Discussion Football (Soccer) Thread

[mightymalaka]

Thanks mate! Been a crazy year, 3 points clear of the blades who have a couple key injuries now so it’s firmly in our hands.
15 years out of the premiership is too long! And getting 5,500 away supporters on a Tuesday night just shows the support we have.

Ahh good old Leeds! Has their been a more despised side as they were when they were at their best? That's a compliment btw!
Looking forward to the the Traditional War of the Roses grudge match returning next season with Man United v Leeds!
Was always a volatile affair to say the least!

 

[joop]

Ahh good old Leeds! Has their been a more despised side as they were when they were at their best? That's a compliment btw!
Looking forward to the the Traditional War of the Roses grudge match returning next season with Man United v Leeds!
Was always a volatile affair to say the least!

Haha all good mate, it’s actually been interesting to see so many people rooting for us to get promoted when traditionally we are not a popular team at all.
Would love to see Leeds v Man Utd at Elland Rd, the most intimidating ground in Europe according to SAF.

 

[mightymalaka]

Haha all good mate, it’s actually been interesting to see so many people rooting for us to get promoted when traditionally we are not a popular team at all.
Would love to see Leeds v Man Utd at Elland Rd, the most intimidating ground in Europe according to SAF.

I've been there a couple of times and it's fair to say that you guys rival Millwall fans for the most feral!
Was always a great atmosphere though when we came to town! The hate in that rivalry goes back a long way!

 

[NarklesHelmet]

Haha all good mate, it’s actually been interesting to see so many people rooting for us to get promoted when traditionally we are not a popular team at all.
Would love to see Leeds v Man Utd at Elland Rd, the most intimidating ground in Europe according to SAF.

Biesla’s a legend.

I’ve always followed his sides, love the way they play football.

I’ve also always wondered how he’d go in England.

To see what he’s done in the Championship of all leagues (to me with the amount of games they play and the physicality of it, it is one of the uniquely toough football leagues in the world) is amazing.

Can’t wait to watch a Biesla coached team in the Premier League next year!

 

[NarklesHelmet]

Was a dramatic night of Champions League football again.

Unfortunately for United, their tie was over as soon as De Gea made about the first mistake I've seen him made in letting Messi's shot trickle through for a goal.

The good thing was switching over to see Juve Ajax. Ajax were amazing again and fully deserved to go through. Their passing and movement is something else. Doesn't matter who they come against, they still go at them and are so creative. A great lesson for how to succeed in modern sport against stifling defenses, it's all about creating.

They are a threat to go all the way now. Their confidence will obviously be sky high after who they've knocked out so far. Spurs or City will hold no fears for them.

 

[joop]

Biesla’s a legend.

I’ve always followed his sides, love the way they play football.

I’ve also always wondered how he’d go in England.

To see what he’s done in the Championship of all leagues (to me with the amount of games they play and the physicality of it, it is one of the uniquely toough football leagues in the world) is amazing.

Can’t wait to watch a Biesla coached team in the Premier League next year!

Yeh its be a really good year to watch Leeds play. Its awesome how all the players (besides Saiz) have completely bought into his philosophy. Thing I've really liked is that after our really poor games, our worst 2 probably being against QPR & Bolton (birmingham not far behind) the team has bounced back really well, even with injuries and a thin squad. We are seriously a clinical finisher off being easily the top side in the league.

If we go up, he'll obviously still be manager and hopefully that will attract some players. Not sure I can handle another year in the championship, it is a superb league though.

Exciting finishes to both the top divisions thankfully!

 

[NarklesHelmet]

Yeh its be a really good year to watch Leeds play. Its awesome how all the players (besides Saiz) have completely bought into his philosophy. Thing I've really liked is that after our really poor games, our worst 2 probably being against QPR & Bolton (birmingham not far behind) the team has bounced back really well, even with injuries and a thin squad. We are seriously a clinical finisher off being easily the top side in the league.

If we go up, he'll obviously still be manager and hopefully that will attract some players. Not sure I can handle another year in the championship, it is a superb league though.

Exciting finishes to both the top divisions thankfully!

Yeah, you're spot-on.

