The Football Thread

[damaso]

its shaping up to be the most wide-open world cup in decades.

 

the world cup is just a year away and after watching brazil squeek by south africa (ranked 70+ in the world) with a late dani alves goal, all the major nations are struggling.

 

spain, who in my opinion and almost everyone's, is the best team in the world loses 2-0 to the usa. in one of the biggest upsets ever, the biggest shock was not that spain lost - but the fact that they were outplayed by the americans. maybe the european championship was a fluke: spain, the team with the most talent, will choke when it matters most.

 

brazil - i'm not convinced. yes they've been playing well and have reached the final of the confederations cup and will likely win it on sunday, but they lack that cutting edge in front of goal. luis fabiano is a quality forward. but is he a world cup winning striker? robinho and kaka provide the creativity but they need that predator in the mold of ronaldo or romario. surprisingly though, they have probably the best keeper and defender in the world in julio cesar and lucio.

 

italy is in shambles. cannavaro is too old and chiellini has not stepped up. the confederations cup has showed they are an aging team and they need to find the new generation. luca toni is not cut for the international game.

 

germany - what happened to ballack? they're still a solid team but no one is scared of them anymore.

 

argentina is another team with loads of talent but they're even in danger of not qualifying. messi, aguero and tevez is probably the most fearsome frontline in football but it just hasn't clicked.

 

france? just look at their qualifying games. they have not recovered from losing zidane.

 

so it leaves the dutch and the english. i believe these two nations will be the strongest contenders for the cup. of course, anything can happen in a year. we might even see an african winner. who knows? the fact is, the other nations have caught up.

Edited June 25, 2009 by damaso

[duchessXI]

its shaping up to be the most wide-open world cup in decades.

 

the world cup is just a year away and after watching brazil squeek by south africa (ranked 70+ in the world) with a late dani alves goal, all the major nations are struggling.

 

spain, who in my opinion and almost everyone's, is the best team in the world loses 2-0 to the usa. in one of the biggest upsets ever, the biggest shock was not that spain lost - but the fact that they were outplayed by the americans. maybe the european championship was a fluke: spain, the team with the most talent, will choke when it matters most.

 

brazil - i'm not convinced. yes they've been playing well and have reached the final of the confederations cup and will likely win it on sunday, but they lack that cutting edge in front of goal. luis fabiano is a quality forward. but is he a world cup winning striker? robinho and kaka provide the creativity but they need that predator in the mold of ronaldo or romario. surprisingly though, they have probably the best keeper and defender in the world in julio cesar and lucio.

 

italy is in shambles. cannavaro is too old and chiellini has not stepped up. the confederations cup has showed they are an aging team and they need to find the new generation. luca toni is not cut for the international game.

 

germany - what happened to ballack? they're still a solid team but no one is scared of them anymore.

 

argentina is another team with loads of talent but they're even in danger of not qualifying. messi, aguero and tevez is probably the most fearsome frontline in football but it just hasn't clicked.

 

france? just look at their qualifying games. they have not recovered from losing zidane.

 

so it leaves the dutch and the english. i believe these two nations will be the strongest contenders for the cup. of course, anything can happen in a year. we might even see an african winner. who knows? the fact is, the other nations have caught up.

 

i agree. but this should serve as a lesson for both spain and brazil. theyll bounce back stronger at the world cup proper where it matters the most. now there are chances for 2nd rate teams such as uruguay, greece, russia, cameroon, and australia to take advantage of this.

 

Im not really a world cup person, as clubs appease me more with their mix. but i always vouch for underdogs, aside from watching brazil (whoever doesn watch them, theyre the globetrotters of football). i hope south africa does something at least, if not cameroon. of course

 

england, on the other hand, should do something in the end, rather than be proud of their undefeated campaign so far with capello. i still think theyre not a world cup winning team with their lineup. foreigners are invading their domestic league hindering youth development. same same for me with them losing on the quarterfinals, if not at the knockoutstages. same case with the dutch team.

 

but heck, who knows, this is football. anything can happen.

[_eRon_]

sa soccerway.com ko nakuha duchessXI, mali nga eh, sa earlier post ko ang initial bid was 17.5mil pounds, sorry for the misinformation, pero for me, at that price, is just right for the england international..

 

c.ronaldo has completed his 80million pound (93million euros or 131 million dollars) move to real madrid..lots of cash for sir alex for the transfer season..the daily mail(yup tabloid to pero its still fun to read the rumors na galing sa kanila) has reported that karim benzema is near to sign for manutd at 30million pounds..douglas costa has also been reported to be a target of manutd for 25million pounds..

 

it has also been reported that rafa benitez will sign another player this off season..

 

david villa has said that he will play in the la liga next season because it is the league most suited for him..

 

man city offer elano plus cash for inter milan's maicon..the east lands will be the destination of carlos tevez next season, several tabloids have reported..

 

liverpool's xabi alonso is still in the radar of real madrid..

 

sam allardyce wants van nistelrooy for blackburn..after roque sta cruz left the rovers for man city to the tune of 18million pounds..

