Everything Soccer

[mgriff]

dirk's lack of skill? really?

Yea, how much do you watch Dirk Kuyt? His major talents are his engine, he runs forever, and his poaching ability around goal. He does not have a good first touch or ball skills.

 

[mgriff]

Here are the draws boys (and girls too)

Manchester United vs. the Axis of Evi..... Chelsea
Barcelona vs. Shaktar Donetsk
Real Madrid vs. Tottenham Hotspur
Inter Milan vs. Shalke

Quarterfinals will take place on April 5, 6 and 12,13.
Semifinals will take place on April 26, 27 and May 3, 4.
Finals will be May 28 at Wembley.

As a ManU fan, I love the idea of knocking Chelsea out. However, I fear that they might know how to play Torres at that point and that could make them scary. If there are no injuries, I think United pull it off by 1-0 or 2-1.

Barcelona is obviously a great team, Shakhtar (and Shalke for that matter) is harder to read for me. It seems every year there are a couple of teams from "the other leagues." We'll call them the not big four (English, Spanish, Italian, Germen.) Looked them up to see who they've beaten and I am going to have to go with Barca.

Real Madrid is another team that is great and that could go all the way. However, any team that slayed one of the giants in AC Milan will be no slouch. Hopefully they can use that game plan again with the "hope we don't get scored on and have one of our great players in Lennon or Crouch or whoever put one in." I really think this one is a tossup. I am rooting for Spurs.

Inter Milan is a classic giant and they seemed to get one of the two easy draws. Shalke sits in the middle of the Bundesliga and they have a losing record. They have beaten Lyon twice, Benefica twice, Hapoel Tel Aviv once and tied the other. That was the easy road. They clobbered Valencia who is sitting in third in the La Liga. Maybe they are better than I think.

Personally I don't like the draw this year. The winner of the ManU/Chelsea game will play the winner of the Inter/Shalke game while the Barca/Shakhtar winner faces off with the Real Madrid/Spurs winner. I've always felt that you should keep teams from the same country away from each other as long as possible. I know they use the best and most fair way to do it though and I can appreciate that. I look for ManU to get past Chelsea and then past Inter, possibly because I am biased and partially unknown to how Shalke will play. Also with the two Spanish giants to meet in the Semis. I think it will be a ManU and Barca final. Don't ask me who will win because a lot of injuries can take place or be healed in that time.

Thanks a bunch. Duly repped. They aren't the sexiest matchups that I was hoping for, but oh well. Always the English teams that get drawn in the quarters.

 

[NDinMich]

i've been to detroit for a wings game and it was dead (the city was, not the game), like i said in my post....a ghost town. and i've been a hockey fan since the 80's.

Seriously, next time you're in the D let me know and I'll tell you where to go to find some fun. Fox Theater area, Corktown, New Center and Greektown are all fun areas that usually have plenty of people in them at night (barring inclimate weather).

The reason the area around JLA is a "ghost town" as you put it, is because of it's bad location. JLA is bounded by the river on one side and Detroit's financial district on the other sides. Most people working in the financial district leave the city at night and there aren't a lot of places of interest around JLA. If you go to a game again, try out Anchor Bar, Cobo Joe's or Post Detroit, you won't be disappointed.

 

[NDinMich]

Thanks a bunch. Duly repped. They aren't the sexiest matchups that I was hoping for, but oh well. Always the English teams that get drawn in the quarters.

You're right, not very sexy at all. I really hope we don't see a Real Madrid v Barcelona final (if that's possible???). Too bad Shakhtar drew Barca too, I wouldn't have minded seeing them go a little further just to root on the "little" guy a little longer.

 

[mgriff]

No it's not possible, they have put the two strongest English teams on one side, with the two strongest Spanish teams on the other, with Tottenham, the weakest English side.

They do the draws for the quarters and semis at the same time, so they can make a bracket out of it and cut the draws out. This is the last draw.

http://simplyfutbol.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Champions-League.pdf

I'll cheer for anyone but ManU and Chelsea. Whoever wins their match is the team I'll want to be knocked out next.

 

[NDinMich]

No it's not possible, they have put the two strongest English teams on one side, with the two strongest Spanish teams on the other, with Tottenham, the weakest English side.

