Champions League Final

[LongLiveRalph]

Correction, the best domestic leagues right now are England Spain and Italy. England is not the best, regardless of the mass marketing everyone is exposed to.

 

Throw out the bottom 5 in each league, they are irrelevant. England is very strong at the top, as are Spain and Italy, but the teams in the middle 10 is where the Premier League separates itself, IMO. I think a squad like Tottenham (11th in EPL) could challenge for Europe in La Liga or Serie A.

 

You've picked a tough time to argue your point when 3 of the 4 Champions League semifinalists were EPL teams.

[meazza]

I disagree. I much prefer the attacking style of the English league. I know you are biased towards Italy, and I find Spanish soccer much less exciting

 

Regardless, he was saying that the english league is a step above. How does that make sense? If you look at the quality of talent, they are pretty much spread out between the top 3 of each league.

 

Especially now that Ronaldhino is going to Milan...

[meazza]

Throw out the bottom 5 in each league, they are irrelevant. England is very strong at the top, as are Spain and Italy, but the teams in the middle 10 is where the Premier League separates itself, IMO. I think a squad like Tottenham (11th in EPL) could challenge for Europe in La Liga or Serie A.

 

You've picked a tough time to argue your point when 3 of the 4 Champions League semifinalists were EPL teams.

 

And who won it last year? Who has the most?

[meazza]

With all due respect to Meazza, I'm kinda glad there wasn't an Italian team in the finals this year, lol...

 

The best team on paper is Bayern Munich. Next year, they will destroy the competition.

[chicot]

Nah...this is actually one out of a very small universe of kickball games I'll actually watch. I even set the DVR.

 

I want to see what nonsense the hooligans start.

 

Hah! With the reputation of the Russian police, I think it's likely they'll be on their best behaviour

[LongLiveRalph]

Regardless, he was saying that the english league is a step above. How does that make sense? If you look at the quality of talent, they are pretty much spread out between the top 3 of each league.

 

Especially now that Ronaldhino is going to Milan...

 

How does that make sense??? I know, words is hard. But try reading it once more:

 

Throw out the bottom 5 in each league, they are irrelevant. England is very strong at the top, as are Spain and Italy, but the teams in the middle 10 is where the Premier League separates itself, IMO. I think a squad like Tottenham (11th in EPL) could challenge for Europe in La Liga or Serie A.

 

I agree about the parity at the top of each league. In a European final, the bounces could go in favor of Man U, Barcelona, Milan, Bayern Munich, etc etc. Any one of them can win it.

 

The English league is better, IMO, because the teams that finish 6th-15th are of better quality than those in Spain and Italy. The major difference I see, as Pete mentioned above, is that those teams in the EPL are more offensively ambitious than their counterparts in La Liga and Serie A, especially against the bigger clubs.

 

And that's not mass marketing, that's what I see with my own eyes.

[meazza]

How does that make sense??? I know, words is hard. But try reading it once more:

 

 

 

I agree about the parity at the top of each league. In a European final, the bounces could go in favor of Man U, Barcelona, Milan, Bayern Munich, etc etc. Any one of them can win it.

 

The English league is better, IMO, because the teams that finish 6th-15th are of better quality than those in Spain and Italy. The major difference I see, as Pete mentioned above, is that those teams in the EPL are more offensively ambitious than their counterparts in La Liga and Serie A, especially against the bigger clubs.

 

And that's not mass marketing, that's what I see with my own eyes.

 

Yes dem words is hard to read.

 

http://www.goal.com/en/Risultati.aspx?idTorneo=102

 

http://www.goal.com/en/Risultati.aspx?idTorneo=108

 

Ok these are the tables. Now looking at the tables, I know most of these clubs and they each play some pretty good soccer. Do you really know for a fact that the bottom english clubs could beat the bottom italian clubs? Are you really that sure of yourself?

