Sports The Football Discussion Thread!

[Banz]

I'm not sure if it really helps. Most of the foreign players are the star players for their respective clubs so they get to the starting XI. It mostly affects our strikers.

Despite having such a massive league system we're still unable to produce any good talents. Such a shame.

 

[Amore]

I think it must be quite hard for leagues outside of the "big 4" (or 5, if you count Ligue 1) to produce quality players - although money could bring in big foreign names to raise the game (Rivaldo ended up playing in Rwanda or somewhere weird xD) unless every team gets a huge cash investment at the same time you'll end up with a monopoly / duopoly like Ligue 1 is becoming with Monaco and PSG.
It will be interesting to see if the likes of the I-League are any good in 50 years time though.

 

[kidpaddle45]

One of the biggets games (if not the biggest) in African World-cup qualifiers!
Egypt - Ghana tomorow. Now that's gonna be a big game.

 

[Banz]

I think it must be quite hard for leagues outside of the "big 4" (or 5, if you count Ligue 1) to produce quality players - although money could bring in big foreign names to raise the game (Rivaldo ended up playing in Rwanda or somewhere weird xD) unless every team gets a huge cash investment at the same time you'll end up with a monopoly / duopoly like Ligue 1 is becoming with Monaco and PSG.
It will be interesting to see if the likes of the I-League are any good in 50 years time though.

A large number of clubs outside of the European big 5 produce quality players. There's so many Brasilians, Argentines playing everywhere. While the big players end up playing in the big leagues, that's not where they always come from.

 

[Dreg]

Well, England V Poland tonight. What do you think will happen? I think England will only manage a draw against the Poles, Which would mean that Ukraine will automatically qualify for Brazil 2014.

 

[Weeaboo Name]

I'm planning to watch it so it'll probably be awful. I never tune in to good Ingerland games.

 

[Amore]

I think we'll edge it, particularly if we drop one of Gerrard / Lampard (most likely the latter) for Carrick like reports are saying - he's a master of keeping possession, and if Lewandowski and co. don't have the ball then they can't score, can they?
It's certainly going to be a unique game, what with the 20,000 Polish fans in the stands trying to outsing the English contingent. Just a shame I'm in Scotland so will most likely have to watch it on my laptop instead of on t.v.

 

[Weeaboo Name]

I have a Scottish guy on Facebook and he said something like the Scotland game is on Sky so he'll be watching watching and supporting Poland. You might be in luck.

 

[Aeroblast]

Poland's defense is god-awful. England should be able to beat them.

 

[Weeaboo Name]

Well that was a pretty entertaining match. Can't remember the last time I enjoyed watching an England game.

 

[Aeroblast]

USA's 2 injury time goals save Mexico from getting knocked out in 2014 WC qualifiers in expense of Panama.

 

[Eruption]

I don't usually watch England, but I have to agree the Poland match was actually good for once. The Montenegro game had a decent second half too I suppose. Anyway, we're at the finals so everyone can claim we're going to win the cup again just like every four years. It should be fun.

Here's a list of the teams that have qualified so far-
Australia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, England, Spain, Russia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Costa Rica, United States, Honduras, Argentina, Brazil (hosts), Colombia, Ecuador and Chile.

Any surprises there for you? Uruguay and Mexico not making it straight through is surprising to me.

Here's a list of the play offs too...

Spoiler:

Africa
Ivory Coast (3) - (1) Senegal
Ethiopia (1) - (2) Nigeria
Tunisia (0) - (0) Cameroon
Ghana (6) - (1) Egypt
Burkina Faso (3) - (2) Algeria

Inter-Confed
Jordan - Uruguay
Mexico - New Zealand

European

Greece, France, Iceland, Portugal, Ukraine, Sweden, Romania, Croatia - yet to be drawn.​

So from that, it seems Uruguay and Mexico should still qualify despite their trouble so far. Also Burkina Faso might get a surprise qualification. Hopefully Iceland will get a winnable game, I want to see them qualify too.

