(UEFA) Football Thread - Football not Soccer

[HappyDayRiot]

^ I don't particularly like Barca either - in fact it stems back to your side's game with them in the Champions League a few seasons ago, when you knocked them out in the last 16 (I think - you won 2-1 at the Camp Nou). Diving, cheating, whinging wags back then. All that's changed now is they pass better and have the best player in the world playing for them.

I'm content to say I would like Man United to win.

 

[Jax]

French footie bosses have been accused of hatching a secret plan to stop non-white players representing the national team.

The French Football Federation (FFF) is launching an investigation into an alleged plan to introduce an 'ethnic quota' following the leak of a tape made by a senior official. The whistleblowing recording was made by Mohammed Belkacemi, France's technical advisor for district football.

Investigative website Mediapart claims that the scandal implicates high-ranking French officials all the way up to and including national coach Laurent Blanc. Officials in the French FA think there are "too many blacks and Arabs" in French football

Well there has to be sackings galore including Blanc, I don't see how he can stay on as the French natonal coach now and UEFA/FIFA needs to be involved as well.

 

[Angel4576]

Too many blacks and arabs? Aren't they their better players?

You have to be pretty grateful for the FFF, without them who else would make the FA look like they know what they're doing?

Barcelona - can't stand them. They're the best team on the planet by a country mile, so why the fcuk do they need cheating twats like Alves, Pedro and Busquets anywhere near their team?

I hope United win, and in the last minute Scholes seals his retirement from the game by kicking Busquets' head clean off his shoulders.

 

[Jax]

We near the end of the season so I think its time to pick your World XI (doesn't have to be team of the season) ...

(4-3-3)

Van De Sar

Lahm-Vidic-Pique-Cole

Xavi-Fletcher-Modric

Messi-Rooney-Nasri

------------------------------------

If you can play as good as Edwin at 40 years old then you should be in many World teams, goodbye to a great keeper. That defence picks itself really they are the best in their positions really Lahm come to PL.

Xavi & Modric would make a good pairing with their slick passing and movement, Modric heavily under rated. Fletcher does exactly what it says on the tin nothing flash needed from your holding player.

Rooney over the past 3 months has reminded everyone what he can do and played upfront in a 4-3-3 like last year 34 goal haul would work.

Messi and Nasri well pick themselves

 

[Jax]

My dad n little bro have been to Wembley today for FA Cup Trophy final with Mansfield Town and gutted for them because they loss 1-0 conceding in the 120th Minute (Last few seconds of Extra Time)

ooooooooo so close to a shootout.

 

[HappyDayRiot]

In all the world of football, could you really have not thought of a better holding midfielder than Darren Fletcher? Ramires, for one, has had a much better season. There must be plenty of better choices than Nasri as well for the forward role - Lavezzi from Napoli springs to mind (not sure if he plays that same side as Nasri though). Di Natale too, in a changed formation. Nasri has done very, very little for months now.

I would also refuse to recognise Pique in any team I made, because he's a diving, whining, cheating bastard like half of his team-mates!

How do you fancy your chances against Swansea, then? I have no idea how we're going to do against Reading at all, but the prospect of a Cardiff v Swansea finale is tantalising.

 

[Jax]

In all the world of football, could you really have not thought of a better holding midfielder than Darren Fletcher? Ramires, for one, has had a much better season.

How do you fancy your chances against Swansea, then? I have no idea how we're going to do against Reading at all, but the prospect of a Cardiff v Swansea finale is tantalising.

Fletcher is so under-rated because hes not flashy and plays for Scotland as well and not an Italy or Germany. He just gets stuck in and does his job and I admire that. Ramires has only done well in the last 2 months, hes struggled IMO to settle into the squad and is NEVER worth his stupid price tag they paid for him.

Forest won't beat Swansea but I think Reading will win the playoffs.

 

[Starkers]

I'd bet on Reading as well, and funnily enough just been on the phone with a Forest supporting work collegue and he said the same thing...

Of course everybody said WBA was the favourite when we went up so it's all still up in the air.

I do think (sorry HappyDayRiot) that given how they've been playing lately, I'll be surprised if Cardiff go up.

