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Football Thread 2011/12 |OT10| Silverware, promotion, survival, relegation and tears
- Thread starter PaulLFC
- Start date
- Status
British Monsoon
Member
Hoping West Ham can put this one to bed early before home nerves have a chance to set in - the team's the same as Thursday, Cardiff have made a couple of changes though.
COME ON YOU IRONS!!!
COME ON YOU IRONS!!!
Vivalaraza
Member
Vivalaraza
Member
Give Bebe #7.
british talent only
get adams, downing, lampard, rooney, carroll, crouch. 4-3-3 and we got real madrid in the bag for next season
sack fergie for neil warnock
Vivalaraza
Member
I've heard it's due to be announced after the WBA game.
Agreed. PL is going to be full of London and Welsh clubs... Ugh.
Us Northern fans gotta stick together.
Last I heard he was off to Inter, would be very happy if we signed him though.
nah. none of that fancy dan foreign 4-3-3. need a good old 4-4-2. get the boys organized, make 'em hard to beat.
British Monsoon
Member
Sounds like a win/win situation to me.
FFS we could have done with M'vila.
Only one thing for it now.
Buy Kagawa.
Turn him into midfield enforcer.
Arsenal2022
Member
Brilliant news, we really do need a solid defensive midfielder, Song is more of an attacking type now and we need someone who can hang back.
I really want West Ham to go back up- only because I want you guys to nab the Olympic Stadium, no way can Spurs get a taxpayer funded ground when we didn't take a penny to pay for the Emirates.
Awesome Animals
Member
M'Vila will be a great signing for Arsenal if true.
Front six of:
Front six of:
Code:
Song - M'Vila
Wilshere
Chamberlain-Van Persie-PodolskiDjemba-Djemba was always due a hero's welcome. If that overrated ginge Scholes can come back, why can't the best midfielder with two names the same (TM) come back?
Vivalaraza
Member
Yeah he would have been an ideal signing for us IMO. He's not particularly creative but does that job in CM very well, quite similar to Tiote in many ways.
Arsenal will do very well to sign him, especially before the Euro's because I expect he will shine there and his value will increase.
Also he won't be crazy expensive. Probably something around £20m, which these days for a player of his quality and promise is a great price.
Well, I'm sober again. Time to pay tribute to the guys who made it all happen.
★★★ Antonio Conte - The Architect ★★★
Who would have thought, eh? In 2009 we tried to bring back the Juve spirit of olde by appointing the great Ciro Ferrara, but that didn't go according to keikaku. So when president Andrea Agnelli and sporting director Beppe Marotta announced Conte, another hero from the late 90s / early 00s era, many of us were a bit skeptical, to put it mildly. He did very well with Siena and Bari, yet his coaching career was just beginning. We knew he had the spirit, obviously, but did he have everything else? Well, fuck me, he did. He does! Some were depicting him as a 4-2-4 extremist, but he showed them better. Literally. 4-3-3 or 3-5-2? Who cares, they're just numbers, just consequent decisions of a man who looked his men in the eyes, saw what they were truly capable of, motivated them like nobody before him could, made them understand what it means to play for the Old Lady and sent them on the pitch with a new-found sense of pride and belonging. The three-man defense with Barzagli, Bonucci and Chiellini, augmented by the marathoning Lichtsteiner on the right; the all-in-three midfield with Marchisio, Pirlo and Vidal; the unweavering faith in Vucinic up front ... are all his mertis and inventions. Sure, with a truly great striker, a true prima punta, the scudetto would have probably been won months ago. Well, there's still next year ... Senza di te non andremo lontano, Antonio Conte il nostro capitano!!!
★★★ Gigi Buffon - The Zipper ★★★
What else is there to say about the greatest goalkeeper of them all? Not much, really. After two injury-ridden years nobody was sure he could fully recover, not even he. Fortunately for us, he did. Thanks to the outstanding defending of the ten men in front of him he didn't exactly have his hands full this season, but whenever duty called, he answered like a true champ. Including last week, when he made a fatal mistake, the first in a long time, one which could and probably would have shattered the confidence of a lesser GK. Not him. Not the guy who stayed in 2006, when the rats were abandoning a sinking ship, and went to hell and back to heaven with us. What doesn't kill you, only makes you ... Gianluigi Buffon. Salta con noi, Gigi!
