footie footie footie with the feet #2

[Isis]

"You're just a small town in Poland!" Brighton fans to Walsall's travelling support.

I have always loved that one.

[Calibandar]

BTW Barça vs Getafe tsk tsk tsk. Something is very much wrong with Barcelona and I am thinking Rijkaard is the problem ( apparently they got voluntary-participation training sessions now. Ronaldinho, Messi and Henry did not show up).

Yes, there is definitly something wrong with Barca. They have been struggling all season. Sure they have won a few games comfortably but not once have we seen them truly shine with the magnfificent football that we saw in the last two or three years. This is immensely disappointing from my perspective as a fan of beautiful football.

Is Rijkaard to blame? Honestly I do not know, I am not an insider. I have never seen the man with his team. He has performed well in past years though so I am very reluctant to judge him. He's made his team play very well in the past and gotten results. But he should be able to do much better with such a splendid array of players.

I don't think they are missing Deco, I think Iniest is fully capable of replacing him. I think the loss that hurts them more, as it did last year when the same thing happened, is losing Eto'o. I am unsure when he will be back but it should be soon. And he is crucial for Barca, because much like Ronaldo in his prime, he is wicked fast and gives that team that efficiency that they need. Eto'o scores, a lot. if you lose him and replace him with the erratic Henry, well that may be one of the reasons why barca struggles.

I don't think they will fire Rijkaard any time soon. But he might be done for if they do not win the title at year's end.

[Mathis]

The erratic Henry?

Henry is the best striker in the world since Ronaldo's decline.

[cteresa]

The erratic Henry?

Henry is the best striker in the world since Ronaldo's decline.

for Barça, ahem, better watch it for yourself. I would think Etoo is very sorely missed indeed, but he has been gone for a while, and Barça managed some impressive matches afterwards. But as i said months ago, henry+messi+ronaldinho, none of them is a winger, who is going to provide the service? Iniesta has been pretty good, perhaps best of Barcelona recently, but it´s Xavi who is mostly filling in for Deco, no? BTW I would swear I have seen Iniesta playing as a winger in a couple games ( and not bad at all). Very messy all around.

And my feeling is there might be some general coach changes in some clubs soon. Qualification for the euro08 ends next week. If Portugal does not qualify Scolari might be available this month rather than in August, same perhaps about Hiddink and Russia, who knows Clemente and Serbia, who knows about Italy and France as well. Not necessarily that any of them will be available but that directors will know for sure no national team manager of a team qualified for the euro will be available before it. Right now, it´s worth waiting and see if there are more available choice soon.

BTW, this is sort of funny, Barcelona can not win a league game away, Milan can not win a league game home, if they were both playing at the San Siro who would win?!? ok, not a league game then, but still, makes you wonder if we should mix those two teams and perhaps it would cure them both.

[Calibandar]

Mathis

I think Henry used to be superb. I would even agree with your estimation. But he has been erratic for Barca this year, and I'm doing him a favour by calling him that because with the exception of on occasional glimpse of his skill he has been outright clumsy sofar. And he was even worse for Arsenal last year, partly through injuries, partly because he was really off form. He hasn't regained that form by any measure. But I'd not say he is past his prime.

[Jon AS]

Wow, the Serie A is really heading downhill. Declining fan interest, corruption, violence and now star players are not all that keen on playing in Italy anymore. Maybe Real will finally get their wish and sign Kaká...

[Mathis]

Calibander

You say Henry was 'even worse for Arsenal last year....partly because he was really off form'

In the 2006-2007 Premiership he scored 10 goals in 17 appearances. So not really off form.

Since then he has broken the scoring record for France and has scored 5 goals in 11 appearances for Barca (I think). Thats OK considering he is playing for a new team in a new league.

I know statistics don't show everything and that Henry hasn't been at his very best but I still think he's far from erratic.

[cteresa]

Wow, the Serie A is really heading downhill. Declining fan interest, corruption, violence and now star players are not all that keen on playing in Italy anymore. Maybe Real will finally get their wish and sign Kaká...

perhaps, I think they might. But silvio berlusconi is indeed going to make them pay through the nose for him. BTW, you know spanish media announcing Real´s interest in this or that player in any club, no matter how happily contracted, and just upsetting fans everywhere? ( sorry, loras, but is true). merengues had a taste of their own medicine lately with (spanish) media announcing Milan wanted Sergio Ramos :lol

And while the ultras are not out of control as in Italy, security conditions in Spanish stadiums are not that brilliant either, and there is the whole mess with tv rights, which is not going to do anything for "international projection" of the league.

and truly horrible, a 16 year old goalkeeper in a minor portuguese youth team died during training, stroke. I suppose there are so very many people playing football odds are these sort of things will happen during games/training. 16 years! migraine, feeling ill, stroke. just like that.

