Manchester Derby tomorrow on FSW at 2 pm EST (live).
This is always a great one to watch. But there are a lot of sub-plots that will make it even more intresting:
-City is fighting to stay out of the relegation zone.
-United is fighting to stay in the title race, and coming off their gut-wrenching elimination from the Champions League by FC Porto.
-Both managers are feeling tremendous heat (actually that is pretty much true all the time, for alll socer managers in international soccer).
-United's first time in City's new stadium.
-United's defense has been decimated by injuries (and Ferdinand's drug ban); there has actually been talk that winger Ryan Giggs may play outside back tomorrow. City's defense has been leaky all year. Possibily see a lot of goals.
-The US factor. Timmy Howard in goal for United. Claudio Reyna in the MF for City.
Looking forward to watching this one tomorrow.
Jim D.
OT: progamming note for soccer fans
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davet010
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Look out for a guy with very short hair and his lucky Bengals shirt on in the crowd.
That'll be me !!
City, naturally, as I am a resident of the fair city of Manchester.
That'll be me !!
City, naturally, as I am a resident of the fair city of Manchester.
"The players come from all over the world, the money from deep underneath the Persian Gulf, but, as another, older City poster campaign put it, this is their city. They may now exist in the global spotlight, but they intend to keep it that way."
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davet010
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So, I hope you did all set your VCR's, Tivo's etc....
Only annoying thing for the blue 3/4 of Manchester is that we've played much better than that this season and got beat - our last home game against Chelsea being a case in point.
Still, I'm enjoying the downfall of the Evil Empire (UK edition).
Only annoying thing for the blue 3/4 of Manchester is that we've played much better than that this season and got beat - our last home game against Chelsea being a case in point.
Still, I'm enjoying the downfall of the Evil Empire (UK edition).
"The players come from all over the world, the money from deep underneath the Persian Gulf, but, as another, older City poster campaign put it, this is their city. They may now exist in the global spotlight, but they intend to keep it that way."
I saw the highlights for this, before CNN International broke to cover the Spanish election results.
Arsenal is undefeated? What happened to the glamour team?
They also said there was a rumor that Beckham wanted to get back to England and that Chelsea might be the free-spending team to bring him back.
Arsenal is undefeated? What happened to the glamour team?
They also said there was a rumor that Beckham wanted to get back to England and that Chelsea might be the free-spending team to bring him back.
Great game by Manchester City today although ManU outplayed them for most of the match. 5 goals and the tension was extremely thick what more could you ask for? Christian Ronaldo(??) had numerous chances for ManU but couldn't put them away.
I'm at the point where i'm becoming a huge fan of the EPL. I also read that about Beckham wanting to come back to England next year and Chelsea appears to be the team targeting him. I kind of adopted Chelsea as my team but I didn't realize they were sort of the "Yankees" of the EPL, I always thought that was ManU. I might have to change my affiliation....who knows maybe not. I don't want to be a frontrunner by any means. Maybe i'll adopt Portsmouth instead but for now i'll keep Chelsea though.
Can somebody answer me this since I relatively new to the EPL again. At the end of the season will the EPL have playoffs or will Arsenal just win it outright because of the points?
Tim
I'm at the point where i'm becoming a huge fan of the EPL. I also read that about Beckham wanting to come back to England next year and Chelsea appears to be the team targeting him. I kind of adopted Chelsea as my team but I didn't realize they were sort of the "Yankees" of the EPL, I always thought that was ManU. I might have to change my affiliation....who knows maybe not. I don't want to be a frontrunner by any means. Maybe i'll adopt Portsmouth instead but for now i'll keep Chelsea though.
Can somebody answer me this since I relatively new to the EPL again. At the end of the season will the EPL have playoffs or will Arsenal just win it outright because of the points?
Tim
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pk500
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Tim:
No playoffs. The team with the most points at the end of the season is the champion. Top four teams earn a Champions League spot next year. Bottom three teams relegated to Division One.
Picking Portsmouth would be a labor of love. The team is in the relegation zone right now -- bottom three -- and is a decent bet to get relegated. You wouldn't see them on TV at all next year unless it was an FA Cup match.