 

Offensively ambitious? So tactics means nothing right? I mean if a club could come out against an obvious favorite and steal a point, they won't because they have to be offensively ambitious to impress the viewers?

[LongLiveRalph]

Yes dem words is hard to read.

 

http://www.goal.com/en/Risultati.aspx?idTorneo=102

 

http://www.goal.com/en/Risultati.aspx?idTorneo=108

 

Ok these are the tables. Now looking at the tables, I know most of these clubs and they each play some pretty good soccer. Do you really know for a fact that the bottom english clubs could beat the bottom italian clubs? Are you really that sure of yourself?

 

Offensively ambitious? So tactics means nothing right? I mean if a club could come out against an obvious favorite and steal a point, they won't because they have to be offensively ambitious to impress the viewers?

 

I'm not sure of any of it. There are no facts in this comparison. You're stating an opinion, and I'm stating an opinion. And I'm not talking about the bottom clubs, the bottom would be the bottom anywhere, just as the top would be the top in any league. I'm talking about the mid-level teams.

 

Of course tactics matter. But 7 days a week, I will take the team that has the confidence to take a stab at THREE points over a "tactically savvy" underdog who gets outshot 17-1 and "earns" their point. Of course offense is more appealing to the eye, but I can appreciate a great defensive effort. I love the team that scraps for a point with a weary lineup, or after an early red card. It can tell a lot about a team. But overall, it is my opinion that the mid-pack teams in England are better quality than those in Spain or Italy.

 

Tactically speaking, it doesn't take a genius to get 10 defenders behind the ball...The nature of the sport alone lends itself to close games...And yet low-scoring tactics are applauded??

 

That's the point I'm making...Not that the EPL is better because it's more appealing to the eye; it's better because the talented players on the mid-table teams allow for a confident, ambitious approach to the game, and they do more to put some of the big clubs on their heels. Giving Man U a scare but losing 3-2 says a lot more to me than a team who plays 90 minutes with one striker getting two touches while they hold their breath in a 0-0 draw.

[meazza]

I'm not sure of any of it. There are no facts in this comparison. You're stating an opinion, and I'm stating an opinion. And I'm not talking about the bottom clubs, the bottom would be the bottom anywhere, just as the top would be the top in any league. I'm talking about the mid-level teams.

 

Of course tactics matter. But 7 days a week, I will take the team that has the confidence to take a stab at THREE points over a "tactically savvy" underdog who gets outshot 17-1 and "earns" their point. Of course offense is more appealing to the eye, but I can appreciate a great defensive effort. I love the team that scraps for a point with a weary lineup, or after an early red card. It can tell a lot about a team. But overall, it is my opinion that the mid-pack teams in England are better quality than those in Spain or Italy.

 

Tactically speaking, it doesn't take a genius to get 10 defenders behind the ball...The nature of the sport alone lends itself to close games...And yet low-scoring tactics are applauded??

 

That's the point I'm making...Not that the EPL is better because it's more appealing to the eye; it's better because the talented players on the mid-table teams allow for a confident, ambitious approach to the game, and they do more to put some of the big clubs on their heels.

 

I didn't mean the bottom scraps. I mean even the mid clubs team for we'll exclude Milan this year because that was a fluke, Fiorentina is a strong team, Palermo? Amauri, one of the most underrated Brazilians who will make his mark now that he is going to be play for Juve. Anyways in Italy they think more about the league than anything which is why Inter acts like the best club in the world even though they only won the league.

 

For me though, it does bother me that the best clubs are just loaded with immigrants which is why I support Roma. Full of local boys ready to play for their club.

 

Anyways it doesn't matter at this point, because the next footy match I will watch will be Holland vs Italy in game # 1 of the group of death.

[buckeyemike]

Since I'm an Aston Villa fan (see my avatar), I hate both Man U and Chelsea.

 

The Villans finished 6th in the Premiership, but have been much better than they were earlier this decade.

 

Because of their owner. Randy Lerner. Yes, the same Randy Lerner that owns the Cleveland Browns.

