The Ultimate Soccer Thread 2012-2013 Vol. 3 Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga etc

[wizards23]

Hopefully this a** kicking wakes Barca up.

Pique dumb mistake diving in. He has been much better this term than last, but come on you are the last man you do not dive in recklessly, especially in the box. Stand your ground. If you get beat fine it is what it is. Can't give away goals

Puyol cannot start against world class teams. Dude just does not have it anymore..

Pedro falls down like a b on contact every time. Management loves him too much. Sell this dude to Liverpool. Tello > Pedro IMO

Befuddled as to why Villa did not start after what transpired against Sevilla at the weekend

Hats off to Madrid. Owning Barca lately

 

[Kimchi Papi]

All this flopping is unnecessary

UEFA gotta crack down players and fine them

I've been saying that for years... I'll win the mega millions before the UEFA does anything about the flopping...


At least RM is denied the clean sheet...

 

[Coupé It]

This game just pisses me off that Ronaldo didn't win player of the year last year.

Messi has 4, Ronaldo has 1. The gap is not that wide. The media and other players just hate Ronaldo so much.

 

[Kimchi Papi]

I was expecting Barca to play with intensity like RM did but nada... Barca almost looks like they did playing AC Milan... Just flat...

 

[sam206]

my man mourinho leaving the game before its finished lol

 

[sfc415]

Pedro only shows up for Spain

 

[sfc415]

This game just pisses me off that Ronaldo didn't win player of the year last year.

Messi has 4, Ronaldo has 1. The gap is not that wide. The media and other players just hate Ronaldo so much.

Well I doubt Messi will win it this year. Ronaldo shows 300% more effort and intensity than this season's Messi

 

[rook]

I'm betting Ronaldo wins the award this season if my predictions holds true

 

[Kimchi Papi]

Adieu fellow futbol fans...

 

[guttadapimp]

Who is the commentator on 
beIN? He's just so annoying 

 

[Thierry Henry]

my man mourinho leaving the game before its finished lol

very unsportsmanlike

 

[Coupé It]

Well I doubt Messi will win it this year. Ronaldo shows 300% more effort and intensity than this season's Messi

I'm betting Ronaldo wins the award this season if my predictions holds true

Na man, last year was Ronaldo's. It was the year he deserved it more than Messi. Real won La Liga, Ronaldo has just as many goals as Messi. He brought Portugal to the semi-finals of the Euro's and almost upset Spain. Messi didn't win a single title - But Messi still won.

So far this year, Barcelona is going to win La Liga, Messi has 14 more goals. Unless Real goes on to win the champions league, Ronaldo doesn't have a shot.

The media and the players/coaches who vote for the award just hate Ronaldo and will never change there mind. He deserved it last year.

 

[sfc415]

I wish Barca would lose La Liga. I think a lack of any silverware at all would FINALLY inspire management to change things up. Instead I have a feeling they're gonna keep going with the whole "This is who we are, this is how we play and look...we won La Liga again!" nonsense

 

[sfc415]

Na man, last year was Ronaldo's. It was the year he deserved it more than Messi. Real won La Liga, Ronaldo has just as many goals as Messi. He brought Portugal to the semi-finals of the Euro's and almost upset Spain. Messi didn't win a single title - But Messi still won.

So far this year, Barcelona is going to win La Liga, Messi has 14 more goals. Unless Real goes on to win the champions league, Ronaldo doesn't have a shot.

The media and the players/coaches who vote for the award just hate Ronaldo and will never change there mind. He deserved it last year.

Well Barca won the CDR last year , but I get what you're saying. Ronaldo won the Pichichi the year before that but lost out to Messi due to lack of silverware...last season Messi won the Pichichi but lost La Liga yet won Balon d'Or. Then again, last season's Messi was the only reason Barca was even relevant. It could've gone either way to me. I actually wanted Iniesta to win it but I knew that a midfielder has no chance of getting it while Messi and Ronaldo are still in their primes

 

[Coupé It]

Well Barca won the CDR last year , but I get what you're saying. Ronaldo won the Pichichi the year before that but lost out to Messi due to lack of silverware...last season Messi won the Pichichi but lost La Liga yet won Balon d'Or. Then again, last season's Messi was the only reason Barca was even relevant. It could've gone either way to me. I actually wanted Iniesta to win it but I knew that a midfielder has no chance of getting it while Messi and Ronaldo are still in their primes

Exactly, Ronaldo got screwed.

