soccer fans...

[BarryMcCockiner]

I know there are a few Brits on here, so there's bound to be a few more soccer fans. Who's your team/s and how do you see them doing this year?

Liverpool's my first choice, really didn't want to lose Xabi, but I like Aquilani and if he can stay healthy I think he'll be a good fit. If Gerrard and Torres stay fit, we've got to be right up there in the PL.

After the Reds, I pull for DC United in MLS, Barcelona in La Liga, and Roma in Serie A.

Now let's see what percentage of original replies there are about how gay soccer is...

[beastley]

after spending half my summer in espana, i got interested in futbol. also i took a spanish sports course in school, so that started me off.

i got a Real Betis jersey, because even though they ended up falling to second division, i just like to support the underdogs...but if i had to choose a somewhat good team in la primera division, id follow sevilla(even though theyre betis' rivals)

[beastley]

and of course, for the WC, im gonna support EspaNa.

[Pobs]

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I have no idea what you are talking about.


We have this sport in England called Football which sounds vaguely familiar....

[DontSnatch]

i wish i followed soccer. im glued to the TV for the world cup and euro cup. my problem is its not that easy to follow club soccer..yeah there are websites out there.. but its not front page yahoo sports or espn. and i dont wake up in the morning to sportscenter highlights from the matches last night.

[cyberjones]

Chelsea,Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Bayern, Chicago Fire, and Boston Breakers

[BarryMcCockiner]

Anyone else seen the new Getafe kits? Hilarious.
http://i26.tinypic.com/307oxhf.jpg
http://i30.tinypic.com/2nbfsrk.jpg

[nachos1345]

I'm not a huge soccer fan, but I try to follow as regularly as I can, World Cup, Euro, UEFA, etc. Teamwise I follow Arsenal, the prospects for this season looked good until we lost Adebayor and Toure to Man City and Nasri broke his fucking leg. Fabregas will have a good season and hopefully Arshavin won't be a bust, I'm optimistic.

Oh and ESPN Soccernet is the shit.

[BarryMcCockiner]

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Arshavin is an animal. He started a little slow, but he's gotten comfortable with the Premiership style of play, that much is evident after the Liverpool game. He'll be great.

[Frothy Afterbirth]

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Do you have Sky Sports or BBC Sports channels?

[godet]

coming from germany and not to be interested in fussball/soccer/futbol is gay...
favourite clubs are werder bremen, wolfsburg in the bundesliga and arsenal.
barca and bayern are too snobby!!

[Pobs]

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Arsenal? Jesus.......

Manchester United since I was a wee lad and will be until am I an old man.

[Sickboy76]

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/Dancow76/liverpool-fc-crest.jpg

[tlock]

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http://www.vivagoal.com/images/wallpapers/Manchester_United_7.jpg
United all the way!

[Pobs]

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Yes son!

[Kovar]

I support Wigan Athletic.

Not exactly a fashionable club but it is my hometown club.

[Marlo]

Man U Till I Die
Then spread my ashes on the pitch at Old Trafford

[maxbailey]

Content and Download links visible to registered users only.

http://lakecityquietpills.com/photo/multihost/images/73870868961888358241.jpg (http://lakecityquietpills.com/photo/multihost/)

Like this?

[maxbailey]

http://lakecityquietpills.com/photo/multihost/images/70640468298178134022.png (http://lakecityquietpills.com/photo/multihost/)

[Frothy Afterbirth]

Fuck Manu U... Go Chelsea or Totts!!

Fuck Celtic.... Go Dunfermline!!! :D :D

[maxbailey]

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Hahaha fucking Dunfermline, christ, I nearly choked there!

[Zmija]

Glad to see there are quite a few lpool fans here. The last match with Chelsea almost caused me a heart attack.

With a Liverbird upon my chest!

[Pobs]

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Chelsea or Tottenham? HAHAHAHA! Those two are not fucking interchangable!

