The Official Football/Soccer Thread: 2017-2018 Season
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Standings of the Macca Board League 1 Daniel 62 407 2 Oliver 52 378 3 Unclesox 47 348 Only 5 matches to go, what do we have to do to catch Daniel? I'll have to think a lot. Draw tomorrow and I wish Real Madrid vs Schalke. And I want Schalke to win. So many years people talking about Raul was what made Real Madrid not reach quarterfinals (and other things...) and now he plays for a team that I guess virtually has never reached quarterfinals but they're on it this year. Though it's also true that Real Madrid has reached quarterfinals this year. Schalke for Champion.
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Reaction players for Shakhtar Donetsk on Barcelona draw
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Yes, that video has been making the rounds. But those are the reactions from the Ukrainian players. I'm curious to see how the many Brazilian players on that team reacted. I'm guessing they are looking forward to the challenge. Barcelona has played Shakhtar before and they know that this will not be an easy contest. So now Mourinho wants to play against Sporting on Friday April 1st so that his team will have an extra day of rest than if they play on the scheduled Saturday April 2nd. The problem for Mourinho is that he needs Manuel Preciado to okay the change of dates, and Mou publicly accused Preciado of fielding a weakened team last September when they lost to Barcelona 1-0. Preciado didn't mince his words back then, calling Mourinho an "a--hole" and questioned who Mourinho thought he was to come to Spain and tell everyone how to run their team. Preciado later took delight when Real Madrid were slaughtered 5-0 at Camp Nou. So now, six months after placing accusations on Preciado, Mou now needs Preciado to do a favor for him by allowing the change of dates. : Sporting forward David Barral has already 'tweeted' that he is against the switch.
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Preciado says he doesn't mind the date. Now it's the Federation who has to OK the thing. But what the Federation says it's that they're not gonna play whether on Saturday, Sunday or Friday cause the League is going on strike for that week.
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21st Century Paul:
Preciado says he doesn't mind the date.
Are you sure about that? http://www.marca.com/2011/03/23/futbol/equipos/sporting/1300887030.html
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unclesox:
21st Century Paul:
Preciado says he doesn't mind the date.
Are you sure about that? http://www.marca.com/2011/03/23/futbol/equipos/sporting/1300887030.html
well, I was told but it seems he has changed his mind. Anyway it seems the match is just not gonna be played until April 10th. Perfect for Mourinho I guess. Well, not perfect cause it's just before the 2nd leg of the quarterfinals. And even worst for Barça who will play the 2nd leg in April 12th. BTW, I made my fantasy team when I saw the draw. Revolution in the team, 8 transfers, the only way I think of catching Daniel.
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21st Century Paul:
Anyway it seems the match is just not gonna be played until April 10th. Perfect for Mourinho I guess. Well, not perfect cause it's just before the 2nd leg of the quarterfinals. And even worst for Barça who will play the 2nd leg in April 12th. BTW, I made my fantasy team when I saw the draw. Revolution in the team, 8 transfers, the only way I think of catching Daniel.
Barcelona's match will be brought forward to Saturday April 19th since they will play CL on Tuesday. But that's assuming the strike is held. From what I've read the situation appears to be still up in the air. Yeah, we both have to make lots of changes to have any chance of catching Daniel. I think I'm still leading him in the Europa League. I haven't looked at the latest standings yet.
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I give up on Torres. : Del Bosque needs to play Llorente more often, perhaps even in the starting lineup. Arbeloa and Navas put in some great crosses, especially in the first half. Casillas also looks like he's declining some. And congratulations to David Villa, Spain's new all-time leading goal scorer and he did it in a lot fewer matches than it took the former record holder to score his 44 goals.
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Also the same story repeated, when things got tough, ball to Iniesta. It seems Iniesta has something special for playing the most difficult moments. I don't know how do you call that in English... in the NBA official game they call it "clutch". I like a lot the fact that Del Bosque changed to 3 defenders. I'm a fan of playing with 3 defenders when the other teams gets too defensive. I think it's better than thinking there's nothing you can do if they all are defending... they're not attacking then. I like the players profiles on espn.co.uk. They go deeper than the usual talk about players. For instance in Messi's profile they mention "his incredible balance while running", he can do running what the others can do walking. It's a very interesting analysis of players. Messi profile http://soccernet.espn.go.com/player/_/id/45843/lionel-messi?cc=5739 Cristiano profile http://soccernet.espn.go.com/player/_/id/22774/cristiano-ronaldo?cc=5739 Raul profile http://soccernet.espn.go.com/player/_/id/11817/raul?cc=5739
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Top Ten Now 1. Messi 2. Iniesta 3. Raul 4. Xavi 5. Cristiano 6. Ozil 7. Casillas 8. Dani Alves 9. Etoo 10. Willshere Past Top Ten 1. Messi 2. Cristiano 3. Raul 4. Xavi 5. Iniesta 6. Casillas 7. Dani Alves 8. Di Maria 9. Ozil 10. Puyol
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Messi himself showing how he does it, (but I don't get it at all )
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Mourinho during his press conference on Monday... "Hay equipos que ganan sin jugar bien..." Not a good thing for a Madridista to hear when they want their team to not only win but win with style. With all the excuses Jose constantly makes about the schedule and referees, he can't possibly be making any friends amongst the socios and I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't return next season if Real has another trophyless season. And while I'm at it, much love and respect to Manuel Preciado.
