League Cup: Liverpool v AFC Bournemouth

League Cup
28 October 2015
Kick-off at 22:45
last 16

your thoughts?

League Cup: Liverpool v AFC Bournemouth

Biggest Talent Declines Ever for NTs?

Going back 60 years or so and earlier, there were prominent national teams that were elite back then but nowhere close to that now. Hungary for example.

But what about in the past 60 years? Which NTs have been elite for a long time and producing numerous world class players time and time again, but then suddenly the talent seemed to have plummeted? Virtually no world class talents on the team and the country questioning what is wrong with their footballing system?

I think Holland is the perfect example right now. RVP and Sneijder are past their primes. Robben is always injured. And in MF and DF, their players pale in comparison to past greats. Memphis seems to be the only up and coming player on track to being world class.

Italy could also be viewed as having a major talent drop-off. Is anyone on their squad right now a world class player?

England too. A huge step back in terms of established players but their future could be a bright one. Guys like Stones, Sterling, Kane, and Barkley could be on the way to being world class talents similar to guys like Stevie, Lamps, Owen, etc. where they were world class for a few years but not world legends.

At least Italy comfortable qualified for Euro and England steamrolled their competition. So they still played good football, which is something Holland cannot say.


So which NTs have suffered such precipitous drops as Holland now? Not only decline in talent but also decline in their footballing product?

Biggest Talent Declines Ever for NTs?

Dynamo Kiev could segregate black fans to combat racism

http://ift.tt/1GvmLEM


Dynamo Kiev stadium chief says Ukrainian club could segregate black fans from other supporters in bid to combat racism.

Quote:

A Dynamo Kiev stadium chief says they could segregate black fans from other supporters in a bizarre move to combat the sort of racist scenes seen in their Champions League draw with Chelsea. UEFA will decide on what disciplinary sanctions to take against Dynamo on Tuesday after shocking footage showed four black men being attacked in the home end of the Olimpiyskiy Stadium last week. And ahead of the outcome of the investigation Volodimir Spilchenko, the director of Dynamo's home ground, says that having a 'black sector' is one way they could stop the racist behaviour in the stands. 'We are trying, maybe, to make a special sector (for black fans),' Spilchenko said, 'In order to avoid the manifestation of racism.' The notion was suggested to the club by a journalist, but Spilchenko labelled it a 'good idea' and said: 'We'll probably listen to your offer,' in an interview reported by the Washington Post. Footage of the incident from the Group G game appeared to show a group spotting black fans in a neighbouring home section of the stadium before chasing them down in a targeted attack. Dynamo have a unwelcome recent history of racism in their support base, and the Ukrainian champions had their stadium partially closed after racist abuse of Everton players in the Europa League last season. But after the incident against Chelsea, Ukraine Football Federation vice-president Ohor Kochetov denied that there was a problem with racism at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium and questioned the motives of the black men who were seen being attacked in the footage. Kochetov told the Ukrainian news portal Vesti: '[The presence of the black fans] in the sector that is always occupied by the "Rodychi" ultras is highly surprising to everyone. 'People of that category (black people) have never been there. Initial information indicates that these people were without tickets and were holding flares. 'Maybe this was a specially planned provocation. These are all questions that require answers' The night before the game in Kiev, Chelsea fans were attacked by around 70 balaclava-clad Dynamo thugs in the city centre with at least one English supporter being hospitalised. A group of around 30 supporters were ambushed in the Ukrainian capital just moments after they had left the Shato Brewery bar just off Kiev's Independence Square.

So they are going to combat racism, by being racist:googly:

Dynamo Kiev could segregate black fans to combat racism

Bear discovered on Mars

An image taken from Nasa's online database of Mars photographs has been posted online by UFO hunters amid claims it "clearly" shows a bear or other four-legged mammal walking on the surface of the Red Planet.

One of them, Scott C Waring, who edits website UFO Sightings Daily, is convinced it is a bear and the real deal.

He posts, on an almost daily basis an array of the Nasa images - which are taken by its 4WD Curiosity Rover currently exploring the Martian surface and beamed back to Earth - and points out what he says are "aliens, crabs, statues, buildings, other objects, and even crashed UFOs" hidden among the rocks.

Of the latest find, he said: "This creature has real hair as seen from the shadows around its body. That means its not a statue, but a living creature.

http://ift.tt/1GvmLEI

:musik:

Bear discovered on Mars

[XPS] Etapa 16-a 2015-16

Astra - CSU Craiova
Concordia - Târgu Mureş
Petrolul - Iaşi
Pandurii - Voluntari
CFR Cluj - Steaua
Botoşani - ACS Timisoara
Dinamo - Viitorul

[XPS] Etapa 16-a 2015-16

2015 MLS Playoffs

So the playoffs are set with the New York Red Bulls winning the Supporters Shield (most points in regular season) and FC Dallas surprisingly winning the Western Conference. The top two in each conference get a bye while 3-6 play in a single match elimination match hosted by the higher seed. The host of MLS Cup will be the team with a higher seed. Already some big matchups in the preliminary round including Sounders vs. LA and a Canadian matchup between in form Montreal and Toronto. In fact, all three Canadian teams made the playoffs

Eastern Conference
1. New York Red Bulls
2. Columbus Crew
3. Montreal Impact
4. DC United
5. New England Revolution
6. Toronto FC

DC United hosts New England on Wednesday night while Montreal host Toronto on Thursday. The winners of each match go on to face either Columbus or New York which will be a two-leg tie

Western Conference
1. FC Dallas
2. Vancouver Whitecaps
3. Portland Timbers
4. Seattle Sounders
5. Los Angeles Galaxy
6. Sporting Kansas City

Wednesday is the big match between Seattle-LA in front of probably 40,000 people, in a matchup which probably MLS secretly wanted to avoid this early with two of the more popular teams :pp Portland-SKC kick off on Thursday night. FC Dallas and Vancouver receive byes until the next round

2015 MLS Playoffs

Cup: Feyenoord-Ajax

Wednesday 19:45

I'll be there. Can't wait for this one. Nighttime game against the old enemy for once. Dirk in form:musik: Kramer not suspended and Van Beek ready to wound himself for the cause :stuckup:

I'm happy about our attack. Elia vs Tete should be an interesting spectacle, but a bit unsure about our midfield. Hope big Rick is back at RB.

Team:

Vermeer

Karsdorp / Nieuwkoop - Van Beek - Vd Heijden :scared: - Kongolo

El Ahmadi - Vejinovic
Gustafson

Kuijt - Kramer - Elia

Hope big Eric Botteghin comes in for vd Heijden.

Prediction: a famous 2-1 win with the new K2 up front scoring.

Cup: Feyenoord-Ajax