★★★ Giorgio Chiellini - The Rock ★★★
He may not be pretty to look at, not even when you're looking at him playing from far away, but I'll be damned if he isn't one of the best CBs out there. What he lacks in finesse, he more than makes up in aggressiveness, agonism, concentration and a fully developed sense of position. And heart, frankly, pure heart. With Bonucci and Barzagli he found the ideal partner(s) he lost when Cannavaro left and now the sky's the limit. I can't remember a single (fatal) error from him this season and he even did his part when Conte used him as a terzino on the left. The Juve spirit is strong in this one. Future captain? It's either him or Marchisio, I think. Giorgione Chiellini uno di noi!
★★★ Leonardo Bonucci - The Transformer ★★★
"Quello buono l'abbiamo preso noi!" ["We bought the good one!"] Did you now, Merde? No, you really didn't. When Bonucci left Bari for Juventus and his partner Ranocchia went to Inter, everybody though the latter was the talented one in the duo that made Bari's fortunes. And honestly, so did we Juve fans. Bonucci's start was shaky to say the very least and even when he started getting decent, he still managed to come up with such blunders that ... *shudder* The funny thing was you could kinda see that there was a good defender buried somewhere under all the errors, theindecisiveness pussyness and the chronic lack of concentration, but you brushed it away as wishful thinking. Then, Conte happened. The transformation was gradual, yet constant. What's more, we finally found out what they meant when they were saying that Bonucci has 'great legs'. At first, when you saw him advancing with the ball towards the midfield, head high, you instinctivly looked away, fearing the worst. Then ... you looked back and what you saw, you almost couldn't believe. Did Pirlo shave his head? What's Pirlo doing back there? Who's the guy doing all these vertical passes? For proof, you only have to look at who made the assist for Vucinic's goal yesterday. Come una fenice dalle ceneri, signori e signore, Leonardo Bonucci!
★★★ Andrea Barzagli - The Constant ★★★
Sometimes, you forget he's even there at all. But that's only because he does everything just right. Always with the clean tackles, always on time, like a fucking swiss clock. Elegant, firm, mature. Yep, mature is the word I'm looking for. He may not be Nesta and he'll be the first to tell you so, but he's as hard working, dedicated and professional as they come. Again, I can't remember a single fatal error in 40+ games. Outstanding season. Andrea, ma come cazzo hai fatto?
★★★ Stephan Lichtsteiner - The Human Dynamo ★★★
Great fullback or greatest fullback? I don't know, but he's definitely up there somewhere. What I do know is that the last time I was this excited about a FB, we had Lippi on the bench and one still young Gianluca Zambrotta running up and down our left flank. Licht is ... just great. He was phenomenal in the fist half of the season and very good in the second, where even he, the goddamn human dynamo, had to take a breather. I guess his crossing could use some more practice, but other than that ... Stephan, ma che l'hai preso tu il motorino di San Siro?! Heroic.
★★★ Paolo De Ceglie - Ashton Kutcher ★★★
To you, he's De Ceglie or maybe just some guy that plays for Juventus. To us, he's Paolino 'Ashton Kutcher' De Ceglie. Born in Aosta (by the way, he's the first player from Vale d'Aosta to have won a scudetto!) and raised in Torino. He's been with us from the very beginning of this footballing career and while there are better fullbacks / LMFs out there, he's was just such a pleasant surprise this season. His unfortunate injuries seem to be a thing of the past - another one of Conte's athletic staff miracles? - and he's just rock solid. Thanks Paolino, you certainly did your part!!!
★★★ Andrea Pirlo - The Professor ★★★
Thank you based Galliani and thank you Milan for gifting us this amazing, amazing, amazing football mind. I mean, I can understand why you'd want to let him go after ten fruitful years and what seemed (mostly due to physical problems) to be the start of his decline. But seriously - how could you give away someone like Pirlo?! It's him we have to thank for our possession-based football and brilliant ball distribution. What do you do when you're in trouble? You give the ball to Pirlo and something will surely happen. Magic, usually. May God preserve you, Andreino da Brescia, we'll be needing you still, because there simply isn't anyone who could ever replace you. One of a kind.