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well, I personally thought from start that it will be Mou who will leave Real Madrid cause he would want to do certain things and Florentino would not be willing. Just like Camacho left and others (Wenger?) have not accepted the job. Welll... there sure have been referees mistakes favouring Barça.... it is the classic discussion, I know, the referees... but well... it has happened in the matches Barça has had troubles. Even in the Champion League that year against Chelsea. AS calls than "Villarato", Villar, the president of the spanish federation supposed to favour Barça since several years... The thing is that Pique scored the goal after controlling the ball with the hand, handball, with or without Villarato. But like the song I think Real Madrid can not win the league, with or without Villarato.
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Raul has been asked here if he worries his scoring record at European competitions will be beat by Inzaghi. Raul said he doesn't mind cause Messi and Cristiano will beat it anyway. http://futbal.org/EC1.scorers.php Well, Raul is at 69. Messi at 33. Cristiano at 26. And Etoo a 27. If Cristiano scored an average of 7 goals each year, then he would need 8 years more scoring like that... and I don't think so. Neither Etoo. It's Messi who could beat it. Scoring 7-8 goals each year he would need 5 more years to catch Raul. It's all about when Messi will decline... well, he started playing very young, so he's supposed to decline early, his playing is explosive so he's not supposed to last very long But then you have Pele, who started playing very young, was explosive and anyway...
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21st Century Paul:
Welll... there sure have been referees mistakes favouring Barça.... it is the classic discussion, I know, the referees... but well... it has happened in the matches Barça has had troubles. Even in the Champion League that year against Chelsea. AS calls than "Villarato", Villar, the president of the spanish federation supposed to favour Barça since several years... The thing is that Pique scored the goal after controlling the ball with the hand, handball, with or without Villarato. But like the song I think Real Madrid can not win the league, with or without Villarato.
lol You sound like Mourinho. Always complaining about the match officials. Real has had just as many favorable decisions, most notably the offside goal C.Ronaldo scored against Villarreal when the score was 2-2 near the end of the game. I know all about "Villarato". It's the Madridista's way of trying to cover for the fact that their team is not very good. And Pique controlled the ball with his chest. I think you are watching too much of that Madridista tv program "Punto Pelota".
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Even the Barça press says Pique controlled the ball with the arm... the "Waka-Goal"... . No use of raising that arm if it's not for stopping the ball... I think both things are true, the Villarato, and the fact the team is not as good as Barça. I just don't watch that tv show.
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"Schowtime" At Milan... Inter 2- Schalke 5 I haven't watched the match, I don't know what has happened. 70th goal for Raul, and it seems an outstanding match for he received an ovation from San Siro. Real Madrid 4 -Tottenham 0 Surprising for me to see Tottenham playing so defensive... in the end Madrid scored the goals one way or another. And it seems we already have 2 of the semifinalists.
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Florentinato and Mourinato exists just as much as people think Villarato does. Schalke played great in San Siro. Raul's goal was very nice, running through the back defenders to score the third goal. I'm sure no one expected such a performance, even more so with how they changed coaches recently. This was only Ralf Rangnick's third game in charge. Now Inter must score at least four goals just to have a chance to surviving. They would still be eliminated if they won 3-0 because of away goals. Finito
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They need exactly a 0-4 to beat Schalke 04. I'm not sure how you get to score 5 goals to a defensive team like Inter... EVEN with Raul on the XI. Legendary night they say. Ovation to the San Siro stadium to Raul. My dream of Schalke winning the Champions is closer. I just think it would be some kind of justice to Raul after so much talking that he "does nothing", he "spoils the whole team" (Real Madrid, Spain...)... and not winning the World Cup and Euro Cup. Ferdinand and Terry must be already thinking about him...
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I think I'd rather about musical things like vibrato, legato or staccatto than about villarato, florentinato and mourinato. What about Platinato? As Mou said, Real Madrid is the only team in football to be punished for forcing some yellow or red cards. He was asked if he thought of doing it as the match in Tottenham is supposed to be easy and anyway many players need a rest. But he's warned not to do it again, he would be punished for the whole year. :