 

sergio aguero's agent has denied any offer from manutd or inter has been made for the atletico madrid striker..

[_eRon_]

chelsea has bid 59million pounds for bayern munich's franck ribery..

 

man city has been reported by news of the world to have signed barsa's samuel eto'o for 25million pounds..

[bubuy]

^they're goin for david villa.

 

 

wonderful match bet RSA and ESP a while ago.

[damaso]

wow. usa...

 

almost but not quite. 2-0 up at the half, and then succumbing 3-2 to brazil.

 

they played scared the 2nd half. if only they attacked more, or even try to hold on to the ball instead of pumping the ball out of their box.

[damaso]

and i think i have to eat my words re luis fabiano.

 

his first goal was pure class. a deft first touch, a quick turn and shot with his left foot giving tim howard no chance. it changed the game and gave brazil the confidence to go and win the final.

[protozoan]

i agree with you regarding the united states..

 

is it true that benzema was already bought by real madrid? i surely hope not..

[bubuy]

for those who have watched or like benzema as a footballer, does he play like david trezeguet?

if so, i sure hope not he's not joining real madrid..

[bubuy]

awww. i take that back, the transfer has been confirmed pending a medical.

 

Forward Benzema joins Real Madrid from Lyon

 

Karim Benzema is poised to become the latest big-name arrival at Real Madrid after Lyon accepted a bid from the Spanish side for the highly-rated France international.

 

The 21-year-old is set to join Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo in signing a six-year contract at the Bernabeu after his French employers agreed to a 35m euro (£29.7m) approach from Madrid, who with this deal will see their summer spending spree pass the 200m euro mark.

 

source

 

 

Edited July 2, 2009 by bubuy

[_eRon_]

manutd has signed wigan's antonio valencia for 16million pounds..looks like benzema will sign with real madrid, sayang i was hoping he would sign with the red devils...

[damaso]

benzema is a faster, more explosive player than trezeguet.

 

kaka, cronaldo, and now benzema...real madrid is just buying everyone!

 

i have to question the logic tho of real's transfer policy. is perez just buying big names without thinking of tactics? kaka, i have to admit, was a stellar move. kaka is the new zidane, the classic number 10 (altho he won't be wearing that number) who dictates the play on the pitch. cron gives them pace and creativity but it will be hard to fit both kaka and cron, two players who are often given free roles, in the same team. and now benzema? they have van nistelrooy and more importantly, the impressive young higuain already. with kaka and cronaldo on the same team, i cannot see real madrid fielding 2 strikers. if they do, barca will k*ll them. so why buy benzema??

 

barca has been quiet so far in the transfer market but that's because we have a system of play in place. we stick to our 4-3-3 and only buy players who fit into that system. the biggest worry right now is eto'o, who has a year left in his contract. david villa would be the perfect player to spearhead the attack in place of eto'o so i hope he comes. we also need cover in the backline as milito is still injured and abidal is often injured. henry is also getting old, but iniesta can slot into the left so we need maybe another versatile midfielder - fabregas maybe.

 

it's going to be a very interesting season as its going to be barca's system versus real madrid's star power.

[bubuy]

the whole dutch contingent at real will be unloaded..

at the rate we're buying, only casillas and ramos will be left from last year's starting XI. lolz.

 

apparently, we're not finished too..

 

EXCLUSIVE: I Expect Real Madrid To Launch Transfer Assault On Inter For Maicon - Agent

The Merengues are expected to make a lucrative move for Maicon...

 

Real Madrid are set to launch a transfer offensive for Inter defender Maicon, according to his agent Antonio Caliendo, Goal.com can exclusively reveal.

 

The Nerazzurri stopper has been making noises over his future, and reports in Italy have suggested he wants a better deal at the San Siro. Real Madrid have reportedly shown an interest in the Brazilian international, and Caliendo has told Goal.com that he expects that desire to be taken further.

 

"Now that Real Madrid have completed their attacking department, I think they will make a charge for Maicon," the agent told Goal.com.

 

"We are waiting for Real Madrid. I can foresee a transfer assault from them."

 

Inter director Ernesto Paolillo recently revealed that the club would be sitting down with Maicon in order to discuss his future.

 

Edited July 2, 2009 by bubuy

[bubuy]

Ribery wants to join new galacticos at Real

Franck Ribery: "Real Madrid or nothing"

 

The France playmaker, another supposed target for Manchester United who looks set to head to the Spanish capital, and his future have been under the spotlight since the end of the Bundesliga season although Ribery himself has remained silent.

 

source

 

straight from the horse's mouth.

this is getting really ridiculous, what have we learned from the previous galacticos experiment? there is no fast track to success..

 

in all honesty, madrid will challenge next season.. but winning it? that still has a big question mark.

the only bright spot i see from galacticos v2 as opposed to v1, at least we're buying younger players (27 and below) unlike the last time where they were all past 30..

[crunk]

OT:

 

Guys ask ko lang kung saan ba nakakabili ng mga jersey sa local market?

 

 

Thanks sa mga magrereply!