I thought us soccer fans could have a place to talk soccer without (please stay out) trolls coming in to tell us soccer is gay, soccer isn't hard, etc etc.

With the upcoming premier league season coming up, who ya got?

My top 3:
Chelsea
Man Utd
Man City

I'm not sure who will win, but I bet those will be the top 3 follow by:
Arsenal
Liverpool

Its a big 5 now guys!


On the MLS front, The Columbus Crew tied 0-0 yesterday and are 1 point out of first with 2 games in hand on NY. We should have won easily yesterday as we missed 3-4 easy chances.


As talked about on the Women's world cup topic, the Euro is coming up next summer, so this can also be a thread to track the progress of different players from those teams. Wish Israel had qualified! Netherlands 2012!!

What say you soccer/football fans

Oh BTW guys, my xbox360 gamertag is dbro10

I haven't lost in fifa in 30 games now. Feel like trying? I'm willing to play with any level team you guys want me to play as

We should all just agree to let any troll post go without a response. I know it doesnt actually bother any of us, so why get into the battle at all?

As for the thread....Crew have pissed me off this year with some of their blown chances lol

Laley23;832811 wrote:We should all just agree to let any troll post go without a response. I know it doesnt actually bother any of us, so why get into the battle at all?

As for the thread....Crew have pissed me off this year with some of their blown chances lol

Agreed. Trolls = ignored by me.


And on the Crew front, I agree, but were still in the hunt and with the young team were fielding I feel like we could make a deep run this year

OB, to carry on my fifa 11 talk, I just could feel a huge dropoff from 10 to 11. Not even 100% sure what it was either, just didn't feel Like the games ran smooth at all..I used a lot of attack via wing play And crossing in 10 and felt like it was impossible to do the same in 11...something about the cross button sucked in 11.

It was also really hard to rip 20yarders+ in 11 which sucked because those always.are the.best ways to score IMO. Basically the only way to score was to pass in the middle until You.found yourself one on one with.the goalie.

Idk..I mean I still played the game religiously and as much as I played 10, but I never felt like it was as good as 10.

Signs point to Sneijder move

UPDATE: Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk has advised Wesley Sneijder to move to Manchester United, according to multiple reports.
"He will benefit as a player from playing for them," said Van Marwijk. "United will be another big step up the international ladder...[they] have a unique playing style and they perform consistently at the highest level. It will be a new challenge to Wesley, will inspire him and it will give him new energy."

Van Marwijk's stance, along with Nike's potential involvement, could push the long-rumored move closer to completion.

--

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has scoffed at reports linking the club with Sneijder, but that doesn't stop Saturday's Mirror from claiming that Nike could step in to help seal a deal for the Inter Milan star.

According to the report, the shoe giant believes Dutch midfielder Sneijder can boost its penetration in important Far East and Latin American markets. It points out that Nike has helped facilitate transfer deals before.

"Nike wants Sneijder to Manchester United because it is easier for them to use him as a commercial icon," a source told the paper.

"If United will only pay the same salary as Wayne Rooney, Nike will pay the gap. It was the same with Adidas when they bought Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham. When top players go to Real Madrid, Adidas are always involved in things financially."

-Doug McIntyre of ESPN Insider

Corinthians in Brazil is hoping to sign Carlos Tevez away from Man City on Monday (needs to be done by Wednesday when the Brazilian transfer window closes). I don't think City has what it takes to win a title without him. I'd say Chelsea and Man U are the top 2 still.

And Israel definitely still has a chance to qualify for the Euro Championship since you mentioned them. They're in a pretty lucky group, no dominant team. Greece, Israel, and Croatia (top 3 in the group) all still have to play one another in the final few matches of qualifying.

And of course, now that they were finally taken over and are out of financial disaster Portsmouth will be running shit in the Championship this year and ascending back into the Premier League, making me a happy panda.

SportsAndLady;832817 wrote:OB, to carry on my fifa 11 talk, I just could feel a huge dropoff from 10 to 11. Not even 100% sure what it was either, just didn't feel Like the games ran smooth at all..I used a lot of attack via wing play And crossing in 10 and felt like it was impossible to do the same in 11...something about the cross button sucked in 11.

