Soccer thread 07/08

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 5:14 pm

fsquid wrote:John Harkes.....a Wednesday LEGEND

First American to play in an FA Cup final - in that crazy year you lot played Arsenal in the FA Cup and League Cup finals, that was a lot of fun (as a neutral).

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 9:04 pm

Macca00 wrote:
fsquid wrote:John Harkes.....a Wednesday LEGEND
First American to play in an FA Cup final - in that crazy year you lot played Arsenal in the FA Cup and League Cup finals, that was a lot of fun (as a neutral).

Ah, Andy Linighan heading home in the 119th minute of the FA Cup Final replay. Linighan is from Hartlepool, squiddy, so I guess Cardiff was nothing more than payback.

What did you make of Liverpool tonight, Macca?

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 9:47 pm

That year was the Sheffield & London semi-finals, right? Arse vs Tottenham in one and Wednesday vs. United in the other, or am I mistaking it? Remember Waddle scoring a screamer from a FK in the semi.

Hey Simo,

Ah, the season to forget continues - tonight's game summed up the season thus far - we were totally on top, thoroughly outplaying them but just not doing enough to kill them off and then they get two goals - one from a lack of concentration, one quasi-unlucky (but still crap defending). Just before the end of the match we get a goal from Crouch but it's another 2 points dropped.

The way Stevie G is acting when a pass doesn't go his way makes me want to reach into the TV and smack him - if someone acted like that on my indoor team they'd get an earful.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:15 am

1992 was the all Sheffield semi that they got moved to Wembley. 75k came out that day.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 3:30 am

Macca00 wrote: Hey Simo,

Ah, the season to forget continues - tonight's game summed up the season thus far - we were totally on top, thoroughly outplaying them but just not doing enough to kill them off and then they get two goals - one from a lack of concentration, one quasi-unlucky (but still crap defending). Just before the end of the match we get a goal from Crouch but it's another 2 points dropped.

The way Stevie G is acting when a pass doesn't go his way makes me want to reach into the TV and smack him - if someone acted like that on my indoor team they'd get an earful.

Kewell's continued impotence is also a key story. He's a shell out there, and it's been too long to blame lack of match fitness any more. It's a damn shame, but I think the cumulative effect of the injuries has caught up with him. And my GOD what a shocker by Kuyt! Even for him, that miss was epic.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 4:55 am

What does it say about a team when they have huge draws. Isn't that something you say about relegation teams.

Anyway, great away play by Villa.

Ok so outside of the drama between the owners and Rafa. They need another damn strike. They have two, Crouch and Torres. Rafa needs to spend about 15 million on someone who can score. Kuyt and Voronin are not getting it done.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 7:08 am

JRod wrote: Rafa needs to spend about 15 million on someone who can score. Kuyt and Voronin are not getting it done.

Couple of questions - who would you be getting in for £15m ? Might get you a Darren Bent perhaps, but as City are finding, there isn't a lot in the open market at the moment.

Also, as a director, am I thinking - 'let's give Rafa loads more money', or 'he's the balloon who bought these two in the first place, and their price and wages is more than £15m...' ?

Oh, and Gerrard....if you can't concentrate on your football when you are getting the best part of £100,000 a week, then you want to try actually working for a living, you dipstick.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 3:04 pm

Screw Liverpool, up the Owls. The Cup run continues tonight!

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:39 am

Nevermind about the cup run.

Just looked and it seems they pushed back the CONCACAF Confederations Cup this year so that MLS teams are closer to their seasons.

http://www.concacaf.com/competitions/ma ... &year=2008

fanatic · Post by **fanatic** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 11:02 am

Nice to see Spurs get a win against Arsenal after a 22 game (?), 9 year drought.

Would have been nice to see the Gunners play their top squad for the semi-finals though. Cesc came on for an injured player early on, and Adebayor/Eduardo were subbed in later on, but still, a trophy is a trophy and you should put what's at least close to your top club on the pitch.

Spurs are sure fun to watch when they are clicking.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 1:05 am

Even Sir Alex seems to agree that Rafa missed the transfer window due to the uncertainty and clueless action of the owners.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 9:09 am

Oh, so now the Redfaced Drunk has Liverpool's best interests at heart ?

Based on Rafa's previous signings (and his usage of the few who are actually worth it) I wouldn't have been racing to provide him with extra dollars either. I don't know that Rafa had any definite targets lined up in the striking department.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 12:03 pm

davet010 wrote:Oh, so now the Redfaced Drunk has Liverpool's best interests at heart ?

Based on Rafa's previous signings (and his usage of the few who are actually worth it) I wouldn't have been racing to provide him with extra dollars either. I don't know that Rafa had any definite targets lined up in the striking department.

Suspicious, ain't it? Especially when he said this about the reds at one point: 'Knock Liverpool off their f***ing perch'. Seems like J. Mascherano won't be staying long either.

BTW, your City team seems interested in G. Milito from Zaragoza. Believe me, if they can get him, all your away games will turn those ties into wins.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 3:13 pm

I'd prefer Fabiano from Sevilla. but either would be a significant step up from Bianchi (now at Lazio on loan) or Vassell.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 11:49 am

Almost halftime and Liverpool are down 2-1 to the non-league H&W side at Anfield!! Prepare the screenplay! This is beyond shocking.

Hard to blame Rafa for this one. A team like LFC should be able to run out it's bottom 11 and play these plumbers and cabbies off the pitch. Shameful display.

dougb · Post by **dougb** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 12:05 pm

RobVarak wrote:Almost halftime and Liverpool are down 2-1 to the non-league H&W side at Anfield!! Prepare the screenplay! This is beyond shocking.

Hard to blame Rafa for this one. A team like LFC should be able to run out it's bottom 11 and play these plumbers and cabbies off the pitch. Shameful display.

