The Real Football Thread

[The Hitch]

Anyone notice how out of 12 champions league knockout ties, 11 times the side with home advantage for the second leg went through, and the 1 anomaly was the joint most fancied (by the bookies) team in the competition facing the worst team left in the competition and even then Borusia still almost pulled it off.

 

[The Hitch]

wow. That is the easiest route to the champions league final I have ever seen.

 

[gooner]

I hope Atletico win it and it would be even better if they could win the double. Good news is that UEFA said Courtois will be allowed to play against Chelsea.

 

[gooner]

United officials including one of the Glazers have met Van Gaal over the United job.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/louis-van-gaal-manchester-united-3402770

 

[Swifty's Cakes]

They made hard work of that Gooner.

 

[gooner]

They made hard work of that Gooner.

I was a bit wary of this game beforehand and I thought it would be similar to the semi back in 03 when they beat Sheff Utd who were also in the Championship at that time. They made hard work of it then but they even made more hard work of it today.

It's great they are in the final but it's covering the cracks over this team at the moment.

Never seen Cazorla play so bad. For the final we should hopefully have Wilshere, Ozil, Rosicky and Koscielny back. Gibbs should start this time as he was just coming back from injury and that was Ramsey first start in nearly 4 months. Two of them will be fully fit by the final which will give more options and we should be in far better shape on that day.

Most likely that will be against Hull and with this team, it will still be by no means a certainty.

 

[The Hitch]

Vincent Kompany really ****s things up sometimes.

 

[gooner]

Vincent Kompany really ****s things up sometimes.

He's a good defender but there's a mistake in him every now and then. Go back to the League Cup final and it was him at fault for Sunderland's opening goal. You had the Fulham own goal earlier in the season also. He's a bit similar to Koscielny in that aspect, some great eye catching defending and when they're on their day they're as good as anyone, but they do have lapses from time to time.

Watching Swansea v Chelsea(HT) and what a terrible defender that Chico is.

Sheff Utd are giving Hull a scare at the moment.

 

[Swifty's Cakes]

Vincent Kompany really ****s things up sometimes.

Aye, I thought Demachalis would be the weak link but he had Suarez under wraps for the whole game.
Kompany was at fault for all 3 goals, done by sterling for the first, lost his man for the second and sliced the ball for the third. Can't remember a worse game from him.

 

[Swifty's Cakes]

An emotional day that never gets any easier. RIP the 96.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

PL
Halfway point.

Arsenal 1 - 1 West ham

Lots to play for here, I expect a solid game in 2nd half.

 

[Samson777]

PL
Halfway point.

Arsenal 1 - 1 West ham

Lots to play for here, I expect a solid game in 2nd half.

And you got it. With the program Everton got left, Arsenal should really be able to get the CL spot. Then they just need to avoid ****ing up at Wembley, and this will turn out to be the greatest Arsenal season for many years, despite everything. Not all that logical, there have certainly been better Arsenal squads since the last time they got a trophy. But then again, it's been a while.

 

[gooner]

And you got it. With the program Everton got left, Arsenal should really be able to get the CL spot. Then they just need to avoid ****ing up at Wembley, and this will turn out to be the greatest Arsenal season for many years, despite everything. Not all that logical, there have certainly been better Arsenal squads since the last time they got a trophy. But then again, it's been a while.

Agree, they have to get this right off the club's back and stop all this talk once and for all that a trophy hasn't been won since 2005. One thing I couldn't believe looking at Sky in the build up before the game against West Ham, was that some of the fans interviewed outside of the ground would prefer the top 4 this season instead of the FA Cup and mentioned you need it to get top class players into the club. What top class players are they on about? We're getting Champions League every year and with the exception of Ozil, I can't think of too many top quality signings Arsenal have made since moving to the Emirates. Cazorla could maybe be added to it but he came from Villarreal and Malaga and he could have still been realistic to get if Arsenal were in the Europa League. Remember Malaga weren't in the Champions League when he made a big money move there. Liverpool signed Suarez while not in the Champions League at the time and have built a team that could easily win the league this year while not even in European competitions. It didn't stop them. Arsenal fans saying this, is to me a result of the spin doctoring ways of Wenger with his "4th as a trophy" comment. Just listening to him on Monday bigging up top 4 as a big achievement once again and the importance of it, leaves no doubt in mind that is of Wenger's more concern than winning the FA Cup.