 

[HappyDayRiot]

So will I! Cardiff are quite clearly bottlers at the best of times and they prove it with every big game they play. I'd rather lose the semi-final this year though, at least save me the outrageous Wembley prices. Losing to Swansea there would be too much as well - I can only take so much (we do owe them a 'Cup' defeat though).

I would say one thing though - we're still 'in-form' really - 1 defeat in 10, it's only the Boro game we were really poor. We and Reading are a decent match - they lost at home to Sheffield, remember - and I'm glad we've got them instead of Forest.

(brilliantly, someone has amended CCFC's Wikipedia page to state they've made the play-offs this season, but will definitely be in the Championship next season as they're the biggest chokers in all sport)!

Will Forest fans settle for just not getting humilitated?

 

[Angel4576]

Fielding, Ward and Robinson all signed up.

3 down, just another 6-8 to go over the summer now......!

Playoffs - I'd be surprised if Reading don't do it, although Forest have come good again at exactly the wrong, sorry right time.

 

[Jax]

The CL final is not long now and all the papers have begun talking about tactics and what Fergie should do and the biggest question is 4-4-1-1 like hes been playing recently or 4-5-1 like Fergie has done so many times in Europe. Personally despite the recent form of Rooney & his Mexican partner, for me you have to win the middle ground to beat Barcelona so you pack the midfield...

Van De Sar

Rafael Ferdinand Vidic Evra

Valencia Carrick Fletcher Giggs Park

Rooney

Giggs in the middle over the last few weeks has seen Utd finally find that bit of class they were looking for because there are not many better passes than the welsh wizard and unlike Scholes he has the legs of someone many years younger than him.

Park and Valencia will push Barcelona back and will be crucial on the coutner. Fletcher will make sure Xavi has no time on the ball and Carrick can float around looking for the space so he can produce his best passing game.

Rooney can play up front on his own, 34 goals last season proves it and if your chasing the game then who better to bring on than "Little pea" himself and go 4-4-1-1 but if you get ahead with the 5 man midfield then Utd could easily frustrate Barca all night long.

 

[Angel4576]

Middle of the park - Carrick, Fletcher & Giggs vs Messi, Xavi & Iniesta = Barcelona win I think. Unless United play out of their skins and/or Barcelona have a serious off-day.

 

[Servo]

I say we play the exact team and formation we played against Chelsea on Sunday.

 

[Starkers]

Fielding, Ward and Robinson all signed up.

3 down, just another 6-8 to go over the summer now......!

Looking increasingly likely Eustace will sign as well, not a thrilling signing, but experience in the middle of the park is something we're going to need now Sav's gone. Fielding and Ward are excellent signings, Theo...well he's quick, and though he was terrible against Bristol he also looked the most likely player to make something happen, so he might be a very rough diamond that can be polished, and it'll be nice to have some pace on the bench next season!

 

[Angel4576]

^^ Could be Eustace, although the articles that I've seen that link us with him don't really seem to be sourcing anyone, more based on speculation.

Personally, I'd go for Norris, just released by Ipswich. Julio Arca, Chris McCann, Martin Rowlands, Neil Danns - all could do a job for us, and all on frees.

 

[Starkers]

Depends what the wages are like I guess, although we should have a lot of leeway there now Commons and Sav have gone, and hopefully when Bywater and (maybe) Leacock go as well.

 

[Angel4576]

^^ Plus Varney and maybe Pearson as well.

I can't see Norris commanding any more in wage than Eustace would to be honest.

Combined fee for Fielding, Ward and Robinson is believed to be c£900k which is pretty good value. I'd probably have expected to pay that for Fielding alone to be honest.

 

[Starkers]

Yeah we seem to have a real bargain there unless Blackburn know something we do...

Hopefully we can offload Varney in the summer. I kind of expect Pearson to stick around.

 

[Angel4576]

He possibly will as Clough seems to rate him. That being said, I get the impression that he wants to change a fair bit of the first team. Pearson will probably stick around but will be more on the fringes of the first team than he is now.

 

[Starkers]

Yeah, he has pace and power, but against Bristol he too often went nowhere and we seemed to rely on him as our only winger too much. Given that he's probably not on big wages anymore I don't have a major problem with him as a squad player, but I wouldn't want us building a team around him!