# Any football/soccer fans here?



## Cesare Impalatore

In my wave of enthusiasm over Inter's victory vs. AS Roma tonight I was wondering if maybe there were some other passionate football fans here in TC? By the way, is this the correct forum for sports topics or is there a more specific sports subforum that I didn't notice?


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## Kivimees

Looks like there's just the two of us. :lol:


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## elgar's ghost

I USED to be a massive fan, but now there is too much about the modern game at the top level that really p***es me off.

Ah, Inter - I can just about remember the likes of Sandro Mazzola and the peerless Giacinto Facchetti. I've seen vintage footage of Inter and I don't think they were as overly-defensive as what they were supposed to be famous for. Compared to some other teams of the era they weren't dirty either.


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## Kivimees

elgars ghost said:


> I USED to be a massive fan, but now there is too much about the modern game at the top level that really p***es me off.


You need to follow a league in a quiet, unassuming country that doesn't have a top level. Maybe Latvia.


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## elgar's ghost

Kivimees said:


> You need to follow a league in a quiet, unassuming country that doesn't have a top level. Maybe Latvia.


I still go and see Kidderminster Harriers occasionally (they play in the fifth tier of the English league system) - it's more down to earth at that level and it reminds me more of the sport I was brought up with when the A-List egos weren't completely out of control (as weren't the salaries) and managers knew how to deal with anyone who stepped out of line.


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## Kivimees

Kidderminster Harriers - what a great name! My favourite team name is Inverness Caledonian Thistle. How can anyone not like a team with a name like that?


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## Guest

Stuff out of a Michael Palin comedy...https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&s...yCkwAA&usg=AFQjCNGhTAC_VGv-WKwvxTow4dh0Csd_iQ


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## Guest

Accrington Stanley!
Blythe Spartans!
Corinthian-Casuals!


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## joen_cph

Currently not much spectacular playing going on here in Denmark, also concerning the national team, and I don´t have television access to that many international games. So taking a break.

But - Elkjær, Barcelona´s Romario, Laudrup, etc. - those were the days .


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## elgar's ghost

dogen said:


> Stuff out of a Michael Palin comedy...https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&s...yCkwAA&usg=AFQjCNGhTAC_VGv-WKwvxTow4dh0Csd_iQ


Haven't seen that for ages - excellent! :lol:


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## elgar's ghost

joen_cph said:


> Currently not much spectacular playing going on here in Denmark, also concerning the national team, and I don´t have television access to that many international games. So taking a break.
> 
> But - Elkjær, Barcelona´s Romario, Laudrup, etc. - those were the days .


Fine team in the 80s, the Danes - great attacking football.


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## Art Rock

Fan is a big word, but I do watch the summaries of the Dutch and English leagues every week, as well as selected Champion's League games and international matches by the Dutch team.


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## elgar's ghost

Kivimees said:


> Kidderminster Harriers - what a great name! My favourite team name is Inverness Caledonian Thistle. How can anyone not like a team with a name like that?


Scottish teams have had some exotic names, especially in the past - Battlefield, Vale of Leven, Orion, Solway Star... Did you know there were three teams in Inverness before Caledonian and Thistle's merger? The other team is the wonderfully-named Clachnacuddin.


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## musicrom

I really enjoy soccer; I've played it since at least kindergarten, and I always try to watch the World Cup. The problem is that besides that, it's never on TV, so it's really hard to follow a club and keep track of things, so I just don't.


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## Templeton

I can't match the originality of most of the other posters, being a Liverpool fan. I do, however, have lots of wonderful memories, as a result, but unfortunately, at the opposite end of the spectrum, two of my darkest memories.

Like Elgar's Ghost notes, the modern game has changed out of all recognition and is no longer so enjoyable; or maybe I have just become a grumpy old man.

I follow a few other teams, overseas; Hertha Berlin, because I lived there once, Saint Etienne, because they were party to the finest football match that I ever attended (the 1977 European Cup Quarter Final, second leg), FC Nantes, because they were/are my mother's local team, etc.

My suggestion for great team names is Grasshoppers Zurich and, inevitably, Deportivo Wanka.

Okay, I confess, I looked the last one up; it is a real team, however, from Peru. Obviously twinned with Deportivo Moron, from Argentina.


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## elgar's ghost

Templeton said:


> I can't match the originality of most of the other posters, being a Liverpool fan. I do, however, have lots of wonderful memories, as a result, but unfortunately, at the opposite end of the spectrum, two of my darkest memories.
> 
> Like Elgar's Ghost notes, the modern game has changed out of all recognition and is no longer so enjoyable; or maybe I have just become a grumpy old man.
> 
> I follow a few other teams, overseas; Hertha Berlin, because I lived there once, Saint Etienne, because they were party to the finest football match that I ever attended (the 1977 European Cup Quarter Final, second leg), FC Nantes, because they were/are my mother's local team, etc.
> 
> My suggestion for great team names is Grasshoppers Zurich and, inevitably, Deportivo Wanka.
> 
> Okay, I confess, I looked the last one up; it is a real real team, however, from Peru. Obviously twinned with Deportivo Moron, from Argentina.


Don't worry - I'm also grumpy, but some of the antics and culture now irredeemably endemic within the modern game certainly do no help my temperament.

St. Etienne - man, how I was rooting for them to beat Bayern Munich at Hampden in 1976! Allez les verts!


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## sospiro

elgars ghost said:


> Scottish teams have had some exotic names, especially in the past - Battlefield, Vale of Leven, Orion, Solway Star... Did you know there were three teams in Inverness before Caledonian and Thistle's merger? The other team is the wonderfully-named Clachnacuddin.


Dream score Forfar 4 - East Fife 5


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## Kivimees

Templeton said:


> Saint Etienne, because they were party to the finest football match that I ever attended (the 1977 European Cup Quarter Final, second leg)


Alas, living in Estonia the idea of "finest football" is a bit of a misnomer and matches of any meaning are all played in Tallinn. That said, I did enjoy a game on the telly a few years ago when our boys beat Diego Forlán and his brothers from Uruguay 2-0. We used our secret weapon - a temperature of 0 and a lot of snow! :lol:


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## TurnaboutVox

I've lived within roaring distance of three grounds - Aberdeen's Pittodrie, Manchester City's Maine Road, and Preston North End's Deepdale, and I've supported Aberdeen (as a lad) and Preston (as a dad). I like very little about the current upper echelons of British football.

Great football team names from my part of the world - Forres Mechanics and Inverurie Loco Works FC (both Highland League)


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## Headphone Hermit

elgars ghost said:


> Scottish teams have had some exotic names, especially in the past - Battlefield, Vale of Leven, Orion, Solway Star... Did you know there were three teams in Inverness before Caledonian and Thistle's merger? The other team is the wonderfully-named Clachnacuddin.


How about _Third Lanark_? - whatever happened to _First (or Second) Lanark_


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## Headphone Hermit

Templeton said:


> I can't match the originality of most of the other posters, being a Liverpool fan. I do, however, have lots of wonderful memories, as a result, but unfortunately, at the opposite end of the spectrum, two of my darkest memories.


Me too - another Koppite with two awful memories that disspiated my enthusiasm for years


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## Guest

elgars ghost said:


> Clachnacuddin


I've had that as a cask strength 21 yo.


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## elgar's ghost

Headphone Hermit said:


> How about _Third Lanark_? - whatever happened to _First (or Second) Lanark_


I was hoping that if Rangers go bust again then Third Lanark can be resurrected in their place - Thirds' old ground at Cathkin Park could be rebuilt and Celtic could take over Ibrox Park and use it for their Second XI matches. :devil:


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## Headphone Hermit

:lol::lol:


elgars ghost said:


> I was hoping that if Rangers go bust again then Third Lanark can be resurrected in their place - Thirds' old ground at Cathkin Park could be rebuilt and Celtic could take over Ibrox Park and use it for their Second XI matches. :devil:


Frost! That's a brave post :lol:


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## TurnaboutVox

Fab fact:



> Clach na Cùdainn today sits in a prominent situation by the mercat cross outside the Town House [of Inverness]. It means the 'stone of the tub', reputedly because washer women would rest their tubs on it on their journeys to and from the river. An anglicised form - Clachnacuddin - is the name of a prominent local football team.


I remember the town and its three small football clubs fondly from my brief period of residence there in 1985/6. It's been amazing to see the rise and rise of Caley Thistle since then.


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## Dave Whitmore

I'm a Tottenham Hotspur fan. I miss my life in England sometimes when I used to go to White Hart Lane to see the Spurs play. At least I get to watch them thanks to NBC sports. Happy memories.


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## Cesare Impalatore

Dave Whitmore said:


> I'm a Tottenham Hotspur fan. I miss my life in England sometimes when I used to go to White Hart Lane to see the Spurs play. At least I get to watch them thanks to NBC sports. Happy memories.


A good friend of mine became a Spurs fan during his recent visit to London and the White Hart Lane. I think it was the game where Lamela scored that crazy rabona goal. Definately one of the teams I can sympathize with in England!


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## Dave Whitmore

Cesare Impalatore said:


> A good friend of mine became a Spurs fan during his recent visit to London and the White Hart Lane. I think it was the game where Lamela scored that crazy rabona goal. Definately one of the teams I can sympathize with in England!


Yeah, that was a good goal. It was also a rare goal from him lol.


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## elgar's ghost

Nice to see that Bayern's chances of the treble have been unceremoniously scuppered by Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals of the DFB Pokal. :lol:


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## Cesare Impalatore

elgars ghost said:


> Nice to see that Bayern's chances of the treble have been unceremoniously scuppered by Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals of the DFB Pokal. :lol:


Ahaha, nice to see other Bayern haters here! :tiphat:


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## Chris

My team, Tranmere Rovers, lost their match last Saturday. This confirmed their relegation from the English league, ending 94 years of league football for the club. Today I noticed one of the free papers has a competition with a prize of tickets to the last match. That's like entering a contest with the winner getting a place in a funeral procession. I'm not entering.

I'm sick as a parrot.


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## Guest

Chris said:


> I'm sick as a parrot.


Would that be a Norwegian Blue?


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## Albert7

For football, I support our Salt Lake Real team.

We are just awesome... former champions.


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## elgar's ghost

Chris said:


> My team, Tranmere Rovers, lost their match last Saturday. This confirmed their relegation from the English league, ending 94 years of league football for the club. Today I noticed one of the free papers has a competition with a prize of tickets to the last match. That's like entering a contest with the winner getting a place in a funeral procession. I'm not entering.
> 
> I'm sick as a parrot.


It's never nice when that happens. I hope Tranmere are on a sound footing and can make a quick return. After a few years of boxing above their weight in the fourth tier Kidderminster Harriers now look doomed to remain in non-league football since relegation in 2005 - the club has relatively little money these days and they are in a bad catchment area where most of the football-loving local population support the West Midlands 'Big Four'.


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## Chris

elgars ghost said:


> It's never nice when that happens. I hope Tranmere are on a sound footing and can make a quick return. After a few years of boxing above their weight in the fourth tier Kidderminster Harriers now look doomed to remain in non-league football since relegation in 2005 - the club has relatively little money these days and they are in a bad catchment area where most of the football-loving local population support the West Midlands 'Big Four'.


Teams rarely bounce back when they are expelled from the league. They are more likely to get relegated again, and perhaps go into liquidation as befell nearby Chester City. The problem is disruption to the team. Another problem for Tranmere is the proximity of Liverpool FC and Everton who will inevitably suck some support away. Nobody knows how many of the current squad will stay and the owner has said he will not commit until he has appointed a new manager. Gary Mills, manager of Gateshead, is being talked up.


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## elgar's ghost

Great day for me - West Bromwich Albion win at Manchester United for the second successive season and all but seal Premiership survival while Wolverhampton Wanderers narrowly fail to make the Championship play-offs.


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## jim prideaux

elgars ghost said:


> Great day for me - West Bromwich Albion win at Manchester United for the second successive season and all but seal Premiership survival while Wolverhampton Wanderers narrowly fail to make the Championship play-offs.


glad to see someones happy!-Sunderland season ticket holder here and we are hanging on (as ever)by the skin of our teeth-agree with many of the comments about the modern game but the football club is the last vestige of any sense of identity in my once proud town........


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## Kivimees

jim prideaux said:


> Sunderland season ticket holder here and we are hanging on (as ever)by the skin of our teeth


But Sunderland always manages to hang on in the end! :tiphat:


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## Alydon

Just watched our team West Ham United perform a feeble win at last at Upton Park - they couldn't even beat QPR last Saturday who are just about to be relegated. WHU were on great form this season until their defeat at the hands of Chelsea at Xmas and since then they have been a disaster, with no defence, no proper attack plan and an overall lacklustre series of poor performances , all headed by a totally inept manager who everyone knows will be chucked out at the end of this season. 
My partner is dedicated fan who still stumps up the annual fee for a season ticket - a rare thing, a pretty female football fan - but I will go on an ad-hoc basis shelling out for the crazy seat price in the vain hope our side might give us an uplifting afternoon, but I wait in desperation with the only comfort that due to their first half season effort they still have a reasonable place in the Premier League.


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## elgar's ghost

jim prideaux said:


> glad to see someones happy!-Sunderland season ticket holder here and we are hanging on (as ever)by the skin of our teeth-agree with many of the comments about the modern game but the football club is the last vestige of any sense of identity in my once proud town........


But the way Newcastle are playing I wouldn't be surprised if Sunderland finish above them anyway.


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## elgar's ghost

Alydon said:


> Just watched our team West Ham United perform a feeble win at last at Upton Park - they couldn't even beat QPR last Saturday who are just about to be relegated. WHU were on great form this season until their defeat at the hands of Chelsea at Xmas and since then they have been a disaster, with no defence, no proper attack plan and an overall lacklustre series of poor performances , all headed by a totally inept manager who everyone knows will be chucked out at the end of this season.
> My partner is dedicated fan who still stumps up the annual fee for a season ticket - a rare thing, a pretty female football fan - but I will go on an ad-hoc basis shelling out for the crazy seat price in the vain hope our side might give us an uplifting afternoon, but I wait in desperation with the only comfort that due to their first half season effort they still have a reasonable place in the Premier League.


I'm surprised West Ham employed Sam Allardyce in the first place - I know he's proven as a good 'fire-fighting' coach but I thought they may have gone for someone who likes the game played with a bit more panache as befitting the Hammers tradition. You could always ask Dodgy 'Arry back, maybe.


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## jim prideaux

elgars ghost said:


> But the way Newcastle are playing I wouldn't be surprised if Sunderland finish above them anyway.


is it not possible to 'triple like' a post of such unreserved humanity, consideration and downright decency?


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## elgar's ghost

jim prideaux said:


> is it not possible to 'triple like' a post of such unreserved humanity, consideration and downright decency?


..........................:lol:


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## Alydon

I think with Sullivan and Gold's beady eyes on WHU it is unlikely that they would have good old 'Arry' back, but for sheer entertainment and post match chat he is excellent value.


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## Lycia

I'm an Arsenal fan and currently really looking forward to the FA Cup final this month!


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## elgar's ghost

Lycia said:


> I'm an Arsenal fan and currently really looking forward to the FA Cup final this month!


I implore Arsenal to beat Aston Villa in the final as it will send most Villa supporters in my local town scurrying back into the woodwork (and that includes some of my friends). From a West Brom perspective Villa winning the cup AND escaping relegation is too horrific to contemplate.


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## Lycia

elgars ghost said:


> I implore Arsenal to beat Aston Villa in the final as it will send most Villa supporters in my local town scurrying back into the woodwork (and that includes some of my friends). From a West Brom perspective Villa winning the cup AND escaping relegation is too horrific to contemplate.


I'm sure our boys will try and make that happen! We want to retain that cup after all.


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## Chris

I live close to Liverpool and worked in the city for nearly thirty years. In that time it was all about Manchester United. There were only two kinds of football enthusiasts. The people who wanted Manchester United to win, and the people who wanted Manchester United to lose. When Wayne Rooney transferred to Man U in 2004 the atmosphere was close to murderous. Slogans like 'Rooney must die' were painted on walls. If you were a Manc you didn't wear your scarf outside your coat.


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## elgar's ghost

Chris said:


> I live close to Liverpool and worked in the city for nearly thirty years. In that time it was all about Manchester United. There were only two kinds of football enthusiasts. The people who wanted Manchester United to win, and the people who wanted Manchester United to lose. When Wayne Rooney transferred to Man U in 2004 the atmosphere was close to murderous. Slogans like 'Rooney must die' were painted on walls. If you were a Manc you didn't wear your scarf outside your coat.


With respect to Everton, Rooney could probably only go so far with them. Rooney leaving at some point was inevitable, but I think Evertonians would have put up with him joining any other club apart from Manchester United - even Liverpool would have been preferable. The irony is that Rooney joined a club he more than likely detested himself.


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## jim prideaux

have not conceded yet in our attempt to avoid relegation at Goodison Park-but having said that Chris Waddle has been less than complimentary about our performance in the first ten minutes-only another 80 plus minutes to go.......


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## SiegendesLicht

I am only a football fan once every two years - during the World Cup and the Euro Cup, when the national teams are playing. I understand the whole national pride thing, but club football and rooting for a random bunch of guys playing against another random bunch of guys seems pretty pointless to me. I mean, how many players in, say, Bayern Munich are actually Bavarians?


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## Kivimees

SiegendesLicht said:


> I mean, how many players in, say, Bayern Munich are actually Bavarians?


Bavarian? Only 12 (of 25) are German, forget Bavarian!


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## Kivimees

Okay, I checked - five players were born in Bavaria.


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## SiegendesLicht

Thank you! But that is still a mostly random bunch of guys


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## elgar's ghost

SiegendesLicht said:


> I am only a football fan once every two years - during the World Cup and the Euro Cup, when the national teams are playing. I understand the whole national pride thing, but club football and rooting for a random bunch of guys playing against another random bunch of guys seems pretty pointless to me. I mean, how many players in, say, Bayern Munich are actually Bavarians?


I agree that a disproportionate influx of foreign talent can come at the expense of home-grown talent but least there are Germans, if not all Bavarians, playing for Bayern's first team.

Manchester City are a joke insofar as it's sometimes only the goalkeeper (Joe Hart) who's English. In fact, City have only four English players in a first-team squad of 23. Of those, Frank Lampard is bound for the USA to finish his career, while Richard Wright is a 37-year old third-choice keeper whose main role is as a coach. This leaves James Milner, who has played in about 75% of City's Premiership games since joining them four years ago.

If Manchester City are supposed to be one of the flagship English clubs then for me they will never have any credibility unless they have more of an English or, at least, British presence.


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## SiegendesLicht

Well, Bayern was only one example, but it seems to be pretty much the same in all major European clubs. Besides, I am just not that much of a fan.


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## Templeton

SiegendesLicht said:


> I am only a football fan once every two years - during the World Cup and the Euro Cup, when the national teams are playing. I understand the whole national pride thing, but club football and rooting for a random bunch of guys playing against another random bunch of guys seems pretty pointless to me. I mean, how many players in, say, Bayern Munich are actually Bavarians?


Then I have just the team for you, Athletic Bilbao, who play in the Spanish La Liga and employ only players of Basque origin. They're also owned by the fans, so another strong argument to support them .


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## Lycia

A quick message for any Arsenal supporters, the Arsenal Player now works on Android phones and tablets! Yay!  Previously it was only for anything with an 'i' in the product name.


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## elgar's ghost

Lycia said:


> A quick message for any Arsenal supporters, the Arsenal Player now works on Android phones and tablets! Yay!  Previously it was only for anything with an 'i' in the product name.


Belated thanks for beating Villa. :tiphat:


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## Lycia

elgars ghost said:


> Belated thanks for beating Villa. :tiphat:


You are most welcome!  I found out that day that our neighbours are Villa supporters....they were oddly silent that night!


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## breakup

My daughter used to play soccer, and when she was young it was cool that I was the assistant coach, then she got older and it wasn't cool anymore, so I stopped. The one thing I really disagreed with is the Off-sides rule. As I see it the referee has no business defending either goal, and if one coach wants to position a player close to the opponents goal, that's their business, and the business of the defending coach to defend that goal, the referee should be left out of it.


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## GreenMamba

breakup said:


> My daughter used to play soccer, and when she was young it was cool that I was the assistant coach, then she got older and it wasn't cool anymore, so I stopped. The one thing I really disagreed with is the Off-sides rule. As I see it the referee has no business defending either goal, and if one coach wants to position a player close to the opponents goal, that's their business, and the business of the defending coach to defend that goal, the referee should be left out of it.


That would ruin the sport. Instead of skilled dribbling and passing to bring the ball into scoring position, you'd just have long passes and cherry-picking. Dull.


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## breakup

GreenMamba said:


> That would ruin the sport. Instead of skilled dribbling and passing to bring the ball into scoring position, you'd just have long passes and cherry-picking. Dull.


I think it would have the opposite effect. If one coach wanted to have one or more of his forwards at the opponent's goal, it would be up to the other coach to defend that goal with his own players. As it is if a coach moves all his players up field the other coach is forced to move his players up too, or be faced with a potential off-sides. The off-sides rule actually promotes flock soccer, which most teams try to grow out of. Eliminating the Off-side rule would tend to spread the players out over the whole field rather than concentrating both teams on one half of the field. Sharks and Minnows is OK for practice, but isn't good for use in the game, only the skills learned should be carried over into the game.


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## elgar's ghost

As Green Mamba says, one downside would be that the absence of an offside rule would lead to what we used to call 'goal-hanging' when playing as kids - where two or three players just wait for the ball to be speculatively hoofed upfield while contributing little else in the way of teamwork. 

Despite what you say about spreading the play out and making it less zonal, the danger with banning the offside rule as I see it is that it could lead to an almost permanent congestion in the penalty area as the temptation for the forward line in this particular situation would be to be as near the goal as practicable all the time while the natural response of a defensive line would be to stick close to them all the time. And no doubt this would lead to even more diving and other means of trying to con a penalty kick from the referee than we see in the modern game already. Unless the law simultaneously states that no-one apart from the keeper is allowed in the penalty area at all unless a player plays the ball from outside the area first I can't see how all the negative aspects can be avoided.

Your theory is interesting, Breakup, but I can't find anything in it that would actually enhance the sport either as a visual spectacle or a participatory experience.


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## Guest

elgars ghost said:


> speculatively hoofed upfield


Now you're just denigrating Stoke :lol:


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## Guest

jim prideaux said:


> Sunderland season ticket holder here and we are hanging on (as ever)by the skin of our teeth-agree with many of the comments about the modern game but the football club is the last vestige of any sense of identity in my once proud town........


Watching Sunderland retain Premiership status was one of the most enjoyable games of the season...but I'm not a Black Cats fan.

Since moving from one end of the country to the other, I've been able to watch my team play away at Bolton, Wigan, Newcastle, Hull, Sunderland...Fleetwood, Accrington, Carlisle, Morecambe...For example, you can just see me behind the goal as Matt Taylor strikes a great long range effort at Roke- sorry, Stadium of Light.


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## arpeggio

I thing that used to have a similar offside rule in field hockey. They eventually got rid of it and it does not seem to have hurt the game.

I have always liked the offside rule in ice hockey.


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## breakup

As I see it the only reason Soccer adopted the Of-sides rule is because Football had one, and soccer was not to be outdone. 

I went to see a Harrisburg Heat game last winter, and the other team was on a power play with the Heat being one player down. The other team pulled their goalie and put in another player up field leaving their goal totally undefended. A Heat player got the ball and kicked it the length of the field, and into the goal. Eliminating the off-sides rule would have allowed the heat to keep a player up field and forced the other team to keep at least one defender with him to protect the goal and prevent that kind of goal. I would prefer see a game played with skill rather than dumb luck.


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## Guest

breakup said:


> As I see it the only reason Soccer adopted the Of-sides rule is because Football had one, and soccer was not to be outdone.


You might like to check your sporting history.


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## Kivimees

I'm very unhappy to hear about the misfortunes of the Kidderminster Harriers.


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## elgar's ghost

Kivimees said:


> I'm very unhappy to hear about the misfortunes of the Kidderminster Harriers.


Thanks. One bit of irony is that the currently-homeless Worcester City (a team from c. 15 miles away) are playing at Kidderminster's ground these days as Worcester's ground was sold to property developers to avoid possible liquidation. Problem is, the money raised by the sale wasn't enough to commission a new stadium, so if you think things are bad for the Harriers spare a thought for their hapless neighbours.


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## TurnaboutVox

MacLeod said:


> Since moving from one end of the country to the other, I've been able to watch my team play away at *Bolton, Wigan, Newcastle, Hull, Sunderland...Fleetwood, Accrington, Carlisle, Morecambe*


Triangulating between these nine towns I have decided that you must live in ....Tebay! and you support...Portsmouth!

You have my sympathy on both counts.


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## elgar's ghost

Villa 0 Albion 1. MWUUUHAAAAHAAAAAHAAAAHHH!!!


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## Guest

TurnaboutVox said:


> Triangulating between these nine towns I have decided that you must live in ....Tebay! and you support...Portsmouth!
> 
> You have my sympathy on both counts.


Haha! Good work, though the Pompey bit was easy and the Tebay...right county, wrong town, but close enough.

Currently only Leicester and Brighton are also unbeaten in the league so your sympathy is helping.


