**Official Soccer Thread**

[Zarniwoop]

RM has blown their 3 goal lead as well and are currently tied 3-3 on aggregate with Juventus in the 72nd minute

[NYBF]

Referee made sure there wasn't going to be 2 disappointing Spanish teams this round.

[Zarniwoop]

That call could have went either way IMO. With the ball as high as it was it was stupid to make any contact.

[Swashy]

Bigger choke... Barca or the Atlanta Falcons in the Super Bowl?

[beardmcdoug]

Cristiano Ronaldo really is one of the greatest of all time, isn't he?

I don't follow soccer really... but I've got to admit I always just assumed the dude was more "image" than player... but jesus, it feels like every time I catch a soccer highlight its him coming through in some huge moment

Is this ESPN-Goggles or is he really actually the man?

[Zarniwoop]

Dudes a cry baby diva

But he’s awesome - top 5 all time for sure

[Zarniwoop]

Bigger choke... Barca or the Atlanta Falcons in the Super Bowl?

Good question ... Falcons

[uscbucsfan]

Cristiano Ronaldo really is one of the greatest of all time, isn't he?

I don't follow soccer really... but I've got to admit I always just assumed the dude was more "image" than player... but jesus, it feels like every time I catch a soccer highlight its him coming through in some huge moment

Is this ESPN-Goggles or is he really actually the man?

I like Messi more, but he's right up there. They are the 2 best right now.

[uscbucsfan]

Bigger choke... Barca or the Atlanta Falcons in the Super Bowl?

Barca wins all the time...that was the Falcons' chance to finally win. It was worse for them, IMO.

[NYBF]

Cristiano Ronaldo really is one of the greatest of all time, isn't he?

I don't follow soccer really... but I've got to admit I always just assumed the dude was more "image" than player... but jesus, it feels like every time I catch a soccer highlight its him coming through in some huge moment

Is this ESPN-Goggles or is he really actually the man?

He scored a penalty. No one else on that team would be allowed to shoot it. Not saying he's not great, but he didn't really "come through" in this game. Messi >>>>, and to me it's not very close.

[The Outsider]

Cristiano Ronaldo really is one of the greatest of all time, isn't he?

I don't follow soccer really... but I've got to admit I always just assumed the dude was more "image" than player... but jesus, it feels like every time I catch a soccer highlight its him coming through in some huge moment

Is this ESPN-Goggles or is he really actually the man?

He scored a penalty. No one else on that team would be allowed to shoot it. Not saying he's not great, but he didn't really "come through" in this game. Messi >>>>, and to me it's not very close.

It's pretty close, honestly.

[Zarniwoop]

DC United just paid 12 million pounds for Wayne Rooney

What a freaking waste....LOL

[Phantom Phenom]

was going to say same thing and you did it before I could.

[NYBF]

DC United just paid 12 million pounds for Wayne Rooney

What a freaking waste....LOL

In what way do you think it's a waste? You think they're not going to make that money back in terms of merchandise and tickets?

Will he add to the team's talent level? I don't really know. Don't follow MLS enough to know.

The real problem with the deal? It hurts the MLS trying to shed their retirement league image.

[Zarniwoop]

DC United just paid 12 million pounds for Wayne Rooney

What a freaking waste....LOL

In what way do you think it's a waste? You think they're not going to make that money back in terms of merchandise and tickets?

Will he add to the team's talent level? I don't really know. Don't follow MLS enough to know.

The real problem with the deal? It hurts the MLS trying to shed their retirement league image.

The transfer fee in and of itself is a waste IMO...between that and his salary (I'm guessing 4-5 million), I simply don't see him moving the needle that much for advertising. Non-LA fans used to watch the Galaxy all the time when Beckham played. I don't see that for Rooney. He isn't well liked in general and say what you want about Beckham he at least still had world class dead ball and passing skills. Rooney has zero world class skills right now.

Maybe I'm wrong and he will have the impact on the field that say David Villa did, but I just can't see it happening.

If he comes over on a free and makes $500K a year, I would say it's a decent signing...but that isn't what is happening here.



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and for the record, im a Man U fan (having lived about 2 miles from the stadium for nearly 3 years) and I liked Rooney as a player when he was younger - he was fearless and had great power and strength.

[acmillis]

In what way do you think it's a waste? You think they're not going to make that money back in terms of merchandise and tickets?

Will he add to the team's talent level? I don't really know. Don't follow MLS enough to know.

The real problem with the deal? It hurts the MLS trying to shed their retirement league image.

The transfer fee in and of itself is a waste IMO...between that and his salary (I'm guessing 4-5 million), I simply don't see him moving the needle that much for advertising. Non-LA fans used to watch the Galaxy all the time when Beckham played. I don't see that for Rooney. He isn't well liked in general and say what you want about Beckham he at least still had world class dead ball and passing skills. Rooney has zero world class skills right now.

Maybe I'm wrong and he will have the impact on the field that say David Villa did, but I just can't see it happening.

If he comes over on a free and makes $500K a year, I would say it's a decent signing...but that isn't what is happening here.



-------


and for the record, im a Man U fan (having lived about 2 miles from the stadium for nearly 3 years) and I liked Rooney as a player when he was younger - he was fearless and had great power and strength.

No Player in MLS has world class skills...or else they'd be playing in Europe. Rooney will add talent to the starting 11 no matter what team he would go to in MLS. But the point of this signing is clearly not about adding talent to a starting 11 as the OP indicated with focus on ticket and merch sales.

