The Official Football/Soccer Thread: 2017-2018 Season
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21st Century Paul:
Hey, one question about the Fantasy Football. When we start the knockout round every team is gonna have a 110 milion budget. Then it doesn't matter your team's worth or the money in the bank after matchday 6. Am I wrong?
Correct. Only your point total will carry over from the group stage into the knockout rounds. 110m euros to spend and you're allowed unlimited transfers (will not lose points for too many transfers).
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21st Century Paul:
Barcelona vs Atletico de Madrid 8 pm spain time One of those matches that show the measure of the teams.
Advantage Barcelona to the tune of 6-1!
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unclesox:
21st Century Paul:
Barcelona vs Atletico de Madrid 8 pm spain time One of those matches that show the measure of the teams.
Advantage Barcelona to the tune of 6-1!
Absolute Barça show. I've been unlucky enough to arrive home a little late, and the result was already 4-1, so I've missed all those goals. Now Atletico has to play in a row Madrid, Villarreal and Liverpool. Hey, the Camp Nou did the mexican wave for a while The Bernabeu did it sometimes at the end of the past league, here still remains sometimes.
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Sure the Bernabeu didn't make the wave yesterday Real madrid 2-Espanyol 2 The 2 goals of "the never does-a-thing one" (or some say "The always does-a-thing one" :wink. One, the classic Raul goal, losing all the defenders marks and scoring alone, and the other quite classical too. Having a ball inside the mess of the area and scoring in an "easy" way, for him. But maybe Raul didn't play very well yesterday. So many criticism over him could make him return to "egoistic mode", like in the season when he was chosen the 4th in the Golden Ball. Always measuring his efforts and only doing things when the ball is very near from him. Not defending at all. But this way Real Madrid loses the player that defends like no other forward, and that's always moving around to create attack, not much for him, but for others. But, hey if so many people critize him maybe that's what they deserve, Raul in the highlights of the match, and Real Madrid losing. Well, drawing. PS: I would have got 20 points if Raul would do that in the Champions League Being egoistic, a egoistic Raul is good for me.
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There's some controversy over the Golden Ball as usual. Some people start to claiming the Golden Ball for others, with strange results. Sergio Ramos claims it for Casillas and Saviola for Messi. And Torres complains that players of the Spain team claim it for Casillas when he can win it too. there are no official candidates, so to be exact, anyone playing FIFA football in Europe can win. The more likely ones seem to be Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, Casillas, Arshavin, Xavi, Torres... The Golden Ball is voted by journalists of the France Football magazine, is not even voted by players of coaches. So it's supposed to be less accurate and reliable that when players and coaches are asked, but it has a lot of years tradition and his fame is bigger than any other individual recognizition in football. It's like of some music awards choosen by music journalists instead of by musicians... On the other hand, Spain keeps being "enlightened" on the field.
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21st Century Paul:
There's some controversy over the Golden Ball as usual. Some people start to claiming the Golden Ball for others, with strange results. The more likely ones seem to be Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, Casillas, Arshavin, Xavi, Torres...
Many people had already given it to Cristiano Ronaldo back in May. So if he does indeed win it, then I think Wesley Sneijder should finish second because he was perhaps the second best during that time period (January-May). But if they're basing it on the whole calendar year of 2008, from January-December, then it's Messi's easily. He's not only done well with Barcelona but also had an outstanding Olympic tournament with Argentina. Those other names you've listed have no chance at winning the award. Probably only fighting for third place. Another great performance by Spain without Raul. Maybe he'll play in the friendly against Chile in November. Wouldn't mind seeing Arteta given a chance as well.