Ronaldo deserved it, he did everything the media criticized him for the year before. It's blatant hypocrisy.

Iniesta has deserved one of these as well, I thought he had it in 2010.

Ronaldo will never win a Ballon D'Or again, its over. He just turned 28, he's getting old. He should have ended his career with at least 2.

 

[Trey Bantz]

I didn't realize there were so many Barca haters on NT... This certainly makes RM's match against Man U even more interesting...

I don't think it's anything against the club itself, people just get tired of seeing the same damn team win all the time.

 

[chippedtoothsmile]

Who is the commentator on 

beIN? He's just so annoying 

I hope you ain't talkin bout ray hudson! I was cryin when he said di maria put puyol on his back like a turtle Lolol

 

[Deleted member 38182]

yall watching the U20 USA vs Canada game??

 

[sfc415]

I hope you ain't talkin bout ray hudson! I was cryin when he said di maria put puyol on his back like a turtle Lolol

Ray Hudson=GOAT Commentator

 

[abovelegit1]

For the most part yes but the credit should go to Jose & RM... They pretty much are doing what AC Milan did by crowding lanes & closing areas out around Messi... Roura has done an admirable job while Tito has been out but his inabilities are starting to show...

Yeah, that's essentially true. Teams are simply pressing the midfield, narrowing the play, and breaking directly with pace down the flanks. This strategy would not have worked before, as Barca used to have Henry/Etoo and then Villa/Pedro making runs into the space vacated by the opposition press. But now you have Iniesta nominally on the flank, and he's drifting into midfield where Cesc is, and they're just getting in each other's way. Xavi/Cesc/Iniesta can't play at the same time against well-organized sides, that much seems clear. The lack of penetration forces Messi deep, and then there's no one filling the central channel. Villa should have started.

I knew they were vulnerable, but I'd hoped they get it right tactically, and the team would play well collectively. No dice, but Madrid were excellent. Well beaten in the end. Hopefully, they can turn it around against Milan, but I can't see them keeping a clean sheet, and scoring four times against a well-drilled side like Milan is unlikely.

I didn't realize there were so many Barca haters on NT...

Success breeds contempt.

I wish Barca would lose La Liga. I think a lack of any silverware at all would FINALLY inspire management to change things up. Instead I have a feeling they're gonna keep going with the whole "This is who we are, this is how we play and look...we won La Liga again!" nonsense

Not sure if serious. And you're a supporter? Wow.

They've played some wonderful football in La Liga this season, and the players deserve the title they're going to win. If you're not enjoying the football week to week, they why bother supporting them? You'd see them lose a major trophy, and for what? A 100 million euro transfer splash? A new style? League titles are still a big accomplishment, last I checked. It would certainly satisfy me, but then again I'm not desperate for doubles and trebles every year.

And I hate to break it to you, but the style won't change. They may well bring in a Hummels or a Neymar, but they'll continue to play possession, probe for space, and carve out chances through intricate passing. As well they should. If you want to see reactive football or punt and chase, watch EPL or whatever club Mou joins next.

 

[abovelegit1]

dbl

 

[sfc415]

Not sure if serious. And you're a supporter? Wow.

They've played some wonderful football in La Liga this season, and the players deserve the title they're going to win. If you're not enjoying the football week to week, they why bother supporting them? You'd see them lose a major trophy, and for what? A 100 million euro transfer splash? A new style? League titles are still a big accomplishment, last I checked. It would certainly satisfy me, but then again I'm not desperate for doubles and trebles every year.

And I hate to break it to you, but the style won't change. They may well bring in a Hummels or a Neymar, but they'll continue to play possession, probe for space, and carve out chances through intricate passing. As well they should. If you want to see reactive football or punt and chase, watch EPL or whatever club Mou joins next.

La Liga means absolutely nothing to me if it is only won due to our rivals playing like trash against relegation bound teams. Where the hell is the pride in playing like garbage and just hoping that our opponents keep missing wide open goals against us? Or hoping that the other teams keep on losing? That's a mentality that an underdog team follows, not one that claims to be the best in the world.

