Football

[KashmireHawker]

Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 Liverpool - The Emirates Football Association Challenge Cup, 3rd Round Proper:

Am excellent bout of revenge for the top-flight defeat 17 days ago, was dished out against the League leaders at Molineux tonight!

A very cool Raul Jimenez strike just before the break put Wanderers in front, but a out of nothing but still decent hit by Divock Origi levelled it up shortly after Half Time, but a 25 yard pearlier by Ruben Neves slammed in 4 minutes later knocks out Jurgen Klopp’s men in the Cup, for the 2nd time in less than 2 years!

Shrewsbury Town or Stoke City Away is what lies ahead in Round 4.

 

[The_Train]

I think that it's clear that the FA Cup is no longer treated as the special competition that it deserves. It's heading the same way as the League Cup with Premier League clubs (even those sat in mid-table and little to play for - except for a few million for finishing 9th instead of 10th) playing 'weakened' sides as they prefer to concentrate on their league position.

 

[AlterEgo]

The FA Cup was irreparably damaged when Manchester United refused to enter it about 20 years ago.

I'm glad Liverpool are out of it. Was hoping for us to get beaten.

 

[fowler9]

Sounds awful but I am kind of glad we are out of the FA Cup to. Sounds like we are now without Lovren, Matip and Gomez at centre half. What I really want is the league as unlikely as it may be. Luckily I am old enough to remember us winning it but I would like to see it again.

 

[DarloRich]

The FA Cup was irreparably damaged when Manchester United refused to enter it about 20 years ago.

I'm glad Liverpool are out of it. Was hoping for us to get beaten.

I was quite pleased when manure decided not to bother. We got a second chance after getting beaten by gillingham. We drew villa away! ( hills got walsall!)

You cant seriously want to get beaten? What happens when the liverpool title and champions league campaign fizzles out?

Liverpool haven't won anything since 2012 and the lost of failures since the last fa cup win makes spurs look like solid winners!

 

[DarloRich]

While there are no guarantees in football I think Manchester City can book a hotel for Wembley:

Manchester City 9 (NINE) Burton Albion 0!

 

[Kite159]

Manchester City 9, Burton 0. Sounds more like a score from the Highland League when Fort William (?) are playing

 

[Cowley]

Manchester City 9, Burton 0. Sounds more like a score from the Highland League when Fort William (?) are playing

I wonder what score City could get if they actually played Fort William?

 

[VauxhallandI]

While there are no guarantees in football I think Manchester City can book a hotel for Wembley:

Manchester City 9 (NINE) Burton Albion 0!

City respecting the League Cup.

The other season they put a poor side out versus Chelsea (FA Cup iirc) and I was not impressed.

Remember the fans who actually travel to these games at great expense.

 

[Spamcan81]

Stockport County vs Bradford in National League North attracted a much bigger crowd than the two FA Cup third round ties at Fleetwood and Accrington. Just a pity about the result but Stockport deserved it.

Presume you must be a Park Avenue fan. Park Avenue was the very first Football League ground I visited. August 1963 but sadly they lost to Chesterfield 1-0 IIRC. I was 10 at the time and a world away from watching my local village team play on our recreation ground.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

I was there too but don't remember too much about the game. We had just been relegated to D4, quite unluckily with 40 points, and expected to bounce straight back into D3. However we lost our first five games back in D4, the most memorable being a 5-2 home defeat to Newport County after we had led 2-0. The referee was Mr Maurice "Knees-up" Fussey and me and a friend discussed the game with him outside Feethams the following April (see an earlier post). Mr F reminded us that Laurie Sheffield had scored a hat trick that night for County.

 

[Iskra]

Leeds 2 Derby 0

Great performance from Leeds to get back to winning ways, Derby didn't really turn up. More incredibly inept officiating again. Otherwise a great night, always love a night match at ER.

 

[Cowley]

Leeds 2 Derby

Great performance from Leeds to get back to winning ways, Derby didn't really turn up. More incredibly inept officiating again. Otherwise a great night, always love a night match at ER.

Looks like the "Secret Agent" shenanigans might have paid off then..?

 

[Iskra]

Looks like the "Secret Agent" shenanigans might have paid off then..?

I'm not really sure what information could have been gained that wasn't already in the public domain.

It's a bit bizarre, but apparently commonplace in South America. Bielsa has apologised, admitted his ignorance and taken responsibility, so fair play there.

