Sports The Football Discussion Thread!

[Eruption]

Click for an interesting article on Rosell and his negative impact on Barcaaa.

I wasn't even aware of some of the stuff Barcelona had managed in the past few years. I didn't even like them when they were morally good so now they're looking pretty bad...

@Germaniac, whoever their third choice is then I guess. :P

I can see Chelsea winning 1-0 at Stamford Bridge and having a legit second goal ruled out, it just seems like something that would happen. Three interesting ties still to be decided, this should be a lot better than the second legs of the Last 16.

 

[Oddisee]

To hate on Barcelona for their shady business is extremely close-minded. At least hate on pretty much every European top team if you must, because the debts these teams have are mind boggling and I'm stupified as to how these teams can still spend millions and millions every transfer window.

Germany's way is the one to follow. Though I doubt it's as rosy as a lot make it out to be. It's a good start.

 

[Eruption]

Well personally there's a big difference between amassing debt in comparison to breaking regulations and tax evading, but I'm biased against Barca so I guess I just take any minor reason to dislike them a little bit more.

 

[Weeaboo Name]

>Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke is ruled out for a minimum of six months with a ruptured Achilles tendon

Goodnight, sweet prince.

 

[Daniel2014]

Madrid 3 - 0 Borussia: Madrid have this in the bag. Hopefully Ronaldo's injury will be more than a scare but chances are it won't affect the tie anyway. Maybe the semis.
P$G 3 - 1 Che£sea: Looking good for PSG. Chelsea can possibly come back at home but the French billionaires look stronger than Gala did in the previous round.
United 1 - 1 Bayern: MU will get steamrolled at Munich. Either way they need to score or they are out.
Barça 1 - 1 Atleti: Barça are quite capable of scoring at the Calderón and Atleti are less scary with Diego Costa out for an odd week. The thing is, Atleti only need to park a bus and they are in. Will we manage to?

The most interesting match will be Atletico-Barca. In the other matches Real, PSG and Bayern are strong favourites.

 

[Aeroblast]

Tipping Juventus to win the Europa league. Not that anybody cares

Madrid 3 - 0 Borussia: Madrid have this in the bag. Hopefully Ronaldo's injury will be more than a scare but chances are it won't affect the tie anyway. Maybe the semis.

Dortmund are a goner. They sorely miss the key players they had last season.

P$G 3 - 1 Che£sea: Looking good for PSG. Chelsea can possibly come back at home but the French billionaires look stronger than Gala did in the previous round.

PSG will progress unless they **** up massively. Chelsea have undone themselves in the first leg with shoddy defending.

United 1 - 1 Bayern: MU will get steamrolled at Munich. Either way they need to score or they are out.

As a Bayern fan I wouldn't count United out entirely based on the horror show we served up in the first leg. I expect Guardiola to have a different game plan, though.

Barça 1 - 1 Atleti: Barça are quite capable of scoring at the Calderón and Atleti are less scary with Diego Costa out for an odd week. The thing is, Atleti only need to park a bus and they are in. Will we manage to?

If Barca manage to score it'll be tough night for Atletico (unless if Atletico is miraculously 3-0 up at 86 minutes). Could go either way.

 

[Banz]

This week's predictions:

Manchester City 3-1 Southampton
Villa 2-0 Fulham
Cardiff City 1-1 Crystal Palace
Hull City 1-2 Swansea City
Newcastle United 2-2 Manchester United
Norwich City 2-0 West Brom
Chelsea 1-1 Stoke City
Everton 2-1 Arsenal
West Ham United 1-2 Liverpool
Spuds 0-2 Sunderland

 

[Weeaboo Name]

Well that's us done then, it was fun. Well, one of the three seasons up here was anyway. 5 years of hard work down the drain thanks to blind faith in a clearly incompetent manager.

 

[Aeroblast]

Annoying loss at Augsburg to end our unbeaten run. But strangely I'm satisfied with Hong Jeong Ho's performance.

That being said, if I were to make an excuse, we did field our B-team across the pitch mostly, but the complacency has to stop.

