2011-2012 European Football Thread.

[Remember The Alomar]

Ugly, yet awesome. Bummed I couldn't make it to Slainte with you McNuts, but couldn't be happier with the result. Remarkable how different the squad looks with Suarez in it.

[Skeletor]

The Arse might be in trouble this year. I don't see them as a top 4 side. But as the pundits say "It's early days".

[gallden]

Dire dire performance. I will hopefully be eating my words but I'd love to sell Andy Carroll back to Newcastle. Mierles should be starting instead of Charlie Adam. We desperately need Gerrard back. Suarez is a class above.

[Skeletor]

Dire dire performance. I will hopefully be eating my words but I'd love to sell Andy Carroll back to Newcastle. Mierles should be starting instead of Charlie Adam. We desperately need Gerrard back. Suarez is a class above.

You have some high standards. They just beat Arsenal at Emirates.

[gallden]

You have some high standards. They just beat Arsenal at Emirates.

Did you watch the match? We should have been beating them long before pingpong got sent off.

[Skeletor]

No, I didn't. Unfortunately I'm working 14 hours on a beautiful Saturday. But whenever you can pull out a win against a top 4 side at their park, it's a good day.

[nevadaO]

A quick question...what team(s) do you guys follow, and why did you pick them? I love watching soccer but I can't really bring myself to really loving a team because, frankly, none of them are from Baltimore (or America) haha. I find myself much more attached to the players than the teams, which is the opposite of my domestic sports experience.

Atom_25 and I are Newcastle United supporters. gallden, Remember the Alomar, (and I believe McNulty) support Liverpool. Scrat1 follows Real Madrid. Bosibus is Everton. Sorry that I don't know who everyone else supports; I actually went back through some threads to try and find out though.

For me, I spent most of my childhood in Europe (8-18) and when I was 9 my best friend and his family, who were from England, took me to St. James Park in Newcastle for my first live match. Ever since then I have followed them. It was actually a horrible year for them as they were relegated to the old English Division 2 (this was before the English Premier League was formed in 1993).

[gallden]

Lulz at everton.

[Remember The Alomar]

Adam was good. Carroll did what he was asked of--hold the ball up and flip it on. He had no support. Also had a nice header. Wasn't a great game from him, but he wasn't dreadful either. I think one would be hard pressed to call this match dire. It was ugly, but Kenny's tactics worked perfectly. Holding Suarez and Mierles till the last twenty minutes was risky, but it worked to a T. One has to think that was the plan all along.

Give Arsenal some credit--they played a lot better than people expected. Their defense was very good, no cross could find a Liverpool head. It wasn't a classic by any means, but good teams find ways to win games like this. I'm very happy.

[gallden]

They only had four or five first team players. Three or four of them made their prem debuts the rest are bit part players. We shouls have battered them. Our whole footballing philosophy is different with carroll. Not saying this is his fault like but hoof it up to the big man won't be getting us into the top four.

[atom_25]

I love you Ryan Taylor.

[Remember The Alomar]

They only had four or five first team players. Three or four of them made their prem debuts the rest are bit part players. We shouls have battered them. Our whole footballing philosophy is different with carroll. Not saying this is his fault like but hoof it up to the big man won't be getting us into the top four.

Agree to disagree. RVP, Walcott, and Nasri were all non-factors. If Vermaelen didn't have such a great game we'd all be singing a different tune.

I saw this tweeted earlier:

http://fourfourtwo.com/statszone/share.aspx?i=0r4w

I don't really think we were hoofing it that much. From that chart it's safe to say that Carroll can be a part of a pass and move team. He didn't play great, but he's going to be fine in the long run. However I will say that he goes down much quite easily. It's not that he's diving per. He just needs to use his strength to his advantage.

[McNulty]

I'm with gallden. Carroll is a lumbering, slow dude with little secondary skills at this point.

Suarez is a class above. I'm buying his jersey this week.

[Remember The Alomar]

Sometimes I feel like people forgot that he scored 11 in 19 before he was sold to Liverpool. He's made a grand total of nine appearances for the Reds. Let's give him at least half a season.

[McNulty]

Sometimes I feel like people forgot that he scored 11 in 19 before he was sold to Liverpool. He's made a grand total of nine appearances for the Reds. Let's give him at least half a season.

No way dude, I'm going to continue to be irrational.