Everything Soccer

[Emcee77]

You need a different type of mentality to be a striker. Look at Tevez, Suarez etc and to a lesser extent Robbie Keane these guys grew up in poverty and have that chip on their shoulders/will to win that is engrained in them during their upbringinings. You aren't gonna develop this instinct playing in prep schools and then at the likes of Duke, UNC and ND. Until soccer really takes roots in American working class communities and there is a "straight to the Pro's" system in place like in other continents you won't see these types of guys come through.

Right, and for me, it's not just the chip on the shoulder but also creativity. You just don't develop creativity playing in a highly-structured travel-team league with a coach looking over your shoulder. That's how you develop things like discipline and tactical knowledge. But you develop creativity playing soccer with the kids from the neighborhood in an empty lot with no grass using construction barrels for goals. Look at a guy like Clint Dempsey ... he's the most exciting forward we've had in a long time, maybe ever, and he played on select travel teams growing up, but he also grew up playing backyard soccer with poor kids, many immigrants from Mexico, in Nagodoches, Texas:

Clint had found a second home here, next to the expanse of grass where the boys dropped shoes and t-shirts as makeshift goals and played hours and hours of the beautiful game. So what if three tree stumps were in the middle of their field? They'd make them defenders.

Dempsey grew up in a town in which the Hispanic immigrant kids would tell stories of men with fantastic names, like El Magico from El Salvador and Argentina's Maradona. When the East Texas sun beat the boys down on the pitch, they'd retreat to their friends' trailers to grab popsicles and wolf down Salvadoran pupusas. There they'd watch as their friends' fathers and uncles gathered 'round, beers in hands, screaming at a soccer game on the Spanish channel.

Melissa Segura: Dempsey's upbringing in Naco-nowhere led to U.S. dream - More Sports - SI.com

It's not a coincidence.

You can't tell me that LA Galaxy team wouldn't finish above relegation zone in all the top leagues

Robbie Keane, Dos Santos, Zardes, Omar, Pinedo, Juninho, Gerrard, Lletget, and AJ DeLaGarza are a damn good core of the team. Even Robbie Rogers and Villarreal have had good years for them. Maybe not mid table in EPL, but I don't see this team losing to a Hull City, Burnley, QPR. Hell they would even beat Sunderland, Newcastle and few others at the bottom. I guess their biggest struggle would be depth. But that starting lineup is as quality as you are going to see in MLS.

I would love to see Galaxy take on some EPL clubs, just to compare. I agree, it's hard to imagine that team getting relegated.

 

[ACamp1900]

Celtic with a UCL qualifier tonight against Stjarnan (Which is apparently a thing)... perfect scenario for Celtic this season would be to make the group stage, bow out in third, make the Euro League knockouts and win a round or maybe two... time will tell

 

[ACamp1900]

I would love to see Galaxy take on some EPL clubs, just to compare. I agree, it's hard to imagine that team getting relegated.

Well they did play Man U about a year ago at the Rose Bowl, it went VERY well for the Galaxy the first 90 seconds or so...

 

[Huntr]

Rumor that Bayern is getting Arturo Vidal from Juventus.

I do not like that guy. I'd rather they lose w/o him than win w/him.

 

[ACamp1900]

I'm not sure why, but the two highlights of Q cracked me up... just the absurdity of seeing the mascot's goofy face in the midst of all the surrounding mayhem is great stuff... kind of like a bad Will Ferrell movie that happened in real life... haha

San Jose Earthquakes mascot "Q" clotheslines pitch invader, gets shoved by Club America | SIDELINE | MLSsoccer.com

 

[ACamp1900]

Anyone have MLS Direct Kick?? THoughts? Are all the games in HD or is it various forms of grainy like Fox Soccer Plus??

Secondary Q: Is there any other/better way to see all the MLS games??? It frustrates me knowing there is a game tonight on a none baseball night that I would love to watch and I cant.

 

[NorthDakota]

Rumor that Bayern is getting Arturo Vidal from Juventus.

I do not like that guy. I'd rather they lose w/o him than win w/him.

Oh I'll gladly take him at the Allianz. Would prefer a German but Kroos was a tard and left and the other options aren't great.

I had not noticed how many games Schweini had missed these past couple seasons. I will still miss him though.

 

[notredomer23]

Vidal is a ticking time bomb on the pitch. Enormous talent and he should do well under a coach like Pep, IMO. What other moves is Bayern looking to make if any? The Turkish guy I work with swears Robben is going to Galatassaray, which I doubt.

