The Beautiful Game Thread, 11/12

[fsquid]

A lot at stake tonight between El Clasico of La Liga. Barca wins and the tourney will go to the wire. Real wins and it's pretty much game over. Ronaldo vs Messi. It doesn't get any better.

It would be better if they didn't spend half the game on the ground. Would make it watchable.

[toonarmy]

What a great win for Newcastle today! Cabaye with a couple goals, Cisse continues to amaze, and Tiote was within inches of a couple goals. It's a weird feeling to be in the top four this late in the season. I am enjoying eating crow concerning Alan Pardew. I did not think he would be able to take Newcastle this far up the ladder. Obviously some of the key players brought in have played a large role, but Pardew has done one hell of a job on the tactics end of things.

[toonarmy]

Absolutely huge week for both Real and Barca. Champions League combined with El Clasico = doesn't get much bigger than that. Hopefully Barca can pull both matches out.

[fsquid]

Newcastle in the Champions League would be cool.

[pk500]

I know this has been one of Sir Alex's better coaching jobs this season. But Alan Pardew should be a shoo-in for Premier League Manager of the Year if such an award was presented.

Sure, I'm biased. But Pardew has done a remarkable job. Anyone who last August saw this team contending for a Champions League spot in April was mental. I sure as hell didn't!

[toonarmy]

I know this has been one of Sir Alex's better coaching jobs this season. But Alan Pardew should be a shoo-in for Premier League Manager of the Year if such an award was presented.

Sure, I'm biased. But Pardew has done a remarkable job. Anyone who last August saw this team contending for a Champions League spot in April was mental. I sure as hell didn't!

Spot-on. I don't think anyone thought this team would be even a top-ten team once Carroll left. I hate to give Fat Mike credit, but he's allowed the football people to make the right decisions and has apparently pulled the right strings. Whether it's luck or not, I have to give the guy some slack now. Perhaps with this successful season Fat Mike will open up his wallet a bit more and put even more quality on the field next season. Newcastle fans certainly deserve it.

[fsquid]

I know this has been one of Sir Alex's better coaching jobs this season. But Alan Pardew should be a shoo-in for Premier League Manager of the Year if such an award was presented.

Sure, I'm biased. But Pardew has done a remarkable job. Anyone who last August saw this team contending for a Champions League spot in April was mental. I sure as hell didn't!

There is a manager of the year award.

[fsquid]

By the way Newcastle peeps, is Nile Ranger in Newcastle's future plans? He's fun to watch at Wednesday and it would be nice to see the Owls sign him long term. I do know about all the legal issues he's had.

[10spro]

The way Piqué was just accidentally bumped by the goalie in the head, he wouldn't have returned in the NHL. Who says, soccer players are wimps?

[toonarmy]

Possession was already 75-25% in Barca's favor before Terry got tossed for a jumping knee into Alexis' back for no reason. This match just got real interesting.

[toonarmy]

Possession was already 75-25% in Barca's favor before Terry got tossed for a jumping knee into Alexis' back for no reason. This match just got real interesting.

As soon as I posted Iniesta scored. 2-0. Wow!

[10spro]

Possession was already 75-25% in Barca's favor before Terry got tossed for a jumping knee into Alexis' back for no reason. This match just got real interesting.

As soon as I posted Iniesta scored. 2-0. Wow!

Until Ramires scores a beauty. Discipline is the key for Chelsea. Selfish move by JT, to put his team shorthanded.

[Macca00]

Can't stand them as a club but as a team Chelsea are showing great heart. Great finish by Ramires.

Since I support a team full of idiots I feel I am well qualified to say that that was an absolutely idiotic play by England's Brave John Terry (TM) to get himself sent off. What a donkey.

[toonarmy]

Possession was already 75-25% in Barca's favor before Terry got tossed for a jumping knee into Alexis' back for no reason. This match just got real interesting.

As soon as I posted Iniesta scored. 2-0. Wow!

Until Ramires scores a beauty. Discipline is the key for Chelsea. Selfish move by JT, to put his team shorthanded.

Holy crap was that a gorgeous goal! Chelsea burnt the Barca defense so bad. Great first half.

[fsquid]

Messi misses a penalty, wow.

[Naples39]

Messi misses a penalty, wow.

I gave Chelsea about 5 minutes before they conceded in the 2nd half, but after that Messi miss, Barca is getting pretty frustrated out there.

[Macca00]

Well done Chelsea, that was all heart. Nice goal by Torres.

EDIT: Any chance DiMatteo gets the manager job full time?

[miget33]

So who had Messi missing a key penalty and Torres scoring a goal?

[fsquid]

Wayne Merdle (the darts player) had Torres 28/1 that he'd score in the 2nd half. bastard won 560 pounds

[rhymes450]

Fair dues to Chelsea. Great performances by Drogba and Cech and fabulous finish by Ramirez. Great finish by Torres too, come to think of it. Even the best player on the planet needs a bit of luck sometimes but today Messi came up empty-handed on that front. Looking forward to the Madrid v Bayern encounter.

[RobVarak]

I so love that Terry has to sit in the stands for the final. Karma may be delayed, but it's nice to know that it's out there.

[Feanor]

Terry is such a piece of s***. I don't mind the rest of the Chelsea squad, so it would be great to see them win the CL with that pikey bastard in the stands. Not long till his trial starts, either.

[wco81]

Is Ballack still on the team? Remember he was going crazy a couple of years ago when they lost to Barca.

[fsquid]

Ballack plays for Leverkusen now.

[toonarmy]

Gutsy performance by Chelsea. How they held on to win with a man down for that long is beyond me. Messi basically choked. He's still the best player in the world IMO, but he failed to come up big when the team needed him. Terry going out might have been a blessing in disguise because it forced Chelsea to pack it in and just play defense. It totally took away Barca's gameplan and style of play. With Barca being shorter than Chelsea, once their style of cutting and quick passing was stifled due to Chelsea's defense they had a hard time getting anything over the defense on corners, etc. Chelsea sure is going to have to pull together an amazing effort to win the next match with so many players out. In any case, superb effort from Chelsea. Real/Bayern should be a doozy tomorrow.