The Official Football/Soccer Thread: 2017-2018 Season
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21st Century Paul:
Well, maybe the Iniesta story is all lies. Iniesta has said "He wants to stay in Barça" that's not the same that "I will stay in Barça" the real saying it's like... "I want to stay here but if they give me more money I will go there" or so.
Of course it's lies. It's from MARCA, ffs. : Iniesta can't say that he "will" stay because Barca has a say in the matter too. But they'd get rid of Deco before Iniesta. But if you wish to keep dreaming, more power to you.
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21st Century Paul:
... any agreement between football club president has not much credibility. When Perez signed Figo there was "peace" between Barça and Madrid too. I don't know when they really had the agreement with Saviola for instance.
Perez wasn't president when he first talked about signing Figo. He was a candidate in the elections and was trying to win over the socios by promising a big signing (as all candidates do). So he had no agreement to live up to. Only his selffishness of wanting to win the presidency. Even after he became president there wasn't any agreement between the two clubs that I'd heard of. It was only after Laporta became president in 2003 that an agreement was made. And given that a press release by the Board of Directors stating they had no interest in Iniesta was posted on Real Madrid's own website, it looks like Calderon is living up to the agreement. Drenthe has publicly stated he'd rather sign for Barca. But Txiki stated after securing Milito that there'll likely be no more signings.
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I use to read AS not MARCA. AS uses to be much accurate, let's see what they say this weekend.
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First day of training at La Masia!
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AFC Asian Cup final is set. Wednesday's semifinals: Iraq 0-0 Korea Rep Iraq advances on penalties 4-3 Japan 2-3 Saudi Arabia So an all-Middle East final. And what's up with Iraq?! They made headlines in 2004 when they reached the Olympic semifinals, and now they're in the Asian Cup final! I don't think they were even expected to get out of their group. Great stuff. Would love to see them lift the trophy.
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Check out the Liverpool Football Club website for their new stadium.....it' bloody fantastic.....
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Saw it on BBC website. Very nice. Dare I say, Everton's looks great as well. Actually, I should say someone posted pics from the club websites.
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Barcelona finally breaks the Dundee United jinx! 1-0 in their first preseason match. Henry converted his own rebound after his 90th minute penalty was saved! Very impressed with the two youngsters, Giovani and Bojan. Would love to see them get some minutes during the league campaign, even if it's against the likes of Almeria and Murcia. Meanwhile, Los Comedicos de Madrid...
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Congratulations to IRAQ! 2007 AFC Asian Cup Champions And thoroughly deserved as they were the more dominant against Saudi Arabia in the final. But they had to wait until the 72nd minute when Younis Mahmoud headed home from a corner to finally put the Iraqis in front. A team made up of Shi'ites, Ķurds and Sunnis, and coached by a Brazilian. With the fractured infrastructure and lack of preparation time that the team was able to put in before the tournament, and with the pre-tournament talk all about Japan, Iran, Australia and Korea, I get a sense that this victory is almost as shocking as Greece at EURO 2004. 1-1 v Thailand 3-1 v Australia 0-0 v Oman 2-0 v Vietnam 0-0 v Korea Republic (4-3 on penalties) 1-0 v Saudi Arabia Good tournament overall. First time I've ever watched the Asian Cup competition.
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La Masia... I think I haven't been there since Laudrup played... I remember Cruyff passing between us going to... the skating palace next to the fields. What the heck should he did there? Maybe they trained to play with skates on their feet or so... the ball wouldn't last long...
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I don't know about skates, but on Tuesday Real Madrid sure didn't have their football boots on. Or maybe they did. Hannover 96 .......... 3 Real Madrid ............ 0 I guess Schuster is now complaining to Calderon about how much Robben and Kaka are now needed. : Although I feel the problem can be solved with the spending of another ?50 million for Royston Drenthe.
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Prem is up and running!!
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And what a start! Roy Keane's boys setting the league alight with the last kick against Spurs!
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I'm going to study abroad in London in Fall of 08 for college from August - December. Will I be able to catch a football game at the Wembley Stadium? I love football and I'd like to go to Wembley as well. I just dont' know when football season is.
