ES Soccer Thread

[renaissance]

No doubt GHH, this is one of the readons that I'm growing to appreciate Euro football more every day, here in the States we don't have anything except college basketball where teams that aren't in the "majors" can compete for titles with the major teams.

Yes we do.....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamar_Hunt_U.S._Open_Cup

[AsburySkinsFan]

Yes we do.....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamar_Hunt_U.S._Open_Cup

Oh my bad....I said Euro football rather than saying soccer, the emphasis being on the style of football (in contrast to American football) rather than the location of the football.

[renaissance]

Oh my bad....I said Euro football rather than saying soccer, the emphasis being on the style of football (in contrast to American football) rather than the location of the football.

Say wha?

I was just pointing out in response to your comment "here in the States we don't have anything except college basketball where teams that aren't in the "majors" can compete for titles with the major teams," that we do in fact have a competition that's structured just like the FA/Capital One Cup

[AsburySkinsFan]

Say wha?

I was just pointing out in response to your comment "here in the States we don't have anything except college basketball where teams that aren't in the "majors" can compete for titles with the major teams," that we do in fact have a competition that's structured just like the FA/Capital One Cup

Oh sorry, forgot I wrote "the states" I was thinking about sports other than soccer in the states....my bad....again.

[Elessar78]

No doubt GHH, this is one of the reason that I'm growing to appreciate Euro football more every day, here in the States we don't have anything except college basketball where teams that aren't in the "majors" can compete for titles with the major teams.

I don't want to take anything away from this acheivement, but do the major teams focus on some Cups (like FA) more than the Capital One Cup? Even if they do not focus on some Cups, it is still a great acheivement for Bradford because those premiere teams should have put away Bradford without a second though.

I too will be cheering for Bradford.

I will NOT be cheering for Bradford.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

..... I don't want to take anything away from this acheivement, but do the major teams focus on some Cups (like FA) more than the Capital One Cup? Even if they do not focus on some Cups, it is still a great acheivement for Bradford because those premiere teams should have put away Bradford without a second though.

I too will be cheering for Bradford.

I will NOT be cheering for Bradford.

As Elessar's post points to ASF (he's an Arsenal fan who suffered at the hands of Bradford. I think that sore still smarts, so please forgive him); Bradfords achievement is nothing shy of miraculous in today's modern soccer age were the gap between the haves and have nots is that gigantic its not even funny.

Over recent years, the League Cup (Capital One for sponsorship at present) has been sadly denegrated by bigger teams prioratising money over success. Sadly, the financial rewards now for merely finishing in the top 4 in the EPL FAR outweighs going all the way and winning the Football League Cup to a lot of teams. Which is a complete and utter disgrace in itself as there's only 3 competitions a season you can win in England, the first being the League Cup. And it gives the winners a place in European competition for the following season by the end of Februa\ry and a chance to relax. Along with giving their supporters a day out at Wembley in a major final. I for one enjoyed FAR more following Liverpool to two Cup finals last year and finishing 7th in the EPL than I would of done finishing 4th and having no Cup finals to attend. You measure your success in trophys. Not money or league placing. But I'm a mere fan. What would I know?

So whilst it's true a lot of teams have used the League Cup as a breading ground for the future by playing youth and squad players over the past decade or so, the trend has thankfully begun to turn in recent years.

Liverpool won a record 8th League Cup last year by fielding more or less a full strength line-up right through the competition. And teams like Chelsea, Tottenham and Man City have been putting far stronger sides out of late. As regards Bradford, Arsenal and Aston Villa both desperatley wanted to win this competion and played more or less full strength sides in their games against Bradford.

Which all makes City's achievment all the more miraculous. (Whatever Elessar may tell you. .).

And good luck to Swansea City tonight. A Bradford -Swanse final would be one in the eye for the glamour hungry media to have to suck up. And absolutely brilliant for those of us that are sick to the back teeth of the money driven modern game.

Hail.

[Elessar78]

We'll have a reckoning next weekend,ghh. Pay you 62 pounds of gold and see the thrashing in person!

[jly0784]

FIOS doesn't have it

Not on basic

i pay extra for fsc+.... dont pay a dime more for fsc, and i have fios

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

We'll have a reckoning next weekend,ghh. Pay you 62 pounds of gold and see the thrashing in person!

The Emirates on a Wednesday night ..... I'll pass.

Been there, done that. Very much doubt I'll ever do it again at those prices. Now Highbury, THAT was a ground I loved going to.

And you just know you'll batter us, but lose to a Suarez hand ball goal from a free kick after Gerrard dives ..... Just to keep Asiatic happy.

Hail.

[Elessar78]

The Emirates on a Wednesday night ..... I'll pass.

Been there, done that. Very much doubt I'll ever do it again at those prices. Now Highbury, THAT was a ground I loved going to.

And you just know you'll batter us, but lose to a Suarez hand ball goal from a free kick after Gerrard dives ..... Just to keep Asiatic happy.

Hail.

Don't forget that the phantom foul that Koscielny will concede on Gerrard will be because Vermaelen was caught going forward again and we lost possession because Giroud missed a sitter in front of net.

[Forehead]

Anybody catch the ballboy abuse in the Chelsea-Swansea game, or am I late to the party on that?

[AsburySkinsFan]

Watching the replay of the Arsenal v Westhampton match....second half starts with four Arsenal oals in 10 minutes!!!!

[MartinC]

Anybody catch the ballboy abuse in the Chelsea-Swansea game, or am I late to the party on that?

I saw that - I have now seen everything, even the ball boys are diving!

Hazard should never have got involved but the ball boy refused to give him the ball back, took a dive when Hazard started pulling at the ball and the proceeded to lie on the ball rather than give it back. Hazard tried to lick the ball free - not sure if he even actually caught the ball boy and the ball boy did the full King Lear death bed scene, truly deserved an Oscar. Everyone allegedly shook hands afterwards and there is no further action apart from the ban Hazard will get for the red card (which could be a number of games since it was straight red for violent conduct) - meanwhile that ball boy will never have to buy a drink the rest of his life in Swansea.

[Corcaigh]

I saw that - I have now seen everything, even the ball boys are diving!

Hazard should never have got involved but the ball boy refused to give him the ball back, took a dive when Hazard started pulling at the ball and the proceeded to lie on the ball rather than give it back. Hazard tried to lick the ball free - not sure if he even actually caught the ball boy and the ball boy did the full King Lear death bed scene, truly deserved an Oscar. Everyone allegedly shook hands afterwards and there is no further action apart from the ban Hazard will get for the red card (which could be a number of games since it was straight red for violent conduct) - meanwhile that ball boy will never have to buy a drink the rest of his life in Swansea.

Stupid on both sides. Hopefully the ball boy won't be asked back.

Tolerance of deliberate time wasting is something that needs to be cut out from the game. Hard to do much when a ball boy does it, other than add five minutes for every incident but players are routinely allowed to kick the ball away after the whistle, block a quick restart etc.

[Forehead]

Apparently, if you believe the twitter rumors, the ball boy is 17, had been working matches there for six years, but wasn't doing it this season. He apparently was filling in for someone else who couldn't make it, and posted on his twitter before the game that the "king of the ball boys" was back and that he would try to waste time. So as long as none of that was made up, his actions were premeditated.