Footyball! II

[cteresa]

I saw the second half of the match ( I know, chronical on me, just happens all the time) and it was great. These games mean nothing but often the football is so much fun. a couple thoughts

- Manchester United are definetely missing something upfront. rooney and Tevez on their own, not quite enough.
- Danny, wow, what a debut for a club. And the seleccionador was on the stands even! the missed goal opportunity would have been fabulous, but his goal was already incredible. and for the first time he ever plays for a club, incredibly good and he played with Arshavin so well.
- Arshavin will be a complete and total idiot if he leaves Zenit for Tottenham. Zenit is going to play in the CHAMPIONS league, with a team and manager with non negligible odds of doing like Mourinho did with Porto. To give that up to go play for Tottenham, whose achievable ambitions are winning the UEFA cup and maybe get a CL spot, very dumb.
- I liked all of Zenit to be honest. I got a mad non-girly crush on Patrice Evra and ok, possibly sometimes, though not the right time to admit it, Paul Scholes. Speaking of which that was the most shameless handball I currently remember seeing.

[cteresa]

[quote name='Antonius Pius' post='1499319' date='Aug 29 2008, 18.49']Inter played at the Amsterdam Tournament a few weeks back. They did not look very impressive.[/quote]

Could be, truly could be. From an entertainment point of view, Mourinho not getting Inter to work out that might be truly entertaining. But judging teams from pre-tournament friendlies, specially weeks before transfer season ends is usually not conclusive.

[quote name='Antonius Pius' post='1499319' date='Aug 29 2008, 18.49']Van Bommel does not play football to make friends, but to win. Something not alien to the two greatest football-nations of Europe as far as silverware goes (Italy and Germany).[/quote]

Playing with a winning mentality and strength is one thing. Being filthy is another and often is uncorrelated with actually winning. Or the records of where silverware has been attributed would be very very different. uruguay would be far more sucessfull than Brasil probably. Belgium more than italy likely.


[quote name='Antonius Pius' post='1499319' date='Aug 29 2008, 18.49']Not just Portuguese players. Players of all nationalities are slurped up by the biggest clubs, and relatively speaking English clubs are the richest of all. These youths are bought both to snub the competion and because the clubs simply have the financial power to buy lots of talent. Once over there, lots of those youths simply drown, with little or no guidance.[/quote]

true - I was talking just of the portuguese because that is what I know, and in our case dozens and dozens of players ( Sporting threatened to dennounce Chelsea if a certain player was not returned. he was) and not a single one, not one, has had his career progress even halfway decently like if they were playing for say Vitoria de Guimaraes or Maritimo. Though arguably for other nationalities it might have happened, fabregas would be the canonical counterexample I guess. But hope those young players start to put two thoughts together and see what is happening.

[Gorn]

[quote name='cteresa' post='1499672' date='Aug 29 2008, 22.54']Speaking of which that was the most shameless handball I currently remember seeing.[/quote]

Definitely :rofl:

Watching Ferdinand play as striker was also entertaining in its own way.

[cteresa]

[quote name='Gorn' post='1499685' date='Aug 29 2008, 22.06']Watching Ferdinand play as striker was also entertaining in its own way.[/quote]

It was ahem interesting. and I don´t think he is used to thinking of offside the other way around ;)

and oh well, I keep repeating myself, ignore it, but must say it: I do not understand, I will never understand how somebody who has the control (or not) over a ball like John O Shea is doing playing for Manchester United. The rest is all right, he is fast and in the right places and commitment and all, but he with the ball is like somebody has thrown him a baby he has to catch...

PS - regarding Arshavin and Tottenham, ah, I just thought of something obvious, a good solution - Zenit is in for the Cl group stage with Juventus and real Madrid and some poor souls and not in a terribly good position for the league standings. But they are IN the Champions League now, and if Arshavin stays with Zenit till January, he can finish the league season, and play the group stage of the CL and him being cup tied for the CL will be of no importance for Tottenham at all who play the UEFA cup. If Zenit can not qualify past the group phase, then he can as well move to a UEFA cup group. A lot of juicy clubs being on the UEFA cup this year ( the in place, right?) means a lot of potentially interesting January activity.

[Jon AS]

Yay, more game manipulation! This time it's about Malayans manipulating games in Germany in order to make money through betting, not to secure titles. Specifically two Bundesliga games in 2005 (Kaiserslautern-Hannover and Karlsruhe-Siegen) as well as the Ghana-Brazil second round game of the 2006 World Cup (the Ghanaans were apparently paid to lose by two or more goals). The first I can easily believe, but throwing a game at the World Cup? How much money were these guys paid?

[Calibandar]

Was watching the Zenit vs Man U match last night and it confirmed once again what I saw in recent weeks. No sparks in Man U's team this year (sofar). No flair, no dynamic offensively. Struggling, struggling, and being soundly defeated by a better team last night. If this continues much longer Man U may be looking at a catastrophic season. Yes it is early days yet but play sofar has been downright uninspired. The Rooney-Tevez combo upfront is one I remain thoroughly unconvinced of as well.

