Soccer discussion thread

[Uuaww]

I'm not going to hype the game that Torres had, like the media is... he only had an assist and a goal thanks to Hart being a buffoon. With that said, all of this talk about him being a step slower or declining seems a bit premature. I've watch all of 3 Chelsea games this year and Torres is busting his butt. On the assist yesterday, he blew by Clichy, who is one of, if not the fastest LB in the PL. He's still got an explosive burst and you see it on his runs. I think people are way too caught up in his lack of scoring (mostly in league) and what seemed like a lack of effort at the beginning of the last PL season.

I find it amazing that Joe Hart is by far and away the best keeper the English have. I mean he is good but he makes dumbass mistakes. John Ruddy who plays for a mediocre Norwich squad is basically England's #2 if Hart goes down... no joke he would probably be bottom 2-3 keepers in the WC if Hart goes down.

[ReignOnU]

It was interesting to hear Tim Howard on commentary for that game. He wasn't afraid to flat out say that Hart has to stay on his line and trust his CB.

[jsence2]

I'm not going to hype the game that Torres had, like the media is... he only had an assist and a goal thanks to Hart being a buffoon. With that said, all of this talk about him being a step slower or declining seems a bit premature. I've watch all of 3 Chelsea games this year and Torres is busting his butt. On the assist yesterday, he blew by Clichy, who is one of, if not the fastest LB in the PL. He's still got an explosive burst and you see it on his runs. I think people are way too caught up in his lack of scoring (mostly in league) and what seemed like a lack of effort at the beginning of the last PL season.

Nobody questions his hustle.

it's his finishing that has gone downhill. When he was with the scousers, he was clinical. Now, he has tons of moments like he did yesterday, where he missed great chances and didn't even get them on target.

[jsence2]

I'm not going to hype the game that Torres had, like the media is... he only had an assist and a goal thanks to Hart being a buffoon. With that said, all of this talk about him being a step slower or declining seems a bit premature. I've watch all of 3 Chelsea games this year and Torres is busting his butt. On the assist yesterday, he blew by Clichy, who is one of, if not the fastest LB in the PL. He's still got an explosive burst and you see it on his runs. I think people are way too caught up in his lack of scoring (mostly in league) and what seemed like a lack of effort at the beginning of the last PL season.

I find it amazing that Joe Hart is by far and away the best keeper the English have. I mean he is good but he makes dumbass mistakes. John Ruddy who plays for a mediocre Norwich squad is basically England's #2 if Hart goes down... no joke he would probably be bottom 2-3 keepers in the WC if Hart goes down.

[ReignOnU]

I'm not going to hype the game that Torres had, like the media is... he only had an assist and a goal thanks to Hart being a buffoon. With that said, all of this talk about him being a step slower or declining seems a bit premature. I've watch all of 3 Chelsea games this year and Torres is busting his butt. On the assist yesterday, he blew by Clichy, who is one of, if not the fastest LB in the PL. He's still got an explosive burst and you see it on his runs. I think people are way too caught up in his lack of scoring (mostly in league) and what seemed like a lack of effort at the beginning of the last PL season.

Nobody questions his hustle.

it's his finishing that has gone downhill. When he was with the scousers, he was clinical. Now, he has tons of moments like he did yesterday, where he missed great chances and didn't even get them on target.

I think his finishing is the only thing that can be knocked... but I'm seeing a lot of comments about his lack of burst/pace/creativity. I still see a lot of those skills on display. From a finishing standpoint, this could just be a season or 2 dry spell. He's still 29, it's not like he's 32/33 and reaching a point of no return.

[Uuaww]

The USA has been spoiled with elite GK for like 15 years now. Keller to Friedel to Howard.... Guzan is better than a lot of keepers too.

[nick]

im watching under 21 Man U vs Fulham

[jsence2]

I'm not going to hype the game that Torres had, like the media is... he only had an assist and a goal thanks to Hart being a buffoon. With that said, all of this talk about him being a step slower or declining seems a bit premature. I've watch all of 3 Chelsea games this year and Torres is busting his butt. On the assist yesterday, he blew by Clichy, who is one of, if not the fastest LB in the PL. He's still got an explosive burst and you see it on his runs. I think people are way too caught up in his lack of scoring (mostly in league) and what seemed like a lack of effort at the beginning of the last PL season.

