitch. Wembley is a good deal narrower however, which helps in stopping defenders being dragged out too far wide.

Everybody knows that the Spanish back line is slow, the trick is actually getting enough of the ball to exploit it.

 

[Springsteen]

Perfectly legitimate goal. The referee is a part of play.

Harry Redknapp's up in court starting the 23rd of January next year on 2 counts of tax dodging.

 

[skyblue]

Perfectly legitimate goal. The referee is a part of the field of play.

edited

 

[Springsteen]

Lol knew I'd forgot something.

Found myself watching Newport vs Shrewsbury earlier, Shrews won 1-0, not the best game to watch really, lots for Newport to take from it, satisfying enough for Shrewsbury.

 

[Zorak]

Harry Redknapp's up in court starting the 23rd of January next year on 2 counts of tax dodging.

Case will be thrown out. From my understanding, Redknapp opened up a Monacan bank account to accept some bonuses from Mandaric. Tax evasion is legal, tax avoidance is not. This is clearly a case of the former.

 

[Peter Parka]

There's a lot more to it than that. Here's an interesting read of some legal documents about it. -

http://thestory.ie/2011/08/03/harry-redknapp-tax-evasion-and-mandarics-offshore-account/

 

[retro]

MLS Cup starts up in just a few minutes...

LA Galaxy vs. Houston Dynamo

 

[retro]

aaaaaand, your 2011 MLS Champions are......... the LA Galaxy.

:woohoo: