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The 2014-2015 Football Thread

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@ JamesMike:
nice article. Didn't know that, but now if I think about it, back at school I heard that American English is the "older English" vs British English in several cases, meaning that a lot of words (including pronunciation) have changed in England, but not in the US....

TO Football:
Heiko Westermann (national team defender) doesn't get his contract extended / or doesn't extend it himself at HSV due to both sides agrreing on not making an offer and going seperate ways. I wonder what he thinks who will take him.

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WOMEN's 1/4th FINAL:

Today (2h to go) is the so called top match of the whole cup (and I am not being arrogant or patriotic 😉 ):
FRANCE - GERMANY
A must see!

Here is a nice article comparing the strengths and weaknesses of the last 8 teams http://www.socceramerica.com/article/64375/womens-world-cup-ranking-the-final-eight.html


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(sorry for the German schedule, I liked the little flag icons 😀 - a US/Canadian-schedule including the possible half finals with eastern times can be found here http://thecanadianpress-a.akamaihd.net/graphics/2015/static/cp-womens-world-cup-bracket.png

PS: sorry, of course, later this day USA-CHINA 😉

Edit: deleted the part about the chances of advancing for the teams and likely final candidates, because the 1st link actually includes it roughly. 🙂
 
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takao said:
he has been an excellent player for hoffenheim but the price paid was obviously a robbery.

he is flexible on the attacking, he can play left and right wing and also behind a striker. Technically he is a great but i think more important is that mentally he is always going for a goal/always knows what to do to set one up. He is excellent on the counter attack and also is a good shot.
At Hoffenheim he was the player who very often "made the difference".
But you know ... it's Hoffenheim.

Defensive ? not really his thing apart of pressing. Also he is a player who needs to have fun playing football. At hoffenheim he had often a certain amount of freedom when attacking.

If somebody had said that wolfsburg/schalke bought him around 20 million euro i wouldn't have been surprised. But 41 million ? too much IMHO. I would have said 20-25 million euro to be more realistic. perhaps 30 million the top end.

Which explains why the price was so high: "what's the highest we can demand" + 30% "because it's an PL club"
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The only way the Bundesliga will be able to compete internationally is by selling players at prices like that. If the club buying said player thinks that that player is worth x amount of whatever currency, then so be it. I'd rather a Bundesliga club reinvest that money and possibly be able to compete internationally in the Euroleague or a lot of luck in the Champions League in a way that won't have me shake my head in embarassment. Right now there are only two clubs in Germany, who could financially compete with the clubs from EPL, La Liga and that's Bayern and Wolfsburg. Take Wolfsburg's lack of reputation and tradition and trophy collection into account and all you have left is Bayern. And that would be very very boring.
 
Germany under pressure, a lot of mistakes, passes don't get to the other player, loose balls, Germany also committing a lot of fouls in the beginning. France is too fast. Germany had luck and their goal keeper Nadine Angerer....
So far only 1 real chance for Germany. France IS the better team so far.

2nd half a bit better for Germany. With questionable substitutions. Stupid that Germany needs a penalty to save them to extra time. A bit unfair for France, that Germany gets a second chance. (though the penalty is probably a right decision).

1:1 and now EXTRA TIME
France has two subs left, Germany 0.

Edit: Germany won after penalty shoot out (with the last of 5 being kept by Angerer). How bitter for France. They were probably the better team...
 
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Sweden put it to Denmark 4-1, the last goal had to hurt! I was hoping for a closer match because I have friends in both countries.
 
Hm, wasn't able to watch it, would have been interested to see how Portugal won.
I liked Emre Can's character in the interviews, he seems like a fun person not so stern.

Am watching JAP-Australia (women's). 1st half is over.

After watching both matches yesterday, I first had the impression like I was watching chess today... Seems either way I adapted to the slower tempo or it got a tad faster. Surprising Australia plays ticki-tacka against Japan occasionally (which is actually Japan's style usually). Very even match so far, with chance on both sides, though Japan's chances smell more like a goal.

What I didn't know nor expect is that in the oceanic federation Australia and Japan share an almost even contribution of wins, draws and losses against each other. Thought Australia was still the underdog (despite having made a good impression - on their level - in the matches so far).

2nd half will tell who will better get ok with the temperatures and blisters on the feet (not a joke, I heard several times that they have blisters and burns on their soles, because the turf gets so freakin hot). Probably luck for France and Germany, that they played in a closed roof stadium.

Btw. I liked Klingenberg and Krieger in the US match yesterday.
 
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Cox Orange said:
Hm, wasn't able to watch it, would have been interested to see how Portugal won.
I liked Emre Can's character in the interviews, he seems like a fun person not so stern.

Am watching JAP-Australia (women's). 1st half is over.

After watching both matches yesterday, I first had the impression like I was watching chess today... Seems either way I adapted to the slower tempo or it got a tad faster. Surprising Australia plays ticki-tacka against Japan occasionally (which is actually Japan's style usually). Very even match so far, with chance on both sides, though Japan's chances smell more like a goal.

What I didn't know nor expect is that in the oceanic federation Australia and Japan share an almost even contribution of wins, draws and losses against each other. Thought Australia was still the underdog (despite having made a good impression - on their level - in the matches so far).

2nd half will tell who will better get ok with the temperatures and blisters on the feet (not a joke, I heard several times that they have blisters and burns on their soles, because the turf gets so freakin hot). Probably luck for France and Germany, that they played in a closed roof stadium.

Btw. I liked Klingenberg and Krieger in the US match yesterday.
Click to expand...

You can not fault my US team's defense, but they have to do much better on offense.

The next, Canada vs England, I will have to remain neutral, have too many friends in both countries, will cheer for a good match for both teams, and may the best team win.
 
