The Official Football/Soccer Thread: 2017-2018 Season
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21st Century Paul:
I think it's not a question of coaches... Spanish youths of all aged are used to win in the last 20 years.
Here is the list of honours: -- Champion, U-16 European Championships (1991) -- Runner-up, U-17 FIFA World Championships (1991) -- Runner-up, U-16 European Championships (1992) -- Runner-up, U-16 European Championships (1995) -- Runner-up, U-18 European Championships (1996) -- Champion, U-16 European Championships (1997) -- Third Place, U-17 FIFA World Championships (1997) -- Champion, U-16 European Championships (1999) -- Champion, UEFA/CAF Meridian Cup (1999) -- Champion, UEFA/CAF Meridian Cup (2001) -- Champion, U-16 European Championships (2001) -- Third Place, U-18 European Championships (2001) -- Champion, UEFA/CAF Meridian Cup (2003) -- Runner-up, U-17 UEFA European Championships (2003) -- Runner-up, U-17 FIFA World Championships (2003) -- Runner-up, U-17 UEFA European Championships (2004) -- Champion, UEFA/CAF Meridian Games (2005) -- Third Place, U-17 UEFA European Championships (2006) -- Champion, UEFA/CAF Meridian Cup (U-18 Level)(2007) -- Champion, U-17 UEFA European Championships (2007) -- Champion, U-19 UEFA European Championships (2007) -- Runner-up, U-17 FIFA World Cup (2007) -- Champion, U-17 UEFA European Championships (200
Santisteban was the coach of all of these teams. How can you say it's not a question of coaches when these youth players have accomplished nothing with the senior team? Surely, Santisteban had to have played a key role in all that success.
And bringing him in to lead the selección would be ideal since the players know what he can do (and thus gain more confidence) and how he plays.
21st Century Paul:
BTW! Schuster has said that Raul is out of the Spanish team by "not football related questions", there's something wrong between him and Aragones or between him and the president of the football federation or whatever, but it's not because Aragones thinks he's not good enough as a player to be in the national team.
I thought it was well known by now. Raúl, Salgado and Cañizares allegedly criticised Aragones very passionately on his tactics during the 2006 World Cup. That's the reason many believe Raul hasn't been selected. Raul asked for that meeting with Aragones a couple of months ago to try and smooth everything out in a desperate attempt to get on the squad. But Aragones supposedly believes that Raul is very influential with many players and the team doesn't need to be distracted any more than they already are with that "underachievers" label hanging over them. Besides, Spain have looked good in qualifying and have gone 14 games unbeaten without Raul including wins over England, Greece, France and Italy. "If it's not broke, don't try and fix it" Defence is where the problem lies with the team. Specifically central defence. And as talented as those midfielders are, many are similar in style. Probably too many. If I was a betting man, I'd probably say Spain do the same as always: Out at the quarterfinal stage.
But I'm hoping for at least the semifinals.
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Good luck to Man U fans on Weds night!! It will be a tough one as both teams are unbeatable at the moment. I would love to see Chelsea lose but reckon it will be draw. If it is, Chelsea will complain bitterly and we'll never hear the end of it.
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Final score: Man U: 1 Chelsea 1 But Man U win 6-5 on penalties WELL DONE MANCHESTER UNITED
((((((((((((((((( To all Man U fans on this board including Intheskywithdiamonds )))))))))))))))) Thank you s0oooooooo much
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21st Century Paul:
The match of Aguero will go down in history. Someone sign him before it's too late. I'm quoting myself... "Ok, even worse... 55 euro milions away... they could have signed almost anyone else... Cesc, Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo, mmm... Diego, Aguero, Villa, Iniesta? , Essien..." I think it's easy. They are gonna become the next greatest players.
unclesox:
Those people you listed are already recognizable names. Give me some new names that I've never heard of. And I don't mean someone like Pato, whom everyone is already dubbing as the next great talent. Have you heard of either Ezequiel Lavezzi or Pablo Piatti?
21st Century Paul:
No, I don't know those two you mention.
Your introduction to Lavezzi may come on Saturday. He's been included in the Argentina squad to play Catalunya at Camp Nou.
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Congrats MU I supported MU for Tomasz Kuszczak* of Poland as substitute goal-keeper
* [koosh-chuck]
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Now the footie is over what are we going to talk about in this thread? Next season? Yeah, I want to know who the Gunners are going to buy this summer. I heard that Everton have put in a bigger bid for a French player than the Gunners. Don't know if this is true or not .... can anyone clarify?? Sorry I don't remember the name of the player and have lost the paper it was in (sorry!!)
