Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,576 posts, read 81,186,228 times
Reputation: 57813
Advertisements
Yes, I watch often on TV here, don't really follow any particular teams,
just enjoy seeing games when our MLS Sounders are not playing.
When in High School and College I used to work for Frank Hill, former player and coach of several teams like Crewe Alexandra, Burnley, and
Preston North End in the 1950s. He was a referee for college games in California well into his 70s, passed away in 1992.
Are you regular followers in America? Do games get shown live on TV, like a couple of NFL games get shown on Sunday nights over here.
How many of you know about the lower leagues? With American football you have your college soccer then the MLS.
We have hundreds of leagues.
The top 4 being the ones that are mainly supported in, and the ones called the football league. Below that is classed as non-league.
I support a team in the 4th tier called Rotherham United (Has any American heard of them?) We are 2nd out of 24 teams after 21 games with 25 games left to play.
I hope i can educate the unknowing in English football and have a good chat with the ones who know alot about football across the pond, and the English bunch who will know about it.
I try and keep up with a bit of MLS, but theres not much (if any) coverage over here.
I support super Reading FC!
Your lot looking good in league 2 at the moment, big game against wycombe coming up! Watch a bit of league two footie as my cousin is an aldershot fan they're ****e at the moment. Pretty close at the top though. I though Port vale were gonna storm it, Seems they had a bit of a blip?
I know dozens of English cities and towns specifically because of learning up on the football league system. I don't watch so many games, though, mainly because we only get the same superclubs on TV all the time and I support my local MLS side anyway.
Are you regular followers in America? Do games get shown live on TV, like a couple of NFL games get shown on Sunday nights over here.
How many of you know about the lower leagues? With American football you have your college soccer then the MLS.
We have hundreds of leagues.
The top 4 being the ones that are mainly supported in, and the ones called the football league. Below that is classed as non-league.
I support a team in the 4th tier called Rotherham United (Has any American heard of them?) We are 2nd out of 24 teams after 21 games with 25 games left to play.
I hope i can educate the unknowing in English football and have a good chat with the ones who know alot about football across the pond, and the English bunch who will know about it.
I watch the EPL every weekend. I'm a big Arsenal supporter. They've had a relatively poor season so far by their standards, but still sit third in the table. I'm just hoping they finish in their usual CL spot..
They're also going through a rough patch right now in other competitions. They have Barca waiting for them in the CL, thanks to not winning a group they should have taken easily.
Then today's 1-0 loss to Ipswich Town in the first leg of the Carling Cup semi was a disgrace. Normally, you would have to figure they would make that up easily in the 2nd leg at the Emirates, but after what happened this past weekend versus Leeds, who knows?
Boycee - Everyone thought Port Vale would after there start, with the layers they have they should of, but they have hit a terrible run in form.
We had ours a while back, so hopefully the season will continue the way we are currently going. The 5-0 win against Port Vale was a shock but a great one.
Aldershot used to be our bogey side before the playoffs last season now its Shrews.
I watch the EPL every weekend. I'm a big Arsenal supporter. They've had a relatively poor season so far by their standards, but still sit third in the table. I'm just hoping they finish in their usual CL spot..
They're also going through a rough patch right now in other competitions. They have Barca waiting for them in the CL, thanks to not winning a group they should have taken easily.
Then today's 1-0 loss to Ipswich Town in the first leg of the Carling Cup semi was a disgrace. Normally, you would have to figure they would make that up easily in the 2nd leg at the Emirates, but after what happened this past weekend versus Leeds, who knows?
I first learned of English Premiership soccer atleast 6 years ago thanks to the fox soccer channel on Satellite. We now also get Premiership matches on one of the ESPN channels as well. I also know about but am not that familiar with the Championship league and league one. Believe it or not I can more easily watch a premiership match on TV here than an MLS match.
I fell in love with Premiership football as soon as I started watching the matches. It was the first time I had seen soccer played with that level of skill, physicality and intensity. And the first time I had seen teams with such strong and large fan bases. I had mostly only watched a little MLS before then.
I wanted very much to choose a premiership team that I considered mine and could get behind and root for figuring it would make watching the matches more fun. But, I've always in life pulled strictly for teams that are from or near my home (it's a loyalty thing). Never having been to England I can't very much pick a premiership team this way. Also, I despise bandwangoners so I simply cannot make myself like the cliched teams that everyone and their mother around the world automatically pulls for, Uhm Liverpool, Man U, Arsenal, Chelsea.
Wonder if there's anyway you could help me pick a side?
Also, lately I've been noticing the seeming obsession of players, coaches with attaining clean sheets. Why is this? I'm pretty sure it's because it helps them with their teams rankings or overall standings right?
