ANOTHER New Footie Thread

[Rishi]

QF FA Cup draw:

Chelsea vs. Manchester United
Middlesbrough vs. Manchester City OR Huddersfield Town
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Millwall
Sutton United OR Arsenal vs. Lincoln City

Weekend of March 11-12. More than likely the Chelsea/United game will be Sunday as United has Thursday football.

 

[seminoleed]

Great. The Arsenal has to avoid two consecutive minnows. I'd rather lose to Chelsea and get it over with.

 

[Rishi]

Conspiracy theory that I just made up:

Man City forced a replay in FA Cup (most likely to be played on Feb. 28/March 1st) since that would be the only day the Manchester Derby could have been replayed until later in the year (due to commitments in Europe by both teams). Thus adding to the heavy United schedule in April/May where United may have a couple of 1 day off scenarios with 2 games already to be replayed -> City and March 11/12th's opponent Southampton due to the FA Cup tie with Chelsea.

Did I sound anything like a United fan there?

 

[Rishi]

Great. The Arsenal has to avoid two consecutive minnows. I'd rather lose to Chelsea and get it over with.

On a Chelsea blog I frequent, someone was complaining about drawing United ("difficult draw"), response was (paraphrasing): At least we avoided everyone else in the top 4.

 

[Rishi]

Can you imagine the collective explosion the Media will have if Sutton United beats Arsenal? That would guarantee a non-league team makes it to Wembley for the semis. I think I might OD by proxy on all the "magic of the FA Cup" talk after that.

 

[seminoleed]

Can you imagine the collective explosion the Media will have if Sutton United beats Arsenal? That would guarantee a non-league team makes it to Wembley for the semis. I think I might OD by proxy on all the "magic of the FA Cup" talk after that.

That "explosion" would be the collective expletives directed by me towards London. And it would be sonic boom quality.

 

[seminoleed]

Well, they got past the Sutton trap. Now, they get the Cinderella that eveyone's pulling for.

Oh joy.

 

[LesClaypool]

Well, they got past the Sutton trap. Now, they get the Cinderella that eveyone's pulling for.

Oh joy.

The 46-year old, 250 lb. backup GK for Sutton was in the bar w/the fans during half time. Trying to copy the picture but don't know how from my phone. It was awesome!

 

[LesClaypool]

The 46-year old, 280 lb. backup GK for Sutton was in the bar w/the fans during half time. Trying to copy the picture but don't know how from my phone. It was awesome!

 

[seminoleed]

Appropos of nothing, but last night Atlanta United FC moved to 2-1 on the preseason with a 4-2 win over defending champ Seattle Sounders, despite going down a man with 20 minutes left. season ticket sales over 30k, and sellout of 55K+ expected next Sunday for the first ever regular season game against Red Bulls. It's good to be a footie fan in the ATL right now. Got my lanyard and season tix for the 8 games at Bobby Dodd Stadium in the mail yesterday. Very excited.

 

[Rishi]

Starting the 2018/9 year, Turner will be broadcasting UCL and UEL in the States. Fox Sports is out.

http://worldsoccertalk.com/2017/02/...-acquire-uefa-champions-league-tv-rights-usa/

Seems like the consensus is that this is a good thing.

 

[LesClaypool]

Interesting.

Well, no more putting Arsenal on FS2 - a channel that almost no one gets on their cable package, anymore

 

[Rishi]

Big game tomorrow for Arsenal and Liverpool. If a team loses that game they could (and likely will) fall to 6th in the table.

It'll be interesting to see if anything changes for either side in terms of how they play and line up or if they'll just go with the expected (I lean to the latter).

 

[LesClaypool]

Not that I'm saying I'd be ok w/it, but Arsenal has a game in hand (Southampton), so they could still be ok (a la in 4th) even w/a loss today...Liverpool on the other hand would fall to 6th (where they may technically already be b/c Man United has a game in hand (though theirs is Man City).

 

[seminoleed]

ManU didn't help their cause today; ugly draw with Bournemouth.

