Everything Soccer

[aubeirish]

Yeah honestly it was an attempt to get him out of the woodwork.

I enjoy watching them struggle more than nearly any team regardless of sport.

Yup, screw these cunts.

 

[Emcee77]

I used to support United in Europe (bc Spurs were never relevant) because they had absolute steel in their side...IE Keano..

Now seeing Zlatan and Martial smiling and posing for photos with Chelsea members.. how the mighty have fallen.

Yeah, something is going really awry at Old Trafford. One thing I never expected is for Man U to come out and look disjointed and unorganized, especially defensively. Blind and Smalling were "all over the place" -- the way the Brits mean it, the disparaging way (side note: I think it is hilarious that on one side of the Atlantic a phrase can be a compliment and on the other side the exact same phrase means you have no idea what you are supposed to be doing).

Only way I can explain it is that Chelsea got that early goal while Blind and Smalling were still asleep and then Chelsea got another thanks to a fortunate deflection of Blind's ass, and then the game just got away from them. Early goals can be a killer.

But that's trying to be charitable. The reality is they have a lot to sort out at Man U.

 

[GowerND11]

Very disappointed with the Arsenal draw against Boro this weekend. These are the games, time and again, that the Gunners just find a way to only get a point. Lucky to get that point in the end, but it's a game like this where Arsenal only tie that haunts them come April and May.

 

[Emcee77]

Very disappointed with the Arsenal draw against Boro this weekend. These are the games, time and again, that the Gunners just find a way to only get a point. Lucky to get that point in the end, but it's a game like this where Arsenal only tie that haunts them come April and May.

Exactly. Boro are pretty stout defensively, but they have been struggling and Arsenal should have been able to put one in. It's classic Arsenal inconsistency. (And I mean that sympathetically.)

The top 4 race is fascinating at this point. Based on what I've seen this season, it seems there are 5 serious contenders (Man City, Tottenham, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool) for 4 spots, and I really have no idea what the order will be. I could really see any of the 5 finishing top and any of the 5 finishing fifth -- except maybe Man City. I expect Pep to sort things out and I do still think they will probably win the league, despite this little wobble. Although I love the way my Reds are playing, too.

 

[GowerND11]

Exactly. Boro are pretty stout defensively, but they have been struggling and Arsenal should have been able to put one in. It's classic Arsenal inconsistency. (And I mean that sympathetically.)

The top 4 race is fascinating at this point. Based on what I've seen this season, it seems there are 5 serious contenders (Man City, Tottenham, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool) for 4 spots, and I really have no idea what the order will be. I could really see any of the 5 finishing top and any of the 5 finishing fifth -- except maybe Man City. I expect Pep to sort things out and I do still think they will probably win the league, despite this little wobble. Although I love the way my Reds are playing, too.

It was absolutely classic Arsenal. Still kept the run of unbeaten going, and we've only lost once (horrible season opener to Pool) dating back I think 7 months.

This will absolutely be a tight race going all the way to May. Should make for an exciting seaon in the BPL.

 

[WestCoast]

Is this where you guys talk about English Premier League being the best soccer on the planet?

 

[ACamp1900]

Is this where you guys talk about English Premier League being the best soccer on the planet?

... on weed.

 

[Emcee77]

Is this where you guys talk about English Premier League being the best soccer on the planet?

Hard to make that argument these days. I don't think there is any doubt that La Liga has been the dominant league in European competition lately.

EPL isn't necessarily the best league but it's the best league that is easy to follow. There is no language barrier, so you can read good domestic press (especially in the Guardian), and the American coverage provided by NBCSN is fantastic. Far better than Fox's Bundesliga coverage, imo. The Fox talking heads annoy the shit out of me, for the most part.

On the other hand, I guess you could argue that EPL is the "best league" in the sense that it is the top European league that has the most top-to-bottom quality, or the most parity, which makes it exciting to follow. But that would depend on your definition of "best." Fwiw, Pep Guardiola doesn't think the EPL is more "intense" than other leagues, which is an opinion everybody has to take seriously.

 

[ACamp1900]

It's a WASPy pub league....

 

[WestCoast]

Better than that Celtic crap. ileof:

 

[NorthDakota]

It's a WASPy pub league....

Liverpool is, according to Wikipedia, England's most Catholic city.

 

[ACamp1900]

Liverpool is, according to Wikipedia, England's most Catholic city.

In the words of Obama's infamous Auntie,....

"So?!"

 

[GowerND11]

Hard to make that argument these days. I don't think there is any doubt that La Liga has been the dominant league in European competition lately.

EPL isn't necessarily the best league but it's the best league that is easy to follow. There is no language barrier, so you can read good domestic press (especially in the Guardian), and the American coverage provided by NBCSN is fantastic. Far better than Fox's Bundesliga coverage, imo. The Fox talking heads annoy the shit out of me, for the most part.

On the other hand, I guess you could argue that EPL is the "best league" in the sense that it is the top European league that has the most top-to-bottom quality, or the most parity, which makes it exciting to follow. But that would depend on your definition of "best." Fwiw, Pep Guardiola doesn't think the EPL is more "intense" than other leagues, which is an opinion everybody has to take seriously.

