Topic: The Push Square Football (Soccer) Thread

@Tasuki: mmm, I would rather look for a European Football package.... No offense mate, but I've seen some US football matches (since my beloved Pirlo went to NYC), it is nothing compare to a Premiership, Liga, even Serie A championships.... If you wanna fix your fix, fix it properly....

@Bad-MuthaAdebisi: Agree. I would add also la Liga, apart BArca and Real there are plenty of decent teams with very interesting and technical players....

@Bad-MuthaAdebisi: @arnoldlayne83: For me, I will watch any kind of soccer.

@Bad-MuthaAdebisi: Oh dear you forgot another league..

The League of Gentlemen

Justice League

20,000 leagues under the sea

They are all decent.

The BPL is great, but I don't think I would watch it much if I was born in a country outside the UK. We go on about it being 'the best league in the world' but when only 2 of its teams are in the top 10 ranked in the world and another country has 4 then actually its not. Playing devils advocate here but I really don't consider it as good as 5-6 years ago.

@themcnoisy: the German leagues is Bayern Munich, the Italian league is pretty dull, I used to watch a ton of it, the Spanish league is two teams after the atletico Madrid blip, the Spanish league is the only one that comes close, but I can't say that I've enjoyed watching Barcelona pass teams to death, Madrid are definitely mode exciting. The difference in the premier league is that there are 4 teams that can win it, spurs and lpool are on their way to that, the entire league is competitive, all teams try to win and nobody plays for a draw, except maybe mourinho when he's playing it safe. There are so many different styles in the premier league too. There's plenty of reasons it's the most popular league.

I enjoy watching the Premier League. It comes on pretty early on the weekends here in the United States, so it fits my schedule very well. I've actually been DVRing notable matches and watching those as well. Everton is the team I follow the closest because of Tim Howard, but I enjoy Tottenham as well. It's kind of nice to just watch and appreciate the soccer instead of being a die hard fan cheering for my favorite. I enjoy the style of play in the Premier League. I've dabbled a little in the Bundesliga this season as well because of their new deal with Fox Sports. I have a lot to learn about that one though.

I started watching Major League Soccer in 2008, and it's come a LONG way since then. I always preferred it over all else because it's the major league in the U.S. But after giving the Premier League a shot last season, I can't really watch much MLS now. It has certainly improved though!

@rastamadeus: What do you think about Klopp coming in as your manager?

Arsenal looked good on Sunday. If Theo can stay fit and on form, I think we can win the league.

@Thrash13: Missed your comment and just read it now. I support Everton and went to a load games last season. We missed Howard when he was out injured and Landon Donovan joined us on loan twice and was outstanding (a few seasons ago) I follow Tim on fb and he's boss. Underrated imo. Premier league football is the best because of the full stadiums for EVERY game and the football mania in England. We went to Everton v Burnley last season and it was a sell out a week before the game. Burnley who are they lol.

So its looking like Klopp will be LFC's new manager. I am surprised at the timing of the sacking of Rodgers who still has one of the highest win rates of a LFC Manager. I think that he would have been replaced in the summer if Klopp was available then but because he wanted a sabbatical, it was not the right time. Personally I think that Rodgers would have been given a few more games this season but I do think that the results, performances and purchase decisions over the last few seasons have been poor. I do like Klopp's philosophies and has done very well even though he has a lower win rate than Rodgers and doesn't have the experience of managing in the EPL or at many clubs. That could work to his advantage of course and I do think he could bring a higher calibre of player into the club in the transfer window(s) than Rodgers could/would. I know Rodgers was able to attract the younger players due to given youth a chance but I don't think he would be able to attract an established quality signing like Klopp could. Klopp does have a good record with youth and transforming players into world class stars - Reus, Hummels, Lewandowski...

I must admit, I do feel more optimistic with Klopp as the manager but I do feel a bit sorry for Rodgers. I do feel the Transfer committee should shoulder some of the blame too

I think Liverpool are too far down the pecking order now to make it back to the top. Chelsea, Man Utd, Man City, and Arsenal will continue to step in and nab any top talent Liverpool are interested in. Liverpool had Gerrard, Suarez, and Sterling. Now they have no one, and I doubt Klopp, or anyone else, can fix that. Domestic cups and the Uefa cup should be their targets for the foreseeable future.

@Wesker: Chelsea may have 'talent' but look at their current predicament. Liverpool do have a lot of 'talent' in their squad too. I believe they are all internationals at some level - even if some are just internationals at youth (u21's for example) and a lot are in the top 10 international squads. Despite being near the top of chances created, Liverpool are near the bottom at actually converting those chances. at this current stage, A top 4 finish and therefore a CL spot for next season is still within the realms of attainable. LFC are only 6pts from the top - closer than Chelsea are.

@BAMozzy: Unfortunately Liverpool end up having to make a team out of players the top 4 are not interested in. Any players the top four are interested in don't go to Liverpool. So Chelsea get Willian, Arsenal get Alexis Sanchez, Man U get Martial, Man City get Kevin de Bruyne, and Liverpool get Benteke! It's not just league position and CL qualification that matters either. Even when Man U weren't qualified for the CL, they were still signing players like Di Maria.

@Wesker: But that can change. How long will Abramovich stick his cash in? Likewise sheik mansour? Arsenal and Man Utd unfortunately will be around forever they have extensive fan bases and world wide infrastructure. Liverpool were far too stubborn in raising their game during the prems early years, now its like Spurs and unfortunately as I'm a fan Everton. The 'new stadium' debacle has been raging for 20 years for the Merseyside clubs.

