Metal Reviews

It's the u23, I think. You're still right though.

I think it's the U21 team. At least for Spain. It's the same team that won the U21 Euro Championship against Switzerland. Mata and Martinez were on that team. I think both are 22 or 23 that's why I say it's U-21, but a few of these players will be on the senior team for the next WC.

Munian, De Gea, Mata, Alba, Martinez, Ander Herera, and Thiago Alcantara are virtually assured of teir spots.

I agree, this Olympiad will be more important than previous ones because it is a primer of sorts allowing each national team to feature a lot of players who will be senior team members in Brazil in 2014. Should be good fun, unless you're Great Britain and your team is a composite of common wealth nations. Doubt this will mean much for England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. You know things are not looking good when the big new is that David Beckham was left off the squad.

Olympics are off to a terrible start for me. Spain lose 1-0 against Japan. I didn't see the game because I was working, but apparently they played terrible.

Brazil looked mortal in the second of the game I saw. Egypt scored twice and certainly put up a fight. They definitely won the second half.

GB looked impotent against Senegal, but Senegal I think will be the surprise of the tournament.

haven't caught any olympic match yet...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaXAasyxU7Y
the video is for Enzo Perez' first goal of the night, fucking insane. think it was intentional?

Benfica beat Real Madrid 5-2 in a friendly last night, Real were without everyone who went to Euro 2012, except Fábio Coentrão, who chose to return early from his holidays so that he could play his former club

We won't be seeing much of Holy Terror here, I can imagine...

Oh man, wrong again. You're making a habit of being inaccurate. That takes a toll on one's credibility.

And really, losing an exhibition match hardly counts, especially when the core of your team is missing. That being said, that was an awesome goal.

Honduras, man. Honduras!

Told you. Nobody cares about the olympics football tournament.

Undoubtedly, but then Holy Terror started talking about credibility. Funny stuff.

I guess that would be funny if you provided a reason why and didnt leave us to guess. But since you toll around the board waiting for me to post so you can use you first grade insults I'm going to assume you don't have a reason.

And I still think people care. I don see why Spain losing to Honduras wold mean otherwise. I wasn't able to watch the matches because of work but I understand they deserved to lose. And seeing as how I'm the one that raised the topic I'm going to assume that I'm the only one that cares.

If the unfortunate Scotsman is going to attempt to rub it in my face, I'd remind him that Spain are current world and repeat European champions and that Scotland has not won shit in its entire footballing history. I expect a bitter response so I will issue a preemptive "fuck you your teams are shit."

according to Goal.com, Spain missed a ton of chances and had at least one penalty call that should have gone their way.

They hit the wood work three times against Honduras, but still, that's no excuse for going down 1-0 within seven minutes of the game starting.

Heads will roll in Spain. Luis Milla is not likely to keep his job. I was worried after they lost 2-0 to Senegal in an exhibition match. I think the main problem is that they didn't have any senior leadership on the team. Mata and Martinez I think are barely 23 and don't feature regularly. That and I don't think they are nearly as cohesive a unit as the senior squad. And also, as evidenced by their losing both games 1-0 on early goals, they lack the fighting spirit of the senior squad. They went down early and panicked.

I agree. But no U-21 or u-23 team is cohesive as their senior squad.

Spain missed a lot Thiago Alcantara. He's the one that gives control to the midfield. Barça style, you know.

It's tough, I think, to pin down the reasons for such a massive collapse. This same team was dominant in the last U-21 Euro championships. How they crumbled under the likes of Honduras is difficult to understand, but I agree, there was a lack of leadership on the field. The loss to Japan I can accept. I have felt that Japan as a footballing nation was improving to the point where you had to consider them a legitimate threat every time you played them.

Honduras, on the other hand, does not carry that same weight. i think the loss to Japan destroyed them mentally and they were never able to re-acquire their confidence.

So, Aberdeen just beat Man Utd 2-1 in a testimonial for Neil Simpson. Fantastic.

Van Persie signed for Man United, transfer fee is about €30M or so. a bit overpriced i'd say. he's excellent, of course, but the money could have been put to better use - he's 29 and United really need to strengthen their midfield.

Nani, Rooney and Van Persie in attack, plus Chicharito and Welbeck... watch out.

Poor Chicharito, his chances to play are reduced to zero with Robin in Man U.

certainly reduced, but not zero. on the bench it's only him and Welbeck for attack, since i don't see Berbatov playing (think he fell out of favour)... and Macheda is the one who should see close to zero playing time.