It was also really hard to rip 20yarders+ in 11 which sucked because those always.are the.best ways to score IMO. Basically the only way to score was to pass in the middle until You.found yourself one on one with.the goalie.

Idk..I mean I still played the game religiously and as much as I played 10, but I never felt like it was as good as 10.

I see a lot of your points, but they did a lot of that to fix game exploits that a lot of players used in 10. For a player like you, who doesn't use exploits I can see how 10 would be better. But from my perspective the game is A LOT more realistic because you dont have 2-3 40 yard bombs going in a game, less GK mistakes, less crossed goals where a defender just stops, and more realism in defense.

I also will give the predictions for the upcoming season (all results subject to change, pending transfers):

EPL:
1. Man United
2. Man City (90% pending on Tevez being back)
3. Chelsea
4. Arsenal (will go to like 6th if Cesc moves on to Barcelona)
5. Everton (my surprise...so they will blow, and Howard will be terrible)
6. Liverpool (not impressed with them last year and not impressed with any move yet this year. Getting David Villa would be a big boost though).

La Liga:
1. Barcelona
2. Real Madrid
...no need to go further, but.
3. Valencia
4. Sporting (why the fuck not, right?)

Serie A:
1. Milan
2. Inter
3. Roma (heart pick, Bojan is my second favorite player....sigh)
4. Napoli

Champions League:
Barcelona over United
Milan over Zenit St. Petes

Barcelona over Milan

I'm gonna be checking out a lot of NY redbull games in the next couple years living in NJ now. My roommate is not at all a soccer fan but after going to their game against I think Toronto? Where they won 5-0...he said it was actually really fun.I'm gonna check out one of their next couple games.

Mulva;832822 wrote:
And Israel definitely still has a chance to qualify for the Euro Championship since you mentioned them. They're in a pretty lucky group, no dominant team. Greece, Israel, and Croatia (top 3 in the group) all still have to play one another in the final few matches of qualifying.
.

I had a brain stoppage and thought the qualifying was over haha. I hope they make it, I would love to see them finally do something in Europe even though they should be dominating Asia.

Chelsea's gotta win something this year Laley haha.

Or maybe not. But if Snejider goes to Man Utd, I expect a 20th title for them.

ohiobucks1;832828 wrote:Chelsea's gotta win something this year Laley haha.

Or maybe not. But if Snejider goes to Man Utd, I expect a 20th title for them.

Been saying it for years...yet no. Lol.

SportsAndLady;832825 wrote:I'm gonna be checking out a lot of NY redbull games in the next couple years living in NJ now. My roommate is not at all a soccer fan but after going to their game against I think Toronto? Where they won 5-0...he said it was actually really fun.I'm gonna check out one of their next couple games.

With such a great stadium and relatively low ticket prices, NYRB games should be a great draw to young professionals like yourself. Thats how I feel about the Crew too, and our attendance is crap.

Laley23;832829 wrote:Been saying it for years...yet no. Lol.

Watch it haha.

Is it fair game for me to post insider rumors from ESPN or is that against our boards policy? Theres some interesting commentary on Man City and their Premier league chances

ohiobucks1;832823 wrote:I see a lot of your points, but they did a lot of that to fix game exploits that a lot of players used in 10. For a player like you, who doesn't use exploits I can see how 10 would be better. But from my perspective the game is A LOT more realistic because you dont have 2-3 40 yard bombs going in a game, less GK mistakes, less crossed goals where a defender just stops, and more realism in defense.

I agree they did do a lot to fix some loopholes for lack of a better term in 10...that's probably why I played 11 And didn't continue to just play 10.

And for shits, might as well throw in the POY award.

Finalists:
1. Iniesta
2. Messi
3. Ronaldo

Ok, I actually think Messi will win again. But I thought Iniesta had a LEGIT claim last year, so Id like to see him take it this year. He is injury prone though, so he probably wont be a finalist again. Messi and Ronaldo are shoe-ins after their play since the last award.

ohiobucks1;832831 wrote:Watch it haha.

