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Football/Soccer Discussion Thread

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Gabri

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I was THIS close to having a Hart attack just now. /intended pun
Still, it was pretty much great taking City down against ALL odds.
 

Ivysaur

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ATH-LE-TIC

So, in short, we beat Besiktas 0-3 for a total 1-6, Valencia got an aggregate 5-3 against PSV and Athletic got a beautifully crafted 2-1 in a match where they utterly humilliated United.

This means that Spain now has 5 teams out of 16 in the European tournaments quaterfinals. And 3 out of 8 in the EL. I really hope for an Athletic-Atlético EL final. Would make me so happy.
 
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Frankly I don't think either Manchester club will be too disappointed to be knocked out of the Europa League because neither wanted to contest it anyway.

More exciting Premier League title race to come now anyway. :D
 
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Well I'm looking forward for Spanish finals in both European competitions (although I wouldn't mind if Bayern made it to the final though :P).

Also, by the end of this season, it's highly likely that Spain will be on top of the UEFA League Ranking, beating the Premier for the first time in several years: http://kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl/bert/uefa/data/method4/crank2012.html

It annoys me really because although it might just be English arrogance talking the Premier League is a cut above the rest of the leagues. Real Madrid and Barcelona get a fair proportion of the co-efficients for Spain but they don't represent the general quality of the league. Clearly English teams have been awful this season in European competition with Chelsea the only team remaining despite being awful in the league so maybe we deserve it.

Balotelli's career in England seems to be over anyway, it isn't a great surprise considering his previous incidents.
 

Ivysaur

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1 Real Madrid CL 30.0 not out
2 FC Barcelona CL 29.0 not out
4 Atlético Madrid EL 27.0 not out
9 Valencia EL 21.0 not out
10 Athletic Bilbao EL 20.5 not out

5 Chelsea CL 25.0 not out
8 Arsenal CL 21.0
24 Manchester City EL 17.0
33 Manchester United EL 13.0

Well, I have to come in defence of my team- Atlético have only played EL this year, they have almost as many points as RM and Barcelona (despite CL teams getting 4 coefficient points by default just for playing the Group Stage and 5 bonus points for qualifying for the round of 16) and they have more points than Chelsea this year. And Athletic were the ones who throughly beat MU, both home and away. It's true that Barcelona alone have accounted for most of our coefficients but we have had 6 EL semifinalists since its creation three seasons ago and that also helps greatly. And England were left without a single CL semifinalist two years ago, and only one in the last two seasons, including this one- as opposed to Spain's two.

So it's something a bit deeper than that, not just a bad year.
 
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It seems City have finally handed the trophy to United. I can't seem to understand why City dropped that many points lately. They are obviously the better team -- in terms of quality and play -- but somehow keep losing easy points (well, except for Arsenal's game). This year United probably have already re-claimed the title, but I'm betting that this year will be their last if they do not spend a little.

This is somehow similar to Real Madrid's case. They dropped EASY points. They were extremely unlucky in their games (especially against Valencia when too many chances were wasted, Malaga when an undeserved last minute free kick cost them a definite win, and Villarreal where the referee was just 'splendid'). Madrid deserves the title this year, but their inconsistencies might just give the trophy to Barcelona. I unfortunately predict the title going to Barcelona, as well as the Cup. The CL is hard to predict now.
 
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6,318
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1 Real Madrid CL 30.0 not out
2 FC Barcelona CL 29.0 not out
4 Atlético Madrid EL 27.0 not out
9 Valencia EL 21.0 not out
10 Athletic Bilbao EL 20.5 not out

5 Chelsea CL 25.0 not out
8 Arsenal CL 21.0
24 Manchester City EL 17.0
33 Manchester United EL 13.0

Well, I have to come in defence of my team- Atlético have only played EL this year, they have almost as many points as RM and Barcelona (despite CL teams getting 4 coefficient points by default just for playing the Group Stage and 5 bonus points for qualifying for the round of 16) and they have more points than Chelsea this year. And Athletic were the ones who throughly beat MU, both home and away. It's true that Barcelona alone have accounted for most of our coefficients but we have had 6 EL semifinalists since its creation three seasons ago and that also helps greatly. And England were left without a single CL semifinalist two years ago, and only one in the last two seasons, including this one- as opposed to Spain's two.

So it's something a bit deeper than that, not just a bad year.

For the most part it is just this year though. Without the massive drag on coefficients from this season it would be very different.

Frankly I don't think United or City cared too much about the EL as it's such an inferior competition to win in comparison to staying competitive in the league. Teams like Fulham and even Middlesbrough (when it was the Uefa cup) have managed to make the final in recent future so I don't rate it too highly as a competition.

Either way the coefficients aren't really a direct comparison of the leagues as a whole.

It seems City have finally handed the trophy to United. I can't seem to understand why City dropped that many points lately. They are obviously the better team -- in terms of quality and play -- but somehow keep losing easy points (well, except for Arsenal's game). This year United probably have already re-claimed the title, but I'm betting that this year will be their last if they do not spend a little.

This is somehow similar to Real Madrid's case. They dropped EASY points. They were extremely unlucky in their games (especially against Valencia when too many chances were wasted, Malaga when an undeserved last minute free kick cost them a definite win, and Villarreal where the referee was just 'splendid'). Madrid deserves the title this year, but their inconsistencies might just give the trophy to Barcelona. I unfortunately predict the title going to Barcelona, as well as the Cup. The CL is hard to predict now.
To be fair to Madrid, Guaita (?), Valencia's goalkeeper was amazing against them so they could put the blame on that.
 

Ivysaur

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The refereeing in Villarreal was indeed splendid- he denied two rather clear penalty shouts in favour of Villarreal, which could have put the home side 2-0 before half-time. And the massive min 88 (!) red card barrage for Madrid happened after the equalizer, and Ramos's double yellow that started the fire was a no-brainer. Seeing them complaining about that ref is really pathetic.