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Which team/teams will you be cheering on? What would be your Dream Final? Which team/teams do you hope fail miserably? Do you have a dark horse team that one shouldn't write off? (Team that could shock) Which player(s) do you think will shine the brightest in Austria/Switzerland? Are there any countries that failed to qualify that you wish had? Which EURO tournament was the first you remember watching? (What year?) Your all-time EURO memory.
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Which team/teams will you be cheering on? Spain and Germany What would be your Dream Final? Spain -v- anyone. As long as penalties against Germany is avoided! Which team/teams do you hope fail miserably? Portugal, Holland and probably Italy as well. Do you have a dark horse team that one shouldn't write off? (Team that could shock) They're the defending champs yet no one is talking about them. But I think Greece could surprise once again. Which player(s) do you think will shine the brightest in Austria/Switzerland? David Villa, Michael Ballack... and Henrik Larsson! Are there any countries that failed to qualify that you wish had? Scotland, mainly because of the Tartan Army. Best supporters in the world.
I do wish there was a way Brazil and Argentina could compete, though.
What player who will not be playing in the tournament will you miss the most? It's a shame the Brazilian-Croat Eduardo will miss out through injury. Will also miss Michael Owen as he appeared to have regained some of his old form back. Which EURO tournament was the first you remember watching? (What year?) 1980 in Italy. Your all-time EURO memory. -- England v Belgium halted for 10 minutes due to tear gas that had drifted onto the pitch after Italian police had fired cannisters at rioting English hooligans in 1980. -- Raul deflating the hopes of a nation by missing a penalty in the 89th minute in the 2000 quarterfinals against France. -- Cristiano Ronaldo crying like the baby he is after Portugal lost the 2004 final on home soil to Greece. -- Jimmy Jump running onto the pitch and throwing a Barcelona banner at Figo in the dying seconds of that 2004 final.
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And football does exist outside Europe.
Copa Libertadores - Quarterfinals São Paulo (BRA) - Fluminense (BRA) .......... 1-0 , 1-3 Club América (MEX) - Santos FC (BRA) .......... 2-0 , 2nd leg tonight San Lorenzo (ARG) - LDU Quito (ECU) ........ 1-1 , 1-1 (3-5 penalties) Boca Juniors (ARG) - Atlas (MEX) ................ 2-2 , 3-0
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UPDATE: Club América (MEX) - Santos FC (BRA) ........ 2-0 , 0-1 Great game with Santos having lots of chances to equalize but America did well to hold out. SEMIFINALS Boca Juniors (ARG) -v- Fluminense (BRA) Club América (MEX) -v- LDU Quito (ECU)
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unclesox:
Do you have a dark horse team that one shouldn't write off? (Team that could shock) They're the defending champs yet no one is talking about them. But I think Greece could surprise once again.
That would be SWEET!
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unclesox:
No, I don't know those two you mention
Your introduction to Lavezzi may come on Saturday. He's been included in the Argentina squad to play Catalunya at Camp Nou.
okey, let's see this guy, but I hardly get surprised by a player, in my life I've only recall being amazed by Guardiola, Laudrup, Raul, Maldini, Baresi, Ronaldinho and Zidane.
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unclesox:
I don't believe much in coaches but in players, the Spanish have had all kind of coaches anyway... Which team/teams will you be cheering on? Spain, as long as they play well, and anyone that does it, that bring show to... the show. Maybe Holland and France... What would be your Dream Final? Spain against a very tough rival, probably Italy, it's the anti-Spain. Which team/teams do you hope fail miserably? The ones that will play miserably.
I don't expect much show, there wasn't any in the last Euro Cup, very boring to me. Anyone who plays with all the midfielders so defensive that can't play the ball. It's ok if a defender can't play the ball but if a midfielder can't.... surely there are thousand of guys in that country that would do it better. Do you have a dark horse team that one shouldn't write off? (Team that could shock) Spain
LMAO!
Which player(s) do you think will shine the brightest in Austria/Switzerland? Lampard... wait, no... Raul, wait...
mmm... Iniesta. Are there any countries that failed to qualify that you wish had? England! it's hard to say the Premier League it's the best league when England is not even in the quarterfinals, are Lampard, Rooney, Ferdinand, Terry and Gerrard really good or they just play well in that kind of football? of course Brazil and Argentina too, but then we would have the World Cup. Which EURO tournament was the first you remember watching? (What year?) 1984 Won by France over Spain at the final. A very strange free kick from Platini, this time he strangely shooted in a poor way, but, strange too, Arconada, Spanish goalkeeper did a horrible miss. Your all-time EURO memory.
