**OFFICIAL Association Football 2010/2011 Season thread**

[MickeyG]

Not really a playmaker is he? Paul Scholes is the man United need to replace. Although I wouldn't mind another ball winner either, to be honest.

[Rageman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N99AXZMrx0

I 'figgered' most of you would kind of dig this from when ManU was in Seattle

[MickeyG]

That was pretty cool of them to stop like that. Some of the players seemed a little oblivious to what was going on though, lol.

[Hellsinkey]

Roma striker Mirko Vucinic is said to be close to signing. If so, that's just stupid. More than enough strikers already, but midfield still not sorted out. David Gill says there might be one more signing, but hopefully not this.

[MickeyG]

It's probably bullshit from his agent, to be fair. Like Hulk's agent has just said that Porto have rejected an 80 million Euro bid from some undisclosed club. Too much bullshit flying around to believe anyone until deals are finally revealed. Wouldn't surprise me if United's business is done to be honest. No value in the market, etc, etc.

[Hellsinkey]

One that is mentioned is midfielder Douglas Costa from Shakhtar Donetsk. Who knows, maybe the cheap Scot could get a bargain.

[pieceofme]

Ferguson one day says not signing imminent and gives the impression no more signings this summer.

David Gill the next day says 1 more signing likely.


If midfield isn't sorted then i'm worried. But then I was concerned last year and we still won the league.

These new signings won't close the gap on Barca. In fact if anything we are further away with key players getting older and Scholes retired. I mean Ashley Young as our new attacking signing. Sure he's better than Downing but I don't see him as an improvement on Nani or Valencia. I hope i'm proved wrong.

[Hellsinkey]

This is a pretty young team now in all, let's see how it goes. The difference to the young team of mid 90's is that the one now is nowhere near as good.

[MickeyG]

Ferguson one day says not signing imminent and gives the impression no more signings this summer.

David Gill the next day says 1 more signing likely.


If midfield isn't sorted then i'm worried. But then I was concerned last year and we still won the league.

These new signings won't close the gap on Barca. In fact if anything we are further away with key players getting older and Scholes retired. I mean Ashley Young as our new attacking signing. Sure he's better than Downing but I don't see him as an improvement on Nani or Valencia. I hope i'm proved wrong.

I agree, United are not closer to Barca. But I'm not really sure that's the aim anyways. I mean, the league is the bread and butter. 5 away wins last season is not good enough. That needs fixing before worrying about Barcelona. When Valencia got injured, and he's injured again now, United were forced to rely on Nani for width. The lad did well, but never got a rest and then slumped at the end of the season. Young will give some quality back up out wide to help cover for injuries and give others a rest.

That said, the midfield needs help, especially if Ferguson continues to play 442 away from home. If the squad stays the same, Carrick, Anderson, Giggs and Fletcher will all have to have really good seasons for United to have as good a season as last. I doubt 5 away wins will win the league this coming year. And I'd be very surprised if it got United to another European final as well.

[Hellsinkey]

Comparing to midfield now, it's amazing to think it was once Giggs- Scholes- Keane- Beckham. Those were the days.

[MickeyG]

I preferred this one:

Giggs/Sharpe - Ince - Keane - Kanchelskis

[Hellsinkey]

Interesting to see the Barca friendly on saturday, though it's at a bad time for me at 2 in the morning.

Edit: Damn, I missed the game because it was mentioned that it was postponed.

Not bad.

[MickeyG]

Cleverly had a good game in center mid, Welbeck did some damage too. United should have had 2 more goals, while I don't really recall Barca threatening too much. Only pre-season, but you could tell both teams were trying, although neither had their best 11 playing. Barca should have had a man sent off too.

[Hellsinkey]

It's been alright pre-season, too bad Chicarito hasn't/ won't play for a while.

[Rageman]

So what do y'all think about Klinsmann finally getting the reigns of US Soccer away from Boob Bradley?

I'm fuckin' stoked!

[Hellsinkey]

He was a great player, not as good as a coach. May prefer attacking style in football. Interesting to see what he can do.