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## Kivimees

An impressive (and badly needed) win for Sunderland, but - my goodness! - what has happened to Chelsea?


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## elgar's ghost

Another 0-1 for West Brom - now reaching the dizzy heights of 10th place.

The Chelsea situation is weird - after winning the title last year with relative ease I can't understand why they are spluttering so badly this year with pretty much the same squad. Manager Mourinho isn't used to experiencing mini-crises like this one - I can't help wondering if there is something going on behind the scenes either privately or professionally which is making him lose his edge.


Other items of interest: 

Borussia MG win their fifth Bundesliga game on the spin under stand-in coach André Schubert after losing their first five under previous coach Lucien Favre.

Aston Villa sack manager Tim Sherwood after a wretched start to the season. Ex-Everton and Manchester United manager David Moyes is the book-keepers favourite to take over.

Unless Newcastle United get their act together then Steve McLaren could soon be following Sherwood down the road - rumours abound he has three games at the very most to save his job.


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## Guest

Chelsea fail the cold wet Tuesday night in Stoke test!


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## elgar's ghost

^
^

Many do. Until last season West Brom hadn't won at Stoke City for what seemed an eternity - they were a real bogey club for them. Ironic that West Brom should break the hoodoo with the ex-Stoke boss at the helm.


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## Kivimees

Stoke 1: Chelsea 0. Nothing needs to be said.


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## Guest

Kivimees said:


> Stoke 1: Chelsea 0. Nothing needs to be said.


What? Not even hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!??


----------



## Kivimees

Apologies. I forgot. :lol:


----------



## Kivimees

Man City 1 - Liverpool 4

Thank you Liverpool for putting Leicester City at the top of the table!


----------



## TurnaboutVox

Preston North End fail to break the derby hoodoo yet again (Preston 1 Blackburn Rovers 2)


----------



## Guest

Kivimees said:


> Man City 1 - Liverpool 4
> 
> Thank you Liverpool for putting Leicester City at the top of the table!


The world has indeed gone mad.


----------



## Guest

Good grief Chelsea won. Maybe they'll avoid relegation after all.


----------



## TurnaboutVox

Yes, Jose deserves that, he's so modest, so _simpatico_...


----------



## elgar's ghost

Villa on the receiving end of 4-0 pumping - it just gets better and better...


----------



## Guest

So for the second time in consecutive seasons, Portsmouth hold on to a 2-1 lead at Carlisle...until the 95th minute.

Urgh! (Hueeeeeyy...ralph, ralph!)


----------



## Dim7

I don't like football. Thread has been closed.


----------



## Kivimees

Bournemouth's last 4 matches:

Swansea 2 - Bournemouth 2
Bournemouth 3 - Everton 3
*Chelsea* 0 - Bournemouth 1
Bournemouth 2 - *Man United* 1

:clap::clap::clap::clap:


----------



## TurnaboutVox

Two successive wins for Preston - against good (Burnley) and good-ish (Reading) opposition. Maybe this season won't be a disappointment after all (staying in the second tier would be a pretty good effort).


----------



## elgar's ghost

Happy to see Borussia MG stick it up Bayern last week - if only they hadn't had such a wretched start to the season.


----------



## Vronsky

Inter Milan beat Udinese last night with 0-4. They're doing excellent stuff this season (with few exceptions), the team and the tactics are stable, no bigger injuries so far. The new defensive duo Miranda & Murillo is doing outstanding job, the new playmaker Adem Ljajić gave them many more options in the offensive end. Giant leap for them this season.


----------



## Kivimees

Stoke City 2 - Man U 0

Stoke give Man U a lump of coal for Christmas. :lol:


----------



## TurnaboutVox

I see the Chelsea 'revival' is on hold again...


----------



## sospiro

Kivimees said:


> Stoke City 2 - Man U 0
> 
> Stoke give Man U a lump of coal for Christmas. :lol:


Astronaut Tim Peake has this with him on the ISS so you could say that Stoke have support from a 'higher' authority


----------



## Guest

sospiro said:


> Astronaut Tim Peake has this with him on the ISS so you could say that Stoke have support from a 'higher' authority


Clearly.

Everton 3 - 4 Stoke.


----------



## TurnaboutVox

That's a precious 3 points for Preston at home to Hull after back-to-back away defeats. 17th place and 7 points above the drop zone tonight.


----------



## Guest

Perhaps next season we should put a league together for Fantasy Football? Here's my current position, with one game still to go tonight...

View attachment 79537


I'm 4th out of 10 in a local league, and 474,117th in England!

That's my best position ever, and I'm creeping up on 3rd place.

Meanwhile, Portsmouth try to stop conceding goals (3 at the weekend away to Orient) and succeed against Luton at home, but fail to score at the other.


----------



## Headphone Hermit

The Mighty Reds 1-0 down at Exeter .... oh, no!


----------



## Headphone Hermit

^^^^ and even a quick equaliser doesn't reassure me that much


----------



## TurnaboutVox

Headphone Hermit said:


> The Mighty Reds 1-0 down at Exeter .... oh, no!
> 
> and even a quick equaliser doesn't reassure me that much


Are you a Man U fan then, HH? I used to live nearish to Maine Road so this was never an option for me. (A conversation in local pubs used to go "Who do you support?" "Man U" "Oh, which part of London are you from?")

Not that I've ever really been attracted to their brand of hyper-capitalism.


----------



## Headphone Hermit

TurnaboutVox said:


> Are you a Man U fan then, HH?


How dare you, TV! Man U??? :scold::scold: I *used* to like you!

Liverpool now 2-1 down 

I'm going into hiding!


----------



## TurnaboutVox

Oooops. I *do* beg your pardon. Not _those_ mighty reds then... 

Not a good night for Herr Klopp.


----------



## Headphone Hermit

^^^

indeed *not*!


----------



## elgar's ghost

West Brom leave it _very_ late to salvage a draw against Bristol City who are 30 places below them. Looking through the rest of the results it doesn't look as if there were any serious upsets today as far as the top two divisions are concerned, though.


----------



## TurnaboutVox

elgars ghost said:


> Looking through the rest of the results it doesn't look as if there were any serious upsets today as far as the top two divisions are concerned, though.


I suppose Peterborough (League 1,6th) beating PNE (Championship, 15th) doesn't really count as an upset.


----------



## elgar's ghost

You're taking it well, TV.


----------



## Guest

It seems ManU were able to score only once their lowly opposition had all fallen asleep.


----------



## Pugg

I am so disappointed by Aston Villa, somehow I have a weak spot fore them


----------



## TurnaboutVox

Pugg said:


> I am so disappointed by Aston Villa, somehow *I have a weak spot* fore them


As do they......


----------



## Kivimees

jim prideaux's Sunderland did a magnificent job today against Man U (2-1). :clap:


----------



## Pugg

Kivimees said:


> jim prideaux's Sunderland did a magnificent job today against Man U (2-1). :clap:


This must be the end for Van Gaal :cheers:


----------



## elgar's ghost

Seems like Leicester City are the only club who are consistent at the moment - all the usual suspects don't seem to have the cojones to take the league by the scruff of the neck. What a season they're having so far and congratulations must go to manager Claudio Ranieri for keeping things together after Nigel Pearson's potentially disastrous departure.


----------



## Templeton

Pugg said:


> This must be the end for Van Gaal :cheers:


Please, no, he's doing an absolutely fantastic job. He should be allowed to continue for as long as he wants.

I'm a Liverpool fan.


----------



## elgar's ghost

^
^

Heh heh...


West Brom stop the rot with an away win at Everton which I didn't expect. Yet prior to this they drop four points out of six at home against Villa and Swansea and also lose at Newcastle, who are all below them in the table. West Brom won't get relegated but dropping points like that has prevented them from being 8th or 9th in the table where they should be. Crystal Palace's recent dramatic fall from grace (no wins in nine) might be exposing a few nerve ends amongst the Selhurst Park faithful - it's certainly not too late for them to get sucked into the relegation dog-fight if they don't get their act together soon.


----------



## Kieran

Two big results today, the North London clubs staking a claim. Okay, so Spurs are always going to be Spurs, but they've added some bite this year and are peaking right now. But Arsenal may have given themselves the fillip they needed to go on a tear. Pity for Leicester that they lost though...


----------



## elgar's ghost

Manchester City's Showbiz XI proving once again that it's less than the sum of its parts - what a waste of money at least half of that squad is.


----------



## MagneticGhost

Notice how Man City have lost 2 home games on the trot since Pep Guardiola was announced as their next manager.
Silly idea to undermine existing manager half way through season.
Won't be surprised if they finish season empty handed. 
I'll laugh


----------



## Templeton

A close game at Villa Park today...:lol:


----------



## Guest

Templeton said:


> A close game at Villa Park today...:lol:


Yeah! Away to Stokealona next!


----------



## elgar's ghost

Templeton said:


> A close game at Villa Park today...:lol:


Steady - you'll upset Pugg.


----------



## elgar's ghost

MagneticGhost said:


> Notice how Man City have lost 2 home games on the trot since Pep Guardiola was announced as their next manager.
> Silly idea to undermine existing manager half way through season.
> Won't be surprised if they finish season empty handed.
> I'll laugh


Not only do Manchester City collectively lack both bottle and an esprit de corps but I suspect that individually some of them lack commitment to the club itself - you can imagine more than a couple of them already having one eye on playing for someone else next year whether the club wants to get rid of them or not.

I initially welcomed the shift in power after Manchester United's seemingly endless dynasty but City appear to be even worse than Chelsea when it comes to throwing around ridiculous sums of money for temperamental image-obsessed showboaters who all too often simply haven't got the appetite for digging in when things get a little tough. This year they have also missed Vincent Kompany's leadership, one of the few City players I have any real respect for and who genuinely seems to have the club's best interests at heart.


----------



## elgar's ghost

Sad to hear about the death of one of the true greats who would have graced any era...

R.I.P. Johann Cruyff (25 April 1947 - 24 March 2016)


----------



## Pugg

elgars ghost said:


> Sad to hear about the death of one of the true greats who would have graced any era...
> 
> R.I.P. Johann Cruyff (25 April 1947 - 24 March 2016)


A shock wave trough my country, even national television suspend regular programs to pay tribute .


----------



## elgar's ghost

'A shock wave trough my country, even national television suspend regular programs to pay tribute.'


I'm not surprised - and I imagine the situation will be the same in Catalonia as well.


----------



## Pugg

elgars ghost said:


> 'A shock wave trough my country, even national television suspend regular programs to pay tribute.'
> 
> I'm not surprised - and I imagine the situation will be the same in Catalonia as well.


Indeed we do have live pictures from a Catalan channel also.


----------



## schigolch

Sit tibi terra levis.

A giant of a player, and a giant of a coach too.

To me, Cruyff has always represented the Adversary. I'm a die-hard Real Madrid fan. But I greatly admired him, anyway. I loved those games with the Ajax, and with the Netherlands national team. As a player, his first year playing for Barcelona was also unbelievable, but his best legacy in Barça it's as a coach. The dominant Barcelona we saw with Rijkaard, with Guardiola, and that we see now with Luis Enrique... is coming from Cruyff's days, and teachings.


----------



## Bayreuth

Very sad news, indeed.


----------



## Pugg

elgars ghost said:


> Steady - you'll upset Pugg.


I am upset now, another loss


----------



## Bayreuth

Luis Suarez was awful tonight. Maybe La Liga isn't over after all. GO ATLETICO!!!


----------



## elgar's ghost

Will the real Slavan Bilic please stand up? :lol:


----------



## Pugg

Bayreuth said:


> Luis Suarez was awful tonight. Maybe La Liga isn't over after all. GO ATLETICO!!!


Now that is wishful thinking


----------



## Bayreuth

Tonight is the night!!


----------



## Templeton

Bayreuth said:


> Tonight is the night!!
> 
> View attachment 83270


Yay, go Fernando, you beauty! 1-0 to Atletico!


----------



## Templeton

Well, that was short and sweet. Well done, Torres, leaving your team to play the remaining 55 minutes with ten men. Just hope that Simeone can instil some South American grit into his players. What was Torres thinking?


----------



## elgar's ghost

Was it a straight red? With his experience he should know better, especially against a team he has faced many times.


----------



## Templeton

elgars ghost said:


> Was it a straight red? With his experience he should know better, especially against a team he has faced many times.


No, second yellow but stupid and unnecessary challenge, particularly for a player with his experience. Scholes like.


----------



## Templeton

Turning into the ex-Liverpool show, with two goals for Suarez and the one for Torres. Oh, what might have been...


----------



## Templeton

Fantastic week of European football, capped by an extraordinary game at Anfield between Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund, made even more poignant by it being so close to the anniversary of Hillsborough.

What a result too for Atletico Madrid, knocking out the favourites, Barcelona. Hope that they go on to win it but any of the remaining four would be worthy winners.

In terms of the Europa League, I am daring to dream, thanks to der Kloppmeister. What a guy.

Final shout today for Leicester, who must be on the way to the title, in England. With Spurs still having to play Chelsea and Stoke away, as well as Southampton at home, they may not even need the three wins. Well done to Claudio Ranieri, who took a lot of unjustified ridicule, when he took over at Leicester. Nice to see one of the good guys doing well.


----------



## Pugg

_I am in morning, Aston Villa relegated_


----------



## Templeton

Pugg said:


> _I am in morning, Aston Villa relegated_


Yes, it was a sad day, even though everybody knew that it had been coming for quite some time. Villa have always been my second team, so I'm sad to see them go down. They were in the old Third Division, back in the '70s and managed to claw their way back to win the ultimate prize, the European Cup in 1982, so a lot can happen within just a few years. They are in a real mess now though. Hopefully they can get a decent new owner and work their way back but it's tough to in the Championship. Just ask Leeds United and Nottingham Forest, two huge teams.


----------



## Abraham Lincoln

I know Shostakovich was a huge football/soccer fan.


----------



## Guest

Templeton said:


> Yes, it was a sad day, even though everybody knew that it had been coming for quite some time. Villa have always been my second team, so I'm sad to see them go down. They were in the old Third Division, back in the '70s and managed to claw their way back to win the ultimate prize, the European Cup in 1982, so a lot can happen within just a few years. They are in a real mess now though. Hopefully they can get a decent new owner and work their way back but it's tough to in the Championship. Just ask Leeds United and Nottingham Forest, two huge teams.


Indeedy. Leicester were deffo for relegation this season.


----------



## Guest

Pugg said:


> _I am in morning, Aston Villa relegated_


Does Pulis want a new challenge?


----------



## Pugg

dogen said:


> Does Pulis want a new challenge?


Always open to new suggestions :tiphat:


----------



## majlis

I hate football. Never ever went to see a game, nor on TV. I don't care the World championship, don't know any player and I despise hooligans. As an native Argentine, to my compatriots I'm weird, anomalous, an outcast and a traitor.


----------



## Templeton

majlis said:


> I hate football. Never ever went to see a game, nor on TV. I don't care the World championship, don't know any player and I despise hooligans. As an native Argentine, to my compatriots I'm weird, anomalous, an outcast and a traitor.


Each to his own and that's just fine. I'm sure that you're quite happy with your life, as it is. Just to say though, the vast majority of football fans are not 'hooligans', just as the vast majority of classical music fans are not pompous bores, at least in my experience. Have to say though, being an Argentinian and not liking football seems akin to a Swiss person not enjoying chocolate or cheese.


----------



## majlis

Right. That's why I try to never talk about sports with anybody.


----------



## Templeton

majlis said:


> Right. That's why I try to never talk about sports with anybody.


No problem if you don't like football, we're all friends on here and so far, no evidence of any hooliganism that I've seen. Stay with us and you never know, River Plate or Boca may end up with a new fan.


----------



## elgar's ghost

dogen said:


> Does Pulis want a new challenge?


Shhhh....we want him to stay right where he is, thank you... If it's a challenge he wants then next season he can try and get Albion to finish in the top 7 or 8. 

I'd say any manager is on a real hiding to nothing by willingly dropping down a division to take over someone else, however 'big' the club is.


----------



## Guest

elgars ghost said:


> Shhhh....we want him to stay right where he is, thank you... If it's a challenge he wants then next season he can try and get Albion to finish in the top 7 or 8.
> 
> I'd say any manager is on a real hiding to nothing by willingly dropping down a division to take over someone else, however 'big' the club is.


I thought Baggies fans had a very low opinion of Pulis. All that forgiven and forgotten now? :devil:


----------



## majlis

Never. First i'll commit suicide listening to the complete Wagner's Tetralogy (Could'n survive such an experience).


----------



## elgar's ghost

dogen said:


> I thought Baggies fans had a very low opinion of Pulis. All that forgiven and forgotten now? :devil:


I think he's respected more than loved but he gave back to Albion the stability that was lost during the tenures of Pepe Mel and Alan Irvine. As we know from his reign at Stoke City Pulis doesn't exactly encourage 'sexy' football but he's made Albion increasingly difficult to beat which I believe was the biggest priority. Where Pulis and the club go from here only time will tell, but I'd like to see them hang onto him for at least another season.


----------



## Guest

Anyone think that it's time referees made a better job of dealing with the argy-bargy at set pieces? The Leicester v West Ham match was disfigured by too much rough-handling by both sides and the ref had a hard job trying to decide what to let pass (or didn't see) and what to penalise. Agbonna and Huth could both have been sent off by half time. Vardey can feel hard done by.


----------



## Templeton

majlis said:


> Never. First i'll commit suicide listening to the complete Wagner's Tetralogy (Could'n survive such an experience).


Newell's Old Boys then? But seriously, football or 'Evita', the musical, which would be worse for you? That's the acid test. Anyway, there's much else to appreciate about Argentina besides its football team, although my sole experience was a few days in Mendoza, almost twenty years ago. Lovely city, superb wines and a stupendous journey over the Andes from and to Chile. Hopefully, one day, I will make it over to Buenos Aires and who knows, maybe one of the BA derbies. Care to join me?


----------



## sospiro

MacLeod said:


> Anyone think that it's time referees made a better job of dealing with the argy-bargy at set pieces? The Leicester v West Ham match was disfigured by too much rough-handling by both sides and the ref had a hard job trying to decide what to let pass (or didn't see) and what to penalise. Agbonna and Huth could both have been sent off by half time. Vardey can feel hard done by.


The ref was inconsistent but I agree with the Vardy sending off. (IMO)

This guy has been the main contributor to Leicester's success and it would be ironic if his absence was the cause of their missing out on winning the Premier League.


----------



## Pugg

I am still mourning , well live goes on shall we say :angel:


----------



## sospiro

Ooops!

Dele Alli miss from last night's Stoke v Spurs


----------



## Pugg

I do think that guy at Tottenham Hotspur FC does a good coaching job .:tiphat:


----------



## SarahNorthman

I do like it, though I am not a diehard fan of it. I would much rather play it than watch it.


----------



## Guest

Simple question: why did Hughes sell Huth?


----------



## Pugg

Aston Villa , shame on you all


----------



## TurnaboutVox

Pugg said:


> Aston Villa , shame on you all





> Lescott: 'Now it's confirmed maybe it's a weight off the shoulders'


Yep. I'm afraid Joleon Lescott has just thrown away his chance of winning the PFA Player of the Year Award this year...


----------



## Guest

Aston Villa and Real Madrid for me! 
I have a friend who supports Crystal Palace. Can you imagine?


----------



## elgar's ghost

TalkingHead said:


> Aston Villa and Real Madrid for me!
> I have a friend who supports Crystal Palace. Can you imagine?


Back in the 70s and 80s Crystal Palace would have won my vote for Best Kit Award not once but twice.


----------



## Pugg

My local club: Feyenoord won the equivalent off the F.A cup in my country :clap::trp::wave::tiphat::kiss:


----------



## Kieran

Spurs only drew - great! :tiphat:


----------



## Pugg

Kieran said:


> Spurs only drew - great! :tiphat:


Do I smell a Leicester fan?


----------



## Lukecash12

Sorry, I prefer the kind of football where you knock them senseless because that's what you're _supposed_ to do. Yes, I know I'm very "civilized"... :tiphat:


----------



## Guest

Kieran said:


> Spurs only drew - great! :tiphat:


I wondered why I fell asleep watching.


----------



## Templeton

Finally, Justice for the 96. YNWA.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-36138337


----------



## Kieran

Pugg said:


> Do I smell a Leicester fan?


This season, yes! It's the greatest football story since Notts Forest won the European Cup. It's been refreshing to watch them keep their nerve throughout. A Now or Never moment that's gonna be Now!


----------



## TurnaboutVox

Whoever thought Tony Pulis would turn out to be such a Leicester hero! A cussed side, WBA.


----------



## Pugg

Kieran said:


> This season, yes! It's the greatest football story since Notts Forest won the European Cup. It's been refreshing to watch them keep their nerve throughout. A Now or Never moment that's gonna be Now!


I know the story, ( following match off the day) 
From me they can have the title , well deserved, I say and a very long nose to all those millions spend in the so called " big clubs"


----------



## elgar's ghost

TurnaboutVox said:


> Whoever thought Tony Pulis would turn out to be such a Leicester hero! A cussed side, WBA.


And they managed a draw away to Leicester earlier this year as well...Albion have mainly underperformed against the struggling teams.


----------



## Guest

Pugg said:


> From me they can have the title , well deserved, I say


And as a supporter of a club currently three divisions below, I say they can have it too! Of course, that'll all change when Pompey rocket back up to the top flight! :lol:


----------



## sospiro

TurnaboutVox said:


> Whoever thought Tony Pulis would turn out to be such a Leicester hero! A cussed side, WBA.


Boing Boing ... sorry baggies' fans


----------



## Chris

On Saturday Tranmere Rovers have a faint hope of qualifying for the playoffs in the Vanamara National League and thus a chance to re-enter 'proper' league football next season. They have to defeat Grimsby (who are above Tranmere in league position) and hope for a miracle at playoff competitors Braintree; Braintree must lose at home to strugglers Altrincham who are almost certainly condemned to relegation. Ironically, Altrincham is the location of choice for millionaire premier league footballers who play or have played for the Manchester and Liverpool teams. We need a 'dead cat bounce' from the doomed Altrinchamers.


----------



## Pugg

What the f#ck is wrong at Aston Villa?
Support them is like entering a endless stream of heartache


----------



## TurnaboutVox

Pugg said:


> What the f#ck is wrong at Aston Villa?
> Support them is like entering a endless stream of heartache


Oh, the Championship is not such a bad place. I suspect they'll not have a bad season there next year.

I regard the Championship as the real top level of _English_ football. The Premier League is just an international financial and moral morass, divorced from the fans and the communities which nurtured the clubs in it.


----------



## Guest

Great wit from Gary Lineker last night on Leicester's chances of wrapping it up today...

"Even Foxes don't count their chickens!"


----------



## elgar's ghost

I really do wish Leicester City well but it annoys me when the media are going tonto calling them 'the unlikeliest champions ever' and saying things like 'the biggest fairytale in English football'.

Close, maybe, but still wrong. In 1962 the even less-fancied Ipswich Town won the league for the first and only time and Nottingham Forest won their only title in 1978 after gaining promotion only the year before. Forest's achievement was even more notable as they were one of only two clubs to break Liverpool's stranglehold on the title between 1976 and 1984.


----------



## Guest

elgars ghost said:


> I really do wish Leicester City well but it annoys me when the media are going tonto calling them 'the unlikeliest champions ever' and saying things like 'the biggest fairytale in English football'.
> 
> Close, maybe, but still wrong. In 1962 the even less-fancied Ipswich Town won the league for the first and only time and Nottingham Forest won their only title in 1978 after gaining promotion only the year before. Forest's achievement was even more notable as they were one of only two clubs to break Liverpool's stranglehold on the title between 1976 and 1984.


You may be right. However, Forest were on the march at the time, whereas Leicester's rise is arguably more remarkable as they were almost dead and buried and seemed a hot tip to go down this season. Also, 2016 and the Premiership is not the same as 1978, and the multi-million transfer market had not exploded back then.


----------



## Pugg

TurnaboutVox said:


> Oh, the Championship is not such a bad place. I suspect they'll not have a bad season there next year.
> 
> I regard the Championship as the real top level of _English_ football. The Premier League is just an international financial and moral morass, divorced from the fans and the communities which nurtured the clubs in it.


I do like watching match of the Day though.
Leicester equals just now :tiphat:


----------



## sospiro

TurnaboutVox said:


> Oh, the Championship is not such a bad place. I suspect they'll not have a bad season there next year.
> 
> I regard the Championship as the real top level of _English_ football. The Premier League is just an international financial and moral morass, divorced from the fans and the communities which nurtured the clubs in it.


I have no allegiance to any particular club but I totally agree with you. I'd rather watch non-league than premier league


----------



## elgar's ghost

sospiro said:


> I have no allegiance to any particular club but I totally agree with you. I'd rather watch non-league than premier league


So would I - no gloves (why the hell are some top players are still wearing them in spring???), less histrionics, more honesty. Supporting Kidderminster Harriers doesn't guarantee a great time but at least the integrity reminds me of the game I used to know at top level.


----------



## Headphone Hermit

TurnaboutVox said:


> Oh, the Championship is not such a bad place. I suspect they'll not have a bad season there next year.


