Soccer Thread

[The Benmeister]

Not sure what point I'm trying to prove with this statistic, but of the seven teams in the CWC this year, only Auckland and Hiroshima were champions of their league (and the spot awarded to Hiroshima went to the winners of the J-League anyway). None of the other five teams finished higher than fifth in their respective leagues, and in fact Al Ahly's league didn't even finish last season, what with the Egyptian fan riot shenanigans and all.

[treeckotrainer]

I got this feeling Benitez won't be staying long with Chelsea.......^-^

[Unoin]

I got this feeling Benitez won't be staying long with Chelsea.......^-^

Then Chelsea would be the first top Prem club to have 3 managers in the one season

[TheNewChamp]

I got this feeling Benitez won't be staying long with Chelsea.......^-^

Yeah he only has a contract that ends this season and there are rumours that Chelsea is going to buy Pep Guardiola.

[Zorocario]

Thierry Henry, yeah i remember that one!

And i just read the news: Corinthians beat Chelsea with 1-0. Awesome, and congratulations to the club and its fans! ^^

Rayados got 3rd place! If only we would have played like that against Chelsea. Anyways, Chelsea played horribly against Corinthians.

[Ninjames]

I think it's more likely that Brendan Rodgers will get sacked than Rafa Benitez. Conceding three goals at home to Aston Villa has to be a new low for Liverpool this season.

[TheNewChamp]

I think it's more likely that Brendan Rodgers will get sacked than Rafa Benitez. Conceding three goals at home to Aston Villa has to be a new low for Liverpool this season.

Yeah Benteke ( Belgian player ) was awesome against Liverpool

[Zantera]

While Liverpool haven't been that good, it's not really fair to compare them to Chelsea, a team who's able to fight for trophies. I'm sorry Liverpool fans, but the team isn't one of the best in England anymore. Fighting for top6 and maybe even the 4th spot? Sure. But Chelsea has all the money in the world to spend on players, and their failure is much bigger because of the squad they have.

[Sea Swampert]

I think it's more likely that Brendan Rodgers will get sacked than Rafa Benitez. Conceding three goals at home to Aston Villa has to be a new low for Liverpool this season.

Finding that slightly insulting as a Villa fan. We're not that bad, Liverpool faced us at a time when confidence is high and we're playing really really well. Granted though Liverpool are hardly the force they used to be.

As a team though, Villa are beginning to pull all the good things together. We've got a great pairing in Beneteke and Weimann, who will be a problem for any defense. I love our 5 game unbeaten run and even though we have Chelsea this weekend I have a goodish feeling about it.

[The Benmeister]

Liverpool have been on quite a good run recently, then one defeat and suddenly Rodgers should go again? Give me a break.

For the record, Benitez shouldn't go either. I'm sick of football becoming a soap opera of managers, but then again it might already be too late.

[Ninjames]

Finding that slightly insulting as a Villa fan. We're not that bad, Liverpool faced us at a time when confidence is high and we're playing really really well. Granted though Liverpool are hardly the force they used to be.

As a team though, Villa are beginning to pull all the good things together. We've got a great pairing in Beneteke and Weimann, who will be a problem for any defense. I love our 5 game unbeaten run and even though we have Chelsea this weekend I have a goodish feeling about it.

Sorry if it sounded like I was putting Villa down there, I didn't mean that. I meant that conceding three goals at your own ground is never a good thing for the home side and it might be something the club owners will focus on.

In other news Fellaini might be facing a nine-match ban after his behaviour towards Shawcross. Might. It seems probable that he will be banned for at least three.

[Sea Swampert]

Ah, it's alright You're right though, conceding 3 goals at home is pretty bad. I personally don't think Rogers should have gone to Liverpool.

Fellaini should get the 9 matches. It was pretty despicable what he did. Sure he's got a massive afro that maybe he thought would cushion the blow, but that behavior needs to be nipped in the bud. Hopefully the FA will set an example!

[Ninjames]

Ah, it's alright You're right though, conceding 3 goals at home is pretty bad. I personally don't think Rogers should have gone to Liverpool.

Fellaini should get the 9 matches. It was pretty despicable what he did. Sure he's got a massive afro that maybe he thought would cushion the blow, but that behavior needs to be nipped in the bud. Hopefully the FA will set an example!

If he does get a nine match ban that could really harm Everton's season. He's been arguably their best player in this campaign and I think they will miss him. The media are taking it a step further and saying that Everton might sell him now because Moyes was so angry with him- personally I can't see Everton selling him over this.

I don't know how I'd feel about him getting banned for nine matches, I wouldn't be surprised if it was knocked down to six. In the second incident I don't think Fellaini makes contact with Shawcross although he did try (but then again when I did watch Match of the Day this morning I was distracted by the builder coming to fix our wall so I didn't see too closely).

[Sea Swampert]

It'll certainly hurt their season, but they have gone off the boil of late. The media like to make anything sound worse than it actually is. I know Everton are strapped for cash but selling would be such a stupid idea.

As for how many games he'll be banned for.... I suppose it depends on whether you think headbutting is worse than racism a la Terry/Suarez. There isn't much in the way of consistency either way.

[The Benmeister]

The second incident wasn't anything. The third was a mildly deliberate foul, and obviously the first was just stupid.

[juniglee]

We've got a great pairing in Beneteke and Weimann, who will be a problem for any defense. I love our 5 game unbeaten run and even though we have Chelsea this weekend I have a goodish feeling about it.

Benteke is an absolutely brilliant player. Kudos to Lambert for picking him up from Belgium. As a Pool fan, I really couldn't feel angry at all for Liverpool's loss, between the sloppy defending, and Benteke's brilliance.

If he does get a nine match ban that could really harm Everton's season. He's been arguably their best player in this campaign and I think they will miss him. The media are taking it a step further and saying that Everton might sell him now because Moyes was so angry with him- personally I can't see Everton selling him over this.

I don't think Everton will sell Fellaini lol. Unless a big cash offer comes in. He's kinda like one of their star players at the moment - selling him out of anger will just weaken Everton. Besides, if they sold him to a rival club in January, he's still going to be banned for the duration anyway (assuming he does get 9 games). Everton will probably just wait until he's able to come back into the team.

[TheNewChamp]

Fellani got 3 games banned, and he will stay in Everton at least till the summer

[Buuz]

An exciting week with all the cup matches comin' up. I hope for all our favourite teams to win!

And PSV did. We won as expected. 0-4 against an amateur team. At the end of this week we will know who our next opponent will be.

[infernape100]

tbh i haven't seen the fellaini incidents but he's got a 3 match ban and he has accepted it. If he had been given a 9 match ban then the FA would be guilty of major inconsistancies (Suarez and Terry incidents, both of which i beleive should result in life bans!)
As for the league cup tonight i'm wanting a Leeds win over Chelsea. I don't support either club, in fact they are rivals of Man United, but i just want to lol in the face of chelsea fans some more. A loss to Leeds could do some serious damage to benitez but he shouldn't go, chelsea need to start keeping managers. that doesn't mean he won't though...

[Ninjames]

Leeds Utd 1-5 Chelsea