Some are in the previous matches. Spain winning Malta 12-1 in 1983. They needed to win with an advantage of 11 goals to Malta to qualify instead of Netherlands, and they did. I've never seen any team attacking so much. There was anxiety to recover the ball. Another game in the previous. Spain 9-Austria 0. The most brilliant game I've seen on any team. It was an official match and anyway it happened. 4 goals of Raul, he was the best, but everyone was great. The famous Van Basten volley in that final. The penalty that Hierro hitted in the bar in the quarterfinals in Wembley against England. The ball went back to the midfield, and Spain out. Michael Laudrup and its genius in 1996. And Zidane in 2000. The super-boring Euro 2004.
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Hey, Manchester has won the Champions League, yes, we know it... I heared that before the game there was a match of famous retired players and Michael Laudrup was still the best. you know I've never liked Anelka?
well, except Belletti no-one shoot the penalties well, so all could have been stopped. And it was very special to see the fight between Essien and Cristiano Ronaldo. Essien couldn't defende Cristiano headings and Cristiano can't defence so Essien was the most dangerous Chelsea player playing as a full back.
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(yes, another post, last one) What team would you bring with you to win the cup? (European players only, and into the FIFA system) Casillas Sagnol, Sergio Ramos, Puyol, Grosso Iniesta Lampard Pirlo Gattuso Raul Cristiano Ronaldo
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I just heard that the Chelsea manager has been sacked for not winning anything this year. That's tickled me for the day.
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21st Century Paul:
unclesox:
No, I don't know those two you mention
Your introduction to Lavezzi may come on Saturday. He's been included in the Argentina squad to play Catalunya at Camp Nou.
okey, let's see this guy, but I hardly get surprised by a player, in my life I've only recall being amazed by Guardiola, Laudrup, Raul, Maldini, Baresi, Ronaldinho and Zidane.
Argentina defeats Catalunya 1-0... Lavezzi the lone scorer.
Albeit a lucky goal. But he had a great chance to score in the first half when Messi put him through but he could only hit the side netting. Only 42,000 at Camp Nou but the Argentina support looked strong, as usual.
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21st Century Paul:
Some are in the previous matches. Spain winning Malta 12-1 in 1983. They needed to win with an advantage of 11 goals to Malta to qualify instead of Netherlands, and they did. I've never seen any team attacking so much. There was anxiety to recover the ball.
That game has come under a lot of scrutiny because Spain only led 3-1 at halftime.
Some compare it to Argentina's controversial 6-0 win over Peru in the '78 World Cup.
21st Century Paul:
Michael Laudrup and its genius in 1996.
Two things wrong in this sentence... 1) Denmark won in 1992. 2) Michael Laudrup didn't play in that tournament because he had differences with the coach Nielsen during the qualification rounds where they initally failed to qualify. Even when UEFA allowed them to take Yugoslavia's place Michael refused the call up.
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unclesox:
21st Century Paul:
Some are in the previous matches. Spain winning Malta 12-1 in 1983. They needed to win with an advantage of 11 goals to Malta to qualify instead of Netherlands, and they did. I've never seen any team attacking so much. There was anxiety to recover the ball.
That game has come under a lot of scrutiny because Spain only led 3-1 at halftime.
Some compare it to Argentina's controversial 6-0 win over Peru in the '78 World Cup.
21st Century Paul:
Michael Laudrup and its genius in 1996.
Two things wrong in this sentence... 1) Denmark won in 1992. 2) Michael Laudrup didn't play in that tournament because he had differences with the coach Nielsen during the qualification rounds where they initally failed to qualify. Even when UEFA allowed them to take Yugoslavia's place Michael refused the call up.
No, I'm not wrong.
Denmark won in 1992 not 1996, and did it without Michael Laudrup, sure. But I remind Laudrup playing in 1996. I don't know about Malta. In the end of the game the players of Malta seem like not playing... but not at the beginning... Anyway Spain scored the goal 12 in the last 5 minutes.... and the goalkeeper of Malta seemed very angry all the second half... I don't think it was faked but who knows.
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21st Century Paul:
unclesox:
21st Century Paul:
Michael Laudrup and its genius in 1996.
Two things wrong in this sentence... 1) Denmark won in 1992. 2) Michael Laudrup didn't play in that tournament because he had differences with the coach Nielsen during the qualification rounds where they initally failed to qualify. Even when UEFA allowed them to take Yugoslavia's place Michael refused the call up.
No, I'm not wrong.
Denmark won in 1992 not 1996, and did it without Michael Laudrup, sure. But I remind Laudrup playing in 1996.
He played, but what did he do that was so "genius"? Denmark drew against Portugal in their first game and were hammered 3-0 by Croatia in their second game. By the time they played Turkey they needed help from Croatia to advance, and the Turks had nothing to play for and thus didn't put up a spirited effort. Besides, his brother, Brian, had a better tournament than he did.