Re: tOfficial General Soccer Thread 2013-2014 Season

[Cym Jim]

I think it's Leeds, or York, or Colorado, or some other piece of shit.

  I don't think he's listening!

[Gob Bluth]

Do you think Arsenal will dare make a road to victory DVD about this season, and ignore the league campaign where you got humiliated by City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Everton etc? I suspect they will!




 

FA Cup is a major trophy. There are hundreds of clubs that wish they could have held a victory parade this weekend.

[Cym Jim]

FA Cup is a major trophy. There are hundreds of clubs that wish they could have held a victory parade this weekend.

That's true. It's definitely not a trophy that is desperately trying to hold on to its past, while major clubs send B teams to everything but the semi-finals.

Fourth place trophy and the FA Crap. Congratulations. And it got you Wenger signing for another three years, which means three more years of constipation. You know everyone in that stadium cheered up a little bit in the 10th minute when they realized a loss might mean a change at the top.

[CrazySparty]

That's true. It's definitely not a trophy that is desperately trying to hold on to its past, while major clubs send B teams to everything but the semi-finals.

Fourth place trophy and the FA Crap. Congratulations. And it got you Wenger signing for another three years, which means three more years of constipation. You know everyone in that stadium cheered up a little bit in the 10th minute when they realized a loss might mean a change at the top.

So are you ever going to sack up and reveal who you root for?

I notice you love the banter when you're the one talking trash, yet get super defensive when it gets thrown in your face.

[Zapp Brannigan]

That's true. It's definitely not a trophy that is desperately trying to hold on to its past, while major clubs send B teams to everything but the semi-finals.

Fourth place trophy and the FA Crap. Congratulations. And it got you Wenger signing for another three years, which means three more years of constipation. You know everyone in that stadium cheered up a little bit in the 10th minute when they realized a loss might mean a change at the top.

I'm sorry that York City lost in the playoffs and you are lashing out in frustration.


With credit to Intensity...



                                                                        
                                                                                 
                                                                                
                                                                               
                                                                             

[MiamiSpartan]

In the least shocking news in world soccer, Louis Van Gaal has officially been announced as next manager of Manchester United, with Ryan Giggs as the #2. It sets in motion the dream scenario of Giggs taking over in a few years. I really wanted Giggs to get this role under LVG. While Giggs has no doubt spent more than two decades playing for the greatest manager, I think a more diverse experience from a well respected manager that has accomplished something (i.e., not Moyes), and done so in several top leagues, will serve him very well. Van Gaal carries a reputation as being tough, and a bit of prick at times (including showing off his prick to one of his teams in the past), but that will be good for United. The Rooney slobbering is over, and Rooney will have to actually EARN his spot now. I've always liked the style that Holland plays, and on tOldRCMB, I think I had posted once that it reminds me of watching United, due to the open, attacking philosophy. That leaves risks at the back, but United's negative, defensive philosophy under Moyes was far worse than the losses. That should be over, and is reason enough for me to expect to enjoy watching United games next year. LVG likes a 4-3-3, though I'd heard he was toying around with a 3-5-2 with Holland a bit. Going to be a big summer. The pressure is on Woodward.

I kind of hope Holland get knocked out of the group stage and he can get started to work sooner. And also because they're in a group with Chile who are my second favorite national team after the US (looooong, after the US, unlike certain bandwagon traitors that we know).

[MiamiSpartan]

And there is also sad news from United, though also expected, that Ryan Giggs is retiring from playing. I'm ecstatic that he'll be LVG's assistant, it couldn't be more deserved, and hopefully sets the table for him to take over for LVG in a few years.

But damn, it crushes me that he won't be playing. Everyone kind of knew that the last home game would be his last one, so it's not a shock, but he's got to be my favorite athlete ever so it's still a bummer. I was just amazed by him the first time I saw him play and the way he slides and moves across the pitch. My first AOL screen name had "Giggsy" in it some 20 years ago. After United was sold to the Glazers, and it was very difficult to watch games, it was Giggs that eventually got me to come back and remember what a rush I get out of watching him and the other players, and that I had to let that trump my disgust at the ownership. The last time he was not a part of the first team at United, was an era when I would be lucky to see 2 games all season, so it's really hard to imagine watching a whole season without him on the pitch. But at the same time it will be special to see him in the assistant manager chair.

