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Sports The Football Discussion Thread!

Yeah, everyone'll be back on the Neymar bandwagon now. Personally was never off it. Everyone's been saying "aw, Neymar's way over-hyped" before, during and after each Brazil vs. England game. But other than England possibly being his bogey team (We have a decent record against Brazil anyway, I think) he's now scored 21 in 34 international appearances plus 4 for the olympic team last summer. And 135 in 226 for Santos. By comparison, in his first 4 seasons Messi scored 42 goals for Barcelona. And in his United carreer Ronaldo scored 118 goals. Admittedly the Ronaldo comparison in particular is unfair - he started out as a showboating winger, with more assists than goals - a bit like Nani - before getting stacked post-2006 World Cup and coming back resembling the player he is now.
I saw Neymar play in the Olympics as well - Brazil were awful in that match, but he was by far the most exciting thing in the city at that point.

In other words I heart Neymar xD

Also disappointing to see Kagawa being deployed on the wing again. I can understand they need Keisuke Honda in the centre, but I agree with the commentators that he'd do better deployed further back. Plus if Kagawa + Japan forward is anything like the combination of Kagawa + Lewandowski, then look out world. Also kinda funny that Jo's scored more international goals in the past two years than Robinho now, despite post-City Robinho being infinitely superior to post-City Jo.
 
Well, it's a mystery as to what has happened to China. They've now lost 5-1 to Thailand, and they seem to be going on the downslide. A shock to have seen Armenia beat Denmark 4-0 away after losing to Malta 1-0 at home. Tomorrow, I'm hoping for a good result from Egypt against Mozambique because I want to see Egypt in the World Cup finals again.
 
I'm just wondering if anyone rates Oscar quite as highly as I do? I was skeptical at first when I heard Chelsea were paying £20m or so for the latest flavour-of-the-month Brazillian. However he has impressed me all season, and first caught my eye in this performance against a very impressive Juventus side. He has the workrate to match his ability and I don't see him making his way back to Brazil, like so many other promising players have done, anytime soon. He's deceptively quick and his dribbling is a joy to watch, his vision is exquisite and his assist for Jo's goal last night against Japan was exquisite. I think he could become something really special under Mourinho next season and I look forward to seeing how he progresses.
 
TurkishDelight said:
I'm just wondering if anyone rates Oscar quite as highly as I do? I was skeptical at first when I heard Chelsea were paying £20m or so for the latest flavour-of-the-month Brazillian. However he has impressed me all season, and first caught my eye in this performance against a very impressive Juventus side. He has the workrate to match his ability and I don't see him making his way back to Brazil, like so many other promising players have done, anytime soon. He's deceptively quick and his dribbling is a joy to watch, his vision is exquisite and his assist for Jo's goal last night against Japan was exquisite. I think he could become something really special under Mourinho next season and I look forward to seeing how he progresses.
Click to expand...

I do also really like Oscar too. Out of the Mazacar his the most defensive one, and actually helps out defensively unlike Hazard and Mata (not bashing them, just pointing out). I feel like he definitely suits the central role more than anything and should play more as a deep-playing playmaker rather than the times we sometimes put him out wide, because he likes to play on a slower tempo than our other attacking players and has got great vision and passing ability, and his work-rate also suits that role too. In addition he can dribble with the ball well, which is awesome too.

I do hope Mourinho utilizes him well because he has the potential to become something great, like the next Pirlo in my opinion.
 
As a Manchester United fan and a man who personal hates Chelsea and everything about them, I tried very hard to not like Oscar but obviously with his performances that didn't last long. He looks the genuine article and more deserving of his 20mil price tag compared to some other overrated, untalented Brazilians(I'm looking at you Hulk). I think he has most if not all the qualities needed in a good attacking midfielder and can honestly only get better from here.

Brazil will go further if they base the side around him, Lucas and Neymar instead of wasting time with the likes of Fred and Hulk(oh Hulk...)
 
Yeah, I've got to admit I was dubious about Chelsea paying £20mil, he hadn't really impressed me that much against Honduras in the Olympics. And also I was annoyed that United were being priced out of the good Brazilians like him and Lucas, after all that money we wasted on Kleberson and Anderson (although he still has promise, he's never going to improve fast enough to be a starter for United).
He genuinely looks like the real deal. Not quite the natural dribbler Neymar is, but a bit more of a playmaker. And this goal:

As Scyke says, he helps out more defensively than Mata, Hazard, Neymar, Hulk etc. too. The complete package really. Except for height. Fellaini would just walk over him xD

EDIT: Looking forward to Mexico vs. Italy.
I can see Italy bossing the midfield with Pirlo, Marchisio, De Rossi etc. But if Balotelli has a bad day they might have to hope El Shaarawy comes up with something special. Whereas Mexico are even more reliant on the incredible Chicharito.