 

[Weeaboo Name]

Chris Goreham @CGoreham · 18m ago

Hughton was hit by one of those cardboard clappers thrown from the crowd at full-time. #ncfc

Well at least that happened.

 

[Aeroblast]

Atletico Madrid grinds 1-0 win to keep themselves at the top.

 

[Banz]

Well that's us done then, it was fun. Well, one of the three seasons up here was anyway. 5 years of hard work down the drain thanks to blind faith in a clearly incompetent manager.

It's going to be a difficult month for Norwich now. There is a possibility that they may not get another point from the next 5 games, and 32 points surely won't be enough. A win against Fulham would take them to 35, which just might be enough.

 

[Weeaboo Name]

I've been saying for a while that 35 should be enough.

I don't think Norwich will win again this season. Norwich never perform away from home, let alone against Fulham. I think our biggest chance of points is Arsenal on the last day, presuming they have 4th place tied up that is.

A lot of Norwich fans, me included, saw this coming when Hughton wasn't sacked before the Christmas run in. I guess the board falling back into old habits are as equally to blame as Hughton and the team.

Oh well, there is always hope. Oh, ans if we do go down Becchio and Hooper will tear it up in the Championship.

 

[Eruption]

Annoying loss at Augsburg to end our unbeaten run. But strangely I'm satisfied with Hong Jeong Ho's performance.

That being said, if I were to make an excuse, we did field our B-team across the pitch mostly, but the complacency has to stop.

Between that and United's 4-0 win, I'm feeling like there's a chance for United in the second leg. I know Bayern played a second string, but maybe I'm thinking overall morale will be affected or something? I don't know. At the very least, the invincible mentality may disappear at just the right time for United to exploit it.

I've been saying for a while that 35 should be enough.

I don't think Norwich will win again this season. Norwich never perform away from home, let alone against Fulham. I think our biggest chance of points is Arsenal on the last day, presuming they have 4th place tied up that is.

A lot of Norwich fans, me included, saw this coming when Hughton wasn't sacked before the Christmas run in. I guess the board falling back into old habits are as equally to blame as Hughton and the team.

Oh well, there is always hope. Oh, ans if we do go down Becchio and Hooper will tear it up in the Championship.

It's far from over yet, but a win for Fulham against you will give them all the momentum they need obviously. Sunderland could still come back into it as well of course, but on the positive side Cardiff are goners.

I'm not enjoying the prospect of any of these teams coming down I guess because any of them should go straight back up which obviously limits what slim chance we have to go up. Why couldn't Crystal Palace just suck and come straight back down and stay down? :(

 

[Aeroblast]

Between that and United's 4-0 win, I'm feeling like there's a chance for United in the second leg. I know Bayern played a second string, but maybe I'm thinking overall morale will be affected or something? I don't know. At the very least, the invincible mentality may disappear at just the right time for United to exploit it.

I am worried, actually. They know how to set up against us as they've shown in the first leg. The game against Augsburg only served us as a reminder that we're all humans, but if we continue this lethargic performance against United we could be eliminated, sadly. Not to mention our poor record at home against English sides. (last 4 results: 1-1 D, 2-3 L, 0-2 L, 1-1 D)

What I've realized is that against equal or lesser teams, Moyes' dinosaur tactics do not help because they cannot break down the opposition, hence their disappointing league position. But against a dominant team like us defending to their teeth, the underdog mentality works. I could go deeper in detail about this, but I think you'll probably get what I mean.

 

[Banz]

West Ham 1-2 Liverpool
Well that was scary. Might have to go through this 5 more times this season.

 

[Eruption]

What I've realized is that against equal or lesser teams, Moyes' dinosaur tactics do not help because they cannot break down the opposition, hence their disappointing league position. But against a dominant team like us defending to their teeth, the underdog mentality works. I could go deeper in detail about this, but I think you'll probably get what I mean.

It's just a shame for Moyes that it doesn't seem to be working out that way domestically.

I'm happy to see that Everton result, I really hope they clinch that fourth spot over Arsenal.

 

[Weeaboo Name]

Some very winnable games for Everton in their run in, I hope they do it.

 

[Banz]

 

[Ivysaur]

One week down, one week closer to the miracle...