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Football Thread 2015/16 |OT| The Great American Sport

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Syder

Member
A couple of weeks ago Barca was the best team in history. Now its April and they are out of form since the last three or four games. Small margins decide on that level. Anyway, I just hope we get City or Real. Atelitco is perfect for the final.
Pep's Barça will always be remembered as being better than the current Enrique Barça.
 

Kill3r7

Member
Rebuild the defence is still rebuilding. Where did I say the whole squad? They basically have no back up as well. So with the rumours they have money problems they may have to sell a big player. They have the best front 3 in the game but even they can't win you a game every time.

Adding a couple of bodies to compete on defense does not qualify a rebuilding job. Rebuilding is what Van Gaal has tried and failed to do at United.
 

Beefy

Member
Adding a couple of bodies to compete on defense does not qualify a rebuilding job. Rebuilding is what Van Gaal has tried and failed to do at United.

They need more then just a couple of bodies. I don't rate any of their defenders that highly and a few of their players are starting to get old. Then they need to buy more back up. It's still the reason I think Pep left. I reckon he wanted loads of cash to buy decent back up etc, but was told no. So he walked.

On United they allowed a team to get old then not invest correctly. That investment was all blown on a lot of over hyped players. But unlike Barca United have the money to rebuild a entire squad.
 

Kill3r7

Member
They need more then just a couple of bodies. I don't rate any of their defenders that highly and a few of their players are starting to get old. Then they need to buy more back up. It's still the reason I think Pep left. I reckon he wanted loads of cash to buy decent back up etc, but was told no. So he walked.

On United they allowed a team to get old then not invest correctly. That investment was all blown on a lot of over hyped players. But unlike Barca United have the money to rebuild a entire squad.

Whether or not you or I rate their defenders is immaterial. 3/4 of their defense is very good. Their midfield is still very good and their front 3 is the best in the world. On the subject of United, I bet my house that if Fergie had stuck around the team would be competing for the title.
 

Syder

Member
I can't believe they've gotten away with using the converted Mascherano for this long. Pique is obviously a great defender but Puyol used to cover for his weaknesses; lack of concentration especially. Since Puyol retired they've essentially being getting by on a glued together, jury-rigged defense. Douglas, Bartra, Montoya, etc. haven't really developed into the players we'd hoped, Alves is 32, Mascherano is 31, Jordi Alba and Aleix Vidal are far better going forward than they are defending. Vermaelen's struggled with injury and he and Mathieu aren't the really of the best quality, in my opinion. Selling Pedro and losing Rafinha to injury has weakened the squad over this season also.

The form of Barça's best XI, which is still one of the best teams in the world, has carried them to where they are now. I think recent results has shown the effect of a long season that has encompassed La Liga, Copa del Rey, the Champions League, the Super Cup and the Club World Cup.

#GiveSergiSamperAChance
 

Beefy

Member
I can't believe they've gotten away with using the converted Mascherano for this long. Pique is obviously a great defender but Puyol used to cover for his weaknesses; lack of concentration especially. Since Puyol retired they've essentially being getting by on a glued together, jury-rigged defense. Douglas, Bartra, Montoya, etc. haven't really developed into the players we'd hoped, Alves is 32, Mascherano is 31, Jordi Alba and Aleix Vidal are far better going forward than they are defending. Vermaelen's struggled with injury and he and Mathieu aren't the really of the best quality, in my opinion. Selling Pedro and losing Rafinha to injury has weakened the squad over this season also.

The form of Barça's best XI, which is still one of the best teams in the world, has carried them to where they are now. I think recent results has shown the effect of a long season that has encompassed La Liga, Copa del Rey, the Champions League, the Super Cup and the Club World Cup.

#GiveSergiSamperAChance

Exactly what I am saying.
 
my mood is off the roof this morning

dat champions league high

Feels good man

cosmo.png
 

T-Rex.

Banned
So excited for the game tonight. Dortmund are a brilliant side, so the smarter thing would probably be to sit back for the first 15 minutes or so and stifle them 'cos they'll look to start on the front foot, but I hope we do the opposite. Start Sturrige and Origi, surprise them, and get at them right from the start. That'll get the crowd going and as a team we're more suited to that style of play than trying to contain a really good attack anyway. We managed it last week but it's a tough ask to do the same again.

Now for the day to drag before kick off..
 

GHG

Member
I really hope that Man City and Liverpool win the CL and Europa League respectively. Just so that when Arsenal finish in Wengers "4th place trophy" spot we don't end up qualifying for the CL and he can finally fuck off.
 
I really hope that Man City and Liverpool win the CL and Europa League respectively. Just so that when Arsenal finish in Wengers "4th place trophy" spot we don't end up qualifying for the CL and he can finally fuck off.

Could happen if just Liverpool win the EL.

Arsenal : 59 points : Remaining fixtures - West Bromwich Albion (H), Sunderland (A), Norwich City (H), Manchester City (A), Aston Villa (H).
Man City : 57 points : Remaining fixtures - Chelsea (A), Newcastle United (A), Stoke City (H), Southampton (A), Arsenal (H), Swansea City (A).

The second to last game could potentially be a decider for fourth. Who would you want at Arsenal anyway?
 

Beefy

Member
The London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) fought a ruling that the contract should be made public, but the appeal was rejected by an Information Tribunal earlier this week.

West Ham will pay an annual rent of £2.5m per year over the 99-year lease, the 207-page document has revealed.

The Hammers move in this summer.

The first £4m of any naming rights deal will go to the LLDC and Newham borough, with anything above that between the two bodies and West Ham.


http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36043808

@martynziegler
Wow: West Ham will not have to pay for police, stewarding, heating, pitch maintenance - or even costs of corner flags at Olympic Stadium.

Whoever did this deal needs to be looked into.
 

Jack cw

Member
Fun fact about all quarter CL finals this seasons: All games ended 3-2 on aggregate. Says a lot, quality was top on the round of the last 8 clubs in Europe. Should be two tight semis now.
 

King_Moc

Banned
Yeah, the Olympic Stadium deal looks dodgy as fuck. £250m for 99 years? A stadium would cost more than that to build these days, and wouldn't even last 99 years.
 
The latest games in the UCL have been dramatic and we've been really spoiled. I hope Dortmund and Liverpool can reach the same level of intensity. The first leg was rather meh.
 

LNBL

Member
John van Zweden is likely to sell his shares in Swansea City to the American investment group, which will earn him approx €8.500.000. He bought the shares for €60.000 in 2002, what an investment
 

D4Danger

Unconfirmed Member
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36044285

Jonas Gutierrez won his disability discrimination case against Newcastle

basically they stopped playing him after he returned from cancer treatment to avoid having to give him a new contract. He had to play so many games but they only started playing him when there wasn't enough games left in the season to fulfill his contract.
 

elseanio

Member
Mignolet, Clyne, Lovren, Sakho, Moreno, Can, Milner, Lallana, Coutinho, Firmino, Origi.
Subs: Ward, Sturridge, Lucas, Allen, Skrtel, Smith, Ojo.
 

King_Moc

Banned
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36044285

Jonas Gutierrez won his disability discrimination case against Newcastle

basically they stopped playing him after he returned from cancer treatment to avoid having to give him a new contract. He had to play so many games but they only started playing him when there wasn't enough games left in the season to fulfill his contract.

Damn. With this and Sunderland knowing about the Adam Johnson messages, it's hard to be too upset if they both go down.
 
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