They do the draws for the quarters and semis at the same time, so they can make a bracket out of it and cut the draws out. This is the last draw.

http://simplyfutbol.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Champions-League.pdf

I'll cheer for anyone but ManU and Chelsea. Whoever wins their match is the team I'll want to be knocked out next.

Ok, thanks. Barring a surprise...looks like Man U v Barcelona to me. UEFA would have to love that matchup.

 

[mgriff]

I'm hoping for Inter and definitely Barca on the other side, because if one of Chelsea/ManU gets out, I want them playing the best team possible.

 

[IHateMarkMay]

I'm hoping for Inter and definitely Barca on the other side, because if one of Chelsea/ManU gets out, I want them playing the best team possible.

I think somebody is jealous that their team didn't make it to the Champions League... lol

Just messing with ya mgriff, I have no ill will towards Liverpool. All hatred for a soccer team goes towards Chelsea for me.

 

[GreatGolson]

I think somebody is jealous that their team didn't make it to the Champions League... lol

Just messing with ya mgriff, I have no ill will towards Liverpool. All hatred for a soccer team goes towards Chelsea for me.

this

 

[mgriff]

Jealous? You're damn right I am. It's catching up to ManU though, what happened to Liverpool is about to happen to ManU. The American owners take over in leveraged buyouts, meaning the debt goes onto the club and not the owners, they then rape the product and try and sell it for profit while skimming money off the top. How was the Ronaldo money not invested in the squad? The same way the Xabi Alonso money was not invested in the squad, it went to pay down the debt. While they are top of the table, their quality is no where near what it used to be be. Fergie is simply a great manager who can put the charade on for awhile, but the debt issue is not going away for United. The Glazers are no better than Hicks & Gillette. The banks make a killing on the interest payments, the owners are not on the hook, and they get to profit, while the club goes into decline, and the cost is pushed onto the supporters.

I hate ManU because they are our Northwest Rivals. I hate Chelsea because of, "he who will not be named." I hope it blows up in his face, the traitorous ****.

 

[IHateMarkMay]

Jealous? You're damn right I am. It's catching up to ManU though, what happened to Liverpool is about to happen to ManU. The American owners take over in leveraged buyouts, meaning the debt goes onto the club and not the owners, they then rape the product and try and sell it for profit while skimming money off the top. How was the Ronaldo money not invested in the squad? The same way the Xabi Alonso money was not invested in the squad, it went to pay down the debt. While they are top of the table, their quality is no where near what it used to be be. Fergie is simply a great manager who can put the charade on for awhile, but the debt issue is not going away for United. The Glazers are no better than Hicks & Gillette. The banks make a killing on the interest payments, the owners are not on the hook, and they get to profit, while the club goes into decline, and the cost is pushed onto the supporters.

I hate ManU because they are our Northwest Rivals. I hate Chelsea because of, "he who will not be named." I hope it blows up in his face, the traitorous ****.

I do fear that with Glazers. It is ridiculous with the debt and whatnot. It has to be nice to see Torres do absolutely nothing so far though.

 

[jmurphy75]

I do fear that with Glazers. It is ridiculous with the debt and whatnot. It has to be nice to see Torres do absolutely nothing so far though.

I can't stand the Glazers they continue to neglect the Tampa Bay Bucs, in part due to the enormous debt created by the purchase of Man U

 

[mgriff]

I do fear that with Glazers. It is ridiculous with the debt and whatnot. It has to be nice to see Torres do absolutely nothing so far though.

I'm not going to gloat, because the minute I do, he's going to bag a hat trick.

 

[IHateMarkMay]

I'm not going to gloat, because the minute I do, he's going to bag a hat trick.

If you decide to gloat, make sure they are away from 'pool and united please. lol

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

I hate Manchester United right now for injuring Stu Holden on a horribly poor tackle. Way to go, Man U. The only thing good about them is their Malcolm Glazer chant.

 

[mgriff]

I hate Manchester United right now for injuring Stu Holden on a horribly poor tackle. Way to go, Man U. The only thing good about them is their Malcolm Glazer chant.

Yea, he's going to be the rock in our midfield for the next WC qualifying round. Horrid challenge, absolutely horrid. He's going to supplant someone, and most likely Mo, because Mike can't sit for even a half while Dad is on the bench.

