The Official Football/Soccer Thread: 2017-2018 Season
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unclesox:
Congratualtions to Valencia CF, 3-1 victors over Getafe and winners of the Spanish Cup for the seventh time in the club's history.
yeah, and they rebelled against Koeman. They didn't play the same 4-3-3 that Koeman always uses (kind of Rijkaard) and played the usual system for Valencia in the last 10 years, a kind of English-German 4-4-2 with wings that do crossings, even with Morientes at the very end. And the 3 goals were headings are usual with that system. Nothing new, the way Valencia has played since I remember.
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who gives a flock about football n futbol?...we live in a collective society that is divided by national and religious opinion! Look @ thee continuing results!!! Who gives a flock about football n futbol???
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SurSteven:
who gives a flock about football n futbol?...we live in a collective society that is divided by national and religious opinion! Look @ thee contiuning results!!! Who gives a flock about football n futbol???
I think I don't have any religious opinion or "Spanish" one and I like football anyway....
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SurSteven:
who gives a flock about football n futbol???
Obviously, you don't. Which begs the question, "Why post in this thread?"
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21st Century Paul:
unclesox:
Laudrup wasn't the same situation as Figo as his contract was up (I think). And Barcelona were eager to get rid of many after losing to Milan in the '94 European Cup final, including Zubizarreta, Eusebio, Txiki, Stoichkov, Romario and Koeman.
No Laudrup contract was not up. Real Madrid paid 150 milion (pesetas) and Laudrup was the only star of the team that did not play in the final. Well I think he played the last 10 minutes.
Laudrup had fallen out of favor with Cruyff at the time. Cruyff had signed Hagi to be the fourth foreign player along with Romario, Stoichkov and Koeman (they could only field three at one time during those days). Some have suggested Barcelona having Laudrup as the number one and Guardiola as the number two. I would favor that situation. Pep is only coaching in his first season and it's with a third division side. He needs more experience before taking full control of the first team. Assisting Laudrup would be ideal. Barcelona's 18-man squad for 'El Derbi" looks to be at full strength with the exception of Ronaldinho: Valdés, Pinto Zambrotta, Puyol, Milito, Márquez, Sylvinho, Abidal Xavi, Touré, Iniesta, Deco, Gudjohnsen Messi, Eto'o, Bojan, Henry, Giovani
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SurSteven:
we live in a collective society that is divided by national and religious opinion!
You must have watched Wednesday's Old Firm derby then.
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21st Century Paul:
unclesox:
Congratualtions to Valencia CF, 3-1 victors over Getafe and winners of the Spanish Cup for the seventh time in the club's history.
yeah, and they rebelled against Koeman. They didn't play the same 4-3-3 that Koeman always uses (kind of Rijkaard) and played the usual system for Valencia in the last 10 years, a kind of English-German 4-4-2 with wings that do crossings, even with Morientes at the very end. And the 3 goals were headings are usual with that system. Nothing new, the way Valencia has played since I remember.
Morientes' headed goal came off a rebound free kick that was saved by Usty, not from a cross on the wing. Still, they are in danger of being relegated and at the moment the sharks are swimmimg around ready for the fire sale that will happen if Valencia drop to the Segunda. David Silva can take Ronnie's place on the left, and Miguel can take over for Zambrotta.
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Well Morientes goal didn't come from a crossing I know, it looked like the Raul goals.... but forget about Raul. Besides the Barcelona derby, here comes probably the match of the year. Barcelona FC vs Manchester Utd It is supposed for Barça to have no options. I only wonder if ManU is gonna play as usual, I mean with open spaces at defence and their strikers not defending. That would be the best thing for Barça, space to run and drible like happens the Premier. On the contrary too, lots of players from ManU attacking Barça that is not very defensive. It reminds me the rounds of the European Cup not so long ago between ManU and Real Madrid that were like 5-3 and 4-1 or 3-2 and 4-4. I expect a lot of goals, but most of them by Man Utd. but no way it can be boring. Barça seems ("surprisingly" ) to have everyone ready to play now. Messi, Etoo, Henry, Xavi, Deco, Iniesta, Abidal, Toure, Zambrotta, Puyol, Bojan, and I think Ronie too. I think Puyol would mark Cristiano Ronaldo and Cristiano would not do much. Barça is gonna have more space that in any other game of the season. Unless ManU will not play as usual.
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21st Century Paul:
Well Morientes goal didn't come from a crossing I know, it looked like the Raul goals.... but forget about Raul.
I try to but you keep bringing him up.
21st Century Paul:
It reminds me the rounds of the European Cup not so long ago between ManU and Real Madrid that were like 5-3 and 4-1 or 3-2 and 4-4. I expect a lot of goals, but most of them by Man Utd. but no way it can be boring.
2000 quarterfinals Real Madrid - Manchester United ..... 0-0, 3-2 2003 quarterfinals Real Madrid - Manchester United ..... 3-1, 3-4
21st Century Paul:
Barça seems ("surprisingly" ) to have everyone ready to play now. Messi, Etoo, Henry, Xavi, Deco, Iniesta, Abidal, Toure, Zambrotta, Puyol, Bojan, and I think Ronie too. I think Puyol would mark Cristiano Ronaldo and Cristiano would not do much.
Rijkaard's 18-man squad against Espanyol: Valdés, Pinto Zambrotta, Puyol, Milito, Márquez, Sylvinho, Abidal Xavi, Touré, Iniesta, Deco, Gudjohnsen Messi, Eto'o, Bojan, Henry, Giovani Puyol is suspended for the first game at Camp Nou. Back line will likely be... Zambrotta -- Marquez -- Milito -- Abidal Sylvinho's contract was to end after this season but Barcelona have offered him another one-year extension and he's agreed. I'd like to see him start against Man Utd as he's much more dangerous going forward than Abidal, who started the season well but has slowed down a bit.