You're better off going with a team that is a solid bet to stay in the Premiership year after year but not a Yankees-like, cash-infested club like Man U or Chelsea.
You're better off picking a team like Newcastle United, in fact.
Take care,
PK
No playoffs. The team with the most points at the end of the season is the champion. Top four teams earn a Champions League spot next year. Bottom three teams relegated to Division One.
Picking Portsmouth would be a labor of love. The team is in the relegation zone right now -- bottom three -- and is a decent bet to get relegated. You wouldn't see them on TV at all next year unless it was an FA Cup match.
You're better off going with a team that is a solid bet to stay in the Premiership year after year but not a Yankees-like, cash-infested club like Man U or Chelsea.
You're better off picking a team like Newcastle United, in fact.
Take care,
PK
So the Premier League gets 4 slots in the Champions League every year? How is that decided? Do some leagues/countries get more teams than others? (I'm wondering if it's like the NCAA hoops tourney with some conferences getting more respect than others).
I see some teams from smaller countries which are clearly overmatched, not winning any matches in Champions League play and not scoring many goals in the 6 games (kind of like the 16th seed in the NCAA regionals).
So 6 games of round-robin and a certain number advance to the elimination rounds right, like the WC itself?
I see some teams from smaller countries which are clearly overmatched, not winning any matches in Champions League play and not scoring many goals in the 6 games (kind of like the 16th seed in the NCAA regionals).
So 6 games of round-robin and a certain number advance to the elimination rounds right, like the WC itself?
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pk500
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WCO:
Yeah, different leagues get different number of slots. I think it's some sort of Byzantine matrix by UEFA that determines the strength of that league, the success by that league's side in recent Champions League play, etc.
The four berths awarded to the Premiership are a bit deceiving. The top two in the Premiership advance straight to the group stage the next year. The third- and fourth-place finishers must play through a Champions League qualifier, usually against teams from very weak European domestic leagues, to advance to the group stages. Partizan Belgrade shocked Newcastle in the qualifier last fall, slicing many million quid from the Magpies' potential windfall.
I'm sure DaveT, Jared, Puck, Piggy or SF_Z can give the final word on the format.
Take care,
PK
Yeah, different leagues get different number of slots. I think it's some sort of Byzantine matrix by UEFA that determines the strength of that league, the success by that league's side in recent Champions League play, etc.
The four berths awarded to the Premiership are a bit deceiving. The top two in the Premiership advance straight to the group stage the next year. The third- and fourth-place finishers must play through a Champions League qualifier, usually against teams from very weak European domestic leagues, to advance to the group stages. Partizan Belgrade shocked Newcastle in the qualifier last fall, slicing many million quid from the Magpies' potential windfall.
I'm sure DaveT, Jared, Puck, Piggy or SF_Z can give the final word on the format.
Take care,
PK
Dave,
I looked for you, but didn't see the bengals jersey. I did see a lot of extremely happy City fans. As the announcer said, the supporters were "in full chorus." Awesome.
Thought United looked great in the first half, but then looked like they should have been playing in the Nationwide in the second half. I must say C. Ronaldo proved to me that he is the real deal. He was unbelievable in the first half. And only 18! But my favorite player to watch was Shaun Wright-Phillips. That guy never stops. Up and down the flanks the whole game. And that last goal was sick. You can tell his teammates love him.
Great win for City. Hope that they stay up and Keegan keeps his job.
BTW, what time was the game? My program guide listed it as live, but at 2pm EST it would have been 7pm in England and it seemed like it was daytime. Just curious.
Jim D.
I looked for you, but didn't see the bengals jersey. I did see a lot of extremely happy City fans. As the announcer said, the supporters were "in full chorus." Awesome.
Thought United looked great in the first half, but then looked like they should have been playing in the Nationwide in the second half. I must say C. Ronaldo proved to me that he is the real deal. He was unbelievable in the first half. And only 18! But my favorite player to watch was Shaun Wright-Phillips. That guy never stops. Up and down the flanks the whole game. And that last goal was sick. You can tell his teammates love him.
Great win for City. Hope that they stay up and Keegan keeps his job.
BTW, what time was the game? My program guide listed it as live, but at 2pm EST it would have been 7pm in England and it seemed like it was daytime. Just curious.
Jim D.