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The season lasts from August through May. But Wembley sees very few matches at top class level. Only the England national team and the two cup finals - League Cup in March and FA Cup in May - are played there... that I can think of. Of course, I'm out here in California so what do I know. The lower division playoff finals are played there too. England fixtures scheduled at Wembley: 22 Aug, friendly v Germany (sold out) 8 Sept, EURO qualifier v Israel (sold out) 12 Sept, EURO qualifier v Russia 13 Oct, EURO qualfier v Estonia 21 Nov, EURO qualifier v Croatia
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Are those all for next year? I"m also from CA. Except I dont' know anything.
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I continue not standing the Real Madrid playing. Whether winning or losing. It's the same than with Capello, because they are the same players, no good passes. And we don't have Beckham that did some. It seems Sneijder is gonna be the "great passer" Real Madrid badly needs. If not, you know... Emerson and Diarra in the midfield and balls above them.
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ops: Oops, missed the 08 part. The one match that's a certain is the Community Shield, which I would guess will be played on either August 4th or 11th. The Comminity Shield is the traditional "curtain raiser" to the English league season and is played between the defending Premier League champions and the FA Cup winners. In other words, Man Utd will be playing someone. The England team will likely be hosting 2 or 3 World Cup qualification matches during that time as well. Opponents and dates won't be known until after the drawing of groups in November.
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21st Century Paul:
I continue not standing the Real Madrid playing. Whether winning or losing. It's the same than with Capello, because they are the same players, no good passes. And we don't have Beckham that did some. It seems Sneijder is gonna be the "great passer" Real Madrid badly needs. If not, you know... Emerson and Diarra in the midfield and balls above them.
Ronaldinho, Eto'o and Henry looked great together last night, even if it was against a Hong Kong select squad. Still, it gives me hope when they play a decent side. Iniesta also has been looking great in preseason, and Yaya looks to be the defensive midfielder the team lacked last season. Barca play Bayern Munich on Wednesday. Messi will be available too.
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Iniesta has all the future, he's very young... and lives in my hometown, a little away from just here. BUT! finally here's the man. If he plays in Ajax (the passing team) as offensive midfielder must be a great passer. Sneijder signed by 27 milions (and Drenthe by 14) Honestly, I've never seen Sneijder play but well... 21st Century... we've got the video games. I've checked fifa07 and he seems to be not a fast player, kind of slow running, but a terrific passer, and great scorer for a midfielder, and very good defender for a ofensive midfielder. I've even played with Real Madrid with Sneijder and Metzelder in the starting team, way much better than before. One option 4-1-2-1-2 Casillas; Sergio Ramos (Cicinho), Metzelder (Pepe), Cannavaro, Drenthe (Torres); Diarra; Emerson, Guti; Sneijder; Robinho, Van Nistelrooy (Raul). Another one 4-2-3-1 Casillas; Sergio Ramos (Cicinho), Metzelder (Pepe), Cannavaro, Torres (Drenthe); Diarra, Drenthe (Emerson); Robinho, Sneijder, Guti; Van Nistelrooy (Raul) too many lefties player, by the way. On the game I prefer option 1, because Real Madrid has not a left wing really, only Robinho could play there but then we miss a right wing then. Real Madrid should have problems to play the ball anyway with option 1. until Guti and Sneijder have it. But Robinho would play where he scores and the midfield will defend even better. Also if Drenthe is good with the ball he could help a lot. I don't think there could be more surprises in Real Madrid. Some players like Cassano, Baptista, Emerson are in doubt to continue here. Schuster got what he wanted a "Ballack" a "offensive midfielder that also scores" and defends, it seems. Not a dribbler. Real Madrid will have the problem of how start every ball possession and Barcelona the problem of counter attack because with such fast forwards the defenders are all gonna wait for them in their own penalty area. And Barcelona has not the kind of players needed when one team goes back, to make air passes (how do you call it?) and score. That's Raul and Van Nistelrooy job. Barsa is somewhat "easy" to defend with 4-4-2 defending way back. Like Chelsea did it to them for instance. All the speed is useless then and you need to score in another ways. And the trouble of Real Madrid is the oppossite, is easier to defend if you disturb the defenders starting the ball possession. What a long post. bye.