The Official Football (Soccer) Thread

[Lunatic]

Was shocked how the game started. Barca seemed to be sloppy and on there back heels for the first 15 mins or so. And then they found there rhythm. When they went up 1-0 I thought it was over. It was nice to see Rooney equalize and make the game interesting again.

But the 2nd half was just pure Barca class.

[Leggy Hendrix]

Outplayed, outclassed. Thats all I've got to say on the matter.

yup, not much to add...totally outclassed for pretty much 90 mins, no shame in losing to this Barca team 

[Furor Teutonicus]

Farcelona might be the best team of all time. That being said, I hope Busquets, Alves, Pedro and Mascherano get their legs broken.

[KURUPTION-81]

Outplayed, outclassed. Thats all I've got to say on the matter.

yup, not much to add...totally outclassed for pretty much 90 mins, no shame in losing to this Barca team 

[Invincible]

Paul Scholes = irreplaceable. Gutted to see him retire. 

Loved watching him play while growing up. Could do everything apart from tackle. The perfect model professional footballer.

[Lunatic]

Portugal continue playing beautiful football under new coach Bento. Scrapped out a crucial 1-0 victory vs. Norway who parked the team bus and are quite good at it actually.

Move to top of the group due to the tiebreaker (+/-) as Norway & Denmark are both level with us on points (10). As long we keep playing the way we are, we should finish 1st 

[The_Ripper]

Sunderland's Jordan Henderson is close to £20m Liverpool transfer

Jordan Henderson may become a Liverpool player before he departs for the European Under-21 Championship providing the club raise their offer for the Sunderland midfielder towards £20m.

Sunderland and Liverpool officials opened talks last week and there is acceptance at the Stadium of Light that the 20-year-old will leave if the £20m valuation Steve Bruce, the manager, has placed on the midfielder is met.

Liverpool are understood to have increased their initial offer of £13m to around £16m over the weekend. Sunderland rejected both bids but, with Henderson keen to have his future resolved before the Under-21 tournament in Denmark, another improved offer from Liverpool may secure Kenny Dalglish the first of several major transfers expected at Anfield this summer.

Sunderland are not under pressure to sell a home-grown player who committed to a new five-year contract at the club in April 2010. However, with Henderson receptive to a move to Anfield, Liverpool's owner, Fenway Sports Group, edging closer to Sunderland's asking price and talks continuing between the clubs, a resolution may arrive before the midfielder teams up with Stuart Pearce's England squad on Wednesday.

Manchester United were linked with Henderson when his fine start to the season earned a call-up to the senior England side for their friendly against France in November. But Liverpool have made the more concerted effort to clinch his signature, even though the midfielder's form dipped as Sunderland dropped down the table in the second half of the campaign and he was booed by the club's supporters at one point.

Dalglish envisages a central midfield role for Henderson at Anfield, despite appearing to be well stocked in that department with Steven Gerrard, Lucas Leiva, Raul Meireles and the emergence of Jay Spearing. The Sunderland player has also operated on the right of midfield since establishing himself in Bruce's team but prefers to play in the middle, as the Liverpool manager has noted.

There is a desire from Liverpool's director of football, Damien Comolli, to sign young talent although, should the club pay £20m for Henderson, it would reflect a willingness to spend heavily in the interests of Champions League qualification rather than securing emerging players at a more cost-effective stage. Ashley Young, another Anfield target, appeared to tilt the contest for his signature towards Manchester United following England's draw with Switzerland on Saturday when he expressed his wish to play in the Champions League.

Bruce is keen to address Sunderland's alarming slide since January by acquiring "eight or nine" players this summer. The Sunderland manager still has available the initial £18m received from Aston Villa for Darren Bent, and £20m for Henderson – a player he has heralded as one of the finest prospects in the country – would help his rebuilding plans.

Liverpool are also continuing efforts to sign Henderson's England Under-21 colleague Connor Wickham from Ipswich Town. The 18-year-old is attracting interest from several Premier League clubs but Liverpool's offer for the striker is believed to be around £2m short of Ipswich's £10m valuation.

[es-jay]

christ, the Under 21's were shit. England's future doesn't look bright; certainly not Orange.

[Invincible]

Not surprised to be honest. The team is just like United's team. Not bad at the back and the forward line, but in the midfield where it really matters, there's no creativity. The difference is the managers. Jordan Henderson is so overated, definitely not worth 20 mil of anyones money. Liverpool have been robbed.

[Lunatic]

Please Villas Boas don't leave for Chelsea 

[K-MACC]

Please Villas Boas don't leave for Chelsea 

motherfucker left too chelsea 

[JMan]

the exodus of arsenal players has begun 

[The_Ripper]

terry 
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/NZouQ0JM5Rc" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/NZouQ0JM5Rc</a>

[Invincible]

terry 
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/NZouQ0JM5Rc" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/NZouQ0JM5Rc</a>

 

In a meaningless friendly aswell. I continue hating John Terry.

[Get It Off Ya Chest]

terry 
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/NZouQ0JM5Rc" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/NZouQ0JM5Rc</a>

 

In a meaningless friendly aswell. I continue hating John Terry.

What he said.