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

Mike will be very, very good when 2014 rolls around. IMO he was our 2nd best player this World Cup after Donovan. It will be interesting to see how Bob gets Mo, Bradley, Holden, Jones, and Diskerud all involved. US midfield is great. Maybe one day we'll have a real leftback....

 

[mgriff]

Mike will be very, very good when 2014 rolls around. IMO he was our 2nd best player this World Cup after Donovan. It will be interesting to see how Bob gets Mo, Bradley, Holden, Jones, and Diskerud all involved. US midfield is great. Maybe one day we'll have a real leftback....

Mike is a good player, but by not taking him off, ever, BB gives ammunition and some legitimacy to the arguments. I personally think he's our second best deep MF, but I just don't believe he's so good he's never seen the bench. Once I think favoritism is in play, it makes me much more critical of BB overall.

Or a striking partnership. Davies and Jozy looked good in the Confed Cup. I would love to see Bob deviate from a 4-4-2, I mean, c'mon! 4-2-3-1 with our current setup would be interesting. Holden and Bradley as the holding mids, Mix in CAM with Lando and Clint as the flanking Ams, Jozy up front. I mean, I'm not saying it's perfect or the best fit, but try out some new formations.

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

Losing Davies sucks. He'll probably never be 100% ever again and he was looking so great. It's crazy that Jozy is only 20 since it feels like he's been around forever.

 

[mgriff]

Losing Davies sucks. He'll probably never be 100% ever again and he was looking so great. It's crazy that Jozy is only 20 since it feels like he's been around forever.

Yea, Jozy still has time to develop, but he needs to get games, not sit on the bench at Villareal. The American soccer scene is so desperate to be competitive that we christen everyone as the next big thing, journalists included, and put a lot of pressure on these young players to live up to unrealistic expectations immediately. Just look at what everyone is doing with Agudelo.

 

[NDinMich]

Yea, Jozy still has time to develop, but he needs to get games, not sit on the bench at Villareal. The American soccer scene is so desperate to be competitive that we christen everyone as the next big thing, journalists included, and put a lot of pressure on these young players to live up to unrealistic expectations immediately. Just look at what everyone is doing with Agudelo.

Jozy is currently on loan to Bursaspor in Turkey. It doesn't seem like he's getting much playing time there either unfortunately, 4 appearance, 0 goals. I wish he'd be loaned out to a EPL side so I'd be able to see him playing more. Hopefully Villareal feels he's just not ready for La Liga yet and that he will someday. He's been loaned out 3 time in 3 years!

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

Davies scored 2 goals last night for DC! That's a good sign.

Attendance has been fantastic this week so far. 36,443 in Seattle, 22,592 in Vancouver, 18,132 in DC, 20,982 in New York, 19,385 in Houston, 20,145 in Dallas!, 17,139 in Colorado, 18,122 for Chivas, and 10,525 (capacity) in San Jose. Hopefully MLS will break some attendance records this year...

 

[mgriff]

Jozy is currently on loan to Bursaspor in Turkey. It doesn't seem like he's getting much playing time there either unfortunately, 4 appearance, 0 goals. I wish he'd be loaned out to a EPL side so I'd be able to see him playing more. Hopefully Villareal feels he's just not ready for La Liga yet and that he will someday. He's been loaned out 3 time in 3 years!

Yea, my point is he doesn't need to be on a side like that with Nilmar and Rossi, where it'll be difficult for him to get games. If it's not a big club, that's fine, he just needs games. I'm also not pleased with the loan to Turkey. One of the EPL mid to low table sides could use Jozy. Confidence is a big part of soccer, and it doesn't seem like Jozy has had it in awhile. While Villareal are not one of the two giants of La Liga, they are one of the best in the league, and that's not the best place to break in and practice his craft. Kinda like Gooch at Milan. His injury played a big part, but still, the wages are terrific, but competition is fierce. America doesn't produce those 20 year olds who are world beaters and can break into one of the best sides in Europe. I still wish Landon would go over, but I understand he's trying to grow the game at home.

 

[ACamp1900]

clearly he would benefit from a return to the states... his stock has fallen hard and he could stay home, re-up his value, and help the mls all at the same time...

