ES Soccer Thread

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

If you don't like teams that spend heavily, your gona' have a problem in modern day soccer. Money sadly dictates, and the big prizes now are pretty much a closed shop. In England for example the big 4 of Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal is pretty much a set group along now with Manchester City, who've taken spending onto a whole other level. And with those 4 or 5 times consistently getting into the Champions League and all the riches that holds season in, season out; the gap financially between them and the rest of the league is getting that big it's virtually impossible for anyone else to split that dominance up; as sad as that is to now say.

Definitely avoid Manchester City, who are a complete law unto themselves under Arab ownership. Even in today's game, it's obscene what's going on there. I guess Arsenal is about as close as you'd get to a top class team that fulfils that criteria. They heavily encourage youth and developing their own. You'll also get terrific enjoyment from the best pure footballing team in England. But the flip side of that is you'll see little silverware as the coach refuses to either change his style of play, or spend any real money to take them over the top. I personally think there's a serious chance they'll drop out of the top four in England for the foreseeable future leaving Utd, Chelsea, City and a re-emerging Liverpool to battle it out.

If you want excitement, I certainly wouldn't go with an Italian team as renaissance said. They'll send you to sleep on Sundays. The Spanish league is by far and away the deepest for technical ability and Europe. The EPL is probably the most exciting as it's 100 MPH end to end action in the main, helped by the fact that the defending standards real poor. And you've American owners and players at quite a few clubs which might give you an extra interest.

Ultimately, again taking ren's lead, your best bet might be to wait and watch the coming season and go with a team that really grabs you.

Hail.

*Edit* If you want the most passionate fanbase, the England's most successful club Liverpool is for you. For wit, color, passion and a song book that's like an encyclopedia you can't go wrong.

This is a great video from the '60's to exemplify the passion, followed by a more up-to-date version pre-match.

[HEavyJumbo85]

Arsenal has RVP, and he's my fave, but I've always been into Everton, even before they got Tim Howard. Everton has a great history, and at least have a shot to play Europa football every year.

[Elessar78]

See my problem is I want to support a team in the UEFA. The problem is I have certain peeves with different teams. I find ManU and the stadium amazing but I don't like teams that basically go out and buy everyone(thus why I hate teams like the Yankees). I like teams that have a tough stadium. My friend from Germany suggested his team, Bayern Munchen. The problem is not only will I have to find them on espn3 all the time I just don't pay as much attention to German soccer. Also theres certain teams that you know will never be successful in the Premier League or UEFA in general. I mean I don't need a dominate team(Hell I put up with the Skins horrible crap season after season) but I'd like a little winning consistency.

Why not simply choose a team whose style of play you admire OR just watch soccer because you like it? Also, no one is saying who you pick is a life long decision. Choosing a sports team is arbitrary for the most part. I like the Redskins because I grew up in the DC area. Others were born to families of Redskins fans.

I'm an Arsenal supporter now. I started watching them because I loved their style of play and the players they had/have. But wasn't really committed just to that team. It wasn't until 2 or 3 years where I kept coming back to them and decided I grew to like this team the more I knew about their history and I got tied into the story lines of the club. Will I continue being an Arsenal supporter once Wenger is gone and their style of play is different? Maybe.

When I was a kid, I liked AC Milan because they were winning everything. I also liked Ajax because they played pretty soccer. It's all an evolution. Sure, be a true fan if you have some "legit" reason to be one (by birth?) otherwise enjoy the ride.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

I'm an Arsenal supporter now. I started watching them because I loved their style of play and the players they had/have. But wasn't really committed just to that team. It wasn't until 2 or 3 years where I kept coming back to them and decided I grew to like this team the more I knew about their history and I got tied into the story lines of the club. Will I continue being an Arsenal supporter once Wenger is gone and their style of play is different? Maybe.

Total aside, but this blows me away.

Your a fan of by far and away the most creative, best footballing side in England. On their day, very few can live with the brand of football Wenger has running right through the club. Yet conversely you argued blind against all the the things mentioned, all the things Arsenal do, as NOT being creative in the other thread; to the point of suggesting creativity died with the Brazilians in the 70's.

Now Arsenal take it to the extreme to the point of over playing at times to their cost, but it's hard to fault Wengers approach of attacking, creative, entertaining soccer above anything else. As frustrating as that ultimately has been through the trophy draught.

Hail.

[Elessar78]

Total aside, but this blows me away.

Your a fan of by far and away the most creative, best footballing side in England. On their day, very few can live with the brand of football Wenger has running right through the club. Yet conversely you argued blind against all the the things mentioned, all the things Arsenal do, as NOT being creative in the other thread; to the point of suggesting creativity died with the Brazilians in the 70's.