@iDangerMouse_: No ya not...

Liverpool got players no-one else in the top four wanted because nobody wanted to play for Rodgers. It's that simple. Klopp is a big name, charismatic, inspires belief and confidence. Players went to Dortmund to play under him, same way players do under Mourinho or did under Fergie. We were linked to Charlie Austin a few weeks ago. Now, three days in to the reign of Klopp, we're being linked with the most deadly player in football at the moment - Robert Lewandowski. Won't happen but that is the power of a big name manager.

The United comparison is lazy and wrong by the way. They paid massively over the odds (even more than we did) for players who want money more than trophies, something they've laughed at City doing for the past few years. They've also touched players no other club wanted. Who came in for Di Maria when they got him? Who was after Martial (love that you put him as a big name by the way, very funny)? Who was after Schweinsteiger? Nobody, be they untested or having horrendous injury or form records. Falcao was pimped around to every club in the world and nobody would go near him, bar United. Helps that they also offered them wages far higher than they were getting, natch.
Nothing wrong with that, and I'm not having a go at them, but bit of perspective, eh? If Liverpool had the money United did then they'd have got those players or been in for them. Thank **** we weren't! Bar David de Gea, there isn't one player in United's squad that I'd want or would get into better teams than us. They're just a more expensive Liverpool at the moment. But while we've got rid of our lunatic manager who hasn't a clue what he's doing and making players hate him, LVG is still there.

@themcnoisy: Hear rumblings you're going to expand on one of your stands, like we have. Your club want to make it an inch taller than ours.
Have you seen the new billboard opposite Goodison Park? A Ryanair one saying where have the last twenty years gone. Everton last won a trophy in 1995. Coincidence or a Liverpool fan on the wind up? Haha.

On Klopp (to reply to your question) I'm still curious as to whether it's real or not. I have anxiety and I keep thinking it's going to have just been a big con. I do love him though. Everything he's said so far has made you think "he gets us". Not just the club, but the fans. I think he'll do wonders for us.

There's a great video online if you can find it of him nearly being by a car on his second day in the city while going to watch our Under18s. He's an absolute lunatic. Walks out into traffic shouting "Stop for the Klopp!" and laughing like the Joker. I love him.

Klopp at Liverpool is going to be a disaster. Liverpool's team is awful.

@Wesker: I think he can do well, lallana and Moreno look ok.....

Thought I'm bump this thread up after today's interesting matches.

Firstly, I honestly think Leicester will win the PL this season. No other team looks capable of playing them, and their entire team is class. Not only do Vardy and Mahrez excel at scoring, but N'Golo Kante is a rock in midfield, Wes Morgan and Robert Huth are an excellent centre-back pairing, and Kasper Schmeichel is a class goalkeeper.

Funny I'm talking about class defences, because Liverpool's (my club) are awful. I honestly feel sorry for Roberto Firmino - he's be in great form, scoring and assisting for days, working hard to get us into winning positions, and then our defence just crumbles. Clyne is about our only consistent defender, with Lovren being shaky ever since his injury and Sakho being... Sakho. Moreno is excellent at attacking, but shoddy in defence, which is why I think Brad Smith should get a run out soon, too. Mignolet is easily the worst goalie we've had in years, and I have no idea why Klopp signed that 5 year contract with him.

The moral is that we need an overhauled defence come the summer window. Our attack could be consistent when we've got Sturridge, Coutinho, and Firmino playing together, and we've plenty of gifted midfielders, so it seems that our defence is really letting us down.

Honestly, seeing how badly we're struggling just excites me for the team that Klopp will build in the future. Seeing what he did at Dortmund makes me optimistic for our future, so let's hope we can get some silverware this season to start off a new era.

I like klopp and think he will make a positive impact on Liverpool. I think Sturridge as much as I like seeing him play and think he is a great striker will always suffer from injuries. I am an Everton fan so really should not be praising Klopp but will let it slide this once

What did you think about the walkout? I agreed with it. Ticket prices for all the premiere league clubs are so expensive I have stopped going and have not been for a long time. They receive so much money from the TV deal and it just means larger transfer fees and higher wages and then they increase the prices for the fans. It would be better if it was like the German league where prices are reasonable and fans are not priced out.

Personally this season has been the worse quality of football I have seen for many years. The positive is that Leicester is doing well and they are proving that a well run, scouted and managed team can still fight for the league title. In the past only the team with the most money could win it now that is different. It might not happen again for another 30 years. Whatever happens for the rest of the season Leicester have done well.

I am more interested for next season. Jose possibly at Man Utd, Pep at Man City them hating each other. Then you have the other clubs who will also be fighting for the title. I do not think Pep will have the same impact at City as he has done in Spain or Germany. Simply for the fact that the teams in the permiere league are a bit more evenly matched and there are less easily winnable games with more teams being able to win the league. Also Pep is not a manager who sticks around 3 or 4 years and he will want to move on just like Jose.

Everton have played well this season but been defensively poor. Impressed with the attacking football but need more balance. Personally would sell John Stones in the summer. Great player with good ability but takes too many chances and its already cost 11 goals this season. He can go to Man City or Barcelona for £50 million which is a fair price.

I did not even know there was a football thread on here.