Footie 2011/2012 Thread... - Page 28

dj_stouty · #**406** 03-01-2012, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigCountry

Who needs Rossi?

Lol. What a fun win yesterday. First ever win vs. Italy in 11 tries....and on Italian soil, no less. Klinsmann needed this win. Clint Dempsey is having a banner year for club and country. nice to see...

Re: England/Netherlands. Robben was amazing. He made Cahill his b1tch. And I still can't believe Robben is only 28. He looks like he is creeping towards 40!

I was a bit miffed that Parker got the captaincy over Gerrard. Nothing against Parker who is having a stellar season, but Steven seemed like the perfect canidate, IMO.

The "concussion goal". Wow. Just the sight of Huntelaar laying there post-goal with a clump of grass in his mouth was tough to see. Heard Smalling was in the hospital after that as well. Hope they all recover soon.

akhhorus · #**407** 03-01-2012, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_stouty

Lol. What a fun win yesterday. First ever win vs. Italy in 11 tries....and on Italian soil, no less. Klinsmann needed this win. Clint Dempsey is having a banner year for club and country. nice to see...

First time Italy's ever lost in Genoa also. Great win, but they need to encourage the talent like Dempsey and Fabian Johnson to move to bigger clubs.

SkinsKY · #**408** 03-01-2012, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by akhhorus

First time Italy's ever lost in Genoa also. Great win, but they need to encourage the talent like Dempsey and Fabian Johnson to move to bigger clubs.

I think Dempsey moves this summer, although Fulham isnt the worst place ever. He's learning to be the man on the team and still gets to play against top teams. Wherever he goes, he has to make sure he gets games. I had never seen Johnson play, but I like him. I think he just started getting games for his club, if I'm not mistaken.

The win was a great one, and I think the team is settling in and are building some chemistry. If I could gripe about one thing, it would be creativity in the attacking third, but overall I was happy. We're comfortable passing out of the back, looked organized and I like a number of the young ones that have played recently.

dj_stouty · #**409** 03-02-2012, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkinsKY

I think Dempsey moves this summer, although Fulham isnt the worst place ever. He's learning to be the man on the team and still gets to play against top teams.

I agree. Fulham is your quintessential mid-table EPL team. Never in fear of relegation and rarely competing for top 6. But they have decent talent and they face some of the world's best playing talent on a weekly basis. IMO, Fulham is the perfect place for him because there is never any fear of him getting pulled from the starting XI. If he played for a top 6 EPL team I could see him sharing playing time.

If there is one drawback to Fulham, its the lack of CL appearances. Clint would greatly benefit from playing on that stage; although Fulham has had some decent success in Europa, so not all is lost there.

If Team USA wants to get better overall, they need more of their players playing in higher leagues. Clint, Howard, Edu and Bradley have all been better off after moving to Europe. (Even Donovan with his short stints at Everton) We now need to get more of our younger talent out of the MLS and playing for Europe's top flights. Brek Shea comes to mind real quick...

If anyone needs to "move up" to better team its Jose Altidore. I'd love to see him play in the EPL some day.

akhhorus · #**410** 03-02-2012, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkinsKY

I think Dempsey moves this summer, although Fulham isnt the worst place ever. He's learning to be the man on the team and still gets to play against top teams. Wherever he goes, he has to make sure he gets games. I had never seen Johnson play, but I like him. I think he just started getting games for his club, if I'm not mistaken.

If, for example, Juve bought him just to use him in Cup/lower tier Serie A matches, that would be great for his development. Hell, even just training with a giant club for a full season would be great for him.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_stouty

If anyone needs to "move up" to better team its Jose Altidore. I'd love to see him play in the EPL some day.

Didn't he play a season with Hull City in the EPL?

dj_stouty · #**411** 03-02-2012, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by akhhorus

If, for example, Juve bought him just to use him in Cup/lower tier Serie A matches, that would be great for his development. Hell, even just training with a giant club for a full season would be great for him.

Dempsey turns 29 next week. As far as development goes...I think he is pretty close to his peak. His form the past month or so has been excellent; and he needs regular playing time to keep up and Fulham gives him that. Also - I think his style of play is suited to the EPL. I'm not sure a transition to Serie A is wise at this stage of his career. If anything, I'd love to see him get a chance with a bigger EPL club; assuming he would be a first-thought choice for starting XI.