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unclesox:
] 2000 quarterfinals Real Madrid - Manchester United ..... 0-0, 3-2 2003 quarterfinals Real Madrid - Manchester United ..... 3-1, 3-4 I reminded the last 3 games
21st Century Paul:
Barça seems ("surprisingly" ) to have everyone ready to play now. Messi, Etoo, Henry, Xavi, Deco, Iniesta, Abidal, Toure, Zambrotta, Puyol, Bojan, and I think Ronie too. I think Puyol would mark Cristiano Ronaldo and Cristiano would not do much.
Rijkaard's 18-man squad against Espanyol: Valdés, Pinto Zambrotta, Puyol, Milito, Márquez, Sylvinho, Abidal Xavi, Touré, Iniesta, Deco, Gudjohnsen Messi, Eto'o, Bojan, Henry, Giovani Puyol is suspended for the first game at Camp Nou. Back line will likely be... Zambrotta -- Marquez -- Milito -- Abidal Sylvinho's contract was to end after this season but Barcelona have offered him another one-year extension and he's agreed. I'd like to see him start against Man Utd as he's much more dangerous going forward than Abidal, who started the season well but has slowed down a bit.
Well, but with Cristiano Ronaldo don't you think you need a left back that defends quite well at last??? or maybe the idea is, as Cristiano can't defence there would be a lot of chances to attack there... The game can be very crazy.... and with Marquez and Milito I guess Barça would put the defence back as they are a lot slower than the ManUtd strikers.... same for Man Utd defence... I can talk a lot but I don't have a clue of how they're gonna play. Cruyff has been writing a lot lately about Ferguson in the newspapers and all seems unpredictable.
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I could stop talking bout Raul but it has happened again. The Raul inside the area-goal to break the draw and the League is almost won. A 10 points advantage of Real Madrid over Villareal with only 5 matches to go, they could be champions even next week. Some defenders complain bout the... silly funny complicate things Cristiano Ronaldo does when he dribble. They're lucky to have not played against Garrincha then. Garrincha, the best dribler ever!
but Messi or Cristiano may be as good as him in the future... but not yet, they don't have the skill. -
21st Century Paul:
I could stop talking bout Raul but it has happened again.
Aragonés still doesn't care. Nor should he. Spain have done well without him.
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PALMEIRAAAAASSSS UUUUUUUUUH!!!!! Finally a final!!! Now let's beat Ponte Preta and win the Paulistao!!! Palmeiras 2 vs 0 Sao Paulo GRANDE PALESTRA ITALIA!!!!!
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Love Sculpture:
PALMEIRAAAAASSSS UUUUUUUUUH!!!!! Finally a final!!! Now let's beat Ponte Preta and win the Paulistao!!! Palmeiras 2 vs 0 Sao Paulo GRANDE PALESTRA ITALIA!!!!!
Yeah, I watched part of the game, knew it, they have a good team... Internacional is in the final too, but 2 important players got hurt in the semi-final today, Alex and Guiñazu, in my opinion, the two best players in the team...
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InTheSkyWithDiamonds:
Love Sculpture:
PALMEIRAAAAASSSS UUUUUUUUUH!!!!! Finally a final!!! Now let's beat Ponte Preta and win the Paulistao!!! Palmeiras 2 vs 0 Sao Paulo GRANDE PALESTRA ITALIA!!!!!
Yeah, I watched part of the game, knew it, they have a good team... Internacional is in the final too, but 2 important players got hurt in the semi-final today, Alex and Guiñazu, in my opinion, the two best players in the team...
If Palmeiras keep the team and stay united, they will be very competitive during the Campeonato Brasileiro., not only Palmeiras, but Inter too. I am glad Palmeiras have a good team. And I hope yout Inter wins the Gaucho Championship. I hope Palmeiras beats Ponte Preta, I am anxious.
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Link:
¡Visca el Barça! -
Blackpool 2 - 1 Sheff Wed 6' Claus Bech Jorgensen 1 12' 1 Richard Wood 30' Paul Dickov 2 51' Peter Gilbert feck!
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unclesox:
21st Century Paul:
I could stop talking bout Raul but it has happened again.
Aragonés still doesn't care. Nor should he. Spain have done well without him.
Denmark won an Euro Cup without Michael Laudrup, considered to be their best player ever. That's the strangest case I know. The only thing I don't believe is that Aragones doesn't care because of football reason, there should be something else about it, anyway seems it's not gonna be solved. I wish the Golden Ball for Raul though.
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I watched the Barça highlights and Barça did their usual good and bad things. The good things: ball control, passes in small spaces, even from the defenders, better that no other team, that's what we have liked all these years. The bad things: no playing for the wings, only trying to get into the area with passes and dribling. Even the wings try to go to the area instead going away to do crossings. That makes the space to defense smaller. It's very hard to see someone doing a crossing followed by a heading. All it's football "in the ground", nicer to see but there's no way to score if the others defend back. Etoo says he wants to go, Deco says "this team has went down in history". It's over and they'll change. Their Waterloo is this Wednesday against Manchester United. Still a nice game to see.
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21st Century Paul:
All it's football "in the ground", nicer to see but there's no way to score if the others defend back.
But isn't that okay? After all, you believe that jogo bonito is more important than the result.