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Well, these are the official "rules" for the Golden Ball http://www.francefootball.fr/FF/ballon_or/index_bo.html#reg Article 8 - Le scrutin du « Ballon d'Or France Football » porte sur l'activité des joueurs dans le cadre de l'année civile Article 9 - Le « Ballon d'Or France Football » est attribué en fonction de quatre critères principaux : a) Ensemble des performances individuelles et collectives (palmarès) pendant l'année considérée ; b) Classe de joueur (talent + fair play) c) Carrière d) Personnalité, rayonnement they mean the civil year... 2008 not the 2007/2008 or so. Though they give it in December, before the year ends. 4 things matter: a) the titles won by the teams where the player has been b) talent+fair play of the player c) career d) personality, influence so if you go for messi a) Barcelona has not won anything, but Argentina the Olympics, though that's a not a FIFA competition... and b, c, d are subjetive The only players winning titles with his city teams and with the national teams are the Real Madrid ones in the Euro Cup. But they did nothing in the Champions League. Then you have Man Utd winning Premier and Champions, but no-one doing a thing in the Euro Cup. 1956 - MATTHEWS 1957 - DI STEFANO 1958 - KOPA 1959 - DI STEFANO 1960 - SUAREZ 1961 - SIVORI 1962 - MASOPUST 1963 - YACHINE 1964 - LAW 1965 - EUSEBIO 1966 - B.CHARLTON 1967 - ALBERT 1968 - BEST 1969 - RIVERA 1970 - G. MÜLLER 1971 - CRUYFF 1972 - BECKENBAUER 1973 - CRUYFF 1974 - CRUYFF 1975 - BLOKHINE 1976 - BECKENBAUER 1977 - SIMONSEN 1978 - KEEGAN 1979 - KEEGAN 1980 - RUMMENIGGE 1981 - RUMMENIGGE 1982 - P. ROSSI 1983 - PLATINI 1984 - PLATINI 1985 - PLATINI 1986 - BELANOV 1987 - GULLIT 1988 - VAN BASTEN 1989 - VAN BASTEN 1990 - MATTHÄUS 1991 - PAPIN 1992 - VAN BASTEN 1993 - R. BAGGIO 1994 - STOITCHKOV 1995 - WEAH 1996 - SAMMER 1997 - RONALDO 1998 - ZIDANE 1999 - RIVALDO 2000 - FIGO 2001 - OWEN 2002 - RONALDO 2003 - NEDVED 2004 - CHEVTCHENKO 2005 - RONALDINHO 2006 - CANNAVARO 2007 - KAKÀ
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21st Century Paul:
a) Barcelona has not won anything, but Argentina the Olympics, though that's a not a FIFA competition... and b, c, d are subjetive The only players winning titles with his city teams and with the national teams are the Real Madrid ones in the Euro Cup. But they did nothing in the Champions League. Then you have Man Utd winning Premier and Champions, but no-one doing a thing in the Euro Cup.
The Olympic tournament is a FIFA tournament. Just as athletics are official IAAF competitions. The International Olympic Committee does not organize the qualifying competitions. It is all done by the governing bodies of each sport. Olympic football on FIFA website Olympic basketball on FIBA website Olympic athletics on IAAF website All of those governing bodies are in charge of organizing and overseeing the qualifying rounds. Thus, the Olympic tournament is a FIFA sanctioned event. They work together with the IOC to make sure the finals tournament runs smoothly during the Olympics. All the IOC does is award the medals. Indeed, FIFA is attempting to turn the Olympic tournament into the U-23 tournament. But to do this they will have to eliminate the three overage players. I'm not sure how much influence the IOC has in the decision making but FIFA, as the sport's governing body, very much has a say. Most likely the two organizations will work together to achieve an outcome. I realize that the Golden Ball is for the calendar year of January-December, but in May the press, especially the British press, had already annointed C.Ronaldo as the best player for 2008. Look at 2007. Kaká won the Champions League, but Milan finished in 4th place in Serie A - 36 points behind champions Inter! - and then he declined to play for Brazil at Copa America. Yet he still won the award. As it is, I don't think winning titles should play a part as to how good an individual is. Only players on good teams have a chance to win the award. I'm not a fan of player awards, to be honest. Both the Golden Ball and the FIFA Player of the Year awards are a joke. They basically popularity contests.
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unclesox:
21st Century Paul:
a) Barcelona has not won anything, but Argentina the Olympics, though that's a not a FIFA competition... and b, c, d are subjetive The only players winning titles with his city teams and with the national teams are the Real Madrid ones in the Euro Cup. But they did nothing in the Champions League. Then you have Man Utd winning Premier and Champions, but no-one doing a thing in the Euro Cup.
