The [Horribly Unpopular] Soccer Thread

[ScotBrew]

The boy's obviously tried to force it through and its backfired big time on him.

Kinda feel sorry for him but at the same time his agent should be taking care of all that sorta stuff and should be telling him what's happening.

 

[aygov]

I found a good summary of the schmozzle here. I'd agree he probably needs better advising, but his recent twitter diatribes show that you can only advise someone so much. Some people are more prone to diarrhea of the mouth than others...

A good pic of Odemwingie finally getting in to QPR:

 

[Grannyknot]

Has anyone followed the hilarious Odemwingie transfer day saga?

Bizarre to say the least. And it's not like it is a top 4 club, it's the worst team in the league destined for relegation and possibly administration. Why would you beat on their doors begging for a contract?

I've got a feeling Harry is more responsible for this situation than he is letting on about.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

US Roster

GOALKEEPERS (3) : Brad Guzan (Aston Villa - 5/3 SO), Tim Howard (Everton – 22/9 SO), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire – 0/0)
DEFENDERS (9) : Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City – 0/0), Carlos Bocanegra (Racing Santander – 31/5), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City – 5/0), Edgar Castillo (Club Tijuana – 0/0), Timmy Chandler (Nuremberg – 0/0), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders – 0/0), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy – 0/0), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim – 3/0), Michael Parkhurst (Augsburg – 3/0)
MIDFIELDERS (8) : Michael Bradley (Roma – 19/5), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo - 0/0), Maurice Edu (Bursaspor – 9/0), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04 – 5/0), Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht – 12/0), Jose Torres (Tigres – 9/0), Danny Williams (Hoffenheim – 4/0), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City – 3/0)
FORWARDS (4 ): Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar – 17/6), Clint Dempsey (Tottenham Hotspur – 26/10), Herculez Gomez (Santos – 6/2), Eddie Johnson (Seattle Sounders – 11/10)

Interesting Chandler agreed to be picked, hopefully he plays so he sticks around.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Gonzilla may finally get a cap! Woo

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

I don't think he will, they dont' seem to often sub out defenders very often. You only get 3, you figure one will likely be a striker, one will probably be Edu or Kljestan for more defense or offense for Jones or Bradley.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Who said anything about subbing? I'm looking for a start

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

You think Cameron or Bocanegra will screw up enough to lose their spot?

 

[Reno_eNVy]

You think Cameron or Bocanegra will screw up enough to lose their spot?

Not Cameron... but I think Bocanegra is falling from grace a bit. I think the center backs are going to be Cameron and Gonzilla.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

Maybe, but I would bet that he won't.

 

[lgilmore]

Glad to see Evans make the side. It's funny he is probably one of the most hated by his own club's fans. He's a very vanilla player, no flash, just plays smart, had his first healthy season last year in Seattle. He can and did play all three lines, 6 positions during different games. But a big following of fans just hates him.

I used to feel indifferent about him as he was like fine china most of the time. Always on the side getting cracks fixed. Last season he stayed healthy for the most part and showed a lot on the pitch. Sigi loves him.

I guess Klinsman must like him too. It is nice to have a guy who plays where ever you want him, doesn't b itch about it and is pretty steady. That's one way to make the side.

Still want Ozzie Alonso gets approved. Imagine Ozzie and Bradley in tandem in the middle of the US side? Pretty dam awesome.

 

[Airplanedoc]

So it appears that Soccer is now as corrupt as the rest of the major sports

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/04/us-football-matchfixing-idUSBRE9130H820130204

 

[Reno_eNVy]

So it appears that Soccer is now as corrupt as the rest of the major sports

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/04/us-football-matchfixing-idUSBRE9130H820130204

HAHAHAHA! "NOW as corrupt"? Dude FIFA wrote the book on being corrupt.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

Not just FIFA si super corrupt, but so is UEFA.

 

[Obliviousbrew]

well soccer being the biggest sport worldwide I´m not amazed... this plus the little doping control there is doesn´t help the sport a tiny bit.

 

[ScotBrew]

Little doping control? What makes you say that?

Most European country associations conduct hundreds of drug tests yearly. Ferdinand was banned for 8 months a few years ago for missing one: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/3333091.stm

And Kolo Toure was banned for 6 months for taking water tablets belonging to his wife. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/9498185.stm

 

[Obliviousbrew]

Little doping control? What makes you say that?

Most European country associations conduct hundreds of drug tests yearly. Ferdinand was banned for 8 months a few years ago for missing one: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/3333091.stm

And Kolo Toure was banned for 6 months for taking water tablets belonging to his wife. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/9498185.stm

Well for instance in Spain there is the "operacion puerto" they just found out that real sociedad was buying "medication" for their players for years. There was no EPO control until 2009, Fiorentina in Italy is another big case of doping...
I was involved in soccer when I was a teen, my family was always involved... even in very small regional leagues there is doping, nobosy talks about that but I did know a few cases in first person... I´m not just saying this

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Matchday, *******!

USMNT vs Honduras at 4et.

EDIT: I love how frank Klinnsy can be:

""For the players, this qualifying round will be a new lesson,” Klinsmann said. “Coming from Europe, from the Bundesliga and the Premier League, suddenly we meet in Miami and fly to Honduras where they are going to try to beat the s--- out of you.""

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

Starting lineup

ST - Altidore
FW - Dempsey
LM - Eddie Johnson
CM - Bradley
CM - Jones
RM - Danny Williams
LB - Fabian Johnson
CB - Cameron
CB - Omar
RB - Chandler
GK - Howard

Looks like you got your wish Reno.

 

[mrgstiffler]

It really sounds like the announcers aren't even aware of each other. Take two bad announcers and let them talk over each other and it actually gets kind of funny.

EDIT: Actually sounds like three guys.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

The commentary is so funny. US seems to be spending most of their time focusing on defense. Probably wise with 2 new first squad starters on the back line.

 

[mrgstiffler]

1-0! Usa!

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

What a pretty goal. Jones has done well in distribution today.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

Wow, that was a spectacular goal for Honduras.

 

[mrgstiffler]

Wow, that was a spectacular goal for Honduras.

Yeah, it really was. ********

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

US Defense has to be better. Cameron adn Johnson look good but Gonzalez and especially Chandler look flat.

 

[ThickHead]

US Defense has to be better. Cameron adn Johnson look good but Gonzalez and especially Chandler look flat.

Agreed. We should be better in midfield as well, really. Some really lazy soft passing and too many players waiting on balls to get to them. Class goals at both ends though.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

Agreed. We should be better in midfield as well, really. Some really lazy soft passing and too many players waiting on balls to get to them. Class goals at both ends though.

I think Jones and Bradley have done well and it seems like in reality they're running a 4-3-3 cause Danny Williams never seems to go forward but Johnson seems to sit up with Altidore and Dempsey. I've also not been loving that no one seems to be getting the ball to Altidore to hold, he's so good at that but it seems like our offense is all on crosses and through chips. Woudl like more Dempsey and Altidore work together but we'll see what happens at half time. Hopefully they get a little more offensive. I'd love to see Zusi come in for Williams.

 

[mrgstiffler]

They all look sluggish. Humidity could be a factor.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

Humidity for sure is a factor, since most of the US players play in Europe where it's cooler and dryer right now.