 

[seminoleed]

ManU didn't help their cause today. Ugly draw with Bournemouth. Ibra knew he should have seen red earlier,
so he made up for it by having a PK stopped.

 

[LesClaypool]

Ibra should've seen red. May get 2-3 match ban after the fact for that elbow.

 

[seminoleed]

I found a great way to avoid watching the inevitable Arsenal fold against the Peasants. Went down to Atlantic Station to the Atlanta United FC store to pick up my gear for tomorrow night's opener. Had to stand in line almost an hour just to get in the door, and another 30 picking up a nice hoodie and hat. Was told the same happened yesterday and they sold out of most merchandise. They were lugging in boxes and racks of stuff all the time I was there.

This is an example of the excitement surrounding this MLS team. Tomorrow night is an announced sellout of 55,000, and over 35,000 season tickets have been sold. I just hope they don't lay an egg in their opener, a la Minnesota last night, who looked truly wretched.

 

[fsUTampa]

This is an example of the excitement surrounding this MLS team. Tomorrow night is an announced sellout of 55,000, and over 35,000 season tickets have been sold. I just hope they don't lay an egg in their opener, a la Minnesota last night, who looked truly wretched.

You can thank Adrian Heath for that. He did the same thing in Orlando. Minnesota's 2 best players started on the bench. Their formation was completely different than what they were doing before that match. Made no sense. Then he subs in the 2 guys, and suddenly they're competitive. He did the exact same thing in Orlando, and it's why he was driven out after only a year and a half.

 

[seminoleed]

I expect the Argentinian coach ATL hired will continue with his attacking ways. We'll score, but we may have to win games 4-3 or 5-4. Either, we're headed out in a few minutes; apparently a large group of supporters will be marching from The Varsity to the stadium en masse singing and hollering. UNITE AND CONQUER!

v

 

[seminoleed]

Well, ATL UTD went down 2-1, but was a great match and a lot of fun for the 55,297 in attendance. GT wishes they
could draw a crowd that rowdy and loud for their football games. Can't wait to watch the TIVO tonight; want to hear what the announcers have to say about the level of officiating. Looked pretty inconsistent from where I sat. Still, NYRB are one of the best teams in the league, and to lead them until almost the 80th minute augurs well for the future.

UNITE AND CONQUER!

 

[seminoleed]

Good Lord, there are no words for this. I don't ever recall The Arsenal dipping this low.

Pretty much seals Wenger's fate, don't it?

 

[nole31906]

Good Lord, there are no words for this. I don't ever recall The Arsenal dipping this low.

Pretty much seals Wenger's fate, don't it?

I would hope so, but I doubt it. Kroenke will probably want to keep him because Wenger doesn't rock the boat. And Kroenke really doesn't put much emphasis on winning in any of the teams he owns. Wenger is only part of the problem at Arsenal.

 

[LesClaypool]

 

[kooterridesagain]

Barcelona diving continues to embarass global soccer. Sooo happy they are crashing out. wonderful day!

How is Arsene not fired yet?

 

[kooterridesagain]

Omg. So much outrageous about this game I don't even know where to begin. Psg were awful, but epic home cooking by uefa and Barcelona.

 

[Naught-Nole-Buc]

I just watched the highlights and BOTH of those pks were bogus calls... and, at first glance, the final goal looked offsides.

 

[seminoleed]

Let's see...win at home 4-0, get an away goal to boot, and lose on aggregate 6-5?
Sure, try and convince me the fix wasn't in.

 

[Rishi]

I just watched the highlights and BOTH of those pks were bogus calls... and, at first glance, the final goal looked offsides.

I'd say 1st PK was good, 2nd was a dive, winning goal was good (not offside). I hope Barca gets Bayern next.

 

[seminoleed]

Barca would prolly love to get Bayern. Bayern isn't near as good as that 10-2 aggregate makes them look. The Arsenal, on the other hand, IS that bad these days.

 

[Naught-Nole-Buc]

I'd say 1st PK was good, 2nd was a dive, winning goal was good (not offside). I hope Barca gets Bayern next.