 

[notredomer23]

Acamp, it's well worth every penny.

 

[Huntr]

Vidal is a ticking time bomb on the pitch. Enormous talent and he should do well under a coach like Pep, IMO. What other moves is Bayern looking to make if any? The Turkish guy I work with swears Robben is going to Galatassaray, which I doubt.

Robben isn't going anywhere. Lucas Podolski went to Galatasaray.

Edit: They also already got Douglas Costa from Donetsk.

 

[notredomer23]

El Tri was up 2-0 and is now losing 3-2 to Trinidad and Tobago. I know Trinidad is quality for CONCACAF, but not even close to USA or Mex level. Big fail by Mexico if they end up losing this and only leave their group in second with 4 points.

 

[notredomer23]

Well I jinxed it. Mexico takes the lead in stoppage time.

Edit: And Trinidad ties it with no time left at 4-4!!!!

 

[ACamp1900]

Well we get a fairly easy road to the finals all things considered, while Mexico will most likely have to go through Costa Rica and then Panama/Trin again.... Not sure if I'd take Mexico or the field on that side...

 

[notredomer23]

Well we get a fairly easy road to the finals all things considered, while Mexico will most likely have to go through Costa Rica and then Panama/Trin again.... Not sure if I'd take Mexico or the field on that side...

Field. Not impressed with Mexico. Defense has been weak. Attacking has been pretty good but against Cuba and Trinidad? I totally think they lose in the quarters

 

[ACamp1900]

Field. Not impressed with Mexico. Defense has been weak. Attacking has been pretty good but against Cuba and Trinidad? I totally think they lose in the quarters

I would have a week long stiff one

 

[NorthDakota]

Vidal is a ticking time bomb on the pitch. Enormous talent and he should do well under a coach like Pep, IMO. What other moves is Bayern looking to make if any? The Turkish guy I work with swears Robben is going to Galatassaray, which I doubt.

My cousin and I always joke about his (probable but undocumented) stint in Chilean prison. He scares me.

 

[notredomer23]

Only with FIFA rankings could the US beat Germany, Netherlands, Guatemala, and Honduras and somehow LOSE POINTS in the rankings. That is why I don't give a shit about FIFA rankings. They are an absolute joke.

 

[NorthDakota]

Only with FIFA rankings could the US beat Germany, Netherlands, Guatemala, and Honduras and somehow LOSE POINTS in the rankings. That is why I don't give a shit about FIFA rankings. They are an absolute joke.

I don't think friendlies have any value in rankings do they? I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Fbolt]

tix to usmnt v cuba-purchased

 

[Cackalacky]

Only with FIFA rankings could the US beat Germany, Netherlands, Guatemala, and Honduras and somehow LOSE POINTS in the rankings. That is why I don't give a shit about FIFA rankings. They are an absolute joke.

One final tittie twist before we drop the hammer:

 

[ACamp1900]

I love how the MLS promos games all over but you can only watch them on unimas if at all... Smh

 

[notredomer23]

If anyone has PS4 and wants to play me in FIFA, add me. Name is boninyamomma23

 

[ACamp1900]

I'll play ya, maybe this weekend... I'm the same name...

 

[notredomer23]

I'll play ya, maybe this weekend... I'm the same name...

Sounds good dude. You play any ultimate team?

 

[Huntr]

Name is boninyamomma23

 

[ACamp1900]

Sounds good dude. You play any ultimate team?

absolutely none... these fantasy type game modes just aren't for me. How good are you at the game? I am interested to see how I stack up as I only play the cpu on world class and my friends... I dominate both but that may not mean much.

 

[notredomer23]

absolutely none... these fantasy type game modes just aren't for me. How good are you at the game? I am interested to see how I stack up as I only play the cpu on world class and my friends... I dominate both but that may not mean much.

I haven't played in two months so shaking off a little rust, but out at school I would play everyday with the roommates. Against CPU I play world class, as well. For online seasons the highest division I ever made was 2, but that was on 14. Looking forward to playing you later...

 

[IrishinTN]

Sorry if posted before but really made me laugh...

 

[notredomer23]

Missed the US game but it sounds like it was a fun one.

 

[EuropeanDomer22]

My cousin and I always joke about his (probable but undocumented) stint in Chilean prison. He scares me.

He is a beast, i think only Schneiderlin is a better box to box player right now, also Yaya Toure when he is at his best and he even is ahead of Schweisteiger and Alonso right now. I would like to have his stamina, he covers all areas of the pitch and is a tackle machine.