TalkBass OFFICIAL English Football thread 2012-13: Part 3

[Tituscrow]

Crikey....all home nations winning. If its like this at full time, a prize for first one to remember when that last happened.

No cheating.









Who am I kidding? God bless Google

[chuck norriss]

Originally Posted by Tituscrow

The best eleven players in

Looking forward to seeing if this Neymar character is all he's cracked up to be:

Attachment 316162

Is he going to City? He'll get a look at Hart--I don't know if they've faced each other before. It should be a good match.
I would love to see a game at Wembley before I die. But to see the best of England & Brazil, at Wembley--that would be something.

[Tituscrow]

Originally Posted by chuck norriss

Is he going to City? He'll get a look at Hart--I don't know if they've faced each other before. It should be a good match.
I would love to see a game at Wembley before I die. But to see the best of England & Brazil, at Wembley--that would be something.

Trust me, Wembley is way overrated. Nothing more than a cash cow for a corrupt and salivating FA.

Terrible atmosphere, terrible views, terrible pies, terrible ale...and all for ridiculously exorbitant prices.

You'd be better off taking in a proper city derby (Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, London) at a proper ground with proper fans.

[chuck norriss]

That bad?
Too late anyway I missed it & no tv coverage here. Maybe I can find it on the interwebs. I'd like to catch Neymar & Hulk too but I'm not going to Brazil 2014 or any time soon. rooney's not so cold for his home team after all.

[Tituscrow]

Originally Posted by chuck norriss

Is he going to City? He'll get a look at Hart--I don't know if they've faced each other before. It should be a good match.
I would love to see a game at Wembley before I die. But to see the best of England & Brazil, at Wembley--that would be something.

Trust me, Wembley is way overrated. Nothing more than a cash cow for a corrupt and salivating FA.

Terrible atmosphere, terrible views, terrible pies, terrible ale...and all for ridiculously exorbitant prices.

You'd be better off taking in a proper city derby (Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, London) at a proper ground with proper fans.

[Tituscrow]

Sorry for the double post!?

Btw...am I a bad person for neglecting to include the Northern Irish when I mentioned home nations? Eek!

Seriously though, they are a poor, poor side. Nil nil at Malta? My mate runs Airbus FC in the Welsh Premier League. They'd have beaten the Maltesers

[Darkstrike]

Did they like just put on Johnny Evans on his own against Malta?


Other surprising result, Ireland beat Poland 2-0, never expected that.

[dangnewt]

Now that World Cup Qualifying is back in the news in the US, it is getting some airtime on the radio and some ink in the newspapers. While the newspaper can usually find someone who knows and like the sport; the radio guys, you're lucky if they acknowledge the sport at all and they will admit that they know nothing.

I heard one of our sports talk radio guys wonder aloud if Tim Howard is any good, is he overrated? I figure if he is a #1 keeper for the 5th place team in a top league; that means that, yeah, he is pretty good.

Are there goalie rankings in the EPL or some generally accepted rough ranking of the top 10? Is Howard as the US's #1 generally considered as good? better? than, say, Spain's #3, Reina? (After that goal Reina let in at City, I'm in the Howard camp right now) From what I've watched, Joe Hart is in a tier above, but I don't know the league well enough to know how many are in Hart's tier and where Howard does stand. And is he even the best American keeper according to the EPL experts?

[Darkstrike]

Hart is probably No.1, though he's been having a shocker of a season at points.

FWIW, I'd pick Howard over Reina, but I'd pick Friedel over Howard, I assume he doesn't get much US duty any more?

[dangnewt]

Freidel hasn't been in the lineup since 2004 and Wiki says he retired from international duty in 2005 - he did have 82 caps. Guzan from Aston Villa is the #2 and MLS keeper Sean Johnson is the #3.

[MarkMgibson]

Originally Posted by dangnewt

Now that World Cup Qualifying is back in the news in the US, it is getting some airtime on the radio and some ink in the newspapers. While the newspaper can usually find someone who knows and like the sport; the radio guys, you're lucky if they acknowledge the sport at all and they will admit that they know nothing.

I heard one of our sports talk radio guys wonder aloud if Tim Howard is any good, is he overrated? I figure if he is a #1 keeper for the 5th place team in a top league; that means that, yeah, he is pretty good.

Are there goalie rankings in the EPL or some generally accepted rough ranking of the top 10? Is Howard as the US's #1 generally considered as good? better? than, say, Spain's #3, Reina? (After that goal Reina let in at City, I'm in the Howard camp right now) From what I've watched, Joe Hart is in a tier above, but I don't know the league well enough to know how many are in Hart's tier and where Howard does stand. And is he even the best American keeper according to the EPL experts?

For what it's worth, I reckon Howard's a great Keeper- certainly in the top half dozen in the EPL. I wish Arsenal would sign him, to be honest. Friedel is pretty damn good as well, despite his age. I don't think your team has any problems in the GK department.

[Darkstrike]

Originally Posted by dangnewt

Freidel hasn't been in the lineup since 2004 and Wiki says he retired from international duty in 2005 - he did have 82 caps. Guzan from Aston Villa is the #2 and MLS keeper Sean Johnson is the #3.

Ahhh, Guzan ain't bad either. Says Sean Johnson is the Fire's keeper, and I can't really remember anyone putting a big scoreline up against them.

Originally Posted by MarkMgibson

For what it's worth, I reckon Howard's a great Keeper- certainly in the top half dozen in the EPL. I wish Arsenal would sign him, to be honest. Friedel is pretty damn good as well, despite his age. I don't think your team has any problems in the GK department.