 

I watched the first half of the game on ESPN2 tape delay last night...I didn't see all of the highlights until this morning. I wish they could do something other than penalty kicks to decide the title, but it's similar to a hockey shootout. I don't know how else they can decide the title, once you play 120 minutes like Man U and Chelsea did.

[ajzepp]

Since I'm an Aston Villa fan (see my avatar), I hate both Man U and Chelsea.

 

The Villans finished 6th in the Premiership, but have been much better than they were earlier this decade.

 

Because of their owner. Randy Lerner. Yes, the same Randy Lerner that owns the Cleveland Browns.

 

I watched the first half of the game on ESPN2 tape delay last night...I didn't see all of the highlights until this morning. I wish they could do something other than penalty kicks to decide the title, but it's similar to a hockey shootout. I don't know how else they can decide the title, once you play 120 minutes like Man U and Chelsea did.

 

 

They played their asses off. That one header save by J.Terry for Chelsea was amazing....Drogba missed that flat footed shot by inches...Velez went tard and missed that ball rolling by right in front of him with an open goal...Ballack barely missed on his rocket ball. Definitely wasn't for lack of effort that they had to go to the shootout.

[Pete]

They played their asses off. That one header save by J.Terry for Chelsea was amazing....Drogba missed that flat footed shot by inches...Velez went tard and missed that ball rolling by right in front of him with an open goal...Ballack barely missed on his rocket ball. Definitely wasn't for lack of effort that they had to go to the shootout.

good recap. There was another blown chance by Man U where one of the middies brought the ball up the left, had space between the defender, one man to beat and Rooney and Velez open in the middle- all it took was a soft well placed pass- and either would of scored. Rooney was hot after that weak pass! He was yelling at his teammate

[LewPort71]

Rooney was ticked off..His Blood Pressure musta been sky high...

 

I did the DVR thing and did not allow for OT....So the recording I made

stopped in the 3rd minute of the second OT...AARGGHH...

 

I thought the game started at 2 PM...but there was 45 minutes of talking heads

and their blathering..

 

What I saw of the match was well played and there were several scoring chances

for both teams....

 

Congrats ManU

[ajzepp]

good recap. There was another blown chance by Man U where one of the middies brought the ball up the left, had space between the defender, one man to beat and Rooney and Velez open in the middle- all it took was a soft well placed pass- and either would of scored. Rooney was hot after that weak pass! He was yelling at his teammate

 

 

Yep, I forgot about that one...that was pretty boneheaded...I would have been pissed if I were Rooney, too!

[ajzepp]

What I saw of the match was well played and there were several scoring chances

for both teams....

 

Congrats ManU

 

 

Heck yeah, I loved that match! I was glad to see Ronaldo get his goal against Chelsea.

[KD in CA]

Come on...couldn't one of you kickball fans have pointed out that one team is owned by a red blooded American and the other by a godless commie bastard???

 

 

Go ManU.

[buckeyemike]

Come on...couldn't one of you kickball fans have pointed out that one team is owned by a red blooded American and the other by a godless commie bastard???

 

 

Go ManU.

 

Thus, the nickname Chelski, b/c they are owned by an alleged Russian mobster.

[erynthered]

Come on...couldn't one of you kickball fans have pointed out that one team is owned by a red blooded American and the other by a godless commie bastard???

 

 

Go ManU.

 

 

I believe Malcolm Glazier said that if ManU won both Championships he'd pay each player 250K pounds. ( I think that's about $450K in dollars)

[LewPort71]

Come on...couldn't one of you kickball fans have pointed out that one team is owned by a red blooded American and the other by a godless commie bastard???

 

 

That was funny as hell...

[meazza]

Come on...couldn't one of you kickball fans have pointed out that one team is owned by a red blooded American and the other by a godless commie bastard???

 

 

Go ManU.

 

And soon, Roma will be owned by George Soros