Another question. How is it that new players get into pro football in England? Especially at the premiership level. In America in almost all major pro sports it's through college which I have a major problem with. A poor struggling college player (often from poor families) being worked like a slave can and often does get severely punished for accepting so much as a free sandwich from the wrong person because college sports are supposed to be amateur. Meanwhile his coach is paid millions and is allowed to W#$@* himself out for millions more on TV adverts selling everything from pickup trucks and auto insurance to Coca Cola. But I digress.
Lastly, I often hear announcers at premiership matches casually throw out announcements like "The last time Bolton won at Anfield was 27 years ago or the last time Man City won here was in 1978. I'm astonished when I hear statistics like this. You don't hear of anything like that long a dry spell or win streaks in any kind of professional sport in America. How is it that teams that play each other two times a year can often go so long with one not beating the other (even if it is just at one sides stadium)
These are all just some of the questions that I've had in my mind for some time. I think I know a little of some of the answers but am not sure about the details. Thanks.
Last edited by Galounger; 01-13-2011 at 10:44 AM..
Chose a team that is a long outsider. Man City used to be before the billionaires took over. Id consider Blackpool. A team who came up after being pitched to be relegated from the 2nd tier. They now sit 9th in top flight.
A clean sheet it what defenders and goalkeepers aim for each match (To concede 0 goals in a game). If you keep a clean sheet, you cant lose, simple. You Goal difference wont be changed which could come in handy and the end of the season with teams on the same points as you. So a clean sheet is always a good idea.
New players can come from all different areas. From the academys that the clubs have, these are the clubs reserves and youth players that might come through to play for the club if they are good enough. If not they are released. They can come from the lower leagues - Championship(2nd tier) League 1 (3rd tier) and league 2 (4th tier). You also have alot of leagues below that but they are classed as non league, it would be rare for a player to come from non-league and join a prem side. The only player i can think of is DJ Campbell at Blackpool who has done so.
Players can also come from abroad, you can buy them ect, which seems to be the main thing Prem clubs do these days, the lower league fans dont like this as it is killing the English game, and one of the reasons the England team are getting worse.
The statistics are for different reasons. They may not have played each other for a long period as a club could have been relegated and not been in the Premiership for that length. The club may be a top club and the one with the bad record a poor team and therefore with a bad record.
Tottenham hadnt beaten the top 4 sides for 70 games before they beat Arsenal 3-2.
An extraordinary fact but football has been around for so long, it doesn't surprise me now the facts that come out.
Btw, its not just 20 teams in this country. We have other leagues, so the 20 teams that are in the league now will not all play each other next season. 3 will be relegated and 3 new teams will be promoted from the Championship (The top 2 and the winner of the playoffs(Next 4 teams))
It is? They've already got 5 losses in the Premier League so far. In 2007-08, they only had 3 all year. The only reason they are still close to the top is because Chelsea has fallen on hard times and MU and City seem content with draws..
In 2006 Arsenal reached the CL final, 2008-09 the semis. This year though, Arsenal finished second in a group that included those well known powerhouses Shakhtar, Braga, and Partizan Belgrade.
Because of that lackluster performance they've now drawn Barca in the next round...and if you think Arsenal is getting past them, you must be smoking something. Remember what happened last year?
This isn't Arsenal's best team in years. This is their worst team in years. Their back four is just terrible. I mean Koscielny and Squillaci were just poor signings. Wenger's stubborn refusal to spend, though he says because of Vermaelen's injury he will go after a defender when the Jan. transfer window opens (I'll believe that when I see it), is costing Arsenal and their fans dearly..
It is? They've already got 5 losses in the Premier League so far. In 2007-08, they only had 3 all year. The only reason they are still close to the top is because Chelsea has fallen on hard times and MU and City seem content with draws..
In 2006 Arsenal reached the CL final, 2008-09 the semis. This year though, Arsenal finished second in a group that included those well known powerhouses Shakhtar, Braga, and Partizan Belgrade.
Because of that lackluster performance they've now drawn Barca in the next round...and if you think Arsenal is getting past them, you must be smoking something. Remember what happened last year?
This isn't Arsenal's best team in years. This is their worst team in years. Their back four is just terrible. I mean Koscielny and Squillaci were just poor signings. Wenger's stubborn refusal to spend, though he says because of Vermaelen's injury he will go after a defender when the Jan. transfer window opens (I'll believe that when I see it), is costing Arsenal and their fans dearly..
And for your sake you better hope Cesc doesn't get drawn to Barca! I'm not an Arsenal hater but things might get worse before they get better! I know this is always the argument but Arsenal is young, they have time to win yet.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
they're ****e at the moment. Pretty close at the top though. I though Port vale were gonna storm it, Seems they had a bit of a blip?
