2011-12 Football Season Thread.

[tartanterrier]

Well folks,its nearly the start of the new football season,depending on
which part of the planet you reside.

But next week is the start of the new EPL season,and I'm already thinking
it could be another title for Man Utd.Chelsea and Man City could provide
the biggest challenge,but it seems Man U have it in their genes to win
league titles.Of course you have Arsenal,Liverpool and Tottenham in the
mix,but I can't see them providing a big enough challenge to be honest.

As for Europe the qualifiers for the Champions & Europa League were drawn
during the week with some tasty clashes to come....

http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/season=2012/matches/round=2000262/index.html

http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/season=2012/matches/index.html

As for my Glasgow Rangers who were knocked out by Malmo We now
have to play Maribor to get to the group stages :1orglaugh

Elsewhere,the Dutch Eredivisie got started last night with Feyenoord winning
the Rotterdam derby.In the Bundesliga defending champs Borussia Dortmund
got off to the perfect start with a win over Hamburg,and the French Ligue 1
kicks off today as well.Both La Liga & Serie A start in a few weeks.

Cant wait for it all to kick off now :nanner:

 

[Henrik Larsson]

As for my Glasgow Rangers who were knocked out by Malmo We now
have to play Maribor to get to the group stages :1orglaugh



Cant wait for it all to kick off now :nanner:

At least you got the chance to play in the champions league, My team celtic only got the chance to play in the europa league against fc sion, which we will probably lose. Rangers have an easier tie i would say. Poor hearts though getting Tottenham.

 

[tartanterrier]

At least you got the chance to play in the champions league, My team celtic only got the chance to play in the europa league against fc sion, which we will probably lose. Rangers have an easier tie i would say. Poor hearts though getting Tottenham.

True.But we need a shitload of new signings and since the Europa League
deadline is this Monday.I think we'll be lucky to get 1 :1orglaugh

But I think Celtic are better equipped,and I think they'll get through against
Sion.Hopefully we'll get passed Maribor,but the Hearts game sounds like it
will be a belter of a tie.

Harry Redknapp might field a weakened side because it might affect his
EPL aspirations,so hopefully Hearts will pull it out of the bag

 

[Henrik Larsson]

True.But we need a shitload of new signings and since the Europa League
deadline is this Monday.I think we'll be lucky to get 1 :1orglaugh

But I think Celtic are better equipped,and I think they'll get through against
Sion.Hopefully we'll get passed Maribor,but the Hearts game sounds like it
will be a belter of a tie.

Harry Redknapp might field a weakened side because it might affect his
EPL aspirations,so hopefully Hearts will pull it out of the bag

I haven't seen much of either of the sided the Old Firm are playing so it should be intersting.

 

[busaguy79]

Liiiiiivvveeerrrrrpppooooollll Liiiiiiiivvvvvveeeerrrrrppppoooollllll!!!!

 

[Awsome]

Ajax FC ftw!

 

[MaxPleasureITA]

Today Italian Supercup: A.C. Milan 2 - 1 F.C. Internazionale

:nanner:artysml::nanner:

 

[Henrik Larsson]

Today Italian Supercup: A.C. Milan 2 - 1 F.C. Internazionale

That game was quite good, watched it on ESPN.

 

[tartanterrier]

I saw AC Milan in the Audi Cup and they were ok,but I don't fancy them
for the Champions League.I think if Barca keep playing the way they
always have done then they will win it again this year.

 

[tartanterrier]

What about Man Utd's big comeback for the Charity Shield yesterday.I
think it's going to take one mighty team to stop them winning the league
again this year.

But who will manage to pull it off :dunno:

 

[titsrock]

I think it's finally time to admit that my Arsenal are a training team and a fiscally-sound team, but not a real championship caliber team. This summer transfer window needed to be a big win for the Goons, and instead it only reaffirmed what everyone has already thought -- we're not a serious team. :weeping: It is a fatal mistake for Wenger to keep Fabregas and Nasri at this point. Wenger and the Goon Management are also the worst negotiators too. They seem to give away any leverage to pursuing players or selling players right off the bat. On the other hand, if I'm Cesc, how much love has Barca really showed me this summer? I mean they come up and declare he's not worth what he once was, they make poor offer after poor offer. I dunno, but if I'm Cesc why not call up Real Madrid at this point? They would pony up $35mil and they'd get a player who might like to stick it to Barca. They should take Nasri too.

As I see things...the order of the EPL is this:
1. ManU -- Roy Keane is right. Nobody will beat them.
2. ManShitty -- close, but no cigar.
3. Liverpool -- should be there comfortably in 3rd.
4. Chelski -- old, disinterested. No real squad changes of note.
5. Spuds -- Yep.
6. Arsenal -- even if they sell off Cesc and Nasri -- who do they actually buy at this point? It's too late. Luckily everyone below them are no threat to knock them lower.

