2011-12 European football thread

[scottyvoodoo]

Stuart Lancaster?

[crashcarson15]

Bob Bradley.

[DEAD!]

Since we might as well throw all sorts of names... Sven-Göran Eriksson!

[waltere]

Stuart Lancaster?

Very clever

[NEW.ERA]

Luis Suarez, you sir are a disgrace to Football.

EDIT: Also, Newcastle, you're going to have to pull some of that Arsenal game comeback magic tonight.

[ninersdd]

Luis Suarez, you sir are a disgrace to Football.

EDIT: Also, Newcastle, you're going to have to pull some of that Arsenal game comeback magic tonight.

4-0 now through 35 minutes, wow.

[NEW.ERA]

Luis Suarez, you sir are a disgrace to Football.

EDIT: Also, Newcastle, you're going to have to pull some of that Arsenal game comeback magic tonight.

4-0 now through 35 minutes, wow.

They're playing like relegation Newcastle, not 5th in the table Newcastle. Though you can see Spurs are trying just a tad harder for Redknapp.

[DEAD!]

Luis Suarez, you sir are a disgrace to Football.

EDIT: Also, Newcastle, you're going to have to pull some of that Arsenal game comeback magic tonight.

I saw that Henry goal... just fitting isn't it?

As for Suarez... well that was classy... Evra? Shouldn't have done what he did after the match.

[NEW.ERA]

Luis Suarez, you sir are a disgrace to Football.

EDIT: Also, Newcastle, you're going to have to pull some of that Arsenal game comeback magic tonight.

I saw that Henry goal... just fitting isn't it?

As for Suarez... well that was classy... Evra? Shouldn't have done what he did after the match.

I agree that Evra shouldn't have pulled that, but what Suarez did was much worse. I think the closest comparison of not shaking a hand is the issue between Wayne Bridge and John Terry, but I'm also in the belief that racism trumps infidelity.

[Saintsfan]

Honestly, I think the whole of Liverpool FC has done itself a lot of harm over the whole Suarez/Evra debacle, from the unequivocal support before the FA hearing to Dalglish saying the other day Suarez shouldn't have been banned. Very sad to see such a great and proud club behave in such pathetic ways.

[DEAD!]

Luis Suarez, you sir are a disgrace to Football.

EDIT: Also, Newcastle, you're going to have to pull some of that Arsenal game comeback magic tonight.

I saw that Henry goal... just fitting isn't it?

As for Suarez... well that was classy... Evra? Shouldn't have done what he did after the match.

I agree that Evra shouldn't have pulled that, but what Suarez did was much worse. I think the closest comparison of not shaking a hand is the issue between Wayne Bridge and John Terry, but I'm also in the belief that racism trumps infidelity.

No question what Suarez did was worse. He basically implied, I'm NOT sorry.

[TFoA]

Not European related, but it's not domestic either: Cote d'Ivoire finished runners-up in the Africa Cup of Nations. Normally that'd be the big news maker since this is another disappointment in AFCoN for Les Elephants. However, it's just a postscript compared to the big story, which is Zambia coming out of nowhere (beating the likes of Senegal, Ghana, & the aforemntioned Cote d'Ivoire) to win it. Not only were they a cinderella story, it was a sentimental story as well since the win occurred only a few miles away from where the 1993 team was all but wiped out in a plane crash. Amazing story, easily one of the best in not just soccer but all of sports.

[lordsketor]

Not European related, but it's not domestic either: Cote d'Ivoire finished runners-up in the Africa Cup of Nations. Normally that'd be the big news maker since this is another disappointment in AFCoN for Les Elephants. However, it's just a postscript compared to the big story, which is Zambia coming out of nowhere (beating the likes of Senegal, Ghana, & the aforemntioned Cote d'Ivoire) to win it. Not only were they a cinderella story, it was a sentimental story as well since the win occurred only a few miles away from where the 1993 team was all but wiped out in a plane crash. Amazing story, easily one of the best in not just soccer but all of sports.

Great point and the surviving member of the national team 1993 Kalusha Bwalya that was supposed to be in that plane in 1993 wasn't on the plane because he was playing for PSV is now the President of the Zambian FA.

In other news, Real Madrid avenged one of its 2 losses this season by beating Levante 4-2 courtesy of a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick. With that win and Barcelona's collapse to Osasuna yesterday, Los Galaticos have opened up a 10 point lead over Barcelona in La Liga, no team has blown a 10 point lead in La Liga's history, but I would not let Barcelona slip past Real Madrid to do so, they have a loaded team still and I think it could go down to the wire again.

