World Football Thread VIII - The beautiful game?

[C0ckney]

it's a shame they don't do replays anymore because neither team deserved to lose that.

what a great game of football

[Lawrence of Arabia]

the swiss team selection

La sélection:

Gardiens (3): Pascal Zuberbühler, Fabio Coltorti, Diego Benaglio.

Défenseurs (7): Philipp Degen, Philippe Senderos, Patrick Müller, Christoph Spycher, Ludovic Magnin, Stéphane Grichting, Valon Behrami.

Milieux de terrain (9): Daniel Gygax, Johann Vogel, Ricardo Cabanas, Raphaël Wicky, Tranquillo Barnetta, Johan Djourou, Blerim Dzemaili, Xavier Margairaz, David Degen.

Attaquants (4): Alex Frei, Johan Vonlanthen, Marco Streller, Mauro Lustrinelli.

average age: 24 years 8 mo
average age w/o zuberbuehler: 22 years, 3 mo.

[Imran Siddiqui]

And Chelsea gets even better... though I'm not sure it was a good move by him since apparently they are putting him in a rotation with Essien, asking SWP how those type of things work:

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=368014&cc=5901

LONDON, May 15 (Reuters) - Germany midfielder Michael Ballack says he chose to sign for Chelsea instead of Manchester United because the English champions are a better team.

The 29-year-old was unveiled by Chelsea on Monday after arriving from Bayern Munich on a free transfer. He signed a three-year contract with the club owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, winners of the last two Premier League titles.

'Manchester United came in quite early for me but really I saw the possibilities of Chelsea as being much greater,' the playmaker and Germany captain told a news conference.

'They are a stronger team and also London has its attractions, particularly as a family man. And in the final analysis it was Chelsea's aims that attracted me.

'Just look at the achievements of the club in the last two years, winning the title twice, and you can see what a super team they are.

'Also you have to consider the competition they are playing in. Liverpool won the Champions League last year and Arsenal are in the final again this week. This shows the strength of the league in England.

'And it's also a challenge for me, because the sort of play here suits my style.'

Ballack is expected to be rotated in Chelsea's teams on domestic and European duty with Ghana's Michael Essien in a three-man midfield featuring top goalscorer Frank Lampard and Frenchman Claude Makelele in the holding role.

'As for my position, I'm quite flexible,' he said. 'I can play at the back or the front of midfield and that flexibility is in the side as well.'

He will start his career in English football after helping Bayern win consecutive German league and cup doubles, part of a six-trophy haul during four years at the club.

'I had a great time at Bayern Munich. The fans have always been behind me. The last few weeks have seen a number of provocative statements which have obviously had an effect on the fans of Bayern Munich.

'And if a few of them react with whistles and boos that's understandable.'

Ballack took advice from Germany coach and former Tottenham Hotspur striker Jurgen Klinsmann, along with other German players in London's Premier League clubs before making his decision.

'I asked some players about English football - Jurgen Klinsmann, Robert Huth (Chelsea) and Jens Lehmann (Arsenal). They told me good things about this country.'

Ballack denied that Chelsea's new-found wealth under Abramovich's ownership was behind his move.

'That's not the case,' he said. 'It's more about a dream of playing abroad, which I had from the age of 22 or 23.

'In those days it was a question of where and when would I go. But then I had my moves to Kaiserslautern, Leverkusen and finally to Bayern and so I never went. But now is the right time.

'Money I can earn in any league, I earned well in Germany. That's not the main reason. The main challenge for me was to come and play in England.'

[lightblue]

Worse news for Essien than Ballack tbh. Ballack is a far more complete and accomplished player than Essien.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Yeah, I agree it is worse for Essien, but if there is actually a rotation, both suffer.

Ballack is far too similar to Lampard, IMO. I know Mourinho will want to play Ballack and Lampard together, but that would really end up putting Makelele in a tough spot when both of his fellow central MF take off up the field.

[Adam Smith]

Champions League Final

Thoughts on the Champions League Final?

I did not see the game (we don't have cable) but did get the Soccernet webcast.

Questions:

Did the ref have to send Lehmann off for taking down Eto'o, or could he have allowed the goal (advantage) and given Lehmann a yellow (a less intrusive approach)?

Will Henry go to Barcelona? The European style of play might suit him better, but his comments about the Barcelona defenders suggest that they did not treat him much different than some defenders in the Premiership.

If Henry goes to Barcelona, would they be pretty much the top of the Spanish League, and favored to win multiple CL trophies (as oppoesd to staying at Arsenal, and sluggin it out with Chelsea, ManU, and Liverpool for the top four spots?