[Frothy Afterbirth]

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I knew that would've gotten your attention. OK a much better club, Go Hibernian!

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Yeah, bum chasers of the West End vs. hoodlums from North London.

[Pobs]

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My god man. At least actually go for a better club then!

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Yeah, and you can't switch between the two. The fans would murder you.

[The Lizard King]

I loovvvveee the Deutcher Fussball Bund. Germany fucking rocks

[Marlo]

Big Game this Wednesday Chelsea VS Inter Mlian

I hate to go for an Italian team, but i don't want to see Chelsea have a chance at the Treble

[Eccles]

Manchester United all the way.

A bit disappointing this season but its not the crisis the media are obsessed with stiring up.

In Fergie we trust.

[Sickboy76]

that Man City V Liverpool 0-0 match sucked! But at least the Reds won today against Unirea. Steven Gerrard is the Man!!

[Pobs]

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A - fucking - men to that! :D

[Eccles]

Our defense is pretty fucked though - Ferdinand can't get fit and Vidic might be leaving

[Pobs]

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Unfortunately very true. Though is Vidic does go, if we can someone decent to replace him and play Evans.

It's a real fucker they let Pique go back to Barcelona now.....

[Eccles]

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Too true but you never know how they're gonna turn out, could have been another Richardson.

We do have Smalling joining in the Summer but I don't know much about him

[Pobs]

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He's looked alright so far from what I've seen, but he's young so would be quite an inexperienced pairing with Evans.

Sure Fergie has something up his sleeve (I just hope it's not Wes Brown!!)

[Eccles]

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probably need another right back as well, if not Brown. All credit to Neville but his legs have gone and Rafael isn't a strong enough defender yet

[Pobs]

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You're not wrong there. Will be interesting to see what Fergie does.

[BarryMcCockiner]

Anyone catch Barca v Malaga? Messi and Iniesta are so fucking ridiculous.

[Pobs]

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Didn't see that game, but tbh Messi and Iniesta are pretty sick all the time!

[Eccles]

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Not to mention Xavi

[Pobs]

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......Pique, Danny Alves, Henry, Bojan.....

[BarryMcCockiner]

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Very true, and yes, that team is just fucking stacked, but they had a few series that were ridiculous mind-reading type sick as shit.

[Pobs]

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They get scary when they pull that shit.

[Marlo]

EPL Race back on

Nothing better than watching United beat those bitter blue cunts

In Extra time again

[Eccles]

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Nothing better than United beating city except Chelsea losing on the same day as well

[Eccles]

Portsmouth's squad list shows 14 players ? and no goalkeeper

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All that and still only third favourite to go down. Scunthorpe and Barnsley must be shocking

[gimmebeer]

Pele turns 70 today. goddem I wish I could have seen him play...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BW2Rwpqwh1U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QEmnP48PEc

[Eccles]

Good day today.

Man United won and both Arsenal & Chelsea lost. Be even better if Manchester City lose tomorrow.

This is shaping up to be a really interesting season. United are struggling. Chelsea have lost 3 out of the last 4 games. All the promted teams are playing well. Could be anyone's game

[BarryMcCockiner]

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And Bolton sitting in 4th right now? Who would've called that? Great day for me, Liverpool, Roma and Barca won by a combined 13-0. We'll see if the reds can actually sustain any momentum.

[Pobs]

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I can't believe how bad United are playing, yet we're 2nd only on goal difference...... bizarre!

[The Godfather]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Mxfk272tZo

[josehl]

Have I told you how much I hate Barcelona? Let me tell you then:

I fucking hate Barcelona and their little diving team.

[Frothy Afterbirth]

Fuck Yeah. FC Dallas and Seattle Sounders are the 2 first American sides to win in dirty Mexico.

[josehl]

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Group stages... But still, you're right. Monterrey had their starting 11, Pumas didn't.

