The European football thread

[Muppetus Galacticus]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

England + Tonight = Pathetic

SURPRISE!

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by Muppetus Galacticus

SURPRISE!

Players were a disgrace coudn't pick one player out who I would have given a mark over 6 to, as for the manager his rating was about 4 as he had a left back who couldn't kick with his left foot, a left winger who couldn't kick with his left foot and a central midfielder playing on the right wing also a right back who gets booed by his own fans week in week out because he isn't good enough.

[Sdpm100]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

This may well make me part with some money who do you follow ? I'm a Carlton man myself Blues

If you haven't subscribed yet, I would hold off at the moment.
From reading about the North American coverage, it looks like the AFL and Setanta haven't quite signed the contract yet.
In fact, the listings on the Setanta Sports website have partially been removed - it no longer says Live AFL at those times I mentioned earlier, but now just Football, with no synopsis.

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by Sdpm100

If you haven't subscribed yet, I would hold off at the moment.
From reading about the North American coverage, it looks like the AFL and Setanta haven't quite signed the contract yet.
In fact, the listings on the Setanta Sports website have partially been removed - it no longer says Live AFL at those times I mentioned earlier, but now just Football, with no synopsis.

Thanks sdpm, I just have the basic Telewest/NTL/Virgin Media or whatever their calling themselves this week, I'm thinking of going to Sky but whichever I do I'll be upgrading to recordable box as most good programmes are on when I'm at work.

[ukhotstove]

Looks like this thread died.

[bababui]

Things will liven up as we get tired of playing OOTP2007

[rudel.dietrich]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

Looks like this thread died.

I am gearing up for baseball season and playing OOTP 2007

I have not been watching too many games lately
Plus the season at this point is winding down
The Bundesliga is still interesting, but it looks like Man U has the EPl wrapped up, PSV has the Eredivisie as well, Lyon is going to win the Liegue 1 yet again.

Until the CL starts up again I dont have alot to follow

[Bobbert]

Euro qualifiers tonight, Sweden travel to Northern Ireland in what look to be a very interesting game, N. Ireland has stolen points from both Spain and Denmark, and if Sweden can win here we've come a very long way to securing a Euro 2008 spot.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is back in the national team after a short boycott after he was sent home last fall following a late night bar visit a few days before the Liechtenstein game.

[ukhotstove]

Anybody know why all of a sudden some pics and such are just showing up as the red X for me ? Did ask over at the OOTP threads but seems my butt kissing quota isn't high enough to get a reply.

[ukhotstove]

England players are kindly giving their match fees to charity, I'd have thought playing for your country was reward enough

[Sdpm100]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

Anybody know why all of a sudden some pics and such are just showing up as the red X for me ? Did ask over at the OOTP threads but seems my butt kissing quota isn't high enough to get a reply.

I'm guessing you mean in your dynasty thread. The only thing I can think of is that you haven't used the correct attachment id number.

[Russ]

Big uh-oh

[darkenigma510]

So where would the French, German and Italian Leagues generally rank against the EPL?

[Bobbert]

Italian League I would normally rate slightly higher, but this year it's been kind of crap, with Inter beeing way above the rest. French and German slightly lower, but not by that much.

A good indication is their UEFA-coefficients that are based on how well they have played in Europen competitions, you can see those here: http://www.xs4all.nl/~kassiesa/bert/...crank2007.html

There England is slightly ahead of Italy but in the long run I think I would still go with Italy being better.

And Sweden lost against Northern Ireland 2-1 Northern Irelend now have a really good short at getting to the Euros having beaten both Sweden and Sapin at home, and they drew away against Denmark.

[redmarkYankees]

Originally Posted by Bobbert

Italian League I would normally rate slightly higher, but this year it's been kind of crap, with Inter beeing way above the rest. French and German slightly lower, but not by that much.

A good indication is their UEFA-coefficients that are based on how well they have played in Europen competitions, you can see those here: http://www.xs4all.nl/~kassiesa/bert/...crank2007.html

There England is slightly ahead of Italy but in the long run I think I would still go with Italy being better.

These things are cyclical - and style of football completely different - but I'd say the Italian league has been weakening for a few years, since the TV money in English football increased and began attracting more continental players.

Italian clubs have won the CL only twice in the last 10 years; the peak for the Italian league was the mid 80s - early 90s Milan/Juventus sides, from which I think they still hold onto some of the reputation. The top few sides are of course good, but their recent record against top sides from Spain, England, Germany etc isn't all that great. Over the longer term, Italian football was also weak in the 70s/early 80s, when English/Dutch/German clubs dominated.

At any equivalent team comparison these days, the Italian team may have some better technical players but I'd back the English team to win on tempo and versatility.

[Bobbert]

If you look at for example the number of teams that reached the Quarter Finals in the Champions League, you find the opposit, that the Italian league has been strengthen the last few years after a slump in the late 90's/early 00, while the English have stayed about the same he last 10 years, with a few exceptionally good years (as this one)

06/07 ITA: 2, ENG: 3
05/06 ITA: 3, ENG: 1
04/05 ITA: 3, ENG: 2
03/04 ITA: 1, ENG: 2
02/03 ITA: 3, ENG: 1
01/02 ITA: 0, ENG: 2
00/01 ITA: 0, ENG: 3
99/00 ITA: 1, ENG: 2
98/99 ITA: 2, ENG: 1
97/98 ITA: 1, ENG: 1

And you say Italian teams have only won the CL twice in the last 10 years, the same goes for English teams (and one of those where on penalties over an Italian team) So that really isn't an argument.

[Kekkonen]

Finland, which had been surprisingly good early in the Euro qualifiers beating Poland away and drawing Portugal at home, crashed and burned in Baku as they lost 0-1 to Azedbaidzhan.

Sigh. The loss hurts, but the way it came hurts even more; Team Finland played like a bunch of headless chickens. They went in there claiming to play for the win, but fielded only one forward for the 82 minutes the game was tied. And since the Azerbaidzhanis (?) were playing with a whole hord of guys back, that resulted in nothing. I would've rather seen them lose after taking a risk and going in with a more attacking lineup; now they took no risks at all, got zero realistic scoring chances, and lost anyway.

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by Sdpm100

I'm guessing you mean in your dynasty thread. The only thing I can think of is that you haven't used the correct attachment id number.

Some other places as well so doubt it's the id number grrrrr lol, thanks for getting back to me though.

[ukhotstove]

Few pointers from the England win over Pub Team Andorra.

Gerrard is without doubt miles better in the middle of the midfield without Lampard and surely they can’t keep on with them both in the team.

It’s rumoured Arsenal want Andy Johnson for £12,000,000, if I were Everton I’d snap their hand of and go and get Nugent for around £6,000,000 - £7,000,000 and spend the rest on another player because Johnson isn’t international class and Nugent showed more in the few minutes he played than Johnson as done in all the games he’s played.

England need to perform way better because 3-0 against a pub team and let’s be honest that’s what Andorra are and it just isn’t good enough.

In a time when the team needs to bond more and the nation needs to see them fighting more Frank Lampard sulked because McLaren wouldn't let him come home early because of his injury, a few hours isn't going to matter to a fractured wrist so if I was Mclaren I'd give him a lesson in team spirit and leave him out of the next squad.

[Kekkonen]

There's a pub in Andorra?