Is it fair game for me to post insider rumors from ESPN or is that against our boards policy? Theres some interesting commentary on Man City and their Premier league chances

lol at this board having policies...

Post away. Plus it is screwing ESPN for charging a ridiculous amount for "inside" info.

Automatik614 for FIFA lessons on ps3. I don't play as much in the summer, but when winter rolls around its on.

ohiobucks1;832831 wrote:Watch it haha.

Is it fair game for me to post insider rumors from ESPN or is that against our boards policy? Theres some interesting commentary on Man City and their Premier league chances

Also, Ill give Chelsea the FA...hows that sound?

ohiobucks1;832831 wrote:Watch it haha.

Is it fair game for me to post insider rumors from ESPN or is that against our boards policy? Theres some interesting commentary on Man City and their Premier league chances

Go ahead...the mods probably wont read this thread anyways lol

Who are even the mods on this forum?

Laley23;832835 wrote:lol at this board having policies...

Post away. Plus it is screwing ESPN for charging a ridiculous amount for "inside" info.

eh it was kinda a bullshit article so forget it.

However, I found this tidbit:


razilian club Corinthians has apparently upped its offer for Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez.
After a $56.5 million bid earlier this week was rejected, "it is understood" that Corinthians tendered an improved offer of $63 million, according to the BBC's Phil McNulty.

"I do know there has been an increased offer," confirms Kia Joorabchian, Tevez's agent.

-Doug McIntyre

Laley23;832838 wrote:Also, Ill give Chelsea the FA...hows that sound?

FA is fair. I am going to England with my College team this august and I get to see Chelsea vs Stoke and the Community Shield (Man Utd vs Man City)

I knew Tevez wanted out...but I didnt think he wanted out of European football. That seems like a pretty sketchy career move on his part. I wouldnt leave England/Spain until after the next WC if Im him. Not that Argentina wont select a guy playing domestically (or close, in Brazil)....ala Brazil and Neymar. But still. He is competing with Gago at Madrid and others in top flight football for those last spots on the field. Messi is already guaranteed 1.

Laley23;832846 wrote:I knew Tevez wanted out...but I didnt think he wanted out of European football. That seems like a pretty sketchy career move on his part. I wouldnt leave England/Spain until after the next WC if Im him. Not that Argentina wont select a guy playing domestically (or close, in Brazil)....ala Brazil and Neymar. But still. He is competing with Gago at Madrid and others in top flight football for those last spots on the field. Messi is already guaranteed 1.

I wouldn't be surprised if Weds passes and he is still a Man City player only to leave for Spain or Italy before weeks end.


Another interesting potential rumor:


UPDATE: Giuseppe Rossi is edging closer to a move from Villarreal to Juventus.

According to Spanish newspaper Marca, Juventus will offer the New Jersey native a salary of $20 million spread over four seasons.

Marca says there is a difference of $7 million between what Juventus offers as transfer fee and what Villarreal expects to receive and that is apparently the only thing in the way of this deal happening.

--

Another saga that has the potential to become a summer-long affair is: where will Giuseppe Rossi play next season?
The most likely destination seems to be Juventus. Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport says Rossi's agent is now working closely with Juventus, who will offer $35 million. Though Villarreal may only sell him for $50 million.

- Sebastian Garcia



As well as one for my blues:

The serious knee injury suffered by Michael Essien changes Chelsea's preparation ahead of next season. The Blues now have to get in the market and shop for a replacement and the name of midfielder Daniele De Rossi has been mentioned.
According to CaughtOffside.com, Chelsea will offer $24 million for the iconic AS Roma and Italy player.

De Rossi was unfairly involved in a match-fixing scandal recently as it was later proved he was innocent. That and the fact that he is entering the last year in his contract with AS Roma, could trigger a move to Chelsea (or any suitors for that matter) as the Italian club would prefer to sell him now than having to release him for free next season.

- Sebastian Garcia