★★★ Claudio Marchisio - The Little Prince ★★★
Besides Del Piero, the player every young juventino dreams to one day become. Classy, talented and yet not afraid to run, to press, to give himself away for his teammates and the cause. The prototype of the modern midfielder, really. His incursions and numerous goals helped us a lot this season, where our strikers were frequently, how should I put it, on strike. Other than that, he's just a fantastic example of what it means to be a true juventino, born and raised in Piemonte. Capitan Futuro! (Sorry, Chiello!)
★★★ Arturo Vidal - The Warrior ★★★
Now, I'm not saying we found the new Davids. BUT WE FUCKING DID! Best transfer of the season? I sure think so. This guy is a freaking beast. Not only is he a Gattuso, meaning he'll bite and press and growl until you'll step away from the ball screaming: "Take it, for God's sake, I can't stand this anymore, just fucking take it!' That he'll do for breakfast, while later in the afternoon you'll see him perform illuminating through-ball passes, lightning fast one-twos, crucial assists and score 3-point goals. He's got it all. Lord of the midfield! Also, thank you based Bayern!
★★★ Simone Pepe - The Engine ★★★
Every team needs a player like Simone. On paper at least, his true dimension is the province. But when you let someone like Conte inspire and motivate you, strange things can happen. I don't remember how many times he netted it from september to december last year, I just remember that it was a joy watching him play. Not only because of his generosity and unexpected quality on the pitch, but because he's such a humble and funny guy. He made Vidal (and Estigarribia) feel right at home from the very first training session, which is something I'll never forget. Grazie Simone, continua cosi'!
★★★ Mirko Vucinic - The Cat ★★★
The ever vaporous Vucinic actually giving a fuck. Sounds incredible, I know. And yet Conte somehow managed to keep him in check for a full season. Not that there haven't been moments or even whole matches where you'd have liked nothing more than to punch his sorry face. I mean, he's still Vucinic - an infuriating mix of pure genius and traditional balkanic lazyness (I should know, I'm from there
). But this was by far his best season yet and you can hardly blame a guy for being what he is. Gremo Mirko, naše zemlje sin!
★★★ Alessandro Matri - The Dandy ★★★
Look at him. Can you feel yourself turning gay? Ahem. I think it's fair to say that we all expected Alessandro to finish the campionato with a few more goals stashed away in his pocket. Say, ten more. Especially after the outstanding first half of the season. But hey, he's still our top scorer and man, what an improvement over Amauri! With a world-class striker incoming (or so we hope) and Quagliarella back to form he'll probably get way less playing time, but I sure hope he stays with us.
★★★ Alessandro Del Piero - Il Capitano ★★★
Comment not necessary. Legend, as simple as that. ONE. MORE. YEAR.
I haven't forgotten about Giaccherini, Borriello, Storari, Caceres, Marrone, Padoin and everybody else who made this dream a reality. But they'll have to wait until the 20th, when we're taking home the 10th Coppa Italia. That's right, I've said it. Bring it, Napoli!!!
★★★ Antonio Conte - The Architect ★★★
Who would have thought, eh? In 2009 we tried to bring back the Juve spirit of olde by appointing the great Ciro Ferrara, but that didn't go according to keikaku. So when president Andrea Agnelli and sporting director Beppe Marotta announced Conte, another hero from the late 90s / early 00s era, many of us were a bit skeptical, to put it mildly. He did very well with Siena and Bari, yet his coaching career was just beginning. We knew he had the spirit, obviously, but did he have everything else? Well, fuck me, he did. He does! Some were depicting him as a 4-2-4 extremist, but he showed them better. Literally. 4-3-3 or 3-5-2? Who cares, they're just numbers, just consequent decisions of a man who looked his men in the eyes, saw what they were truly capable of, motivated them like nobody before him could, made them understand what it means to play for the Old Lady and sent them on the pitch with a new-found sense of pride and belonging. The three-man defense with Barzagli, Bonucci and Chiellini, augmented by the marathoning Lichtsteiner on the right; the all-in-three midfield with Marchisio, Pirlo and Vidal; the unweavering faith in Vucinic up front ... are all his mertis and inventions. Sure, with a truly great striker, a true prima punta, the scudetto would have probably been won months ago. Well, there's still next year ... Senza di te non andremo lontano, Antonio Conte il nostro capitano!!!