I'd reckon keeping is one of the American strengths, even heard theories that it's due to all their major ball sports involving hands(IIRC it's an important part of the Escape to Victory plotlines).

If anything, I'd be more worried about defenders, I can't think of any major quality US fullbacks or centrebacks. There's Geoff Cameron that plays for Stoke, and one lad for Malaga with a name I can't begin to type.

[MarkMgibson]

Originally Posted by Darkstrike

Ahhh, Guzan ain't bad either. Says Sean Johnson is the Fire's keeper, and I can't really remember anyone putting a big scoreline up against them.


I'd reckon keeping is one of the American strengths, even heard theories that it's due to all their major ball sports involving hands(IIRC it's an important part of the Escape to Victory plotlines).

If anything, I'd be more worried about defenders, I can't think of any major quality US fullbacks or centrebacks. There's Geoff Cameron that plays for Stoke, and one lad for Malaga with a name I can't begin to type.

Yeah, I'd have to agree. We Aussies seem to have the opposite problem at them moment. GK's and defenders aren't bad, but we don't have a decent striker. Tim Cahill usually ends up playing as a sole striker, but that's not really his position. Since Mark Viduka retired, I'm afraid we've been stuffed in that department. He was a class act.

We're struggling to even qualify for the next world cup - not enough creative players.

[Keano]

So Jamie Carragher will be retiring at end of season. We must take the time to thank him for all that he has done.

He scored more goals for Tottenham than Didier Zokora, Wilson Palacios and Scott Parker combined. Thank you, Carra.

[dangnewt]

Originally Posted by MarkMgibson

For what it's worth, I reckon Howard's a great Keeper- certainly in the top half dozen in the EPL. I wish Arsenal would sign him, to be honest. Friedel is pretty damn good as well, despite his age. I don't think your team has any problems in the GK department.

Thanks, it seems to be the position that the US seems to be able to develop top pros and have for a while. In hockey, for some reason, Finland produces more than its share of top professional goalkeepers.

That is kind of what I thought about Howard, it is good to hear the confirmation from the TB football fans.

[dangnewt]

Originally Posted by Darkstrike

Ahhh, Guzan ain't bad either. Says Sean Johnson is the Fire's keeper, and I can't really remember anyone putting a big scoreline up against them.


I'd reckon keeping is one of the American strengths, even heard theories that it's due to all their major ball sports involving hands(IIRC it's an important part of the Escape to Victory plotlines).

If anything, I'd be more worried about defenders, I can't think of any major quality US fullbacks or centrebacks. There's Geoff Cameron that plays for Stoke, and one lad for Malaga with a name I can't begin to type.

I think it is a problem again this year. Although the midfield was not that helpful either.

Carlos Bocanegra has been the mainstay of the D- he is at Racing Santander this year and had played for Fulham, Rangers and some French teams, but he is getting older (he turns 34 this spring). In Honduras, he was on the bench and they went with a very young back four - Cameron was the oldest at 27. The others were 22, 24 and 25. One of them playing in Europe is Tim Chandler who is 1/2 German and only 22 - he plays for Nurmburg. If the kids come together, it could be great for the future, if not, the team may not qualify.

The team was hoping to grab a point in Honduras, but it didn't happen.

[MarkMgibson]

Originally Posted by Darkstrike

Ahhh, Guzan ain't bad either. Says Sean Johnson is the Fire's keeper, and I can't really remember anyone putting a big scoreline up against them.


I'd reckon keeping is one of the American strengths, even heard theories that it's due to all their major ball sports involving hands(IIRC it's an important part of the Escape to Victory plotlines).

If anything, I'd be more worried about defenders, I can't think of any major quality US fullbacks or centrebacks. There's Geoff Cameron that plays for Stoke, and one lad for Malaga with a name I can't begin to type.

Might be true of Aussies too, especially when it come to AFL. We've always had top quality Goal Keepers. There's three playing in the EPL right now (Mark Schwartzer, Adam Federici, and Brad Jones), and a couple playing in other top European Leagues. I'd trade a couple of them for some decent midfielders and strikers though (and wingers, and defenders, and).

[Tituscrow]

I always rated Brad Friedel, even if he is Hellboy's double.

Tim Howard - when he first came to Goodison, we thought 'here we go, another United reject heading our way', but to be fair, he's mostly done the business but has been guilty of some howlers - as have all keepers - in recent seasons. Not sure how much longer he'll be our number one choice, but good keepers are hard to unearth. Our problem is every keeper these days is always compared to Big Nev....on his day, the best in the world back then!

[Darkstrike]

Originally Posted by Tituscrow

I always rated Brad Friedel, even if he is Hellboy's double.

Scaring strikers can only be a bonus.

[Tituscrow]

Originally Posted by MarkMgibson

Might be true of Aussies too, especially when it come to AFL. We've always had top quality Goal Keepers. There's three playing in the EPL right now (Mark Schwartzer, Adam Federici, and Brad Jones), and a couple playing in other top European Leagues. I'd trade a couple of them for some decent midfielders and strikers though (and wingers, and defenders, and).

Neville Southalls understudy was a lad called Jason Kearton, who I think was an Aussie? He never got a chance to usurp the king, and I think he was farmed out amongst lower league clubs (Blackpool and Notts County I think) to keep him occupied. I think he went back to Oz about 10 years ago.

As for Cahill...his status on Merseyside is legendary.