Any soccer (EPL) fans here?

[Bellvis]

GO MAN U!

Rooney Rocks!

[uno-speedo]

Great story man. One game that sticks out in my mind is Liverpool vs Newcastle. We beat them 4-3. Amazing game. I just googled it for the year and found this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEee1qoIQHg

I'm always out numbered when I'm in a pub here. Well I was back in the UK too living down south will all the Chelsea, Arsenal and West Ham supporters etc. etc.

[Jslow]

rooney is a great role model for all of the worlds youth. I'm so glad hes on TV this much and seems to be such a great person, what would we do without him...

regarding MLS... they won't ever compete as entertainers with a salary cap in place. They could impliment profit sharing among the league if you took away the cap but with people unable to make a decent wage in our league why would the talent come over here when they can make more money playing busch leage in germany or spain?
Ovbiously having teams get relegated or promoted is a good thing for the game... how long till we don't see that anymore in the EPL though bc of money minded owners?
I'd argure that there are enough teams in the US to have a promotion/relegation with PDL teams and I think it would cause more interest... the current format for the MLS is about as well thought out as the BCS system for throwball.

[uno-speedo]

Originally Posted by Jslow

rooney is a great role model for all of the worlds youth. I'm so glad hes on TV this much and seems to be such a great person, what would we do without him...

[G-Ride]

Originally Posted by Jslow

regarding MLS... they won't ever compete as entertainers with a salary cap in place. They could impliment profit sharing among the league if you took away the cap but with people unable to make a decent wage in our league why would the talent come over here when they can make more money playing busch leage in germany or spain?
Ovbiously having teams get relegated or promoted is a good thing for the game... how long till we don't see that anymore in the EPL though bc of money minded owners?
I'd argure that there are enough teams in the US to have a promotion/relegation with PDL teams and I think it would cause more interest... the current format for the MLS is about as well thought out as the BCS system for throwball.

As long as the English FA maintains its control over the leagues, I think it will be ok. The good thing about an organization like the FA is even the lower division clubs get a piece of the TV deals. And yeah, the MLS never really thought anything out too well. Remember the first couple of years? Time stoppage and clock counting down? WTF? Just so they could have commercials. I'm so glad they at least figured that one out. We need a governing body like the FA that can share TV money promote and market all the leagues. And get rid of that lame salary cap. Everything in baby steps I guess.

[Rivet]

Wow, Juve has Inters number. They controlled Ibra (one of the best players in the world in my opinion) and Del Piero played like a 20 year old again. Anybody have a list of their top five players in the world right now? Here's mine.

1. Christiano Rinaldo
2. Lionel Messi
3 Fernando Torres
4. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
5. Didier Drogba

I'm a HUGE Wayne Rooney fan, I think in a few years when he settles down he'll be a top player.

[Squonkster]

Big soccer fan here. I played in men's leagues until my mid-40's when knee's said "no more". That's when I bought my bike, if I wasn't busy on Sunday morning I would have started playing again. The wife said "no more surgeries" so I took up a safe sport like MTB.

We've made the trip to England just to catch matches, there's nothing as good as that. I enjoy my Galaxy season tix but the level of play is just OK.

Can't believe they try to make you pay to play pick up in Ladera. Just go to Mission Viejo and catch a Sunday AM game, there are a few.

[uno-speedo]

Phew. Nobody mentioned Sundays result

[jeffj]

Originally Posted by uno-speedo

Phew. Nobody mentioned Sundays result

You mean where Man U stomped 'Pool a new mudhole?

[bighit8]

Oh how I love Manchester!

[VTVic]

Soccer fan here as well. Played up until 2 years ago when I gave it up for MTB. Actually I had a choice between soccer and MTB after getting married and kids came along...so I went with MTB... Riding on Saturdays and playing 2 games on Sunday mornings got old quick with the wife...plus, too many brawls and red cards...so it was sort of an easy decision. Soccer was my thing and still can't believe I don't play anymore since I'd been playing since 10 .
Not a big fan of any team in particular, just love to watch a good match. EPL definitely a strong league...
Go CHIVAS...J/K not a fan...actually grew up in Mexico hating CHIVAS.

