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[h0pper]

I would view it with a little er... scepticism...cos there's little chance that growing up in America you can have the same appreciation of the sport that we do. the geographical rivalries, the banter with friends who support rival clubs, the comeraderie of fans and loads of other things.

doesnt mean your support isnt legitimate, or that you're any less dedicated or passionate, if anything foreign fans have more challenges than local fans. Its harder to watch the game, you feel disconnected etc. its just that appreciation of the club and sport would be different or underdeveloped.

if I was foreigner I would probably still gravitate towards Utd cos of their history and what the club represents etc etc - but my support would be underdeveloped without loads of time and research and playing the game.

well I've played the game my entire life. My family is a soccer family.

but yes, I do understand what you're saying since I didn't grow up with many soccer fans. It is hard to follow a foreign league, especially when you're younger. No money = no Fsc :lol

 

[Ryck]

It just too bad you follow Morrissey's football teams. He is my favorite singer but I hate the fact that he is a man u supporter.

Yes I suppose fate is against us somehow...


Barca v Arsenal about to start... such a bs game...

 

[WrikaWrek]

I'm pretty cool with that whole foreign thing.

Heh, american or african or asian, a fan is a fan. That's all that matters to me.

 

[Ryck]

My family is a soccer family.

Same here... my family is pretty huge too..all rabid footy fans... Mexican league obviously... im the black sheep ... El mira el futbol ingles..

 

[hadareud]

Apparently so....

looks real and also looks like the pictures that leaked earlier.

I like it, reminds me of the Dreamcast shirt.

 

[kaizoku]

well I've played the game my entire life. My family is a soccer family.

cool. but the fact you call it soccer kind of makes my point

just kidding. kind of.

there's more to "football fan-dom" than just playing it or even watching the team though. just the fact I'm surrounded by man utd fans everyday with a few anti utd fans here and there already makes my environment a lot different to yours.

think I will be watching the match in a bar and going through town afterwards, should be great if we win, miserable if we dont.

only 2 more hours

ohfuckohfuckohfuckohfuckohfuckohfuck

 

[Ryck]

looks real and also looks like the pictures that leaked earlier.

I like it, reminds me of the Dreamcast shirt.

I was about to say that lol... looks nice.

 

[h0pper]

Same here... my family is pretty huge too..all rabid footy fans... Mexican league obviously... im the black sheep ... El mira el futbol ingles..

el futbol de inglatera es el mejor futol del mundo

I'm Irish/Italian. My Dad isn't a big footy fan, but my Mom's side of the family is (Irish side). All my cousins played, my uncles. As I constantly brag, my one cousin was recruited by West Ham, another one played in college, and so did my uncle.

World Cup is always fun over the summer with them

And, we're all going to USA-Argentina together.

 

[mozfan12]

Same here... my family is pretty huge too..all rabid footy fans... Mexican league obviously... im the black sheep ... El mira el futbol ingles..

same here as Im the only one who wakes up early to watch the games. I still follow the Mexican league extensivley and I never miss a Cruz Azul game but my dad finds it weird that Im passionate for the EPL and Calcio

oh and the only foreign football my parents will see is the Spanish League because of the Mexicans in Barca and the Bundesliga because of Stuggart

 

[GHG]

http://www.goal.com/es/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=705016

Nasri's in London. The saga continues.

I'm liking the new kit. Will get mine with Sagna on the back this year me thinks.

 

[h0pper]

cool. but the fact you call it soccer kind of makes my point

there's more to "football fan-dom" than just playing it or even watching the team though. just the fact I'm surrounded by man utd fans everyday with a few anti utd fans here and there already makes my environment a lot different to yours.

oh I know this. There's so many kids here who just wear a football shirt because it's in style now. It pisses me off. I guarantee you there will be a good amount of kids watching the game today wearing United/Chelsea shirts but they don't know shit about the team outside of Rooney, Ronaldo, Drogba.

I don't want to be put into that category and that's why it pisses me off. I'm not like that at all. I consider myself a real supporter.

 

[Ryck]

Jesus Henry almost scored in the first 3 minutes of this game.. I had forgotten how well he played ...such an awesome game until the red card..

 

[psycho_snake]

Hey kaizoku are they showing the game in the city centre?

 

[hadareud]

http://www.goal.com/es/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=705016

Nasri's in London. The saga continues.