The Olympic tournament is a FIFA tournament. Just as athletics are official IAAF competitions. The International Olympic Committee does not organize the qualifying competitions. It is all done by the governing bodies of each sport. Olympic football on FIFA website Olympic basketball on FIBA website Olympic athletics on IAAF website All of those governing bodies are in charge of organizing and overseeing the qualifying rounds. Thus, the Olympic tournament is a FIFA sanctioned event. They work together with the IOC to make sure the finals tournament runs smoothly during the Olympics. All the IOC does is award the medals. Indeed, FIFA is attempting to turn the Olympic tournament into the U-23 tournament. But to do this they will have to eliminate the three overage players. I'm not sure how much influence the IOC has in the decision making but FIFA, as the sport's governing body, very much has a say. Most likely the two organizations will work together to achieve an outcome. I realize that the Golden Ball is for the calendar year of January-December, but in May the press, especially the British press, had already annointed C.Ronaldo as the best player for 2008. Look at 2007. Kaká won the Champions League, but Milan finished in 4th place in Serie A - 36 points behind champions Inter! - and then he declined to play for Brazil at Copa America. Yet he still won the award. As it is, I don't think winning titles should play a part as to how good an individual is. Only players on good teams have a chance to win the award. I'm not a fan of player awards, to be honest. Both the Golden Ball and the FIFA Player of the Year awards are a joke. They basically popularity contests.
I didn't knew FIFA took care of the football in olympics I absolutely agree they are a joke. Useful only for controversy and pics on the papers. I don't think they respect their own rules at all. It's kind of the players who have been better in the "some seconds" highlights seen over the world, or in the matches with more audience on TV. Like certain finals.
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UEFA Cup fantasy football is up and running! http://en.ucupfantasy.uefa.com/M/home.mc code: 476-124
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News Oliver sells Casillas! A very surprising move. The substitute is still not revealed. And Oliver's words have been: "I had to make a team with my head and not my heart" : well... Champions League is back so fantasy football, and I've really said goodbye to Iker. Prepare your teams for tuesday night. the 30 candidates for the famous Golden Ball announced The country with more players is Spain, with 7. Highly unusual cause lately only Torres appear in the candidates big list. And even more unusual the team with more players is Real Madrid, when lately no player was into that list but Casillas. Now everyone can suggest about some forgotten possible candidates, you know... mine. Iniesta Puyol (who's a better defender???) Raul.... 1. ADEBAYOR (Togo, Arsenal) 2. AGÜERO (Argentina, Atlético de Madrid) 3. ARSHAVIN (Rusia, Zénith San Petersburgo) 4. BALLACK (Alemania, Chelsea) 5. BENZEMA (Francia, Lyon) 6. BUFFON (Italia, Juventus) 7. CASILLAS (España, Real Madrid) 8. CRISTIANO RONALDO (Portugal, Manchester United) 9. DROGBA (Costa de Marfil, Chelsea) 10. ETO'O (Camerún, Barcelona) 11. FABREGAS (España, Arsenal) 12. FERNANDO TORRES (España, Liverpool) 13. GERRARD (Inglaterra, Liverpool) 14. IBRAHIMOVIC (Suecia, Inter Milán) 15. KAKA (Brasil, Milán AC) 16. LAMPARD (Inglaterra, Chelsea) 17. MESSI (Argentina, Barcelone) 18. PEPE (Portugal, Real Madrid) 19. RIBÉRY (Francia, Bayern Munich) 20. ROONEY (Inglaterra, Manchester United) 21. SENNA (España, Villarreal) 22. SERGIO RAMOS (España, Real Madrid) 23. TONI (Italia, Bayern Munich) 24. VAN DER SAR (Holanda, Manchester United) 25. VAN DER VAART (Holanda, Real Madrid) 26. VAN NISTELROOY (Holanda, Real Madrid) 27. VIDIC (Serbia, Manchester United) 28. VILLA (España, Valencia) 29. XAVI (España, Barcelona) 30. ZHIRKOV (Rusia, CSKA Moscú)
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What a weird day in Champions League. 37 goals in 8 matches. Almost 5 goals per match . I guess it never happened before. Anyway I haven't done many points. 26 points, 10 with Benzema, 7 with Walcott and I've used 8 players including the captain, I only got 3 left for tomorrow. You unclesox have made less points but at least you've got more players playing tomorrow.
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Macca Board's Fantasy Football Standings after Matchday 3 1. my team 98268th of the world 131 points 2. daniel's team 128934th of the world 118 points 3. unclesox's team 140093th of the world 112 points We're not doing great... I'm leading but anyway I'm only a little higher than the average team, cause there are 230000 teams in the world. I'm gonna change my strategy, though now it's hard to do it. It's more meant to the knock rounds. yes, here I'm leading but I've got a league with a friend of mine here, and I'm 33 points behind..