[uno-speedo]

Originally Posted by jeffj

You mean where Man U stomped 'Pool a new mudhole?

Thats not very nice. True though

We fell to bits. Gutted.

[G-Ride]

Originally Posted by uno-speedo

Phew. Nobody mentioned Sundays result

If you mean Chelsea 2-1 Arsenal then here you go. Drogba! Oh, did you mean United 3-0 Liverpool?

[Jman]

That Man U game was sweet! Enjoyed all of it. A little off of the EPL but did any of you catch the olympic qualifiers the other day? Very sweet couple of games. The US looked pretty solid and the game before the US v. Canada went nil-nil and had a shoot out which was fairly fun to watch as well.

Now back to our regularly scheduled EPL discussion!

[G-Ride]

Originally Posted by Rivet

Anybody have a list of their top five players in the world right now? Here's mine.

1. Christiano Rinaldo
2. Lionel Messi
3 Fernando Torres
4. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
5. Didier Drogba

1. Christiano Ronaldo
2. Kaka
3. Messi
4. Drogba
5. Raul

Honorable mention:

- Torres
- Eto'o
- Ronaldinho
- Luca Toni
- Frank Lampard! (haha jk)

[Kaboom]

Originally Posted by G-Ride

I've been a huge soccer fan since age 9, and have played most of my life. I mostly enjoy the English Premier League - definitely the best and toughest league in the world - but I also follow some of the other Euro leagues like Spain, Italy, Germany, Holland, and of course the Champions League. Not so much MLS, although I did see the Galaxy play Chelsea last summer in Beckham's first match, and I have to say the quality of American soccer has increased tremendously in the last few years. Still a long way to go, though, in a lot of ways.

I have been a Chelsea FC fan since the 94 FA Cup, when they were lowly underdog scrappers. This season it's a tight race, with 3 teams (including Chelsea thank you) virtually tied on points with 8 games left. We're playing Tottenham at 1:00 today. I think I'm taking a "long lunch". Come on you Blues!

I'm a long time Liverpool supporter. Unfortunately we got spanked by ManU on Saturday. I hate to say it but it looks like ManU for the EPL title. I can still look forward to beating Arsenal 3 times in a row next week. Champions League title here we come.

[jeffj]

Originally Posted by Jman

A little off of the EPL but did any of you catch the olympic qualifiers the other day? Very sweet couple of games. The US looked pretty solid and the game before the US v. Canada went nil-nil and had a shoot out which was fairly fun to watch as well.

Now back to our regularly scheduled EPL discussion!

I found the Olympic qualifiers a bit difficult to watch. The teams played very defensively and more 'not to lose' than FTW. I'm a very defensive minded coach, but bunkering and the like is not attractive football from a fan's perspective. I would like to have seen if Bradley's presence could have given some spark to the US attack, but it was fairly anemic IMHO in these matches.

[Jman]

Originally Posted by jeffj

I found the Olympic qualifiers a bit difficult to watch. The teams played very defensively and more 'not to lose' than FTW. I'm a very defensive minded coach, but bunkering and the like is not attractive football from a fan's perspective. I would like to have seen if Bradley's presence could have given some spark to the US attack, but it was fairly anemic IMHO in these matches.

I guess for me it was nice to have some 'drama' to a match. I have a really hard time watching friendlies and it was nice to have something on the line I guess. I agree though it would have been nice to see Canada push a little and test our keeper a bit.

[G-Ride]

USA 3-0 Poland - I didn't see the match, but a solid win for our boys. Poland is no slouch team. Anybody catch it?

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns...oot=us&cc=5901

[G-Ride]

Champion's League today (Man U and Barca both won yesterday). Prediction: Liverpool 1-2 Arsenal. The other one is Fenerbahce/Chelsea. Prediction: Chelsea 2-0, but 3 of our fans will probably get stabbed.