They might only be in that league for one season unless they make a root and branch overhaul before August. Villa could follow a similar route to some other Premier League disasters and drop straight into League 1 after the trauma of this season


----------



## TurnaboutVox

Headphone Hermit said:


> They might only be in that league for one season unless they make a root and branch overhaul before August. Villa could follow a similar route to some other Premier League disasters and drop straight into League 1 after the trauma of this season


Well, then at least Villa fans would get the chance to see some less familiar parts of the country! :lol:


----------



## Headphone Hermit

elgars ghost said:


> I really do wish Leicester City well but it annoys me when the media are going tonto calling them *'the unlikeliest champions ever' *and saying things like 'the biggest fairytale in English football'.
> 
> Close, maybe, but still wrong. In 1962 the even less-fancied Ipswich Town won the league for the first and only time and Nottingham Forest won their only title in 1978 after gaining promotion only the year before. Forest's achievement was even more notable as they were one of only two clubs to break Liverpool's stranglehold on the title between 1976 and 1984.


Leicester only just scraped into survival last season and without a radically different set of players, they were not obvious candidates for survival this season, let alone to finish in the top two.

I remember watching in the 60s and 70s and the gap between top-flight and the rest wasn't as big as it is nowadays. I don't remember Ipswich's season, but I do remember Forest's title and they had a cracking side with a real strength right down the spine of the side, along with a manager who had shown potential for success previously. I *do* think that if Leicester win it, then their achievement is much more unanticipated than anything I can remember previously


----------



## Headphone Hermit

TurnaboutVox said:


> Well, then at least Villa fans would get the chance to see some less familiar parts of the country! :lol:


Aye - a West Midlands derby with Burton Albion for a start :lol:


----------



## elgar's ghost

Yes, HH - Leicester sailed close to the wind last season but as I recall they hit on a real hot streak towards the end of the season which got them out of jail. And, judging by this chart I've just found, they had a decent start, too. However, maybe I was wrong in comparing the achievements of Ipswich and N. Forest to Leicester as the Premier League with its 'us and them' structure is a far different proposition to what was Football League Division One.


----------



## Headphone Hermit

^^^ so .... a one-all draw between EGFC and AFCHH? :lol:


----------



## elgar's ghost

Erm...maybe you win on penalties...


----------



## TurnaboutVox

Headphone Hermit said:


> ^^^ so .... a one-all draw between EGFC and AFCHH? :lol:


That's a surprise: I thought you'd be Berliozverpool FC!


----------



## sospiro

TurnaboutVox said:


> Well, then at least Villa fans would get the chance to see some less familiar parts of the country! :lol:


Wolverhampton :lol:


----------



## Guest

Don't write off a late push by Newton Heath.


----------



## Pugg

TurnaboutVox said:


> Well, then at least Villa fans would get the chance to see some less familiar parts of the country! :lol:


As long as they don't go the same road like Leeds did


----------



## elgar's ghost

Pugg said:


> As long as they don't go the same road like Leeds did


If it's any consolation I can't see that happening, Pugg - Leeds were financially shattered after chairman Peter Ridsdale tried to buy success on the never-never and handing manager David O'Leary a blank check in order to achieve it. These may be uncertain times for Villa but I'm assuming they will have proper funds to rebuild the team for next season. I can't see Villa storming back into the Prem at the first attempt but I have a feeling they won't struggle too much either, despite the unrest behind the scenes. I boldly predict them finishing somewhere between the fringes of the play-off places and twelfth.

Of course, many Villa fans won't be too happy with that but I think the immediate priority once the new season starts is to improve on-pitch morale after first clearing out those players who are unsettled or not committed and generally just regain some kind of stability, despite whatever's going on in the boardroom. Villa also have one of the finest academies in the country, so maybe one or two of their best young players could be successfully blooded next season.


----------



## TurnaboutVox

Pugg said:


> As long as they don't go the same road like Leeds did


No. Well, Leeds United have "special" problems...



> (Leeds United chairman) Massimo Cellino was arrested in February 2013 with the mayor of Quartu Sant'Elena, Mauro Contini, and the public works commissioner Stefano Lilliu, for attempted embezzlement and fraudulent misrepresentation following an investigation into the construction of the Stadio Is Arenas.
> 
> Cellino's arrest warrant called him a man of "marked criminal tendencies ... capable of using every kind of deception to achieve his ends". He has two prior criminal convictions, for deceiving the Italian Ministry of Agriculture out of £7.5m in 1996 and for false accounting at Cagliari in 2001.





> The son of the Leeds chairman, Massimo Cellino, is under pressure to explain an Instagram post where he used the hashtags "gestapo" and "ss".
> 
> Ercole Cellino wrote: "Alternative lunch break.... Yes I did... Welcome to Calabria #gestapo#ss#army#military#guerilla#warrior"
> 
> Asked to explain by one user, Ercole later added: "Obviously my parents are the hashtag jokes. It was not my intention to offend anyone. Look I can be anything but anti-Semitic or racist," before signing off with a winking emoticon.
> 
> Leeds have so far declined to comment.
> 
> Ercole's older brother Edoardo, who is also a director of Leeds, was handed a suspension following an independent regulatory commission hearing into a private message exchange on Facebook where he reportedly called a supporter a "spastic" and a "moron". He was fined £5,000, warned about his future conduct and told he must complete an education course within four months.


----------



## elgar's ghost

Do any of these clubs ever conduct proper research their prospective new owners or are they just mesmorised by the quick influx of money, real or imagined? The amount of British clubs which have fallen foul to corrupt or inept foreign ownership is embarrassing.


----------



## TurnaboutVox

As long as the owners can pass the laughable "Fit and proper persons" test...

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/oct/19/leeds-massimo-cellino-disqualified-football-league


----------



## Kivimees

First time this season I am hoping for a Chelsea win. :devil:


----------



## Headphone Hermit

dogen said:


> Don't write off a late push by Newton Heath.


Only in a Theatre of Dreams are *they* going to win the Premiership this year .... and they'll get a bump down to earth when they wake up to reality


----------



## Headphone Hermit

Congratulations Leicester!!!

Champions for the first time - well done!


----------



## TurnaboutVox

Remarkable. I had a feeling that both of this weekend's crucial matches would be drawn! :devil:

Well done, the Tinkerman and his men.


----------



## Stavrogin

No. of managers who won the PL by nationality:

Italian 3
Scottish 2
French 1
Portuguese 1
Chilean 1
English 0


----------



## jurianbai

So, anybody buy the 5,000:1 ticket for Leicestery in August 2015 :lol:

Congratulations for the Foxes, I'm happy because I actually got bore with big clubs already.


----------



## Pugg

jurianbai said:


> So, anybody buy the 5,000:1 ticket for Leicestery in August 2015 :lol:
> 
> Congratulations for the Foxes, I'm happy because I actually got bore with big clubs already.


Me too, that endless spending on players is beyond believe


----------



## Kivimees

jurianbai said:


> So, anybody buy the 5,000:1 ticket for Leicestery in August 2015 :lol:


I'm considering making a small wager on Swansea next season.


----------



## elgar's ghost

A fantastic achievement for a club with a magnificent work ethic and a tremendous team spirit - I'm so pleased. And it's really put it right up those ridiculously overpaid egotistical show-boaters who play for the 'glamour clubs' who think they can win games just by turning up heh heh...


----------



## TurnaboutVox

Kivimees said:


> I'm considering making a small wager on Swansea next season.


Burnley...


----------



## Pugg

elgars ghost said:


> A fantastic achievement for a club with a magnificent work ethic and a tremendous team spirit - I'm so pleased. And it's really put it right up those ridiculously overpaid egotistical show-boaters who play for the 'glamour clubs' who think they can win games just by turning up heh heh...


I remember a Dutch player (Arsenal/ Manchester United, figure that one out) playing at my local club.
He's somewhat older then me but I never forgot him hearing saying: I am going to be the best and become a millionaire.
Well the last thing he succeed, if only his playing was as good as his bragging.


----------



## sospiro

Gary in his undies!!

:devil:

#gottabedone


----------



## elgar's ghost

Pugg said:


> I remember a Dutch player (Arsenal/ Manchester United, figure that one out) playing at my local club.
> He's somewhat older then me but I never forgot him hearing saying: I am going to be the best and become a millionaire.
> Well the last thing he succeed, if only his playing was as good as his bragging.


Are you talking about RvP, Pugg?


----------



## sospiro

Love it but I think Gazzetta are confusing their managers. It was Jurgen Klopp who coined the phrase 'The Normal One'.


----------



## Pugg

elgars ghost said:


> Are you talking about RvP, Pugg?


Hit the jackpot :tiphat:


----------



## Pugg

Newcastle United FC also went down, what the f#ck is going on.
They have a few Dutch players who tried their luck, one season premiere league, just for the money


----------



## Kivimees

Sunderland escapes again!


----------



## sospiro

Pugg said:


> Newcastle United FC also went down, what the f#ck is going on.
> They have a few Dutch players who tried their luck, one season premiere league, just for the money


My mum was a Geordie lass and I've lived in Newcastle so feel very sad for NUFC. I don't know if Benitez will stay.

Interesting article in today's Guardian here.


----------



## elgar's ghost

I'm not surprised that Newcastle United went down - they underachieve year after year and this season their weaknesses were exposed even more ruthlessly. Despite their recent woes I still find it amazing that a club as big as Newcastle United have won only one major honour in the last 61 years...taking the manager's job these days is a classic case of being offered the poisoned chalice because of all the expectation.


----------



## Wood

Chris said:


> On Saturday Tranmere Rovers have a faint hope of qualifying for the playoffs in the Vanamara National League and thus a chance to re-enter 'proper' league football next season. They have to defeat Grimsby (who are above Tranmere in league position) and hope for a miracle at playoff competitors Braintree; Braintree must lose at home to strugglers Altrincham who are almost certainly condemned to relegation. Ironically, Altrincham is the location of choice for millionaire premier league footballers who play or have played for the Manchester and Liverpool teams. We need a 'dead cat bounce' from the doomed Altrinchamers.


I saw Tranmere once, in Birkenhead! It was back in the seventies, in Division three against Sheffield Wednesday.

The Wednesday fans were dominant and thuggish, but looked ridiculous wearing their Sheffield Wednesday underpants on top of their trousers whilst lighting bonfires on the terraces. If I remember correctly it was a 1-1 draw, and Ronnie Moore was the Tranmere star of the period. 

I hope they get back amongst the professionals as soon as possible.


----------



## sospiro

I'm really cross that commentators keep saying that NUFC will have to get used to playing teams like Burton Albion. What's wrong with Burton Albion? They've done really well to get promotion to the Championship.


----------



## Wood

sospiro said:


> I'm really cross that commentators keep saying that NUFC will have to get used to playing teams like Burton Albion. What's wrong with Burton Albion? They've done really well to get promotion to the Championship.


Burton Albion in Division Two?! I haven't followed football much for a few years so I only think of them as a Southern League / Northern Premier League team. They've obviously done very well in the twenty-first century.


----------



## elgar's ghost

sospiro said:


> I'm really cross that commentators keep saying that NUFC will have to get used to playing teams like Burton Albion. What's wrong with Burton Albion? They've done really well to get promotion to the Championship.


On my way to work I walk past a house which proudly flies the flag of Stafford Rangers!


----------



## sospiro

Wood said:


> Burton Albion in Division Two?! I haven't followed football much for a few years so I only think of them as a Southern League / Northern Premier League team. They've obviously done very well in the twenty-first century.


They've gone from the Conference League to the Championship in eight years. Nigel Clough has done really well.


----------



## sospiro

elgars ghost said:


> On my way to work I walk past a house which proudly flies the flag of Stafford Rangers!


Hehe! Those Rangers fans get everywhere!


----------



## Pugg

elgars ghost said:


> I'm not surprised that Newcastle United went down - they underachieve year after year and this season their weaknesses were exposed even more ruthlessly. Despite their recent woes I still find it amazing that a club as big as Newcastle United have won only one major honour in the last 61 years...taking the manager's job these days is a classic case of being offered the poisoned chalice because of all the expectation.


Overpaid and overrated prima Donna behaviour players, that's the whole point


----------



## Pugg

Old Trafford ; suspended , suspicious package found


----------



## Kivimees

Congratulations to Stoke for finishing above Chelsea!


----------



## Guest

Newcastle 5 Spurs 1.
Huh?!


----------



## TurnaboutVox

I thought Spurs were going to give Leicester a run for their money, but they have fallen apart instead in recent weeks.


----------



## Kivimees

TurnaboutVox said:


> I thought Spurs were going to give Leicester a run for their money, but they have fallen apart instead in recent weeks.


Yes. Spot 2 was at hand but was tossed away. Pity.


----------



## sospiro

TurnaboutVox said:


> I thought Spurs were going to give Leicester a run for their money, but they have fallen apart instead in recent weeks.





Kivimees said:


> Yes. Spot 2 was at hand but was tossed away. Pity.


Does it make any difference?

I know top five go to play in Champions League but other than that does the finishing order mean anything else?


----------



## TurnaboutVox

sospiro said:


> Does it make any difference?
> 
> I know top five go to play in Champions League but other than that does the finishing order mean anything else?


Well, the traditional point of competing in a league is to win it! I agree, though, that the 'Football Corporations' that run the most successful franchises probably only care abut finishing in the top 4 to ensure Champions' League football the following year. (5th place finisher plays in the 2nd tier European competition, the Europa League, which is still lucrative.)

The point of my previous post, however, was that I had been looking forward to a nail-biting finish (I was a neutral observer in the contest) with Spurs pushing Leicester all the way to the final game, instead of which we got a damp squib and a relatively easy triumph for Leicester 3 weeks ago.


----------



## Pugg

dogen said:


> Newcastle 5 Spurs 1.
> Huh?!


I liked the way the manager said: sorry to the fans, unreservedly :tiphat:


----------



## Pugg

What a flop that singer with the national anthem at Wembley:lol:


----------



## elgar's ghost

My heartiest congratulations to Hibernian for winning the Scottish Cup for the first time since 1902. This was also the first final ever where neither team were from the top division.


----------



## Guest

Pugg said:


> What a flop that singer with the national anthem at Wembley:lol:


And the Final itself? Probably the right result, though the romantic streak always wants the underdog, and Palace are not a bad team. Shame the ref made some early mistakes.

Lingard's volley was a worthy match-winner, and Rooney's industry in the midfield suggests that if he can do the same for England, we needn't waste any more time on Henderson.


----------



## Pugg

MacLeod said:


> And the Final itself? Probably the right result, though the romantic streak always wants the underdog, and Palace are not a bad team. Shame the ref made some early mistakes.
> 
> Lingard's volley was a worthy match-winner, and Rooney's industry in the midfield suggests that if he can do the same for England, we needn't waste any more time on Henderson.


Even a win could not safe van Gaal from sacking, rightfully so, I am not a Mancunian but at least Sir Alex let them play.
This is happened to van Gaal before, sometimes it works, ( made us The Netherlands third in the last cup) alas not this time .
He's a teacher and he knows the game, but there was never chemistry between him an Man. United


----------



## TurnaboutVox

I was rather assuming that their limp display in yesterday's First Test came about because the Sri Lankan batsmen were all keen to be finished in time for the Cup Final. Being from Colombo, they're all United fans, you see. :devil:


----------



## Pugg

It's official , the soccer world is bonkers , José Mourinho earning 12 million U.K pound a years


----------



## Kivimees

Pugg said:


> It's official , the soccer world is bonkers , José Mourinho earning 12 million U.K pound a years


Replace 'earning' with 'receiving'.


----------



## jurianbai

Euro is coming.

Place your bet gentlemen.

*ITALY* !


----------



## Pugg

Being half British/ English .


----------



## elgar's ghost

I predict Germany or Spain (not very ambitious, I know, but I don't think there are that many sides actually capable of winning it). France have home advantage but as a team they are nowhere near as good as they were ten-fifteen years ago. Italy are always a threat but their form can be unpredictable. England played very well by and large during qualifying but, as usual, they will flatter to deceive in the competition itself where their overall record has been fairly wretched since 1968 when they reached the semi finals, a stage they have only reached once since then - I'd say semis at best for them this time.


----------



## SiegendesLicht

The final game is on July 10th. My birthday is on July 7th. If the Germans make it to the final, I will have a reason for consuming a double amount of beer... like two years go. What a night that was....


----------



## sospiro

On Sunday 12 July 1998 I was getting soaked watching the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. My hero, Michael Schumacher, won a brilliant race and I was on cloud nine that evening as I settled down to watch the World Cup final from Paris. I was absolutely thrilled that the host country had won and I remember watching the celebrations going on long into the night and I remember celebrating with the fans.

As the host country of a major tournament once again, I'd love France to win but I don't think they will and my (metaphorical) money is on Germany. My biggest hope though is for there to be no serious trouble.


----------



## Art Rock

I don't see a clear favourite. Germany is much weaker than 2 years ago. Spain, France and Italy are always contenders. Belgium could make it. Even England if their defence holds together.


----------



## Pugg

Thank you hooligans for spoiling this tournament, you and your country ( whoever it is) should be banned for life. :devil:


----------



## sospiro

Pugg said:


> Thank you hooligans for spoiling this tournament, you and your country ( whoever it is) should be banned for life. :devil:


I agree!!!!! :scold:

I am angry and embarrassed about the behaviour of (once again) England fans. They complained that the French police used heavy handed tactics and maybe they did but England fans have such a terrible reputation that I don't blame the police for wanting to stop trouble before it started. And I blame the England fans' reputation on the behaviour of the Russian fans in the stadium.

There was no trouble in Bordeaux, where Wales was playing Slovakia, with fans of both teams having fun together. I watched that game and enjoyed every second and I wish I was Welsh.

It's a sorry thing to say but I don't want England to progress further than the Group Stage.


----------



## Guest

Pugg said:


> Thank you hooligans for spoiling this tournament, you and your country ( whoever it is) should be banned for life. :devil:


Sending home the Russians  would not make England's job of progressing out of the group stage any easier. The damage - at least from that quarter - has already been done.

From the reports I've read - and I won't claim that they are necessarily reliable - a whole nation and a whole nation's football team's reputation is at risk of taint from what appears to be a very small minority of supporters' misbehaviour and the French police's decision to disperse crowds with tear gas at the slightest provocation.

As for the football, dominating possession and creating chances are not "lots of positives" (as the pundits and the England team spokespeople kept claiming). Failing to score from open play, trying to defend a single goal lead, depending on Lallana and Alli to create when Kane couldn't get into goalscoring positions, thinking that Sterling's capacity to run fast is more important than the capacity to cross, Hart's insane decision to prat about with the ball instead of booting it away for a throw...

I'm just waiting for the FA's call.


----------



## Guest

Cheer up, it was a fantastic England win. Of course, I'm referring to the rugby Test match...


----------



## jurianbai

Actually yesterday is the Free Kick Day. First Messi put the most dramatic appearance in Copa America, a hat-trick in a span of 18 minutes. His free kick was stunning. Then Bale's free kick, and England's Eric Dier. I always enjoy watching a free kick goal.


----------



## TxllxT

I cannot remember so much rioting from the very start of a championship. Marseille, Nice, ... it seems we're heading back towards the Roman times with its blood sports. That's clearly what these hooligans are longing for.


----------



## Guest

TxllxT said:


> IThat's clearly what these hooligans are longing for.


"Hooligans" always have. Let's take care not to think that this behaviour is representative of either English, Russian or French football fans in general.


----------



## sospiro

An interesting and balanced view from Keme Nzerem. Ch 4 News.

How to make sense of the third day of violence in Marseille?

Firstly the advice - go back to your hotel and have a quiet beer there.

Seriously. There are some nasty folk out and about and they want to make a name for themselves.

Too many English fans have been naive. They've been too drunk and too lary to realise that their behaviour, whether they like it or not, is a provocation. And they don't realise what they've got themselves into.

The facts are that the people who are usually throwing the first punches are organised hooligans from French and Russian clubs.

We've been told 'firms' from Nice, Toulouse and Paris came to Marseille to cause trouble. And they got rousted by the Marseille 'ultras' defending their neighbourhood.

Meanwhile a significant number of known Russian hooligans - 200 we're told - avoided suspicion by flying here via Switzerland where they rented cars.

They have been marauding the old port and initiating fights. Like we saw at the end of the game when they stormed the England fans' stand.

They were then encourages - wittingly or unwittingly - by the Russian Sports Minister, Victor Mutko. He was seen turning to them and energetically applauding after the team's dramatic late equaliser, while a full scale brawl was occurring yards away.

It is also Ramadan, and youths in and around the old port who were quiet during the day will not hold back now fasts have broken.

Add to this policing that isn't known for it's subtlety.

It is a heady brew and could, indeed should have been predicted.

And stopped. But we are where we are.


----------



## Pugg

The thing I still can't understand is how on earth they did get all those fireworks ans other rubbish in the stadium?
The French promised a security like never before! Did they hide it where the sun don't shine?


----------



## sospiro

Pugg said:


> The thing I still can't understand is how on earth they did get all those fireworks ans other rubbish in the stadium?
> The French promised a security like never before! Did they hide it where the sun don't shine?


They must have done! I heard that there were strict bag and body searches.


----------



## sospiro

UEFA issues a warning to Russian and England fans.



> The UEFA Executive Committee would like to express its disgust at the violent clashes which occurred in the city of Marseille.
> 
> Such unacceptable behaviour by so-called supporters of the national teams of England and Russia has no place in football, a sport we must protect and defend.
> 
> The UEFA Executive Committee has warned both football associations that - irrespective of any decisions taken by the independent disciplinary bodies relating to incidents inside the stadium - it will not hesitate to impose additional sanctions on the Football Association (FA) and the Russian Football Union (RFS), including the potential disqualification of their respective teams from the tournament, should such violence occur again.
> 
> We urge both the FA and the RFS to appeal to their supporters to behave in a responsible and respectful manner.
> 
> We would also like to publicly voice our support for the work of the French authorities and security forces for their efforts to deliver a safe and secure tournament in challenging circumstances.
> 
> ©UEFA.com 1998-2015. All rights reserved.
> Last updated: 12/06/16 16.56CET


If there's more trouble I hope UEFA have the courage to carry out their threat.


----------



## SiegendesLicht

sospiro said:


> UEFA issues a warning to Russian and England fans.
> 
> If there's more trouble I hope UEFA have the courage to carry out their threat.


So they want to punish the teams instead of simply throwing out of the country and denying further entry to anybody who commits acts of violence (especially those Ramadan-celebrating "youths")? Do they think the footballers are somehow supposed to plead with the hooligans not to do anything lest they be disqualified? What a bunch of idiots.

Also, since a certain time, the word "sanctions" makes me want to throw up. Somehow all those sanctions do is punish law-abiding citizens/fans.


----------



## Guest

It could avoid Russia vs Ukraine.


----------



## GreenMamba

I know Copa America is lower on everybody's radar (if there at all), but Brazil lost to Peru 1-0 and is out before the knockout stage!

Game-winning goal was an obvious handball.


----------



## Pugg

SiegendesLicht said:


> So they want to punish the teams instead of simply throwing out of the country and denying further entry to anybody who commits acts of violence (especially those Ramadan-celebrating "youths")? Do they think the footballers are somehow supposed to plead with the hooligans not to do anything lest they be disqualified? What a bunch of idiots.
> 
> Also, since a certain time, the word "sanctions" makes me want to throw up. Somehow all those sanctions do is punish law-abiding citizens/fans.


According to the British press the England fans are also not exactly "angels".


----------



## dieter

Pugg said:


> According to the British press the England fans are also not exactly "angels".


I find that very hard to believe. They must making it up. It's PROPAGANDA, the British press are communists.


----------



## Pugg

dieter said:


> I find that very hard to believe. They must making it up. It's PROPAGANDA, the British press are communists.


No so sure about that :lol:


----------



## Pugg

Breaking news, ( source BBC news ) 
Northern Ireland fan has died in Nice, as so far not related to fighting after the match.


----------



## Guest

dieter said:


> I find that very hard to believe. They must making it up. It's PROPAGANDA, the British press are communists.


Do you mean to say that if the British press were extreme right-wing, the English fans _would _be described as angels?


----------



## Headphone Hermit

SiegendesLicht said:


> So they want to punish the teams instead of simply throwing out of the country and denying further entry to anybody who commits acts of violence (especially those Ramadan-celebrating "youths")? Do they think the footballers are somehow supposed to plead with the hooligans not to do anything lest they be disqualified? What a bunch of idiots.
> 
> Also, since a certain time, the word "sanctions" makes me want to throw up. Somehow all those sanctions do is punish law-abiding citizens/fans.


I agree - mostly.

There are thousands of photos available to show (some) of those throwing bottles, kicking those who are on the floor etc. If our societies are serious about curtailing this, then we can use existing laws within the criminal justice system to identify and deal with miscreants ... *if* we have the will to do so


----------



## Pugg

Bad night for Belgium.
Couldn't resit this due to the rivalry between our countries.


----------



## sospiro

This is the worst Italian team for 50 years. Allegedly ...

:lol:


----------



## Pugg

sospiro said:


> This is the worst Italian team for 50 years. Allegedly ...
> 
> :lol:
> 
> View attachment 85694


I bet the bookies making overtime as we speak


----------



## Pugg

UEFA made a statement; Russia is on probation, one wrong move next match and they are out.