[Calibandar]

Mathis

You're right, statistics don't say everything.

[Mathis]

Ouch

[cteresa]

Jon, heard about Carlos Alberto and Sanogo Typical, sort of. Just get rid of Carlos Alberto as soon as you can - some journalist had fun recapping his full history of blowouts with people including he now having to wear glasses since damaging his eye on a night club fight. Have you got any strikers available? Hugo Almeida is injured for a couple more weeks.

Carlos Alberto! now that is a waste of oxygen.

[Jon AS]

Carlos Alberto! now that is a waste of oxygen.

Not to mention a waste of money...

And just a couple of weeks ago he had finally gotten over the weird "permanent exhaustion" he suffered from since the start of the season. The worst part is that it deprives the team of Sanogo. I can't really figure out who is still fit to play. This whole season seems cursed, even though lying in second place, just one point behind the leaders suggests otherwise. Makes me wonder how things would have gone without all those injuries.

[cteresa]

Not to mention a waste of money...

who owned him? was it still Porto as well? or had they passed his contract to a brazillian club? Porto been trying to sell someextra players ( Deco does not count, him they really would not minded keeping), you did not get a bad deal from them, both Diego and Hugo, sort of cheapish, they have been good and decent respectively and you could sell either of them for twice as much right now if you wanted to . Of the other Porto sells, Anderson was very pricey indeed, and Luís Fabiano had major issues ( not his fault. his mother was kidnapped for months) during his time at Porto, don´t remember how much sevilla paid for him. Now getting people to pay money for Derlei and Carlos Alberto, gosh I hate that club.

And just a couple of weeks ago he had finally gotten over the weird "permanent exhaustion" he suffered from since the start of the season. The worst part is that it deprives the team of Sanogo. I can't really figure out who is still fit to play. This whole season seems cursed, even though lying in second place, just one point behind the leaders suggests otherwise. Makes me wonder how things would have gone without all those injuries.

Not knowing anything about peculiar circunstances, I would, on principle, completely absolve Sanogo of any guilt. Some people are just asking for it, and Carlos Alberto is totally asking for it. Want me to translate the list of circunstances today´s paper presented? Very sorry, good luck this weekend.

[Jon AS]

who owned him? was it still Porto as well? or had they passed his contract to a brazillian club? Porto been trying to sell someextra players ( Deco does not count, him they really would not minded keeping), you did not get a bad deal from them, both Diego and Hugo, sort of cheapish, they have been good and decent respectively and you could sell either of them for twice as much right now if you wanted to . Of the other Porto sells, Anderson was very pricey indeed, and Luís Fabiano had major issues ( not his fault. his mother was kidnapped for months) during his time at Porto, don´t remember how much sevilla paid for him. Now getting people to pay money for Derlei and Carlos Alberto, gosh I hate that club.

From what I read, Diego didn't fit into the manager's concept at Porto, that's why he was available on the cheap. Alberto IIRC was owned by a Brazilian club and had some ties to the same shady organisation as Tevez. And he cost 8 million! That's a club record by the way. If he doesn't do some amazing stuff, he is probably going to be considered the first big mistake in the Allofs/Schaaf era. Well, I gues one bad transfer in 8 years ain't too bad, even if he was prohibitively expensive...

Not knowing anything about peculiar circunstances, I would, on principle, completely absolve Sanogo of any guilt.

Additional reports seem to indicate you are right. Still, discipline has to be enforced etc. At least it's not a big game, "just" Cottbus. Though they can be tough, especially at home.

[cteresa]

From what I read, Diego didn't fit into the manager's concept at Porto, that's why he was available on the cheap

Yes, and he was very young and honestly adriaanse was an idiot. He also wanted Hugo out, and brought in some expensive worthless dutch dude, IIRC.

Alberto IIRC was owned by a Brazilian club and had some ties to the same shady organisation as Tevez. And he cost 8 million! That's a club record by the way. If he doesn't do some amazing stuff, he is probably going to be considered the first big mistake in the Allofs/Schaaf era. Well, I gues one bad transfer in 8 years ain't too bad, even if he was prohibitively expensive...

all prices are going up and up... I hear you though, but we never really know. Portuguese clubs usually get good players by developing them or buying not-yet-famous south americans.

BTW, Benfica and Sporting are squabbling over who has the right to sign a player. Bruno Silva, 8 years old. Not a typo, eight. Presumably born in 1999.

Additional reports seem to indicate you are right. Still, discipline has to be enforced etc.

I will translate

http://www.maisfutebol.iol.pt/noticia.php?...amp;div_id=1485

In corinthians he hit Carlos Tevez.

In Porto, his then coach ( Fernandez, ah, I miss that one) threw him out. In Corinthians, two coaches could not stand him. In between he got into a fight in a disco which damaged his eye for life and means he now needs to wear glasses. He is worse than Adriano (IMO).

