The football thread!
- Thread starter devilrules666
- Start date
FourthLion
Adventurer
I think Ukraine played a really good tournament. Both them and Sweden were unlucky not to get through. Wouldn't be entirely surprised if either of them had gone on to put up a better quarter final fight than England or France did.
20thCenturyBoy
Thousand Master
Well, now that the Euros are over it's back to club football. There's been quite the managerial merry-go-round down south, with AVB at Spurs the latest appointment, and of course the transfer window is already in full flow: Kagawa to United, Sigurdsson to Spurs, Podolski and Giroud to Arsenal (good signings, hopefully they finally win it this year).
What's everyone hoping for from their teams this year? Where do you hope you'll finish in the league? Where do you think you'll finish? Will you win any trophies? What players does your team need/want to sign?
I'm predicting an easy domestic season for Celtic. Sevco have today officially been rejected a place in the SPL so what little challenge they may have made is gone now. In all honesty I hope to see them not even get into the 3rd division, this whole thing is a disgrace and the structure of football up here needs stripped top to bottom, the current SFA should all see their heads rolling for the way they've behaved. Focussing back on my team though, I'm hoping we can get to the Champion's League group stage and have a decent go at Europe again as it's been a while. Plenty of signings needed to improve the team most notable at least 2 good centre halves, some cover on the wings and a target man centre forward.
As for my other team, Arsenal, think they can make a challenge at the title again with the signings so far and if they add a couple more (without losing anyone big), there's a lot of deadwood to be shipped out though. At the very least I think this is the year the barren run ends and we'll win something.
What's everyone hoping for from their teams this year? Where do you hope you'll finish in the league? Where do you think you'll finish? Will you win any trophies? What players does your team need/want to sign?
I'm predicting an easy domestic season for Celtic. Sevco have today officially been rejected a place in the SPL so what little challenge they may have made is gone now. In all honesty I hope to see them not even get into the 3rd division, this whole thing is a disgrace and the structure of football up here needs stripped top to bottom, the current SFA should all see their heads rolling for the way they've behaved. Focussing back on my team though, I'm hoping we can get to the Champion's League group stage and have a decent go at Europe again as it's been a while. Plenty of signings needed to improve the team most notable at least 2 good centre halves, some cover on the wings and a target man centre forward.
As for my other team, Arsenal, think they can make a challenge at the title again with the signings so far and if they add a couple more (without losing anyone big), there's a lot of deadwood to be shipped out though. At the very least I think this is the year the barren run ends and we'll win something.
mangaman74
Akatsuki
20thCenturyBoy said:
Wooden spoon? The impression I have of Arsenal & Wenger is that as long as they qualify for the following seasons CL they are happy - any time they look like they might win the PL they fall away and if it looks like they might miss on out on the CL they improve their performances.
ayase
State Alchemist
Great as it would be to see Boro back in the Premiership one day, I don't see that happening any time soon. Dull a prediction though it might be, I imagine we'll probably stay somewhere in the middle of the Championship - that's about where we deserve to be. A bit of an improvement so we end up in the top half would be nice. And no more losing to Leeds.20thCenturyBoy said:
20thCenturyBoy
Thousand Master
mangaman74 said:
No doubt they're happy just qualifying for CL, the financial income from that is huge for the club. It is incredibly strange/frustrating how they manage to improve when needed when they're about to fail but can't do the same for when they're on the verge of achieving. It's a big mental problem with the team, there's no experience winning things. I've always said a trophy is a trophy, you should want to win everything possible, but wouldn't sacrifice the CL for it. CL qualification is priority but still really think actually winning something would be great and do wonders for the team's confidence.
20thCenturyBoy
Thousand Master
Ath
Pokémon Master
Ooof! That's a huge blow:
As for my team, I'm glad that Di Matteo got the Chelsea job in the end. After the drama of last season I'd be very happy with a Top-4 finish and to challenge for the cups again, anything greater than that would be a bonus. I'm hoping that Torres will continue his improved run of form, Hazard I'm less convinced by (I got sick of seeing his name pop up in the Gossip Column on BBC Football every other day!) but I'm interested to see Marko Marin in action.
Hmmm, wonder what these "aspects" were. Will Podolski and Giroud be enough to compensate? I guess this means Arsenal will sell him now to avoid him leaving on a free next summer...
As for my team, I'm glad that Di Matteo got the Chelsea job in the end. After the drama of last season I'd be very happy with a Top-4 finish and to challenge for the cups again, anything greater than that would be a bonus. I'm hoping that Torres will continue his improved run of form, Hazard I'm less convinced by (I got sick of seeing his name pop up in the Gossip Column on BBC Football every other day!) but I'm interested to see Marko Marin in action.
mangaman74
Akatsuki
20thCenturyBoy said:
Qualifying for the CL is not enough to keep the best players. Wenger is proud of the fact that every full season he has been at Arsenal they have qualified for the CL. It is also around 5 or 6 years since they have won anything. While players want to play in the CL the also want to win things (or to at least challange for things) which is why the best players wind up leaving (with Robin van Persie looking like the latest to jump ship).
fabio de lunatico
Claymore
Speaking as an Arsenal fan, I don't blame him for wanting out. A player of his ability should be winning trophies and he won't do that at Arsenal. Unfortunately the club's ambitions seem to be qualifying for the Champion's League and making a tidy profit, but if the best players continue to leave they won't even get that.20thCenturyBoy said:
On the other hand, RvP has typically been injury-prone. Last season was something of an anomaly and I wonder if, with him approaching 29, this might not be a bad time for Arsenal to cash in. I just hope he doesn't go to Manchester City. I couldn't take that.
20thCenturyBoy
Thousand Master
So Sevco have been voted into Division 3, 25 out of the 30 SFL clubs voted this way so quite overwhelmingly. I'm pleased some justice has been done, though I question whether they should be allowed in at all, rules still being bent to allow them in (lack of 3 years credited accounts). I hope the forthcoming season sees Scottish football grow and a new challenger emerge (I'm saying it'll be Dundee Utd), then we can get on with the reform of the game and get rid of the bumbling bigwigs who have been telling us Scottish football will die without Rangers at the top.
20thCenturyBoy
Thousand Master
In terms of lovely looking football tops I think the Everton away is a real winner
PSG is lovely too
And think Celtic's away is one of the best they've had in years
PSG is lovely too
And think Celtic's away is one of the best they've had in years
mangaman74
Akatsuki
Team GB men's team have won 3-1 against UAE. A draw or better against Uruguay and we are through to the quarter finals.
Spain on the other hand are already out after back to back defeats (the latest 1-0 to Honduras).
Spain on the other hand are already out after back to back defeats (the latest 1-0 to Honduras).
FourthLion
Adventurer
mangaman74 said:
The Women's Team GB matches have been pretty cool too. All wins so far in football
MaxonTreik
Chuunibyou
Been a bit disappointed with the men's team, but the women's team are doing well. Good to see Spain are out, especially thanks to GLORIOUS NIPPON.
FourthLion
Adventurer
I liked how Stuart Pearce basically came out and said 'we won that cause I made an awesome substitution' for the UAE match. Modesty...
mangaman74
Akatsuki
FourthLion said:
Both substitites scored shortly after coming on. I think that counts as being a good move.
FourthLion
Adventurer
I agree, but it's still unusual for a coach to congratulate himself rather than the team in the post match interviews.