So I should support another team if I want my team to adapt to different situations instead of repeating the same tactics when everyone has figured us out? Like I said Barca has struggled against literally every "big" club this season. The only strong win came in the 3-1 leg against Benfica (the other was a draw). I really couldn't care less about playing great football only against Deportivo and Getafe and barely getting by Valencia, Sevilla, etc (games which very well could've been draws or losses). Wanting my team to play smarter =/= wanting to see punt and chase football. Not changing things up and keeping other teams on their toes is pure arrogance and foolishness. Barca isn't some magical, divine team that is above trying different strategies to win

Even a small adjustment like actually trying to counter would be great...Instead we slow the game down and allow the other team to regroup and defend, which results in 5000 sideways/backwards passes, a blocked shot, and losing possession anyway

 

[abovelegit1]

La Liga means absolutely nothing to me if it is only won due to our rivals playing like trash against relegation bound teams. Where the hell is the pride in playing like garbage and just hoping that the other teams keep on losing? That's a mentality that an underdog team follows, not one that claims to be the best in the world.

So I should support another team if I want my team to adapt to different situations instead of repeating the same tactics when everyone has figured us out? Like I said Barca has struggled against literally every "big" club this season. The only strong win came in the 3-1 leg against Benfica (the other was a draw). I really couldn't care less about playing great football only against Deportivo and Getafe and barely getting by Valencia, Sevilla, etc (games which very well could've been draws or losses). Wanting my team to play smarter =/= wanting to see punt and chase football. Not changing things up and keeping other teams on their toes is pure arrogance and foolishness.

Well Barca are on a record pace for point total and goals, so I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about when you say they're just hoping the other teams keep on losing. Last season's record breaking Madrid side would be in second right now. There is no undisputed best side in the world now; they're in that group with Bayern, Juve, and Madrid nowadays. A club's cycle usually lasts 3-4 years, and we're in year 5 now.

They've beaten Malaga and Valencia - both quality sides. Madrid were beaten in the first SuperCup leg, and they should have won by more in that, and in the CDR first leg. I'm well aware of the weaknesses/vulnerabilities of the side, as I posted a few weeks ago. They need to figure out what they're going to do with the Cesc-Iniesta-Xavi experiment because it negatively affects the attack, the midfield lacks thrust, and possession is given away more than usual.

Again, "how they play" isn't going to change, and perhaps there was some confusion, but I agree that some structural tactics and the selection need to tweaked - as I've already touched on. Tito is missed, and the verticalidad [/I ]isn't all there, but I don't think there needs to be sweeping changes. The players/talent are there, they just need to be selected prudently, and put in the best position to succeed.

A new CB wouldn't go amiss, though.

 

[Nawzlew]

:x

 

[sfc415]

Well Barca are on a record pace for point total and goals, so I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about when you say they're just hoping the other teams keep on losing. Last season's record breaking Madrid side would be in second right now. There is no undisputed best side in the world now; they're in that group with Bayern, Juve, and Madrid nowadays. A club's cycle usually lasts 3-4 years, and we're in year 5 now.

They've beaten Malaga and Valencia - both quality sides. I'm well aware of the weaknesses/vulnerabilities of the side, as I posted a few weeks ago. They need to figure out what they're going to do with the Cesc-Iniesta-Xavi experiment because it negatively affects the attack, the midfield lacks thrust, and possession is given away more than usual.

Again, "how they play" isn't going to change, and perhaps there was some confusion, but I agree that some structural tactics and the selection need to tweaked - as I've already touched on. Tito is missed, and the verticalidad [/I ]isn't all there, but I don't think there needs to be sweeping changes. The players/talent are there, they just need to be selected prudently, and put in the best position to succeed.

A new CB wouldn't go amiss, though.

Who would've expected Real Madrid (which is basically the same squad as last year's title winning team) to drop so many points to teams like Granada, Getafe, Betis, Osasuna, and the current Sevilla though? Had Madrid not gone through some shocking upsets due to their own stupid errors, they'd still be challenging Barca for the title right now.

I never liked how Barca bought Cesc. Pointless move just to make the Catalan fans happy. Playing Cesc instead of Villa and then bringing on Villa after going down 2-0 with 30 minutes left =

Playing Alba and Alves together against strong counterattacking teams is a horrible idea too...2 attacking backs leaves no one to cover for our weak CBs. Abidal+Alves was the perfect balance

And yeah, new CBs are crucial. As much as I love Puyol, he's too old and slow now, and Shakira-Pique is trash