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Barça leading in Spanish League after 9 matches Barça leads the Spanish League 1 Barcelona 22 2 Villarreal 21 3 Real Madrid 20 4 Valencia 20 5 Sevilla 17 6 Atlético 13 From November 13th almost of all of the matches between the 6 favourites will happen, due to the strange draw of this season. Barça is not about players not moving only when they have the ball, or defending only when one rival has the ball to play more like a team. Villarreal shocked everyone by losing 5-0, yes 5-0 in the Spanish Cup with a Second B Division team, the third most important Division in Spain. today Altindore, has scored for Villareal, that means the first goal scored by a USA player in the Spanish league. Raul has done today the "Raul goal" again for the ...th time, well a more spectular version of it.
Notice Raul passes to Higuain and then he manages to lose all the defenders marks while the ball is at the left wing to do a head up to goal when Higuain makes the crossing. But nothing more than Raul... Real Madrid is in a confusing playing phase. see you in the champions league tomorrow, and fantasy football -
I've made a revolution in my team. To compete with my friend here and to prevent your teams doing well again. I did 3 signings, costed me 4 points. Now my team is: Diego Lopez; Diakhate, Capdevila; Walcott, Gerrard, Lucho, Diego, Kuyt; Aguero, Adebayor and Benzema (C) No Real Madrid player. Roberto Carlos as substitute. Strange match at Old Trafford. All the time I though, "Liverpool's gonna scored at the end", but I though Atletico could score another goal. And that weird penalty happened... I guess it's penalty, I'm not sure. I would had to check the International Board rules. Barça drawed with Basilea, I haven't seen the match, Iniesta injured for 6 weeks. I guess Basilea has placed the defence back in their area and Barça has been blocked or so. But Barça is already qualified for the K.O. rounds. Roma 3-Chelsea 1, so both still are not qualified. Anorthosis 3 - Inter 3 Werder B. 0- Panathinaikos 3 definitely Diego is my greatest mistake. Not so long ago WB was a very good team.
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I still don't know if the Liverpool-Atletico penalty was true or not, the English press says it's was fake, maybe to create controversy. Yeah, I know. Absolute defeat of Real Madrid at home against Juve. Explications? well... Robben was injured in the warm up and the team had no wings at all against catenaccio. No Robinho and no Cristiano Ronaldo... Drenthe and Higuain got to do that job. Add the weird vibe around these days, like the Ramos affair... But what has killed everyone here was the 2nd goal... I though "why are they placing the wall like that, Del Piero has only to shoot straight ". I though someone went mad by the bad feeling in the team. There are some Juve counterattacks where a lot of players didn't come back to defence.... But that was a Schuster idea , trained all the week. I guess they though Del Piero shoots with so much spin he can't shoot the ball straight or so... it seems it's not true at all. Del Piero, yet another "so old that never does a thing one", applauded by the Bernabeu (Maradona and Bilardo included) much more than they applauded the Real Madrid, a thing that has happened sometimes with some playeres, Ronaldinho was the last one. As happened past year, Van Nistelrooy injured again. So Raul comes back to being the striker. Real Madrid in their darkest hour, still not far away from Barcelona in their best hour. And now coming back to the same old guy to the rescue.
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UEFA Champions League Macca Board League 2008 Standings after round 4 of 13 1 Oliver Sanz's Team 161 2 Louisville United Daniel's Team 151 3 FC Blaugrana Unclesox's team 145 I think Matchday 5 and 6 are gonna be quite unpredictable, and the nitty gritty of this are the knock out rounds.
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Scoring four goals in a match off tap-ins and penalties is okay (Higuaín). But to score four quality goals in one half... 13 goals in 10 league matches now. El Pichichi is on the way. Barcelona with a plus-26 goal differential after only ten rounds!
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Unranked Iowa just beat 3rd ranked Penn State 24 to 23 in College football! I'm sure I'll get some crap from our Pennsylvania posters!
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SurSteven:
Unranked Iowa just beat 3rd ranked Penn State 24 to 23 in College football!
24-23 ?! That's a lot of goals! Sounds like crap defending by both sides. And here I am talking about Eto'o scoring four in one half! Who says Americans are only known for their good goalkeeping?