----------



## SiegendesLicht

Pugg said:


> UEFA made a statement; Russia is on probation, one wrong move next match and they are out.


And then the hooligans will realize they can make the UEFA bend to their will and proceed to try and get other teams kicked out in the same manner. It does not take much to change a T-shirt and pose as Italian fans, or Dutch or some other.


----------



## Pugg

SiegendesLicht said:


> And then the hooligans will realize they can make the UEFA bend to their will and proceed to try and get other teams kicked out in the same manner. It does not take much to change a T-shirt and pose as Italian fans, or Dutch or some other.


So, does that mean the ( UEFA) are damned if they do, or damned if they don't do anything?


----------



## sospiro

Pugg said:


> So, does that mean the ( UEFA) are damned if they do, or damned if they don't do anything?


I feel sorry for the authorities - UEFA, the French police and the organisers. They've got to do something but if there's trouble it's going to be difficult to disqualify Russia unless there's overwhelming evidence. If they catch the culprits and they're Russian then they'll have evidence but if there's trouble and the culprits can't be found, I doubt Russia will be disqualified.


----------



## Kivimees

Iceland fan here. :tiphat:


----------



## schigolch

Pugg said:


> Bad night for Belgium.
> Couldn't resit this due to the rivalry between our countries.


Indeed.

Now let's wait for the first game of Holland in the Eurocup and... oh, dear.


----------



## Pugg

The news showed deportation from identified trouble makers from Russia been send home, so let's hope this warning will help.


----------



## Pugg

schigolch said:


> Indeed.
> 
> Now let's wait for the first game of Holland in the Eurocup and... oh, dear.


Revenge will be sweet in the next world cup ( I do hope)


----------



## SiegendesLicht

Pugg said:


> So, does that mean the ( UEFA) are damned if they do, or damned if they don't do anything?


No, of course not. They should cooperate with the police and get the hooligans deported. The Russian ones should also be put on a life-long ban for EU visas so they can never do anything criminal anywhere in Europe again. But why should the teams who are innocent be punished instead?


----------



## Headphone Hermit

SiegendesLicht said:


> It does not take much to change a T-shirt and pose as Italian fans, or *Dutch* or some other.


Did I miss something? Were they invited to the tournament on a 'wildcard' or something?


----------



## Headphone Hermit

Kivimees said:


> Iceland fan here. :tiphat:


Wow! There must be thousands of you in the Riga branch of the Iceland Football Fan Club - well done, sir! :tiphat:


----------



## TxllxT

Headphone Hermit said:


> Did I miss something? Were they invited to the tournament on a 'wildcard' or something?


Did I miss something? zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz


----------



## SiegendesLicht

Headphone Hermit said:


> Did I miss something? Were they invited to the tournament on a 'wildcard' or something?


Do you have to be of a certain nationality to attend a certain game? I thought just anybody can buy a ticket to any of the games. And in order to riot in the city you don't even have to attend any.

Wait... are you saying the Dutch did not make it at all?


----------



## sospiro

schigolch said:


> Indeed.
> 
> Now let's wait for the first game of Holland in the Eurocup and... oh, dear.





Pugg said:


> Revenge will be sweet in the next world cup ( I do hope)


I can't understand why The Netherlands aren't in it because they are one of the top teams in Europe and the world.

@Pugg - in the qualifiers, were you in a Group Of Death?


----------



## Art Rock

sospiro said:


> in the qualifiers, were you in a Group Of Death?


Yes, we finished behind the powerhouses Iceland, Czech Republic and Turkey.


----------



## TxllxT

Art Rock said:


> Yes, we finished behind the powerhouses Iceland, Czech Republic and Turkey.


Beware of Turkey!!


----------



## sospiro

Art Rock said:


> Yes, we finished behind the powerhouses Iceland, Czech Republic and Turkey.


Oh dear.









Never mind. World Cup qualifiers will start soon.


----------



## joen_cph

Big congrats to Iceland, a highly entertaining match it was ...


----------



## sospiro

Congratulations to Iceland!!


----------



## Pugg

sospiro said:


> I can't understand why The Netherlands aren't in it because they are one of the top teams in Europe and the world.
> 
> @Pugg - in the qualifiers, were you in a Group Of Death?


You have your answer already I see , now all we need is a *good* coach .


----------



## Kivimees

Ronaldo has started whining:

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36535204

"It was a little bit frustrating. We tried hard to win the game and Iceland didn't try anything."

Iceland tried to embarrass Ronaldo et al. - and succeeded.

:lol:


----------



## Pugg

Kivimees said:


> Ronaldo has started whining:
> 
> http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36535204
> 
> "It was a little bit frustrating. We tried hard to win the game and Iceland didn't try anything."
> 
> Iceland tried to embarrass Ronaldo et al. - and succeeded.
> 
> :lol:


And well deserved may I add, Ronaldo is a whining wimp. 
Bad loser also.


----------



## Art Rock

Pugg said:


> now all we need is a *good* coach .


And not a blind one.


----------



## Pugg

Art Rock said:


> And not a blind one.


Nice word game.


----------



## joen_cph

Kivimees said:


> Ronaldo has started whining:
> 
> http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36535204
> 
> "It was a little bit frustrating. We tried hard to win the game and Iceland didn't try anything."
> 
> Iceland tried to embarrass Ronaldo et al. - and succeeded.
> 
> :lol:


If I´m allowed to, I´d like to express my fatigue with the never-ending focus on that prima donnish Ronaldo. At the end of the game, one could even see how he was checking the big screens that the cameras were following him for a close-up of his facial grimaces etc.

The dynamic energy and physical effort of the Icelandic team - including no.8 Bjarnasson who scored the goal - was pretty incredible.


----------



## sospiro

Great article on the Ronaldo v Iceland debate.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jun/15/cristiano-ronaldo-portugal-iceland-small-mentality


----------



## Pugg

sospiro said:


> Great article on the Ronaldo v Iceland debate.
> 
> https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jun/15/cristiano-ronaldo-portugal-iceland-small-mentality


On a late night talk show last night they had a fashion stylist and a psychiatrist. They talk about his personalty, or lack off.
All is fake, from his hair till his toes, everything is done one way or another.


----------



## sospiro

Pugg said:


> On a late night talk show last night they had a fashion stylist and a psychiatrist. They talk about his personalty, or lack off.
> All is fake, from his hair till his toes, everything is done one way or another.


He puts me off the Portugal team which is a shame as otherwise I'd quite like them.


----------



## sospiro

Woohoo! Let's hear it for the underdogs!

Well played Slovakia!


----------



## sospiro

Advice please on the Euros.



> The top two from each section progress to the knockout stage as well as the four best third-placed teams.


By the 'best third-placed' teams is it the teams with the most points? Will GD apply if there are ties?


----------



## Pugg

sospiro said:


> Advice please on the Euros.
> 
> By the 'best third-placed' teams is it the teams with the most points? Will GD apply if there are ties?


As far as I know, yes and I believe something like who lost the least games, equal goes before loss.


----------



## Pugg

Oh, dear, England fans....behave, please


----------



## Art Rock

sospiro said:


> Advice please on the Euros.
> 
> By the 'best third-placed' teams is it the teams with the most points? Will GD apply if there are ties?


From wikipedia:

The four best third-placed teams are determined according to the following criteria:

Higher number of points obtained;
Superior goal difference;
Higher number of goals scored;
Fair play conduct;
Position in the UEFA national team coefficient ranking system.


----------



## sospiro

Art Rock said:


> From wikipedia:
> 
> The four best third-placed teams are determined according to the following criteria:
> 
> Higher number of points obtained;
> Superior goal difference;
> Higher number of goals scored;
> Fair play conduct;
> Position in the UEFA national team coefficient ranking system.


:tiphat:

Thanks Art Rock


----------



## sospiro

Pugg said:


> Oh, dear, England fans....behave, please


There was an England football fan on the BBC Breakfast programme justifying his chair/bottle throwing in Marseille. He said when these 'Russians' started throwing chairs and bottles he had to do the same to defend himself. No he didn't, he could have walked away and I wish the presenters had made this suggestion to him but they didn't.

In my opinion, the main problem with England fans' behaviour is that they regard drunken, loutish, boorish behaviour as normal behaviour and they are astonished when other people disagree. Last year I went to London on the train and it was early, I think about 07:30. It was packed with football supporters and they were all drinking and had obviously been drinking for some time. They were loud and offensive; dashing up and down the aisle, knocking people over and intimidating them. When the train manager politely asked them to calm down they ignored him. He then said that if they didn't behave properly they would be required to leave the train at the next stop. They looked bemused and said they were just having a bit of fun. Several had young children with them so these children will grow up thinking that this sort of behaviour is normal and 'a bit of fun'.

I'm not surprised the 'Russian' thugs targeted English fans as they knew what would happen. I feel so sorry for the French authorities. France is in the middle of a general strike and the police are trying to prevent any terrorist attack and having to deal with these England fans as well. It makes me so ashamed.


----------



## Headphone Hermit

^^^ I agree with everything that sospiro writes up to the 'feel sorry for the French authorities'.
No-one forces a country to host a major sporting occasion. It is (potentially) a source of income generation and prestige for the hosts. However, alongside the benefits of hosting such events come the costs also - and effective management of large numbers of visitors is part and parcel of that.

I don't feel sorry for the French authorities at all - they have mismanaged the policing and public order issue. Yes, it is very difficult to deal with large numbers of football fans from certain countries (especially, but not only, Britain) but there is a lot of experience and knowledge about how to do it well - the French just haven't learnt how to do it well. It is up to them to learn from good practice in handling difficult situations - and that means learning from others. Unfortunately, they appear to have an arrogant attitude that they don't need to learn from other countries. They persist in using ineffective strategies that rely on intimidation to deal with any form of public disturbance. 

I agree with sospiro (and others) that loutish behaviour of large numbers of British football fans is deplorable and I do not defend it at all but .... let us not be shy of standing up and also saying that the French were ineffective at all stages in dealing with the issue and that their actions added to the problems.


----------



## Guest

The French? Arrogant? Are you sure?


----------



## Pugg

dogen said:


> The French? Arrogant? Are you sure?


Do you know the old saying about France?
( It's a beautiful country, alas the people are unbearable)


----------



## sospiro

Pugg said:


> Do you know the old saying about France?
> ( It's a beautiful country, alas the people are unbearable)


I adore the French! I love that arrogance and 'couldn't give a toss about anyone else' attitude. Once when I was in Lyon I was attempting to say something in French to an elderly lady. She just rolled her eyes and there was a wealth of contempt in her expression. Her look said "You English expect everyone to speak English but when you are in France you can't be bothered to learn even the basics"

:tiphat:


----------



## dieter

I love the stereotypical 'national' assignments to the behavior of the natives of European countries. As in not.
Like Hannah Arendt, I adore no nationality, no so-called 'people'. It's all a nationalistic nation state figment anyway. In the end, we're all connected, all the same, made of flesh and blood which decays when we die.
I can't help it, but I do really believe in the brotherhood of man.
But, I always hope the Germans win....


----------



## Pugg

My goodness, this was a question of anything you can sing I can sing louder. :lol:


----------



## Figleaf

sospiro said:


> There was an England football fan on the BBC Breakfast programme justifying his chair/bottle throwing in Marseille. He said when these 'Russians' started throwing chairs and bottles he had to do the same to defend himself. No he didn't, he could have walked away and I wish the presenters had made this suggestion to him but they didn't.
> 
> In my opinion, the main problem with England fans' behaviour is that they regard drunken, loutish, boorish behaviour as normal behaviour and they are astonished when other people disagree. Last year I went to London on the train and it was early, I think about 07:30. It was packed with football supporters and they were all drinking and had obviously been drinking for some time. They were loud and offensive; dashing up and down the aisle, knocking people over and intimidating them. When the train manager politely asked them to calm down they ignored him. He then said that if they didn't behave properly they would be required to leave the train at the next stop. They looked bemused and said they were just having a bit of fun. Several had young children with them so these children will grow up thinking that this sort of behaviour is normal and 'a bit of fun'.
> 
> I'm not surprised the 'Russian' thugs targeted English fans as they knew what would happen. I feel so sorry for the French authorities. France is in the middle of a general strike and the police are trying to prevent any terrorist attack and having to deal with these England fans as well. It makes me so ashamed.


It's not just the most hardened football thugs who think that loutish, boorish behaviour is normal. At my school (bog standard English comp a quarter of a century ago) pretty much everyone was like that, and those to whom that behaviour didn't come naturally had to try their best to fit in, or suffer the consequences. On the rare occasions anyone in authority bothered to intervene and challenge the spitting/swearing/shoving, the thugs' self justification was always 'We was only 'avin' a larf.' Yeah, hilarious. And it's not just the lower classes, the attitude goes all the way up the social scale (Bullingdon Club etc) and seems to be getting worse. I don't think that drunken violence per se is a worsening problem, but the resurgence of xenophobic nationalism certainly is, and it's very disturbing, even when it doesn't manifest itself in throwing chairs at foreigners. So much of the stuff I grew up thinking was awful about human nature isn't human nature at all, just English nature (or nurture)- this certainly applies to the drinking and the casual thuggery, though racism/xenophobia is unfortunately pretty widespread, of course. I really do hate this country and all it stands for. 'Anyone but England!'



sospiro said:


> I adore the French! I love that arrogance and 'couldn't give a toss about anyone else' attitude. Once when I was in Lyon I was attempting to say something in French to an elderly lady. She just rolled her eyes and there was a wealth of contempt in her expression. Her look said "You English expect everyone to speak English but when you are in France you can't be bothered to learn even the basics"
> 
> :tiphat:


It's not an uncommon attitude, but in my experience the eye rollers are in the minority. Most people are kind, and when they find out I am English* they apologise politely (albeit not in a tone exactly suggestive of genuine contrition) for not speaking my language, often before adding proudly that their children/grandchildren speak it perfectly. So I guess that could be taken as an example of French arrogance, but I prefer to see it as a justified pride in their culture and language, refreshingly untainted by chippiness. And this is out in the sticks- in big cities (Paris and Dijon at any rate) speaking English seems to be the norm.

* It's usually assumed that a blonde haired foreigner in eastern France must be Dutch! And that English people must understand German, which I fortunately still do, a bit.


----------



## SiegendesLicht

dieter said:


> I love the stereotypical 'national' assignments to the behavior of the natives of European countries. As in not.
> Like Hannah Arendt, I adore no nationality, no so-called 'people'. It's all a nationalistic nation state figment anyway. In the end, we're all connected, all the same, made of flesh and blood which decays when we die.
> I can't help it, but I do really believe in the brotherhood of man.
> But, I always hope the Germans win....


A world without nation-states and different cultures would be a very dull, monotonous place to live, and intolerant of any differences. I think we have just such a world in our future, and I don't like it one bit. Who knows if there would even be a place for classical music in such a world, or for any music beyond very generic one that "everybody" can understand without any effort (and in English only). And certainly there would be no place for the Euro Cup


----------



## GioCar

Not a fan, but anyway happy for my country's team!

:clap::trp::guitar:


----------



## Pugg

GioCar said:


> Not a fan, but anyway happy for my country's team!
> 
> :clap::trp::guitar:


Congratulations. :cheers:


----------



## sospiro

Yep. Congratulations to Italy. Yet another win from a last minute goal!!


----------



## Pugg

Today's big clash....... Belgium got to do it, or else......


----------



## TxllxT

Belgium!!!


----------



## sospiro

Heartbreak for Iceland. Own goal too.


----------



## GreenMamba

sospiro said:


> Heartbreak for Iceland. Own goal too.


But an own goal that was more or less forced by the attack. If the defender doesn't touch it, the attacker probably pokes it in. This is why I think the own goal classification doesn't tell you much.


----------



## elgar's ghost

Ronaldo whined about Iceland being 'negative' in the first game when Portugal were held to a draw. Perhaps this time he will blame his late penalty miss against Austria on account of the goalposts being too wide.


----------



## Pugg

elgars ghost said:


> Ronaldo whined about Iceland being 'negative' in the first game when Portugal were held to a draw. Perhaps this time he will blame his late penalty miss against Austria on account of the goalposts being too wide.


Ronaldo is always whinging, thinks the world revolves around him and him alone .:scold:


----------



## sospiro

Pugg said:


> Ronaldo is always whinging, thinks the world revolves around him and him alone .:scold:


Do you think that person who has posted this on YouTube _may_ have enjoyed it?


----------



## Pugg

sospiro said:


> Do you think that person who has posted this on YouTube _may_ have enjoyed it?


It's repeated in our news bulletin every hour.


----------



## Pugg

Sospiro: I hope it make some sense .



achtste finales 


Zaterdag,15.00 uur,Saint-Etienne: 
Zwitserland A Nr.2 groep C A
18.00 uur,Parijs: 
Wales B Nr.3 groep A/C/D B
21.00 uur,Lens: 
Winnaar groep D C Nr.3 groep B/E/F C

Zondag,15.00 uur,Lyon: 
Frankrijk D Nr.3 groep C/D/E D
18.00 uur,Lille: 
Winnaar groep C E Nr.3 groep A/B/F E
21.00 uur,Toulouse: 
Winnaar groep F F Nr.2 groep E F

Maandag 27 juni,18.00 uur,Saint-Denis: 
Italië G Nr.2 groep D G
21.00 uur,Nice: 
Engeland H Nr.2 groep F H
programma kwartfinales op 827


----------



## sospiro

Pugg said:


> Sospiro: I hope it make some sense .
> 
> achtste finales
> 
> Zaterdag,15.00 uur,Saint-Etienne:
> Zwitserland A Nr.2 groep C A
> 18.00 uur,Parijs:
> Wales B Nr.3 groep A/C/D B
> 21.00 uur,Lens:
> Winnaar groep D C Nr.3 groep B/E/F C
> 
> Zondag,15.00 uur,Lyon:
> Frankrijk D Nr.3 groep C/D/E D
> 18.00 uur,Lille:
> Winnaar groep C E Nr.3 groep A/B/F E
> 21.00 uur,Toulouse:
> Winnaar groep F F Nr.2 groep E F
> 
> Maandag 27 juni,18.00 uur,Saint-Denis:
> Italië G Nr.2 groep D G
> 21.00 uur,Nice:
> Engeland H Nr.2 groep F H
> programma kwartfinales op 827


Perfect sense, thank you.

England/Hodgson - arrogant as usual = 0-0
Wales/Coleman - inventive as usual = 3-0


----------



## SiegendesLicht

Game over for the Russians. For some reason everybody here in Belarus was supporting Wales.


----------



## Pugg

SiegendesLicht said:


> Game over for the Russians. For some reason everybody here in Belarus was supporting Wales.


I think the whole E.U are behind Wales


----------



## dieter

Pugg said:


> I think the whole E.U are behind Wales


I vunder vhy? Oder, Warum?


----------



## Pugg

dieter said:


> I vunder vhy? Oder, Warum?


Not so fond on Mr Poetin at the moment .


----------



## SiegendesLicht

^ Meh, it is more the arrogance of the Russian fans that they dislike.


----------



## Pugg

SiegendesLicht said:


> ^ Meh, it is more the arrogance of the Russian fans that they dislike.


I was stunned to learn that one of them ( who was send home) sitting in the stands again and posing this on Twitter .


----------



## elgar's ghost

What I do find alarming (if it's true) is that the 'official' Russian fan club which counts among its members some of the far-right ultra goons who have been deported for (premeditated?) violence allegedly had the support of the government of that country even before the tournament began.


----------



## sospiro

Oh dear. Not a very professional way to behave.


----------



## elgar's ghost

^
^

Oh, dear - poor little Won-Wons being 'hounded' by the media... 

He really is a tiresome pain in the a** at times, isn't he?


----------



## Guest

To address the OP, I'm not a regular follower of the "beautiful game", but I do like to follow the big tournaments like the European Cup which is causing me much distress at the moment. I'm lucky in several ways as I get to support several teams due to my nationality (GB), my mother's nationality (E) and my adopted country (F). Given my GB background, I'm also happy to see Wales and N. Ireland do well, as far as that is possible. Whatever my somewhat fluid support, may I say at this juncture that every time that bloody potato-head Wayne Rooney comes onto the pitch I could vomit.
I'm placing my bet on Spain or Germany winning the cup. 
As for the the Copa América, it's going to be Argentina, something which will make Aleazk very happy.


----------



## Guest

Iceland are probably trembling with fear now...


----------



## Pugg

sospiro said:


> Oh dear. Not a very professional way to behave.


He's such a prima donna , so bloody full of himself.
And no I am not jealous of him, or his money, he look older then me with all his corrections.:lol:


----------



## joen_cph

The Icelandic commentator´s ecstasy after the winner´s goal against Austria will probably never be surpassed:


----------



## Pugg

joen_cph said:


> The Icelandic commentator´s ecstasy after the winner´s goal against Austria will probably never be surpassed (literally!):


He surely will need a honey drink to restore his throat. :lol:


----------



## jurianbai

I usually halfsleep watching Euro, but last night Hungary vs Portugal keep me awake all the time :lol:. Nice game.

Looking in the bracket, looks like the hot pairings are in the right side. All UK's kingdoms(?) got in but Wales must played against North Ireland. I wonder this is the first time I totally see their football in this level of competition. My favorite now on the left between Hungary and Wales. The right side, Italy. But then they must survive Spain and then Germany. The non mainstream final can be alike Wales vs Iceland....

On the other side of planet, Copa America got their ideal final. Argentine vs CHile. Still very amazed on Messi's free kick skill, he will challenged by Vargas.


----------



## Pugg

jurianbai said:


> I usually halfsleep watching Euro, but last night Hungary vs Portugal keep me awake all the time :lol:. Nice game.
> 
> Looking in the bracket, looks like the hot pairings are in the right side. All UK's kingdoms(?) got in but Wales must played against North Ireland. I wonder this is the first time I totally see their football in this level of competition. My favorite now on the left between Hungary and Wales. The right side, Italy. But then they must survive Spain and then Germany. The non mainstream final can be alike Wales vs Iceland....
> 
> On the other side of planet, Copa America got their ideal final. Argentine vs CHile. Still very amazed on Messi's free kick skill, he will challenged by Vargas.


The Belgium site think they are in the final already......
That's what the say anyway


----------



## jurianbai

Talking about Belgium, I was a huge fans of Belgium in the Enzo Schifo era. 

1 GK Michel Preud'homme 
2 DF Eric Gerets 
3 DF Philippe Albert 
4 DF Lei Clijsters 
5 MF Bruno Versavel 
6 MF Marc Emmers 
7 DF Stéphane Demol 
8 MF Franky Van Der Elst 
9 FW Marc Degryse 
10 MF Enzo Scifo
11 MF Jan Ceulemans (c)


----------



## Pugg

We Dutch are so good, a firm from the south have to putt in a new grassed surface for the Lille city stadium .
Started yesterday evening, ready by tonight .:tiphat:


----------



## helenora

and Copa America is awaiting its final! hehe, don't forget about it. Vamos, vamos Argentina ! or Chile?


----------



## elgar's ghost

jurianbai said:


> Talking about Belgium, I was a huge fans of Belgium in the Enzo Schifo era.
> 
> 1 GK Michel Preud'homme
> 2 DF Eric Gerets
> 3 DF Philippe Albert
> 4 DF Lei Clijsters
> 5 MF Bruno Versavel
> 6 MF Marc Emmers
> 7 DF Stéphane Demol
> 8 MF Franky Van Der Elst
> 9 FW Marc Degryse
> 10 MF Enzo Scifo
> 11 MF Jan Ceulemans (c)


My memory goes back even further - one of the best players I can remember was Paul Van Himst, a Belgian who was genuinely world class in an era which was teeming with legendary players.


----------



## TurnaboutVox

sospiro said:


> Oh dear. Not a very professional way to behave.
> 
> [Cristiano Ronaldo throws a Portuguese reporter's microphone in a lake]


I'm surprised. The ripples must have disturbed his gazing at himself in the surface of the lake for a good 20 seconds.


----------



## Headphone Hermit

Pugg said:


> We Dutch are so good, a firm from the south have to putt in a new grassed surface for the Lille city stadium .
> Started yesterday evening, ready by tonight .:tiphat:


Welcome to Euro2016! Glad you can make a contribution to the tournament :lol:

Actually, I really like the Dutch - I have worked a lot with Dutch teachers in the last 12 years and they have a great sense of humour - I know the English would get it in the neck from our rivals across the North Sea if the tables were turned :tiphat:


----------



## Pugg

Headphone Hermit said:


> Welcome to Euro2016! Glad you can make a contribution to the tournament :lol:
> 
> Actually, I really like the Dutch - I have worked a lot with Dutch teachers in the last 12 years and they have a great sense of humour - I know the English would get it in the neck from our rivals across the North Sea if the tables were turned :tiphat:


Your home nations are not there yet , England was 1966 I was told?:lol:


----------



## jurianbai

elgars ghost said:


> My memory goes back even further - one of the best players I can remember was Paul Van Himst, a Belgian who was genuinely world class in an era which was teeming with legendary players.


That was outside my footballing-watching-era. I started to hook into football approx 1988, years of Maradona and the top of Dutch trio (Gullit, van Basten, Rijkaard) era. Thus explained why I like AC Milan a lot. Sometimes around early 2000s, after I graduated and jump into working era, I found it hard to keep update with football anymore.


