Nah it isn't bad, but damm the TV coverage is horrible so grainy its not even funny, its almost like 240p or something lol. And Goooooooaaaaaaaallllllll!!!!!!!!!!! is so over the top now its not even funny .
Really? I hope you mean that you rather watch the top 4 in the PL. La Liga is faaaaar more deeper. Teams that are lower in the league are capable of doing way more than say Portsmouth or Blackburn in the PL. I rather watch parity. SInce I don't care for the top 4
According to the "Gazzetta dello Sport" Raymond Domenech decide that Mexes, Flamini, Landreau, Cisse, Escude, Alou Diarra and Ben Arfa are not part of the France National team in the Eurocup.
Unbelieveably, both my teams lost in Play Off finals. Bristol City on the Saturday (who I watch), and Leeds who I support, lost to their local rivals on the Sunday. It has been one **** weekend, I can tell ya. Then to cap it off The Miami Perfection, Hamilton Steel and Wessex Wyverns all lose in the first round of the PO's
Flamini is the biggest surprise. Mexes has had one good season since he left Auxerre. Plus they're loaded up front and out wide. Ben Arfa was never getting a game.
Really? Aside from Rafa Benitez's Valencia, I can't remember the last time a team called Real Madrid or Barcelona didn't win La Liga. Did Deportivo win it in 1999? Other than that, Real and Barca must have won about 17 of the last 20. If that's parity, you're welcome to it.
Francois, Diarra has really played well since going to Portsmouth and was excellent in the Cup Final. But he strikes me as something of a big time Charlie in that he feels he should be playing at Real Madrid. Some of his comments whilst being at Portsmouth have been rather odd, especially considering he struggled to find his feet at both Chelsea and Arsenal. Gomis looks like he's got a tremendous future. Looking forward to seeing Ribery as always. What a force he was for Bayern in the Bundesliga this season.
Not sure Rosicky is taking any part in Euro 2008. I think the injury has done for him. Expect Luka Modric to have a big tournament for the Croats.
Just ribbing Boom a bit about England. This goes back to the World Cup threads at FH when he did not think the Italians would win I'm not sure what to make of the 2-0 score as I don't know how seriously each side took the game
Was waiting for you mate. Thread wouldn't be the same without you. Good stuff on Diarra. Have seen him on occasion, but interesting that he strikes you as something of a big Charlie. Agreed about Gomis, loads of promise. About Ribery, I'm sure you faced a few players where you know when they're on the field. You start surveilling that flank a bit more, inching those quads, ready to move as a defender. As a midfielder, you shift ever so slightly, hang back a little more, and spur the troops to get stuck in. I really expect big things from him, because he has that unique gift that consists in being able to change the rythm of a game, like very few do. Also supposedly great guy off the pitch.
Man still a week and half till the tourney and we have this thread going at a better pace than the Official World Soccer Thread.
After having Nike, Diadora, and Admiral as the kit sponsor in the last dozen years, Macron has signed on for 2008-2012 with Leeds. Sainsburry and Tesco are in the running for the 2012-2014 bit. They might want to grab the cashier, and start him between the pipes while they're at it. I'm busy with PSG, so no dice. We'll meet in the Channel next year anyway as both teams are moving from Eland Road and le Parc, to underwater. Marching on together...we're gonna see you lose against Doncaster or FC Metz (na na na na na na)..we are so proud. We shout it out loud. EDIT: Just got off the phone with new team president Charlie Villeneuve. They expect nothing but a return to relevance in '09. Told me he'd send me my kit with Ronaldinho written in the back and that I should be part of the starting eleven. Also wanted to know if he should send Kung Fu Cantona or Vinnie Jones for the teeth unstraightening, and Spitzer or Adriano for the ladies. You could be Viduka, if you inflated your head with a pump, cut the hair, and lost a bit of speed. Would need to stay off the cider as well though, unless you agreed to be Woodgate.
Good to see you too my man. Diarra really impressed in a couple of games for Arsenal; one in particular, a Carling Cup game when Wenger played a lot of the youngsters like Edmilson and the kid that was on loan at Charlton, Song and the Polish keeper - I think it was the game where Eduardo scored his first goals for the club. Anyway, Diarra absolutely ran the game and probably helped secure his move. I was surprised that Newcastle didn't make a bigger push for him, but since arriving at Portsmouth, he's been in that bracket of really quality defensive type midfielders beneath Mascherano and Flamini, etc. But what I like about him is that he's much more than a defensive midfielder, in fact I think he's been rather unfairly typecast. As he proved against Cardiff, he has really quick feet, an ability to burst forwards and a quick, sharp brain. As for his comments, he arrived at Portsmouth and then didn't really endear himself to the fans when he said he would be using it as a springboard to a "big club". Ribery is pure class. Would love to see him at Anfield. I watched Bayern play someone like CSKA Moscow in the UEFA Cup and they were 2-0 up at halftime. They brought Toni and Ribery on at half time and he absolutely tore them to shreds. Scored 2, set up the third and every time he got the ball he was rampant. He's so fluid and he's really matured from where he was 2 years ago. Benzema is the one that really excites me. Talk about a kid MADE for the Premiership. He's a beast.
Absolutely, Benzema and Ribery are the ones to watch. What amazes me again and again about Benzema, apart from the speed with the ball, is the balance, and agility for a man his size. Akin to Ronaldo at the end of the 90's. Although it will be interesting to see if he gets a bit out of control trying to do too much like he did at times with Lyon, not pacing himself, or tacking on too many men. Can be too ambitious at times. You really like Flamini that much ? Terrific tackler, but didn't have the same ability to join the attacking like a Viera or Mascherano the times I saw him. Tired down the stretch as well. I do agree that Mexes or Ben Arfa wern't surprises though. Elated that he took a flyer on Gomis who in league play was 1A behind Benzema in terms of pure goal scoring ability, and is one of the best volleyers I've ever seen.
Benzema looks a powerful boy as well. He matched up very well against Nemandja Vidic when Lyon played Manchester United and in tyerms of physical battles, Vidic is about as good as it gets. Like you say, he's light footed and I think he could become a real star. I like Flamini the way that I like Makelele. Not a threat much past the halfway line, but he works hard and just does the simple stuff. One of the best purchases that Gerard Houllier ever made regardless of club was the £8.2 million he paid Newcastle for Didi Hamman. Whilst not as good as the brilliant German, Flamini plays a similar way; protects and gives easy, but isn't scared of looking up and pinging it 40 or 50 yards.
Greece struggle to hit their stride http://www.euro2008.uefa.com/news/kind=1/newsid=703953.html#greece+struggle+their+stride This was more of a bump lol, thought I'd throw in some news.
