Soccer thread 07/08

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Mon May 12, 2008 4:09 pm

No one understands it at all - it's more complicated than Chinese algebra.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Mon May 12, 2008 4:45 pm

Jared wrote:Have they announced the fair play league standings yet? I think there's a lot more that goes into the rankings than just cards...but it would be funny if Fulham went from 1/50 relegation odds to Europe in a month.

They have to factor in officials reports and they should receive those this week. Fulham lead now based on cards, but there is a "treatment of officials" aspect of the rankings too.

Jimmydeicide · Post by **Jimmydeicide** » Mon May 12, 2008 5:51 pm

davet010 wrote:Jan Tomaszewski - aka 'The Clown', as he was dubbed by Brian Clough.

I well remember watching that 1974 WC Qualifier, where a 1-1 draw at home to Poland saw England eliminated...they threw everything at Poland, but a breakaway goal early in the second half did for them.

Having been crap in the qualifiers, Poland then went on to finish third in the World Cup in Germany.

My first glimpse of real disappointment as a 7 year old football fan. Then I started following Man City, and learnt the meaning of lifelong disappointment.

I remember theorising to a fellow Blue that we were actually dead and in purgatory for our previous crimes, but after yesterday I feel that the only crimes that would merit a lifetime in Purgatory following City would have involved me making a starring appearance at Nuremberg.

Thats him , ahh yes all i remember was he was incredible and i played as him on the fields when it was my turn in nets for quite some time.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Tue May 13, 2008 10:28 pm

feck you all. Kahn is the greatest. I'm going to cry on Saturday and it will be alright

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Wed May 14, 2008 6:06 am

So, happy with Rensing for next year, or will BM be looking for a high quality replacement ?

Maybe go into negotiations with Paul Robinson, offering him all the wurst he can eat....on second thoughts, might be cheaper to offer him £60k per week and tell him to buy his own.

Anders Isaakson is also available on a free, and I am being fair in saying that he actually played reasonably on Sunday, conceding 8 notwithstanding.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Wed May 14, 2008 7:44 am

I'm assuming that Rensing is the man. With Klinnsmann coming in, who knows though. One thing to remember is that Bayern won't splurge in the transfer market two years in a row. So, this summer they will probably only sign a few, plus we have Borowski coming in on a free this summer.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Wed May 14, 2008 4:29 pm

Rangers 1-0 down in the UEFA cup final....hope City have got a ground left if it stays like that.

There again, it might prevent the good burghers of Manchester having to put up with another invasion of fans from Glasgow Loyalist Bigotry FC and neo-nazi FC St Petersburg. We had to put up with 100,000 drunken Sweaties down here, guzzling ale and lying about in the main squares....the ground only holds 44,000 and UEFA hold back about 16,000 tickets, so there were never going to be enough for you, you pissed up ginger wasters

FT and a 2-0 defeat, between a decent lower end of the Prem side (Russkis) and what looked like a Championship standard outfit. Further ammo for me in my laughing at the SPL - the perfect response to my Rangers supporting buddy re his argument that there are 'loads of excellent players in the SPL who'd be brilliant in the Premiership' consists of four words 'just like Barry Ferguson ?'.

Still, at least the TV coverage over here had some excellent ZeppelinCam shots of COMS, before the Pictish hordes decide that it needs some improptu demolition.

Wish we'd listented to Hadrian now and kept up the maintenance on his bleeding wall

macsomjrr · Post by **macsomjrr** » Wed May 14, 2008 8:39 pm

Count me as one of those disappointed with Rangers defeat today. Sucks that the SPL is being so staunch with them regarding scheduling, its just ridiculous. Did it play into their defeat today? I guess we can't really say either way but it certainly didn't help them. Congrats to the ruskies though. If only they were playable in FIFA:)

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Wed May 14, 2008 9:57 pm

The scheduling issues can't have helped, but more influential in Zenit's win was that they're a markedly better side than Rangers are.

Speaking of sides in elevated positions in spite of their level of talent, the Premiership will next season be home to either Hull City or Bristol City, the two teams through to the Championship play-off final. Derby's record low points haul might not stand for too long after all.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Thu May 15, 2008 7:42 am

Zenit was a fun team to watch.

I'd fancy a Hull team doing better than Derby simply due to their blue collar nature. Bristol, not so much.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Thu May 15, 2008 10:31 am

fsquid wrote:Zenit was a fun team to watch.