The key with Biesla teams- even more so than other managers - is that they buy in fully to his philosophy. It either goes really well or really badly. He's a unique character in world football, he's more a guru than a manager as funny as that sounds.

I was so happy to see Leeds buy into his philosophies as I always had a sneaky suspicion that England would be a great country for him to ply his trade because it comes natural to a lot of the footballers to work hard off the ball and close down space at all times. It just seemed a great fit for him.

That he does it with a translator is even more impressive.

Will be fascinating to see who he brings in over summer.

 

[Brains Trust66]

Another big game for liverpool starting at 5 am . Liverpool won 2-0 in the first leg.
Porto have never beaten Liverpool. The two clubs first met in the quarter-finals of the old Uefa Cup in 2001. After a goalless draw in Oporto, Gerard Houllier’s side won 2-0 at Anfield thanks to Michael Owen and Danny Murphy, and went on to win the cup. In the group stage of the 2007/08 Champions League, the teams drew in Portugal again, and Liverpool won at home again, Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard and Peter Crouch in the goals. And then there was last year’s round-of-16 thumping: Sadio Mane the hat-trick hero of a 5-0 win at the Estádio do Dragão, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino also getting on the scoresheet. But , as they say , there is always a first time.

Also big games for Spurs and Man City , with Spurs having won 1-0 in the first leg.

 

[NarklesHelmet]

Looks like its pouring in Porto. Think Liverpool will be fine tonight.

City Spurs, geez it is hard to pick. A lot are saying Spurs play better without Kane but I am still pretty relieved as a City fan to see a player of his quality not out there.

Feel Pep will have set City up for a few huge performances starting tonight. The crowd has to bring the same intensity that they did against Liverpool tonight and on Saturday.

I hope there's enough in the tank. Huge 7 days for the club, nerve-wracking stuff!!!!

 

[kosifantutti]

Slow start in the Spurs Man City game!

 

[NarklesHelmet]

What a half, still shell-shocked, god knows how this will end!

 

[Brains Trust66]

Slow start in the Spurs Man City game!

wow what an amazing game between Spurs and Man City . Come on Spurs.

Liverpool 1-0 up at half time . Porto were all over us early although none of their shots were hard for our goalie . The almost against the run of play we scored although Mane looked offside to the naked eye . So much so that the Liverpool players didnt celebrate . But the VAR checked it and he was onside so the goal counted. After that Porto's heads dropped a little and the game just sort of rambled along till half time.

 

[Brains Trust66]

great effort by Spurs to get past Man City . A fantastic match by two top teams.

Liverpool survived the early attack by Porto but as the game wore on Liverpools class took over. 4-1

 

[kosifantutti]

I love VAR

 

[NarklesHelmet]

Devastated, craziest game I’ve seen

 

[St Muir]

wow what an amazing game between Spurs and Man City . Come on Spurs.

Liverpool 1-0 up at half time . Porto were all over us early although none of their shots were hard for our goalie . The almost against the run of play we scored although Mane looked offside to the naked eye . So much so that the Liverpool players didnt celebrate . But the VAR checked it and he was onside so the goal counted. After that Porto's heads dropped a little and the game just sort of rambled along till half time.

Probably our worst half of football since Roy. The 1-4 result in no way reflected the game. I thought Porto played really well and deserved at least a draw. It's been a weird season, we're winning games even when we play poorly. Very like Manu under Fergie.

 

[St Muir]

Devastated, craziest game I’ve seen

Very unlucky. I was hoping you guys would win that one, for the purely selfish reason that it would keep your number of games high and increase the chances of a slip in the EPL. It will be interesting to see how the players respond.

 

[St Muir]

Yeah, you're spot-on.

The key with Biesla teams- even more so than other managers - is that they buy in fully to his philosophy. It either goes really well or really badly. He's a unique character in world football, he's more a guru than a manager as funny as that sounds.

I was so happy to see Leeds buy into his philosophies as I always had a sneaky suspicion that England would be a great country for him to ply his trade because it comes natural to a lot of the footballers to work hard off the ball and close down space at all times. It just seemed a great fit for him.

That he does it with a translator is even more impressive.

Will be fascinating to see who he brings in over summer.