And sorry Arsenal fans, but I have to post his most iconic moment, from the extra time winner in the 1999 FA Cup Semi-Final replay.

[Cym Jim]

I'm sorry that York City lost in the playoffs and you are lashing out in frustration.  


With credit to Intensity...



                                                                        
                                                                                 
                                                                                
                                                                               
                                                                             

  It was disappointing, but since we were a game away from dropping out of the football league last year, it's been a good year. We were around 15 games unbeaten at the end there.

Anyway, make sure you watch the France games closely at the World Cup - Wenger will be!

[Cym Jim]

In the least shocking news in world soccer, Louis Van Gaal has officially been announced as next manager of Manchester United, with Ryan Giggs as the #2.  It sets in motion the dream scenario of Giggs taking over in a few years.  I really wanted Giggs to get this role under LVG.  While Giggs has no doubt spent more than two decades playing for the greatest manager, I think a more diverse experience from a well respected manager that has accomplished something (i.e., not Moyes), and done so in several top leagues, will serve him very well.  Van Gaal carries a reputation as being tough, and a bit of prick at times (including showing off his prick to one of his teams in the past), but that will be good for United.  The Rooney slobbering is over, and Rooney will have to actually EARN his spot now.  I've always liked the style that Holland plays, and on tOldRCMB, I think I had posted once that it reminds me of watching United, due to the open, attacking philosophy.  That leaves risks at the back, but United's negative, defensive philosophy under Moyes was far worse than the losses.  That should be over, and is reason enough for me to expect to enjoy watching United games next year.  LVG likes a 4-3-3, though I'd heard he was toying around with a 3-5-2 with Holland a bit.  Going to be a big summer.  The pressure is on Woodward.

I kind of hope Holland get knocked out of the group stage and he can get started to work sooner.  And also because they're in a group with Chile who are my second favorite national team after the US (looooong, after the US, unlike certain bandwagon traitors that we know).

I can understand you're happy that Giggs has a role at the club because he's a legend there etc., but you know he's incredibly dim right? Like "delayed" dim - and he's 40!

[MiamiSpartan]

So are you ever going to sack up and reveal who you root for?

I notice you love the banter when you're the one talking trash, yet get super defensive when it gets thrown in your face.

Yes, it was quite ironic that Jim was telling people to stop being so miserable and enjoy the banter...when in fact it was banter that got him pissy enough to call you miserable. You know you've got to him when he calls you a miserable twat, even though having your entire rooting interest of Premier League soccer predicated on hate is pretty much the definition of a miserable soccer fan. After all, imagine an existence where the English National Team is your only hope for rooting on top flight soccer?

[MiamiSpartan]

FA Cup is a major trophy. There are hundreds of clubs that wish they could have held a victory parade this weekend.

To be fair, there are hundreds of clubs that would kill to be in Cardiff, Norwich, and Fulham's position this season, too.

[Cym Jim]

Yes, it was quite ironic that Jim was telling people to stop being so miserable and enjoy the banter...when in fact it was banter that got him pissy enough to call you miserable.  You know you've got to him when he calls you a miserable twat, even though having your entire rooting interest of Premier League soccer predicated on hate is pretty much the definition of a miserable soccer fan.  After all, imagine an existence where the English National Team is your only hope for rooting on top flight soccer?  

You two are the perfect couple! I love it.

  

[CrazySparty]

You two are the perfect couple! I love it.

  

Dispute any of these claims. I'd love to see you try.

Again, you must be a miserable person to base so much of your happiness on hate. Seek help.

[Cym Jim]

Dispute any of these claims. I'd love to see you try.

Again, you must be a miserable person to base so much of your happiness on hate. Seek help.

The dimmest Arsenal fan on the planet (you probably still Wenger fired!) and someone who things Ryan Giggs is cut out for leadership!