[Jon AS]

BTW, Benfica and Sporting are squabbling over who has the right to sign a player. Bruno Silva, 8 years old. Not a typo, eight. Presumably born in 1999.

I can not believe someone can actually tell if an 8 year old is ever going to be a good football player. People are getting a little carried away with the prospect of discovering the next generation's superstar before everyone else, methinks.

In corinthians he hit Carlos Tevez.

In Porto, his then coach ( Fernandez, ah, I miss that one) threw him out. In Corinthians, two coaches could not stand him. In between he got into a fight in a disco which damaged his eye for life and means he now needs to wear glasses. He is worse than Adriano (IMO).

Sigh. Werder have a reputation of getting great results from players that have failed to impress elsewhere. This is what you get when you start to buy into your own hype, I guess. Hopefully a mistake that won't be repeated.

[Calibandar]

Bad day for Man U yesterday, 1-0 defeat at Bolton. BBC commentators were quick to to point to the absence of Rooney, but the absence of Ronaldo and Paul Scholes as well means you are missing 3 of your most important players. And even then a draw would have been a fair result. But you get these sort of matches. Just unfortunate that Arsenal is winning all of theirs, and they were without van Persie, Fabregas, Flamini and Hleb, 4 first eleven players.

Chelsea won as well, without impressing. Liverpool put in a strong performance.

And in Spain, Barca won by 3-0, first goal by the young Bojan, as well as a goal from Messi. Good thing Madrid dropped points, the gap between the two now closed to two points. Barca was without Eto'o, Ronaldinho and Deco, 3 important players for them. And Henry continues to worry, no goal again for him.

[cteresa]

Messi scored a *penalty* kick, not scored a goal, there is a difference, his performances tend to get a bit exagerated with foreign reporting Honestly, considering his playing right now he is not even the best Argentinean in Spain. Or the best young short Argentinean in Spain even. He will be on peak form again one of these days, it´s just right now, no. Henry sort of made Bojan´s goal, nice of him to take care of the kid, so as football is not measured only in goal statistics despite not being on the list, his contribute was not that negligible.

Regarding Benfica, I am getting addicted to this sort of game wrapups. Rui Costa scored a masterpiece of a free kick ( ... old rockers...), my very beloved Luisão is back and he scored a goal with his back to goal and with his heel. Oh, Luisão And Adu is definetely growing on me, one of the weirdest goals I have ever seen, a straight shot, keeper does not hold it, goes straight to hitting the post, bounces back in a 45 degree angle straight to midfield. Then after 20 cms the ball changes trajectory again, just like that, another 45 degree change straight line into the goal. Angular momentum is a very peculiar thing - because I am geek, I really really want to get the particularly details of the physics of this. Oh, regarding the goal, I am not going to care that much for the 3 in a 3-1, but Adu dedicated it to Mantorras which is even more nicely done, kid. Milan is coming up this week, and I just bet they will typically rest all their first team surely. Mentality of a small club, IMO. I am sorry to be mean, but I hope they get relegated this year for this not taking their league seriously. We would never ever have the luxury of not taking our league seriously.

So today Porto plays Vitória de Setúbal. Vitória, surely helped by the fact they are not playing in any UEFA competition, is one of only 2 ( 3?) teams in Europe which has not yet lost a competitive game, any game this season ( the other is Arsenal perhaps?).

PS_ regarding Man Utd, just checked and it was as I remembered they did play their last league game before international break was played without Rooney or Scholes. They did have Cristiano Ronaldo though, he scored 2 and the result was 2-0. Meaning, he was probably what they were missing this weekend. Reported slight strain - nobody ever talks about his injuries before matches ( or even after matches, Unless it is ferguson trying to put pressure on scolari or something) because that would be like telling adversay defenders to have a go because he is extra vulnerable. He is one of the most fouled upon players in the world - or in the top leagues at least.

PPS- forgot to say, congrats Jon! I suppose the answer when one does not have any strikers is Diego?

[Third Knight on the Left]

Yay Freddy!

[Calibandar]

Messi scored a *penalty* kick, not scored a goal, there is a difference, his performances tend to get a bit exagerated with foreign reporting

A penalty is a goal just as much, and all that was reported was thet he scored. That's not an exaggeration Teresa, but a simple fact. If they had said he scored a wonderful goal then then that would have been an exaggeration.

PS_ regarding Man Utd, just checked and it was as I remembered they did play their last league game before international break was played without Rooney or Scholes. They did have Cristiano Ronaldo though, he scored 2 and the result was 2-0. Meaning, he was probably what they were missing this weekend

I think you're being overly chauvinistic here. Ronaldo may be Portuegese but that does not mean he is the only player a team can depend on. Rooney and Scholes were absent as well and these three players are normally vital for Man U's performance. A little realism please.