2-2 at halftime.

I disagree Rob, its Rafa's bloody job to prepare his squad for all their fixtures and deal with players who aren't getting it done. This is a team that's really gone off the rails - and certainly the new ownership hasn't helped things.

(edited)
Liverpool haven't really challenged for the premiership in any of the year's he's been in charge and I don't get the sense that they are moving in that direction.

Best wishes,

Doug

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 12:24 pm

dougb wrote:[
(edited)
Liverpool haven't really challenged for the premiership in any of the year's he's been in charge and I don't get the sense that they are moving in that direction.

Best wishes,

Doug

That's a totally valid criticism of Rafa's tenure. But this is a team in the knockout stages of the CL. You should be able to run them out without resorting to junior varsity motivational tactics or dramatics an watch them destroy a team that's not even fully professional.

IMO any head coach who has to waste time getting professional players "ready to play" needs to get new players, not be replaced.

---

Edit

5-2 LFC wins. Blushes spared. Thrilling stuff at the end as the H&W players traded shirts and applauded their travelling support, while the rest of Anfield gave the scrappy semi-pros a rousing ovation for the effort. Damn shame that this game wasn't on FSC or Setanta...or the BBC for that matter.

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 1:20 pm

The game was on the internet though

I thought it was fun, half of the Liverpool players looked like they were having a laugh - I've never seen Macherano so far up the field, he spent the entire first half trying to score, then went on (or tried to go on) Gerrard-esque runs up field, very little intensity because the result was never really in doubt (even at 2-2).

Even at the end several Liverpool players were failing to track back - there was one moment where poor Sami had to run 60 yards to cover back and win the ball - I thought he was going to have a heart-attack! lol

Skertel had a 'mare but he also looked out of shape since the Russian season has been off for a while now and I'm not going to jump to a snap judgment in 1 game.

Fun match. Crouch's goal was offside.

Don't know how you can blame Rafa for the result -H&W's players were pumped up to play a dream-once-in-a-lifetime match and Liverpool's players were just out to get a win - I didn't see one full blooded challenge by a Liverpool player and that includes that nut Mascherano.

Well done H&W, too bad they couldn't get a third.

EDIT: The shots were 31-6, lol.

Poor Newcastle....

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 1:50 pm

Macca00 wrote:The game was on the internet though

Indeed, and I'm glad that it was. I've got an old laptop that I use just for handling the spyware and malware that's attached to all those P2P TV applications. OTOH, if I ever need to watch Asian horse racing I'm covered.

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 2:06 pm

Asian horse racing ROCKS!!!

Good news - Voronin out for 6 weeks with an ankle injury. Thank God.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 5:12 pm

Macca00 wrote:Asian horse racing ROCKS!!!

Good news - Voronin out for 6 weeks with an ankle injury. Thank God.

Since were talking horse racing, injury to Kuyt would mean the quinella.

I'm going to be the guy that says it. Even if Liverpool were taking the piss to H and W, they scored two. On paper 5-2 looks like a total demolishing of a squad but they are a non-league team that put scored 2 (one own goal) on the mighty Reds.

Liverpool is just a sad club side now. You are Newscastle.

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 5:36 pm

JRod wrote:I'm going to be the guy that says it. Even if Liverpool were taking the piss to H and W, they scored two. On paper 5-2 looks like a total demolishing of a squad but they are a non-league team that put scored 2 (one own goal) on the mighty Reds.

Liverpool is just a sad club side now. You are Newscastle.

I'll say this - each of Chelsea, Man U and Arsenal have only scored ONE goal at Anfield on their visits - therefore H&W have a better offense than the top 3 of the EPL.

Thank you.

PS We can't be like Newcastle, we last won something in 2006, Newcastle last won a trophy in.....in.......1969.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 6:21 pm

JRod wrote:Liverpool is just a sad club side now. You are Newscastle.

Liverpool hasn't dropped to anywhere near those depths, John.

Take care,
PK

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:45 pm

Macca in those games Liverpool scored 2 goals. Opposition 3. Draws against Chelsea and Arsenal and a loss to Man U.

Picking on Macca = more fun than FIFA online team mode.

This week's game for Liverpool at West Ham will be crucial. With a game in hand (two to Aston Villa), they have to keep pace here. 3 points will be crucial but I don't think a draw will do that much damage. If you look at the teams right around that 4th spot, I think the strongest might be AV. Everton seems to leak points and lose games that they shouldn't be losing. I think Man City will finish qualifying for Europe but not the CL. Basically any team that gets hot and goes on a run will be the team that gets the 4th spot.

In the relegation battle, there are 6 teams in the drop zone. Middlesbrough at 13th isn't anywhere close to safe.

I thought Newcastle was going to play tomorrow, anyway... Arsenal played with an almost full side of "A" players so the result was expected.

Derby is just awful. They might even be relegation battlers next year in the Championship.

In pointless news, no goals so far in King Kev's return. People say that should have given Allerdyce more time. But look how bad that squad is, no defense, no offense. There's just zero talent in that squad. And Big Sam brought in older players, so it's not like there's a group of youth talent sitting on the bench. Keegen is going to have to rebuild every position except goalkeeper and a striker position. That's 9 positions that need to be filled.

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 11:19 pm

JRod wrote:Everton seems to leak points and lose games that they shouldn't be losing.

I love you dearly, mate, but...they do? Their only league defeats in the last three months have been at Man Utd and Arsenal, and while they weren't disgraced on either occasion, they didn't do enough in either match to merit taking points away from them.

Prior to that run, they did lose to Reading, Villa, Newcastle and Liverpool, but even then the Reading and Newcastle results are the only two that cause any serious eyebrow raising.