2011/2012 Soccer Season Thread

[alex2020]

Well, since an American football thread got created, I thought I would make one for all us REAL football fans.

Who's your favorite team? Who do you think's going to win the major competitions - Premier League, La Liga, Champions League, etc.?

I'll start off.

My favorite team is Liverpool FC!! I hold no illusions about us winning the Premier League title, though. I'm just hoping for a Champions League spot. I think that's going to be a race between the two Manchesters. It's the talent of Man City v the experience of Man Utd and Sir Alex. I don't think Chelsea will be challenging much this year; they haven't impressed me so far, and I think it might prove a difficult adjustment for Andre Villas-Boas. And Arsenal? Well, so much has been spoken about their problems in the media that I'm not going to waste time speaking about them as well, except to say that I wasn't too impressed with their summer purchases and it could be a rough season for them.

Obviously a two-horse race between Real Madrid and Barcelona for La Liga. Could go either way, but I think Barca will come out on top again. Already world class, and now added another world class midfielder (Fabregas); Madrid are very good, but aside from Ronaldo, Casillas, and Sergio Ramos, aren't at the same level as Barca.

Barca can easily repeat as Champions League winners, and probably should. I don't see another team on the continent that can match them man for man. That said, cup football brings it surprises, so it's possible, though unlikely, that a team might be able to defeat them.

But above all... GO LIVERPOOL!!! YNWA!

[RedKnight]

My fave team is Southampton (as can be seen by my avatar) and Wellington Pheonix (A-League team which is still in the off season).

Sadly we don't get any on the Championship League games here in New Zealand

And I struggle to see how you can't put your money on Manchester United to win the Premier League. But the return for that money would be rubbish

[alex2020]

Originally Posted by RedKnight

My fave team is Southampton (as can be seen by my avatar) and Wellington Pheonix (A-League team which is still in the off season).

Sadly we don't get any on the Championship League games here in New Zealand

And I struggle to see how you can't put your money on Manchester United to win the Premier League. But the return for that money would be rubbish

As far as Southampton goes, I hope they do well. I've always had a slight liking for them, perhaps because I never really liked Portsmouth very much.

And I just think that player for player, Manchester City are more talented than United, especially in midfield, attack, and goalkeeper. However talent doesn't always trump experience, and that's where United hold the huge advantage. If I had to name one, I'd say Man Utd will win it, but I think Man City will be up there with them for most of the season. Also, I'm not going to dispute that Sir Alex is a fantastic manager, but Roberto Mancini is no slouch and he knows how to win the league from his time with Inter Milan. That probably won't be enough, though.

[Jay]

It's a little off-topic but El Salvador will play against Russia tomorrow in the semi finals of the Beach Soccer World Cup. This is the first time for us Salvadoreans to reach quarter finals, let alone semi finals, and we beat Italy yesterday thus eliminating the host. The tournament is being held in Ravenna, Italy.

[alex2020]

Originally Posted by Jay

It's a little off-topic but El Salvador will play against Russia tomorrow in the semi finals of the Beach Soccer World Cup. This is the first time for us Salvadoreans to reach quarter finals, let alone semi finals, and we beat Italy yesterday thus eliminating the host. The tournament is being held in Ravenna, Italy.

Hey, it's still soccer, right?

That's really exciting for El Salvador! To beat the host is very impressive.
I'm a little partial to Russia (I learned a bit of the language), but I think it would mean more to El Salvador if they were to win. Beach soccer doesn't sound like it would inspire much fanfare in Russia...

[olides84]

I just went to the Belgium (country where I live) versus USA (country I am from) match this past week, so that has got me well focused on football for this season. I really just follow a few teams. In England, it's Fulham, with a soft spot for Everton and Reading. And in the Bundesliga, it's Schalke 04. Whereas for the Belgian league, the teams are pretty damn sorry

[Jay]

Originally Posted by alex2020

Hey, it's still soccer, right?

That's really exciting for El Salvador! To beat the host is very impressive.
I'm a little partial to Russia (I learned a bit of the language), but I think it would mean more to El Salvador if they were to win. Beach soccer doesn't sound like it would inspire much fanfare in Russia...

You have no idea! People are considering our players as National Heroes already. It's crazy. They even asked the Congress to provide them with support for their families since most of the players come from a very poor background, when they're not playing they're fishermen who don't have proper equipment. So the people is pushing Congress to provide them with financial aid or to donate new equipment to them.

The match against Russia starts in one hour. Russia is the favorite to win, but so was Italy. There was even one reporter from Venezuela who recorded the voice over for his report before the match was over stating "Italy was going to play against Russia in semi finals"... then the poor guy had to re-do his voice over.

SO. AMG. EXCITED. And I usually hate soccer.

[RedKnight]

My one main hope for the Premier League is that Blackburn Rovers don't go down since they have New Zealands best football player Ryan Nelsen in their side.

[alex2020]

Originally Posted by RedKnight

My one main hope for the Premier League is that Blackburn Rovers don't go down since they have New Zealands best football player Ryan Nelsen in their side.

Yeah I'd like them to stay up, too. I don't like to see teams that once were good fall into shambles (i.e. Newcastle). About what, fifteen years ago, Blackburn won the Premier League? And now they're struggling just to stay in it. Pity...

And now all the more reason to root for them now! I've always thought Nelsen was pretty good.

Southampton are doing pretty well, aren't they? Second in the Championship; not bad, not bad at all.

Here's an interesting article about them I read, in case you haven't already seen it:
BBC - Paul Fletcher: The Adkins diet gets Saints in shape

[RedKnight]

Originally Posted by alex2020

Southampton are doing pretty well, aren't they? Second in the Championship; not bad, not bad at all.

Here's an interesting article about them I read, in case you haven't already seen it:
BBC - Paul Fletcher: The Adkins diet gets Saints in shape

Yeah, they had their best start in 76 years which is always a good thing.

I hadn't read that but now I have. He has some pretty modern managerial skill going their for a business, let alone a football team XD