★★★ Gigi Buffon - The Zipper ★★★
What else is there to say about the greatest goalkeeper of them all? Not much, really. After two injury-ridden years nobody was sure he could fully recover, not even he. Fortunately for us, he did. Thanks to the outstanding defending of the ten men in front of him he didn't exactly have his hands full this season, but whenever duty called, he answered like a true champ. Including last week, when he made a fatal mistake, the first in a long time, one which could and probably would have shattered the confidence of a lesser GK. Not him. Not the guy who stayed in 2006, when the rats were abandoning a sinking ship, and went to hell and back to heaven with us. What doesn't kill you, only makes you ... Gianluigi Buffon. Salta con noi, Gigi!
★★★ Giorgio Chiellini - The Rock ★★★
He may not be pretty to look at, not even when you're looking at him playing from far away, but I'll be damned if he isn't one of the best CBs out there. What he lacks in finesse, he more than makes up in aggressiveness, agonism, concentration and a fully developed sense of position. And heart, frankly, pure heart. With Bonucci and Barzagli he found the ideal partner(s) he lost when Cannavaro left and now the sky's the limit. I can't remember a single (fatal) error from him this season and he even did his part when Conte used him as a terzino on the left. The Juve spirit is strong in this one. Future captain? It's either him or Marchisio, I think. Giorgione Chiellini uno di noi!
★★★ Leonardo Bonucci - The Transformer ★★★
"Quello buono l'abbiamo preso noi!" ["We bought the good one!"] Did you now, Merde? No, you really didn't. When Bonucci left Bari for Juventus and his partner Ranocchia went to Inter, everybody though the latter was the talented one in the duo that made Bari's fortunes. And honestly, so did we Juve fans. Bonucci's start was shaky to say the very least and even when he started getting decent, he still managed to come up with such blunders that ... *shudder* The funny thing was you could kinda see that there was a good defender buried somewhere under all the errors, the
★★★ Andrea Barzagli - The Constant ★★★
Sometimes, you forget he's even there at all. But that's only because he does everything just right. Always with the clean tackles, always on time, like a fucking swiss clock. Elegant, firm, mature. Yep, mature is the word I'm looking for. He may not be Nesta and he'll be the first to tell you so, but he's as hard working, dedicated and professional as they come. Again, I can't remember a single fatal error in 40+ games. Outstanding season. Andrea, ma come cazzo hai fatto?
★★★ Stephan Lichtsteiner - The Human Dynamo ★★★
Great fullback or greatest fullback? I don't know, but he's definitely up there somewhere. What I do know is that the last time I was this excited about a FB, we had Lippi on the bench and one still young Gianluca Zambrotta running up and down our left flank. Licht is ... just great. He was phenomenal in the fist half of the season and very good in the second, where even he, the goddamn human dynamo, had to take a breather. I guess his crossing could use some more practice, but other than that ... Stephan, ma che l'hai preso tu il motorino di San Siro?! Heroic.
★★★ Paolo De Ceglie - Ashton Kutcher ★★★
To you, he's De Ceglie or maybe just some guy that plays for Juventus. To us, he's Paolino 'Ashton Kutcher' De Ceglie. Born in Aosta (by the way, he's the first player from Vale d'Aosta to have won a scudetto!) and raised in Torino. He's been with us from the very beginning of this footballing career and while there are better fullbacks / LMFs out there, he's was just such a pleasant surprise this season. His unfortunate injuries seem to be a thing of the past - another one of Conte's athletic staff miracles? - and he's just rock solid. Thanks Paolino, you certainly did your part!!!
★★★ Andrea Pirlo - The Professor ★★★
Thank you based Galliani and thank you Milan for gifting us this amazing, amazing, amazing football mind. I mean, I can understand why you'd want to let him go after ten fruitful years and what seemed (mostly due to physical problems) to be the start of his decline. But seriously - how could you give away someone like Pirlo?! It's him we have to thank for our possession-based football and brilliant ball distribution. What do you do when you're in trouble? You give the ball to Pirlo and something will surely happen. Magic, usually. May God preserve you, Andreino da Brescia, we'll be needing you still, because there simply isn't anyone who could ever replace you. One of a kind.
