13/14 Football

[beetlebum]

Welp, just like with every transfer window, the old is ushered out, and the new is brought in.

There's plenty in the world of football (slash soccer, slash calcio, slash whatevs) for us to talk about.

Yesterday, Real Madrid put on an emphatic display against Bayern Munich to put them into the Champions League final for the first time in 12 years, while today, Atlético Madrid put three into Mark Schwarzer's net to ensure that they'll have a place along side their crosstown rivals.

Since we still have the Europa League, the Champions League, the World Cup; several mercati and everything else in-between to discuss, we might as well do it here.

Let's get the ball rolling (literally) here with this thread.

[JaggedFel]

Ugh what a choke job. I think we switched too more offense way too quickly. I also have to wonder if Hazard and Terry where fit enough. Matic being cup tied has been a real pain in the a**. Also goddamn how pathetic does one have to be to get carded for time wasting on a PK. Dont want Costa a bully, a traitor and a douche, not that I am big on loyalty but switching to Spain when ur only connection is working there for a few years rubs me wrong.

[Clarkie]

Well done to Atletico, they were the better side on the night. I don't think Chelsea need many more players to move on from here, Matic already looks the key to our midfield, and we have enough fast transition players, Courtois will be a great keeper, and most of the players are the right age, it's upfront where we need new blood.

[Clarkie]

With the new Nike advert out, I'm finally starting to get excited by the World Cup. Here's an interesting article about humidity and weather conditions in Brazil, it makes interesting reading for Argentina, Germany, and Italy fans especially.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27187741

[Matt the Manly]

Forget all that and lets get to the real business

Van Gaal? Klopp? Giardiola maybe?

Come on people this is a football forum so lets all talk about the Greatest Club in The World!

[JaggedFel]

lol greatest by what metric? Based purely on Stats I think Real Madrid is the greatest.

[LoneNecromancer]

Forget all that and lets get to the real business

Van Gaal? Klopp? Giardiola maybe?

Come on people this is a football forum so lets all talk about the Greatest Club in The World!

Nah, I think you should entrust it to Giggs. Welsh Guardiola, after all.

(in all seriousness I think Van Gaal will get it)

[Beadle]

Forget all that and lets get to the real business

Van Gaal? Klopp? Giardiola maybe?

Come on people this is a football forum so lets all talk about the Greatest Club in The World!

Nah, Van Gaal WAS a contender for managing the greatest team, but he's elected to chase the Man Utd job instead.

Frank De Boer is now favourite for the greatest club.

[mcgaffer]

Well the trend this season does seem to be for new starts at the end of the season.

I'm interested to see what Mourinho does about Courtois in the summer.

[Beadle]

Well the trend this season does seem to be for new starts at the end of the season.

I'm interested to see what Mourinho does about Courtois in the summer.

Depends what Cech's fitness is like. Mourinho is not one to accept he made a mistake, hence the fact that Lukaku will be leaving Chelsea in the Summer despite having been better than any of the other Chelsea strikers.

Courtois may suffer the same fate. And I don't think he'd care.

[Clarkie]

Depends what Cech's fitness is like. Mourinho is not one to accept he made a mistake, hence the fact that Lukaku will be leaving Chelsea in the Summer despite having been better than any of the other Chelsea strikers.

Courtois may suffer the same fate. And I don't think he'd care.

Courtois was out on loan well before Mourinho even came back, and that sort of decision isn't his to make alone. At the moment the rumour is Courtois will be back next season.

[Beadle]

So, signings of the season?

After a slow starts and think Fernandinho has been great for City. I don't think its a coincidence that Yaya has had his best season whilst playing alongside him.

Wilfried Bony at Swansea has also impressed me. I think he is at 16 league goals now this season which aint bad, especially for a club who have struggled a little plus I think he has had an injury.

I'm biased, but despite how bad a season Spurs have had (which is weird to say, considering they can still equal their record points haul), Christian Eriksen has been IMMENSE. And he's still getting better all the time.

[mcgaffer]

Good a time as any for old and new faces to reiterate which team they support, I'm a Bolton fan.

[king mob]

Good a time as any for old and new faces to reiterate which team they support, I'm a Bolton fan.

The club with the fourth highest amount of debt in the world if something I overheard on Radio 4 is right.


Myself, it's the Mighty Partick Thistle.

[Puma]

Good a time as any for old and new faces to reiterate which team they support, I'm a Bolton fan.

Chelsea

KTBFFH