Football Thread 2012/13

[neoELITE]

It would be nice of the football World to tell the stupidly rich billionaires who treat it as a novelty toy to fuck off but the quite rich people who decide things are bought by the stupidly rich billionaires so something like that is entirely possible. Qatar got the World Cup and we got how many votes when we went for the 2018 bid?

It's an obscene idea and would just mean an extra £50k a week for someone like Yaya Toure.

[Sirloin]

A black African Muslim who instead of getting paid for a boot deal had Puma send boots and equipment to Africa? Would be quite happy with him having the money instead of an oil backed despot.

[DeadRussian]

All the games, all the goals from MLS.

Le Tissier-esque magic from the equally special Diego Valeri, who inexplicably really wanted to play in MLS.

Daigo Kobayashi with a long range floater for Vancouver.

Hassoun Camara is no Trevor Sinclair, but he is a right-back, so give him some due.

[Gabe]

Whilst this whole Qatar cup competition seems to be a hoax, I'd find it hard to care about it anyway, regardless of the teams involved (whether or not that included Liverpool). It'll just be a series of more glamorous pre-season friendlies, and surely nobody ever gives a stuff about them? Do you honestly think every team would be up for it, giving it their all? I know it's all rather arbitrary when dealing with sport, but there is an honour and prestige attached to officially-sanctioned competitions that this tournament wouldn't have. Teams want to win the Champions League or domestic league title for the sake of winning that trophy - not because of the £££s the club would get for winning.

And besides, that summer gap helps build the excitement and hopes and dreams for the new season.

[4ndo]

I was wanting to see Wilshere cry again! Hope Rosicky scores a hatrick then.

[SMD]

Anyone finding the NewLOF site being shite and laggy right now?

[spork]

I did at the weekend. Back to plus1hd for me.

[El Pibe]

All the games, all the goals from MLS.

Le Tissier-esque magic from the equally special Diego Valeri, who inexplicably really wanted to play in MLS.

Good stuff. On the MLS, if you get the right team, which Portland appear to be, there's a great atmosphere at the games and decent attendances!

[SMD]

Respect to Pellegrini, first coach to take two different teams to their very first European Cup quarter final. Malaga looked pretty comfortable beating Porto 2-0 to make it 2-1 on aggregate.

So in the hat for Friday:

- Barcelona

- Bayern

- Borussia Dortmund

- Galatasaray

- Juventus

- Malaga

- Paris St Germain

- Real Madrid

Draw's going to be all the way to the final so my personal preference is a last four of Barcelona, Dortmund, Galatasaray and Juve.

Got a feeling we'll get yet another El Clasico tie for the quarters and I'd like to see Juve butt heads with Bayern.

Dortmund-Galatasaray would be an unlikely but utterly epic final when it comes to respective fans.

[AlwaysBeClosing]

Anything but Barca Bayern. Dortmund would be preferable, Juve and Galatasaray as well like you said. Even PSG for fun.

[Shevchenko]

Why not Barca vs Bayern?

[Sirloin]

Because the vortex of smug self satisfaction of both sets of fans being collected together in one place will collapse the time-space continuum.

[Silent Runner]

PSG/Gala would be my dream final. I'd love to see 50,000 crazy Gala fans at Wembley - whether they have to tunnel in or get tickets.

New Blizzard out this week, got it today. Looking forward to that over the weekend. What do people on here pay for the download? I pay 4 quid, I think that's about fair.

[Sirloin]

I get the print edition rather than the download. I've signed up for their new cricket one as well for a year.

[Silent Runner]

What's the cricket mag?

[AlwaysBeClosing]

What's Blizzard?

[Daley]

PSG/Gala would be my dream final. I'd love to see 50,000 crazy Gala fans at Wembley - whether they have to tunnel in or get tickets.

Don't forget the couple billion Turks that already live in London who all seemingly support them. It would be a tunnel not seen since The Great Escape if Gala get there.

[Silent Runner]

What's Blizzard?

It's a football magazine that comes out every 3 months, edited by Jonathon Wilson. It's really good and there's always a few weeks of reading in it.

http://www.theblizzard.co.uk/

[Sirloin]

It's called The Nightwatchman, and Wilson is on the editorial board for it as well. Not got the first issue through as yet, but it looks good, I think the first download might be free on the website.

[bradigor]

Talking of MLS...

Take a bow Djimi Traore

[AlwaysBeClosing]

It's a football magazine that comes out every 3 months, edited by Jonathon Wilson. It's really good and there's always a few weeks of reading in it.

http://www.theblizzard.co.uk/

I tried to pay for it but wants me to register a PayPal account, I refuse to use them again..

Any chance of the mobi version or a way not to use PayPal?

[Silent Runner]

No harm in tweeting them @blzzrd. They're pretty active.

[AlwaysBeClosing]

Twitter is blocked here.

[Guest]

Rio is back in the England squad. Must be for footballing weasons.

[spork]

Rio is back in the England squad. Must be for footballing weasons.

Dinobot is making a post in the football thread. Must be for Man Utd weasons.

[JamesTW]

Inter 3-0 up

[Mr Do 71]

Tottenham playing like AC Milan against Barcelona.

[footle]

Have they put the crowd microphone in the middle of the Bucharest fans, or are Chelsea fans busy booing their own team every time they get the ball at home?

[Azrael]

Do away goals still count? Never remember the rules. Currently it's 3-1 to Spurs. 3-4 on aggregate. If Inter score it would be 4-4 but with an away goal to Spurs, does it still count? Would that be enough for them to go through?

[milko]

The Guardian's write up of the Spurs game is tremendous, I'm really enjoying the odd turns of phrase. I think it's some sort of homage to Peter Drury that's got out of hand, or something.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/mar/14/inter-tottenham-hotspur-live-mbm