[Don]

Not European related, but it's not domestic either: Cote d'Ivoire finished runners-up in the Africa Cup of Nations. Normally that'd be the big news maker since this is another disappointment in AFCoN for Les Elephants. However, it's just a postscript compared to the big story, which is Zambia coming out of nowhere (beating the likes of Senegal, Ghana, & the aforemntioned Cote d'Ivoire) to win it. Not only were they a cinderella story, it was a sentimental story as well since the win occurred only a few miles away from where the 1993 team was all but wiped out in a plane crash. Amazing story, easily one of the best in not just soccer but all of sports.

Great point and the surviving member of the national team 1993 Kalusha Bwalya that was supposed to be in that plane in 1993 wasn't on the plane because he was playing for PSV is now the President of the Zambian FA.

In other news, Real Madrid avenged one of its 2 losses this season by beating Levante 4-2 courtesy of a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick. With that win and Barcelona's collapse to Osasuna yesterday, Los Galaticos have opened up a 10 point lead over Barcelona in La Liga, no team has blown a 10 point lead in La Liga's history, but I would not let Barcelona slip past Real Madrid to do so, they have a loaded team still and I think it could go down to the wire again.

I dont know man. Pique and Puyol have been terrible this year. Villa and Iniesta are hurt. I think Pep is looking towards the Champions League because he isnt even playing Xavi or Pedro in the league, hes playing the youngins and while Tello and Cuenca are playing well, they cant replace the production of those hurt. Losing to Osasuna was the nail in the coffin for La Liga, I think.

[TFoA]

Not European related, but it's not domestic either: Cote d'Ivoire finished runners-up in the Africa Cup of Nations. Normally that'd be the big news maker since this is another disappointment in AFCoN for Les Elephants. However, it's just a postscript compared to the big story, which is Zambia coming out of nowhere (beating the likes of Senegal, Ghana, & the aforemntioned Cote d'Ivoire) to win it. Not only were they a cinderella story, it was a sentimental story as well since the win occurred only a few miles away from where the 1993 team was all but wiped out in a plane crash. Amazing story, easily one of the best in not just soccer but all of sports.

Great point and the surviving member of the national team 1993 Kalusha Bwalya that was supposed to be in that plane in 1993 wasn't on the plane because he was playing for PSV is now the President of the Zambian FA.

In other news, Real Madrid avenged one of its 2 losses this season by beating Levante 4-2 courtesy of a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick. With that win and Barcelona's collapse to Osasuna yesterday, Los Galaticos have opened up a 10 point lead over Barcelona in La Liga, no team has blown a 10 point lead in La Liga's history, but I would not let Barcelona slip past Real Madrid to do so, they have a loaded team still and I think it could go down to the wire again.

IMO, I think you may as well just add a gold star to the Real Madrid part of that sig, because the La Liga title race is over. No way in hell they're gonna lose a 10 point lead, even to Barcelona. It might get close, but I highly doubt that Mourinho & his boys are gonna let this one slip away. Especially considering that this will be the 1st time in 4 years that they'll win La Liga, which is like 20 years for those supporters.

[DEAD!]

Glasgow Rangers to go into administration

[WJMorris3]

Seeing the last five minutes of Zenit-Benfica... this is Champions League-quality play?!

[RedSox44]

Glasgow Rangers to go into administration

An automatic 10 point penalty by the SPL? A transfer embargo?

Hand the cup to Celtic!

[Saintsfan]

Glasgow Rangers to go into administration

An automatic 10 point penalty by the SPL? A transfer embargo?

Hand the cup to Celtic!

Although you are most probably correct, Rangers are still only 14 points behind Celtic and the transfer embargo means little given that the window is shut. Its not impossible to imagine the Gers pulling it off!

The bigger issues are getting a European licence for next season and finding ways and means of getting money in when the window is shut (hence administration will likely not be a quick fix, but rather a relatively prolonged process).

[RedSox44]

Glasgow Rangers to go into administration

An automatic 10 point penalty by the SPL? A transfer embargo?

Hand the cup to Celtic!

Although you are most probably correct, Rangers are still only 14 points behind Celtic and the transfer embargo means little given that the window is shut. Its not impossible to imagine the Gers pulling it off!

The bigger issues are getting a European licence for next season and finding ways and means of getting money in when the window is shut (hence administration will likely not be a quick fix, but rather a relatively prolonged process).

I suppose you're right about the transfer embargo (but doesn't it last the entire calendar year, or when the next transfer season starts can R*ngers go back to purchasing players when July rolls around?), but still I'm grinning from ear to ear about this. Serious schadenfreude going on right now.