All of this I agree with. The top to bottom quality is there. You don't see Barca or Real Madrid play to too many 0-0 draws with a relegation contender do you?

Also it's really great that, as mentioned, I can read stories right from the source without a language barrier. NBC has done a phenomenal job with their coverage. They're putting on at least 6 if not 8 games a weekend. It's great to wake up early and watch soccer all morning before football starts in the afternoon.

 

[Emcee77]

Liverpool is, according to Wikipedia, England's most Catholic city.

True. The great Stevie G is Catholic, IIRC.

 

[NorthDakota]

True. The great Stevie G is Catholic, IIRC.

He's big and he's fucking hard!

 

[ACamp1900]

MLS Cup starts tonight.... obviously I'm more into the World Series but any baseball days off or after The Series concludes I'm all in on the MLS Cup....

Galaxy/Real... always a good playoff match-up.

 

[fightingirish26]

My hometown union making their second playoff appearance ever. Season probably ends tonight unfortunately. Right back Keegan Rosenberry is one to watch for the USMNT. As a rookie, he has played the full 90 in every single game this year. He's the only rookie to ever do this, the only field player in the league to do it this season, and only the sixth field player to do it in the history of the league.

 

[ACamp1900]

I wish every round leading up to the finals was aggregate.

 

[ACamp1900]

Also, I must be missing something... why is there a multi week break in between the quarters and semis?? Does the Hex start then or something?

 

[fightingirish26]

My hometown union making their second playoff appearance ever. Season probably ends tonight unfortunately. Right back Keegan Rosenberry is one to watch for the USMNT. As a rookie, he has played the full 90 in every single game this year. He's the only rookie to ever do this, the only field player in the league to do it this season, and only the sixth field player to do it in the history of the league.

oh also he didn't get a single card all season

 

[T Town Tommy]

My soccer knowledge only goes as far as Christen Press takes it. Kudos to her for goals in back to back games.

 

[Cackalacky]

Watch Julian Green score his first Bayern Munich goal - Stars and Stripes FC
Juliann Green scores first senior goal for Bayern. Sound like this is his first senior level goal for club. Wild.

 

[ACamp1900]

My soccer knowledge only goes as far as Christen Press takes it. Kudos to her for goals in back to back games.

What a great place to dive in tho......


Anyway, Galaxy working RSL right now, always bitter sweet bc I hate RSL but Rimando is one of my fav athletes ever....

 

[ACamp1900]

Toronto and NYC should be a good one...

 

[Emcee77]

MLS breaks regular-season attendance records for third straight season | MLSsoccer.com

Strong year for MLS. Amazing that MLS average attendance is above Serie A. Two leagues on opposite trajectories right now, sadly for Serie A. It's almost hard to believe that that league had a legitimate claim to being the best in the world at one point. But great news for MLS.

I wish MLS would strike a new TV deal or something. You basically have to subscribe to their service to watch it, right? I never see it on, unless it's just my local team on the local sports channel. Every spring I tell myself that I want to follow the league more closely, but I just can't really figure out how.

 

[fightingirish26]

MLS breaks regular-season attendance records for third straight season | MLSsoccer.com

Strong year for MLS. Amazing that MLS average attendance is above Serie A. Two leagues on opposite trajectories right now, sadly for Serie A. It's almost hard to believe that that league had a legitimate claim to being the best in the world at one point. But great news for MLS.

I wish MLS would strike a new TV deal or something. You basically have to subscribe to their service to watch it, right? I never see it on, unless it's just my local team on the local sports channel. Every spring I tell myself that I want to follow the league more closely, but I just can't really figure out how.

ESPN and FS1 televise some games.

 

[ACamp1900]

Unimas and other Spanish channels have it on all the time, and all you do is hit the SAP button and the English announce team comes on... If you have trouble just google MLS English on Spanish channels, the MLS has directions for each cable provider...

It sucks it's not more mainstream yet but each playoff game has been on there....

 

[ACamp1900]

MLS breaks regular-season attendance records for third straight season | MLSsoccer.com

Strong year for MLS. Amazing that MLS average attendance is above Serie A. Two leagues on opposite trajectories right now, sadly for Serie A. It's almost hard to believe that that league had a legitimate claim to being the best in the world at one point. But great news for MLS.

I wish MLS would strike a new TV deal or something. You basically have to subscribe to their service to watch it, right? I never see it on, unless it's just my local team on the local sports channel. Every spring I tell myself that I want to follow the league more closely, but I just can't really figure out how.

They have a very real argument for being a top ten league now, which is amazing considering how young it is....

 

[GowerND11]

They have a very real argument for being a top ten league now, which is amazing considering how young it is....

And where it was compared to 10 even 5 years ago.

 

[Cackalacky]

Seeds Set for 2016 ACC Women’s Soccer Championship

So if the ND women soccer team wins their next match they will play the semi finals at our stadium here in Charleston who is hosting the ACC women's tournament. That is a first IIRC. Pretty cool.