If Henry goes to Barcelona, how does he fit in with two existing world-class strikers, Eto'o and Ronaldino? (Unless Eto'o goes to Chelsea instead of Shevchenko?)

[Imran Siddiqui]

There is a lot of striker merry go round it seems. Who knows where they'll end up?

As for the red card, the ref could have let the goal stand and yellow card Lehmann (or let the red stand and given the goal!). It is in his discretion.

[Frozzy]

Did the ref have to send Lehmann off for taking down Eto'o, or could he have allowed the goal (advantage) and given Lehmann a yellow (a less intrusive approach)?

Yes. He did have to send him off, as he was the last man and it was a professional foul. IMO he would not have blown the whistle if he had seen the Barca advantage (which clearly he didn't, and therefore blew the whistle). Anything after that is moot.

Will Henry go to Barcelona? The European style of play might suit him better, but his comments about the Barcelona defenders suggest that they did not treat him much different than some defenders in the Premiership.

Touch and go. I think his blazing attack on the refs and the Barca defenders show that he is taking his leadership role at the club seriously and at the end of the day maybe he won't be able to leave that. Plus there is the problem of a log jam at striker for Barca.

If Henry goes to Barcelona, would they be pretty much the top of the Spanish League, and favored to win multiple CL trophies (as oppoesd to staying at Arsenal, and sluggin it out with Chelsea, ManU, and Liverpool for the top four spots?

You could say that, but then you'd expect the same thing from Real Madrid with all their star power. Stars != success much of the time.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Kalius
Yes. He did have to send him off, as he was the last man and it was a professional foul. IMO he would not have blown the whistle if he had seen the Barca advantage (which clearly he didn't, and therefore blew the whistle). Anything after that is moot.

I believe the red card is for preventing a goal scoring oppertunity. If he let the game go one, the goal would have happened... hence no prevention of a goal scoring oppertunity. At least that is what retired refs were saying.

[Frozzy]

I believe the red card is for preventing a goal scoring oppertunity. If he let the game go one, the goal would have happened... hence no prevention of a goal scoring oppertunity. At least that is what retired refs were saying.

It all comes under the professional foul part in the laws of the game. But fact of the matter is, I think he would have let the game go on had he seen the player... I'm not sure he did.

[Frozzy]

On another note... I love this

[CerberusIV]

I generally try not to blame referees as we all make mistakes but last night's ref didn't have a good game. Sending Lehmann off instead of allowing the goal and yellow carding him rather ruined the game for both teams. The ref seeemed to spend the next hour under the impression that he wasn't allowed to book anyone in a Barca shirt. Henry's booking when the Barca player threw an outrageous dive summed it all up really.

The TV commentator here started the match by noting that the ref wasn't going to the World Cup. I wondered why he said that but then it became clear.

[alva]

Did the ref have to send Lehmann off for taking down Eto'o, or could he have allowed the goal (advantage) and given Lehmann a yellow (a less intrusive approach)?

Should have been yellow and a goal imo but it's understandable he blew his whistle.

Will Henry go to Barcelona? The European style of play might suit him better, but his comments about the Barcelona defenders suggest that they did not treat him much different than some defenders in the Premiership.

He will though I don't agree Euro style suits him more, he won't get as much freedom as he has now, also defending in England is less strict (not saying that's a bad thing, it's what makes the PL so great.)

If Henry goes to Barcelona, would they be pretty much the top of the Spanish League, and favored to win multiple CL trophies (as oppoesd to staying at Arsenal, and sluggin it out with Chelsea, ManU, and Liverpool for the top four spots?

The would have the best team but that certainly isn't a guarantee to win it every year, from the knock-out stage it's mostly 50-50 games.
Arsenal could have won last playing only with ten men...

If Henry goes to Barcelona, how does he fit in with two existing world-class strikers, Eto'o and Ronaldino? (Unless Eto'o goes to Chelsea instead of Shevchenko?)

I see Eto'o going to Chelsea aswell (along with Shevchenko), a twist may be where Van Nistelrooy will end up. I wouldn't be surprised to see him playing next to Henry next year.

The last very big variable will be the Italian sides. What happens when 4 or 5 of the big teams there get relegated???!!!

[Lawrence of Arabia]

how can you allow the goal to score AND give a yellow?


the ref had to give a red, its the last defender who was beaten who took down etoo to prevent a clear goalscoring oppertunity.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Lawrence of Arabia
how can you allow the goal to score AND give a yellow?


the ref had to give a red, its the last defender who was beaten who took down etoo to prevent a clear goalscoring oppertunity.

Because if a goal scores, then he didn't really prevent a goalscoring oppertunity.