★★★ Claudio Marchisio - The Little Prince ★★★
Besides Del Piero, the player every young juventino dreams to one day become. Classy, talented and yet not afraid to run, to press, to give himself away for his teammates and the cause. The prototype of the modern midfielder, really. His incursions and numerous goals helped us a lot this season, where our strikers were frequently, how should I put it, on strike. Other than that, he's just a fantastic example of what it means to be a true juventino, born and raised in Piemonte. Capitan Futuro! (Sorry, Chiello!)
★★★ Arturo Vidal - The Warrior ★★★
Now, I'm not saying we found the new Davids. BUT WE FUCKING DID! Best transfer of the season? I sure think so. This guy is a freaking beast. Not only is he a Gattuso, meaning he'll bite and press and growl until you'll step away from the ball screaming: "Take it, for God's sake, I can't stand this anymore, just fucking take it!' That he'll do for breakfast, while later in the afternoon you'll see him perform illuminating through-ball passes, lightning fast one-twos, crucial assists and score 3-point goals. He's got it all. Lord of the midfield! Also, thank you based Bayern!
★★★ Simone Pepe - The Engine ★★★
Every team needs a player like Simone. On paper at least, his true dimension is the province. But when you let someone like Conte inspire and motivate you, strange things can happen. I don't remember how many times he netted it from september to december last year, I just remember that it was a joy watching him play. Not only because of his generosity and unexpected quality on the pitch, but because he's such a humble and funny guy. He made Vidal (and Estigarribia) feel right at home from the very first training session, which is something I'll never forget. Grazie Simone, continua cosi'!
★★★ Mirko Vucinic - The Cat ★★★
The ever vaporous Vucinic actually giving a fuck. Sounds incredible, I know. And yet Conte somehow managed to keep him in check for a full season. Not that there haven't been moments or even whole matches where you'd have liked nothing more than to punch his sorry face. I mean, he's still Vucinic - an infuriating mix of pure genius and traditional balkanic lazyness (I should know, I'm from there
). But this was by far his best season yet and you can hardly blame a guy for being what he is. Gremo Mirko, naše zemlje sin!★★★ Alessandro Matri - The Dandy ★★★
Look at him. Can you feel yourself turning gay? Ahem. I think it's fair to say that we all expected Alessandro to finish the campionato with a few more goals stashed away in his pocket. Say, ten more. Especially after the outstanding first half of the season. But hey, he's still our top scorer and man, what an improvement over Amauri! With a world-class striker incoming (or so we hope) and Quagliarella back to form he'll probably get way less playing time, but I sure hope he stays with us.
★★★ Alessandro Del Piero - Il Capitano ★★★
Comment not necessary. Legend, as simple as that. ONE. MORE. YEAR.
I haven't forgotten about Giaccherini, Borriello, Storari, Caceres, Marrone, Padoin and everybody else who made this dream a reality. But they'll have to wait until the 20th, when we're taking home the 10th Coppa Italia. That's right, I've said it. Bring it, Napoli!!!
Apparently I was supposed to go straight back to the hospital after the...post-surgery complications
We waited six years for this
Nothing and no one was going to take it away from me
You fucking did it!!
edit: HAHA Zabojnik, we couldn't have timed this better!
edit: *standing ovation* BRILLIANT POST!!
We waited six years for this
You fucking did it!!
edit: HAHA Zabojnik, we couldn't have timed this better!
edit: *standing ovation* BRILLIANT POST!!
Para bailar La Bomba
Banned
Vivalaraza
Member
Apparently he was racist. We don't know that for sure.
TheLucifer
Member
... I don't like this thread anymore.
Oh well, Seedorf may leave us in a few weeks. That's better than a scudetto. Believe.
Oh well, Seedorf may leave us in a few weeks. That's better than a scudetto. Believe.
LOOOL Well done Zabo, too bad he took that headbutt from Pinilla (and I bet he did it on purprose, sucker).
Tonight at work there'll be tears.
Thanks guys.
Just a little longer, TheLucifer. I promise we'll stop soon.
)
And then start again, say, on the 20th, amirite guys?
Btw, Vucinic was awesome yesterday. Drunk too, obviously.