Nobody questions his hustle.

it's his finishing that has gone downhill. When he was with the scousers, he was clinical. Now, he has tons of moments like he did yesterday, where he missed great chances and didn't even get them on target.

I think his finishing is the only thing that can be knocked... but I'm seeing a lot of comments about his lack of burst/pace/creativity. I still see a lot of those skills on display. From a finishing standpoint, this could just be a season or 2 dry spell. He's still 29, it's not like he's 32/33 and reaching a point of no return.

Torres is done. For every match where he shows some deft touch, he has another where a soft pass to him hits his boot and it ricochets 10 feet away.

Don't forget, Chelski paid 50 million for him--or about twice what United paid for Van Persie. That's why he gets so much crap. His finishing now isn't even good enough to get him a spot on Spain's roster all the time.

Is he still a decent player? Sure. But more along the vein of a Jermaine Defoe than a RVP. He'll have moments where he shines, and many more where the shats on the pitch.

[ReignOnU]

Yeah, I get that. When put into comparison of what was given up for him, I totally agree. But fans are talking like he's complete rubbish (official word, yo).

What do you think of the comments that Man U offered about 20% more for Bale, at the last minute, than RM? Doesn't surprise me and kind... also thrilled they didn't go for it. Not a fan.

[jsence2]

Yeah, I get that. When put into comparison of what was given up for him, I totally agree. But fans are talking like he's complete rubbish (official word, yo).

What do you think of the comments that Man U offered about 20% more for Bale, at the last minute, than RM? Doesn't surprise me and kind... also thrilled they didn't go for it. Not a fan.

Well because most of the time he is complete rubbish

And it doesn't shock me. Moyes had no plan, other than "let's sign a midfielder with a big name". He went after a guy who had no intention of ever coming to United, he waited too long to go after others (De Rossi), and then waited too long to get Fellaini at 23m buyout and paid 28.5 for him

And now he wants to go get Sneijder, who plays the same spot as Kagawa and Rooney?

Moyes is not the right man for United, and I'm not sure he will ever make the changes he needs to (both tactically, mentally, and in terms of the transfer responsibilities) in order to have a chance at success. He needs to understand this isn't Everton, it's United--you can't sit back and try to protect a 1-0 lead, you need to stay aggressive and go for 2-0. The Southampton match is a perfect example. And this rigid 4231 he has where he tries to fit Kagawa on the wing....he drifts inside, gets in Rooney/RVP's way, and then it leaves the left exposed. He has to realize that he needs to be more fluid and find a way to get two strikers out there, or this team will struggle.

[ReignOnU]

The game is so much more entertaining when AJ is in. I'd be ok with giving the kid all of the run he can handle on the right side. It's almost like he gets on the pitch and doesn't give a damn what Moyes wants and just starts ripping into the defense.

[jsence2]

The game is so much more entertaining when AJ is in. I'd be ok with giving the kid all of the run he can handle on the right side. It's almost like he gets on the pitch and doesn't give a damn what Moyes wants and just starts ripping into the defense.

I love AJ but he's not polished yet. He also seems to do best when he had a forward who will make runs and give him space

Nani gets the ball, looks down at it to see what kind of 5-star skill move he can try and fail, or he looks to take the first open shot he gets.

AJ looks for teammates when he gets the ball and rarely looks down at his feet. His linkup in that match w Cleverley where he cut inside and then played the ball into the flank between two defenders, that's something we'd never see from Nani or Antonio "I got it, and I'm gonna cross it to nobody in particular" Valencia

Speaking of Cleverley....he's never going to pan out, not at United. Time to sell him, Young, Nani, Valencia, and Ando.

[jsence2]

This was great, especially the Anderson and Michael Bradley comments

Is the Manchester United job really that hard, David Moyes? We asked Iain Macintosh to fire up his review copy of "Football Manager 2014" and find out the true perils, if any, of managing at Old Trafford.

