The Soccer Thread (Version 8)

Ronaldo's backheel volley ... holy crap.

http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2014/5/4/5681352/cristiano-ronaldo-goal-real-madrid-valencia-video

 

Good gosh, the Liverpool collapse today.

 

After all the shit Pulis took at Stoke, this is lovely.

 

Wow -- I stopped following the Guardian's MBM at around the 70 minutes point.

City needs 4 points at home against 2 teams with nothing to play for. Can't think that they will slip up.

 

Liverpool? More like Liver Worst!

 

Nice debut by 18-year-old James Wilson for United with two goals against Hull.

 

Ridiculous how good Giggs looked in his 20 minutes. He was United best player the season before against RM and had some great shifts this year.

 

Easy last day for Man City. Fair argument that Yaya Toure was the best player in the league, even above Suarez.

 

The 30 on the preliminary WC roster. I guess EJ is the biggest omission:

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

DEFENDERS: DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Timmy Chandler (Nürnberg), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders FC), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Clarence Goodson (San Jose Earthquakes), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim), Michael Parkhurst (Columbus Crew), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)

MIDFIELDERS: Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Maurice Edu (Philadelphia Union), Julian Green (Bayern Munich), Jermaine Jones (Besiktas), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

FORWARDS: Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Terrence Boyd (Rapid Vienna), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Aron Johannsson (AZ Alkmaar), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)

 

If Chandler makes the World Cup squad, all of Klinsmann's rhetoric about dedication and putting the team first will ring awfully hollow, especially to the likes of Donovan and Altidore.

 

Yeah -- surprised he was included. Obviously a need pick.

On the England choices, not sure why they did a 23+7 instead of a 30 man squad to be winnowed down later like other countries. I also would have given real thought to including Carrick in the 23.

 

Sepp Blatter admits Qatar getting a WC was a mistake. No word if he also said water is wet.

http://www1.skysports.com/FIFA-World-Cup-2014/news/12098/9313448/sepp-blatter-fifa-made-mistake-awarding-2022-world-cup-to-qatar