[josehl]

Who's an Arsenal fan so I can laugh at your misery?:D

[Eccles]

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Hell of a game. I've downloaded it so I can watch the whole thing. Poor Arsenal, given that they are much more preferable than Man City or Chelsea, I can't help feel sorry for them. Wenger needs to make some signings or it's going to be a hell of a season

[Pobs]

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I fucking loved that game.

Wenger looked like he was squirming in his seat, no surprising as his team was being taking roughly from behind!

[Eccles]

I've just remember my dad is an Arsenal fan and my step brother is a Tottenham fan. Poor bastards

[Pobs]

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Manchester 13 North London 3.

[josehl]

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He got rid of his two creative forces, so fuck him. He can squirm all he wants and I'll mock the fuck out of his weepy ass.

The EPL is uneven enough that they will be able to at least get to Europa League positions, but they'll be an embarrassment at UCL this season.

[Eccles]

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Can't really fault him on the players leaving, they wanted to go. The problem is he's left it too late to replace them. Nonetheless I still think it's too early to completely write them off. Arsene is a great manager. I expect a recovery

[josehl]

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True re: the players, but he, and his front office, could've asked more money from ManC and Barcelona for those players.

I hate Arsenal because of all the smug Americans who know nothing and for some reason, love them. Nothing personal.

[Pobs]

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I hate Arsenal cause they are Arsenal. :)

[Eccles]

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Saw some write this one Youtube.

'I'd 8-2 be an Arsenal fan right now'

[Pobs]

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Yeah saw that a few times on Facebook. Love it.

[Frothy Afterbirth]

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I don't know any Americans who are Gunner fans.

BTW GO BLUES!!! Chelsea, 'cause I'm an international elitist! :P

[josehl]

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Every American I've who likes soccer likes Arsenal. Very strange.

Villas-Boas has not impressed me thus far. And my boy Torres is in a dry spell that must have you Blues rather pissed.

[Eccles]

Best deadline day deals look to me to be:

Scott Parker to Tottenham
Arteta & Benayoun to Arsenal
Palacios to Stoke
Possibly Kakuta to Bolton
And probably Meireles to Chelsea.

However I don't see why all of these deals couldn't have been made weeks ago.

[josehl]

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Driving up prices?

As much as I hate to admit it, Arsenal seem to have done great with those two.

[Pobs]

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Personally I don't rate Benayoun, even less now then I did before.

Also if Wenger is willing to throw money at Everton for Arteta (good buy mind) at the last minute, why didn't he do the same to get Cahill from Bolton? Mertesacker? Meh.

[Eccles]

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He should've gone for Palacios. 8 mil would have been a good deal

[Pobs]

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True. They could do with a work horse in midfield. Something they don't have.

[thinkofitasajoke]

If they bought him Wenger would never play him because he isn't good enough with the ball, he would be used in the last ten mins of a game at best

[josehl]

Hey, anybody follows Spanish La Liga? Just wondering so I can share my deep hatred for Barcelona with someone.

[Eccles]

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Is it because apparently they're racist cheats?

I don't see how, just because they have Real Madrid and Barca means that it's the 'best league in the world'.

For me, the best league equals most competitive equals most fun. That's the Premiership and the German league.

Whilst the top teams are pretty much predetermined in the Premiership, on any given day, any team can beat any team. That's how Wigan can lose 9-1 to Tottenham one week and then beat Chelsea the next

[josehl]

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Yes. It is exactly that. Fuck them.

[josehl]

Who's gonna post a gif of Rooney slipping and missing the PK? That was a work of art.:D

[maxbailey]

http://lakecityquietpills.com/photo/multihost/images/80962463017177762024.jpg (http://lakecityquietpills.com/photo/multihost/)

[josehl]

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That was an awful miss. I still love my boy Torres, but "his gunpowder is wet."

[BUBBAGUMP523]

Anybody enjoy Atleticos Madrid v. Santander Racing this weekend?

[slickricksdick]

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iViva Sevilla!

