Any REAL football fans here? (Page 67)

Heh.  True enough. 

Maybe this will help you chose (http://www.nbcsports.com/joe-posnanski/how-pick-premier-league-club)

Or this (http://ftw.usatoday.com/2013/08/your-guide-to-picking-a-favorite-premier-league-team/)

Watched Barcelona play a couple games this week.  (forgive my newbieness).  Man, those guys are as good as their EA FIFA 14 counterpart....  Yikes.

Another super newbie question...

So, in my limited introduction, is Qatar trying to buy their way into football?

I only ask since they sponsor one of the best teams in the world (if not the best) and they are that way because they have a huge payroll...  AND they are getting the world cup in 2022?  Did they promise state of the art infrastructure and stadiums for that?

Also, is there a salary cap on teams like American sports or can you just spend like crazy and get the world's best and buy a championship?

I saw that too and was super disappointed.  Problem is, he has only played about 11 our of 18 games this year and only started in I think 5.  I'm wondering if it is a play time worry for him and not being fit for the WC.  My concern is yours though.  I think it is a bad move.  The US has now had two relatively high profile players abandon European competition to come home.  It is a step in the wrong direction.

Messi is absolutely unreal.  I LOVE watching him play and had the pleasure of doing so in Barca last March at a match.  He is, BY FAR, one of the best players ever to play the game.

My understanding is that they promised air conditioned, open air stadiums to deal with the heat.  Now it appears they may not be able to come through on that promise.  So now there is word that they will move the competition from the Summer to the Winter which would royally screw with every professional league on the planet EXCEPT the US.  There was also quite a bit of controversy over their winning it as it was the same year the US was trying to win. 

As to the salary cap question no there isn't, at least not like we have hear.  However, there has been a relatively new rule implemented about financial fair play. It has to do with how much money the club can actually lose each year in an attempt to level the playing field.  It is also quite controversial as many argue that it really won't help those outside of the top 8-10 teams compete.   

We won't hold that against you. 

Welcome.  Hopefully we can get more to join in on the fun.

Another weekend of footy has come and gone.  And more interestingly, we are that much closer to the crowning of the Ballon D'or.  Some think it is a happless task.

He is remarkable, isn't he?  Before this weekend, he was scoring a goal every 67 minutes.  I have no idea what the goals yesterday did to that rate.  It is unreal.  Just unreal.  22 goals in 16 games  is a rate of 1.375 goals per game and that is missing 6 of the first games of the season.  Still hate what he did last year to the reputation to the club but good god, that is untouchable.

See if you can steal a win from those Gunners please.  I would like my boys in red to stay in 4th. 

Welcome to the footy thread you two! It's great to see this thread on the front page so often these days!

Hey stranger!!!  I'm happy to see some fresh blood here. 

Thinking come late May or early June I'll start a WC only thread like we did last time.  Although this year it will be different because the games won't be at such wonky hours. 

Hey Crowny! Yeah, I've been mostly just lurking around recently but have enjoyed reading yours and Bcozican's posts. I hope he sticks around, I've learned a lot from you guys.

I watched the ManU game this weekend vs. Swansea City. It's interesting to see the panic and discontent. I know that doesn't hurt your feelings. LOL.

Good job on your guys this year, I watch them when they come up too.

And yes, I like the idea of another WC thread.

Long live the footy thread!

Ok, topic that's frequently discussed.  The FLOP.

I just know it's part of the culture and I explain it that way to people.  I also know they are trying to clean it up.  But man, it STILL get's to me.  Some guy goes down and writhes around in pain holding their leg or face and the slow motion replay clearly shows small or no contact on occasions.  Also, the NBA is good for it too.

I played throughout grade school and high school and never saw anyone go down like that unless it was obviously something pretty nasty.

What's good (but still looks silly) is that now refs are letting it go - so the guy is rolling around like a baby expecting something that will never come...  I guess if you are going to take a dive, then you better play it out and not just "recover" or they might think you are crying wolf every time.

End rant.

In my opinion, I often think that the problem is over-exaggerated by the haters that are looking for a way to ridicule a globally popular sport that they don't enjoy or understand. I know that you're raising the issue as a fan, Kido, and I understand that. But for me I just accept it as a small part of the beautiful game. I've watched a lot of games in which I didn't see a single obvious flop. Football is a very physical game and IMO the majority, or vast majority, of the time that players go to the ground it's not a flop.

I'm not hating on the game.  Like I said.  Played it for 8 years myself.  But as a sports fan, don't like it.  Don't like it in the NBA or any sport.  I know most of the time it's legitimate, but far too many times it's contrived.

Shoot, it's gamesmanship to try and draw a foul - I don't mind that or the "flop".  I get that.  But if that doesn't work, get up and start playing.  I often wonder if they put their team at a disadvantage if they are rolling around in fake pain instead of marking a man.  Rolling around like you have a broken leg, then getting up and running without even a limp?  Weird.  The guy who JUST got stretchered off, sprints back onto the pitch.  LOL.

Part of the game but it's also a distraction.  I find myself look at the guy rolling around in the corner of the screen wondering if they are going to do something rather than the game play.

Of course it is over exagerated by those that dislike the game.  They can't think of anything better to go after.   

At the same time, the excessive flopping (Cole, Suarez, many others) is hated by football fans too.  All that being said, I think this year seems to have been a bit better in that regard.  Or at least how the officiating crew is handling it seems to be better.  At least the games I've watched it seems to have been better.  Over all.  But that is anecdotally.  I'm wondering if there are any stats to back it up.