EDIT: #predictiongod xD So...Pirlo's free kick was absolutely class, and they won 2-1. Where've we seen that before? Glad to see Chicharito on the scoresheet, even if it was a penalty (God Barzagli was awful in that match). Italy were deserved winners of an entertaining game (especially in the first half), Balotelli deserved his goal - amazed to see him work hard, and not just sulk when Pirlo told him he couldn't take free kicks xD.

Hating how late Spain vs. Uruguay is, but I'm probably going to watch it because it's not like I have exams next week or anything. Oh wait...
 
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And I can watch the matches cos its not really that late from where I come from, infarct, its early. 5.45 for the Spain vs Uruguay match to be exact.

And so I watched it and I generally got bored by the Spain match except from the lively performances from Pedro and Iniesta. (i only watched the first half)
 
I was planning to watch the Confed Cup but then I didn't. Looks like the early games are going as expected though.

As for my part of the football world, it seems Norwich have opened talks with that Ola Toivonen fellow. Going from Holt/Jackson/Morison/Martin to Holt/RVW/Toivonen/Becchio in a year wouldn't be bad going at all.

I do hope we bring in a couple of quick players though. As far as our first 11 go I think Bassong is the only player I'd describe as quick. I guess there's Elliott Bennett as well but he only really got games because of injuries last season.
 
Watching the Confed cup, and I hope Tahiti play well in their games, even if they do lose in them. Currently Tahiti 1-3 Nigeria. Will edit this once the game is up.

Finished 1-6. Could easily have been 1-12.
 
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I'm really not interested in the Confed Cup unfortunately, I can't motivate myself to watch any of the games.

Unfortunately the transfer front is still going pretty slow locally so I have barely any football to consume at all. I suppose I can be glad that Liverpool are potentially moving on to foreign flops, I'm sure Mkhitaryan is a great player but just for the fact he's going to cost them £20m all I can imagine is an Armenian version of Downing/Henderson/Allen.
 
I've been more interested in the international football games because they seem to be more exciting for me. I've been trying to watch any of those that is even available on TV, like the Asia World Cup Qualifiers as of late.

As for English football, I've only been interested in the Championship; and I'm happy that Yeovil are playing at that level. Hopefully they do well, I predict that they will finish 16th.
 
We may just have a lot to talk about when the season kicks back off then, obviously as a Middlesbrough supporter, I will focus a lot on the Championship. I am happy to see a team like Yeovil in the league too as long as they don't beat us.

I really have a dislike of international football for some reason, I don't watch England qualifiers or friendlies, I didn't watch the Olympic football last year, I'm not watching Confed this year, but when it gets to the World Cup or European Championships it's the best month of my life oddly.
 
I'm guessing watching England is the reason you don't like international football xD
The always either build you up to disappoint you (in tournaments) or just disappoint you (friendlies except those against Brazil, qualifiers etc.).
Apparently one of Nigeria's goals involved use of a hand? As USASoccerGuy on Twitter said "Celebrating a hand felonied goalshot vs Tahiti Soccer Club is like kicking a kid in the face and boasting you won a fight. #realbad". Gotta love the rowing celebration too.
Also, you heard it here first: Tahiti to beat Spain. No seriously. Spain absolutely dominated Uruguay yet only scored 2, were nearly overrun in the last 10 minutes. If Spain do the English thing and misunderestimate (oh wait, that's GWBush :P) them, Tahiti could have their day.
...now I really want to go gamble - odds for that must be like 40000/1.
 
I must admit my favourite international tournament was Euro 2008 when England weren't even involved, so perhaps they do cause my disliking of international football.

A Tahiti win is 100/1 at Ladbrokes, the betting companies are too safe to have any fun. :(

I'm not sure if anyone has paid much attention to the Joe Kinnear news, but he said some pretty ridiculous things. (Link) As a Boro fan, I find this hilarious, Ashley is dragging them back down.
 
Well I think Pardew would have been gone already if Ashley could afford the compensaton for his crazy eight year contract. I imagine this is a tactic to force him out.
 
It would make my soul tingle with happiness if Tahiti somehow pulled off a result against Spain, knocking them down a peg, but I say that with doubt in my heart that it will happen. Glad Tahiti did have a moment of celebration though and did something some football analyst said they wouldn't, score a goal, so congrats to them on that at least.
 
Swedish site reporting Norwich will be signing Martin Olsson from Blackburn in a cash plus player deal. No names on the player going the other way but it will most certainly be James Vaughan. Real competition for Garrido, some much needed pace in the team and surely a plus in the hunt for Toivonen, having another Swede at the club.

Also apparently going after that Vydra guy that was on loan at Watford last season. I didn't see enough of him to really judge but I'd be a little surprised if he was worth the the figures being quoted. £9m and rising to £12m sounds awfully high.
 
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