I'm liking the new kit. Will get mine with Sagna on the back this year me thinks.

hmmm ... maybe there will be an announcement after all today?

I NEED IT

 

[h0pper]

Jesus Henry almost scored in the first 3 minutes of this game.. I had forgotten how well he played ...such an awesome game until the red card..

what channel is that on?

 

[Cornballer]

I don't want to be put into that category and that's why it pisses me off. I'm not like that at all. I consider myself a real MLS supporter.

That's good to finally hear, h0pper.

 

[Ryck]

what channel is that on?

Its Azteca an OTA channel...Im not sure whereabouts they show it... it their HD channe.. ( it says 7HD on the screen) but its 29.1 for me. ( in California)

 

[h0pper]

That's good to finally hear, h0pper.

HAX!@!@ I DID NOT SAY THAT121

 

[liquid_gears]

My parents said they'll get me a United season ticket, but actually getting one is pretty difficult since there's probably a massive waiting list.

Please, tell me how!

I'm really going to look into this now though, but from what I understand it is pretty much impossible.

As for selection today, it's a difficult one. Most of the team picks itself but I really think that we need some physical presence in the midfield in the form of Anderson/Hargreaves. I think Park deserves a start on the wing as Giggs has been poor as of late and Nani is not mature enough yet.

I would be tempted to play Anderson, although he hasn't gotten many games lately, so I can't see that happening.

I think the line up will be as expected, but I will be very weary of the physical presence they have to face. The first 25mins of this game will be crucial I feel, but I can see both teams gaining the upper hand throughout the game.

 

[Karakand]

cool. but the fact you call it soccer kind of makes my point

Not really.

 

[Ryck]

Why the fuck did he give Jens a red card... they should have just given Barca the goal.... wtf


my prediction.


------------------VDS--------------------

Hargreaves---Rio-----Vidic----------Evra

Ronaldo---Scholes--Carrick-----Park

------------Rooney-----Tevez----------

 

[psycho_snake]

Please, tell me how!

I'm really going to look into this now though, but from what I understand it is pretty much impossible.

I dont know how to do it. I'll need to look into it. I doubt I'll get a season ticket for next season. If I apply now I'll probably be put on the waiting list. There were rumours that the waiting list has shortened a lot because of the increased ticket prices, so maybe I wont have to wait so long until I get one.

 

[liquid_gears]

Hey kaizoku are they showing the game in the city centre?

No.

Thanks to teh Rangers fans.

EDIT: Btw, If we win there may not even be a parade (thanks to the rangers fans again) as the police have basically said no. The M.E.N however (Manchester Evening News Paper) is strongly opposed to this and if we do win I can see the police and the council backing down.

 

[psycho_snake]

No.

Thanks to teh Rangers fans.

Thats what I thought. Shame for those of you in manchester.

 

[psycho_snake]

Why the fuck did he give Jens a red card... they should have just given Barca the goal.... wtf


my prediction.


------------------VDS--------------------

Hargreaves---Rio-----Vidic----------Evra

Ronaldo---Scholes--Carrick-----Park

------------Rooney-----Tevez----------

I cant see hargreaves at right back. The only time brown hasnt played at right back is when rio or vidic got injured and he's been moved into the middle.

 

[h0pper]

Not really.

thank you

 

[Fowler]

I'm kinda glad Liverpool aren't in the final. Well, I'm not, I'm still disappointed. But I've spent all day at work dealing with the Champions League and all sorts of Moscow-related stories, and I have no idea how I'd manage to do that if it was Liverpool. So hey, silver linings...

 

[liquid_gears]

Why the fuck did he give Jens a red card... they should have just given Barca the goal.... wtf


my prediction.


------------------VDS--------------------

Hargreaves---Rio-----Vidic----------Evra

Ronaldo---Scholes--Carrick-----Park

------------Rooney-----Tevez----------

AS psycho said, I can't see Hargreaves playing at right back. However, this would be my favoured line up. Hargreaves is more composed than Brown, especially going forward and he is more than capable of playing at RB.

 

[psycho_snake]

AS psycho said, I can't see Hargreaves playing at right back. However, this would be my favoured line up. Hargreaves is more composed than Brown, especially going forward and he is more than capable of playing at RB.

yeah I think hargreaves makes a better right back than Brown does. Hargreaves can do a good job defiending and he's so much better than brown at going forward. He can cross the ball better than most of the players in our team.