And the last match against Valencia was really level, both sides could score, both sides hit the wood twice, and both keepers (specially Guaita) had a wonderful night. And Valencia also got a draw against Barcelona, so it's not as much of a surprise. What was truly surprising was Madrid's streak of last-minute-goal victories before these few draws- they have 79 points with still 21 to go, for god's sake.
 
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TY

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Reminds me of our competition here in Holland, where 6 teams are aiming to be the champion.

6 teams! with the difference of 4 points between the nr1 and the 6th...

The teams are Ajax, AZ, PSV, FC Twente, Feyenoord and Sc Heerenveen..
I really hope the last wins it, that would be a nice job for them...
 

Sсott

 
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  • Seen Jul 28, 2012
Reminds me of our competition here in Holland, where 6 teams are aiming to be the champion.

6 teams! with the difference of 4 points between the nr1 and the 6th...

The teams are Ajax, AZ, PSV, FC Twente, Feyenoord and Sc Heerenveen..
I really hope the last wins it, that would be a nice job for them...

I also was hoping Heerenceen can win the title. They are superb this season; they have incredible attacking potential, mainly in Bas Dost, whom I believe should be signed by a bigger club. But, I guess them winning the title is impossible now seeing as Ajax thrashed them at their home ground.

I have a question: Do Messi's 60 goals (or more?) include the super cup and club world cup or do they only constitute of the league, CL, and their local Cup?
 

Ivysaur

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I also was hoping Heerenceen can win the title. They are superb this season; they have incredible attacking potential, mainly in Bas Dost, whom I believe should be signed by a bigger club. But, I guess them winning the title is impossible now seeing as Ajax thrashed them at their home ground.

I have a question: Do Messi's 60 goals (or more?) include the super cup and club world cup or do they only constitute of the league, CL, and their local Cup?

Liga: 39
Copa del Rey: 2
Champions League: 14 : Total = 55

Supercopa de España: 3
UEFA Supercup: 1
FIFA World Club Cup: 2 : Total = 61

Argentina: 3 : Total = 64
 

TY

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I also was hoping Heerenceen can win the title. They are superb this season; they have incredible attacking potential, mainly in Bas Dost, whom I believe should be signed by a bigger club. But, I guess them winning the title is impossible now seeing as Ajax thrashed them at their home ground.

I have a question: Do Messi's 60 goals (or more?) include the super cup and club world cup or do they only constitute of the league, CL, and their local Cup?

Heerenveen has the best attack IMO: Assaidi, Dost and Narsingh...
Still nothing is impossible. One example: VVV-Venlo, who won 4 times in a row when all was "lost"...
 

Sсott

 
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So, interesting week.

Chelsea beats Tottenham 5 - 1 in the FA Cup semi-finals, butttt there was a controversial goal, yet again for Chelsea (you know, after their goal against Wigan). It clearly did NOT cross the line, and albeit it was hard for the linesman to give a definite verdict, the main referee 'accepted' the goal. This might re-ignite the goal technology debate, again.

United beats Villa 4 - 0, and another controversial penalty won by the ultimate diver Ashley Young (as currently dubbed by football fans and precisely United haters). First, it was against QPR, now against Aston Villa. From my perspective, and the analysts on sky sports, goal.com, and many other sources, Young clearly went for the leg of Clark and took a swimming position and dived. Even if Clark intended to do something, the contact couldn't be more minimal. It's a reputation in the making for Young it seems. This is unbelievable and pathetic from a player of his caliber. What's more ludicrous is SAF admitting it was a penalty, despite the drama from Young, which he acknowledged. On the other hand, Tevez was booked for diving in their match against Norwich when he clearly was fouled.

Barcelona won 2 - 1 against Levante. So, it seems there are two controversial penalties given at that game. First, it was when Busquets seemingly handled (?) the ball inside the penalty area. I don't know if it was intentional or not, but people are saying it is not a penalty. Am I missing something? Then it was Barcelona's turn to win a penalty after Cuenca supposedly fell after little contact from a Levante defender. There was a blatant push, but does it call giving something extreme as a penalty? I don't know. But if it wasn't given, more controversy would have been present. It was so-so.

What is wrong with the referees these few weeks?
 
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Ivysaur

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Anything wrong with referees? This week? Always XD I can't wait to see Webb refereeing the Bayern-Madrid CL semifinal, that will be something else certainly.

And about the Levante-Barcelona match, Busquets was pulling his arms back and when the ball hit him, he had them right on his chest, so he was clearly not purposedly using them to hit the ball. Meanwhile, the push on the other side of the pitch didn't look like anything at a first glance, if anything a foul from Cuenca to the defender- it was the linesman who called it. But, upon inspection, he is pushed down, and, extreme or not, a foul inside the box is a penalty full stop. Still, how much strenght is needed to push someone down like that? These penalties are really hard to see :\
 
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A good weekend for the Boro (kind of), we can still make it to the play offs and, by extension the Premiership, but it's a fading chance.

The Chelsea goal decision was horrible but I'm sure Barcelona will be favoured against them midweek as karma.

R.I.P. Morosini
 

Nihilego

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Just saw the replay of what Terry did, close-up and in slow-motion. I used much harsher words offline than I'm allowed to use on here to describe it. Absolutely filthy.

Surprised that Chelsea managed to equalise though. But with 10 men on the pitch, I can't see it going any further than this. I don't expect Chelsea to be in the final at this point.
 

Nihilego

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Frustrating game though. It's like watching the same few minutes of football on repeat - Barca having all the possession in Chelsea's half, moving it around brilliantly, and then something going wrong and Chelsea clearing it.

edit: what
 
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