European Leagues Thread 2012/2013

[prostak]

Bundesliga -
Hertha 1-3 HSV
Stuttgart 0-2 Bremen
Gladbach 0-1 Dortmund
Bayern 0-0 Köln
Bochum 1-1 Wolfsburg
Leverkusen 4-0 Nürnberg
Mainz 2-1 Hoffenheim
Hannover 5-2 Freiburg
Schalke 2-0 Frankfurt

No real shocks this week, Köln successfully managed a 90-minute defence at the Allianz but it's still too early in such an unpredictable league for this to be too great a setback for van Gaal. Edin Dzeko got yet another to stop Bochum from winning the battle of the VfLs, but Wolfsburg remain one of a handful of teams not living up to last season's performances. Leverkusen lead, edging HSV on goal difference, and Hertha remain rooted to the bottom looking utterly doomed.

EDIT- I omitted the most important result of all!
FC St Pauli 3-1 1860. Pauli now 3rd by virtue of having scored eleven goals more than 4th placed Rot-Weiss.

[bobbybottler]

Latest results from the Eredivisie:

Vitesse 2-0 Sparta
AZ 1-0 NAC Breda
Feyenoord 3-0 RKC Waalwijk
Willem II 1-1 NEC
ADO Den Haag 1-1 FC Groningen
Heracles 1-3 FC Twente
Roda JC 2-2 Ajax
Heerenveen 1-1 VVV-Venlo
FC Utrecht 0-0 PSV

FC Twente move top above PSV after PSV dropped points at Utrecht. Ajax surprisingly drew at Roda JC but stay 3rd on goal difference after Feyenoord's convincing win against bottom club RKC Waalwijk. Utrecht stay 5th, however the gap to 6th has been closed to 3 points after AZ's win against NAC Breda.

RKC Waalwijk remain rooted to the bottom after their thumping at de Kuip, Willem II move 4 points clear after their draw against NEC. Sparta stay 16th after their defeat in Arnhem, and Heerenveen stay 15th after their draw against VVV-Venlo (spot the deliberate mistake from my last roundup). Roda JC move up a place after their excellent draw against the Amsterdammers, Groningen stay 13th after their draw in The Hague, one place below VVV-Venlo who remain in 12th. Vitesse are this week's big movers, jumping from 11th to 7th after their 2-0 victory over Sparta.

I still fancy FC Twente to win it, although Feyenoord's shocker last season could be to their benefit as there's no European distraction.

Next week Feyenoord make the short journey north-west to visit friendly (no, honestly) local rivals Sparta.

Handbags - it's the late kick-off, 3:30pm Sunday, I'll send you a link once I get one.

[handbags_harris]

Latest results from the Eredivisie:

Vitesse 2-0 Sparta
AZ 1-0 NAC Breda
Feyenoord 3-0 RKC Waalwijk
Willem II 1-1 NEC
ADO Den Haag 1-1 FC Groningen
Heracles 1-3 FC Twente
Roda JC 2-2 Ajax
Heerenveen 1-1 VVV-Venlo
FC Utrecht 0-0 PSV

FC Twente move top above PSV after PSV dropped points at Utrecht. Ajax surprisingly drew at Roda JC but stay 3rd on goal difference after Feyenoord's convincing win against bottom club RKC Waalwijk. Utrecht stay 5th, however the gap to 6th has been closed to 3 points after AZ's win against NAC Breda.

RKC Waalwijk remain rooted to the bottom after their thumping at de Kuip, Willem II move 4 points clear after their draw against NEC. Sparta stay 16th after their defeat in Arnhem, and Heerenveen stay 15th after their draw against VVV-Venlo (spot the deliberate mistake from my last roundup). Roda JC move up a place after their excellent draw against the Amsterdammers, Groningen stay 13th after their draw in The Hague, one place below VVV-Venlo who remain in 12th. Vitesse are this week's big movers, jumping from 11th to 7th after their 2-0 victory over Sparta.

I still fancy FC Twente to win it, although Feyenoord's shocker last season could be to their benefit as there's no European distraction.

Next week Feyenoord make the short journey north-west to visit friendly (no, honestly) local rivals Sparta.

Handbags - it's the late kick-off, 3:30pm Sunday, I'll send you a link once I get one.

Really?

I reluctantly tip Ajax to win it. Once Martin Jol gets them firing, which he will, they'll be almost untouchable.

Good work mate, appreciate it.

[prostak]

Don't know how many of you Feyenoord fans have already read this, but for those who haven't -
http://www.worldsoccer.com/features/fey ... 90144.html

[handbags_harris]

Pretty much correct, decent article to be honest. Back in 2007 the old board were ousted out by Feyenoord's fans by being forced to sell the club. The new board promised an injection of money which just hasn't really materialised. They signed the likes of Roy Makaay and re-signed Jon Dahl Tomasson, Denny Landzaat can't have been cheap either, but the fans were expecting a much better return of decent players.