Quote:

Originally Posted by akhhorus

Didn't he play a season with Hull City in the EPL?

He had a season at Hull, but the club was terrible that year and was relegated. Definitely a frustrating season for him and everyone involved.

He appears to be having a productive season with AZ...and scored two goals for them this past weekend. I hope this stint is helpful for him.

akhhorus · #**412** 03-02-2012, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_stouty

Dempsey turns 29 next week. As far as development goes...I think he is pretty close to his peak. His form the past month or so has been excellent; and he needs regular playing time to keep up and Fulham gives him that. Also - I think his style of play is suited to the EPL. I'm not sure a transition to Serie A is wise at this stage of his career. If anything, I'd love to see him get a chance with a bigger EPL club; assuming he would be a first-thought choice for starting XI.

I didn't know he was that old. I think he could thrive in italy if he goes to a team that plays a 4-3-3 so he can play as a wing forward.

dj_stouty · #**413** 03-02-2012, 04:24 PM

To borrow a term from my friends across the pond....

I will be absolutely "gutted" if AVB was fired and Rafa was his replacement.

SkinsKY · #**414** 03-02-2012, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by akhhorus

I didn't know he was that old. I think he could thrive in italy if he goes to a team that plays a 4-3-3 so he can play as a wing forward.

Clint is who he is at this point, so i agree with dj that wherever he goes, he just needs to play.

I want Shea to move asap. He needs to build his technical ability, but looks to be a player. He just needs some work to be a real threat in Brazil.

dj_stouty · #**415** 03-05-2012, 02:54 PM

BigCountry · #**416** 03-06-2012, 06:18 PM

Good grief is Ibrahimovic awful.

dj_stouty · #**417** 03-08-2012, 08:11 AM

Messi. WOW.

BigCountry · #**418** 03-12-2012, 10:53 AM

Apparently Paul Pogba has done a 180 and decided to stay in Manchester. Fergie must think highly of him as the last youth prospect that pulled this was sold to West Ham in the blink of an eye. In the combined half an hour he's played against the football megapowers that are Stoke and West Brom he's looked pretty good and Juve were pretty hot for him.

dj_stouty · #**419** 03-12-2012, 11:25 AM

Garbage performance by Liverpool vs. Sunderland. Champions League football is all but lost for Liverpool for another year.

The good news about winning the Carling Cup is that Liverpool got a Europa qualifier spot. the bad news is that it is a "qualifier spot" meaning they will have to host qualifier game(s) in early August just to play the damn tournament. If so, they will likely not be able to participate in the US tour they had scheduled for mid-to-late July. I'll be super pissed if this is the case, as I was going to clear my schedule that month and go to at least one or two games. (I'm hearing they will likely play at Wrigley and Fenway) So...to get out this mess, they need to finish 5th in the EPL or, win the FA Cup. (to get the full Europa spot)

I'm not confident either of those options may happen...

BigCountry · #**420** 03-12-2012, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_stouty

Garbage performance by Liverpool vs. Sunderland. Champions League football is all but lost for Liverpool for another year.

The good news about winning the Carling Cup is that Liverpool got a Europa qualifier spot. the bad news is that it is a "qualifier spot" meaning they will have to host qualifier game(s) in early August just to play the damn tournament. If so, they will likely not be able to participate in the US tour they had scheduled for mid-to-late July. I'll be super pissed if this is the case, as I was going to clear my schedule that month and go to at least one or two games. (I'm hearing they will likely play at Wrigley and Fenway) So...to get out this mess, they need to finish 5th in the EPL or, win the FA Cup. (to get the full Europa spot)

I'm not confident either of those options may happen...

I think Dalglish really needs to go and that whole Carling Cup hooey will have done nothing to get him closer to being canned. He was great in the first few years of the EPL but that was a long time ago and he seems out of touch now. Benitez had some ugly years but under him nobody wanted to play Liverpool in the CL knockout phase and he got them closer to a title than they had been since the Stan Collimore/Robbie Fowler days.