----------



## elgar's ghost

^
^

Yes, I liked the Arrigo Sacchi/Fabio Capello-era Milan sides too - they seemed to break away from the normal strictures of Italian football and play with a rare abandon at times, almost like the 70s Dutch team. I remember one game when the Rossaneri won 7-3 at Fiorentina - an amazing spectacle. I think they won 5-1 at Napoli that season also - Milan seemed to score goals for fun that season and at times didn't seem too bothered as to how many they let in either.


----------



## SiegendesLicht

Manuel Neuer is like a leaping tiger again.


----------



## sospiro

England 1 - 2 Iceland

I don't know whether to laugh or cry!!


----------



## Guest

"Any football/soccer fans here?"

After that performance? You must be joking!


----------



## TurnaboutVox

It's completely untrue that Scottish football fans might take any pleasure in defeat for England... :lol:


----------



## Pugg

TurnaboutVox said:


> It's completely untrue that Scottish football fans might take any pleasure in defeat for England... :lol:


 :lol:


----------



## elgar's ghost

sospiro said:


> England 1 - 2 Iceland
> 
> I don't know whether to laugh or cry!!


I think I'll just try and forget about it - England have choked so often in important games since the World Cup in 1970 that I can't even be bothered to get annoyed with them any more.


----------



## sospiro

elgars ghost said:


> I think I'll just try and forget about it - England have choked so often in important games since the World Cup in 1970 that I can't even be bothered to get annoyed with them any more.


It's worth it to listen to the famous Chris Waddle rant :lol:


----------



## Pugg

sospiro said:


> England 1 - 2 Iceland
> 
> I don't know whether to laugh or cry!!


England underestimated the Iceland squad, they should have know better, they eliminated our Dutch national team also .


----------



## sospiro

................................


----------



## Headphone Hermit

Pugg said:


> Your home nations are not there yet , England was 1966 I was told?:lol:


Come on, you Dutch - its your opportunity to rub it in and make fun of the English (as suggested in post #350)

or perhaps you follow the advice of my Grandmother who said "It is wrong to make fun of the unfortunates in life!"

hangs head in shame


----------



## Badinerie

There were severe flood warnings issued in Scotland as several million Scots pissed themselves laughing.


----------



## Pugg

Headphone Hermit said:


> Come on, you Dutch - its your opportunity to rub it in and make fun of the English (as suggested in post #350)
> 
> or perhaps you follow the advice of my Grandmother who said "It is wrong to make fun of the unfortunates in life!"
> 
> hangs head in shame


It's a bit of fun that's what it is :cheers:


----------



## sospiro

Poland v Portugal tonight. So guys, who are you rooting for? I'm supporting Poland.


----------



## Pugg

sospiro said:


> Poland v Portugal tonight. So guys, who are you rooting for? I'm supporting Poland.


Alas Sospiro, this was bad luck


----------



## jurianbai

Not very exciting match of that, Poland done okay but Portugal the lucky one.

Tonight Wales vs Belgium is the real water mouthering. I don't know which side to choose, may the brave survive.


----------



## sospiro

Portugal deserved to win (saying this through gritted teeth).

Good luck Wales!!


----------



## Pugg

This is one I can't and won't watch, two outsiders, can't choose either.


----------



## Pugg

sospiro said:


> Portugal deserved to win (saying this through gritted teeth).
> 
> Good luck Wales!!


It helped Sospiro, compliments to Wales. :tiphat:


----------



## Guest

Great game, great goals - all four of them - and Wales thoroughly deserved their win.


----------



## Art Rock

Looking forward to a Wales-Iceland final..... if only.....


----------



## sospiro

Pugg said:


> It helped Sospiro, compliments to Wales. :tiphat:


Wonderful game.

Goal of the tournament? ' Emulated the master anyway - 'Cruyff' turn


----------



## sospiro

Belgian fans tribute to Welsh fans. Just like the English fans did for the Icelandic fans. Not.


----------



## Vronsky




----------



## sospiro

Vronsky said:


>


That's brilliant!!


----------



## sospiro

Have just read that the TV microphone Cristiano Ronaldo threw into a lake has been retrieved and is being auctioned for charity.


----------



## Headphone Hermit

sospiro said:


> Have just read that the TV microphone Cristiano Ronaldo threw into a lake has been retrieved and is being auctioned for charity.


I'd pay extra if it was stuck up his @@@@! :lol:


----------



## sospiro

Headphone Hermit said:


> I'd pay extra if it was stuck up his @@@@! :lol:


Haha!! And me!! :devil:


----------



## SiegendesLicht

Verdiland vs. Wagnerland. I listened to Rigoletto the other night, it was enjoyable, but still nowhere close to Parsifal 

Aaaand.... Wagnerland in the lead so far!

Edit: not any more..


----------



## Kieran

Boring match, penalties now. I tipped Italy before but nobody beats the Germans on penalties...


----------



## SiegendesLicht

Kieran said:


> Boring match, penalties now. I tipped Italy before but *nobody beats the Germans on penalties..*.


Not even the Italians could do it. :clap:


----------



## Guest

Lucky, SL, very lucky...
Germany will be out soon, no worries.


----------



## GreenMamba

Those were some godawful penalty shots. I supposed penalties are the great equalizer. Poland-Switzerland showed us how they're done.


----------



## Pugg

Vronsky said:


>


Outstanding how football can be, no hooliganism .:tiphat:


----------



## Kieran

SiegendesLicht said:


> Not even the Italians could do it. :clap:


Terrible penalty shootout. What happened to German efficiency? They must have missed about four! And they missed one in the match against Slovakia. But they still won, which is the point, I suppose...


----------



## Guest

Can Iceland do the same to France as they did against England?


----------



## SiegendesLicht

^ I hope they will.


----------



## Figleaf

Haha, two nil!


----------



## SiegendesLicht

Schadenfreude is not nice, Figleaf


----------



## Figleaf

SiegendesLicht said:


> Schadenfreude is not nice, Figleaf


:lol: Schadenfreude may be your word, but we do it better! :angel:


----------



## sospiro

Paris last night


----------



## Pugg

sospiro said:


> Paris last night
> 
> View attachment 86357


I really do hope France wins .


----------



## sospiro

Pugg said:


> I really do hope France wins .


And me!! I'll never forget watching the World Cup final in 1998 on telly and the scenes in Paris afterwards. The pure joy of the fans must have put a smile on many people's faces.


----------



## Guest

TalkingHead said:


> Lucky, SL, very lucky...
> Germany will be out soon, no worries.


I was right, natch.


----------



## Guest

Next prediction: France will slaughter Portugal. If I'm wrong, Figleaf will boil my cod-piece.


----------



## Figleaf

TalkingHead said:


> Next prediction: France will slaughter Portugal. If I'm wrong, Figleaf will boil my cod-piece.


So many French recipes I haven't learned yet!


----------



## Guest

Figleaf said:


> So many French recipes I haven't learned yet!


Oh yes, steamed _braguette_ is quite the thing in downdown Dijon, didn't you know? 
It's as disgusting as that _pooh-pooh_ sausage called _andouillette_ (made from chopped anus muscle and other tasty ingredients). 
Anyway, ALLEZ LES BLEUS !!!!


----------



## Guest

Copped *pork* anus muscle, I hasten to add...


----------



## Guest

_*Chopped*_ pork anus muscle. Good Lord, why can't I edit my glaring mistakes?


----------



## Figleaf

TalkingHead said:


> _*Chopped*_ pork anus muscle. Good Lord, why can't I edit my glaring mistakes?


After the frogs' legs and snails stuffed with garlic (which people really do eat!) I intentionally didn't ask anyone what _andouillette_ was, but I guessed it would be along those lines.


----------



## Art Rock

Having had andouillette a number of times (we lived in Normandy for two and a half years), I very much doubt that it is anus muscle. As far as I recall it is pig stomach and intestines that form the main ingredient.


----------



## Jos

It's all wonderful food. When you were young (just played that Roxy Music track)
Well it was after a very long day on a motorbike, arriving at a camping at around 22.00. Something to eat perhaps. "Seulement tripes en sauce Americain" Delicieux, and indeed it was. 
(being a butchers son might have helped, my dad has no fear regarding food)


----------



## Jos

What is Europe coming to ?
The Brits want to leave and NO Germany in the finals !!?? Were will it end. 

An icecold Warsteiner must do the trick


----------



## Guest

Jos said:


> What is Europe coming to ?
> The Brits want to leave and NO Germany in the finals !!?? Were will it end.
> An icecold _*Warsteiner*_ must do the trick


Nah, an ice-cold *Eichbaum pils* (from Mannheim) is a far superior beer to drink during the upcoming destruction of super-model, over-hair-gelled Ronaldo's team of superannuated Portuguese primadonnas...


----------



## SiegendesLicht

TalkingHead said:


> I was right, natch.


See ya in two years, my friend.


----------



## Guest

Jos said:


> What is Europe coming to ?
> The Brits want to leave and NO Germany in the finals !!?? Were will it end.
> 
> An icecold Warsteiner must do the trick


Ahem - 52% of Brits. Include me out! (Sam Goldwyn, allegedly)


----------



## Kivimees

England in the Euro 2016 Final!

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36743405


----------



## Pugg

Kivimees said:


> England in the Euro 2016 Final!
> 
> http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36743405


Next time better :lol:


----------



## Jos

TalkingHead said:


> Nah, an ice-cold *Eichbaum pils* (from Mannheim) is a far superior beer to drink during the upcoming destruction of super-model, over-hair-gelled Ronaldo's team of superannuated Portuguese primadonnas...


I'll definitely give them a try, Talking Head. If I can source them arond here. Thanks for the tip.


----------



## Headphone Hermit

Jos said:


> What is Europe coming to ?
> The Brits want to leave and NO Germany in the finals !!?? Were will it end.


Sadly, one of those events is a rarity and the other was very predictable


----------



## elgar's ghost

A bit of good news for the traditionalists - Manchester City have redesigned their club crest along the lines of the popular one which they first used in the 60s and 70s...

In:










Out:


----------



## TurnaboutVox

I'll be interested to see how this goes down. If the Manchester Evening News is anything to go by, there aren't many Mancunians who feel that they are part of Lancashire (the red rose motif) - instead contemporary loyalty seems to be largely with the city region, barring a few older residents.


----------



## elgar's ghost

TurnaboutVox said:


> I'll be interested to see how this goes down. If the Manchester Evening News is anything to go by, there aren't many Mancunians who feel that they are part of Lancashire (the red rose motif) - instead contemporary loyalty seems to be largely with the city region, barring a few older residents.


Good point - it seems they've covered both bases by superimposing the red rose over the three 'river' stripes (which the rose originally replaced in the early 70s). I'm a big fan of the more traditional-looking crests so it's a winner with me. However, both the top and bottom halves of the shield breaks one of the cardinal rules of heraldry whereby only a 'metal' colour (silver/white or gold/yellow) should be allowed to be placed onto a non-metal colour(s) and vice versa.

It's a pity that West Bromwich Albion couldn't retain their beautiful crest from the 60s (which didn't even get onto the shirts until much later) - I'm not too keen on the one they have now.


----------



## Guest

elgars ghost said:


> Good point - it seems they've covered both bases by superimposing the red rose over the three 'river' stripes (which the rose originally replaced in the early 70s). I'm a big fan of the more traditional-looking crests so it's a winner with me. However, both the top and bottom halves of the shield breaks one of the cardinal rules of heraldry whereby only a 'metal' colour (silver/white or gold/yellow) should be allowed to be placed onto a non-metal colour(s) and vice versa.
> 
> It's a pity that West Bromwich Albion couldn't retain their beautiful crest from the 60s (which didn't even get onto the shirts until much later) - I'm not too keen on the one they have now.


I remember the day when they were known as the Throstles, not The Baggies.


----------



## Figleaf

Je suis éviscérée et malade comme un perroquet.


----------



## Pugg

Figleaf said:


> Je suis éviscérée et malade comme un perroquet.


To put it mildly .


----------



## Guest

"C'était un jeu de trois moitié, mais les garçons l'ont fait bien!"

er...oh...wait a...er...un moment s'il vous plait...ah!

"Era um jogo de três metades mas os meninos fizeram o bem"


----------



## sospiro

Oh bless!


----------



## Pugg

sospiro said:


> Oh bless!


This was show on the national news channel in my country.


----------



## acitak 7

I am happy to reply to a football post, as along with music it is a passion for me. I have visited Holland once in 1985, Rotterdam the Feyenoord Stadium, to watch my team Everton beat Rapid Vienna 3-1, in the Cup Winners Cup final. Unfortunately after the game we were herded into a hangar at the airport and couldnt leave until our flight was ready to depart, but they did put the Blues Brothers on a big screen to keep us entertained. HAPPY DAYS as we say.


----------



## Pugg

Spurs are getting a very good striker ; Vincent Janssen from The Netherlands.....


----------



## Kivimees

Gibraltar: The new Iceland:

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36761213


----------



## acitak 7

Everton have got a great manager from the Netherlands, Ronald Koeman once again HAPPY DAYS.


----------



## Pugg

acitak 7 said:


> Everton have got a great manager from the Netherlands, Ronald Koeman once again HAPPY DAYS.


Some people have all the luck, he should be coaching our national team.


----------



## Pugg

United announced on Sunday they had agreed a deal with Juventus and that Pogba had been given permission to undergo a medical. It is understood the fee is around €105m - £89m - rather than the £100m that had previously been reported.


The soccer world is going Mad, capital M.


----------



## Vronsky

Inter Milan has new coach from the Netherlands, also. Frank De Boer is the new coach of Inter Milan, he was coaching AFC Ajax last season.


----------



## Ginger

Pugg said:


> United announced on Sunday they had agreed a deal with Juventus and that Pogba had been given permission to undergo a medical. It is understood the fee is around €105m - £89m - rather than the £100m that had previously been reported.
> 
> The soccer world is going Mad, capital M.


It´s going MAD. I can´t understand the players. How can you leave your team for money. It makes me mad as well!  Being a Juve Fan especially.


----------



## Pugg

Vronsky said:


> Inter Milan has new coach from the Netherlands, also. Frank De Boer is the new coach of Inter Milan, he was coaching AFC Ajax last season.


They've got a good one, made Ajax champion 4 times in 5 years .


----------



## Merl

elgars ghost said:


> A bit of good news for the traditionalists - Manchester City have redesigned their club crest along the lines of the popular one which they first used in the 60s and 70s...
> 
> In:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Out:


Personally, I love the new 'retro' badge. The eagle was utter crap. Being a Mancunian, I've been a City fan since I was about 6 (my first game was a 3-3 Manchester derby, at Maine Road in 1971, in which we equalised in the last minute). Had a season ticket until I moved up to Scotland 4 years ago so the last season I saw was our title-winning 2012 season and I was level with the goal when Aguero smashed that winner in against QPR. Seen the lot - the great players of the 70s, the dross of the 80s, exciting games, rubbish games, comedy own goals (Jamie Pollock stands out) and in recent years, success. Glad that there are some real football fans on here, rather than the standard bunch of glory-hunting manyoo fans.


----------



## jurianbai

In case this haven't reach worldwide, here a clip that gone quite viral in Eastern side of Asia...





Barcelona Youth vs Japan Youth


----------



## Merl

I'm currently watching the England v Slovakia match match and the commentary is driving me mad. Will someone please shoot that idiot, Glenn Hoddle? His inane commentary on England games is moronic beyond belief. Apart from his annoying insistence of talking in the historic present tense (why footballers / commentators do this I have no idea), his regular use of the term 'on the front foot' and bizarre comments about tactics he consistently makes ridiculous statements that make no sense. He just made this asinine comment, "The winger's took Danny Rose on the inside foot". What an utter bellend! When you're praying for Andy Townsend's stupid remarks, rather than this useless twunt, you know there's summat wrong.


----------



## Guest

Merl said:


> I'm currently watching the England v Slovakia match match and the commentary is driving me mad. Will someone please shoot that idiot, Glenn Hoddle? His inane commentary on England games is moronic beyond belief.


It somehow seemed appropriate (for 94 minutes at least) that as we were watching an almost exact rerun of the game back in June - same teams, same tactics, same scoreline, same lack of imagination - that we would have the same inane commentary and the same result.

Thank God Lallana finally struck a different note!


----------



## Merl

Well done to Manchester's only football team today. De Bruyne and Silva made Pogba look like the new Carlton Palmer. First 30 minutes was some of the best City football I've ever witnessed. Totally bossed the game and deserved winners.


----------



## Vronsky

Manchester City dominated the entire first half. De Bruyne played very well and Sterling too. I think Sterling is completely different player than last season, it looks that he fits excellent in Guardiola's tactics.

On the other side, Rooney was desperate, his best days are behind him. Pogba was average, Ibrahimovic was good, Blind was awful. Also, it was strange decision that Mourinho picked Lingard for the starting lineup for derby match, not Martial or Rashford.


----------



## Pugg

Vronsky said:


> Manchester City dominated the entire first half. De Bruyne played very well and Sterling too. I think Sterling is completely different player than last season, it looks that he fits excellent in Guardiola's tactics.
> 
> On the other side, Rooney was desperate, his best days are behind him. Pogba was average, Ibrahimovic was good, Blind was awful. Also, it was strange decision that Mourinho picked Lingard for the starting lineup for derby match, not Martial or Rashford.


The only one coach who think he's good is his father, our national coach; Danny Blind .


----------



## Vronsky

Pugg said:


> The only one coach who think he's good is his father, our national coach; Danny Blind .


I think he's talented player, but his natural position is defensive midfielder not center back.

Depay is very talented Dutch player, but he must leave Manchester United as soon as possible if he wants to save his form and career. At his position he's the third option currently.


----------



## Pugg

Vronsky said:


> I think he's talented player, but his natural position is defensive midfielder not center back.
> 
> Depay is very talented Dutch player, but he must leave Manchester United as soon as possible if he wants to save his form and career. At his position he's the third option currently.


They both did well in our ( much smaller) competition, they are just not up to the premiere ship .


----------



## Pugg

Any bets on England's new head coach?


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Timmy Cahill...................


----------



## Guest

Pugg said:


> Any bets on England's new head coach?


I wouldn't like to bet, no. But I wouldn't be upset if they picked Eddie Howe.


----------



## elgar's ghost

The suits at the FA will probably play safe and promote Gareth Southgate from within if his caretaker period goes well (even though he was pretty much a failure as a club manager with Middlesbrough before joining the England set-up) - plus the pay rise that would accompany his elevation wouldn't cost the FA as much as it would to get a new bloke in.


----------



## Pugg

It's getting worse,Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is named now .


----------



## Pugg

It is ear deafening quiet on this soccer forum with those horrible abuse in this sport.
We all had our mouths full of doping in athletic, whilst in my opinion, this is 50 times worst .
It's starts to spread in my country also.


----------



## Pugg

Aeroporto da Madeira now named after Cristiano Ronaldo.
This is getting out of hand with Mr Narcissus.


----------



## Art Rock

Pugg said:


> Aeroporto da Madeira now named after Cristiano Ronaldo.
> This is getting out of hand with Mr Narcissus.


The artist who made the bust for the airport on the other hand does not seem to be a fan....

View attachment 93178


----------



## Pugg

Art Rock said:


> The artist who made the bust for the airport on the other hand does not seem to be a fan....
> 
> View attachment 93178


Did you hear the story about that other statue, bigger than life? 
( Being touched at only one place)


----------



## Pugg

Crystal Palace getting a new very good coach, it's Frank de Boer, he made Ajax Amsterdam 4 time champion in 5 years.


----------



## Animal the Drummer

It's one of the smaller London clubs though, a much smaller club than the famous Ajax. I like de Boer's footballing philosophy and I hope he does well there, but it will be a very different job from the one he's been used to doing.

My team Liverpool may still sign another Dutchman, Mijnheer van Dijk. Jürgen Klopp certainly wants him. We'll see.


----------



## Pugg

The Dutch woman team kicked the English ladies a## last night.


----------



## Merl

Should be an inetersting season in the EFL. A lot of strong teams near the top but I wouldn't look past my beloved Manchester City, that lot from Trafford and Chelsea. Can't see anyone else winning it. Arsenal are too shaky at the back, Liverpool are unpredictable and Spurs haven't strengthened to cope with injuries (what stopped them winning it last year....well that and Chelsea's invincibility).


----------



## elgar's ghost

Yes, I don't expect any real surprises in the Prem this season either but I have a horrible feeling it could be United's year. You correctly mention Arsenal's defensive frailties but are you happy that this is the season in which Manchester City can address their own inconsistency?

Being a W.B.A. fan my expectation (and hopefully the club's priority) will be as usual to finish near the top of the 'league within a league' - i.e those middling six-to-eight clubs who aren't likely to threaten the top six nor get embroiled in a relegation dogfight. Albion however tailed off badly in the final third of last season (otherwise they would have challenged Everton for 7th place) so one thing they won't want is a shaky start.


----------



## Holden4th

A lot of ridiculous money was spent by those same teams this year. Man City have really splashed out, United less so. Interesting that at this stage Spurs haven't spent a single pound. They have been bridesmaids for the last two years and surely they need add something to their team to go that extra step. It's also crunch time for both Guardiola and Klopp. Their reputations have been built outside the EPL and with teams that have been top of the tree already in leagues where the top two or three teams are all that count with the rest being also rans.


----------



## Art Rock

Difficult to make predictions until the transfer window closes. As things are now, I'd expect City, United and Chelsea on ranks 1-3 (probably with Chelsea prolonging the title), Arsenal and Liverpool on 4-5, and Spurs and Everton on 6-7.


----------



## TurnaboutVox

Pugg said:


> The Dutch woman team kicked the English ladies a## last night.


My son watched the semi-final so I joined him in the second half. Were those players in England shirts Graham Taylor's Watford in 1980? Do they know it's not compulsory to kick long balls into the box for 6'2" Dutch defenders to intercept? It's back to the drawing board for England, I think.


----------



## Animal the Drummer

Holden4th said:


> A lot of ridiculous money was spent by those same teams this year. Man City have really splashed out, United less so. Interesting that at this stage Spurs haven't spent a single pound. They have been bridesmaids for the last two years and surely they need add something to their team to go that extra step. It's also crunch time for both Guardiola and Klopp. Their reputations have been built outside the EPL and with teams that have been top of the tree already in leagues where the top two or three teams are all that count with the rest being also rans.


I don't agree it's crunch time for Klopp. I'm a Liverpool fan and it's common knowledge among us that the owners wanted Klopp as manager from the get-go, but he wasn't ready to leave Dortmund yet when they initially took over. They (and we fans) want to see progress, yes, but even if we don't win a trophy there's no way they'll junk him at the end of this season. The only way I could see him leaving would be at his own choice if they sold Coutinho, and I don't see that happening this summer either.


----------



## Pugg

Holden4th said:


> A lot of ridiculous money was spent by those same teams this year. Man City have really splashed out, United less so. Interesting that at this stage Spurs haven't spent a single pound. They have been bridesmaids for the last two years and surely they need add something to their team to go that extra step. It's also crunch time for both Guardiola and Klopp. Their reputations have been built outside the EPL and with teams that have been top of the tree already in leagues where the top two or three teams are all that count with the rest being also rans.


There was list about this subject in one of my newspapers, it's a madhouse.


----------



## Holden4th

Animal the Drummer said:


> I don't agree it's crunch time for Klopp. I'm a Liverpool fan and it's common knowledge among us that the owners wanted Klopp as manager from the get-go, but he wasn't ready to leave Dortmund yet when they initially took over. They (and we fans) want to see progress, yes, but even if we don't win a trophy there's no way they'll junk him at the end of this season. The only way I could see him leaving would be at his own choice if they sold Coutinho, and I don't see that happening this summer either.


Money talks and Liverpool have had some very lean years. The Fenway Sports Group are there for the money, not the nostalgia and regardless of what the fans want, if he can't produce then he's gone. And that's the sad part of the sport nowadays. The greatest manager of all time was almost out on his ear and only an FA cup win kept him there. He went on to manage for 26 years and his EPL titles will probably never be matched by any other manager. It takes time to build a winning team and a winning philosophy and few mangers are given a chance to do it. Then again, we do have Wenger........


----------



## Animal the Drummer

Holden4th said:


> Money talks and Liverpool have had some very lean years. The Fenway Sports Group are there for the money, not the nostalgia and regardless of what the fans want, if he can't produce then he's gone. And that's the sad part of the sport nowadays. The greatest manager of all time was almost out on his ear and only an FA cup win kept him there. He went on to manage for 26 years and his EPL titles will probably never be matched by any other manager. It takes time to build a winning team and a winning philosophy and few mangers are given a chance to do it. Then again, we do have Wenger........


it's true that any manager who doesn't produce will be gone, but FSG are not going to make that judgment at the end of the season about to start. When Klopp took over he said he expected to be challenging for the title in four years' time (i.e.two seasons from now) and, absent some catastrophic collapse meanwhile, he'll get that long - and probably longer, given that last season he signed an extension to his contract which will now last a further two seasons still.