Relegation: Swansea, Blackburn, QPR

 

[tartanterrier]

I think if I was Cesc I would stay at Arsenal this season,and give it a
right good go.Then do the Euro Championships,assuming that the
Spaniards will win it,and if they do,his value will rocket again.

Then Arsenal should just cash in and let him go to the highest bidder,
preferably Real over Barca :1orglaugh

 

[titsrock]

^
He should call Real Madrid. Is he so blinded by Barca that he doesn't see what's going on? Barca don't need him, tepidly want him, and have no real way to exit the negotiations to get him other than to try and heap the blame for "failure to get Cesc" on "greedy Arsenal."

If he really was a priority for Barca they would've offered what is fair -- $40mil. They already have a stacked midfield. Do they want to pay so much for a bench player?

I kind of have to blame Cesc on being blinded by a dream of playing for Barca which, if it actually happens at this point, SHOULD create bitterness in Cesc. "Oh, gee, thanks guys for buying me on the cheap and taking all summer to do it. I can see you really value me.."

Nasri is just an idiot. He stands to be the Captain of Arsenal if Cesc leaves. Instead, he'll probably go to Man City and be lost among the stars.

If Real really wants to knock off Barca they'd be on the horn right now to Wenger with a $35-$40mil firm offer. Cesc actually stands a good chance of cracking the Real starting lineup, too.

 

[Henrik Larsson]

^
He should call Real Madrid. Is he so blinded by Barca that he doesn't see what's going on? Barca don't need him, tepidly want him, and have no real way to exit the negotiations to get him other than to try and heap the blame for "failure to get Cesc" on "greedy Arsenal."

If he really was a priority for Barca they would've offered what is fair -- $40mil. They already have a stacked midfield. Do they want to pay so much for a bench player?

I kind of have to blame Cesc on being blinded by a dream of playing for Barca which, if it actually happens at this point, SHOULD create bitterness in Cesc. "Oh, gee, thanks guys for buying me on the cheap and taking all summer to do it. I can see you really value me.."

Nasri is just an idiot. He stands to be the Captain of Arsenal if Cesc leaves. Instead, he'll probably go to Man City and be lost among the stars.

If Real really wants to knock off Barca they'd be on the horn right now to Wenger with a $35-$40mil firm offer. Cesc actually stands a good chance of cracking the Real starting lineup, too.

I would quite happily go to Barca and sit on the bench, they are so rich you will get a huge wage. Their second keeper Pinto sits on the bench but has been there forever, i don't think anyone will want to leave barca at the moment. Plus you will be on the same team as Messi, Iniesta, Xavi etc.

 

[titsrock]

^
But Messi, Xavi, etc. get all the credit. The backups get no credit, just the spoils of victory. Cesc might be willing to sit on the bench for his first year; he won't want to sit on the bench indefinitely. He's got an ego!

 

[Henrik Larsson]

^
But Messi, Xavi, etc. get all the credit. The backups get no credit, just the spoils of victory. Cesc might be willing to sit on the bench for his first year; he won't want to sit on the bench indefinitely. He's got an ego!

Huge names at Madrid as well though, he may sit on the bench there too.

 

[larss]

Excellent win for Arsenal tonight. Now it's a matter of holding our own against United at the weekend.

 

[tartanterrier]

Champions League draw was made today......


Group A:

Bayern Munich, Villarreal, Manchester City, Napoli

Group B:

Inter Milan, CSKA Moscow, Lille, Trabzonspor

Group C:

Manchester United, Benfica, Basel, Otelul Galati

Group D:

Real Madrid, Lyon, Ajax, Dinamo Zagreb

Group E:

Chelsea, Valencia, Bayer Leverkusen, Genk

Group F:

Arsenal, Marseille, Olympiakos, Borussia Dortmund

Group G:

Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, Zenit St Petersburg, APOEL Nicosia

Group H:

Barcelona, AC Milan, BATE Borisov, Viktoria Plzen

.....and I don't think there is an easy group amongst them.

Should be some cracking games on the telly soon

 

[Henrik Larsson]

Champions League draw was made today......


Group A:

Bayern Munich, Villarreal, Manchester City, Napoli

Group B:

Inter Milan, CSKA Moscow, Lille, Trabzonspor

Group C:

Manchester United, Benfica, Basel, Otelul Galati

Group D:

Real Madrid, Lyon, Ajax, Dinamo Zagreb

Group E:

Chelsea, Valencia, Bayer Leverkusen, Genk

Group F:

Arsenal, Marseille, Olympiakos, Borussia Dortmund

Group G:

Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, Zenit St Petersburg, APOEL Nicosia

Group H:

Barcelona, AC Milan, BATE Borisov, Viktoria Plzen

.....and I don't think there is an easy group amongst them.

Should be some cracking games on the telly soon

There is at least one great game in each group more or less.
Should be good

 

[Ulysses31]

Lucky I noticed this thread as I was gonna start one of my own, once again Spurs are proving an embarassment in the transfer market, not buying anyone or failing to shift any of the dead wood at the club (just sell Modric already!), at least we'll beat Hearts tonight though!