Thread: The Official 2008-2009 Soccer Thread

Originally Posted by Mr. Irreverent

Yeah, I think Man U should be favored for sure. Barca's defense is good for 3-4 collapses and Valdes is a supremely overrated goalie. Can anyone on Barcas defense handle R7's speed? Possibly Alves, but that's about it and Abidal is suspended for the final so that means Sylvinho or Caceres might have to play LB or CB.

Exciting either way, but after watching Man Utd THRASH Arse-nal they should be weary of playing so high in the attacking zone.

Alves is also suspended for the final. United's formation will be very intersesting for that match. Last year against Barca they played very conservative and played for one goal basically. This year with Barca's defensive problems I'm anticipating a more attacking formation. Then again, United played basically with three holding midfielders against Arsenal and just Ronaldo up front and we ripped them apart. I'm not saying the same will happen, Barca's midfield is a hell of a lot better than Arsenal but it is worth pointing out.

Originally Posted by ASUcruz

Alves is also suspended for the final. United's formation will be very intersesting for that match. Last year against Barca they played very conservative and played for one goal basically. This year with Barca's defensive problems I'm anticipating a more attacking formation. Then again, United played basically with three holding midfielders against Arsenal and just Ronaldo up front and we ripped them apart. I'm not saying the same will happen, Barca's midfield is a hell of a lot better than Arsenal but it is worth pointing out.

Yeah, I wasn't sure about Alves. I watched the replay and might have missed his yellow card while grabbing a beer. That's what's so frustrating about this tournament based on goal differential, the Enlgish teams excel at locking up the back and doing the counter attack. It works, but its not the most riveting form of football. I can tell you now that Barcelona only play one way. The 4-3-3 to win and win with flair. It bites them in the ass on the bad days, but on the good days it's footballing genius.

Here's my predicted Barca formation for May 27th.

Henry - Eto'o - Messi
Iniesta - Keita - Xavi
Sylvinho - Pique - Yaya Toure - Puyol

Originally Posted by Mr. Irreverent

. It works, but its not the most riveting form of football. I can tell you now that Barcelona only play one way. The 4-3-3 to win and win with flair. It bites them in the ass on the bad days, but on the good days it's footballing genius.

This reminds me of Arsenal, in some ways now but also in their recent history.

Arsenal...if you don't win tomorrow, I may forever hate you...

Don't make me hate you! WIN!! at all costs, WIN!!!

Echoing what I said earlier Benitez is saying that the cash gulf between Man U and Liverpool is hampering them.

They need a new stadium a.s.ap.

BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | L | Liverpool | Man Utd money the key - Benitez

Champions of England again.

Now on to Rome!

dang in Arsenal...why?!

Anywho...

Well done Man U., but once you hit 18, there is a twenty year drought. Hope you had fun while it lasted

Originally Posted by Crazy_Ivan

Echoing what I said earlier Benitez is saying that the cash gulf between Man U and Liverpool is hampering them.

They need a new stadium a.s.ap.

BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | L | Liverpool | Man Utd money the key - Benitez

Yeah, and the owners of the Dallas Stars, and the Montreal Canadians need to sell...

Why they even sold the team to those yank offs will baffle me for years...

I'd love it if this manged to make any difference whatsoever-

Premier League to enforce new financial rules - World Soccer - Yahoo! Sports

Premier League to enforce new financial rules
LONDON (AP)—England’s Premier League will address British government concerns over the finances and ownership of top clubs by enforcing new rules, including a more stringent examination of those running teams.

Premier League clubs have agreed in principle to the rules proposed by chief executive Richard Scudamore, which include publishing the identity of all shareholders with more than a 10 percent stake in a club and a ban on anyone becoming a director or owning a controlling stake if they have been sentenced to more than a year in jail.

The rules, which are likely to be adopted next season, are a response to a letter last year from government minister Andy Burnham about the financial sustainability and governance of the game in England.

“These regulations go above and beyond the laws of the land,” Scudamore said. “Clubs have bought into this and I am confident we can have further progress in the future.

“These rules will help to steer us through what could be choppy waters.”

The Premier League also plans to follow UEFA by demanding a financial sustainability plan before issuing a license to play in the competition.

Clubs failing to meet the new requirements could be banned from signing players or forced to sell assets.

Scudamore’s proposals did not directly address last month’s comments by lawmakers that clubs including Manchester United and Liverpool engaged in “ludicrous levels of borrowing.”