Incidentally, Liverpool have not had "lean years" financially speaking. Our worldwide fan base remains massive and, despite two or three hopeless owners before FSG, we've been a fixture in the top ten richest clubs in world football all along. As far as "the greatest manager of all time" stuff is concerned, I'll see your nomination of Baconface and raise you Bob Paisley, during whose 9 seasons Liverpool won the league 7 times, were runners-up the other 2 seasons and won the European Cup 3 times to Ferguson's 2, i.e.as many times as ManU have in the whole of their history.


----------



## elgar's ghost

Yes, Bob Paisley was one of the all-time greats. I remember critics calling him nothing more than a 'push-button' manager, knowing the club so well that all he had to do was to keep oiling the machine which Bill Shankly built. Totally unfair - the Liverpool team could easily have imploded after Shankly's retirement but what Paisley did was stop the club from stagnating - within four years of taking over out went the likes of Ian Callaghan, John Toshack, Tommy Smith, Kevin Keegan and Emlyn Hughes and in came Kenny Dalglish, Alan Kennedy, Terry McDermott, Alan Hansen and Graeme Souness. 

And Paisley was also canny in the transfer market - courageously selling Kevin Keegan at his peak for £500,000 and replacing him with the even-better Kenny Dalglish for £60,000 less (peanuts now, but not so much then as what Liverpool paid for Dalglish still broke the British record). Liverpool also saved a bundle by bringing through a lot of home-grown talent via their youth system. And let's not forget that Paisley also signed Ian Rush for £300,000 - he was sold six years later for what was then a staggering £3.2m. 

Once Paisley had put all the parts into place every other club had to settle for crumbs off the table for the next decade and more.


----------



## Sonata

I like soccer. I can't say I'm a rabid fan, but I enjoy watching it and playing it. Wish I had more of an opportunity to do both


----------



## eljr

Just found this thread..... soccer family here. 

I had season tickets back in the day, for years, to the legendary Cosmos.

Then, made a career in the soccer business end of things. 

My daughter played in college and has several caps playing for her second country. (duel citizenship)


----------



## Holden4th

......ah, the antipathy between Liverpool and Man U fans will never die.....


----------



## Guest

Great start to the new Premiership season last night. Very entertaining game, and I'm pleased Arsenal won, but they were lucky.

Now, where have I heard that before?


----------



## Vronsky

One team I really hope will find the way in the English Premier League is Leeds United. After long, long time. They belong in the Premier League. They were really close last season.


----------



## elgar's ghost

^
^

Or as they were called in their heyday - f*****' Leeds.


----------



## Templeton

Resurrecting this thread because my team, Liverpool, are currently beating (previously) unbeaten Manchester City 4-1!! Unbelievable, Philippe who? Twenty minutes to go and this being Liverpool, anything could happen but this is bliss.


----------



## ldiat

oohhh that kind of foot ball. thought talk was about the Pittsburgh Steelers!


----------



## TurnaboutVox

Looks like Bristol City showed the Premier League teams how to do it last week, though.

Poor Cit-eh, they'll just have to go out and spend another £250 million.


----------



## TurnaboutVox

ldiat said:


> oohhh that kind of foot ball. thought talk was about the Pittsburgh Steelers!


Yeah, the sort of football where the players kick the ball with their feet...


----------



## Templeton

ldiat said:


> oohhh that kind of foot ball. thought talk was about the Pittsburgh Steelers!


For some reason, it was known as 'gridiron' over here, at one time. I spent five years in the U.S., during the 1990s but never got into the American form of rugby, although I do recall my fascination at seeing various play-off games being played in the North Pole, or at least it looked like the North Pole (New England Patriots, I think) and some disgruntled (New York Giants?) fans hurling snowballs at their players and being warned that they faced arrest (probably tasering) if they continued.


----------



## TurnaboutVox

Templeton said:


> Twenty minutes to go and this being Liverpool, anything could happen but this is bliss.


Lucky for Liverpool the game didn't go on for another 6-7 minutes, though.


----------



## Templeton

Well, I did warn that this is Liverpool, meaning that nothing is guaranteed until the final whistle blows and so it proved to be. Two very late goals but we just managed to hold out and end City's unbeaten season. Were you watching Philippe Coutinho?


----------



## TurnaboutVox

No, just following the Grauniad's live feed.


----------



## Guest

TurnaboutVox said:


> Yeah, the sort of football where the players kick the ball with their feet...


No no no, that's soccer.


----------



## TurnaboutVox

dogen said:


> No no no, that's soccer.


Soccerball?......


----------



## Guest

ldiat said:


> oohhh that kind of foot ball. thought talk was about the Pittsburgh Steelers!


Are they in the Vauxhall Conference?


----------



## eugeneonagain

TurnaboutVox said:


> Soccerball?......


Football just wearing socks.


----------



## Guest

As my previously reply probably shows, it has been some time since I followed football closely.

I do find the rise and rise of Forest Green Rovers remarkable. I saw them play in a Hellenic League match at their home ground back in the Seventies.

The ground was on a hill above the village of Nailsworth. It was so steep getting up the hill that the coach we were in stalled three times. At the top, the passengers burst into spontaneous applause, a bit like when a pilot makes a tricky landing.

It was very windy up there. A rather immature friend threw a whole toilet roll from behind one goal and as it unfurled it went all the way to the other end of the pitch.


----------



## TurnaboutVox

eugeneonagain said:


> Football just wearing socks.


Er, _just_ socks? No thanks!


----------



## Guest

TurnaboutVox said:


> Er, _just_ socks? No thanks!


Fear not, each player wears three.


----------



## TurnaboutVox

dogen said:


> Fear not, each player wears three.


OK, so at our local club that's one for each of their right feet, one for each of their left feet, and one for each of their second left feet, and...?


----------



## ldiat

ldiat said:


> oohhh that kind of foot ball. thought talk was about the Pittsburgh Steelers!


bums lost out of the playoffs sadness in the 'burgh


----------



## elgar's ghost

Being a West Brom fan I was upset to hear this morning about the death of centre-forward Cyrille Regis. The big man featured in the Albion side of the late 70s-mid 80s which won nothing but played some brilliant football.


----------



## Pyotr

*NFL Playoffs*

I have two horses in this race now. Great games this past weekend. I'm a longtime Eagles fan, and the Jacksonville Jaguars are just up the road from me(recently moved from up north).


----------



## Holden4th

The writing was on the wall for Man City with their match against Crystal Palace on Dec 29. Palace should have won the game with a penalty. Teams have now started to work out how Cit-eh play and as well as being able to combat it can also work out how to score against them. Leverpool proved it this weekend but their shaky defence almost let them down. How close was Ageuro to scoring in the last seconds of the game?


----------



## elgar's ghost

Everyone on TV keeps waffling about all the goals Sergio Agüero has scored for Manchester City but if Kevin De Bruyne wasn't there to drive the team from midfield they would be even more like Arsenal - capable of walking the ball into the net at any given time but lacking the b***s for a scrap when things get tough. I think City's defence continues to be their Achilles heel (especially when their best defender, Vincent Kompany, is so prone to injury and new defender Benjamin Mendy suffering serious injury at the beginning of the season) but I still can't see City screwing things up from here - not least because the clubs who make up the chasing pack are playing into City's hands by dropping too many points against weaker teams.


----------



## Merl

elgars ghost said:


> I think City's defence continues to be their Achilles heel (especially when their best defender, Vincent Kompany, is so prone to injury and new defender Benjamin Mendy suffering serious injury at the beginning of the season) but I still can't see City screwing things up from here - not least because the clubs who make up the chasing pack are playing into City's hands by dropping too many points against weaker teams.


Kompany was as immense as ever, today, and we hammered Arsenal in the second-half of the League Cup Final. Nice to win one trophy, early. Now my dream is to win the League against Scum at home. City till I die. Us City fans have waited a lifetime for this. I'm loving the way we're playing under Pep.


----------



## Merl

Thank you West Brom for handing us the title. You should be proud of that display, Elgar's Ghost. I'm still laughing at that shower of red *****. This is how it feels to be City...........champions!


----------



## ldiat

Pyotr said:


> I have two horses in this race now. Great games this past weekend. I'm a longtime Eagles fan, and the Jacksonville Jaguars are just up the road from me(recently moved from up north).


Horses? we can talk horses!! yes!


----------



## ldiat

Merl said:


> Thank you West Brom for handing us the title. You should be proud of that display, Elgar's Ghost. I'm still laughing at that shower of red *****. This is how it feels to be City...........champions!
> 
> View attachment 102898


city of Champs!!?? you must be writing about Pittsburgh, Pa. USA


----------



## elgar's ghost

Merl said:


> Thank you West Brom for handing us the title. You should be proud of that display, Elgar's Ghost. I'm still laughing at that shower of red *****. This is how it feels to be City...........champions!
> 
> View attachment 102898


Happy to oblige. Albion are as good as down but beating United always gives me immense pleasure - in fact, seeing anyone beat United always gives me immense pleasure. Over the last few years Albion's record against them hasn't been too bad for a team that has never threatened to finish in the top six.


----------



## CnC Bartok

Great result today for WBA, regrettably hastening one inevitable, and postponing another. But they have a solid setup as a club and will be straight back I reckon. I don't think Stoke will.

My team's - and yes I follow two, in the solid knowledge that neither will ever meet! - had differing results this weekend. AFC Wimbledon had a fabulous fight back to help in their own fight against relegation. Sparta Prague meanwhile managed their fifth draw in six games. Ok against the runaway league leaders, Viktoria Plzeň, but the guaranteed right to European football next season is looking immensely doubtful. Second time they've thrown away a decent lead. 2-0 then draw 2-2, even worse 3-0 up against f***ng Slavia, to draw 3-3 a couple of weeks ago.


----------



## Guest

Back in the day I liked West Brom. In fact many members of my wider family supported them. They had some fine players back then, such as Brown, Brown, Cunningham, Regis and Wile. They probably had one or two Latchfords at some point. I don't really remember Jeff Astle in his playing days, but he seems to be the most revered by Baggies fans,


----------



## elgar's ghost

Tulse said:


> Back in the day I liked West Brom. In fact many members of my wider family supported them. They had some fine players back then, such as Brown, Brown, Cunningham, Regis and Wile. They probably had one or two Latchfords at some point. I don't really remember Jeff Astle in his playing days, but he seems to be the most revered by Baggies fans,


Goalkeeper Peter Latchford played for West Brom until joining Celtic but was usually kept out of the side by John Osborne. For a few years the club were capable of winning things until Ron Atkinson left for Manchester United, taking the engine room of Bryan Robson and Remi Moses with him. Albion have never properly recovered from that. I did see Jeff Astle a couple of times when I was young but he was a bit past it by then, and the team itself was struggling under manager Don Howe. My favourite Albion player was Willie Johnston, one of the most naturally skilful wingers I've ever seen, and he had a sense of fun and mischief at a time when players still knew how to smile on the pitch. Mind you, he was a stroppy Weegie b*****d as well!


----------



## Guest

Willie Johnston was a fine player, though a bit naughty at the World Cup in 1978!

I liked John Osborne, he was a good keeper.


----------



## CnC Bartok

Lawrie Cunningham played for the real Wimbledon in the 1988 cup final. Fine player!

A year later he died in a car crash, aged only 33.


----------



## Guest

I remember a strange incident with John Wile on Star Soccer. In a post-match interview he was grumbling about Joe Jordan's dirty playing. The next time they met on the field, Jordan mashed Wile's face in and he had to leave the game. I always thought that it was retribution for the comments he had previously made.


----------



## elgar's ghost

Joe Jordan played for Leeds - what else did Wile expect? :lol:


----------



## Guest

When I was young the local team at our grandparent's town was Walton & Hersham. They were great. They beat Clough and Taylor's Brighton 4-0 in the FA Cup and won the FA Amateur Cup. At that time they were close to being the top non-league side in the country. Dave Basset was among their star players ( along with the great Roger Connell). Unfortunately in 1974 amateur football was abolished but Walton chose not to pay their players. Whilst Walton faded away into mediocrity, their manager and best players moved to Wimbledon. That was the start of Wimbledon moving through the leagues, the Crazy Gang and beating Liverpool to win the FA Cup. All through that period I was thinking that it could have been my local heroes getting all that glory if it hadn't been for a single poor decision.


----------



## Guest

Haha, exactly. Dirty b#stards they were. I once saw them at The Dell. Jack Charlton got roasted by Ron Davies and Bobby Stokes. Funnily enough, the only uncapped player in Leeds team at that time was Joe Jordan.


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## CnC Bartok

Walton and Hersham were my local team for my entire childhood!!! I was a regular at Stompond Lane. Not very often you hear statements like that!!!!


----------



## Guest

Fantastic. Another Swans fan! 

My parents met at Stompond Lane as they were both members of Walton Athletic Club which was based there. My grandfather was goalkeeper for Hersham before the amalgamation with Walton.


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## CnC Bartok

This is a small world! I ran for Walton AC for about three years as a junior. I was quite fast once......!

Been looking into the club's history, sadly it seems Stompond Lane is (or at least won't be) no more. The Swans have apparently moved to the big sports complex in Walton, just above Sunbury Lock, and are sharing with Walton Casuals. Fifty houses going on the old site. 

Feels like the end of an era.


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## elgar's ghost

I've been thinking who might be available for the Albion hot seat after the dismissal of Alan Pardew. I notice that Mick McCarthy left Ipswich Town before his contract was up, but I'd rather not read anything into that - he's not the sort of manager I'd like to see there.


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## Guest

Crikey Robert it is indeed a small world.

That is very sad news about Stompond Lane. It was one of the best non-league grounds and because of the size of the site it would have coped well with league football.

Presumably none of the money from the sale of Stompond Lane will come back to the club to enable them to build a new stadium.

What a shame.

The Royal George, a few hundred yards up the Hersham Road was my grandfather's watering hole. He would leave every match 5 minutes or so before the end, usually disgruntled, and woe betide anyone who was sitting on his bar stool.


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## CnC Bartok

I have had the odd beer or two in The Royal George. That's quite a trek though from Stompond Lane! I think it's still going, I haven't been back to my old home patch, not since my parents died.

The new ground is where the old Elmbridge Leisure Centre used to be. A wasteland, but a nice spot by the river. Casuals seem to be the bigger team these days, I'd be surprised if W&H survived as tenants. Don't know where the money will go. Who's was the old site??


----------



## Guest

His home was on the Molesey Road in Hersham, so a fair hike all round. I haven't been to the area since he died in 1980. I remember it all as it was at that time but I suppose it must be changed beyond recognition now.

So is the new ground where the indoor swimming pool was in the 60s and 70s?

I had a root around the internet and according to the Surrey Comet (not the Surrey Herald!) the Council owned Stompond Lane and they used the disposal proceeds to build the new ground at no cost to the tax payer. No mention of where the profits on the disposal went...

The new football ground seems fitting of W&H's current status but there is a nice looking tartan running track there, so the runners seem to have done okay out of it.


----------



## TurnaboutVox

I think PNE's recent three narrow losses to Fulham, Derby and Reading and the horrendous crash at Sheffield Wednesday have probably put paid to their hopes of a playoff place this season, despite the two subsequent wins at Leeds and QPR. Although it would be great to see them go up to the Premiership I somehow can't imagine that it would end well for the club...

Of Aberdeen's craven capitulation to the might of, er, Motherwell in the Scottish Cup, I do not propose to speak! :scold:


----------



## elgar's ghost

Motherwell stand in the way of Celtic making Scottish football history - no team has ever done the treble two seasons running.


----------



## TurnaboutVox

I suspect that no team in history has ever faced quite such a great disparity in wealth and quality between them and their rivals (I don't just mean Motherwell, but the whole of Scottish professional football).


----------



## elgar's ghost

That's true - Rangers have some catching up to do both on the pitch and especially in the piggy bank.

I can think of only two other major footballing nations where only two clubs traditionally dominated throughout their history of league football - Uruguay with Peñarol/Nacional and Portugal with Benfica/Sporting Club, although Porto have been the big boys in Portugal over the last thirty years.


----------



## CnC Bartok

Elgar's Ghost - really sorry to see WBA finally go down. Gave a damned good fight to stay, though, should make them feel confident of an immediate return....


----------



## elgar's ghost

Robert Pickett said:


> Elgar's Ghost - really sorry to see WBA finally go down. Gave a damned good fight to stay, though, should make them feel confident of an immediate return....


Thank you, Robert - it just goes to show what might have been had they shown similar spirit earlier in the season. The appointment of Alan Pardew to replace Tony Pulis was a knee-jerk reaction which turned into a disaster, but, if I'm honest, the rot set in the season before - after a fine start Albion started to lose momentum somewhere between Christmas and Easter, ending up in 10th instead of finishing just out of the European places in 7th or 8th which was a real possibility if their early form was anything to go by.

As regards going straight back up, I don't know - West Brom might have to take the Wolves and Villa route where things get worse before they can get better. Releasing Darren Fletcher to Stoke City was a mistake - he might be knocking on but his experience offered the team real stability, and that stability will be further undermined if they lose players like Johnny Evans and Craig Dawson in the close-season. Whatever happens, we need a good manager who can separate the wheat from the chaff before next season starts (and I only hope that Mick McCarthy's present availability is no indicator that he will be in the frame).


----------



## joen_cph

Accommodation is scarce during the World Cup, but here´s an initiative:

rent a wooden shed, 2x4 m, on top of a garage, for 267 Euros per night.


__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1006073024691388416


----------



## RogerExcellent

Football is all I care about when not listening to lovely nice music


----------



## Norman Gunston

Are there any Operas about football?


----------



## Cosmic Cowboy

Norman Gunston said:


> Are there any Operas about football?


 https://www.highburyoperatheatre.com/our-productions/fever-pitch-the-opera/

Arsène Wenger... prat...


----------



## Norman Gunston

Ball sports and Tuna go well together what an Opera that would make.......


----------



## CnC Bartok

Norman Gunston said:


> Are there any Operas about football?


Can't think of any operas about football, but the Shostakovich ballet The Age of Gold is.

Football was Dmitri's other big passion, he was a fully qualified referee, and an avid supporter of both the major Leningrad teams, more so, I believe the nowadays lesser team, Dynamo. Zenit have been far more successful in recent years, especially since the fall (sic) of communism.


----------



## Pyotr

What happened to Chelsea? Getting beat 6-0 by Manchester City even though Sergio Aguero missed an open net, tap-in in the first few minutes? Worst league defeat ever. I see most fans are blaming left-back Marcos Alonso and forward N'Golo Kante for their defensive lapses, as well as calling for the firing of manager Maurizio Sarri.

I would not go as far as firing Sarri, since he is a first-year manager. Managers should be given at least 2.5 years, or something is terribly wrong with the team's hiring practices.


----------



## Zofia

Not much but I will watch Bayern München with Father.






​


----------



## starthrower

To hell with the NFL. I like Bob Costas. He told the truth about football"s life threatening injuries and they attacked him and blacklisted one of the best sportscasters in the business.


----------



## elgar's ghost

Pyotr said:


> What happened to Chelsea? Getting beat 6-0 by Manchester City even though Sergio Aguero missed an open net, tap-in in the first few minutes? Worst league defeat ever. I see most fans are blaming left-back Marcos Alonso and forward N'Golo Kante for their defensive lapses, as well as calling for the firing of manager Maurizio Sarri.
> 
> I would not go as far as firing Sarri, since he is a first-year manager. Managers should be given at least 2.5 years, or something is terribly wrong with the team's hiring practices.


I agree, but I don't think that will cut much ice with Roman Abramovich - as I recall he got rid of both Luiz Felipe Scolari and André Villas-Boas at about this time of the year after hiring them during the previous close season. If Chelsea are still outside the Champions League places come the next two or three weeks then Sarri will be out sharpish, even if they do win the League Cup Final later this month and also make the last 16 of the Europa League. As regards the match against Manchester City - OK, not many teams can cope with City when they turn it on like that but collectively Chelsea's performance was pretty gutless.


----------



## Zofia

elgars ghost said:


> I agree, but I don't think that will cut much ice with Roman Abramovich - as I recall he got rid of both Luiz Felipe Scolari and André Villas-Boas at about this time of the year after hiring them during the previous close season. If Chelsea are still outside the Champions League places come the next two or three weeks then Sarri will be out sharpish, even if they do win the League Cup Final later this month and also make the last 16 of the Europa League. As regards the match against Manchester City - OK, not many teams can cope with City when they turn it on like that but collectively Chelsea's performance was pretty gutless.


I am not big football fan but I listen to Father who does watch EPL (preference for Bundesliga). My thoughts would be would it not extremely hard to get top AAA managers with this repeated behaviour? Or is the chance of big salary worth the risk?


----------



## CnC Bartok

Manchester City might have turned it on impressively yesterday, but Chelski seem to be very capable of properly misfiring, even losing heavily at Bournemouth not so long ago. Abramovich's billions, obtained through completely legit and fully moral means of course, no longer appear to be enough to buy trophies. Europa League? League Cup? Errrr.....wow?!

Couldn't be happier!!!


----------



## elgar's ghost

Zofia said:


> I am not big football fan but I listen to Father who does watch EPL (preference for Bundesliga). My thoughts would be would it not extremely hard to get top AAA managers with this repeated behaviour? Or is the chance of big salary worth the risk?


It's a fair question, and I think one answer is that top-level football management is one of those occupations where one is rewarded for failure - if a manager is fired before his contract is up then he is likely to walk away with a substantial severance payment. Figures vary depending on the contract but it's more money than the likes of me will ever see. Getting fired isn't good for the ego, but I imagine the blow is softened by the prospect of a huge sum of money winging its way into the bank account. And after a manager has had a nice rest he can get headhunted by another club and do it all over again!


----------



## Zofia

CnC Bartok said:


> Manchester City might have turned it on impressively yesterday, but Chelski seem to be very capable of properly misfiring, even losing heavily at Bournemouth not so long ago. Abramovich's billions, obtained through completely legit and fully moral means of course, no longer appear to be enough to buy trophies. Europa League? League Cup? Errrr.....wow?!
> 
> Couldn't be happier!!!


Manchester City are only buying trophies also and the money is also not exactly morally clean...


----------



## CnC Bartok

Post removed to minimise likelihood of having Novichok on my front door.


----------



## Zofia

CnC Bartok said:


> It's still a good thing.
> 
> If for example, Charles Manson managed to beat the s&it out of Myra Hindley, there's plenty of positives to take out of that......:devil:
> 
> My team are fan-owned, and have moral superiority over the vast majority of the English Football League. They are also eight points adrift at the bottom of the third level of English Football......


I have a hard time dealing with hypocrisy. Not meaning it in a bad way towards you but if it's bad for one team to do it it's not a good idea to fight the fire and with fire and let it bd ignored when another team does it better.

I like to watch lower tier football more my youngest brother plays for low tier team here not paid but for fun. Personally I like it when FC Leicester City won the EPL. Feel bad for what they did to the manager.


----------



## Pyotr

starthrower said:


> To hell with the NFL. I like Bob Costas. He told the truth about football"s life threatening injuries and they attacked him and blacklisted one of the best sportscasters in the business.


Starthrower, this thread is about the only sport on the planet where you are not allowed to use your hands. Called soccer here in the states, but football everywhere else in the world. I'm sure you made an honest mistake.


----------



## Pyotr

Zofia said:


> Not much but I will watch Bayern München with Father.​


I haven't watched any Bundesliga league games. I've been watching the Premier league because the NBC sports channel shows games on Saturday morning. I would watch the US soccer games but they come on too late in the evening. Some of them start at 10pm and I'm in bed by that time.

I've gotten familiar with a few of the EPL stars: Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling, Paul Pogba, Harry Kane, and my favorite, Romelu Lukaku. I couldn't name one player in the Bundesliga league.

The system of European leagues is confusing. In the US, every team plays for one league.


----------



## Zofia

elgars ghost said:


> It's a fair question, and I think one answer is that top-level football management is one of those occupations where one is rewarded for failure - if a manager is fired before his contract is up then he is likely to walk away with a substantial severance payment. Figures vary depending on the contract but it's more money than the likes of me will ever see. Getting fired isn't good for the ego, but I imagine the blow is softened by the prospect of a huge sum of money winging its way into the bank account. And after a manager has had a nice rest he can get headhunted by another club and do it all over again!


Yes I get annoyed by this also very much. My Father earns lots of money compared to most I think but if he is hired away to a new Bank of course they pay more however if he lost his job then he could be asked to pay back money depending why *touching wood* he is fired. Luckily he is very good at his jobs (has 3).

I also think the footballer themselves are paid to much. I was listening to my friend who is a Brit talk about their leagues most clubs who won in the 70s and 80s before either of us are born are not the clubs that win today. Mostly due to investing from foreigners based on club brand and not love for club. My friend is FC Celtic fan but was telling me of English league FC Nottingham Forest were much good in something like the 70s I'd never heard of this team.

He says both English and Scottish PL is wasted ruled by 2 or 3 clubs and boring.


----------



## Vronsky

Chelsea to me looks like a reprise of Inter Milan and AC Milan and their downfall since 2012. If we exclude Hazard (who's inconsistent) and Kanté, they're pretty much average or sub-average on every other position.


----------



## Zofia

Pyotr said:


> I haven't watched any Bundesliga league games. I've been watching the Premier league because the NBC sports channel shows games on Saturday morning. I would watch the US soccer games but they come on too late in the evening. Some of them start at 10pm and I'm in bed by that time.
> 
> I've gotten familiar with a few of the EPL stars: Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling, Paul Pogba, Harry Kane, and my favorite, Romelu Lukaku. I couldn't name one player in the Bundesliga league.
> 
> The system of European leagues is confusing. In the US, every team plays for one league.


