Football

[balne-wonderer]

Quite a good draw I think! Arsenal vs. Leeds United could be interesting too!

Same draw as last season. After we got a draw down at their place they outplayed us at Elland Road.

Personally I think this time it won't be even be close, they'll put 3 or 4 past so no need for a replay. Still, league form is more important and last weekends 2-0 win over Millwall was an excellent result.

Big big game away at Watford next, I went down to Vicarage Road last season and saw the most boring 90 minutes of football ever and an early scrappy goal from Richard Naylor was all that was needed to give the mighty whites a win. Don't mind going away to Watford actually, decent little stadium.

 

[SS4]

Fulham 1 Liverpool 0.

Another week, another contested decision. But Liverpool never looked like doing much even before the red card.

I wonder how much longer it'll take for Liverpool fans to realise Dalglish is not the "Great Saviour" they desperately want him to be...

There are no great saviours any more though. It's who can shove in the most money. It is disappointing that Man City are doing well since all they've done is spent money poaching the best players. Sure other clubs have done it but not on this scale
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Bristol Rovers away for us and if we play like we did at the weekend I can see us going out.

Anyone know how Hinckley v Worcester Town finished last night (perhaps XCDriver went )? It was 3-2 to Worcester last I checked

 

[Minilad]

There are no great saviours any more though. It's who can shove in the most money. It is disappointing that Man City are doing well since all they've done is spent money poaching the best players. Sure other clubs have done it but not on this scale
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Bristol Rovers away for us and if we play like we did at the weekend I can see us going out.

Anyone know how Hinckley v Worcester Town finished last night (perhaps XCDriver went )? It was 3-2 to Worcester last I checked

Funny you should say that but up until the other half commandeered me for shopping duties after work that is exactly where I was planning on going. I have been to Hinckley before but as I am on lates the rest of the week its the only game I could get to till next Saturday.
Anyhoo it did end 2-3

 

[Donny Dave]

When did football become a non-contact sport? Yet another heavy but fair challenge was punished by a red card ....

If that's the standard of refereeing from now on, lots of clubs from League 1 dowanwards are going to be struggling, as they will have several players suspended for each game ....

 

[SS4]

When did football become a non-contact sport? Yet another heavy but fair challenge was punished by a red card ....

If that's the standard of refereeing from now on, lots of clubs from League 1 dowanwards are going to be struggling, as they will have several players suspended for each game ....

That's because it serves the interest of the biggest clubs for it to be non-contact. Look at how the Dutch were treated in the WC Final against a Spanish team known for diving.
The Champions League is the worst culprit outside the international game though, it's as though they're allergic to tackles

 

[blackettstreet]

The Champions League is the worst culprit outside the international game though, it's as though they're allergic to tackles

I watch Champions League games sometimes...defenders seem to back away from attackers as though they're scared of tackling. I think I've seen one serious challenge ever in the competition, and that was from Javier Hernandez!

And referees are definitely going over the top. It was perfectly illustrated by Rodwell's sending-off in the Merseyside derby.

 

[Badger]

Wolves' last match of the season is against Wigan. Here's hoping it's not another five-way-fight-for-17th-place like last year. One goal eventually decided which three of five teams stayed up*. A bit of a scramble that's for sure; one of the only games I've listened to on the radio in the car all the way through teeth on edge for the result.

But we've got some "easy" teams coming up: Man U, who we typically always "shock" people by beating; Stoke, Norwich, Arsenal, and then below-us Bolton.

I fancy a 1-0 against Man U, and then some easy wins with a loss at Arsenal and perhaps for friendliness a draw at Stoke.


* Blackburn 3 - 2 Wolves. 3-1 and Birmingham would have stayed up, and I think Wolves and Wigan down.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I have been to Hinckley before but as I am on lates the rest of the week its the only game I could get to till next Saturday.
Anyhow it did end 2-3 in favour of Worcester

Nice to see the Blue Square Bet North keep getting mentions. Hyde FC also played last night and beat Eastwood Town 4-1, to go 6 points clear at the top of the league.

 

[SS4]

Wolves' last match of the season is against Wigan. Here's hoping it's not another five-way-fight-for-17th-place like last year. One goal eventually decided which three of five teams stayed up*. A bit of a scramble that's for sure; one of the only games I've listened to on the radio in the car all the way through teeth on edge for the result.

The joy that goal induced into this football fan. I like wolves but the joy came from it sending small heath down

I hope Ward scores for fantasy football reasons! But Wolves need to keep clean sheets

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

17 unbeaten as well - a joint club record. As much as I can't believe I'm saying this, Southend are proving tough to beat at present. Allowing for all competitions they have the longest unbeaten run in the English Leagues at present (City have lost in Europe)

All good things come to an end.....

6th December 2011..... Johnstone's Paint Trophy - Semi Finals

South semi-final......Southend United 1...Swindon Town 2

and to add insult to injury.....

North semi-final......Oldham Athletic 2...Bradford City 0

 

[Ivo]

All good things come to an end.....

6th December 2011..... Johnstone's Paint Trophy - Semi Finals

South semi-final......Southend United 1...Swindon Town 2

and to add insult to injury.....

North semi-final......Oldham Athletic 2...Bradford City 0

I didn't even realise they'd gone that far! Southend have a nasty habit of losing late on in the FLT...

Oh well, no new club record then. Better luck next time.