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I fear ENG-CAN could become "Rumpelfußball" (scrappy football).
I think both teams are on par, could become a mental thing. Should be harder for England in front of the Canadian crowd.

I found a statistic on yesterday's GER-FRA match, it said "Yes, France was the better team but it only had a 24-19 edge in shots. Germany finished with a 8-4 edge in shots on goal." Didn't look to me as if Germany had this much of chances or was even close to France (even though Germany got better in the second half and caught up to them around min. 70 and probably had a better stamina in extra time).

PS: heh, those Japanese, as if they had always planned to not do more than they must. All matches won with 1 goal more than the oponent. 🙂
 
Colombia vs. Argentina - Copa America

Ok so feeling kind of sad that colombia didnt make it to the semi-finals but i think that they can hold their heads up high cause they did well and atleast they made it to the quart/finals.
I think that colombia have shown since the WC that they are CONSISTENT, they did very good in the WC, got top scorer, golden boot and fair play award. Then after that, they did well in their friendlies following the WC. Then they made it to the quart/finals at the Copa america by BEATING Brazil and being TIED with Argentina, those 2 teams are the hardest teams and Colombia showed that it has what it takes to take on the titans of football, in which, makes colombia a football titan as well.
I saw the game and even thou argentina did play better, they couldnt score even with Messi in their team. that says that colombia's defense was top notch even thou our strikers didnt do well. I never did like going on Penalties to win a game cause thats just like winning a lottery. argentina won by penalty luck. Ohh well, at least i got to live some happy moments shouting at the screen and watching 'the beautiful game'...see you in 4 years copa america and Go Colombia!!!
 
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Half final USA - Germany today!

A side note, after the FRA-GER match some newspapers compared the German team to GER men's teams of the 80s/90s ugly play, robustness, "coolness" and willing. This is interesting because before the media stressed the (now) technical abilities of the Women's team. Well, but France was just better or more complete in that respect.
What I didn't know was, that Marozsan had an injured ankle, when she shot the penalty for GER. She did because only 4 players said they wanted to do it and one of the substitutes asked Maroszan, who was lying on the side of the pitch, and she said yes.
That's how you create myths I guess. 🙂

Also the spanish team asked to fire their coach. They said that they themselve take part of the blame, but no other coach would have lasted 27(!) years without a win. Also players who knew more modern training methods from the european clubs they play in questioned his "antique" training methods. Furthermore they added, that they did no friendlies beforehand and only met 4 days before the first match. Another point is that current and former players (going back to the 90ies) accuse him of chauvinism and a extreme habit of controlling the players' private lives.
 
Congratulations USA! Well done and very deserved!

A bit pitty for Nadine Angerer, the German goalkeeper, since she already said before the tournament that she will resign after this cup, but Germany was already the inferior team against France, were actually bad and did only win undeserved with much luck

Hm, so we will have a match for place 3 against England and a final USA-Japan. OR can England surprise once more with a bad playing, but goals in the half final against Japan?
 
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Uswnt is quite well this year like the German men's national was good last year.
Still waiting to find my 4 star DBF track jackets. Can't find one anywhere. Might have to wait to 2016 for the euro cup if they even get in. My 2006 WC jacket is showing its age
 
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Cox Orange said:
Congratulations USA! Well done and very deserved!

A bit pitty for Nadine Angerer, the German goalkeeper, since she already said before the tournament that she will resign after this cup, but Germany was already the inferior team against France, were actually bad and did only win undeserved with much luck

Hm, so we will have a match for place 3 against England and a final USA-Japan. OR can England surprise once more with a bad playing, but goals in the half final against Japan?
Click to expand...

gonna go out on a limb and predict USA vs JAP final ...
 
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What I have to say about the referees of this Women's cup, they do make a good defense job some times. 😀 Here are two consecutive scenes from USA-GER (not an excuse of GER's abysmal performance). I have seen referees blocking passes or players in other matches of this cup too (a lot of them in the group stages).
I mean it happened at the men's world cup, too when a referee blocked Switzerland's Shaqiri, but not so often.

vlcsnap-13374785.png vlcsnap-13373857.png
Mind between 1 and 2 the red player had dribbled the ball in the back of the referee and took it with her to the left and then crossed diagonally forward to the right again (and the referee and two US defenders were there again).
 
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Cox Orange said:
What I have to say about the referees of this Women's cup, they do make a good defense job some times. 😀 Here are two consecutive scenes from USA-GER (not an excuse of GER's abysmal performance). I have seen referees blocking passes or players in other matches of this cup too (a lot of them in the group stages).
I mean it happened at the men's world cup, too when a referee blocked Switzerland's Shaqiri, but not so often.

View attachment 565625 View attachment 565624
Mind between 1 and 2 the red player had dribbled the ball in the back of the referee and took it with her to the left and then crossed diagonally forward to the right again (and the referee and two US defenders were there again).
Click to expand...


The referee's positioning in some of the matches has been lacking in thought.
 
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Cox Orange said:
What I have to say about the referees of this Women's cup, they do make a good defense job some times. 😀 Here are two consecutive scenes from USA-GER (not an excuse of GER's abysmal performance). I have seen referees blocking passes or players in other matches of this cup too (a lot of them in the group stages).
I mean it happened at the men's world cup, too when a referee blocked Switzerland's Shaqiri, but not so often.

View attachment 565625 View attachment 565624
Mind between 1 and 2 the red player had dribbled the ball in the back of the referee and took it with her to the left and then crossed diagonally forward to the right again (and the referee and two US defenders were there again).
Click to expand...

i agree tho. my team won and i was still a little miffed at the ref.
 
A fully committed, physically strong, technically poor, England team snatch glorious defeat from the jaws of victory.

It gets a bit stale after 45 years...
 
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