 

[CrazySparty]

The dimmest Arsenal fan on the planet (you probably still Wenger fired!) and someone who things Ryan Giggs is cut out for leadership!

 

When your best go-to is the use of emoticons and 2-cent insults, you must be truly desperate.

Again, I'm sorry the existence of these two teams has apparently had such a negative impact on your life that your entire day revolves around doing anything in your power to rip them on a message board, but please, seek help. If I had to guess, your son is probably looking forward to separating himself from you and associating with more sane-minded humans.

[MiamiSpartan]

I can understand you're happy that Giggs has a role at the club because he's a legend there etc., but you know he's incredibly dim right? Like "delayed" dim - and he's 40!

Oh yes, it's just a ceremonial position.  Why not make him an ambassador like so many other retired players if it's just about "having a role at the club".  He sometimes has a glazed look on his face, but he's much more intelligent than he comes across (if you watch Class of 92 without the blinding hate, you'd get a sense of that).  Louis Van Gaal isn't going to just accept him as his top assistant because it's the only way LVG can get a job.

[Cym Jim]

Oh yes, it's just a ceremonial position.  Why not make him an ambassador like so many other retired players if it's just about "having a role at the club".  He sometimes has a glazed look on his face, but he's much more intelligent than he comes across (if you watch Class of 92 without the blinding hate, you'd get a sense of that).  Louis Van Gaal isn't going to just accept him as his top assistant because it's the only way LVG can get a job.

Been meaning to watch that, I'll take a look. Is his brother in it?

[MiamiSpartan]

Been meaning to watch that, I'll take a look. Is his brother in it?

Fucking his sister-in-law makes him a lot of things, but dim isn't one of them.


He'll fu ck who he wants,
He'll fu ck who he waaantts,
That boy, Giggsy,
He'll fu ck who he wants!

[NigelUno]

[Cym Jim]

Very cool. Reminded me of this:

[MiamiSpartan]

Very cool. Reminded me of this:

What about what Nigel posted could possibly remind you of that?

[Heathens '87]

We've a US 23-man roster, and no Landon Donovan. Thoughts...

GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

........zero surprises here. Howard the clear #1 and a potential difference-maker in Brazil. Guzan a more than competent #2.

DEFENDERS (8): DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Timmy Chandler (Nürnberg), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)

........Brooks and Yedlin are stunners. Klinsmann does seem to like young legs and there's some logic in that. No Goodson (32 years old) likely means Gonzalez is healthy and a starter, but we'll need to see the line-ups for the friendlies to get an idea of starters and positions. Chandler and Johnson may very well be the outside backs....young and quick. And it's worth noting how far Beasley has come to get back into the mix. Hard work, club play in Mexico and a bit of health and he's rightly rewarded.

MIDFIELDERS (8): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Julian Green (Bayern Munich), Jermaine Jones (Besiktas), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

........not quite the number of surprises in the defense, but interesting to see the set-piece artist Davis in the mix. He's a true left-sided player, but I'm not sure he'll see much time. Mix and Bedoya, good for them. I'm not much of a Jermaine Jones fan as he can be a bit reckless, but he'll need to be physical and smart in Brazil. Beckerman, for all you can say about him, works hard, gets the system and it's 100% every time out. Green, well, he's young. And of course there's Donovan. Klinsmann is obviously trying to promote the idea that this is somebody's else's team. That's shocking in a sense, but you could see it coming. It'll get a lot of buzz, but it does create an interesting dynamic in terms of pressure, PR, etc. I think that's the intent. I don't get why you don't bring that skill and experience.

FORWARDS (4): Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Aron Johannsson (AZ Alkmaar), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)

........Wondo will bring experience to the mix if he sees the pitch, but this is Altidore and Johannsson as Dempsey is really that advanced midfielder/withdrawn forward in the 4-5-1.

I'm honestly not sure at all what the starting line-up will be. It's a surprising final 23, which shouldn't be surprising given the coach is Klinsmann. On to Brazil. Go Yanks!