Not a problem EPL is in many languages broadcast not sure about BL. I actually like MLS it is much more how the boys at school play actually the same with the ladies league of most countries. Sure skill might not be higher but despite me not really enjoying watching the sports I enjoy those leagues much more.


----------



## Zofia

Vronsky said:


> Chelsea to me looks like a reprise of Inter Milan and AC Milan and their downfall since 2012. If we exclude Hazard (who's inconsistent) and Kanté, they're pretty much average or sub-average on every other position.


Putin put the squeeze on him made him Governor of Chukotka although I think he was not selected to run again. AFAIK he spends a lot of time in Israel and rarely has input to the club. Father says any time he gets involved it's normally him buying players the mangers do not want.

(not politics Father is acquainted with Abramovich)


----------



## Vronsky

I think the parity in the English Premier League is much better than the rest of the elite European football leagues. Everywhere else the first leagues are dominated by one or two teams.


----------



## Zofia

Vronsky said:


> I think the parity in the English Premier League is much better than the rest of the elite European football leagues. Everywhere else the first leagues are dominated by one or two teams.


You could say this about the EPL just depends on who gets a new owner as they change more in EPL. The standard of football is certainly not as high in the EPL it is why for the most part they sturggle in Champions League. Only teams to do well recently play as Father says "Anti-Football". EPL certainly spends more to promote it's self than the other leagues. From what I see La Liga has highest tier players and teams.

IMO

1 - La Liga
2 - Bundesliga
3 - EPL
4 - Serie A

Rest of the Leauges either have one or two team that is low tier Champion's Leauge or Europa Leauge level.

edit:

Just looked yes this season it is closer but it is normally a 1 or 2 horse race after Christmas in the EPL as with most leagues afaik.


----------



## Vronsky

Zofia said:


> You could say this about the EPL just depends on who gets a new owner as they change more in EPL. The standard of football is certainly not as high in the EPL it is why for the most part they sturggle in Champions League. Only teams to do well recently play as Father says "Anti-Football". EPL certainly spends more to promote it's self than the other leagues. From what I see La Liga has highest tier players and teams.
> 
> IMO
> 
> 1 - La Liga
> 2 - Bundesliga
> 3 - EPL
> 4 - Serie A
> 
> Rest of the Leauges either have one or two team that is low tier Champion's Leauge or Europa Leauge level.
> 
> edit:
> 
> Just looked yes this season it is closer but it is normally a 1 or 2 horse race after Christmas in the EPL as with most leagues afaik.


In the last decade, EPL had a new champion every year (five teams won the trophy). In Serie A, the last decade was completely dominated by Juventus, Bundesliga is dominated by Bayern Munich since the introduction of the football in Germany and La Liga is either Real Madrid or Barcelona (with rare interruptions by Atletico Madrid or Valencia).

Champions League and Europa League are a different category.


----------



## Zofia

Vronsky said:


> In the last decade, EPL had new champion every year (five teams won the trophy). In Serie A, the last decade was completely dominated by Juventus, Bundesliga is dominated by Bayern Munich since the introduction of the football in Germany and La Liga is either Real Madrid or Barcelona (with rare interruptions by Atletico Madrid or Valencia).
> 
> Champions League and Europa League are different category.


Sorry my point was the EPL is rarely as close as people make out though one team normally runs away with it even if it is a different team each year. The EPLs winners normally excluding FC Leicester tend just spend more money that year it is rarely organic improvement in the team. I'd argue FC Liverpool has been working well to build a good team and not just buy everything but I am ignorant of the true facts here tbh.


----------



## Zofia

All Winners since 1972 not much great difference in my opinion. You see the EPL get more like the other leauges as investment starts in 90s 2000s.

Excluding FCLC it is Chelsea or Manchester U/C who have won every year since 2010.


----------



## Pyotr

Vronsky said:


> Chelsea to me looks like a reprise of Inter Milan and AC Milan and their downfall since 2012. If we exclude Hazard (who's inconsistent) and Kanté, they're pretty much average or sub-average on every other position.


They did beat City a couple of months ago, They beat the Hotspurs too this season. A win on Sunday would have put them right back in it and we'd all be singing a different tune. However....


----------



## CnC Bartok

Zofia said:


> I have a hard time dealing with hypocrisy. Not meaning it in a bad way towards you but if it's bad for one team to do it it's not a good idea to fight the fire and with fire and let it bd ignored when another team does it better.
> 
> I like to watch lower tier football more my youngest brother plays for low tier team here not paid but for fun. Personally I like it when FC Leicester City won the EPL. Feel bad for what they did to the manager.


I see no hypocrisy here. My (limited but simple) pleasure derived from seeing said team being thrashed, not from the other team's success. I think it's called Schadenfreude, not sure if you have a word for it in German?

If you see the manner of financing of both clubs as similar ethically, then all I can say is "Oh dear"....

I have removed my original post to avoid offence.


----------



## Zofia

CnC Bartok said:


> I see no hypocrisy here. My (limited but simple) pleasure derived from seeing said team being thrashed, not from the other team's success. I think it's called Schadenfreude, not sure if you have a word for it in German?
> 
> If you see the manner of financing of both clubs as similar ethically, then all I can say is "Oh dear"....
> 
> I have removed my original post to avoid offence.


Ah yes it is it is pleasure at another's misfortune I think is the best way to put it. I was not meaning that you were a hypocrite but that if it annoys one about X team winning this way then it should equally annoy when Y team does it also.

Of course you can just drink in the joy of your enemies misfortune all you like I personally think FC Chelsea are trash amd their travelling supporters are thuggish. Last time they were here they caused much damages.


----------



## Pyotr

*Manchester City beats Schalke 3-2*

What a terrific game. It's a shame that it had to be marred afterwards by fan violence.

Man City fan in critical condition following assault after Schalke game:

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/47315415

Let's hope he's OK.

It's been my impression that Euro Football hooliganism is a thing of the past, due to the rise in ticket prices and the upgrade in stadiums and security. Am I wrong?

I could understand the frustration of Schalke fans. They got beat by two late goals even though City was playing with only 10 men. Ouch!

I'm from Philadelphia and Philly fans have always been considered the worst sports fans in the U.S. Our reputation, although well-earned, is due to snowball throwing , booing, and cheering when an opposing player gets injured. I can't recall an incident like what happened in Germany on Wednesday.


----------



## CnC Bartok

The current scoreline at the Bernabeu is worthy of note. Fabulous performance from Ajax!!!!


----------



## elgar's ghost

CnC Bartok said:


> The current scoreline at the Bernabeu is worthy of note. Fabulous performance from Ajax!!!![/QUOTE
> 
> ...and possibly fabulous enough to get Santiago Solari fired.


----------



## Merl

Ive read with interest the last few pages. As a Mancunian, born and bred, im obviously a City fan and have watched my team yo-yo between divisions, cultivate great talent and then have to sell it yet the fans have stayed solid. The current team, that Pep has created, play the best football i have seen since his excellent team at Barcelona. I dont give a crap about the money, the trophies, the Champions League....any of it. Im just glad ive got to see the team ive loved all my life playing the kind of football that will be remembered. it wont last forever but while it does im loving and savouring every moment.. These things change but, as a season ticket holder all my life (except for the past 6 years that ive been in Scotland) its been a pleasure to watch some superb football culminating in a glorious season last year when we were utterly magnificent and smashed so many records. I hope every football supporter gets that opportunity at least once in their life. Its what makes the game i love such a pleasure.


----------



## CnC Bartok

elgars ghost said:


> CnC Bartok said:
> 
> 
> 
> The current scoreline at the Bernabeu is worthy of note. Fabulous performance from Ajax!!!![/QUOTE
> 
> ...and possibly fabulous enough to get Santiago Solari fired.
> 
> 
> 
> Mourinho Is looking for work, I understand.....:devil:
Click to expand...


----------



## LezLee




----------



## CnC Bartok

After Ajax, couldn't get better? 

How the hell did Man U turn that one around????? 

Miracle Norwegians, anyone?


----------



## TxllxT

Well, I think for many Dutch the 4-1 win of Ajax is still an unbelievable fact. It's a dream. Most of the credits go to Real for epically failing.


----------



## elgar's ghost

Sad that a club of Ajax's pedigree always seem to sell their better players just when they are on the verge of getting a really good side together. Is it worth having such a great academy just to see the players who come through leave by the time they are in their early 20s? Surely it can't be a case of Ajax needing the money...


----------



## CnC Bartok

elgars ghost said:


> Sad that a club of Ajax's pedigree always seem to sell their better players just when they are on the verge of getting a really good side together. Is it worth having such a great academy just to see the players who come through leave by the time they are in their early 20s? Surely it can't be a case of Ajax needing the money...


.
I think it boils down to the simple statistic that, since I was born, the Dutch league title has been won by one of three clubs on all but two occasions. No real strength in depth, rather like Scotland, and to a lesser extent, Portugal. Who would you rather play each week, Real, Barcelona, Bayern, Man Utd, or Roda JC and Go Ahead Eagles???

Sad, it's buggered up the prospects of any "big" teams in little European countries, all this money....


----------



## Zofia

CnC Bartok said:


> .
> I think it boils down to the simple statistic that, since I was born, the Dutch league title has been won by one of three clubs on all but two occasions. No real strength in depth, rather like Scotland, and to a lesser extent, Portugal. Who would you rather play each week, Real, Barcelona, Bayern, Man Utd, or Roda JC and Go Ahead Eagles???
> 
> Sad, it's buggered up the prospects of any "big" teams in little European countries, all this money....


My friend is Scottish/British and he will make me watch their football. It's not very good I think much like the Dutch league the only players who will stay are natives or players who are the big fish in the small pond no?

If you are good enough to earn 10 x the money in the overpaid leagues you will leave unless you have some strong family ties that is too much to leave. Bundesliga is richer than the examples given but England and Spain suck in all the talent eventually. We can't compete not many footballers go to the opera it seems.


----------



## Art Rock

elgars ghost said:


> Sad that a club of Ajax's pedigree always seem to sell their better players just when they are on the verge of getting a really good side together. Is it worth having such a great academy just to see the players who come through leave by the time they are in their early 20s? Surely it can't be a case of Ajax needing the money...


These players can earn 10-20 times as much with big clubs in one of the big leagues. Which means that a transfer for them is both financially and from a sporting point of view essential. The club could keep them to their contracts, which only means they would have that player (dispirited) for another 2 years or so, and then they walk out of the door for free. Better sell now, cash 80 million euro, and move on.


----------



## CnC Bartok

Slavia 4 - Seville 3

Maybe a bit of guts and conviction counts for more than money and pedigree.

Not that Czech teams should feel inferior!

Then again, Slavia ain't Sparta. The enemy, but I'm delighted for them!!!


----------



## Zofia

..............


----------



## Zofia

Only 8 counties have ever won the World Cup; I thought it would be many more.


----------



## Art Rock

Zofia said:


> Only 8 counties have ever won the World Cup; I thought it would be many more.


Technically nine. Germany and West-Germany were different countries.


----------



## Merl

Just watched my beloved blues beat Leicester to move one win away from the title and all I can sing is "And here's to you Vincent Kompany, City Loves you more than you will know, oh-oh-oh." What a goal and kudos to the greatest captain in City's history. He even cried at the end.


----------



## CnC Bartok

Yeah, muted well done, Merl! I think it was inevitable. Screamer of a goal by Kompany, mind! Worthy of a league title.

But however many points Liverpool come second with, it's too many to come second with.

My team escaped relegation on goal difference at the weekend, a miracle in itself, having been rock bottom of League One at the end of February, so football-wise I'm feeling remarkably magnanimous at the moment!


----------



## elgar's ghost

West Bromwich Albion make the walking-distance trip to Villa Park for the first leg of their play-off this weekend, another of these 'you couldn't write the script' scenarios. Aston Villa were dead in the water at Christmas and then went on an amazing run which saw them clinch a play-off berth with something to spare. Albion on the other hand blew the chance of automatic promotion with a cluster of dreadful results at home which cost coach Darren Moore his job. WBA and Villa have been fierce rivals since the early 1880s - bragging rights and an appointment at Wembley with either Leeds United or Derby County are at stake.


----------



## Templeton

Merl said:


> Just watched my beloved blues beat Leicester to move one win away from the title and all I can sing is "And here's to you Vincent Kompany, City Loves you more than you will know, oh-oh-oh." What a goal and kudos to the greatest captain in City's history. He even cried at the end.
> 
> View attachment 117824


Thanks, Merl, just when I thought that I couldn't feel any lower . And to think, there's still tonight. What are the odds that Coutinho puts the final nail in the coffin for this season?

Fantastic goal though and Kompany comes across as a great guy.


----------



## Merl

Templeton said:


> Thanks, Merl, just when I thought that I couldn't feel any lower . And to think, there's still tonight. What are the odds that Coutinho puts the final nail in the coffin for this season?
> 
> Fantastic goal though and Kompany comes across as a great guy.


Sorry, Templeton. Whatever happens (City may still blow it...it's City!) it's been an amazing season and Liverpool have been immense. I cant imagine how Liverpool would feel if they lose out on the league after only losing one game all season. It's kinda cruel but it's football and wins are what matters. Some fantastic football from lots of teams over the season in all leagues. I love football. It's still the greatest game on earth whether I'm watching my school football team, non-league football, Scottish football (it's pretty dire up here) or the Premiership. Good luck to all those teams involved in the lottery of the play-offs. Been there (I was at Wembley when we came back from the dead to beat the mighty Gillingham) so I know what it's like. Oh and for those that might possibly believe that any of us City fans are glory-hunters think again. I have over 40 mates on FB who are all City fans and have been from birth. All are seasoncard holders (apart from me...I had to give mine up when I moved to Scotland...it still kills me not going) and all are Mancunians (unlike some teams that pretend to come from Manchester but play in Stretford). Incidentally, my last game at the Etihad was the 'Aguero goal'. I didnt think anything could top that but maybe Vinnie proved me wrong last night. Poor Mrs Merl hid for cover, when we scored, and protected her broken arm whilst I bounced around the settee like a demented puppy. That's football. That's what it means to me and every fan on here. I felt like that about it when I attended my first game at Maine Road (an incredible 3-3 'derby' game in which Mike Summerbee scored a last-minute equaliser), when we dropped down two divisions and got beat by Bury and I still feel the same about it.


----------



## elgar's ghost

Man City have had their fair share of mercenary show-ponies over the last seven or eight years but Vincent Kompany is a player who has given City 100% since the moment he signed. He's a rare credit to the game in this ridiculously cynical and greedy era, and I'm glad he appears to have got over his injury woes (which he's never seemed to whinge about). City are always a more fearsome proposition when Kevin De Bruyne is bossing the engine-room and Kompany is there to skipper the ship.


----------



## Merl

elgars ghost said:


> Man City have had their fair share of mercenary show-ponies over the last seven or eight years but Vincent Kompany is a player who has given City 100% since the moment he signed. He's a rare credit to the game in this ridiculously cynical and greedy era, and I'm glad he appears to have got over his injury woes (which he's never seemed to whinge about). City are always a more fearsome proposition when Kevin De Bruyne is bossing the engine-room and Kompany is there to skipper the ship.


Aguero, David Silva, Kompany, Fernandinho and Zabaleta are just some of the greatest players to ever grace a City shirt, not just for their outstanding footballing ability but because they are players who have given everything, every game in that blue shirt. I would include all of them in any greatest ever City team along with the likes of Colin Bell, Dave Watson and The Goat (lol). And yes, Goater wasn't much of a player but boy did he score some important goals and a lot of them. Tbh, I'd be spoiled for choice for a worst ever City team. How do you narrow down from a selection of thousands of players (particularly the City squad of the 90s)? Ged Brannan would definitely be in that team (first on the team sheet along with Justin Fashanu and Alan Kernaghan). Of the current team De Bruyne, Sterling and Bernardo Silva have been phenomenal this season. Just wish we had a better right back than Kyle Walker! He's quick but his distribution and crossing is bloody awful. That young right back at Liverpool is a much better player.

As for Kompany, by the tears in his eyes at the final whistle, I think he'll call it a day at the end of the season. He's struggled for years with injuries and maybe he feels the time is right to go out at the top. IF we do the domestic treble I think he'll decide that it might be a fitting time to bow out. He's got a job for life as City Ambassador if he wants it. BTW, I met him years ago (a few years after he signed) at a City community event. He was as decent as he comes across. And to think Hughes thought he was a central midfielder... but Hughes is an idiot. We saw he had centre half potential from the first time he played.


----------



## CnC Bartok

A somewhat noteworthy result at Anfield this evening.........


----------



## Merl

Congratulations to Liverpool tonight. Stunning result and fully deserved. See, not all us Mancs hate Scousers!


----------



## elgar's ghost

Rather see Liverpool in the final than Barca win it again, especially as I begrudge Sergio Busquets and Luis Suárez for various reasons. I'm still hoping for an Ajax win, though.


----------



## Highwayman

An astonishing victory without Firmino and Salah! :clap:


----------



## Rogerx

Highwayman said:


> An astonishing victory without Firmino and Salah! :clap:


Indeed, very well deserved. 
Next FC Ajax Amsterdam, piece of cake.


----------



## Templeton

Bit late to the party, as still coming down but this one's for Merl.


----------



## Highwayman

Unbelievable...


----------



## CnC Bartok

Highwayman said:


> Unbelievable...


Absolutely. Chuffed for Spurs, heartbroken for a team that (probably inaccurately) epitomise everything that _ could_ be right with the game.

Put money on Holland for the 2026 World Cup, put money on a 0-0 draw in the Spurs Liverpool final, find some "hilarious and harmless" anti-Semitic things to say if you don't like Tottenham!

As a sport and as a neutral, it surely can't get better than the past couple of nights. Odds on a Chelski-Arsenal Europa League final? Boring for the rest of Europe.


----------



## elgar's ghost

Sticking a tenner after the first leg on Liverpool and Tottenham to still reach the final would have made how much, I wonder?


----------



## Rogerx

So cruel for Ajax, well the boys hold one half , second one , you saw it coming.


----------



## Merl

That was some game last night. For all their lovely football it was interesting that Ajax were undone by traditional 1970s route-one football from Spurs in the second half. They simply couldn't handle such a direct style. Interesting. Great game and result and I'm genuinely chuffed for Spurs. I doubt the final will be anywhere near as interesting as both semis (I foresee a low-scoring tense affair) but whatever happens let tge best side on the night win. All I'm focused on at the moment is the final game at Brighton. Like Pep, I want that league title.


----------



## Highwayman

A full-English final stage... I recall a member belittling EPL in this thread, I wonder what she is thinking about it now...


----------



## elgar's ghost

Highwayman said:


> A full-English final stage... I recall a member belittling EPL in this thread, I wonder what she is thinking about it now...


Not that we'll actually see too many English players, of course...


----------



## Merl

Wow, happy day. Well done to my hometown club on their title win today. I've seen everything with this team - the lows of life in Division 3, the mockery of manyoo fans, good teams, ***** teams but days like today make me proud. 14 wins were needed to beat a great Liverpool team and we did it. Love you, Blues.


----------



## Templeton

Congratulations, Merl, well deserved. A fantastic season all round. Hopefully, Liverpool can win the Champions League and then, finally, next season, I think that the the Premier League will be coming home to Anfield.


----------



## Merl

It's been one helluva season.


----------



## Templeton

Merl said:


> It's been one helluva season.


Understatement of the year! Never seen anything like it, well maybe 1989 and Michael Thomas. I really didn't think that City would maintain the momentum this season but they did, so fair do's. It really has been unbelievable, even if there have been plenty of what ifs, as a Liverpool supporter. Simply incredible.


----------



## CnC Bartok

Merl said:


> Wow, happy day. Well done to my hometown club on their title win today. I've seen everything with this team - the lows of life in Division 3, the mockery of manyoo fans, good teams, ***** teams but days like today make me proud. 14 wins were needed to beat a great Liverpool team and we did it. Love you, Blues.
> 
> View attachment 118183


You down off the ceiling yet, Merl?


----------



## CnC Bartok

elgars ghost said:


> Sticking a tenner after the first leg on Liverpool and Tottenham to still reach the final would have made how much, I wonder?


Probably enough to pay Mo Salah for 13.7 seconds?


----------



## elgar's ghost

Ha ha - yep, sounds about right!

Hope City are able to wear their home kit for the F.A. cup final - that away kit of theirs is bogging.


----------



## Merl

CnC Bartok said:


> You down off the ceiling yet, Merl?


No. Lol. And yes, Im not a fan of the away kit, either.


----------



## Merl

A domestic treble. I couldnt let this moment go. As a long-suffering City fan for 54 years, I've seen it all - the lows (and there have been many) but recent years have made it all worthwhile. A glorious season capped off by an incredible display in today's FA Cup. Sorry to fans of other clubs but the years of crap and the ridiculing of a certain set of fans mean I'm celebrating big-style tonight. 
As we always mockingly sing to that lot from Stretford, "This is how it feels to be City, this is how it feels to be small, you bought Phil Jones we bought Kun Aguero!"

We are not we're not really here!


----------



## elgar's ghost

Hope your head didn't feel too rough this morning, Merl. :lol:

Were you tempted to head to Manchester for the parade?


----------



## CnC Bartok

And now your captain has left the club. Interesting....


----------



## elgar's ghost

Vice-captain David Silva is also 33 - I wonder how much longer he'll be there for. If they can hold onto him then Kevin de Bruyne will surely be the undisputed leader of the team from now on.


----------



## Merl

elgars ghost said:


> Hope your head didn't feel too rough this morning, Merl. :lol:
> 
> Were you tempted to head to Manchester for the parade?





elgars ghost said:


> Vice-captain David Silva is also 33 - I wonder how much longer he'll be there for. If they can hold onto him then Kevin de Bruyne will surely be the undisputed leader of the team from now on.


Unfortunately I can't get the time off for the 600 mile roundtrip home but I was at the 2012 shindig (back when I was still living in Manchester). It will be a helluva celebration. I expect City to strengthen in midfield in the summer to buy a permanent replacement for Silva. A defender, I suspect, has already been readied and all but signed and that's why Kompany left as he knew he wouldn't get the playing time he wanted and be automatic first choice. He's also leavng at the right time. He's a legend at City. His barnstormer of a goal against Leicester and captaincy of the side to the treble has ensured him immortality in Manchester. Even my red mates say they wish they'd had him. And yes, I reckon you're right about De Bruyne. His stunning 35 minute cameo yesterday (where he destroyed Watford on his own) and command of the midfield make him an obvious candidate. Foden isn't quite ready to fill Silva's boots but he'll get a lot more playing time next season and he's an incredible prospect. I expect those b*st*rds at FIFA will ban us from the CL the year after next (they hate us and we hate them - hence the heavy booing of the CL anthem - there's a huge history of their double-standards towards us). Tbh, I don't give a rat's a*se about FIFA and their CL. Rather just win the league. However, if we can, it would be nice to win it next year and watch FIFA ban the 2020 winners from the 2021 flagship tournament. Bumholes!


----------



## CnC Bartok

Nothing to do with football, but just to point out that this afternoon, the GB Ice Hockey team came from 0-3 down against France to win 4-3 in overtime. It means they have remained in the elite group for the World Championships.

Bloody miracle!!!


----------



## elgar's ghost

Yes, that is a fine effort. Not all that much funding seems to go into ice hockey - presumably it's still considered a minority sport in the UK despite a few hotbeds of support here and there.


----------



## Templeton

All's well, that ends well. Rubbish game but in the years to come, the game will be forgotten but Liverpool will still be the 2019 European Champions. Jürgen Klopp, what a legend.


----------



## Pyotr

Congratulations to Liverpool. Although I thought the penalty kick rewarded to them in the first few minutes was bush. Tainted the entire game. The Reds were definitely the best team, they didnt need any help, I'm still not sure how the spurs got that far.


----------



## Guest

Templeton said:


> All's well, that ends well. Rubbish game but in the years to come, the game will be forgotten but Liverpool will still be the 2019 European Champions. Jürgen Klopp, what a legend.
> 
> View attachment 119449


Exactly so. Spurs may have dominated possession, but gave the distinct impression that they hadn't the confidence to make it count. Liverpool were not great, except that they defended effectively.

I'm pleased for Klopp.


----------



## elgar's ghost

Celtic awarded the title as the Scottish league season is terminated. I read a while back that ex-Rangers manager Ally McCoist said that if Celtic are awarded the title due to the season finishing early then there should be an asterisk next to the entry on the roll of honour.

I agree with him.

*Scottish Premier League Champions 2019-20*

Celtic ***

(*** nine in a row)


----------



## perempe

Strange goals in Prague (Slavia Praha-Feyenoord).


----------



## elgar's ghost

perempe said:


> Strange goals in Prague (Slavia Praha-Feyenoord).


Strange competition they are playing in - UEFA seem to have a gift for over-egging the pudding (or should I say milking the cash cow...). I honestly can't understand why they have to complicate things by allowing so many group-stage losers to still have another competition to play in. In my opinion the sport does not need a third European competition, especially bearing in mind how many preliminary rounds and group stages there are in the other two.


