The Ultimate Football Thread 2013-2014 Vol. 4 EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A etc

I'm dead serious, I been out the shoe game for a long time. I sure as hell don't know what these underground shoe acronyms mean anymore.
 
chiva1908 said:
Mad random, but do any of y'all regulars in this thread have Instagram???

Would love to follow some of y'all, specially those in other countries.

II if applicable lol

IG: chiva1908
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IG: Bennyfonzarelli
 
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Glad RM won. I agree with a lot of the sentiments in here.

Coentrao, Pepe and Xabi Alonso played really really well. Was extremely impressed with how Coentrao handled Robbin all game. Modric's work rate was insane all game. Dude did not stop and was constantly getting behind the ball. I thought Pepe won numerous big head balls and xabi really tackled well and kept the midfield organized while allowing modric to go forward.

I don't know what to say about Bayern. At points it was just possession for possessions sake. When you attack some times you lose the ball its what happens. I thought gotze really lit a spart but just going at people late in the game....and he def should have done better with that shot...but great save by Casillas. RM stayed organized and stayed behind the ball and let them have the wings but stiffled the middle. Just the lack of urgency at any point from BM was boring to watch.

I really hope RM can pull it out though. But if they don't get an away goal in Munich i don't see them taking it.
 
Arsenal eye move for Southampton's Calum Chambers with continuing doubts over future of Bacary Sagna
Londoners step up their interest in Saints full-back with Sagna out of contract in June and Manchester City among the clubs interested
Arsenal eye move for Southampton's Calum Chambers with continuing doubts over future of Bacary Sagna
Wanted man: Calum Chambers is a target for Arsenal Photo: PA
Jeremy Wilson

By Jeremy Wilson

11:00PM BST 23 Apr 2014

Comments9 Comments

Calum Chambers, the Southampton right-back, is among Arsenal’s list of summer transfer targets as Arsène Wenger accelerates his plans ahead of the possible departure of Bacary Sagna.

Although Arsenal are now ready to stretch to a new three-year deal for Sagna, who will be out of contract in June, the 31-year-old has made no decision on his future amid competing interest from Manchester City, Galatasaray and Paris St-Germain.

Arsenal scouts were already monitoring Chambers but have intensified their interest over recent weeks in a player who would further enhance the core of young British players in the squad.

At only 19, Chambers has graduated through the Southampton academy with left-back Luke Shaw, who is increasingly likely to be sold this summer to Manchester United or Chelsea for around £30 million.

Chambers is less experienced than Shaw but this has been his breakthrough season in senior football and he has played in 21 Premier League games for Southampton while also captaining the England Under-19 team.

In an interview last week with the Telegraph, Chambers described Southampton as “the perfect place to be” and there is an argument that he would still benefit from another season of regular Premier League football at St Mary’s. Chambers also agreed a new contract last summer that commits him to the club until 2017.

Southampton’s financial position, however, does need realigning after their spending over the past three years. Their most recent accounts, published last month, showed that they still owed £27 million in transfer fees as well as £30 million for the new training ground.

Arsenal could potentially also offer immediate first-team football, although Sagna could yet stay and Carl Jenkinson will be hoping to compete for the right-back role. Jenkinson, though, is more likely to go out on loan for a season and Wenger has repeatedly proved that he would have no compunction about regularly starting a teenager if he believes that they are ready.

As well as right-back, Wenger’s focus this summer is central midfield and at least one, and possibly two, additional strikers. A renewed bid for Lars Bender, the Bayer Leverkusen holding midfielder, can be expected after a £20  million offer was rejected last summer.

Hamburg midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu is another player who Arsenal are now monitoring, with Álvaro Morata, Josep Drmic, Mario Mandzukic, Julian Draxler and Karim Benzema all on the longlist of striker targets.

Wenger’s summer planning is a further sign that he does still plan to extend his own contract, although his mood will clearly be shaped by whether he can now lead the club to what would be a fifth FA Cup and an 18th consecutive top-four finish.
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http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896...nkel-more-goals-worst-premier-league-team-of-
Bl-1T-HIUAEHiyM.jpg

Three Manchester United players are named in our side, while the three strikers selected have scored just four goals in a combined total of 76 Premier League appearances
With the 2013-14 Premier League season drawing to a close, the Professional Footballers' Association will name its Team of the Season along with the individual awards for Player and Young Player of the Year on Sunday.

Ahead of that announcement, Goal has picked its own XI of the worst players to have graced the top flight this year.

GOALKEEPER


Having arrived at Fulham in a £4 million deal from Roma last June, big things were expected from Maarten Stekelenburg.

But failing to complete Fulham’s first game of the season was a sign of things to come as the 31-year-old limped out of the club’s victory over Sunderland with a shoulder injury.