JULY

It's important to start a job like this with a statement, so I make mine by telling Anderson that he's on the transfer list. He says he's already on the transfer list. I take him off the transfer list and then immediately put him back on it, just so he gets the point, the useless, tubby wastrel. Marseille make a 7 million-pound bid and, with the help of a steel shoehorn, I force him out of the back door and away. He's not the only one to leave. Federico Macheda, Ben Amos, Alex Buttner depart and, because 18 million pounds seems a lot for the occasional stepover, Nani is out as well. I spend 15 million pounds on Michael Bradley and order him to kick everyone he sees, including Nani, who is lingering at the exit door as if I might change my mind.
AUGUST

Two wins in the league and the formality of a Community Shield win over Wigan, but something is amiss at Carrington. None of the players are listening to anything I say, and Steve Round claims that Wayne Rooney is struggling to motivate himself to play for me. I check my profile. I forgot to alter my experience levels on the start-up screen. When the players ask me to "get out my medals," I haven't even got any from Sunday league football to show them. I switch to a 4-2-3-1 and use it as an excuse to bench Rooney. It feels good.

SEPTEMBER

Two wins and two draws slow my glorious revolution, but I'm still unbeaten in all competitions. My reputation has risen to "national," which is hardly surprising given that I've just replaced one of the greatest managers of all time, apparently without ever having kicked a ball in my life. Rooney is still moaning, so I set extra stamina work for him in training just because I can.

OCTOBER

Four points from a possible nine in October and I just know that Rooney is giggling behind me on the bench. I decide to bring him back. My determination to get the best out of Shinji Kagawa in the "enganche" role means the only place I can put Rooney is on the left. He doesn't like that at all. An ambitious policy of taking every competition seriously is ensuring a smooth progression in the cups, but there really is no excuse for losing to Fulham. This is now officially more stressful than a computer game should be.

NOVEMBER

I swallow my pride, revert to a 4-4-2 and play Rooney up front alongside Robin van Persie. We annihilate Cardiff, Southampton and Crystal Palace in quick succession and a point at Goodison Park takes us to the top of the table. Rooney's got a look on his face that positively screams "I told you so!" Success has never tasted so sour.

DECEMBER

Five victories from six this month, the sixth game being an annoying single-goal defeat to Manchester City (now managed by Juergen Klopp). Rooney scores in four of them. Kagawa has barely played since I made my tactical switch and his morale has plummeted. I try to explain it to him, but he just walks away shaking his head and whimpering. Bradley picks up his fifth booking for attempting to amputate Christian Eriksen's leg at the knee. I suppose that was coming.

JANUARY

Another outstanding month sees us open up a nine-point lead on Chelsea in second place. This high-pressing, high-tempo, overlapping-full-backs style of football is working a treat. We breezed through the Champions League group stage, we strolled to the League Cup semifinals. I'm so good at rotating the players that I can even drop Tom Cleverley into the team to give my first-choice midfielders a rest. This is easy. I honestly don't know how Moyes has made such a hard job of this. I decide not to reinforce the team and save the money for the summer.

FEBRUARY

I hate this game so much. Strolling to victory against West Bromwich Albion, Cleverley gives the ball away and Shane Long equalises. Two minutes later, Long scores the winner. I open the wooden box that Sir Alex Ferguson told me I should only open in an emergency. It contains a large hairdryer. Five minutes later, morale across the squad plummets. I don't think I had the authority to use that hairdryer. The players hate me. Desperate for something to make me feel better, I drop Rooney. By the time February draws to a close, we've lost three straight games in the league, suffered the indignity of League Cup elimination to Sunderland, and we've lost the first leg of our first knockout round of the Champions League to Anderlecht. ANDERLECHT! I feel physically sick. No computer game has ever made me feel physically sick.

MARCH

I take three real-life days off from the game with stress and then return to my post. Maybe it's my fault. Maybe I've become complacent. I tweak my 4-4-2 to stop the full-backs leaving us open at the back and give it another go. Cardiff, Southampton, Fulham and Crystal Palace are all vanquished in quick succession. That feels familiar. We even beat Anderlecht 4-0 to reach the last eight in Europe. A trip to Swansea gives me the chance to go nine points clear six games to go. Naturally, we lose. I start smoking again.

APRIL

A mixed month. Ten points from a possible 12 restores a healthy five-point lead in the league, but a 4-1 aggregate defeat to Klopp's Manchester City in Europe feels like a bad break-up. The FA Cup is going well, but even that is a problem. I'd deliberately played the second string in an attempt to go out early and free up some extra rest in the run-in. I can't do anything right. I've had real-life jobs that I haven't worried about as much as this one.