Lampard can get off his high horse. The Chelsea team he was part of was hardly squeaky clean. What he should have done tonight was use it as motivation for his team, who were incredibly dirty and reckless throughout the match, so I'm not sure he's one to talk about ethics and cheating. Bielsa has made him look a fool tactically in both matches we've played this season, perhaps Frank can learn something from him.

 

[Cowley]

I'm not really sure what information could have been gained that wasn't already in the public domain.

It's a bit bizarre, but apparently commonplace in South America. Bielsa has apologised, admitted his ignorance and taken responsibility, so fair play there.

Lampard can get off his high horse. The Chelsea team he was part of was hardly squeaky clean. What he should have done tonight was use it as motivation for his team, who were incredibly dirty and reckless throughout the match, so I'm not sure he's one to talk about ethics and cheating. Bielsa has made him look a fool tactically in both matches we've played this season, perhaps Frank can learn something from him.

It was such a strange story wasn't it?
I mean this sort of thing has been going on for years anyway, and would we have been any more surprised if it had been the other way around? Probably not.
It made me chuckle though I must admit. I had an image in my mind of Peter Sellers in disguise as a telephone repairman when I first heard it on the news...
This is looking like Leeds year though, and you'll deserve it after this last nightmare fifteen years.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

City respecting the League Cup.

The other season they put a poor side out versus Chelsea (FA Cup iirc) and I was not impressed.

Remember the fans who actually travel to these games at great expense.

City perhaps had little choice but to field a strong side against Burton Albion as their U21s were involved in a Checkatrade trophy match against Rochdale the previous evening. Two matches in two days would have been too much for the juniors.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Well at least we've ended our run of defeats, just!
I'm resigned to relegation now, but if DW can somehow "beat the statistics" like he alluded to last week then he'll deserve a knighthood (or rather a KBE, as he's not a subject of Lizzy II).

 

[The_Train]

Well at least we've ended our run of defeats, just!
I'm resigned to relegation now, but if DW can somehow "beat the statistics" like he alluded to last week then he'll deserve a knighthood (or rather a KBE, as he's not a subject of Lizzy II).

The last few weeks have thrown up similar reports relating to Huddersfield, in that you seem to be playing well enough but lack a cutting edge in the final third. Is it a case that you are creating chances and don't have a clinical finisher or is it that you enjoy decent amounts of possession without ever really penetrating opposition defences?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The last few weeks have thrown up similar reports relating to Huddersfield, in that you seem to be playing well enough but lack a cutting edge in the final third. Is it a case that you are creating chances and don't have a clinical finisher or is it that you enjoy decent amounts of possession without ever really penetrating opposition defences?

Early in the season we were generally playing well and not "getting the rub of the green", but as the weeks have gone on I've seen confidence drain from the players with a resulting slump in performance levels. Throughout December and for the next few games, Aaron Mooy has been and will be a big miss.

As for the lack of goals, it's been varying between a lack of chances being created, and the few chances we do create not being reliably converted. The signings made in the summer haven't really been a success so far, and I'm not sure we'll be able to strengthen much within our wage structure.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Evo Stik Premier League

Bamber Bridge 5 ... Hyde United 2

Hyde's up-and-down form continues. After an 8-3 away win last week against a side two places above them in the league, they followed it up by losing an away game against a side two places below them in the league.

 

[youngiecj]

Kidderminster 1 Boston 2. Finally a win after a horrendous xmas period. Remarkably 5 points off the playoff still! (I realise we are no way good enough to make it!)

 

[The_Train]

Early in the season we were generally playing well and not "getting the rub of the green", but as the weeks have gone on I've seen confidence drain from the players with a resulting slump in performance levels. Throughout December and for the next few games, Aaron Mooy has been and will be a big miss.

As for the lack of goals, it's been varying between a lack of chances being created, and the few chances we do create not being reliably converted. The signings made in the summer haven't really been a success so far, and I'm not sure we'll be able to strengthen much within our wage structure.

The problem at the bottom of the table is that every missed opportunity is felt whereas the likes of Liverpool and Man City know another chance is likely to be just around the corner.

I guess your owners have that choice now between throwing loads of money at trying to survive (with no guarantees of this happening) or sticking to your current budgets and accepting that relegation is likely. There really is no middle ground now but whatever the outcome I'm sure you and all other Terriers have enjoyed the ride

 

[Iskra]

The problem at the bottom of the table is that every missed opportunity is felt whereas the likes of Liverpool and Man City know another chance is likely to be just around the corner.