Stekelenburg missed a month of action but returned to make a further 21 appearances for the club, during which time 48 goals were conceded. But since the arrival of Felix Magath in February, the Netherlands international has made just three appearances and appears to be frozen out of the picture behind David Stockdale for the club’s final push for survival.

DEFENCE


David Moyes has utilised Chris Smalling in both central and wide areas of defence but it’s at right-back where the 24-year-old has severely struggled this season.

Smalling has shown glimpses of promise in a central position but on the right side of defence, his lack of technical quality is exposed and his distribution and composure on the ball is far below the standard Manchester United should be aiming for.

In the nine games Smalling has started as a right-back this season, he’s averaged a pass completion rate of just 73.45 per cent.

Nathan Baker forms one half of our centre-back partnership following a series of unconvincing performances for Aston Villa this term. The 22-year-old performed well in Villa’s 1-0 win over Chelsea in March but consistency has been the key issue throughout the campaign. Baker’s distribution from the back has also been poor with just 68% of his passes finding their target.

The second half of our centre-back partnership includes Fernando Amorebieta. The 29-year-old arrived on a free transfer from Athletic Bilbao last summer but has struggled to find consistency at Craven Cottage in his debut campaign.

Amorebieta has made 21 Premier League appearances this season and has featured in several heavy Fulham defeats including the 6-0 loss away to Hull City and the 4-1 hammering at home to fellow strugglers Sunderland.

Liverpool have enjoyed a stellar campaign but the club have been dependent on the emergence of Jon Flanagan at left-back following Jose Enrique’s season-ending knee injury. Aly Cissokho was brought in last summer on a loan deal from Valencia as cover for the Spaniard but his performances have failed to live up to expectations.

Cissokho has made 18 appearances in all competitions this season but has featured in just one match in the past two months, which suggests Brendan Rodgers is unlikely to make his deal permanent. In contrast to Liverpool’s free-flowing style, Cissokho has looked uncomfortable on the ball, while 21-year-old Flanagan offers considerably more going forward.

MIDFIELD


Just over a year ago, Mohamed Diame’s commanding performances had attracted interest from both Arsenal and Tottenham, with both sides considering a move for the midfielder in the January transfer window.

But judging by his displays this season, the two north London rivals made a wise decision to look elsewhere as Diame has been one of the many West Ham passengers in an uninspiring campaign at Upton Park.

Diame’s performances have not strayed too far from a description which could apply broadly to West Ham’s attack. He’s lacked purpose, incisiveness and has drifted through far too many games without making a significant contribution.

Mark Noble continues to be the screen in front of the back four, while Kevin Nolan is the player primarily tasked with linking up with Andy Carroll, or a striker fit enough to play. Diame has been an ineffective hybrid of the two, and has even been tried, to little avail, on the left wing.

Following West Ham’s 3-1 defeat to Arsenal in April, Sam Allardyce was asked about Diame’s potential move to a top-six club. “Well, he’ll have to perform better won’t he?” was his response.

The arrival of Marouane Fellaini from Everton for £27.5 million on deadline day last September had the hallmarks of a panic buy. Not only due to the late timing and the fact United could have signed the Belgian for £4m cheaper had they acted quicker, but also because he didn’t appear to be the solution to the club’s midfield problems.

So far, Fellaini has done little to convince otherwise as the 26-year-old has been unable to get to grips with any role given to him by the now departed David Moyes. In more defensive position alongside Michael Carrick, Fellaini hasn’t shown that he possesses the mental sharpness required to utilise possession under pressure, while being given an advanced role that mimics his time at Everton can’t be afforded as Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata are already vying for the spot behind the striker.

Fellaini has yet to score a Premier League goal for United this season, or register an assist, and has created just three chances in 15 appearances.

Tom Cleverley takes the final place in our three-man midfield for his ineffective displays at Manchester United this season. The 24-year-old has featured 21 times in the Premier League this term and while he's a tidy passer of the ball, there's been little proof that he can make a telling contribution either defensively or in attack.

The petition, which received over 19,000 signatures, asking for Cleverley to be 'banned' from making England's World Cup squad this summer is harsh, given that there is still room for improvement, but the midfielder has so far failed to replicate the drive and spark he displayed during his season-long loan spell at Wigan Athletic three years ago.

ATTACK


Several strikers were in contention for a place in this section and the likes of Roberto Soldado, Modibo Maiga, Andreas Cornelius and Danny Graham are fortunate absentees.

However, the three players who have been selected have endured miserable seasons and have managed to score just four goals in a combined total of 76 Premier League appearances.

Norwich City didn't even wait until the end of last season before completing a deal for Ricky van Wolfswinkel for a club-record £8.5m fee from Sporting and the Dutchman arrived at Carrow Road with the expectation of helping the club push on towards a comfortable, mid-table finish.