----------



## Merl

I fear our game in Madrid was extremely costly seeing as Walker and De Bruyne are injured. With a heavy league schedule, CL semi and an FA Cup semi tomorrow this isn't a good time to pick up injuries to key players but cant really complain. As us City fans sing "Like a fan of the invisible man we're not really here". ⚽🥅


----------



## Ludwig Schon

I would love to see St. Pauli get promoted this season. In any event, I am so pleased to see the Hamburg Huns missing out again… sectarian bigotry gets you nowhere…


----------



## elgar's ghost

Ludwig Schon said:


> I would love to see St. Pauli get promoted this season. In any event, I am so pleased to see the Hamburg Huns missing out again… sectarian bigotry gets you nowhere…


I don't care who wins the actual silverware as long as it isn't bleedin' Bayern...


----------



## mikeh375

c'mon you reds....


----------



## Merl

mikeh375 said:


> c'mon you reds....


I'm guessing you'll be happy at narrowly beating our reserve team with optional comedy goalkeeper, Mike.🤡🥅


----------



## mikeh375

LOL Merl. I thought you were a Scot, not a Mancunian.


----------



## Merl

mikeh375 said:


> LOL Merl. I thought you were a Scot, not a Mancunian.


Nah, Mike, I just live in Scotland. I'm a Manc, born and bred. Was a season ticket holder at City till I moved up here in 2013. My last game at the Etihad was the Aguero Goal. I knew we'd get stuffed yesterday. Stefan is a terrible keeper. Only Pep knows why he 'rested' Ederson yesterday. He only had a few shots to save at Athletico midweek. Ah well. Its only a game. 😉


----------



## Kiki

Come on, Merl, it's looking rosy for City. City have got arguably easier league fixtures than Liverpool. Liverpool still have Everton, United and Spurs. And don't forget, you're a point ahead. All you have to do is win every game. In the UCL, Madrid will be tough for City but that's offset by an arguably easier league fixture list. Villarreal may be considered outsiders but playing outsiders is not what Liverpool do best. If we had got Madrid we'd play like our lives would be dependent on it, but not with Villarreal. Just look at what Benfica were allowed to do at Anfield. 

Of course I wish I am wrong.


----------



## mikeh375

Kiki's right Merl. I doubt you'll come out empty-handed this season and I hope we wont neither.
'only a game" huh, need I remind you about what Bill Shankly said?
Still, we are bucking the trend here Merl are we not? - a Scouser and a Manc having a pleasant conversation about football......


----------



## Merl

Lol, who knows where this season is going. We have the Real game tonight so we might know more at the end of today. As for 'the easier run-in' I doubt that as Liverpool only have one 'supposedly' tough game (Spurs, if im correct) but I dont think its important. It all depends on who bottles it, as both teams are capable of beating every other team in the league. I still think we'll bugger it all up and Liverpool will win the lot but thats us City fans. Weve seen it all before and know it would be 'typical City'. The margins are tiny and for me theyre easily the best two teams in Europe. Whoever wins what, its been an exciting season and as long as that lot from Stetford are still floundering then we can both be happy, Mike. 😅


----------



## Art Rock

Well, that was fun. Certainly one of the very best games of recent years. Two brilliant teams and brilliant refereeing as well.


----------



## elgar's ghost

As a bit of a romantic I'm keeping my eye on the play-off section of the Belgian championship as one of Belgium's oldest perpetually-active clubs, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, may just win their first league title since 1935 (which was a full 12 years before local upstarts Anderlecht won their first...). Granted their renaissance is being achieved thanks largely to Tony Bloom's money but I still like the idea of a grand old club like Union S-G to come in from the cold, even if it only lasts for a season or two.


----------



## Merl

Art Rock said:


> Well, that was fun. Certainly one of the very best games of recent years. Two brilliant teams and brilliant refereeing as well.


Might have been brilliant as a neutral but I was having kittens watching it. When we were 2-0 up and Mahrez was through on goal and all he had to do was square it to Foden for 3-0 but he decided to smash it into the side-netting I was as angry as Pep. Poor defending and finishing cost us a comfortable win. Hopefully, with our proper fullbacks playing in the second leg we can finish them off. De Bruyne was unplayable first half and Rodri seems to be getting better each week. It was an amazing game though. I just hope our poor finishing won't cost us for the 2nd leg.


----------



## Ludwig Schon

My beloved Celts have finally vanquished the hoards of Huns and should effectively wrap up the league this weekend thanks to these two geniuses…


----------



## Forster

I had a good evening too. I was at the theatre. During the interval, checked my phone, and Pompey were 2-0 down to the league leaders. Only playing for pride now, lost the chance for a play-off place several games ago.

So it was a great surprise when we came out of the the theatre to see we won 3-2.

Yay!


----------



## Ludwig Schon

Good to see Liverpool fans booing those awful dirges, GSTQ and Abide With Me.

Ireland’s 5th Province. They‘re blasting out the Fields of Athenry now!

C’mon you Scally Scousers, smash the Russian Chelski scum…


----------



## mikeh375

Ludwig Schon said:


> Good to see Liverpool fans booing those awful dirges, GSTQ and Abide With Me.
> 
> Ireland’s 5th Province. They‘re blasting out the Fields of Athenry now!
> 
> C’mon you Scally Scousers, smash the Russian Chelski scum…


..good to see an Irishman getting behind the Capital City of Northern Ireland's team... 
Still, this scouser is a little nervous.


----------



## mikeh375

2 done, 2 to go.....


----------



## elgar's ghost

Ludwig Schon said:


> Good to see Liverpool fans booing those awful dirges, GSTQ and Abide With Me.
> 
> Ireland’s 5th Province. _They‘re blasting out the Fields of Athenry now!_


And that's not a cry-into-the-beerglass dirge, obviously... 😭 

At least the national anthem is mercifully short.


----------



## Ludwig Schon

elgar's ghost said:


> And that's not a cry-into-the-beerglass dirge, obviously... 😭
> 
> At least the national anthem is mercifully short.


Yep. It’s also a complete and utter dirge…


----------



## elgar's ghost

Was the game equally turgid?


----------



## Ludwig Schon

elgar's ghost said:


> Was the game equally turgid?


Didn’t watch it. Too busy idling in my garden, listening to Buxtehude and Sweelinck’s organ music…


----------



## Philidor

Klopp did it.


----------



## Ludwig Schon

To paraphrase the late, great JFK:

”Ich bin ein Frankfurter!” 

Better to be a sausage than a doughnut, I suppose…

Die Adler, Über Alles!


----------



## elgar's ghost

A Rangers victory doesn't bear thinking about. Too many of their fans are as graceless in victory as they are in defeat. The_ Guardia Civil_ could be in for a very busy night whatever the result.


----------



## Philidor

Trapp.

Penalty shoot-out is always cruel.

I am biased, but in my opinion, Frankfurt deserved it.

Congrats to the Rangers for a great decade after 2011/12.


----------



## elgar's ghost

Never mind - Gers have still got the SCF against the Jambos and even if they lose that they can still bask in last year's One In A Row dynasty.


----------



## Merl

elgar's ghost said:


> Never mind - Gers have still got the SCF against the Jambos and even if they lose that they can still bask in last year's One In A Row dynasty.


 I think everyone in Scotland apart from Rangers and Hibs fans will be supporting Hearts for the day. We have our own fish to fry in the EPL on Sunday. A win and it's ours but I'm really worried (cos it would be 'typical City' to blow it). The prospect of Liverpool fans and their media banging on about a quadruple forever is unbearable and unthinkable. Even my United mates want us to win on Sunday and they usually want us to get beat by everyone.


----------



## elgar's ghost

All I can say in response to that is this:

Good of Man City to don Eintracht Frankfurt colours in 1969.










And as regards Rangers - GIRFUY.


----------



## mikeh375

The blue half of Merseyside had to sweat a bit last night.
@Merl, I'm pretty sure you'll be champions again this year so don't worry. I wonder if any of the fine folk of Manchester will be wishing Liverpool success on the 28th.....


----------



## elgar's ghost

Merl said:


> I think everyone in Scotland apart from Rangers and Hibs fans will be supporting Hearts for the day. We have our own fish to fry in the EPL on Sunday. A win and it's ours but I'm really worried (cos it would be 'typical City' to blow it). The prospect of Liverpool fans and their media banging on about a quadruple forever is unbearable and unthinkable. Even my United mates want us to win on Sunday and they usually want us to get beat by everyone.


I wish more seasons were like this! Thanks to both Liverpool and Manchester City for giving us a ride on the roller coaster. Everton have dodged a bullet but they really need to sort themselves out - they were on the verge of meltdown at one point.


----------



## Merl

elgar's ghost said:


> I wish more seasons were like this! Thanks to both Liverpool and Manchester City for giving us a ride on the roller coaster. Everton have dodged a bullet but they really need to sort themselves out - they were on the verge of meltdown at one point.


Agree about Everton. Is it just me or does anyone else feel that Lampard just doesn't have the chops to manage in tye top flight? Terrible season at Goodison.



mikeh375 said:


> @Merl, I'm pretty sure you'll be champions again this year so don't worry. *I wonder if any of the fine folk of Manchester will be wishing Liverpool success on the 28th..*...


Tbh, Mike (and this may surprise you) I'm not really bothered either way as long as its a cracking game but I fear it may not be. Liverpool should win it. We blew it in the first leg at 2-0 up and Mahrez missing Foden unmarked on the far post. Tbf to Pep injuries cost us dear in the Madrid games as with Stones and Walker on the pitch Vinicius didn't have a sniff. Cest la vie. Like many City fans I'm not particularly bothered about the CL (Dont get me wrong I'd love to win it once just to shut the idiots up) as the league is the one we want so we can wave it at Stretford Celtic and laugh.


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## Merl

Well that was some day! Wow. I knew we'd make it hard (I told my son we'd go a goal down) but really thought we'd blown it this time. Credit to Liverpool for pushing us all the way (they've been brilliant this season too) but we scraped over the line. I'm just gutted I had to give up my seasoncard 10 years ago but as exciting as that was I doubt we'll ever top the Aguero moment (my very last time at a City game before I moved to Scotland). Gotta admit I screamed like a banshee when that winner went in and dived over the back of the settee. Poor Mrs Merl has to put up with a lot. Football does some crazy things to us. Isn't that right?


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## Ludwig Schon

Hard to take a clubs like UAE Citeh, PSG Qatar or RB Salzburg/Leipzig/New York seriously…

Main Road, Malcolm Allison, Franny Lee, Mike Summerbee, Uwe Rösler… Denis Law relegating Manure in ‘74… that’s Man City…


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## Merl

Ludwig Schon said:


> Hard to take a clubs like UAE Citeh, PSG Qatar or RB Salzburg/Leipzig/New York seriously…
> 
> Main Road, Malcolm Allison, Franny Lee, Mike Summerbee, Uwe Rösler… Denis Law relegating Manure in ‘74… that’s Man City…


As vivid as my memories of those days are, Ludwig, at the end of the day. Maine Road was not a particularly happy ground for us (and I went week in and week out through the bad, horrific and even worse times). It was a dump, a nightmare to get to and park and took ages to get home from. The club was really badly run, millions in debt due to mismanagement, missed out on all the best young local talent and the whole setup was shambolic. The best thing we ever did was to get away from it and go to the COM Stadium / Etihad. Originally our board and Swales ran the club into the ground (they were all crooks and narcissists too) and we were on the edge of going under so when the Arabs took over it was great. Theyve run the club brilliantly, creating a fantastic youth system, awesome amenities, state of the art training grounds and regenerating one of the most horrid slums in Manchester ( Bradford/Clayton/Openshaw). You can keep your rose-tinted view of the City of old. They've made more great memories in the past almost 20 years at the Etihad (successful or not) than they did at Maine Road and I've watched some of the greatest players I could ever wish to see. I've seen every big game at City from 1972 onwards and have some great memories of those matches and great players (Lee, Bell, Summerbee, etc) but I don't miss Maine Road one bit. Ask any City fan and they'll tell you the same. I don't give a hoot about all this 'dirty Arab money' nonsense (when we had Swales it was dirty English money) . These owners have been incredible at honouring the club and its traditions whilst putting the club on a sound financial basis (check out the new City retro kit) . The only misstep was the ridiculous idea to join those other teams in the bizarre Super League. Luckily that crap didn't last long.


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## elgar's ghost

Proper pitches though, Merl - and times like this...

18/11/1972 Manchester City v Manchester United - YouTube


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## Forster

Well it was certainly an interesting game, with City hardly at their best, even in the last 15 minutes, and Villa's fatal substitution helping as much as Gundogan.

As a FF player, I'm frequently irritated at Pep's team selection. Someone said earlier that he's had a problem with injuries, but I have little sympathy when perfectly fit players are on the bench when they should be on the pitch. How many times has De Bruyne not played because of injury, and how many through just non selection?


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## Ludwig Schon

I really hope that Ireland’s 5th Province can defeat Franco’s Fascists… 

Real Madrid, really are subhuman scum…


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## Krummhorn

I'd much rather watch a soccer match as opposed to football. For me, football is just plain boring ... they are able to take what should be one hour and turn it into a 4 or 5 hour event ... because they keep stopping the clock during play. The clock rarely stops during a soccer match.


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## Ludwig Schon

Krummhorn said:


> I'd much rather watch a soccer match as opposed to football. For me, football is just plain boring ... they are able to take what should be one hour and turn it into a 4 or 5 hour event ... because they keep stopping the clock during play. The clock rarely stops during a soccer match.


I assume you mean gridiron/American football, which I don’t even consider a sport.

It’s basically a bad joke, told between ever increasingly long TV advertisements… Baseball is another awful spectacle. Cricket is a far greater, more intelligent sport than rounders…


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## perempe

Great win against England.
Good example for a bad mistake.


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## Forster

perempe said:


> Great win against England.
> Good example for a bad mistake.


Yes, well-deserved. Penalty may have been a bit soft, but still a pen - English pundits complaining that there wasn't enough contact, but James seemed to have his arm well round Nagy.

But then, it's not only about that. From an England point of view, we made little impression, though Bowen was worth his debut cap. Hungary defended well, struck firmly on the counter and were unlucky not to have netted more.

My son has a Hungarian girlfriend and he recently visited Budapest twice. Once for her father's funeral, twice for sightseeing. They live in England - both trained as archaeologists and working on HS2 - and are in the process of buying a house together. So, we now take much interest in things Hungarian!


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## perempe

England-Hungary 0:4


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## Merl

perempe said:


> England-Hungary 0:4


Haha. Hopefully we'll lose the next two as well so we can sack Safegate before the World Cup. If Saka and Timori are England players then so are me and my cat.


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## Merl

Lol................


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## Craveoon

I've been meaning to ask about the structure of the tournament - don't seem to understand what the nations league is all about


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## Art Rock

Craveoon said:


> I've been meaning to ask about the structure of the tournament - don't seem to understand what the nations league is all about


Wikipedia has a good article about it:



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Nations_League


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## Forster

Congratulations to the Lionesses, Euro champions after a tight 2-1 win over Germany this evening.


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## HenryPenfold




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## perempe

Most of the goals come from mistakes, Kiev-Benfica wasn't an exception.


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## perempe

Crvena Zvezda failed to advance because of two big mistakes, the second one is one of the greatest own goals ever.


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## elgar's ghost

^
^
Bearing in mind how volatile the fans in Serbia can be I'm surprised I didn't read about riots in Belgrade after that result.


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## perempe

CBC Sport is a good channel, watched the highlights of Milan's & Man City's match in high quality. Haaland's goal was awesome.


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## perempe

Germany - Hungary 0:1
Szalai scored a brilliant goal.


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## Merl

Wonderful result for my boys today in the Greater Manchester Derby. Haaland is a monster! What a player. The final score flattered United. We annihilated them.


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## perempe

Maccabi Haifa shock Juventus


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## perempe




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## eljr

USA vs England Today.


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## ansfelden

Football fan yes.

Quatar fan no.


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## eljr

ansfelden said:


> Football fan yes.
> 
> *Quatar *fan no.



FiFA is gonna FIFA.


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## Forster

From England's point of view, a dull disappointment. Given we didn't expect USA to play the same game as Iran, we might have expected a different setup. No, we tried to play the same game, it didn't work, so we decided just to avoid losing.

Urgh!

Congrats to the USA who deserved at least a point.


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## Merl

Why Phil Foden can't get a game (and the appaling Mason Mount can) is possibly the most mysterious and baffling conundrum for all England fans. Even Pep can't believe he doesn't play regularly for England. Well done Safegate for your brilliant tactics (again).


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## mikeh375

^^..."Safegate"...lol
The USA cleverly stifled us by tactically concentrating on our weaknesses. They should've won and would have deserved it too. We were all deluded by the Iran result.


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## Merl

'Safegate' is the polite version of what I usually call him. The man is tactically inept. Has no idea of a Plan B. Bringing on Rashford ahead of Foden is like bringing on Dean Windass ahead of Erling Haaland. S***Gate has his favourites and clearly Phil isn't one of them. If I were him I'd pack my bags and go home cos obviously he really dislikes him. You could tell by the way he dodged every question about him from the press and TV (who were also perplexed why he didn't even get a game, never mind be in the starting XI).


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## Pyotr

USA is in about as good of a position as one can expect. All they have to do is beat Iran and they're in the next round. If they can t beat Iran, no sense in watching them any further. I missed the last half of the England game and was shocked that USA didn't lose, since they were being outplayed, in the 1st half anyway. 
The only player I know on the team is Pulisic who lost his starting job on Chelsea . The guy is fast as hell but just doesn't have much sense with the ball. Has a tendency to stop with the ball and let the opposition take it away from him.


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## Nate Miller

Pulisic is from this area. He went to Hershey HS and played his high school soccer here in central PA. The local news is all over it with him in the world cup. They do the same with local athletes in the Olympics.

I'm not looking past Iran. If they can beat Wales, they can beat us and I'm sure they would love nothing more than to knock us out.


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## eljr

Nate Miller said:


> Pulisic is from this area. He went to Hershey HS and played his high school soccer here in central PA. The local news is all over it with him in the world cup. They do the same with local athletes in the Olympics.
> 
> I'm not looking past Iran. If they can beat Wales, they can beat us and I'm sure they would love nothing more than to knock us out.



Matt Turner, Tyler Adams, Tim Weah, Joe Scally, Antonee Robinso, Yunus Musah, Gio Reyna, Tim Weah, all from NYC Metro area. That is more players thany place else in the country and it's not even close. One would think CA or TX would have hove more.

Then there is Brenden Aaronson from Medford NJ. More in the Philly metro.


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## Nate Miller

I think soccer is bigger in the mid Atlantic states like New York, Jersey and PA. But damn, that's about half the side from NYC.


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## Forster

Given some unpredictable results so far, I'm not sure that England topping the group is necessarily an advantage. Senegal will not be easy: The Netherlands are better known to us.

Congrats to the US for making it through.


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## mikeh375

Forster said:


> Given some unpredictable results so far, I'm not sure that England topping the group is necessarily an advantage. Senegal will not be easy: The Netherlands are better known to us.
> 
> Congrats to the US for making it through.


We did ok last night. Rashford was frustrating me in the 1st half because his touch wasn't quite there and he gave away the ball more than usual, he sure made up for it though. I agree, Senegal are no push over and it's time to put on firmer knicker wear...


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## Forster

Yes, Rashford was excellent. My first half observation was that he hadn't received the memo about passing only sideways or back. That trying to go forward is just so risky!

Stones...Maguire...Stones...Maguire...Rice....Maguire...Stones...


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## mikeh375

.... you forgot Pickford


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## starcat

It was a great achievement for Wales to get to the finals after so many near misses over many years of trying but ultimately a disappointing performance from them at the tournament. Our best players - Bale, Ramsey and Allen were not fully fit and to be honest are past their best, and there's not enough quality in the rest of the squad to compete at the highest level. Even the other decent players we do have didn't show enough of what they are capable of.

Well done to England though, they outplayed us last night and deserved to finish top of the group. I can't see them beating the likes of France or Brazil but they have a good chance of going far in the tournament.


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## Art Rock

Well, that was an entertaining day


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## mikeh375

Japan..wow. England wont be going out to penalties by Germany this time round. Let's hope if we get past Senegal we can avoid Japan.


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## starcat

Japan finished top of a group including Spain and Germany, and Morocco finished top of a group including Belgium and Croatia. Who would have predicted that? Incredible.


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## Nate Miller

yea, I watched Japan v Spain. The first half Spain was completely dominating. They weren't really scoring, just the one goal, but they were putting on a clinic in possessing the ball. I really thought Spain had everything under control. So did they, apparently. Then a couple half time subs for Japan, and its a completely different match.


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## Highwayman

Nate Miller said:


> Then a couple half time subs for Japan, and its a completely different match.


Same story as the game against Germany. Moriyasu definitely knows what he is doing. He gets the maximum out of his humble squad. Now just imagine what he would do if he had Safegate`s roster.


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## verandai

I'm pretty disappointed with the elimination of Germany and also with the performance as a team.

At least as I'm also partly English and Japanese, I've still got 2 teams I can support!

That's one advantage of having several backgrounds


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## Nate Miller

over here in the States, the media is putting the best face on it they can, but what nobody wants to admit is "We were playing a top 10 team ,what did we really think was going to happen?"


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## Nate Miller

verandai said:


> At least as I'm also partly English and Japanese, I've still got 2 teams I can support!


Now that the US is out, I've just been supporting whatever team has the ball.


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## HenryPenfold

I'm sad that the Watfords have been eliminated. Would have been nice to see them progress to the later stages.


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## mikeh375

HenryPenfold said:


> I'm sad that the Watfords have been eliminated. Would have been nice to see them progress to the later stages.


Watfords? Cockney rhyming slang Henry? EDIT...oh yes just got it...Watford Gap=Jap. Yeah I was gutted for them, they are brilliant.
A little controversial but just for the English amongst us....


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## Nate Miller

wow, Morocco just knocked out Spain in penalty kicks

the Moroccan goalie stopped all 3 penalties he saw.


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## Chilham

I'm in southern Spain. The roads are jammed with Moroccans blaring their car horns. Not exactly sensitive.


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## Roger Knox

Congrats to England for the victory over Senegal! And for having a coach named Gareth, which sounds positively Arthurian! Anyway, better than the Canadian coach's name -- Herdman.🐏 He was last heard directing a crude obscenity at Croatia, motivating the Croats to clean our crock while the hollering Croatian fans made short work of the Canadian goaltender, a nationalist Serb. Anyway this Herdman already has decided that he did nothing wrong  and deserves to be Canada's coach again in 2026. But I don't think he's ever going to sip from the Holy Grail of soccer 🍷, or even make it to the Round Table. We would do better to land an English coach with an Arthurian name like Gawain, Lancelot or Percival!


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## verandai

So only England left for me now - and I'm afraid the chances vs France are rather slim. But we've seen quite some surprises at this World Cup, so maybe there's another one on Saturday!

I prefer the lineup with Henderson & Foden compared to Mount & Sterling. I hope the first version will be played!


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## mikeh375

verandai said:


> So only England left for me now - and I'm afraid the chances vs France are rather slim. But we've seen quite some surprises at this World Cup, so maybe there's another one on Saturday!
> 
> I prefer the lineup with Henderson & Foden compared to Mount & Sterling. I hope the first version will be played!


I suppose there's a chance we can win if we up our game a little. That said, I'm not holding out too much hope for England unless Mbappe's ankle injury worsens and Griezmann and Giroud get abducted by aliens. I'd hate it to go to penalties. I thought Portugal where outstanding last night and as such will be supporting Morocco at the weekend as they are in our side of the grouping - not that we'd breeze past them neither if their game against Spain says anything about them.


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## Forster

mikeh375 said:


> I suppose there's a chance we can win if we up our game a little. That said, I'm not holding out too much hope for England unless Mbappe's ankle injury worsens and Griezmann and Giroud get abducted by aliens. I'd hate it to go to penalties. I thought Portugal where outstanding last night and as such will be supporting Morocco at the weekend as they are in our side of the grouping - not that we'd breeze past them neither if their game against Spain says anything about them.


I thought Portugal were, in fact, better than Brazil the previous night, whose show-off footie was less impressive, given that Japan brought the wrong game.


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## Highwayman

It`s a shame that the Dutchmen couldn`t pull it off but surely they gave the little fella a big scare. He did many things wrong throughout the tournament but I think underestimating Weghorst was van Gaal`s biggest sin. He is a lethal weapon if you know how to use him.


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## leonsm

R.I.P. Pelé, the greatest football legend.


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## Musicaterina

R.I.P. Gianluca Vialli. He was an example for me although I never played football/soccer but I played field (and indoor) hockey. But I played on the position which corresponded to his position (central striker). I wanted to be able to shoot with the hockey stick like he shot with his feet... By the way, I played up to the regional league until the age of 36, and I could after all make a drag flick with the backhand - which is really difficult.


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## Musicaterina

I think we can learn from Gianluca Vialli because he was really a fighter, he fighted against the cancer just like he fighted against his adversaries on the field. Otherwise he would not have lived with pancreas cancer for five years.


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## perempe

*Real Madrid field XI with no Spanish players for first time in club's 121-year history*


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