[josehl]

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Yeah, I saw that. Can't say I "enjoyed" it. Racing is [was] a neat little team and I like them. Atletico is like your poor, younger brother who's always trying to catch up to you but always ends up embarrassing himself. I do must say, however, Radamel is going to be a beast.

Hala Madrid.

[Eccles]

I'm glad that Owen Hargreves is fit again and that he scored tonight. I just wish he hadn't gone to Manchester City

[josehl]

LOL @ John Terry. LOL a lot. Not that I like Arse or nothing. But Terry. :wtf:

[Eccles]

While it feels shit that Manchester United are out of the Champions League, I'll admit it's going to interesting to see how we do in the Europa League

[Pobs]

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We have been absolute balls in Europe this season.... nothing more then we deserved.

Definately need a couple of new signings cause something ain't working.

[Eccles]

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Injuries have taken their toll on our season, considering how much swagger we started the season with.

[josehl]

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Injuries have been a bitch indeed. But Basel and Crystal Palace? ...
Are you consoled by the fact that City isn't going through either?

[Eccles]

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If you didn't watch, we ran the game just couldn't get a decent chance in the box and against Palace, while not great, I'm willing to excuse our third stringers going down in extra time.

Definitely helps that City are out as well but we'll probably get drawn against each other

[josehl]

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No I didn't watch the Carling game. But I did watch today. Is Valencia a total bust yet for you guys?

Full disclosure: I don't know English football too well. I watch one or two games a week and usually root for Liverpool but not ardently.

[Eccles]

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The problem with Valencia, who was phenomenal in his first season and the reason Rooney scored over 30, is that he can only play on the right. The right is also where Nani plays his best football. And given that Nani is the form player Valencia misses out.

Speaking of Liverpool, what do you think happened to Carrell?

[Fever]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFskFNYyLBw

new worlde, proper dental, gringo stylee

[josehl]

I'm queer for this goal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGp6-HVvl8E

[Eccles]

This was always my favourite

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4VoAHCn-Kw&feature=fvst

[Pobs]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpyJtjLoDKg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_kbJURsfzU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTsq5ZlTTeQ


and of course:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzlVkQ3uokY

Excuse the gay production values of the last one.... still best quality I could find.

[Eccles]

I like Berbatov's overhead more

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sjs1rbVk6g

And for volleys, this was class

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okltbBh2JR4

[josehl]

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This is pure magic. And that was one hell of a team.

[maxbailey]

http://lakecityquietpills.com/photo/multihost/images/24379859737192782033.jpg (http://lakecityquietpills.com/photo/multihost/)

[Eccles]

Who are people's pick for the England job?

I wouldn't mind Redknapp but I prefer him at Tottenham. I don't believe the manager has to be British, I want the best guy available and I believe that guy to be Guus Hiddink. He's taken limited countries like South Korea and Russia to semi-finals and might've taken Australia into at least the quarter finals were it not for Italian cheating.

Otherwise Rafa Benitez might interesting choice, considering his history of cup competitions.


While I'm on the subject, I think the FA have been diabolical over this entire thing and if anyone should have resigned it should have been them. They never should have delayed the inquiry into Terry and they never should have stripped him of captaincy.

The squad is the manager's job and they shouldn't have interfered. By getting the inquiry out of the way it would have determined whether or not he was a racist and would have settled if he remained captain or not

[Eccles]

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That's great. Morgan is such a twat

[josehl]

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Oh my fuck. Michael Owen has just risen to my top 10 footballers ever.

[Pobs]

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Michael Owen for the win! Which doesn't happen much these days!

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I don't mind the idea of Redknapp as England manager. Hiddink would be great, but I fear a public backlash if they don't appoint an Englishman (ridiculous I know). I think Benitez is a bit of tit, but he does have a good cup record.

As for the whole Terry/Cappello thing, the FA handled it so fucking badly. However, it glosses over the issue that Cappello should have never given that mockney cunt the armband back in the first place.