It will be interesting to see if he lasts more than a couple of seasons. I think of him as someone that could have been one of the top managers in the world (or at least acknowledged) but he couldn't seem to string together a longer run with club teams. Leeds are saying they have bedded in his changes for the long term, which is very smart of them.

 

[soups1982]

i have no ******* words.... i love tottenham.. such guts!!!!

 

[sunny3193]

COYS

 

[austinnn]

Could this week get any better? Now LFC just have to beat Porto tomorrow and they get an awesome semi final against Barcelona!

Hopefully ManU now restore pride and secure champions League next season with a win against their local rivals.

This week just DID get better! Always lovely to see a big Liverpool win, especially after Porto started so well. Hopefully this is how the Melb v St Kilda game will go!

But the best result was the other game. Please, Spurs just smash 'em in the league now, or at least get a draw. We just need one draw or loss from City to put the league back in our hands.

Oh and not to lose any more games!

Barcelona next, yum yum! Win or lose, that will be an awesome tie! Will be nice to have Phil and Luis back again, nice to have a visit from the magnificent Messi too. IIRC, the last tie against Barça was the infamous Bellamy Riise golfclub karaoke incident about 10 years ago.

 

[austinnn]

it would keep your number of games high and increase the chances of a slip in the EPL.

Yep. The one downside. They still do have a cup final to attend but it will be a relief for them to just be playing on the weekends again.

Just have to hope that they can drop a couple of points somewhere. Annoying to have destiny in City's hands, not Liverpool's.

 

[austinnn]

Yeah, you're spot-on.

The key with Biesla teams- even more so than other managers - is that they buy in fully to his philosophy. It either goes really well or really badly. He's a unique character in world football, he's more a guru than a manager as funny as that sounds.

I was so happy to see Leeds buy into his philosophies as I always had a sneaky suspicion that England would be a great country for him to ply his trade because it comes natural to a lot of the footballers to work hard off the ball and close down space at all times. It just seemed a great fit for him.

That he does it with a translator is even more impressive.

Will be fascinating to see who he brings in over summer.

I wonder if James Milner might go back to Leeds for a final swansong before retirement. It would be a great appointment, he's proven the last couple of years that he's still more than useful in a Premier League team, got so much experience to teach young teammate, is a grounding calming influence, and of course a hometown hero.

Liverpool would probably let him go with good grace, he's been an excellent servant of the club since he arrived, we got him for free, and we have other midfielders coming through. I wouldn't like him leaving, but I could accept him going home.

 

[NarklesHelmet]

I wonder if James Milner might go back to Leeds for a final swansong before retirement. It would be a great appointment, he's proven the last couple of years that he's still more than useful in a Premier League team, got so much experience to teach young teammate, is a grounding calming influence, and of course a hometown hero.

Liverpool would probably let him go with good grace, he's been an excellent servant of the club since he arrived, we got him for free, and we have other midfielders coming through. I wouldn't like him leaving, but I could accept him going home.

That's a good shout, would be a really nice story as well.

It's crazy to think how many years he has been in the system and just how young he was when he started at Leeds. He's been such a reliable player for every club he's played for and will would bring so much big-game experience to Leeds.

On paper, it's a bit of a no-brainier... Biesla will ultimately decide on whether or not he still has the legs to play his style but he's always been a running machine so you'd think he'd tick that box too.

 

[NarklesHelmet]

It will be interesting to see if he lasts more than a couple of seasons. I think of him as someone that could have been one of the top managers in the world (or at least acknowledged) but he couldn't seem to string together a longer run with club teams. Leeds are saying they have bedded in his changes for the long term, which is very smart of them.

Yeah agree. In my mind he's the most interesting manager in world football, he's a genuine enigma.

He's almost like one of those artists that requires the perfect conditions to perform and if one of those elements is missing it just doesn't work out. That's part of his charm as you always think to yourself "maybe THIS time it will work" with him.

And just maybe, Leeds is that perfect fit for him. Fans seem to love him. They've had absolute chaos at times with the manager merry-go-round in place under their previous owner but the new owner seems younger/more astute and seems knowledgeable about the global football landscape - he looks like he means business.