Just an interesting point of comparison, how many of your club's players will/should be going to the World Cup from the teams that have or are likely to qualify?

For Middlesbrough, we should see representation from Rhys Williams (Australia) and Albert Adomah (Ghana).

Anyway on to the proper football again this weekend.

 

[Dreg]

Who in their right mind said that Egypt were one of the favorites to go through in Africa? They got hammered 6-1 by Ghana.

I'm pleased to see Bosnia-Herzgovina make it to their first world cup. I think in 2010 and Euro 2012, they were rotten draws to pair them up with Portugal. To be quite frank, I can see Croatia getting paired up with Portugal and the way that Croatia have been playing as of late, they don't deserve to go into the finals.

I'd like to see Jordan, Iceland, perhaps Ethiopia making it to the world cup, but I'm not liking Jordan's or Ethiopia's chances now. I hope Iceland get drawn with Greece or Croatia - they have more of a chance than against any of the other countries.

 

[Amore]

Anyway, we're at the finals so everyone can claim we're going to win the cup again just like every four years. It should be fun.

Actually the new thing (started in Euro 2012) is to fear we won't make it through the group stages, then when we do we're obviously going to win it and every reporter in the land will say that over and over again until we get knocked out, probably due to a bad decision as we actually play well in knock-out rounds, and then there'll be an inquest.
I missed the game actually, but Carrick getting to play is always good.

Also, Banz seen this? http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...nveil-plans-for-academy-in-india-8883927.html. If they get set up for producing young players of the same quality as Liverpool's academy in England then there's surely hope for India's national team there.

 

[Eruption]

Well the new theme of doomsaying has indeed begun with the claims that we definitely won't win the World Cup. That's fair enough, but we'll see how it escalates I guess.

 

[Aeroblast]

Who in their right mind said that Egypt were one of the favorites to go through in Africa? They got hammered 6-1 by Ghana.

I'm pleased to see Bosnia-Herzgovina make it to their first world cup. I think in 2010 and Euro 2012, they were rotten draws to pair them up with Portugal. To be quite frank, I can see Croatia getting paired up with Portugal and the way that Croatia have been playing as of late, they don't deserve to go into the finals.

I'd like to see Jordan, Iceland, perhaps Ethiopia making it to the world cup, but I'm not liking Jordan's or Ethiopia's chances now. I hope Iceland get drawn with Greece or Croatia - they have more of a chance than against any of the other countries.

Bosnia have a very good team despite the fact that it's only their first ever big competition, they could be the team with shock factor unless they're in a group of death.

Jordan play awful brand of parking the bus football that many Middle East based teams sport, therefore I wouldn't like for them to qualify ahead of Uruguay.

Ethiopia I've never seen them play, but a new face will be nice to see. Same goes for Iceland.

 

[Weeaboo Name]

Well the new theme of doomsaying has indeed begun with the claims that we definitely won't win the World Cup. That's fair enough, but we'll see how it escalates I guess.

Would rather that than the media hyping it to death and putting stupid expectations on the shoulders of the team.

I just hope we give it a go.

 

[Amore]

Bosnia have a very good team despite the fact that it's only their first ever big competition, they could be the team with shock factor unless they're in a group of death.

Jordan play awful brand of parking the bus football that many Middle East based teams sport, therefore I wouldn't like for them to qualify ahead of Uruguay.

Ethiopia I've never seen them play, but a new face will be nice to see. Same goes for Iceland.

Iceland would be good to see, they've got some real quality in their attack: Eidur Gudjohnsen is still at it, with up-and-coming Kolbeinn Sigthorsson his usual partner in their attack. Eredivisie's top scorer so far Finnbogason can't even get a guaranteed starting spot. They've also got Sigurdsson from Spurs. I know little else but they just sound exciting to watch.

 

[Weeaboo Name]

The last few quid in my account. Thank you based Pjanic.

 

[Ivysaur]

Hey guys, did you watch the goal of the day? It's (temporarily) put Bayer Leverkusen on top of the Bundesliga- it's worth checking!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXg-vIEXbQ0