[cteresa]

[quote name='Jon AS' post='1500101' date='Aug 30 2008, 09.30']Yay, more game manipulation! This time it's about Malayans manipulating games in Germany in order to make money through betting, not to secure titles. Specifically two Bundesliga games in 2005 (Kaiserslautern-Hannover and Karlsruhe-Siegen)[/quote]

I don´t get game betting at all - but presumably people in Malasya betting on Karlsruhe-Siegen games isn´t that automatically suspicious? or at least strange?

[quote name='Jon AS' post='1500101' date='Aug 30 2008, 09.30']as well as the Ghana-Brazil second round game of the 2006 World Cup (the Ghanaans were apparently paid to lose by two or more goals). The first I can easily believe, but throwing a game at the World Cup? How much money were these guys paid?[/quote]

That is shocking if ture. Though admittedly Ghana playing against Brazil maybe they thought they were going to lose by 2 goals or more anyway.

[Jon AS]

[quote name='cteresa']I don´t get game betting at all - but presumably people in Malasya betting on Karlsruhe-Siegen games isn´t that automatically suspicious? or at least strange?[/quote]

Apparently the chief suspect jumped bail and in addition to that there also exists a warrant for his arrest in Germany. Sounds as if there is something to this.

[quote name='cteresa']That is shocking if ture. Though admittedly Ghana playing against Brazil maybe they thought they were going to lose by 2 goals or more anyway.[/quote]

Yeah, but if there ever was a time when Ghana had a fighting chance of beating Brazil it was in 2006.

[cteresa]

Jon, a player was ill yesterday at a Cologne game? I hear he is well, hope it is nothing serious. If Petit was playing, that must have been a nightmare for him, everybody who saw it( and he was on the pitch that time) remembers Feher dying in Guimarães, during a game.


[quote name='Jon AS' post='1500138' date='Aug 30 2008, 12.43']Apparently the chief suspect jumped bail and in addition to that there also exists a warrant for his arrest in Germany. Sounds as if there is something to this.[/quote]

Very disturbing. let us know if there are any news on that, not making any papers here, but it is important.

[quote name='Jon AS' post='1500138' date='Aug 30 2008, 12.43']Yeah, but if there ever was a time when Ghana had a fighting chance of beating Brazil it was in 2006.[/quote]

And it affects everything, fighting spirit, if just one player accepts that it is an incredible betrayal to his teammates. and football

[Jon AS]

[quote name='cteresa']Jon, a player was ill yesterday at a Cologne game? I hear he is well, hope it is nothing serious. If Petit was playing, that must have been a nightmare for him, everybody who saw it( and he was on the pitch that time) remembers Feher dying in Guimarães, during a game.[/quote]

Yeah, Ümit Özat, Cologne's captain. He just collapsed and was rushed to a hospital but is being released today as he is fine now and they couldn't determine the cause.

It was certainly a shock for both teams, but Cologne recovered and managed to win the game.

[cteresa]

[quote name='Jon AS' post='1500152' date='Aug 30 2008, 13.12']Yeah, Ümit Özat, Cologne's captain. He just collapsed and was rushed to a hospital but is being released today as he is fine now and they couldn't determine the cause.[/quote]

I really hope they looked very very well - specially his heart, which is what we tend to worry at once, Foe, Feher, Puerta. Maybe he was just having some blood sugar thing but those doctors better have been very thorough to release him. and yes, I am traumatized about this. add hypocondria to my paranoia, but seeing big fit football players feinting just like that scares me to death.

[Black Wizard]

Man United were rubbish last night. :)

[cteresa]

Koudolis, I could kill Katsouranis right now. Nuff said.

Loras, the pressure on Quique remains the same , sort of, two league games, two ties, not a brilliant start, but let us give him some time - which btw in England they think that means a couple seasons, like with whathisname caretaker at Chelsea. In Portugal it means 6 weeks probably ;) Though seriously, Quique is safe till the reverse of this matchday(2), which should be matchday 17, February I would guess. The last Benfica manager to win at Porto was Mourinho ( in several senses of the language, though I mean managing a Benfica who beats Porto at their stadium) sooo he will just have to repeate that. But he has had far more money ;)

ungodly squabble between Porto and Inter over Ricardo Quaresma´s price. It´s a very quiet squabble, but is wtf. Players ( Quaresma and Pelé) have been put on the shelf, not playing this weekend, all wrapped up to be swapped in perfect condition, but Inter on friday is loaning Benfica a player and paying his salaries with papers all ready so he can play against Porto yesterday. Moratti is sneering at Quaresma now. Today is the last- sort of last day of transfer season and nothing agreed. My guess is, they are bluffing each other about price. wonder who blinks

[koudoulis]

[quote name='cteresa' post='1501007' date='Aug 31 2008, 07.33']Koudolis, I could kill Katsouranis right now. Nuff said.[/quote]

just watched that. stupid penalty and more stupid red card. the fan that attacked the linesman was hilarious though. :D

i dont know if he is unsettled or anything , i hope it was just a bad game.



