2014-2015 Soccer - Is there no thread?

[geezer]

Despite living in Milan, I am a Juventus supporter and I must admit the Italian Cup final has been one of the most horrible matches ever played in history of mankind (Juventus still celebrating on the pitch our 5th league champions title in a row and AC Milan - thank God - in their worst ever moment since I can remember)

Regarding Premier League, I can't deny I have a weakness for Arsenal (since Liam Brady transfer from Gunners to Juventus in 1980) and I'd like to know WHY it seems that Wenger is going to lead Arsenal again!

Edited May 25, 2016 by geezer

[foghorn-leghorn]

Maybe Arsenal have been "spooked" by the way Man Utd have gone down-hill since Alex Ferguson left.

 

Wenger has failed too often in recent years to be guaranteed the job.

[geezer]

I totally agree; his early years at Arsenal have been glorious, but the last 10 are embarassing.

Being admitted to the Champions League, no matter if second, third or fourth, I think is what saves him season after season

Edited May 27, 2016 by geezer

[foghorn-leghorn]

Yes. That's the real "Kiss of death" for all the top managers. Failing to Qualify for the CPL

 

can cost them their job, and qualifying can save it. But surely it's the League title that's more important for the fans?

[foghorn-leghorn]

2 Huge games today. Fingers crossed for Brucey as his team Hull, bid to make it back to the EPL by defeating

 

Sheffield Wednesday, in the play-off Final in London.

 

Then, it's the small matter of a Madrid derby in the CPL Final.

 

Normally, I would be backing the under-dog Aletico, especially against Real.

 

But I still remember bursting into tears as a kid as their team launched the most brutal assaults

against Celtic in a European Cup Semi-Final. They had 7 booked and I think 3 sent off.

 

 

I still can't get over it :|

[foghorn-leghorn]

15 minutes gone in the Championship play-off and Sheffield have already had a couple of

free kicks in dangerous positions. Fortunately, the goalkeeper is alert and has saved both.

 

The Blades are pressing, Hull yet to get going.

[foghorn-leghorn]

WOW,

 

Incredible save by Westwood in goal for the Blades as Hernandez pulled the trigger.

 

Much better now from Hull, with about 12 minutes to go in the first half.

[foghorn-leghorn]

Hull go even closer to scoring after a superb run through the Blades defence by Diame,

 

ends with him shooting against the post.

 

That skill deserved a goal.

[foghorn-leghorn]

Hull go close once more after a "look away" pass splits the Blades defence, leaving

 

Odubajo, bearing down on goal. Westwood again comes to Sheffield's rescue with another great save.

[foghorn-leghorn]

Half Time.

 

After a slow start Hull finally got going and were closest to scoring on 2 occasions.

 

Sheffield have a very organised defense and Westwood in goal has had a great game.

 

Hull need to keep up the pressure and hope they can get past the Blades last line.

 

Good game so far for the neutral. 0-0 so far.

[foghorn-leghorn]

1 hr gone and Robertson misses an absolute sitter after a fantastic cross in to box from

 

Elmohamady, is sent into orbit. Hull must take one of these chances !!

[foghorn-leghorn]

Goal !!!!!!!

 

And it's Hull who break the deadlock, and it's that man Diame with a

piledriver from outside the box. It was always going to take something special,

and boy was that goal it.

 

Can they hang on for the last 20 minutes or so?

[foghorn-leghorn]

Just a few minutes to play but Sheffield don't look like they will ever penetrate this Hull defense

[foghorn-leghorn]

It's all over and Hull have done it. With this victory, they have bounced straight back up

to the EPL. Fantastic achievement .

 

Brucey will appear once he has sobered up

[Verena]

I'm happy Schalke 04 has a place in UEFA Europa League next season.

 

(They were in 7th on Bundesliga and I thought my dear soccer team had no chance.)

 

Schalke!!! :ebert:

[foghorn-leghorn]

They did well to recover, but need better players to challenge the top 2.

 

 

Germany put in another rubbish performance today, going down 3-1 at

home to the "mighty" Slovakia,

 

The US had a very impressive 4-0 win over Bolivia.

 

Scotland currently drawing 0-0 in Italy. Half-Time at the moment.

[foghorn-leghorn]

Too good to be true. Italy win 1-0. :eyeroll:

[Brucey]

Haven't had any access to the internet since the play off final so haven't been able to offer my thoughts, but I'm here now so here they are! -

 

 

I'll start with the one negative first, our attendance was pants. However, we have some excuses, some people simply can't afford it as I've mentioned before, and some people stayed away as a form of protest against our owners, largely due to them pricing some of us out whilst alienating the rest of us.

 

On with the positives! We won very well, the 1-0 scoreline doesn't really suggest that, but we restricted them to about two decent chances all game, and they were both from set pieces. Not to say I wasn't nervous though, I was extremely nervous, especially when they were lumping the ball into the box constantly towards the end! It's a good job they didn't score, because Brucey no. 2 took a massive risk by taking all of our attacking players off towards the end!

 

The goal was awesome, not quite Dean Windass 2008 awesome, but awesome.

 

We're getting ridiculous amounts of money which should help secure the club's future, so I hope we do actually spend it on the club's infrastructure rather than on player transfers which may or may not work out.

 

I'm nervous about next season already, I can't see us staying up at this point but who knows, Leicester won the league last season!

[foghorn-leghorn]

Well done on going up. To have gone so far and not make it,

doe not bear thinking about.

 

Don't worry about next season. Imagine how many Leicester fans worried

about every game last season. Their season was ruined by stress and worry, only

relaxing when the title was won.

 

Just enjoy it and take solace not just from the Foxes, but all the "Wee" teams that have stayed up over the last few years.

[foghorn-leghorn]

Attractive looking game tonight, with England taking on Portugal.

 

Sadly, there's no Ronaldo in tonight's lineup.

 

 

 

[foghorn-leghorn]

Still 0-0 in London, with about 10 minutes left in the first half.

 

Portugal have just had Alves shown a straight Red after a ludicrous "Ninja like"

assault on Kane.

Edited June 2, 2016 by foghorn-leghorn

[foghorn-leghorn]

Halftime and still scoreless. Vardy and Kane have not got into this game at all. The Manager will have to make adjustments.

 

He can be a bit more inventive against 10 men.

[foghorn-leghorn]

Into the last 5 minutes in London, and England break the deadlock.

 

Chris Smalling with the goal, rising above the Portugal defense, to head home.

 

Thought a goal would never come.

[foghorn-leghorn]

England see out the remainder of the game for a 1-0 victory.

 

Not a great game by any means. England will need something different

to have any chance of winning the Euros.

 

I still can't see past France for the title.

[Brucey]

I watched it, wasn't very good! I know it's hard to play against 10 men sometimes but we didn't help ourselves by constantly playing in front of the Portuguese defence, we only started to try something different once Sterling and Wilshere came on, and I didn't really want to take either of them to the tournament! I don't blame Vardy and Kane though, for some reason Hodgson's obsessed with shoving them more out wide to perform defensive duties in order to accommodate Rooney, like we've been doing since 2004.