[Eccles]

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There weren't too many other candidates. Gerrard and Ferdinand are too crocked, Lampard wasn't guaranteed a game, Rooney's too unpredictable. Same as now. I can't believe Ashley Cole's been mentioned as a possibility, the same guy who shot an intern with an air rifle last year.

Looks like Parker gets it by default

[josehl]

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I don't think Benitez has coached at the national team level. He's available though. Knows the league, language and culture. IMO, would be a great choice.

[Eccles]

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Most manager's haven't, hardly a reason. He's coached in Spain, England and Italy, that's plenty of experience.

This reminds me of how annoyed I get when commentators say a player, like they did with Joe Hart, doesn't have enough international experience to play in the national team.

Firstly, if he doesn't play he'll never get the experience.

But the main point is that, again to use Hart as an example, this is a player who goes up against players like Rooney, Torres, Drogba on a week by week basis how much more experience does a player need?

[Pobs]

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IMO Parker is best option at the moment. That or Gerrard, who will probably get it.

[Eccles]

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Personally, with everyone fit, neither would get into my team.

Hart
Richards Jagielka Lescott Baines
Carrick Wilshire
Johnson/Sturridge Rooney Young
Welbeck


I like Parker, I just like Carrick more

[Pobs]

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Carrick is good, but he has to be on his game, and as a United fan I unfortunately know how he can be a dead weight in games.

I quite like your team, with the exception of the Johnson/Sturridge part. I think Johnson needs to move a club where he's going to play every game before he's an England regular, and I think Sturridge would be wasted out there. Unfortunately I do not have an alternative, as it appears Walcott has decided he's going to be shit.

[Frothy Afterbirth]

I'm gonna be pissed if Manchester City doesn't hang on to win the Premiership. I can't stand to look at another ManU championship.

[Eccles]

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I disagree.

I was going to write a whole neutral thing about how city look shattered while United's injury crisis is ending but can't be bothered.

[Pobs]

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Fuck City.

[Frothy Afterbirth]

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Sorry it's hard to be unbiased. My hatred runneth deep!

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Of course you will say that, you red devil lover!

[Eccles]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9S7hlL4sJek

[hitman912]

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Hope they get to celebrate the league title on Rangers turf tomorrow. Hail hail!!!

[Eccles]

So apparently the FA are talking to Roy Hodgson about the England job. How do people feel about this?

I don't mind so much, he's a top class organiser, has got WBA playing some good football and he's had experience turning Finland and Switzerland into good international sides.

My one concern is that at Liverpool the players didn't respond to his regimented training and there's the worry the same could happen at England. Although on the other hand because the sqaud are together for such a short amount of time this might be exactly what they need.

[josehl]

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He'd be a real downgrade over the other candidates. Even though I despise Redknapp [for admittedly unknown reasons, just his stupid face, I guess] I think he's the ideal candidate. However, the dark horse is Josep Guardiola...

[Eccles]

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Other than Redknapp what other canditades are there? Harry's shown in recent months that the teams he plays are ridicolously open, that he doesn't have a plan B, he doesn't rotate his players and that while he isn't tactically naive, he doesn't know how to adjust the system to overcome problems.

Looks at the game against Arsenal, were 2-0 lost, 2-5 because of his tactical change

And even if Guardiola took the job, which is incredibly unlikey, he's not going to get us playing like Barcelona in a few weeks.

[Pobs]

Not a chance in hell of Guardolia taking it. He doesn't need it and I don't think he would be quitting Barcelona to "take a break" and end up in the most thankless international job in the world.

Redknapp's record shows that when the shit hits the fan and he needs to make big tactical decisions he has a tendancy to screw it up.

I think Hodgson is a good choice. He's a good organiser which is exactly what the team needs. I don't think he worked at Liverpool cause I think there were too many arseholes in the dressing room at that time.

[Eccles]

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Anything to keep Pearce from being in charge.

On the subject, who would be your three over 23 players for the olympic squad?

I'd opt for Craig Bellamy, Ryan Giggs and Jonny Evans. Though I'd also consider the Scottish keeper Allan McGregor.