I agree. They played attractive and positive football throughout the tourney and are deserved winners.

Dave, I hope that there are parts of the Greater Manchester area left for you to enjoy.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Thu May 15, 2008 2:36 pm

To be fair. other than a bit of a ruck which broke out when one of the 3 Jumbotrons put up around the town centre fizzled out 5 mins before kick off, it was a relatively quiet night, or as much as you are likely to get when an estimated 140,000 Scots descend on a town which has only had 2 weeks to prepare for them, and the bars open at 10am.

Total rollcall

Stabbings - 1 (6 arrests made in connection)
Other arrests - 30

Est damage - less than £20k.

So fair play to 99.99% of the fans who came - other than the main rail station stinking like a brewery and having a sticky floor as I came through this morning, there were no visible signs of devastation, though I didn't go through any of the 3 main fan zones.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Thu May 15, 2008 3:24 pm

I don't know, why does any fan want to travel to the place where their team is playing.

Watching in a pub in Glasgow had to more fun than watching in a piss laden parking lot in Manchester. I've been to Manchester, can't say I want to travel there to not watch a football game.

Sorry Dave.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Thu May 15, 2008 11:22 pm

fecking Leeds

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Fri May 16, 2008 3:38 am

JRod wrote:I don't know, why does any fan want to travel to the place where their team is playing.

Watching in a pub in Glasgow had to more fun than watching in a piss laden parking lot in Manchester. I've been to Manchester, can't say I want to travel there to not watch a football game.

Sorry Dave.

That's the First City of the Industrial Revolution you are referring to there.

I've travelled all over with City, and it's an expression of wishing to support and encourage your team. As a culture, it's very prevalent in England (City almost always sell out their allocations of away tickets, between 4,000 and 6,000 depending on the stadium being visited), and it's also big in Italy, Germany, France and Holland. According to my Spanish chums, it's less popular there because the cross-country transport infrastructure is not brilliant.

I know people who, in fact, ONLY go to away matches, because the few thousand who go are those who are more deeply committed, rather than the prawn sandwich and corporate hospitality brigade.

Probably not quite the same level of attachment to a franchise which could load itself into a fleet of trucks and reappear in a new city.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Fri May 16, 2008 9:25 am

Congrats to City for getting the fair play place in the UEFA Cup. Sadly, you have to enter it at the beginning in July!

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Fri May 16, 2008 11:41 am

He he - two fingers to Aston Villa and Blackburn.

Unfortunately, we may well have a problem playing our first game at home due to the stadium being used by some no-talent band (that'll be Bon Jovi) and the pitch having to be relaid.

Still, you can't have everything.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Fri May 16, 2008 2:04 pm

davet010 wrote:He he - two fingers to Aston Villa and Blackburn.

Unfortunately, we may well have a problem playing our first game at home due to the stadium being used by some no-talent band (that'll be Bon Jovi) and the pitch having to be relaid.

Still, you can't have everything.

I think you mean, "Who says you can't go home again."

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Fri May 16, 2008 4:00 pm

davet010 wrote:He he - two fingers to Aston Villa and Blackburn.

Unfortunately, we may well have a problem playing our first game at home due to the stadium being used by some no-talent band (that'll be Bon Jovi) and the pitch having to be relaid.

Still, you can't have everything.

You could always play at Old Trafford

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Fri May 16, 2008 4:25 pm

No, i doubt that would be a good idea

Could use the JJB (Wigan) or the Breezeblock (Bolton), but Huddersfield's ground has also been mentioned.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Fri May 16, 2008 4:30 pm

Can't imagine there would be an overflow crowd to see Man City take on the Northern Ireland cup winner.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Fri May 16, 2008 7:57 pm

anyone have a link to a stream for hte FA cup tomorrow?

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Fri May 16, 2008 11:30 pm

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Sat May 17, 2008 6:07 am

One upside of the Pictish Invasion is that the local council have now called off any plans for Man U to have an open top bus parade if they are lucky enough to win the Chumps League.

Quite right too - they don't play in the City of Manchester, and 99.9999% of their fans don't come from Manchester, so why should the good burghers of Manchester have to put up with this sort of display.

Anyway, hope they get thrashed and that the Moscow riot police are on crack.

Post by **Jared** » Sat May 17, 2008 11:39 am

For most of your soccer stream needs:

http://www.myp2p.eu