Soccer thread

Atxj · Post by **Atxj** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 5:24 pm

10spro wrote:Nice comeback. Kaka played great, I thought Milan was too focused on Ronaldo.

Which is ironic as well because despite a few spurts as the match was winding down I thought he was sh*t. I think all of the award banquets he attended this week rubbed off on his football. I loved Fletcher throughout, and of course Rooney didn't finish on too bad a note.

Kaka did put on a show, it's a shame he has no one else to play with. He is top class.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 5:59 pm

****Spoilers****

It's not like AC Milan doesn't have anybody to support Kaka. Gilardino, Pirlo aren't too shabby.

Anyway, I still think Man U have their backs to the wall. They lost Evra and now face a tough match in San Siro with Milan having 2 away goals. Man U are going to have to get 2 goals..period. I don't think they can hold Milan to a nil-nil draw. Frankly barring a huge disaster I think AC Milan might do enough to get 2 goals or more and hold Man U to 1 away goal.

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 7:24 pm

fsquid wrote:Simo, has Hartlepool secured promotion over there?

Yes. Promotion is assured, Walsall are up too and Swindon need only one point. MK Dons are 4th - the top four sides in the division are the four relegated from League One last time around. Pools are 3 points clear at the top with two matches left, Walsall have a superior goal difference but 4 points from these last two matches and we're champions. I've been a Poolie for far too long now to find this exciting - the big question is still one of how exactly we're going to mess it all up this time.

Seen the PFA League Two team of the year? I won't spoil the surprise, except for saying that Marco van Basten would approve of the left-back.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 7:46 pm

Richie Humphries? Good for him.

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 8:11 pm

Yup. Not bad for someone who came to us as a striker, though he's played everywhere except in goal for us and not disgraced himself anywhere. I will say, though, that if he's the best left-back in the division, I worry for some of the others.

I caught the last hour of the Man Ure/AC match after work, and is it just me or is there something strangely satisfying about watching highly-paid Premiership footballers pretending to be Laurel and Hardy? The pundits and commentators here were praising Kaka's second goal to the heavens, and that's fair enough, but it's not fair to overlook the fact that he'd probably not have scored it had Evra not gone all slapstick on Heinze.

Dida's positioning on the late goal was terrible too, whether he was expecting the shot or not. Finely poised, that tie, to say the least. Any thoughts, feelings or predictions for the Chelsea-Liverpool semi?

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 11:49 pm

GB_Simo wrote:
Dida's positioning on the late goal was terrible too, whether he was expecting the shot or not. Finely poised, that tie, to say the least. Any thoughts, feelings or predictions for the Chelsea-Liverpool semi?

Don't expect half as much action as we saw today

As a Liverpool fan I'm much more nervous than I typically am prior to a matchup with Chelsea. Rafa has had the better of Mourinho tactically several times in the last couple years, and it wouldn't surprise me to see that reversed. And the games between these two are always so cagey that one call or odd bounce tends to be the difference.

I was stunned at how AC Milan approached that game today. They were so clearly fat and content with the two away goals that they let themselves be undone. If they had made any effort whatsoever to keep consistent pressure on that farcical back four of ManU they would almost certainly have grabbed at least one more. Instead they sat back, let Fletcher and Scholes dominate the midfield and watched their lead go up in smoke.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 12:46 am

RobVarak wrote:[As a Liverpool fan I'm much more nervous than I typically am prior to a matchup with Chelsea. Rafa has had the better of Mourinho tactically several times in the last couple years, and it wouldn't surprise me to see that reversed. And the games between these two are always so cagey that one call or odd bounce tends to be the difference.

However, I think Liverpool is fresher, out of the FA cup, out of the Premiership, they have a slight edge with the current injuries Chelsea has and the suspension to M. Essien. D. Drogba better be careful as well as he's a yellow card away from suspension. I am sure the red D will be getting on his nerves.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 2:52 am

10spro wrote:
However, I think Liverpool is fresher, out of the FA cup, out of the Premiership, they have a slight edge with the current injuries Chelsea has and the suspension to M. Essien. D. Drogba better be careful as well as he's a yellow card away from suspension. I am sure the red D will be getting on his nerves.

Definitely, but man for man Chelsea has more talent. And believe me, it pains me to say that.

I think Liverpool's fitness does balance out that talent difference and the result will come back to tactics or that odd bounce.

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Tue May 01, 2007 5:32 pm

SPOILER

"Que serra serra,
fu-ck off to Wem-bl-ey
It's may in Athens for me
que serra serra"

RobV - I spent the entire extra time period and shootout standing up about 5 feet from my television, on the phone with my sister (who was watching the match on her computer at work in Toronto!). Absolute bedlam when Dirk put that final one in!

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Wed May 02, 2007 12:47 am

RobVarak wrote:
10spro wrote:
However, I think Liverpool is fresher, out of the FA cup, out of the Premiership, they have a slight edge with the current injuries Chelsea has and the suspension to M. Essien. D. Drogba better be careful as well as he's a yellow card away from suspension. I am sure the red D will be getting on his nerves.
Definitely, but man for man Chelsea has more talent. And believe me, it pains me to say that. I think Liverpool's fitness does balance out that talent difference and the result will come back to tactics or that odd bounce.

I would say that fitness would play a bigger part if Chelsea didn't draw against Bolton last weekend. Even though Jose rested his team against Bolton, he couldn't get the win today. I think this had a lot more to do with home field advantage than it did fitness. Chelsea's 1 goal win at Stamford Bridge was not enough going into Anfield. I think Chelsea lost the semifinal at Stamford Bridge.