As it stands, the 25-year-old has failed to find the net since the opening day of the season, possessing a shot conversion rate of just 5.26%, while Norwich, who sacked Chris Hughton earlier this month, are on a run of four straight defeats and are serious contenders for relegation.

Spearheading our attack is Sunderland's Jozy Altidore. The 24-year-old arrived during Paolo Di Canio's reign and while he may have outlasted the Italian's stay at the club, he's not fared much better.

Altidore has looked a shadow of the player who scored 23 Eredivisie goals for AZ Alkmaar last season. The USA international has found the net on only one occasion in the Premier League, possessing a shot conversion rate of 5.88%, while his pass accuracy of 67.2% sums up the quality of his hold-up play.

Our final place in attack is given to Papiss Cisse. After arriving from Freiburg in January 2012, the Senegal international made a blistering start to his Newcastle United career by finding the net 13 times in 14 Premier League appearances.

Last season's eight-goal haul in the Premier League was a poor follow up but the 28-year-old has scored just twice in the league this term and has a worse shot conversion rate than both Van Wolfswinkel and Altidore at 4.88%.
 
Didn't get to watch the CL game yesterday as I had actual work to do so I watched it from my dvr last night just before bed.

Going into the game, the weaknesses for both teams were the back 4. Rafinha & Boateng looked awful, especially Rafinha. He was regularly getting abused especially from Coentrao on that cross to Benz for that goal. That was awful defending.

One of Pep's mistakes was moving Lahm from fullback to midfield. Bayern also looked anemic in the final third. Their shots lacked any kind of mustard all game. Gotze's shot was the only one that had any kind of force behind it.

You guys were complaining about the somewhat sterile possession by Bayern but if they didn't have a majority of the possession, Real would've most likely scored a couple of more goals.

Pepe & Ramos actually played ok, none of the stupid mistakes or horrible fouls they're prone to in big games but RM got big games from Carvajal & Coentrao. Good to see Iker playing well too. Interesting to see Isco play the wing up front but he seemed to do ok.

All in all, Real did what they were supposed to do at home & that was win. They also prevented Bayern from scoring an away goal so mission accomplished. That's 2 away games in a row in the CL that Bayern couldn't win. Not worried though because it should be different back at the Allianz.
 
Ed Woodward, a football man... :rolleyes

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So which one of these Prem clubs has this cocaine culture from the board room on down?

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/apr/19/police-called-drug-scandal-major-club


[COLOR=#red]Police called in over drug scandal at major football club in England[/COLOR]
• Police called over suspicions of regular class-A drug use
• Allegations involve at least one high-profile figure

Daniel Taylor
The Observer, Saturday 19 April 2014 17.30 EDT

A major football club in England has been rocked by a drugs scandal that has gone as far as the police and the English authorities, the Observer can reveal.

The police were called in to investigate after senior members of staff started suspecting some of their colleagues were regularly using class-A drugs inside the stadium. The allegations go to the top of the club and involve at least one high-profile figure with a considerable reputation within the sport.

On one occasion, two prominent officials were allegedly caught snorting cocaine in the boardroom of a rival club during an away fixture. Rumours of the incident have spread among other clubs in the same division. Officials of the league in question have been made aware and are treating it as a first within the sport.

However, there are people at the relevant club who are concerned it may be more a more widespread problem than just the one case. At a home match, one member of the club's hierarchy became concerned when he noticed the residue of a white powder on the clothing of a colleague as he took his seat.

The club cannot be named for legal reasons but a high-ranking source has confirmed that internal inquiries began "following allegations that hard drugs were being consumed by certain people on the premises".

He added: "The police have been informed, as have the relevant league, so it is now a matter for the police to find out if there is a case to answer."/QUOTE]
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Really don't see what's wrong with keeping evra, especially if we are going hard after shaw. Someone needs to mentor and push the kid. Buttner isn't going to do that, plus I rather have him wear the captain armband than Rooney.
 
So i messed a little more with the ID option on those Portugal kicks, what do you guys think of these, one has lunar, and the other is that natural motion sole

too much green now? or just enough. I thought about making the eyelets red like the shoe
 
If Moyes tried this, maybe he could've won back the locker room... from 2011

Not only did van Gaal drop trou, he showed off his bullocks... :lol

http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/8...ss-louis-van-gaal-showed-us-his-balls?cc=5901

My favorite van Gaal story though is when he first met a then 14 year old Pique by his grandfather who was Barca's director at the time.

