ES Soccer Thread

[Elessar78]

B.S. Everybody has "animals" including Brasil. Ask Tab Ramos.

Harder to appreciate good defense than good offense for the common fan.

What bugs me is seeing good teams like Brasil being given the benefit of the doubt when they CAN'T defend with tact b/c believe it or not defending IS a skill, an art form even, and no less part of the game. I'm not just talking "parking the bus" and putting 10 guys in the box, ala England in this past Eurocup either, I mean man marking, shadowing, stealing the ball.

Of course, nobody cares, defense = bad, offense = good. No point trying to convince the masses who delight over Neymar's *** hairstyle or the color of Ronaldo's thong.

A Brasilian foul is necessary, a lesser team's foul is sinister....same foul, different jersey. Defense is subjective and goals are objective...is the ball in the back of the net? End of story, simple.

Yeah, Uruguay has to resort to more defensive play more often than not but we're the population of Connecticut, Sao Paolo alone has three times more people than the entire country.

Being eternal underdogs gives you a chip on your shoulder, no matter how many world championships. (4)

I actually had you pegged as very partisan, so it was a pleasant surprise to read a good, pro-Uruguay/pro-defense post.

Brazil are the kings of the tactical foul. You can count on a foul at midfield if they lose the ball and the other team is running at them. It's been true for decades now.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Much better from L'pool tonight after last week's labored, and somewhat lucky win in Belarus.

Quick paced pass and move football, much of it one touch. With a slew of chances created. A pleasant change to have an easy qualifier for once. Roll on tomorrow's draw.

Hail.

[renaissance]

Much better from L'pool tonight after last week's labored, and somewhat lucky win in Belarus.

Quick paced pass and move football, much of it one touch. With a slew of chances created. A pleasant change to have an easy qualifier for once. Roll on tomorrow's draw.

Hail.

Liverpool goal made Sportscenter's top 10 this morning!

[jobaga]

Much better from L'pool tonight after last week's labored, and somewhat lucky win in Belarus.

Quick paced pass and move football, much of it one touch. With a slew of chances created. A pleasant change to have an easy qualifier for once. Roll on tomorrow's draw.

Hail.

I agree...I would love to see them play at that level all year. Replacing Jonjo with Allen will only make the attack better.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

I agree...I would love to see them play at that level all year. Replacing Jonjo with Allen will only make the attack better.

Allen's ridiculously over priced for me at £15 million sterling, but then that's the ridiculous situation with British players these days. Good player, but nothing like that price in an ideal World. I guess he's looking at him as Gerrard's replacement long term. Without the goals. More an Alonso type deep lying playmaker. Hopefully they'll be another forward arriving some time soon. Particularly after Bellamy's move to Cardiff. I liked Craig, and appreciated his passion. But I'm happy to see him go. It was time. Too old and too injury prone.

Allen and Borini. His first two signings at 22 and 21 respectively. Whilst clearing out a slew of vet. deadwood. I like the philosophy at play here as he rebuilds this his way.

YES! We've pulled Hearts in the playoff round. A short trip over the border to Edinburgh, which is a brilliant drinking place. Made up at that.



---------- Post added August-10th-2012 at 07:09 AM ----------

Liverpool goal made Sportscenter's top 10 this morning!

Really? Wow. Never thought a goal from a Europa League Third Qualifying round, not even the competition proper so to speak, would make Sportscenter in the US.

Johnson's I'm guessing? The 20 yarder or so?

Hail.

[renaissance]

Really? Wow. Never thought a goal from a Europa League Third Qualifying round, not even the competition proper so to speak, would make Sportscenter in the US.

Johnson's I'm guessing? The 20 yarder or so?

Hail.

Yea I think that was the one. Hit it off the outside of his foot and it curled in to the right side of the goal.

[boysetsfire]

I can do that easily.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

I can do that easily.

Yeah, but it doesn't count from a yard out with no 'keeper in nets .....

Hail.

[jobaga]

Not too shabby

[boysetsfire]

yeah, but it doesn't count from a yard out with no 'keeper in nets ..... :d

Hail.

OOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH SNAP!

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

American related interest:

Carlos Boconegra, the US National mens team skipper, got an absolute run-around along with the rest of his (in relation, 'superstar') teammates against opponents Peterhead (which is up in Norway or some ****); in their first game in Scotland's lowest Division. The part-timers, who train 3 evenings a week, were denied a historic win by a last minute Rangers equalizer. Boconegra and the defense was particularly embarrassing as the part-timers pulled them all over the park.

Welcome to the lower leagues and 'real' football Carlos and co. You'd better be prepared to fight tooth and nail for the full 90 minutes all season or this could be a LONG one.

Hail.

[Elessar78]

Mark Klattenberg graces the Olympics with his weak-ass faux hawk.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Mark Klattenberg graces the Olympics with his weak-ass faux hawk.

Clattenburg's just the latest in a long line of VERY poor English officials who think THEIR the stars of the game since the explosion of the Premier League.



---------- Post added August-11th-2012 at 10:33 AM ----------

2-0 Mexico. And WELL deserved.

Not sure if this will make yers happy or not it being Mexico. But after the Honduras game, maybe it will.

Brazilians wait for Olympic gold looks like it will go on.

Hail.

[Elessar78]

Well, it worries me because this Brazilian side handled our full internationals quite easily. Honduras played admirably against the Brazilians. Sooo . . . Mexico and Honduran U23s being better than USA's senior squad, not too much of a stretch.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Yeah, that German thangs gona' take a LONG time to come to fruition huh?

Hail.