toonarmy

Premiership Top 4 (in order): Chelsea, Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal Relegation (in order): Portsmouth, Burnley, Hull Dark horses: Fulham Top Scorer: Fernando Torres Championship Promotion: West Brom, Sheff Utd, Nott Forest -Newcastle to finish 7th Relegation: Barnsley, Blackpool, Scunthorpe League One Promotion: Leeds? I don't know anyone else well enough League Two Promotion: Newcastle in 4 years League Cup: Man U FA Cup: Liverpool Europe La Liga: Barcelona Serie A: Inter Milan Bundesliga: Stuttgart? Europa League: Eastern European/Russian team Champions League: Real Madrid Other World Player of the Year: Messi Who'll be NUFC's top scorer?: Carroll How many will Nile Ranger score?: 5 First Premiership Managerial casualty: Phil Brown Where will Man City finish?: 6th Will Gareth Bale win a match?: Yes

Interesting, well informed team-by-team season preview for the Championship, including players in and out, new managers and any other changes/major concerns/improvements. Predicts us coming in 14th place. Worth a read: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=664879&sec=england&root=england&cc=5901 Money quote on Newcastle: "They are in the unfortunate position of being both the prize scalp in the division and utterly unprepared for it."

Surely it's more fun than the last few weeks of despair and no news were. It's a decent substitute for the rumors of a transfer thread in a usual summer.

Sirous answer: otherwise all their sirous handjobs would be quite dangerous Serious answer: "Iranians, however, are prohibited from wearing ties in Iran because they contribute to the spreading of western culture, according to the website of the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khameini."

This is great news, not necessarily because I'm glad to see Martins go, or even because of the amazing 9 million price (who knows if that will go back into transfers or something less good like the Milner move). I'm just glad because this means movement, aka something's up one way or the other. But all I want to know is, who's making these moves? I wouldn't think Hughton would have that kind of power unless they've given him the manager job now. I don't think Ashley's that hands on. Llambias? Shearer secretly pulling strings and having Hughton/Ashley/Llambias rubber stamping? This is the first thing I want to know right now.

that was a definite handball. no idea how the ref missed it.

what a shot!

that was fucking unbelievable. unlucky SA

that was spectacular

Every American fan knows that he's by far the best attacking player the US has, the only one that has that something special (Jozy might have that, but still too young to know for sure). Dempsey seems perpetually tired, but he always puts in his shift, stays in the right places to make something happen, rises up to the moment and scores vital goals. I think Fulham has recognized his value as well, he seems to be a solid part of their plans now.

Howard, Gooch, Demerit, Donovan have been fucking immense today. I love it, love the attitude, effort. US WINS!!!

Unbelievable. Is there a way to rescind red cards with FIFA? I see no way that red could be held up if so. Gonna need him in the next game, whatever it is.

Egypt have looked really good right now. Played a great game today (though they certainly rode their luck), and I'd argue they outplayed Brazil for most of that game. Playing together really well. Meanwhile, we are shit. And Bradley needs to go.

News in SA today concerning Blatter refusing to ban vuvuzelas despite complaints from European press and players such as Xabi Alonso..could very well be there next year too! Hopefully at least they will stop giving them away for free to everyone entering the stadiums, even if they don't ban it entirely. I understand his point that when you go to Africa, it is different, people will dance and play the drums. But this artificial noise from the horns serves no purpose.

Personally, I love baseball the most, especially during playoff games when everything is so tense, but 1200 for world series tickets? That's absurd. I went to a world series game last year, cost me about $100. But I do admit that to really appreciate baseball, you have to know all the little subtleties and history, whereas something like basketball can be enjoyed much more easily. Also, for some reason I assumed New York for everything above. Ticket prices will obviously be much cheaper in other cities.

the US is awful. Beasley is a disaster. 2-0 already

Depends on your style obviously, but yes generally, baseball is probably the worst option for you to go watch unless you know the rules and such well. American football, it's hard as hell to get tickets and very expensive, and it's really not worth it for a multitude of weather and technological reasons, better off just watching at a bar or on a couch like the rest of the country. If you want to watch lower quality "soccer"-probably comparable at best to CCC play on a very good day, Red Bull Arena will have MLS games starting next year, should be a nice place. Tickets shouldn't be that expensive, about 20 to 40 dollars on average. Hockey is a great live sport in Manhattan, catch a Rangers game if you can. Same arena as the Knicks in basketball. Those two sports are probably your best bet, play from October until late April. Tickets should run you on average around 40-60 dollars, though if you buy far enough in advance, you can find tickets for around 10 dollars or slightly more. Also, when buying tickets for any American sport, beware that you will almost never pay face value. There's always extra charges for "convenience fees" and other nonsense, will add on about 10 dollars to any ticket-the only way to avoid most of these charges is to walk up to the stadium and buy the tickets there, which almost no one does.

That's surprising. It's all about the match you attended I guess. Some of the ones I've been to there, it's been absolutely mental. For instance, the season opener at ManU, Nevada Smith's was packed with fans, singing nonstop. The Boro game at the end of the season, it was a weekday, and the place was still absolutely insane. But yea, generally, with a team that was so bad, the atmosphere has died down a bit-hard to get excited in a bar if you're being destroyed.

Ugh. fucking Rossi again. That's going to hurt on the GD as well.

Wasn't the issue today against Italy and its solid defense. The early unwarranted red card and Jay Demerit's shambolic defending on the two goals was the issue.

Tim Howard is brilliant. Thank god for him.

that should be a penalty.

fuck

Not exactly lost it, he's still the US' leading scorer in the WC qualifying campaign. He's got no real strike partner with Ching injured, and he's still only 19. He still needs to develop his touch, it hasn't improved at all in the last year. Unfortunate that even when he went out on loan to Xerez he got no playing time with Xerez playing well. Hopefully he gets a chance to play next year and develop, I still believe in him as the US' best hope for the future and for next year.

fuck. Rossi brilliant shot after Dempsey played around in midfield too long and Rossi dispossessed him. Ugh.