With that said, the finals may prove too tough for them. Right now I just don't see them beating Man U or Milan.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Wed May 02, 2007 1:35 am

Macca00 wrote: RobV - I spent the entire extra time period and shootout standing up about 5 feet from my television, on the phone with my sister (who was watching the match on her computer at work in Toronto!). Absolute bedlam when Dirk put that final one in!

I hear you! I had to watch in via DVR starting about 10:30pm tonight. I woke my poor wife four times with my screaming in a match that featured only one goal LOL

And I'm glad to know that my heart can stop for as long as 15 minutes at a time with only modest brain damage resulting.

f***in Reina is unbelievable! I said prior to the World Cup that Spain was smart to name him if only to use in the event of a shootout. He's a freak.

I actually thought he had one of the finest matches I've ever seen him have prior to the shootout. That was just icing on the cake. Screw it, I'm ordering a Reina shirt

Drogba had my heart in my throat on every long ball, but there was just no creativity in the Chelsea attack at all. Lampard was just dreadful!

F=== it all anyway, we're going to Athens.

With that said, the finals may prove too tough for them. Right now I just don't see them beating Man U or Milan.

I actually fancy their chances better against either of them than I did against Chelsea. Milan don't even deserve to be in the competition, and they boil down to Kaka and Friends. ManU is obviously playing well right now, but Liverpool has played them tough in the Prem. Neither is as head and shoulders above Liverpool on talent as Chelsea or Barcelona.

In any event, it's a one-and-done on a neutral park. Anything can happen.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Wed May 02, 2007 11:34 am

Hey, Joey Barton is beating up teamates again! It must be May.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Sat May 05, 2007 12:35 pm

If you have access to video of the Fulham - Liverpool match, you may want to record it.

There was a Harry Kewell sighting!

Rare phenomena like this, Haley's comet or the 17-year cicadas should be relished for their fleeting majesty...

As an added bonus you get to see Dempsey scored the lone goal. It's like going out to hunt Sasquatch, seeing it and then arriving back at your car to find a medium rare filet waiting for you.

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Sat May 05, 2007 1:01 pm

Rob,

Who's Harry Kewell?

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Sat May 05, 2007 8:28 pm

GB_Simo wrote:
fsquid wrote:Simo, has Hartlepool secured promotion over there?
Yes. Promotion is assured...4 points from these last two matches and we're champions. I've been a Poolie for far too long now to find this exciting - the big question is still one of how exactly we're going to mess it all up this time.

It turns out that the way we mess it up this time is to score 0 points instead of 4 and concede the goal that costs us the title with 4 minutes of the season remaining, having only just seen a debutant plucked from Northern League football score what would have been the title-winning effort at the other end had he not been about 6 inches offside. Even for Hartlepool United, this is a new benchmark as far as gallant failure is concerned.

I hate this bloody sport sometimes.

Jimmydeicide · Post by **Jimmydeicide** » Sat May 05, 2007 9:33 pm

Well its a good job you havnt moved here yet , not being able to drown your sorrows would be even worse.

Wait are you 21 yet?

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Sat May 05, 2007 9:41 pm

22 in July, Jimmy, and thus able to drown my sorrows thoroughly Stateside too. Conveniently, we've lost the title on a bank holiday weekend, so I can spend Monday recovering instead of dragging my sorry arse into work.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Sun May 06, 2007 1:32 pm

GB_Simo wrote:
GB_Simo wrote:
fsquid wrote:Simo, has Hartlepool secured promotion over there?
Yes. Promotion is assured...4 points from these last two matches and we're champions. I've been a Poolie for far too long now to find this exciting - the big question is still one of how exactly we're going to mess it all up this time.
It turns out that the way we mess it up this time is to score 0 points instead of 4 and concede the goal that costs us the title with 4 minutes of the season remaining, having only just seen a debutant plucked from Northern League football score what would have been the title-winning effort at the other end had he not been about 6 inches offside. Even for Hartlepool United, this is a new benchmark as far as gallant failure is concerned.

I hate this bloody sport sometimes.

just remember that you guys are promoted, have fun with Leeds.

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Sun May 06, 2007 10:04 pm

squid, in mid-November we were rooted in the bottom quarter of the division and 1-0 down at half-time away to Accrington Stanley. Had you asked me then whether I'd take finishing the season one point away from being champions...mate, I'd have taken your hand off, and it's been a wonderful, wonderful season from that point on. The only pity, really, is that we ran out of steam so close to the title, but given the effort that went into the run that came before, it's hardly a surprise. I'm proud to be a Poolie, as ever, and all that makes the final outcome distressing is the knowledge that with 5 minutes of the season left we were champions-elect, and with 4 minutes left we weren't.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Mon May 07, 2007 8:29 am

Just beat Leeds, twice.

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Thu May 10, 2007 7:42 pm

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id= ... et&cc=5901

Absolutely STUNNING! Probably makes it even more likely that Bernd Schuster will be Real manager next season (if not Maureen-o).

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Sun May 13, 2007 1:48 pm

Squid's no doubt dancing a little jig of delight, having seen his arch enemies fall through the trapdoor on their own ground.

Excellent game though, if you support a team that was just about safe and have seen it happen to you all too often.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Sun May 13, 2007 5:09 pm

I love West Ham ane Wigan. I'm forever blowing bubbles!!!

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Mon May 14, 2007 2:04 pm

I thought PK might get a kick out of this one; Bruce Arena in talks with Newcastle.

Atxj · Post by **Atxj** » Mon May 14, 2007 2:28 pm

Naples39 wrote:I thought PK might get a kick out of this one; Bruce Arena in talks with Newcastle.

Instant relegation candidates.