Beckham should definetly not go.

[Eccles]

In which Fenerbahçe midfielder Emre Belözoğlu is being taught a valuable lesson in racism.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2ehkVtR2-8&feature=player_embedded#!

Heh

[Eccles]

So the Englang squad for Euro 2012 has just been announced:

Goalkeepers Green (West Ham), Hart (Man City) Ruddy (Norwich)

Defenders Baines (Everton), Cahill (Chelsea), Cole (Chelsea), Johnson (Liverpool), Jones (Man Utd), Lescott (Man City), Terry (Chelsea)

Midfielders Barry (Man City), Downing (Liverpool), Gerrard (Liverpool), Lampard (Chelsea), Milner (Man City), Parker (Tottenham), Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Walcott (Arsenal), Young (Man Utd)

Forwards Carroll (Liverpool), Rooney (Man Utd), Welbeck (Man Utd), Defoe (Tottenham)

Standby: Butland, Jagielka, Henderson, Johnson, Sturridge.


Not terrible but I don't completely agree with it.

Terry, Gerrard and Downing wouldn't come near my squad. The Liverpool players have had an awful season, (Downing; no goals or assists, Gerrard, I've read Liverpool actually play worse when he appears.)

Terry shouldn't be there not just because he has broken ribs, not just that he's still has the rasicm charge over his head but because I believe he could be insane. Anyone who saw him attack Alexis Sanchez in the Champions League Semi Final when Chelsea needed everyone on the pitch, and then saw him completely deny that it happened, has to think he can't be in his right mind.

Two remaining thoughts: What has Micah Richards done to piss people off, he would have been my first choice right back even if Kyle Walker was fit and what the hell does Michael Carrick have to do when even Henderson is picked ahead of him?

[Pobs]

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*Sigh*

It's not really that different from the one Cappello would have picked if we're honest. Ok, so....

Terry - have to agree. Total fucktard, absolute whackjob against Barc, but also a racist of shit who gets away with murder on the pitch.

Downing - I've heard it quoted today, and it's right, but I (yes me) have as many goals and assists as Stewart Downing in the Premier League this season. I've never rated him, I don't believe he is good enough to wear the shirt.

Gerrard / Lampard - neither has been good enough or consistent this season, neither has been good enough or consistent in an England shirt for years.

Milner - sorry, just why?

Carroll - sorry, but what the fuck? Based on a bit of form at the end of the season? That's bollocks.

So, Terry, Downing, Gerrard, Lampard, Milner and Carroll out.

Richards in for Terry. I fucking hate him cause he's City, but Walker aside has probably been the best English right-back in the league this season. Jones can stay as utility cover.

Adam Johnson in for Downing - even restricted to the bench, still so much better then him. By such a long way.

Carrick in for Gerrard - no brainer.

Cleverley in for Lampard - Fat boy Frank won't do anything, so we might as well take a gamble on someone who could.

Sturridge in for Milner - to many shit midfielders, and with Rooney suspended for the first two I want the extra striker more.

Holt in for Carroll - if we are going on form, Holt has played better and scored then every other striker bar Rooney.


But Hodgson played it safe. We'll be lucky to make it out of the group.

What he does after the Euro's will make or break him as England manager.

[Eccles]

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I disagree with Lampard, He's played well this season and reached double figures. Cleverly hasn't had the games either, mores the pity

Milner chosen for his versitiliaty and I've read Downing was chosen because he's the only genuine left footed winger we have and that he fits in with Hodgsons desire for shape. But I would have gone for Johnson as well

I agree with Holt. They say he doesn't have the experience but 1) he plays against top defences week in week out and 2) He'll never get the experience if you never pick him.

I'd have had Jagielka as my forth centre back. In fact I would have started him with Lescott with Ferdiand and Jones/Cahill as back up

Oxlade-Chamberlain is an interesting choice, could be a game changer if he ever gets off the bench