the time for new coaches here is a very flexible thing. there is already one fired coach and the season (literally) hadnt even started. and if olympiakos hadnt won last night i m pretty sure Valverde wouldnt have a job today

btw have i told you how much i like Ten Cate? the guy is awesome. i am very pleased with the coach for once. i hope we get better soon so he will not get fired . we got some good results but our play is still mediocre. today we play against AEK athens . cant wait

[cteresa]

[quote name='koudoulis' post='1501056' date='Aug 31 2008, 16.33']just watched that. stupid penalty and more stupid red card. the fan that attacked the linesman was hilarious though. :D
i dont know if he is unsettled or anything , i hope it was just a bad game.[/quote]

Well, the word has been that he wants to move, don´t know where, probably back to Greece for while. Which puts everything in a different perspective. He might get his wish still, if we can find some clubs on iceland or maybe malasya who want him TODAY. To go where he wants after that, I don´t know. But if that was on purpose he can not be trusted nor should he be able to get the move he wants based on that. Maybe we can loan him out to paços de ferreira or something ;) Not that it will happen.

and sérgio Conceição is over there? I had lost track of that one. He is complicated. very complicated. worse than Maniche probably. That is good for you ( club you), though on the bad side for you guys, he can be pretty good, under special circunstances ( btw I feel obliged, as some unacknowledge football rule, that in every discussion of this guy to foreigners, one must mention "hat trick against Germany in a meaningful match" just in case they don´t know. That sort of pretty good. In my cynical mind Michael Owen won the Ballon d Or because of that same thing).

PS - just checked and wtf Milan! Back to their old ( two seasons and counting) league form. Did Inter make some witchcraft in the san siro pitch so that Milan seems uncapable of winning a league match there? And Roma, honestly. Mourinho ties his first italian league game and there go Milan and Roma make it look good. Juventus is our final hope to look impressive - strange to think that of them...

[Gorn]

Maybe it's time for Ancelotti to resign, since Berlusconi won't fire him. Seriously, he has world-class players at his disposal, enough money to buy almost anyone in the world (which he used to buy Senderos and Shevchenko :stunned: ), but Milan keeps struggling.

Capello and Mourinho, and even Rijkaard, were fired for much less.

[Black Wizard]

Today's Old Firm derby was fantastic. Celtic 2 - 4 Rangers. Two sendings off in sixty seconds. No Premiership derby comes close.

[cteresa]

[quote name='Gorn' post='1501140' date='Aug 31 2008, 19.21']Maybe it's time for Ancelotti to resign, since Berlusconi won't fire him. Seriously, he has world-class players at his disposal, enough money to buy almost anyone in the world (which he used to buy Senderos and Shevchenko :stunned: ), but Milan keeps struggling.[/quote]

Milan is beyond understanding. Berlusconi has this idea of family-club, and they all seem to be oblivious to the concept of time. Baresi is on the pipeline as future manager, coaching some Primavera teams. And Rijkaard is unemployed right? That would be incredibly predictably.

Ancelotti at least took them pretty far in the CL consistently, but this year they have not that option (ah! I think they are a great great club who I respect very much, but in this case totally deserved. Too snooty for their own good). And it looks crazy. They say Ronaldinho had a great game, if his fitness improves a lot it´ s not going to look good to Barcelona´s medical staff ( reportedly incompetent already) though perhaps in a way it might not look totally completely 100% good for the Milanlab either.

Barcelona lost their first league match, an away match. Between Barcelona and Milan´s results this is looking awfully like a dejá vu of last season. Oh yeah and Atlético won 4-0, of course, more dejá vu, same Atlético of last season it seems :P

[Iskaral Pust]

Terrible display by Liverpool today to draw 0-0 away to Villa. Not that Villa deserved to win, we just had no attacking potency without Gerrard and Torres (subbed early in the game with a hamstring injury). This 'Pool team won't concede many, but we have too little going forward at the moment. I can't understand why Ngog was preferred to Babel as a sub for Torres.

Arsenal looked quite good against Newcastle yesterday. Van Persie will take the headlines for his two goals, although I think he continues to waste his talent by playing for himself rather than for the team. Nasri was very impressive - he seems to have settled quickly.

ManU are terrible at the moment, they just won't meet enough teams like Zenit in the PL to expose this.

[Calibandar]

Arsenal was very impressive. And if you look at their team, that is just a truly world class squad they have anyway. Midfield consisted of Nasri, Fabregas, Denilson and Eboue, upfront Adebayor and van Persie.

Plus they now have Eduardo coming back, Bendtner on the bench so plenty of firepower. And in midfield Walcott and Eboue are sort of rotating on the right midfield position, depending on the game, and he's a great young player. Rosicky and Diaby are injured and if they come back they are possible first 11 players as well, though it seems the current squad will keep their places for now.

I disagree that van Persie is not a team player btw.

I agree however that I don't understand why Benitez brought in Ngog for the injured Torres whne you have Ryan Babel at hand, who IMO should be in the first 11 anyway.

Re: Milan

I'm just getting so tired of their constant non-performing. Every other weeks it's the same story for so long now. Kaka is wasting his life away there.

Fiorentina, Roma, Inter and Juve all draw as well. And in Spain, Real Madrid and Barcelona open the league with a defeat!