The Official Football (Soccer) Thread

[Javier]

Inter Milan played amazing in the first leg and completely just owned Barca but creating good offense and shutting down Barca's attack.  In the 2nd leg, it was setting up to do exactly the same.  It seems like Barca wasn't able to adjust, even at home.  Then came the red card 30 min into the game, so in order to win the game they had to make up the free space given up by the missing player and have an even more defensive mindset.  Adjusting your play to the game situation is "playing football" as well, in my opinion. 

[13th Duke]

^^ Wasn't aimed at you, more in general.
Look at the list again, anti-football is more about avoiding any football being played, than anything.

no offence taken in that case.

Its not about avoiding football being played, defence is also an aspect of football. Its just a less entertaining type. Sure, its not exciting to watch for us fans and it kills games off from an excitement perspective but its legitimate as a tactic and can be very effective. Nothing wrong with it.

[Jome]

I too appreciate good defensive play, but the way Inter played, I'm gonna have to call it anti-football. After looking forward to this game for a week, it's just a disappointment to watch this game turn into a chopped up mess, with 1 team trying to play football, and 1 team trying to stop any football from being played. I've seen Chelsea do this on a couple of occasions as well, and it's pretty boring to watch. 

[13th Duke]

I too appreciate good defensive play, but the way Inter played, I'm gonna have to call it anti-football. After looking forward to this game for a week, it's just a disappointment to watch this game turn into a chopped up mess, with 1 team trying to play football, and 1 team trying to stop any football from being played. I've seen Chelsea do this on a couple of occasions as well, and it's pretty boring to watch. 

Its not there to be exciting though thats the point I'm making. Inter have stayed within the rules and done their job in preventing Barcelona from running riot and playing to thier tactics. This is the whole point of management in every sport across the land. Your main aim is to play your way and stop the other team from playing their way. Inter did that, and they got the reward for it. They did their job on the home leg in terms of showing they could attack, and they did their job on the away leg showing they can defend.

[Meho]

I would agree with the anti-football term if Inter would have played like this the entire CL season. But it was only this game. And again, when you have 10 players against a team like Barca that have to score 2 goals, it would be idiotic to try anything else because they would loose 100%.

[Makaveli's Food & Liquor]

Why is it that again the referees are the ones fucking up these matches, they're the most important of the season and all the refs are fucking retarded. Last year Chelsea got fucked over and this year the two teams in the final probably shouldn't be there. Klose's goal against Fiorentina was what won Bayern that tie in the end and he was miles offside, Inter should've conceded penalties at home to Chelsea (Kalou) and Barca (Alves) and Milito's goal, which proved to be the tie winner, was offside. Then tonight Barca's goal gets disallowed after it hits him in the chest, the refs like a meter away and he can't see that

Well congrats to Inter, they'll probably win it, especially since Bayern will be without Ribery

[K.Dub]

Passes completed:

Barca: 455
Inter: 59

Oh shit. Lol

[Furor Teutonicus]

I would agree with the anti-football term if Inter would have played like this the entire CL season. But it was only this game. And again, when you have 10 players against a team like Barca that have to score 2 goals, it would be idiotic to try anything else because they would loose 100%.

They played like this against Chelsea most of the time too.

I never claimed a pure defense is not a legit tactic nor that they didn't deserve the final, but as a neutral spectator I have every right to dislike them for their style.
I play football myself and I also prefer perfect defense, a good defense is the key to success, and Inter had every right to play like that (except the injury acting, but unfortunately every team acts like that when they're in front).

And I don't know what you hate on the term anti- football, you can also call it modern catenaccio or sth like that if the 'anti' sounds too negative for you, but if you destroy any game culture and don't participate in the game in an active way the term is justified. They want success and thats ok, but I as a football fan want entertainment and courageos play, and if one team fails to do, I call them out on that.

[StreetsAllSalute]

if that barca player hadnt been play peek a boo on the floor and got an inter player sent off im 99% sure inter would have had a bigger threat counter attacking

[Digital Pimpin']

Regardless of the match as a spectacle, you've gotta give it up to Mourinho.

[Fraxxx]

I would agree with the anti-football term if Inter would have played like this the entire CL season. But it was only this game. And again, when you have 10 players against a team like Barca that have to score 2 goals, it would be idiotic to try anything else because they would loose 100%.

Excactly

And as a fan of the Dutch Elftal, I just love the fact that both Sneijder and Robben are returning to Madrid as finalists. The irony!

[13th Duke]

Passes completed:

Barca: 455
Inter: 59

Oh shit. Lol

Doesnt matter. Only stat that matters is

Barca: 2
Inter: 3

That says to me Inter took their chances and Barca just fannied about and failed.

[7even]

Why is it that again the referees are the ones fucking up these matches, they're the most important of the season and all the refs are fucking retarded. Last year Chelsea got fucked over and this year the two teams in the final probably shouldn't be there. Klose's goal against Fiorentina was what won Bayern that tie in the end and he was miles offside.

I basically about the refs making too many too crucial mistakes, but let's not get carried away here. Inter beat Chelsea twice and owned Barca in the first leg, so I wouldn't say they don't deserve to be there. Yes, Milito's goal was offside, yes, the handball was very questionable. Then on the other hand Piqué's goal was offside too.

As for Bayern, they completely owned Lyon (the team that knocked out the most expensive team of all time), they came back from being down 3-0 in Old Trafford and they got a 4-1 must-win in Turin. Not to mention they crazy game in Fiorentina, with all the crazy wind and being down twice and shit. Yes, that goal by Klose way clearly offside. But then again, in the 2nd leg Fiorentina did an offside goal as well (yet noone ever seems to mention that). Also, is the first leg would have been 1-1, you can't say that the 2nd leg would have been 2-3. It might have been a totally different game caused by different game plans.



Then, look at this:

We got the only 2 teams that might also win the 2 biggest national competitions this year. So they might both go for the triple in Madrid.
We also got 2 fantastic easter eggs: Mourinho used to work under Van Gaal. Now, him being one of the best coaches on the planet, he's going to match up with his former master in the CL Final. Isn't that cool?
What's even cooler is this: Real buys very big name players for very much money, only to go out in the 1/16 yet again. Because they thought Robben and Sneijder suck in comparison to their new players, they wanted to get rid of them. Now, those 2 dutch players immediately went from being Real Madrid rejects to being key players in 2 teams that take aim at the triple. And as the cherry on top, the CL Final takes place in Madrid this year. How cool is that? How embarrassing must this be for Real? It's amazing.

All in all a great final, even if you're not a fan of Bayern or Inter.

[Furor Teutonicus]

^^
great for you, but not automatically great for every football fan.
well, the 'eastereggs' doesn't make it a great final (although the Real thing is really funny ) It'll be a great final if we happen to see good football and an intriguing game, and I doubt that'll be a spectacle for fans. Good to see a German team in the finals though.

[bez]

Inter deserved to win, end of.