The Soccer Thread (Version 8)

As expected, Donovan rejoins the USMNT A team for the next WCQs.

GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

DEFENDERS (8.): DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City) John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Edgar Castillo (Club Tijuana), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders FC), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Michael Orozco (Puebla)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Michael Bradley (Roma), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim), Jermaine Jones (Schalke), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Aron Johannsson (AZ Alkmaar), Eddie Johnson (Seattle Sounders FC)

 

The Champions League groups:

Group A: Manchester United, Shakhtar Donetsk, Bayer Leverkusen, Real Sociedad.

Group B: Real Madrid, Juventus, Galatasaray, FC Copenhagen.

Group C: PSG, Benfica, Olympiakos, Anderlecht.

Group D: Bayern Munich, CSKA Moscow, Manchester City, FC Viktoria Plzen.

Group E: Chelsea, Schalke, FC Basel, Steaua Bucharest.

Group F: Arsenal, Marseille, Borussia Dortmund, Napoli.

Group G: Porto, Atlético Madrid, Zenit St Petersburg, Austria Vienna.

Group H: Barcelona, Milan, Ajax, Celtic.


Speaking as an Ajax fan.... fuck. And my God, is Group F loaded.

 

Fire at Alkmaar's stadium stops a Europa League playoff game. It'll be resumed from the 57th minute.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23892609

 

Looking more like the team that will be in Brazil. I like that Johannsson was included. I think that kid has a bright future.

 

As a Celtic fan ... double fuck. Bottom of the group standings, bhoys!

 

AZ Alkmaar wins and Apoel FC wins loser lottery to replace Fenerbahçe SK (match-fixing).

 

And the draw (pardon my spelling, I was going quick and my baby was on my lap):
A - Valencia, Swansea, Kuban Krasnado, St. Gallen
B - PSV Eindhoven, GNK Dinamo, Chornomerts Odesa, Ludoforets
C - Standard De Leige, Salzburg, Elfsborg, Esbjerg
D - Rubin Kazan, Wigan, Maribor, Zulte Waregem
E - Fiorentina, Dinipro, Pacos de Ferreira, Pandurii
F - Girondins de Bordeaux, Apoel, Eintracht Frankfurt, Maccabi Tel-Aviv
G - Dynamo Kyiv, GNC Genk, Rapid Wien, Thun
H - Sevilla, Freiburg, Estoril Praia, Slowan Liberec
I - Olympique Lyonnis, Real Betis Balompie, Vitoria, Rjeka
J - Lazio, Trabzonspor, Legia Warszawa, Apollon Limassol
K - Spurs, Anji, Sheriff, Tromso
L - AZ, Paok, Maccabi Hala, Shakhter Karagandy

 

I was wondering what the hell "Kuban Krasnado" was. Thought it might be a Spanish-language version of Sharknado. Turns out it's Kuban Krasnodar, which is in BFE Russia (but at least it's Black Sea Southern Russia as opposed to like Zenit). I mean, essentially isn't the point of the Europa group stage to put enough effort out to advance without jeopardizing one's domestic season and get drawn with enough big clubs to get a decent gate out of the process without getting drawn to take some trip over six time zones.

Of course, Spurs is the big winner here, as they get to go to a war zone (Anzhi), Moldova (Sherriff) and the northernmost top-flight club on the planet (Tromso is in Norway above the Arctic Circle).

 

Spurs at it again, they just got Christian Eriksen from Ajax.

 

Jozy sits today with hamstring twang, Friday's qualifier at Costa Rica in doubt.

http://www.soccerbyives.net/2013/08/sidelined-hamstring-qualifiers.html

Who starts up top, then? Johnson and Dempsey? Dempsey and Donovan? The dy-no-mite Johnson-Johannsson combo?

 

Big ole pile of pony loaf from the Prem for the TV viewing audience. Nary a first-half goal in any match today.

 

When do the "Sack Moyes" websites start appearing?