Idk on that first pk, defender slipped to fall down and the Barca player looked to purposefully go into him... so there was contact, but initiated by the Barca player. Definitely a bang-bang play, but on replay it's not necessarily something that warranted a pk, IMO, since the defender didn't initiate contact, he was on the ground from a slip. I guess kudos to the Barca player for drawing the penalty in that instance?

 

[kooterridesagain]

The worst two calls were actually no calls in the game.

Masherano had 2 pks given, one for a clear hand ball, one for clipping Di Maria from behind on a break away.

On top of that some very dirty barca fouls and 3 dives by Suarez and it really was unfair to Psg. Bad as they were that was a ref i will not forget unfortunately.

 

[LesClaypool]

Can't say there's any UEFA conspiracy here. No way they wanted Bayern/Real Madrid or Juve/Barca in the Round of 8.

Leicester can beat Atletico...what a story it would be if they keep progressing!

 

[FSUdawg]

I was hoping for a Leicester v. Monaco draw as I think that is Leicester's best chance to advance. However, with the defensive mindset Atletico plays with, and the counter attack style Leicester has, I can see this as a very interesting matchup.

As for the others, I can't believe the draws of Bayern/Real and Juve/Barca. I am sure UEFA wanted all of those teams with a chance at the semifinals, but oh well.

As my semifinalists I see Atletico, Dortmund, Real & Juve. Both Juve & Barca have issues, but Barca seems to have too many holes at the back. Personally I just hope we do not see 3 Spanish teams in the semis and another all Spanish final.

 

[Rishi]

Let me ask you guys, from a neutrals prespective, what matchup do think will produce the best games to watch (not highest level)?

I think it's the Dortmund/Monaco tie. Both are very similar in that they both like that helter skelter tennis style match. Both will go until they have nothing left in the tank. Mind you with the way they both just go straight leadfoot, they both could be on empty by the hour mark (happened to Monaco against City in the first leg).

 

[seminoleed]

The Arsenal. What a cluster of epic fail that team has become.

Ugghh.

 

[nole31906]

The Arsenal. What a cluster of epic fail that team has become.

Ugghh.

It is going to be interesting to see how bad it has to get before some change is made.

 

[FSUdawg]

I have said it in the past & I will say it again. With the Arsenal, I feel like I am watching FSU all over again circa 2006 - 2009. A legendary coach getting up in age. Part of the fan base steadfastly behind him and another part screaming from the tops of their lungs that a change is needed.

The past couple of years this team has underachieved and appears to be heading downhill. For a big club they just don't seem to have many top notch players, or they aren't being coached very well (I'm not sure which).

At this point I think it is time for an overhaul. A new staff is needed, though I don't know who they will bring in (I personally would have preferred Klopp or Conte, but they are both taken). On top of it, a lost of player turnover is required IMO.

Maybe being out of all European competition next year will help as they won't need as deep a team and they can focus on the league.

 

[LesClaypool]

It is going to be interesting to see how bad it has to get before some change is made.

Well we got "Ole'd" around the 80th minute by the West Brom fans.

Suppose they were actually singing, "Ole, Ole, we want Arsene Wenger to stay," though I didn't hear that.

Either way...Does it really NEED to get any worse than that? I think not.

#WengerOut!

 

[fsUTampa]

With the international break, any thoughts on the USMNT's WCQ roster? We virtually need 6 points out of Honduras and @ Panama but it's tough to be excited about the roster Arena is trotting out. Seems we fired Jurgen and Arena just picked up where he left off rather than make any changes. I get he's hampered by some injuries, but some of these call-ups are truly puzzling...

GOALKEEPERS (3): David Bingham (San Jose Earthquakes), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake), Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids)

DEFENDERS: John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dyamo), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca), Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana), Tim Ream (Fulham), Jorge Villafana (Santos Laguna), Walker Zimmerman (FC Dallas), Matt Besler (Sporting KC)

MIDFIELDERS: Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Jermaine Jones (LA Galaxy), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund), Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Monchengladbach), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), Dax McCarty (Chicago Fire)


FORWARDS (4): Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)