British Monsoon
Member
Good delivery from Taylor on the corner, Nolan headed in after it ricocheted off a Cardiff defender.
Would Wenger play a diamond midfield? I don't think I've ever seen Arsenal start with anything other than 4-2-3-1, or at the very least, a formation with wingers.
TRENTAAA
Lol, and everyone always supposed he was interista just because he grew among them
I know you guys like to rag on dc89 a little bit due to his enthusiasm, but come on, a lifelong fan of a club who hasn't won in two generations of fans' lifetimes finally getting to see his team win is a wonderful story. To have your local archrival just dominate for your entire lifetime and to finally get one over on them.. it will be indescribable. I am so happy for dc and all of the other local fans who have stuck with their team through thick and thin. It's quite admirable.
The Orlando Magic will be my only team who hasn't won a championship in my lifetime if City pull it off on Sunday. It's bad enough having the Heat (who aren't even in the same city obviously) win multiple championships already and seem primed for more -- I can't imagine how painful it would be if they'd won another 15 or so in my lifetime before I saw one!
The Orlando Magic will be my only team who hasn't won a championship in my lifetime if City pull it off on Sunday. It's bad enough having the Heat (who aren't even in the same city obviously) win multiple championships already and seem primed for more -- I can't imagine how painful it would be if they'd won another 15 or so in my lifetime before I saw one!
I know you guys like to rag on dc89 a little bit due to his enthusiasm, but come on, a lifelong fan of a club who hasn't won in two generations of fans' lifetimes finally getting to see his team win is a wonderful story. To have your local archrival just dominate for your entire lifetime and to finally get one over on them.. it will be indescribable. I am so happy for dc and all of the other local fans who have stuck with their team through thick and thin. It's quite admirable.
The Orlando Magic will be my only team who hasn't won a championship in my lifetime if City pull it off on Sunday. It's bad enough having the Heat (who aren't even in the same city obviously) win multiple championships already and seem primed for more -- I can't imagine how painful it would be if they'd won another 15 or so in my lifetime before I saw one!
You, Fady and Yurt. You're the ones who get it.
<3
Zabojnik and Yurt, your posts were wonderful. Viva, yours was hilarious.
It is wonderful for him, but I prefer the way Fur shows enthusiasm - by sniffing glue and talking in colloqualisms, rather than being shown round David Pizarro's garden shed
I know you guys like to rag on dc89 a little bit due to his enthusiasm, but come on, a lifelong fan of a club who hasn't won in two generations of fans' lifetimes finally getting to see his team win is a wonderful story. To have your local archrival just dominate for your entire lifetime and to finally get one over on them.. it will be indescribable. I am so happy for dc and all of the other local fans who have stuck with their team through thick and thin. It's quite admirable.
The Orlando Magic will be my only team who hasn't won a championship in my lifetime if City pull it off on Sunday. It's bad enough having the Heat win multiple championships already and seem primed for more -- I can't imagine how painful it would be if they'd won another 15 or so in my lifetime before I saw one!
It is wonderful for him, but I prefer the way Fur shows enthusiasm - by sniffing glue and talking in colloqualisms, rather than being shown round David Pizarro's garden shed
I know you guys like to rag on dc89 a little bit due to his enthusiasm, but come on, a lifelong fan of a club who hasn't won in two generations of fans' lifetimes finally getting to see his team win is a wonderful story. To have your local archrival just dominate for your entire lifetime and to finally get one over on them.. it will be indescribable. I am so happy for dc and all of the other local fans who have stuck with their team through thick and thin. It's quite admirable.
The Orlando Magic will be my only team who hasn't won a championship in my lifetime if City pull it off on Sunday. It's bad enough having the Heat win multiple championships already and seem primed for more -- I can't imagine how painful it would be if they'd won another 15 or so in my lifetime before I saw one!
The 2012/13 change kit (colour burgundy) is released Thursday 10th May - pre-order yours now!
https://shop.nufc.co.uk/cgi-bin/liv...nufc&state=products&dept_id=85&sub_dept_id=10
That smells like enthusiasm.
dc23 is a canny lad but he's nee dc89
West Ham 2 up, looks like they're going to Wembley...
yeah, fuck you too
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