Things are promising though. Last season was just a nightmare, at one point Feyenoord were just 3 points above the relegation playoffs. That wasn't in early season either, it was around February time. Mario Been has injected a sense of "Feyenoordism" in the squad this season though, a trait which has, according to my mate Ed the Dutch, been sadly missing since their 2004 UEFA Cup win. Feyenoord football isn't what could be known as traditional Dutch football. It is based on hard graft and fight, the game is played with their hearts, and the fans expect the players to fight for every ball. If Feyenoord win but don't appear to show any fight, the fans aren't 100% happy. This is in complete contrast to their counterparts in Amsterdam who are expect their team to win with style, flair, and artistry. Over the years, Ajax's approach has fared better than Feyenoord, as the statistic of 4 titles in 35 years shows. PSV have delved into the ranks as well, and are considered to be one of the big three, but to Feyenoord and Ajax fans, they're nothing in comparison but a club heavily financed by Philips and don't register anywhere on the rivalry radar.

[soggy biscuit]

Spanish media all claiming it is a done deal that Robinho is joining Barcelona on loan in January and will sign permanently in the summer for €35M.

[soggy biscuit]

Of course I would like to play for Barcelona, who wouldn't? We could really enjoy ourselves. It would be a pleasure to play alongside Messi, my compatriot Alves, Xavi, Iniesta, Ibrahimovic, everyone. They are a great team. I have played against them and I know all about their quality. But until now I have only been able to play with them on the PlayStation."

Pep Guardiola's side is truly spectacular. It is an honour that a coach like Guardiola speaks highly of me, for him to rate me as highly as I have read that he does. I genuinely appreciate it, from the bottom of my heart."

I can assure you that right now my father, who is my only representative, hasn't said anything to me about Barcelona. I don't know anything, believe me. Besides, out of respect for Manchester City, the two clubs are the ones that should talk about my transfer or loan and then tell me. It's not right to talk about this hypothetical transfer or loan until there's something more concrete.

"It's a question of sitting down and talking about it when there is a concrete and serious offer.

It is no secret that in the summer there was clear interest from Barcelona in signing me but Manchester City didn't want to negotiate.

he's off then

[handbags_harris]

The surprise result of this weekend came from Sparta where Feyenoord were beaten 2-1 in the Rotterdam derby. Feyenoord took the lead late in the 1st half and were reduced to 10 men on 50 minutes. Sparta equalised 5 minutes later, and Feyenoord were further reduced to nine men 4 minutes after that. Sparta also lost a player, but their numerical advantage told 6 minutes from time when they scored a late winner. Full results from the Eredivisie this weekend:

Ajax 4-0 Willem II
FC Twente 3-2 AZ
NAC 4-0 Vitesse
PSV 1-0 Heerenveen
VVV 1-1 Roda JC
RKC Waalwijk 0-1 Heracles
FC Groningen 0-0 FC Utrecht
NEC Nijmegen 1-1 ADO Den Haag
Sparta 2-1 Feyenoord

Feyenoord stay 4th on 20 points but are now 6 points from top spot which is occupied by FC Twente, who are two points ahead of PSV. Ajax lie 3rd, 3 points ahead of Feyenoord. Utrecht lie in wait for any further slip-ups from the Rotterdammers a point behind on 19. Last season's champions, AZ, are 6th on 15 points. Their title challenge looks doomed already. Heracles, NEC, and ADO Den Haag lie 7th, 8th, and 9th on 14, 13, and 12 points.

RKC remain rooted to the bottom on 3 points, with Willem II 17th on 7 points. Heerenveen lie 16th a point ahead. Venlo, Groningen and VVV lie 13th, 14th, and 15th respectively all on 10 points, with NEC, Vitesse and Sparta occupying the 10th, 11th, and 12th spots on 11 points.

[soggy biscuit]

Spanish media claiming that Atletico Madrid will give Abel Resino the sack today and are tipping either Michael Laudrup or Luis Aragones to take over

[bobbybottler]

Handbags you have a pm

[soggy biscuit]

Hoffenheim defenders scored from more than 30 metres out today

[handbags_harris]

Handbags you have a pm

Received with thanks

[FiNeRaIn]

Hoffenheim defenders scored from more than 30 metres out today

Who the f**k measures long rangers in metres?

[Starfish]

Hoffenheim defenders scored from more than 30 metres out today

Yeah, thanks for that. I do not like Raphael Schäfer (FCN's keeper) and will blame him but it has to be said that Hoffenheim play pretty good football. 3-0 was pretty predictable.

[soggy biscuit]

Hoffenheim defenders scored from more than 30 metres out today

Who the f**k measures long rangers in metres?

Europeans?

[soggy biscuit]

Juande Ramos sacked by CSKA Moscow

[winchester_royal]

Rangnick will surely get a top job at some point inn the very near future. He's worked miracles at Hoff.

[prostak]

Rangnick will surely get a top job at some point inn the very near future. He's worked miracles at Hoff.

To an extent. He's had a hell of a lot of money behind him. As for 'top job' - he has been at Schalke, VfB and Hannover before now (the first of which is arguably the second biggest club job in Germany, given the weight of expectation), he's not exactly a novice at management.

[winchester_royal]

Rangnick will surely get a top job at some point inn the very near future. He's worked miracles at Hoff.

To an extent. He's had a hell of a lot of money behind him. As for 'top job' - he has been at Schalke, VfB and Hannover before now (the first of which is arguably the second biggest club job in Germany, given the weight of expectation), he's not exactly a novice at management.

Apart from Bayern no club in Germany is a top job. I see he's 30/1 to be the next Arse/'Pool manager.

[prostak]

Apart from Bayern no club in Germany is a top job.

By which standards? European-level success? Fanbase? How many times a day Talksport mention the club to you?