[ShearMagic]

So what do you think about the qualifying groups to World Cup 2014? Group A is quite a tough one with practically everyone being able to qualify.

[Hellsinkey]

GROUP A
Croatia
Serbia
Belgium
Scotland
Macedonia
Wales

This one will mean trouble with Croatia and Serbia (Macedonia too) at same group. The literal death group.

GROUP B
Italy
Denmark
Czech Republic
Bulgaria
Armenia
Malta

Italy might have some work in this group. Hard to say who else (not Armenia or Malta).

GROUP C
Germany
Sweden
Ireland
Austria
Faroe Islands
Kazakhstan

Between Germany and Sweden.

GROUP D
Netherlands
Turkey
Hungary
Romania
Estonia
Andorra

Netherlands and Turkey. Maybe Romania.

GROUP E
Norway
Slovenia
Switzerland
Albania
Cyprus
Iceland

Hard to tell, pretty easy group. Between first three on the list.

GROUP F
Portugal
Russia
Israel
Northern Ireland
Azerbaijan
Luxembourg

Portugal and Russia.

GROUP G
Greece
Slovakia
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Lithuania
Latvia
Liechtenstein

Again easy group, between first three.

GROUP H
England
Montenegro
Ukraine
Poland
Moldova
San Marino

England has it easy, Ukraine or Poland second.

GROUP I
Spain
France
Belarus
Georgia
Finland

No way in hell for us. Nice to see Spain and France here though.

[MickeyG]

It would be a complete disaster if England don't qualify from that group.

Not sure about Klinsmann as America coach. I do think they should see whether a foreign coach can take them up a level, either a coach who is proven, or one who has played at the very top. Klinsmann fits that criteria. I'm sure he'll do fine with what he has at his disposal.

[Sleazyjack]

I think Ireland will shock a few people in Group C.

England have to qualify from that group, even with that Italian twat or whoever will be in charge then !

[Hellsinkey]

Barton put on transfer list. Fergie sign him up!

[pieceofme]

Fuck international football. Couldn't give a shit how England do these days.

[pieceofme]

I've been trying to work out which is the most boring transfer saga this summer

Modric to Chelsea
Sneijder to United
Fabregas to Barca

Got to be Fabregas to Barca considering its been going on for the last 3 seasons!

[Hellsinkey]

I've been trying to work out which is the most boring transfer saga this summer

Modric to Chelsea
Sneijder to United
Fabregas to Barca

Got to be Fabregas to Barca considering its been going on for the last 3 seasons!

Yeah, it's the most boring.

Personally I'm really tired of the Sneijder saga. For the second summer it's been no, yes, maybe, from all parties. The "latest" is that there might be a part exchange with Berbatov.

[Rageman]

This bigsoccer.com legendary thread was mentioned again . . . thought that I'd share

Conor Casey vs Honduras play by play

http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1199059

[Hellsinkey]

Just watching community shield, two down at half time. This goes to show their future problems, no control at midfield and can't hold the ball. It's just all counter attacks through the wings. Citeh will freeze the game at midfield.

Edit:
Citeh tried, but what a comeback. The game improved with Cleverley, Jones was pretty good too. Nani was great, I hope he continues like this. The second goal was especially played well.

[MickeyG]

Never write United off, Hellsinky!

City totally outclassed second half, as they were for most of the first too, but United finally found a cutting edge. Tom Cleverly was great in midfield replacing Carrick and both of Nani's goals were well taken. He's really good one on one. Football justice was done as both of City's goals were bad goals to give away.

[Hellsinkey]

United always like to do things the hard way. I'm sure there will be competition for the goalie's place. De Gea made some good saves, but was unsure.

[MickeyG]

Fergie's man-management skills stop him from blaming De Gea for the second goal, but it was definitely his fault. All goalkeepers make mistakes, it's just how many you make and how you recover from them that counts. The team coming back like it did will help him forget his mistake.

[Hellsinkey]

It was mentioned somewhere that previously De Gea has let in the most goals from long range shots. Maybe teams may exploit this and shoot away.