 

[NDinMich]

Yea, he's going to be the rock in our midfield for the next WC qualifying round. Horrid challenge, absolutely horrid. He's going to supplant someone, and most likely Mo, because Mike can't sit for even a half while Dad is on the bench.

Hope he's fit to go for the Gold Cup.

Injured Holden out of US squad for two friendlies - News | FOX Sports on MSN

 

[NDinMich]

Davies scored 2 goals last night for DC! That's a good sign.

Attendance has been fantastic this week so far. 36,443 in Seattle, 22,592 in Vancouver, 18,132 in DC, 20,982 in New York, 19,385 in Houston, 20,145 in Dallas!, 17,139 in Colorado, 18,122 for Chivas, and 10,525 (capacity) in San Jose. Hopefully MLS will break some attendance records this year...

With regards to the Charlie Davies comment.

YouTube - Charlie Davies Emotional Postgame Interview

 

[tankjeep]

Yea, how much do you watch Dirk Kuyt? His major talents are his engine, he runs forever, and his poaching ability around goal. He does not have a good first touch or ball skills.

well we can agree to disagree. he's definitely got a motor and can play either wing or center forward, but he's not a midfielder. i think he's got a great first touch and a deft touch on passes that require the exact weight. i can see his form is off just a bit, but still you don't score a hat trick against man u with a bad first touch (no matter how opportunistic he is). and the guy has a high soccer IQ.

 

[mgriff]

well we can agree to disagree. he's definitely got a motor and can play either wing or center forward, but he's not a midfielder. i think he's got a great first touch and a deft touch on passes that require the exact weight. i can see his form is off just a bit, but still you don't score a hat trick against man u with a bad first touch (no matter how opportunistic he is). and the guy has a high soccer IQ.

Look, that's fine, but I watch him for Liverpool week in and week out. He does not have the attributes of a winger, he's a second striker. His hat trick versus ManU were all within three yards of the goal, they were tap ins. That's not to take away from his accomplishments, but he just slotted them home, he only had one touch, not like on the wing, where he halts attacks. He does have a very high football IQ, but he's a striker, plain and simple. He was brought from the Eredivisie to play striker, yet four managers play him on the wing, where he is criticized to high hell by Liverpool supporters. He's versatile enough to play there, but it is not his ideal spot, as his lack of pace and ball skills shows. VIDEO: Dirk Kuyt hat-trick in Liverpool's 3-1 win over Man U - 3 Sport - Video - 3 News

I love Dirk, but I can see his faults. He's played out of position primarily because he's too good to be left of the bench.

 

[nsisk157]

Quarterfinal Predictions?

Quarterfinal Predictions?

United v Chelsea (scum)
Schalke v Inter
Shakhtar v Barca
Madrid v Spurs

I think the middle pair of matches is quite straight-forward.

With Inter's recent resurgence to form, both domestically and in the CL, I believe they will prove too much for Ze Germans. Inter 4-2 Agg...

Barca will ask for a mercy rule after the first match when they put up 3-4 goals to Ukraines' 0 at the Nou Camp. Barca 5-1 agg...

The all England tie is a quite intriguing but I think the domestic holders will nip a goal in West London and hold firm at Old Trafford. United 2-1 agg...

Last, but most certainly not least, is the most intruiging tie of them all: Madrid v Spurs. News from the Bernabeu is that Cristiano is struggling for fitness for the April 5th match. It will benefit Spurs that he may miss the match but Madrid still has 100+ million Euro on the pitch at any given time. I think Tottenham can conjure up more of their European magic by utilizing their 4-5-1 euro lineup and pluck an away goal. When to tie heads to North London, expect a very special match. Here's my homer pick... Spurs 3-2 agg

What are your thoughts fella?

-On a side note, all the best for Stu Holden...

COYS

 

[tankjeep]

I love Dirk, but I can see his faults. He's played out of position primarily because he's too good to be left of the bench.

fair enough. besides the USA, i'm a dutch supporter and i coach with their system/vision in mind. and dirk's one of my favorite players. the only thing i think he lacks is speed. he can hold the ball and he can distribute because he's got very good vision.

but oh well, sorry to beat a dead horse.