Despite that, brown will be at right back.

 

[Mama Smurf]

What? Ballack is not going to be dropped.....

Well I wouldn't have thought so either, but he did drop Ballack, Ashley Cole and Joe Cole for the League Cup final, so you never know.

It would be a mistake not putting rooney and tevez upfront imo.

I reckon giggs will play over park because of the experience giggs has, but I reckon that would be a mistake. Giggs' performances have been pretty bad lately, whilst Park has been playing pretty well. I'd like to see park start, or maybe even nani. The problem with nani is that although he's pretty skillful and can put in a good cross, he's also very wasteful. Against Chelsea he was the one getting into the best positions, but he always lost the ball.

I wouldn't start Tevez, personally. I'd play this:

---------------Van der Sar---------------

Hargreaves---Vidic---Ferdinand---Evra

------------------Carrick------------------

----------Scholes------Anderson---------

Park------------------------------Ronaldo

------------------Rooney------------------

But it doesn't matter what I'd play, Anderson has next to no chance of starting looking at recent weeks.

Park wouldn't necessarily start on the wing of course, could be in there with Scholes and Carrick, though I don't personally see the point of that over Hargreaves. I'm sure he'll play though, he's started 7 of the last 10. They've won 6 and drawn 1 (away to Barca, so no shame there) of the 7 Park's started, drew 2 and lost 1 of the 3 he didn't start.

Are you going to durham?

yup

 

[Google]

---------------Van der Sar---------------

Hargreaves---Vidic---Ferdinand---Evra

------------------Carrick------------------

----------Scholes------Anderson---------

Park------------------------------Ronaldo

------------------Rooney------------------

Take Anderson out, and put Brown in. Swap Brown with Hargreaves, then swap Carrick with Hargreaves.

 

[Mama Smurf]

I might do that if Neville was fully fit.

 

[Google]

I might do that if Neville was fully fit.

Brown's a strong defender, who would do a better job against the strength of Kalou and Drogba et all.

 

[GHG]

yup

You go to Durham??? What college?

 

[Mama Smurf]

Hargreaves can handle Kalou or Malouda, Drogba is Vidic and Ferdinand's job. His attacking ability would allow Ronaldo to support Rooney up front more. I really think the only thing Brown has over Hargreaves defensively is his strength in the air, but then he lacks Hargreaves pace and energy.

 

[Mama Smurf]

You go to Durham??? What college?

Stephenson

 

[hadareud]

WHERE'S MY ANNOUNCEMENT FOR FUCKS SAKE

 

[Frenck]

Dropping Ballack would be a huge mistake. He's one of the few players in the squad who has already played in a CL final. He would be furious about it as well because our whole national side will watch the game and cheer for him tonight.

 

[hadareud]

you could go as far as saying that it would be ballacks to drop him

 

[Mama Smurf]

Actual teams are in, United first. I wonder if dropping Park will come back to haunt Fergie as it has the last 3 times he did it.

-------------Van der Sar-----------

Brown---Vidic---Ferdinand---Evra

--------------Hargreaves------------

----------Scholes----Carrick--------

Ronaldo----------------------Rooney

------------------Tevez---------------

 

[DSWii60]

Paul Ince's son has joined our academy. Hopefully he'll turn out to be a great player like his dad.

A famous Liverpool and England name is on the Anfield club's new role of academy youngsters with Thomas Ince following in his father's footsteps.

Ince junior, 16, has been taken on by the club as a first-year academy trainee, but unlike his father, who was an England captain as a midfielder, Thomas is a striker.

Paul, 40, is now manager of MK Dons and took them to promotion from League Two this season, after previously taking charge of Macclesfield when his playing career came to an end.

Ince played for West Ham and Manchester United before moving to Inter Milan, and cited the fact that he wanted Thomas to attend school in England as the reason for his return from Italy to join Liverpool in 1997.

The Ince family have always kept their home on the Wirral, where Thomas has worked his way successfully through the Liverpool's schoolboy teams to the point that he has now started his career as a professional.

Liverpool have released three players from last season's academy - defender Mattone Awang, winger Ben Parsonage and striker Michael Collins.