MAY

Hard-fought wins against Tottenham and Aston Villa mean we can spare ourselves two anxious last games against Manchester City and Chelsea, IF we win at Sunderland. Predictably, we play for 85 minutes with all the attacking intent of a very sad hamster. Then, we break! Substitute Wilfried Zaha scampers down the right and pulls the ball back across the edge of the 6-yard box. Van Persie slides in and the ball bounces off his shin, off the post and then trickles over the line. It's the worst goal anyone has ever scored ever yet it doesn't matter because I'm already halfway down the street punching the air.

We're even afforded the chance to win the double, and a great chance too. Stoke have been relegated, they've sacked Mark Hughes, their morale is abject. We go down 2-0 at Wembley, mustering a single shot on target. I sit for a while and stare at the screen in silent rage. It's been 21 years and I still hate this bloody game.

POSTSCRIPT: My obligations to ESPNFC.com complete, do I take the opportunity to quit game and move on with my life? Of course not. Settling my scores like Michael Corleone, I sell Rooney, Cleverley and Hernandez and spend all of my money on Radamel Falcao, Victor Wanyama, Alex Sandro and Steven Caulker. One more season. Just one more season ...

[nick]

Looks like Stephan El Shaarawy is set to arrive at the premier league in the next couple of weeks. Speculation in Euro Football will drive u nuts- hard to find reliable sources but Im hearing this from multiple. I guess AC plans on going in another direction after investing in Mario Balotellin and Alessandro Matri. Teams linked include: Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City.

[jsence2]

Looks like Stephan El Shaarawy is set to arrive at the premier league in the next couple of weeks. Speculation in Euro Football will drive u nuts- hard to find reliable sources but Im hearing this from multiple. I guess AC plans on going in another direction after investing in Mario Balotellin and Alessandro Matri. Teams linked include: Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City.

You'll see stuff around him for a long time; that said, remember nobody can change clubs until January

Milan needs to fire Allegri. Bringing in Matri was a stupid move. So was letting Pirlo leave.

Liverpool will need to sell Suarez to bring in El Shaarawy--both in terms of someplace to put him, and in terms of money.

Arsenal, I don't see it happening because Arsene isn't one to spend a bunch of money, Ozil was out of character for him.

Chelsea/City have no room for him; he plays on the wing mostly and they have nowhere to put him without selling someone.

Spurs are a team that might go after him and I could see them doing it. I could also see him going to France.

[jsence2]

Friend of mine and I were talking at work today about the best finishes we've ever seen in a soccer match.....here are my three, in no particular order

1) 1999 Champions League final, Manchester United vs Bayern Munich

After Munich led from the sixth minute on, the Red Devils score two goals in stoppage time off of two Beckham corners to win the Champions League and devastate Bayern's players to the point that some had to be carried off the pitch. The call of "And Solskjaer has won it!" is one of the most iconic calls in soccer history.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xiyb8b ... -com_sport

2) 2006 World Cup semifinal, Germany (host nation) vs Italy

I never did see the end of this match. I was jumping around screaming w friends when Grosso buried his shot to give Italy the lead after 119 minutes (plus stoppage time); and when Del Piero made it 2-0 a minute later I was racing around the front yard of my friend's house celebrating w my Italian flag. The quintessential example of Pirlo's brilliance....just an amazing no-look pass to set up the goal and beat the host nation.



Of course....you gotta have the Italian announcer. "GOOOOOOOOAL!!!!! GOOOOOOOOOAL!!!! Goal di Grosso! Goal di Grosso!



3) 2010 World Cup....."GOAL GOAL USA!"

Doesn't need any introduction or setup

[LetsGoPeay]

This announcer is hilarious

[Uuaww]

WOOOOO

World Cup in Brazil ticket lottery was processed and I got tickets to 3 of the 5 games I applied for. Still don't know specifically which ones but I have a good idea.

[Seeitsaveit13]

Jason that man I transfer thing was hilarious. Just laughed out loud at work

[6ftdeep]

WOOOOO

World Cup in Brazil ticket lottery was processed and I got tickets to 3 of the 5 games I applied for. Still don't know specifically which ones but I have a good idea.

thats awesome man.. I dont think I would really care which 3 games.. Its Brazil