Now Arsenal take it to the extreme to the point of over playing at times to their cost, but it's hard to fault Wengers approach of attacking, creative, entertaining soccer above anything else. As frustrating as that ultimately has been through the trophy draught.

Hail.

See I don't see them as "creative" they are terribly possession oriented (pass it around to a fault in the attacking third) and lightning quick on the counter attack. It's pleasing to the eye but it's hardly creative. Again, what I said that it's overrated in terms of what it means to teams winning. Put Fabregas in Michael Bradley's role and he's not carving teams up. Teammates running off the ball is part and parcel of what makes him and Barca look good. Watch a USA game and look at how static players off the ball are.

The over-pass but it's not for the sake of vanity. That's announcer talk. They over-pass because they believe in the percentages. 90% of goals are scored in an area that extends at 45-degree angle from each goal post and into the pitch 20 yards. They zealously try to get the ball into this area without putting it at risk by forcing passes. They rarely take speculative shots from 20+ yards out, like Gerrard or Lampard.

A lot of fans love LOVE to label arsenal and barca as "creative" teams but most of their productivity is a purely regimented system.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on this subject or we'll go around in circles from the other thread again.

Hail.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

I just knew that once Basketball, Hockey ended and the NFL was still locked out someone would dredge up a thread about the activity that is the main competition to reruns of Bass Master fishing and Billiards on ESPN Classic.

You know there's a big wide World outside America's borders right Dave?

Hail.

[Elessar78]

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on this subject or we'll go around in circles from the other thread again.

Hail.

When Manning hits Reggie Wayne on a pass pattern is that creative? When Vick scrambles and jukes people is that creative? Steve Nash throwing a no-look pass? Many people have done it before. Hockey and basketball are similar to soccer, no one talks about the importance of creativity in either sport.

When Xavi hits a teammate with a pass it's not fundamentally different than Manning to Wayne. Two players have a predetermined understanding of where the spot a receiver should expect the ball. When Wayne breaks off his route because he reads blitz, it's the same thing as adjustments soccer players make. There's a predetermined response to a specific situation. The thinking seems to be that soccer is purely instinctive, off the cuff, and spontaneous. It seems like that.

It's creative inasmuch as Joe Gibbs was creative in developing schemes to solve various defenses.

http://www.footytube.com/video/xavi-...hp_latest_comp

Video of Xavi and Barca. 95% of it I just see teammates with a superior understanding of what each other is doing and what needs to be done.

---------- Post added June-17th-2011 at 03:08 PM ----------

You know there's a big wide World outside America's borders right Dave?

Hail.

No, to Dave those are just areas we haven't annexed yet.

[Kilmer17]

If we annex them, can we claim the soccer players in those areas as Americans?

If so, let's start with sections of the bario in Rio de Janeiro.

[ixcuincle]

Lot of people playing soccer when I went to Rio

Good city

[Elessar78]

If we annex them, can we claim the soccer players in those areas as Americans?

If so, let's start with sections of the bario in Rio de Janeiro.

Of course. We've done it before. Some complain, but eventually are persuaded.

[CoolUsernameHere]

I can't believe the Gold Cup is only on Fox Soccer Channel. Does anyone know of any websites where I could watch the USA play?

[Kilmer17]

Of course. We've done it before. Some complain, but eventually are persuaded.

Id rather spend our military might and money for this than anything else.

Send the marines! Find us the next Kaka.

[Elessar78]

I secretly wish Navy Dave gets deployed (for some reason) and in a weird twist of fate can only readily get NFL Europe. It's a lot like that.

---------- Post added June-17th-2011 at 03:53 PM ----------

Id rather spend our military might and money for this than anything else.

Send the marines! Find us the next Kaka.

True, we invade all the wrong countries. I have little use for sand and dates.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

http://www.footytube.com/video/xavi-...hp_latest_comp

Video of Xavi and Barca. 95% of it I just see teammates with a superior understanding of what each other is doing and what needs to be done.

First off, thanks for the site. Never seen that one before.

Secondly, again, we'll just have to agree to disagree. How you don't class some of the perfectly weighted, defense splitting through balls in that clip as 'creative' play is beyond me. To say it's all down to the fact you've trained that way and your teammates are on the same wavelength to expect it rather than appreciating the creativity in it is being real disingenuous to the players, teams and play your talking about. You train to put that creativity into practice during a match. To separate yourself from the robotic, sterile nature of most modern day players. Xavi see's Messi making a great run off the ball, and play's a perfectly weighted through ball into his feet splitting the defense wide open. And you refuse to give them credit for creating the chance down to the fact Barcelona train the way they play?

Shrugs, that POV totally blows my mind, but each to their own prerogative.

Again, we'll just have to agree to disagree.

Hail.