Futebol

CL is probably now the pinnacle for a modern player. World Cups are very different nowadays. Before 1994 I'd never seen the highly fancied Columbia and Pele's tip Nigeria play nor had I seen Hagi, Stoichkov, Romario, Dunga, Bebeto and so on ever.

Now with CL and YouTube it'd would be a big surprise to be blown away by something shockingly new at a World Cup.

Kind of suck the WC will be missing Zlatan or Ronaldo.

Kinda sucks that the WC is going to include either Zlatan or Ronaldo.

Yea why would we want 2 of the best players in the world partaking in the world's biggest sporting event?

I for one think it's brilliant that man that scored a goal like Zlatan did against Bastia might not be at World Cup. There is no need for the world stage to be lit up like that!

You're forgetting how they are both cunts and how I don't care about the world stage. Otherwise you're making really great points.

wp64 wrote:I don't care about the world stage.

so you won't be spouting inane shit in here next summer?

cool

A lazy four goals from Zlatan tonight in Champions League action including this monster.



So glad there's the chance he won't be a participant dans la Coupe du Monde!

There must be a part of him itching to add an Premier League medal to his collection. I really hope so.

This new employee at work is a Manchester United fan & found out the other day I support Liverpool. He is sending me IMs constantly talking shit.

Whenever I give him shit back he writes #sorryforwinning. I mean American United fans are the equivalent to someone in Italy claiming to be a long time Heat fan.

Chelsea need to sign Zlatan and Balotelli in the January window so they can field the greatest FA Cup strike partnership of all time

i am really looking forward to the World Cup this time around as it'll be the first WC since i started following world football closely.

also Bruegs, i think i might have to be coming around on Young Sturridge after another run of excellent all around performances and audacious goals

after the whole Henderson/Adam/Downing etc. fiasco, Suarez (~23 million pounds)/Sturridge (~12 million pounds)/Coutinho (~8.5 million pounds) might end up being the three best bargains in all of Europe.

I think I mentioned this before but Coutinho will not last in the league because he can't handle the physicality of it. But when he's been healthy it is amazing to watch.

i think that's a fair point, but given the influx of smaller, attacking players that have had Premier League success over the past five seasons i'm willing to withhold my doubts until he's had a chance in a campaign or two.

in more recent news, a tough draw against Chelsea in the Capital One Cup sees the Arsenal go out so we can rest our bitchtits thin squad for the rest of the competition

BENDTNER SEASON IS UPON US

I love that Bendtner is back in England. I've been trying to get a friend of mine that is a big Arsenal fan to invest in my Bendtner documentary called The Viking.

jasperness wrote: Young Sturridge

my favourite moment from the pretty lackluster UFC card in Manchester this weekend was when they showed Daniel Sturridge in the crowd (to a predictable chorus of Mancunian boos) and Jon Anik enthusiastically identified him as "David Sturbridge"

#usasoccerguy

hey Mitch, was that your suggestion they used on the Football Ramble this week for Pete's Game, or are there just a ton of British people masquerading as "Mitchell Stirling" all over the internet?

LOL I just heard that now while listening to the podcast!

i almost made a Pete's Game joke about this type of in-character posting a few weeks ago

Pete Best wrote:Thought it might have been Hossam Hassan and if it wasn't for the years I'd have said Matthaus (played a B international in 1979) but it must be Jari Litmanen.

Good question.

It was indeed me. I only know of two other persons called Mitchell Stirling. One in Australia who is 21ish and another in Scotland who is under 18.

I have all the email addresses and log-ons. I win.

the Pool were awful today and proved you can't have "title ambitions" and "starting central defender Kolo Toure" in the same sentence

Kind of surprised how poor they were.

i was surprised as well but the performances made the result make sense. Arsenal were lively with their pressing and Liverpool just didn't have it passing the ball today. Henderson was poor, Gerard was poor, Cissokho was very poor and the defense was basically under pressure the whole game. Liverpool didn't have the quality to hold the ball against a motivated Arsenal side, which is really the difference in the two teams. Arsenal have much more quality in possession than the likes of Lucas and an out of form Coutinho.

Arsenal's midfielders didn't have an all around amazing game but each player contributed. Before the season, some pundits were convinced Arsenal had too many central midfield players, but they have proven that when played out of position they can each do something different. Ramsey's energy was important (and of course the goal). Rosicky provided a forward outlet. Arteta was immense shuffling left to right in front of the back four. Cazorla was up and down but provided important flashes of quality. Ozil was just Ozil as usual, and didn't have to influence the game that much.

Zonal Marking noted on Twitter during the game that Arsenal have been crossing the ball more in recent weeks and that is an important tactical observation. With Walcott out of the side and Gnabry being used in other competitions, Arsenal don't have a winger to get in behind the defense. When we play Cazorla and Rosicky wide, Sagna always gets forward to overlap on the right and help out that right sided midfielder who is playing as a winger (today it was Rosicky). Sagna is a decent and fairly consistent crosser for Arsenal so this has worked out really well recently. other teams are giving Sagna way too much time on the ball because he's not quite as pacey as he used to be.

Five points clear.

Let me tell you something - the MLS is absolutely atrocious. Anyone that is committed to this league and tries to convince you it "isn't that far off top European leagues" is a fucking retard and should never be allowed to speak about the sport again.

These playoffs are a disgrace to the game. Playing on fake grass makes me want to vomit in my mouth. The league should be shut down and these people on Big Soccer that have being spouting Euro Snob bullshit for a decade now need their fingers removed so they never type on the internet again.

jasperness wrote:

Dave Mustaine wrote:I don't think we have any money to spend. Defoe is just the type of player we sign these days - out of favour, getting older, etc.  Also helps if free/cheap.  So my money in on Ba (or maybe Defoe) on loan in January.  Remember, if we beat Tottenham in December and then next May, the season is a success.  Big Sam's teams don't get relegated!  

that's sort of what i was getting at. the club has no money, but they also can't improve the team without money.  i don't think you can get Defoe or Ba on loan or a free. that's asking too much.

I'll move this here.  We'll probably have something for a decent loan.  Problem is, now that Reid is out we're exposed at defence and I sort of know, where Allardyce would want to put his money.  In terms of strikers, I'm sure we can unearth some 30+ year old who'll be gone by May.  Which should be just about time Andy Carroll recovers from his mysterious injury(s).