The [Horribly Unpopular] Soccer Thread

[Qhrumphf]

Woah! Lewandowski en feugo.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...bayern-munich-against-wolfsburg-10513390.html

Wow. Just wow.

 

[jspain3]

Pep's reaction was perfect. Utter awe.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1442964576.278044.jpg

 

[Talgrath]

[dramatically removes glasses]

My god, he's right!

I did the math because I was curious on Sunday, games in hand and schedule really can lead to some interesting situations. To be clear, I think one of the top 3 in the west is most likely to clinch first, but stranger things have happened...

 

[Reno_eNVy]

I did the math because I was curious on Sunday, games in hand and schedule really can lead to some interesting situations. To be clear, I think one of the top 3 in the west is most likely to clinch first, but stranger things have happened...

You mean like Colorado winning the Cup? Or like Colorado winning the Cup as the Eastern Conference champions?

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

Woah! Lewandowski en feugo.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...bayern-munich-against-wolfsburg-10513390.html

It's insane that he did that in 9 minutes. Of course 2 of them were total cake walk tap in types, but you just don't do that. It's insane. Especially odn't do that vs a good team like Wolfsburg. This isn't that Real vs some bum spanish side who had no one playing. This is a quality team.

 

[Talgrath]

You mean like Colorado winning the Cup? Or like Colorado winning the Cup as the Eastern Conference champions?

Yes, or RSL doing the same in 2009. God that was a stupid, silly idea.

 

[Hugh_Jass]

I have not confirmed this but I read he scored 5 goals with 9 times on the ball. If that's true, it's insane.


Edit: 10 touches to score 5 goals. Check out his touch map.
http://m.bbc.com/sport/football/34332408

 

[Qhrumphf]

I have not confirmed this but I read he scored 5 goals with 9 times on the ball. If that's true, it's insane.


Edit: 10 touches to score 5 goals. Check out his touch map.
http://m.bbc.com/sport/football/34332408

Didn't watch the whole match but it looked like (if you don't count the one two with the woodwork prior to scoring) 5 goals in 5 shots. Madness.

I'm amazed DC United squeaked out a draw last night.

And even though i made it home on time, internet is out so I'm listening to NLD instead. Fotmob is a fantastic app if anyone doesn't use it already.

COME ON YOU SPURS.

 

[jspain3]

Didn't watch the whole match but it looked like (if you don't count the one two with the woodwork prior to scoring) 5 goals in 5 shots. Madness.

I'm amazed DC United squeaked out a draw last night.

And even though i made it home on time, internet is out so I'm listening to NLD instead. Fotmob is a fantastic app if anyone doesn't use it already.

COME ON YOU SPURS.

He honestly should've had at least a 6th goal as well. A defender cleared it off the line. Craziness. Even having 5 shots on goal in a 9 minute span is rare.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Well, LA mediocre'd their way into the next stage of CCL. The starting lineup had literally zero starters and the only non-LA2 players starting were Gargan and Gordo.

 

[Talgrath]

Well, LA mediocre'd their way into the next stage of CCL. The starting lineup had literally zero starters and the only non-LA2 players starting were Gargan and Gordo.

Well, when your opposition comes from Trinidad and Tobago and Guatemala you can afford to be a little lazy. Next round should see LA trying a little harder.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Well, when your opposition comes from Trinidad and Tobago and Guatemala you can afford to be a little lazy. Next round should see LA trying a little harder.

True. It's just stroke-inducing sometimes. I understand the strategy and I'd rather have rested legs for the MLS match on Sunday but at the same time I'd have liked a bit more experience in the midfield in order to secure the group win a little more soundly.

But at least they didn't do their usual "let's bring the best starting XI the league has ever seen and play like ass because we turn into amateurs on the road"

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

He honestly should've had at least a 6th goal as well. A defender cleared it off the line. Craziness. Even having 5 shots on goal in a 9 minute span is rare.

Having 5 chances even if the shot doesn't go on net is pretty rare.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34363289

Blatter getting blattered.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34363289

Blatter getting blattered.

Here's hoping Sepp and everybody who rode his jock for handouts gets slapped down hard.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Here's hoping Sepp and everybody who rode his jock for handouts gets slapped down hard.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34363289

Blatter getting blattered.

Take em all, i say.

 

[Talgrath]

This is what a lot of people thought would happen, the accusations started with folks in the Americas (South and North) and its now spreading outward as offices get raided and documents and accounts are examined. This is literally going to take years to sort out, especially with multiple governments sending out indictments. Hold on to your butts, this is about to get a lot more complicated.

 

[Talgrath]

Looks like Neymar may have pulled a Messi, and not in the good way. Neymar had some of his assets frozen in a tax evasion case in Brazil.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2572031-neymar-has-assets-frozen-in-tax-evasion-case-details-reaction

 

[Hugh_Jass]

Some happy spurs all up in here.