Swedish midfielder Astrit Ajdarevic, part of the FA Youth Cup winning side of 2007, is looking for a new club while still being under contract at the club.

A quick question for those in though know more than me, why is Ajdarevic so desperate to move away from Anfield?

 

[Fowler]

1830: FULL TEAMS
Manchester United: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Carrick, Hargreaves, Scholes, Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez. Subs: Kuszczak, Anderson, Giggs, Nani, O'Shea, Fletcher, Silvestre.
Chelsea: Cech, Essien, Terry, Carvalho, A Cole, Makelele, Ballack, Lampard, Malouda, J Cole, Drogba. Subs: Cudicini, Shevchenko, Mikel, Kalou, Alex, Belletti, Anelka.

(from the BBC)

 

[Mama Smurf]

Chelsea:

-----------------Cech------------------

Essien---Terry---Carvalho---A Cole

----------------Makelele---------------

-----------Ballack----Lampard--------

J Cole-------------------------Malouda

------------------Drogba---------------

Malouda again, nobody knows why.

 

[GHG]

Stephenson

Ahh Stockton. You should have come to City . Things are much nicer (supposedly) over here. What subject?

 

[Cornballer]

WHERE'S MY ANNOUNCEMENT FOR FUCKS SAKE

 

[Mama Smurf]

Park didn't even make the bench, I hope that's a last minute injury or Fergie's a cunt as no way Nani should be ahead of him. Or Fletcher. Surprised Saha didn't make it in case things are going wrong.

 

[Karakand]

thank you

Assigning value to people's natural manner of speaking is retarded (and unfortunately quite British). This is why one of my real life joke characters (if I have them online you don't think I have them off?) is to be as blue collar / urban in my matter of speaking as possible. Adults usually think less of me, which speaks volumes about their character (And unintentionally quite quickly too. Nice to know I have a quick and easy way of singling out the keepers from the asshats.) but I find I can communicate with almost anyone about almost anything effortlessly, which would probably make me a good teacher if I wasn't completely jaded when it comes to teaching.

If I told you my family's dinner table conversations were profanity-laden (because of me) you would probably think we were a bunch of grimy chimney sweeps or something (especially if you were English) and nothing more. Then if you actually came to our house and had dinner with us you would see that by shattering inane social conventions I have made an event that (at least for me) can be somewhat anxiety-inducing (not eating dinner with *my* family, but eating dinner with a friend's family for the fist time) completely relaxing. You know that you can speak your mind at this table and while you might get called out on some shit ultimately my mom won't say, "you're never hanging out with that person again," to me after you've left.

Anyways, the point I'm trying to make is that calling out someone's word choice as validating your opinion is retarded. So yes, while you using the word soccer does validate kaizoku's theory that foreign Prem fans are second class or otherwise inferior his theory is in and of itself retarded so that is irrelevant. Yes, a foreign fan can't "know" the true local (lol) Manchester United fan (lol) experience, but at the same time a foreign fan is also free from the trappings of being a true local (lol) Manchester United fan (lol). Just as a person's lexicon is valueless, so is their location. Both have pros. Both have cons. This is not a situation with an objectively "better" choice because sports are entertainment to the fan and entertainment is an irrational concept. There are many aspects of European football supporter culture American sports fan culture could do better by adopting and there are many aspects of American sports fan culture European football supporter culture could do better by adopting (like not being racist fucks) to think otherwise is nothing but egocentrism or the wearing of rose-colored glasses.

I hate being hungover, I become philosophical. I have been almost joke post free on GAF today.

P.S. I wanted to avoid typing this whole thought process out so I just posted "not really" the first time. Joke's on me!

 

[norinrad21]

It would be totally weird to drop Park,

Besides the whole of Korea is watching this game and shirt sales might go down if he doesn't play :lol

 

[Cornballer]

Youtube of Makelele's two-footed tackle on Cashley. Doesn't seem like a particularly clever idea on the day before the CL final.

 

[Mama Smurf]

Ahh Stockton. You should have come to City . Things are much nicer (supposedly) over here. What subject?

I would have if I had the choice, but my course meant I had to choose either Stephenson or John Snow, which I almost chose simply because it's the name of a character from A Song of Ice and Fire, but I decided I should probably look through the facitlities and locations first.

Psychology.