news and gossip

[jazzypom]

Comments

[itsacoco]

Ah, man. I JUST posted the news about Titi in a new post. I did not see this. :))

ah, my bad.

[jazzypom]

Sorry, I tend to read the sports news over tea every morning, so it makes sense to link as I go, and then do links that interest me. But for real, sorry for stepping on toes here. :S

RE: ah, my bad.

[itsacoco]

Nah, it's cool. We posted at the same time. It was unavoidable. Haha. When I came here, I only saw the Mats post so I thought it would be safe to post after I just saw it on my News Feed.

I'll just leave it there so that Titi has his own post 'cause the retirement of a player of his stature is pretty big news!

[the4thjuliek]

De Gea...what are you wearing? Mata looks smart.

OP, have you read this article about Spanish football? It's very interesting.

hmmm thanks for that

[jazzypom]

Skimming it, it calls back to why Pep Guardiola told his friends that he had chosen the Bayern job- because of the filled stadia, and the noise. The same reasons echoed by Xabi Alonso (when asked what he liked about the Bundesliga) the filled stadia and noise. Ander Herrera touched on the whole business of the Spanish stadium culture (and the whole noise and stuff around it) in this interview with the Guardian. I'm going to have to sit down and read this article properly, thank you so much!

RE: hmmm thanks for that

[the4thjuliek]

No worries, I enjoyed Herrera's interview! Thanks for that.

[mrscrapbag]

like i said, Juan is the epitome of "classy" ;)

[minervasolo]

I am all for English players playing abroad. I think half our problem with the national team is that they all play in the UK - more experience playing in other climates, other cultures, other set ups would really help when it comes to international fixtures.

I'm off to see Saints-Sheffield tonight! In the Jess Ennis stand, which got to keep its name in the end :) It's difficult supporting a southern team when you live in the north; not a lot of opportunities to see them play. We are going to see them again over xmas against Chelsea, though, because the inlaws managed to get enough tickets for a family outing. Not massively confident about that one, but pretty cheerful about tonight.

oh yes, same!

[jazzypom]

I am all for English players playing abroad. I think half our problem with the national team is that they all play in the UK - more experience playing in other climates, other cultures, other set ups would really help when it comes to international fixtures.

Different coaching, different styles of playing in the leagues, it can only help your growth as a player (as well as being on the NT) having that exposure. Man, just even learning a foreign language and living in a different place can only be good for you. If Bayern Munich came calling (this is a rumour) and if I were Sterling's people, I'd say yes. To work under Guardiola can only be a good thing, and the lad could rest. :P

RE: oh yes, same!

[minervasolo]

Saints is actually my team (the most southern PL team right now!), but I'm in York, so only Newcastle and Sunderland are oop narth from here. Great footballing tradition in Yorkshire, at least!

[itsacoco]

lol Wazza, what are you doing with the Spanish clique? I can imagine Wazza trying to speak in Spanish and Juan whispering to David's ear, "dis puta...."

Man, that match-fixing probe is still alive. You can't even say "well, the players shouldn't be punished because they weren't aware of it" because they totally were. Shame. :/

And I'm not gonna argue about Europe's best goalkeepers but I feel like De Gea deserves more props for having a shitty defensive line to work with, week in and week out.

This comment sounds so pro-United and I'm not even a United fan. I think my United fan friend is influencing me. Lmao.

[the4thjuliek]

Lol, I feel the same about de Gea. I think, at this point, he's just too good to not be acknowledged by fans of other teams.

When a team deserves props you give them props

[jazzypom]

With regards to Rooney, I'm surprised that as captain, he didn't start learning Spanish though- same thing for Steven Gerrard given the amount of Spanish speakers in their dressing rooms!

With the influx of Spanish players to the PL since 2005 (all aboard the Rafa express!) they should be dead fluent by now. For instance, James Milner of Manchester City took it on himself to learn Spanish so that he could help get his teammates settled in, and he's been doing so for a couple of years

This match fixing will go on and on. I'm a bit disappointed in Herrera, because he always struck me as someone who cared for the game beyond just kicking the ball, even from his earlier Spanish interviews. this interview with the Guardian sold me on him big time. Never mind

RE: When a team deserves props you give them props

[itsacoco]

Well, if she lives in Madrid, she could be luring him back to Atletico since it's his boyhood club (which is also why I side-eye all the De Gea to RM transfer rumors.) :p He's getting rewarded for sticking it out in the end since United's been on a rise lately (and god knows how long Atletico will stay this competitive, especially if Simeone leaves.)

Oh OP

[jesscp]

It's as if Dortmund+LFC= OTP

Feeling your pain right now. Ugh!!! I am beyond distraught at our CL draw, the gods are loving to shit all over us this year I swear. I AM PRAYING DORTMUND HAVE A BETTER 2015, WE DESERVE IT.

I might need to actually get Sky now if Thierry will be commentating/giving opinions. If I remember correctly, he did a bit on one of the English channels at the start of the World Cup and I really enjoyed listening to his thoughts.

RE: Oh OP

[jazzypom]

We have um... Besikitas (sp) and they are in fine form and we're um... Liverpool 2014/15.

Juventus is a defensive team, right? They came through on a draw (but they have Pirlo in midfield sh*t). It can be doable. Like I said, at least Dortmund have a month to sit down, clear the cobwebs from their brain and reset as it were. The way how LFC is going, we might not have a coach come January (which again, can be argued that we don't have one now. It seems that Rogers is warring with the transfer committee - to the point of not playing with the players they've chosen :S. It's a palaver over there in LFC. The more things change...).

Yeah, Henry guested with the BBC, iirc, and he really had a lot to say. He's also pretty regarded in terms of tactics and such, if he decided to go into management, I think the doors would be open for him.

RE: Oh OP

[jesscp]

We basically both need teams who are struggling more than us, which is kinda impossible right now! I really don't know a lot about Juve if I'm honest but any team we could have got would worry me, in the state we are in at the moment.

Will the Europa League games be on a couple of days after the CL games? It's definitely more difficult for Liverpool RN with the amount of games you still have to play. I guess it's a positive we have a month off but our players have already forgotten the basics of football, is a month away from regular games a good idea?!

Yeah I do remember enjoying Thierry for the first part as I think he had to leave for MLS games?! I usually dislike English commentators, on the whole they are just full of shit IMO, so it was nice to have Thierry there with actual winning experience etc..!

Re: Oh OP

[jazzypom]

Yeah, I think a month off will be good for Dortmund. The players can go be with their families, catch some sun (or snow, if that's what they want), then come back refreshed. Klopp can look at the future matches, probably tap someone for help to talk things over with. Then the players can come back and Klopp can start new formations with new players and the like. Trust me, Brendan Rodgers must look at the month's break and envy. With England, December is a cluster of matches, and your places on the table move rapidly. Come January, you'll know where you are then. Get out that fooking abacus and start calculating