 

[Talgrath]

...and Messi is out for two months.

http://thebiglead.com/2015/09/26/lionel-messi-has-mcl-tear-will-miss-7-8-weeks/

 

[Talgrath]

If you're a USMNT fan but not a fan of MLS, this post is kinda relevant to you: Keep the name Cyle Larin in mind, because he's probably going to score some goals on us. Cyle Larin not only broke the rookie scoring record last night, but he shattered it with a hat trick. With 14 goals on the season he's tied with last season's Golden Boot winner, Bradley Wright Phillips, for 6th. Unfortunately for the USMNT, Cyle Larin is Canadian (boo!) and seems quite happy playing for his home country, as long as he keeps pushing himself he'll be a thorn in our side whenever we face Canada in the future.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Some happy spurs all up in here.

Watched the first half, and then was judging during the second and couldn't really watch.

I figured Strong Ales were fitting, dull the senses after we got slaughtered by Man City. Never would have guessed it would go the other way, eh? Wish I'd been able to watch the second, but I was getting the updates from Fotmob.

Glad Harry finally found the back of the net.

Loving the released images of the new stadium. http://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnatio...m-northumberland-development-project-drawings I haven't been to White Hart Lane in a VERY long time (not since I was a young boy), and made my wife promise we'd go back to the new one, whatever they end up calling it, once it's done.

And of course it's Drogba scoring twice in the first 11 minutes.

 

[Talgrath]

Crazy weekend in MLS, does anyone actually want the Supporter's Shield? Because the only one playing like it at the top is LA. RSL isn't officially dead, but that late goal loss almost seals it. Somehow Houston are alive again. The Impact are scary now, thanks to Drogba and DC United are screwing up their season right at the end. There's still nobody safe in the west. Oh yeah, and Chicago are now officially out of the playoffs, I'll probably do a write-up on that in a while.

 

[Talgrath]

So, a quick look at the Chicago Fire, how it relates to the national team, what went wrong and what they can do to fix it.

Why does this matter to the USMNT?
Sean Johnson and Harry Shipp are some fantastic, all-American talents that could be utilized by the USMNT at some point (Johnson already has 5 caps), but they languish in obscurity and frustration in Chicago.

How are they out?
With 3 games left in the season they are 15 points out, impossible to make.

What went wrong?
Well, just about everything. Let's start with player selections, believe it or not the Fire formerly had not only have a full 3 designated players, but they bought down Kennedy Igboanaike with TAM money so they had four. They just sold off Shaun Maloney to Hull after he did virtually nothing, despite insisting they wanted to keep him. The rest of the DPs are similarly disappointing. Frank Yallop was a terrible choice for coach and the team actually got worse over his tenure after being terrible before.

What went right?
Sean Johnson continues to be great goalkeeper, Harry Shipp is a great young midfielder and Jeff Larentowicz continues to be solid at defensive mid. Towards the end of the year David Accam and Kennedy Igboanaike have begun to score goals so maybe next year they'll earn their salaries. That's about it.

What do they need to do improve?
In theory, Chicago should be a "big market" team, but realistically it's a mid or even low market team due to competing sports. If they're going to be a mid-market team, they need to utilize their resources as a mid market team. The Fire need to invest in great scouts and a player academy to either sell their young talent to other teams or to develop them to play for the Fire on the cheap (until they get talented enough to be traded to other leagues or teams). The Fire will, almost certainly, have first pick in the draft, they absolutely 100% need to get that pick right. Finally, instead of buying three or four borderline designated players, spend big on just one or two guys (See: Drogba to Montreal Impact) and get a coach that can really utilize young talent.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Chicago will find a way to ruin next year before it even begins, I'm sure. But seriously, they need a manager with actual strategy. Chicago can be very successful, they are just missing a couple key pieces (and Amarikwa was one of them... silly trade)

 

[Talgrath]

Chicago will find a way to ruin next year before it even begins, I'm sure. But seriously, they need a manager with actual strategy. Chicago can be very successful, they are just missing a couple key pieces (and Amarikwa was one of them... silly trade)

In a certain sense, the Amarikwa trade makes sense. David Accam, Kennedy Igboanaike, and Mike Magee (when he's healthy) are all better strikers than Amarikwa. On paper Shaun Maloney was a better striker than Amarikwa too. With an excess amount of seemingly quality forwards there's no reason to keep an average striker like Amarikwa on the roster when you can trade him for someone to plug your holes elsewhere.

On the other hand, giving up Amarikwa for Ty Harden is just stupid. Ty Harden may be a player they needed, but for a decent forward like Amarikwa you should at least get a Ty Harden and something else, either another defender or allocation money or something. Competent forwards, even forwards that only score once every 3 games or so on the average, are worth a lot more than one below average center back. That said, Chicago has made dumber moves than this, in fact, given how dumb their ownership and GMs have been, I fully expect to see Sean Johnson traded for a cheesesteak in the offseason to Philadelphia were he will be given a new designated player contract right before he tears his ACL because the Union screw up even the best goalkeeper decisions somehow.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

This will be the best assist you'll see in a long time.

https://streamable.com/bhs2

 

[Qhrumphf]

I figured it was a matter of time before Son was out on injury. Didn't think it'd happen THIS fast.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

This will be the best assist you'll see in a long time.

https://streamable.com/bhs2

 

[Grannyknot]

This will be the best assist you'll see in a long time.

https://streamable.com/bhs2

still think this one is better.

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