I guess your owners have that choice now between throwing loads of money at trying to survive (with no guarantees of this happening) or sticking to your current budgets and accepting that relegation is likely. There really is no middle ground now but whatever the outcome I'm sure you and all other Terriers have enjoyed the ride

Relegation for Huddersfield will still leave them in a significantly stronger position than they were a few seasons ago, on a financially strong footing and in a position to challenge again quickly. It's not long since they were in league 1. It's far from the end of the world.

 

[The_Train]

Relegation for Huddersfield will still leave them in a significantly stronger position than they were a few seasons ago, on a financially strong footing and in a position to challenge again quickly. It's not long since they were in league 1. It's far from the end of the world.

I totally agree and I'm sure any Huddersfield fan will remember how far they've come should the worst happen come May. Relegation from the Premier League is well supported financially (bizarrely if you ask me) but that doesn't automatically mean you will be a force in the Championship considering how competitive it is in that division these days. Many clubs have continued to slide after relegation and it is important that Huddersfield stabilise themselves, both on and off the pitch

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The problem at the bottom of the table is that every missed opportunity is felt whereas the likes of Liverpool and Man City know another chance is likely to be just around the corner.

I guess your owners have that choice now between throwing loads of money at trying to survive (with no guarantees of this happening) or sticking to your current budgets and accepting that relegation is likely. There really is no middle ground now but whatever the outcome I'm sure you and all other Terriers have enjoyed the ride

It's not much fun right now, but the memories of the last two seasons will stay with me forever. Moments like beating the scum at home last season, and those penalty shootouts in the playoffs.

Relegation for Huddersfield will still leave them in a significantly stronger position than they were a few seasons ago, on a financially strong footing and in a position to challenge again quickly. It's not long since they were in league 1. It's far from the end of the world.

True. It's been a hell of a ride but barring a miracle it'll be coming to an end, or at least a pause. Whatever happens, David Wagner will never have to pay for a pint in Huddersfield ever again.

It looks like your lot have managed to avoid the usual slump so it looks like it might be your year.

 

[Iskra]

It's not much fun right now, but the memories of the last two seasons will stay with me forever. Moments like beating the scum at home last season, and those penalty shootouts in the playoffs.



True. It's been a hell of a ride but barring a miracle it'll be coming to an end, or at least a pause. Whatever happens, David Wagner will never have to pay for a pint in Huddersfield ever again.

It looks like your lot have managed to avoid the usual slump so it looks like it might be your year.

And nor should he have to!

It's too early to get excited. Fridays win was massive but I'm still not sure whether we were great or if 'Frank Lampard's Derby' were terrible. We have still only won one in four.

I went to Bramall Lane yesterday (free ticket) to spy on the opposition and although Sheff Utd were the better team and deserved a win, they hardly set the world alight in what was a pretty dull game with a poor atmosphere.

 

[DarloRich]

Alfreton Town 0 v Darlo 0 - a good away point against a team around us in the league. First clean sheet since about 1998!

However yesterday i went to Roots Hall for Southend United 2 v Plymouth Argyle 3 ( went with my step father who needed the ground). It sounds a close game but Plymouth were crusing at 3-0 up with 85 minutes gone before they gave away a soft penalty and a 17 year old debutante scored from inside his own half. Southend showed effort for 5 minutes and were really poor. They had no fight, no spirit and no zip. The ground at Roots Hall is fantastic. Some poor pictures here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/darlo2009/albums/72157702403845102

I went years ago to see Darlo lose 1-0 and so had only seen the away end.

 

[Iskra]

I agree @DarloRich , Roots Hall is one of my favourite grounds. I've been 3 times with Leeds. I love the curved roof on the away end which creates a great atmosphere in there.

 

[DarloRich]

I agree @DarloRich , Roots Hall is one of my favourite grounds. I've been 3 times with Leeds. I love the curved roof on the away end which creates a great atmosphere in there.

THe seats in the main stand are the snuggest and tightest i have ever sat in - worse even than the upper tier of the away end at Brentford

 

[The_Train]

THe seats in the main stand are the snuggest and tightest i have ever sat in - worse even than the upper tier of the away end at Brentford

Surely they can't be as snug as the away end at Kenilworth Road?