 

[ACE1888]

Now the Champions League is obviously the place to be these days (Europa League obviously isn't for 'pampered' Premier league players:roll: ), but the cash and finishing at least 4th is far more rewarding it seems than an F.A Cup win, wasn't like that 'when i were a Lad' blah blah blah.....:cry:
Even worse for us at Celtic, we get one place (if we're lucky) and even us and Rangers struggle to 'make it' in general The 'times' have indeed changed...Money is indeed 'King'

 

[Robinson]

Now the Champions League is obviously the place to be these days (Europa League obviously isn't for 'pampered' Premier league players:roll: ), but the cash and finishing at least 4th is far more rewarding it seems than an F.A Cup win, wasn't like that 'when i were a Lad' blah blah blah.....:cry:
Even worse for us at Celtic, we get one place (if we're lucky) and even us and Rangers struggle to 'make it' in general The 'times' have indeed changed...Money is indeed 'King'

Well at least we agree on one thing
Nothing brings the opposite sides of the Old Firm together quite like a discussion on the over-inflated cash cows in the EPL...

 

[SS4]

Well at least we agree on one thing
Nothing brings the opposite sides of the Old Firm together quite like a discussion on the over-inflated cash cows in the EPL...

The same cash cows the Old Firm want to join

 

[Robinson]

Actually if you speak to the fans, most of us don't want to move to the EPL. I'd much rather see improvements made in Scottish football myself.

 

[CarterUSM]

Actually if you speak to the fans, most of us don't want to move to the EPL. I'd much rather see improvements made in Scottish football myself.

Indeed mate, it is really only the boards that slaver over the possible riches, to be honest though, everybody's that skint up here, we might actually start producing decent homegrown players in the near future. The game here is saturated with some less than ordinary foreigners. I didn't like it at the time, but the old 3 foreigners rule for European competitions maybe wasn't a bad thing.

 

[Chew Chew]

we might actually start producing decent homegrown players in the near future.

I think that to a certain extent that is happening.

The Scotland U21s beat the Netherlands away the other week. Aberdeen have brought through Fyvie, Pawlett and Jack in the last couple of seasons. Rangers have brought through Ness, Wilson and Wylde. Celtic have brought through Forrest, Motherwell always have youngsters coming through their ranks and so on.

The problem as I see it is the standard of coaching in many clubs is terrible.

Too much of the "I can't play him cause he is too small" stuff still going on as well.

 

[CarterUSM]

I think that to a certain extent that is happening.


The problem as I see it is the standard of coaching in many clubs is terrible.

Too much of the "I can't play him cause he is too small" stuff still going on as well.

Too right. Hibs have produced a few gems over the years also, not too much from Dundee United for a while though, you could've picked a Scotland team nowadays with some of their finest from the 70's/80's.

 

[SS4]

Come on Basle!

 

[Chew Chew]

Too right. Hibs have produced a few gems over the years also, not too much from Dundee United for a while though, you could've picked a Scotland team nowadays with some of their finest from the 70's/80's.

If Hibs had managed to keep all the players that came through over the last 6/7 years they'd have been challenging Celtic and Rangers far more often for trophies.

Might even have won a Scottish Cup.

They had a cracking youth team a couple seasons back but not many made the breakthrough.

This season Celtic U19s beat their Manchester City counterparts home and away in the NexGen series this season.

There are some positives there.

Come on Basle!

Napoli beating Villarreal now.

 

[SS4]

Napoli beating Villarreal now.

Is that bad news for Man Ure?

 

[Chew Chew]

Is that bad news for Man Ure?

Bad news for English football.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Am I the only one who hates the bias ITV commentators show towards British teams? Even though they are winning, they are still talking down Basle, it's infuriating

 

[valenta]

Man utd are out of the champions league!

 

[MidnightFlyer]

FC Basel 2-1 Manchester United

Get in!!!

That is all.

 

[balne-wonderer]

Am I the only one who hates the bias ITV commentators show towards British teams? Even though they are winning, they are still talking down Basle, it's infuriating

It's not so much bias it's just awful commentating.

I don't have a problem with them getting behind the British teams but when they can't call it down the middle it's a joke.

I don't think Basel won a free kick fairly in the whole 90 minutes according to those commentators. And to add to that, it was never a free kick in the lead up to Man Utd's goal yet they didn't mention that.

Back the British if they want but for god sake, try to call the game as you see it.

 

[Chew Chew]

I don't have a problem with them getting behind the British teams but when they can't call it down the middle it's a joke.

And we've got much more of it to look forward to next summer as well.

 

[Robinson]

GET IN THERE BASEL!!!

 

[SS4]

Bad news for English football.

How? There are 91 league clubs it doesn't affect or only barely affects and ITV will continue show the overpaid prima donna diving for ninety minutes anyway. It is not a bad day for football, it is a bad day for Manchester United and their fans and 'fans'

It's a good old-fashioned upset and English football already has an atrocious superiority complex and the PL needs knocking down a peg or two

Am I the only one who hates the bias ITV commentators show towards British teams? Even though they are winning, they are still talking down Basle, it's infuriating

I just hate ITV commentators, they give incompetence a good name
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It's not so much bias it's just awful commentating.

I don't have a problem with them getting behind the British teams but when they can't call it down the middle it's a joke.

I don't think Basel won a free kick fairly in the whole 90 minutes according to those commentators. And to add to that, it was never a free kick in the lead up to Man Utd's goal yet they didn't mention that.

Back the British if they want but for god sake, try to call the game as you see it.

I expect this kind of crap off ITV and talksport but even the BBC get in on the act albeit not to the same scale

Wasn't there a theory that the media were influencing referees' perception of teams and players? For example the media say Leeds are dirty and they seem to be punished a lot more than other clubs in the same situation.

 

[phil8715]

I'm just fed up with the bias towards Man Utd by the media. It's like Taggart can do no wrong.

I'm glad that FC Basle beat them.