[uscbucsfan]

The transfer fee in and of itself is a waste IMO...between that and his salary (I'm guessing 4-5 million), I simply don't see him moving the needle that much for advertising. Non-LA fans used to watch the Galaxy all the time when Beckham played. I don't see that for Rooney. He isn't well liked in general and say what you want about Beckham he at least still had world class dead ball and passing skills. Rooney has zero world class skills right now.

Maybe I'm wrong and he will have the impact on the field that say David Villa did, but I just can't see it happening.

If he comes over on a free and makes $500K a year, I would say it's a decent signing...but that isn't what is happening here.



-------


and for the record, im a Man U fan (having lived about 2 miles from the stadium for nearly 3 years) and I liked Rooney as a player when he was younger - he was fearless and had great power and strength.

No Player in MLS has world class skills...or else they'd be playing in Europe. Rooney will add talent to the starting 11 no matter what team he would go to in MLS. But the point of this signing is clearly not about adding talent to a starting 11 as the OP indicated with focus on ticket and merch sales.

Ibrahimmovic could still be playing for Man U. He's still world class even at 36.

[Zarniwoop]

No Player in MLS has world class skills...or else they'd be playing in Europe. Rooney will add talent to the starting 11 no matter what team he would go to in MLS. But the point of this signing is clearly not about adding talent to a starting 11 as the OP indicated with focus on ticket and merch sales.

Beckham was absolutely in the top 5 in terms of free kick ability and one of the top dozen or so with long ball vision when he first came here. He certainly wasn't a top 100 player or anything like that, but parts of his skill set absolutely were.

[acmillis]

No Player in MLS has world class skills...or else they'd be playing in Europe. Rooney will add talent to the starting 11 no matter what team he would go to in MLS. But the point of this signing is clearly not about adding talent to a starting 11 as the OP indicated with focus on ticket and merch sales.

Ibrahimmovic could still be playing for Man U. He's still world class even at 36.

Ok...so Zlatan and Beckham (who is no longer in the league) is your retort to "nobody in MLS is world class." Not such a strong argument there fellas.

[NYBF]

Has Zlatan done anything outside of his MLS debut?

[Zarniwoop]

Ibrahimmovic could still be playing for Man U. He's still world class even at 36.

Ok...so Zlatan and Beckham (who is no longer in the league) is your retort to "nobody in MLS is world class." Not such a strong argument there fellas.

Well as nobody means zero...yes it is my response

I never argued the MLS was world class. I said the player they are paying roughly $20M to bring in and probably $5M per year to play isn’t world class

The MLS has at times had guys that were exceptional at one or two things. They’ve never had a world class player in his prime. That statement doesn’t at all seem unreasonable .... but continue if you want

[Zarniwoop]

Has Zlatan done anything outside of his MLS debut?

He got turned down from the Sweden team ...does that count?

[uscbucsfan]

Has Zlatan done anything outside of his MLS debut?

He got turned down from the Sweden team ...does that count?

He scored another goal. 3 in 6 games isn't terrible.

[NYBF]

He got turned down from the Sweden team ...does that count?

He scored another goal. 3 in 6 games isn't terrible.

Definitely not terrible. Disappointing after 2 in what, 20 min? No idea how much of those other 5 games he's actually played, though. I only asked because I never heard him mentioned again after that first day.

[acmillis]

Ok...so Zlatan and Beckham (who is no longer in the league) is your retort to "nobody in MLS is world class." Not such a strong argument there fellas.

Well as nobody means zero...yes it is my response

I never argued the MLS was world class. I said the player they are paying roughly $20M to bring in and probably $5M per year to play isn’t world class

The MLS has at times had guys that were exceptional at one or two things. They’ve never had a world class player in his prime. That statement doesn’t at all seem unreasonable .... but continue if you want

Fair enough. I just don't understand why a player would leave his home continent/country (Rooney) for money that he could probably get/come close to getting if he played EPL or maybe even lower level league.

It does make all the sense in the world for me why and MLS franchise would do this though, elite or not.

[uscbucsfan]

He scored another goal. 3 in 6 games isn't terrible.

Definitely not terrible. Disappointing after 2 in what, 20 min? No idea how much of those other 5 games he's actually played, though. I only asked because I never heard him mentioned again after that first day.

I'm the definition of casual soccer fan. I'm a huge fan during the World Cup and I mostly catch big games in off years like El Classico, Champions league games, etc. I don't think I've ever watched MLS outside of SportsCenter highlights.

[NYBF]

Definitely not terrible. Disappointing after 2 in what, 20 min? No idea how much of those other 5 games he's actually played, though. I only asked because I never heard him mentioned again after that first day.

I'm the definition of casual soccer fan. I'm a huge fan during the World Cup and I mostly catch big games in off years like El Classico, Champions league games, etc. I don't think I've ever watched MLS outside of SportsCenter highlights.

I only occasionally watch the local MLS games, and that mostly to break my brother's balls. He's an nycfc fan, and I cannot support them. And the red bulls play even farther into jersey than the Jets and giants, so their NY claim is laughable at best. I don't even watch sports center, so you've got me there.

It's too bad, too. Because it would be nice if the domestic league wasn't so damn bad.

[Zarniwoop]

Honestly, there’s really only a couple leagues worth watching .. EPL and Bunda primarily. Occasionally a Spanish, French or Italian game. We could be the 6th best league and it wouldn’t be worth watching a lot.

[NYBF]

Looks like DC is scheduled to open a new arena in July. This move makes a lot more sense now.

[NYBF]

He got turned down from the Sweden team ...does that count?

He scored another goal. 3 in 6 games isn't terrible.