[Cym Jim]

Welcome to Klinsmann's USMNT, where foreign players who didn't even contribute to qualifying are chosen over the greatest homegrown player the US has ever produced. What a joke.

[Heathens '87]

Welcome to Klinsmann's USMNT, where foreign players who didn't even contribute to qualifying are chosen over the greatest homegrown player the US has ever produced. What a joke.

Including Green while cutting Donovan, well, that does open up Klinsmann to such criticism. I'm not sure it's unfair, but what will be interesting to see is what the team makes of this roster. As I've said before, the US succeeds not because of talent, but because of team cohesiveness. Monkeying with that is risky business......

[Bizarro Fletch]

Klinsman's son posted a Tweet about the decision that can be summed up as "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Deleted his account immediately after.

[Bizarro Fletch]

Including Green while cutting Donovan, well, that does open up Klinsmann to such criticism.  I'm not sure it's unfair, but what will be interesting to see is what the team makes of this roster.  As I've said before, the US succeeds not because of talent, but because of team cohesiveness.  Monkeying with that is risky business......

To me it reeks of tacit surrender for Brazil and prep for '20. It also proves he is absolutely bullet proof regardless of what happens next month.

[Heathens '87]

To me it reeks of tacit surrender for Brazil and prep for '20. It also proves he is absolutely bullet proof regardless of what happens next month.

Klinsmann is under contract through the 2018 World Cup so some thought that he has a longer-term view is reasonable. It's a young team, and most importantly, it's his team. Donovan taking his sabbatical never sat well with Klinsmann and I don't think the relationship ever recovered. Let's also admit that Donovan is up there in years and hasn't been playing well for LA. Still, that's a big name to leave off the roster when talent isn't exactly our calling card. Klinsmann did say Donovan was being evaluated as a forward, so it's not really that Green took his slot, but that Wondolowski did. On form right now, that's a fair argument. But on a 23-man roster, hard to argue that a Green or Davis can impact a World Cup game more than Landon....

[CrazySparty]

Klinsman's son posted a Tweet about the decision that can be summed up as "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Deleted his account immediately after.

Before deleting his account, Klinsmann's son also said he didn't think his Dad thought Davis was necessarily better than Landon, rather that Davis would "give it his all". I doubt his son formulated such a mentality without any influence from Jurgen himself.

From an on-the field standpoint, I was surprised, but not shocked. This isn't the same Donovan from 2010, let alone 2006 or 2002.

Is it fair to claim Jurgen at least partially decided on this roster with an eye on 2018? Yes. However, I also think it's fair to contend that if Donovan was at least close to what we saw in South Africa, he'd still be on the roster. He's not, and that should speak just as much about Donovan as it does Klinsmann.

[SBSpartan]

Enough about Donovan. He is 32 and not playing well right now. Give me a reason he should go? Cause he has been good in the past? I have zero problems with the selections that have been made. Most everyone is playing well right now.

[Cym Jim]

Enough about Donovan. He is 32 and not playing well right now. Give me a reason he should go?  Cause he has been good in the past?  I have zero problems with the selections that have been made. Most everyone is playing well right now.

How's Julian Green been playing? And Timmy Chandler?

[MiamiSpartan]

How's Julian Green been playing? And Timmy Chandler?

If it's true that Donovan was looked at as a striker, then neither of those guys took his spot.

[CrazySparty]

Bump for send-off series.

[CrazySparty]

Ahhhhh Wondo with a great header, but a nice save by the net-minder

[CrazySparty]

Decent pace and movement so far. Great hustle play by Bedoya.

[CrazySparty]

Blatant penalty inside the box, ref says it's outside. Figures.

[CrazySparty]

Not sure if it's good or bad I've heard Wondo's name so much tonight.

[CrazySparty]

 

[CrazySparty]

  

[SBSpartan]

How's Julian Green been playing? And Timmy Chandler?

I didn't know Donovan was being looked at to play defense or outside mid. 

Nice comment though.

[Cym Jim]

Germany must be shitting themselves after that shit show. Good god - I want to like this team, but that was fucking awful.

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