He knocked Pique to the floor & then told him he was too weak to be a Barca defender. :rollin


[COLOR=#red]Luca Toni: Van Gaal showed us his balls[/COLOR]
February 4, 2011

Juventus' ex-Bayern Munich striker Luca Toni on Thursday revealed how coach Louis van Gaal once proved he had 'the balls' to drop any of Bayern's stars - by dropping his trousers.

Having joined Bayern from Fiorentina in 2007, Toni, 33, was Bayern's top scorer in his first season when he scored 24 goals in 31 league games as Bayern won the Bundesliga title.

But he played just four league games under van Gaal before he switched to AS Roma in the January winter break at the start of 2010 and was not one of van Gaal's first-choice players.

"Van Gaal simply didn't want to work with me, he treats players like interchangeable objects," said Toni.

The Italian told German magazine Sport Bild about the time van Gaal proved to Bayern's superstars, including Dutchman Arjen Robben, Germany's Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger how he was man enough to drop any of his players.

"The coach wanted to make clear to us that he can drop any player, it was all the same to him because, as he said, he had the balls," said Toni.

"He demonstrated this literally (by dropping his trousers). I have never experienced anything like it, it was totally crazy. Luckily I didn't see a lot, because I wasn't in the front row."

Toni is not the first ex-Bayern player to criticise van Gaal as former captain Lucio has said the coach was part of the reason he left Munich in July 2009.

"Van Gaal hurt me more than anyone else in football," said Brazil defender Lucio who won the Champions League title with Inter Milan last season.

Van Gaal was criticised last October by Bayern president Uli Hoeness for being hard to work with and ex-captain Mark van Bommel quit the club suddenly last week to join AC Milan with rumours he found it hard to work with van Gaal.

On Wednesday, Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge backed van Gaal by insisting the Dutchman is exactly what the German giants need.

Van Gaal has a contract at Bayern until June 2012.
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Edit - According to AS, Deulofeu has agreed to stay on loan for another year at Everton.

http://futbol.as.com/futbol/2014/04/24/primera/1398301468_169554.html
 
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southboston78 said:
 
So i messed a little more with the ID option on those Portugal kicks, what do you guys think of these, one has lunar, and the other is that natural motion sole

too much green now? or just enough. I thought about making the eyelets red like the shoe
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Maybe a tad too much green there, IMO.

Lunar GR's ran a bit big... I wonder if that's the case for iD's... 

EDIT
 
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southboston78 said:
So i messed a little more with the ID option on those Portugal kicks, what do you guys think of these, one has lunar, and the other is that natural motion sole

View media item 935922

View media item 935923
too much green now? or just enough. I thought about making the eyelets red like the shoe
Click to expand...

Too much green, let's bring this convo and pictures to the football/soccer cleat thread. I want to design and post some as well and get some opinions, don't want to flood this thread with shoe pics (unless y'all don't mind? Idk)
 
southboston78 said:
So i messed a little more with the ID option on those Portugal kicks, what do you guys think of these, one has lunar, and the other is that natural motion sole


too much green now? or just enough. I thought about making the eyelets red like the shoe
Click to expand...


CoupeIt88 said:
Too much green, let's bring this convo and pictures to the football/soccer cleat thread. I want to design and post some as well and get some opinions, don't want to flood this thread with shoe pics (unless y'all don't mind? Idk)
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Or we can create an official Portugal National Team Thread just like the USMNT, A Selecao das Quinas official thread. Do it Coupe. i dont post enough to make one and im lazy. I feel like we cluter this thread sometimes with all things portugal. theres enough portchops around here anyways
 
LuisFigo said:
Or we can create an official Portugal National Team Thread just like the USMNT, A Selecao das Quinas official thread. Do it Coupe. i dont post enough to make one and im lazy. I feel like we cluter this thread sometimes with all things portugal. theres enough portchops around here anyways
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I agree a portchops page would be great so we can talk futebol, super bock, vinho verde e putas 
smokin.gif
 
Vinho Verde, Super Bock, e Putas :lol

Love the idea, but if there isn't a Arsenal, Man United, or Chelsea thread (they have the biggest fan base on NT) a Portuguese national team thread wouldn't work. It'd be 5-6 of us of us circle jerking in the thread with a random Nelson C sighting every 4 months. :lol

Not enough demand.

Def plan on making a World Cup thread tho, and new Soccer thread next season with weekly polls and what not. This and the Knicks thread is the only thing I read/write in, it's the only thing keeping me coming back to NT. So we gotta make it right.
 
chiva1908 said:
who else watching this Juve game?
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brah, juve is such a bizarre team to me.

They constantly qualify for the Champions League, but yet drop out to play europa.

Do they not have the skills to compete in the champions league or what?

Anyways, Benfica is such a good team.

Too bad Lima isn't on the pitch, haven't seen the line up so idk if he's on the bench.

Cardozo is playing tho :smokin
 
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