This is one of the things I hate and despise with modern say football. 20 years ago and before, no one cared about top 4 at the expense of the 2 domestic cup competitions when it was only the champions of each league that went into the European Cup. At the end of the day, they're not mutually linked. Arsenal sweating on a top 4 place has nothing got to do whatsoever with the FA Cup run to the final. Paul Lambert coming out before the 3rd round match with Sheff Utd and saying he could do without the FA Cup were disgraceful to the competition. Realistically they have a shot at 2 trophies and he's prepared to throw one down the toilet if he has his way and he was rightly hammered for it when they got beaten that day. Wigan won it last year and Hull are in the final now so I can't understand for the life of me why someone would go into management with that mentality.

 

[Swifty's Cakes]

This is one of the things I hate and despise with modern say football. 20 years ago and before, no one cared about top 4 at the expense of the 2 domestic cup competitions when it was only the champions of each league that went into the European Cup. At the end of the day, they're not mutually linked. Arsenal sweating on a top 4 place has nothing got to do whatsoever with the FA Cup run to the final. Paul Lambert coming out before the 3rd round match with Sheff Utd and saying he could do without the FA Cup were disgraceful to the competition. Realistically they have a shot at 2 trophies and he's prepared to throw one down the toilet if he has his way and he was rightly hammered for it when they got beaten that day. Wigan won it last year and Hull are in the final now so I can't understand for the life of me why someone would go into management with that mentality.

*applauds* Wining trophies is what matters.

btw gooner in amongst all the Hillsborough commemorations yesterday I was told that back in 1989 the FA told Arsenal they would be docked points if they didn't play their next fixture a few days later and Arsenal told them to go ahead and try. I'd never heard that before, Chapeau to them.

 

[Samson777]

Agree, they have to get this right off the club's back and stop all this talk once and for all that a trophy hasn't been won since 2005. One thing I couldn't believe looking at Sky in the build up before the game against West Ham, was that some of the fans interviewed outside of the ground would prefer the top 4 this season instead of the FA Cup and mentioned you need it to get top class players into the club. What top class players are they on about? We're getting Champions League every year and with the exception of Ozil, I can't think of too many top quality signings Arsenal have made since moving to the Emirates.

I would prefer winning the FA cup as well, if I had been a Arsenal supporter. Especially since it was so long ago since they won anything. But of course champions leauge will have an impact when attracting players and also you do gain much more financial, than by winning the FA cup. But as you mention, if you are not willing to splash out big money to get big players, champions leauge doesn't matter too much in terms of attracting players. CL helps of course in having the possibility to get players like Ozil, but you still have to be willing to splash out the big cash.

If you look at Liverpool, then you will of course notice sturridge and suarez as the main factors. And a reborn Gerrard, but that's for another debate.

I mean Sturridge, was a chelsea reserve and not by any mean a worldclass star before arriving in liverpool. Suarez did good in Ajax, but still, Ajax is not what it used to be. And Suarez wasn't a big star either when they bought him. So yes it is possible, but still more difficult to get it right, when you can not buy from the top. And really, it's not like Liverpool haven't wasted tons of money, buying the wrong second tier players. ( Not to say that Carrol and Downing are not pure worldclass)

But again, when Wenger and then club have not been ready to spend top money, it doesn't really matter, if champions Leauge would help attracting top players. Still I could imagine that could change, Ozil was allready a change. Wenger really should splash out and get a top striker. And of course a new doctor would help as well.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Man City 1 -0 Sunderland

Game just started, goal after 2 minutes. Not sure we have a match on. Lets see.

 

[gooner]

Man City 1 -0 Sunderland

Game just started, goal after 2 minutes. Not sure we have a match on. Lets see.

Fernandinho has been an excellent addition for City.

Looking forward to the Classico final now. I'm going for prediction of a Madrid win even without Ronaldo available.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Fernandinho has been an excellent addition for City.

Looking forward to the Classico final now. I'm going for prediction of a Madrid win even without Ronaldo available.

When is the game on?

Edit: I see, on now. Will stick to PL.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Man City 1 -0 Sunderland

Game just started, goal after 2 minutes. Not sure we have a match on. Lets see.

1 - 1 now.

About 20 minutes left. We have a game on here.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

1 - 1 now.

About 20 minutes left. We have a game on here.

1 - 2

Great stuff. Super game. Now City must commit everything in the last 8-9 minutes.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

1 - 2

Great stuff. Super game. Now City must commit everything in the last 8-9 minutes.

2 - 2

2 minutes of reg time left.

Crazy goal.

Edit: Ends with that score. Exciting game, but how costly will this be for City?

 

[gooner]

2 - 2

2 minutes of reg time left.

Crazy goal.

Edit: Ends with that score. Exciting game, but how costly will this be for City?

Sky are showing it later so will have a look then. Pulis has done a brilliant job at Palace and they are safe now with 40 points. I thought they were doomed when he took over. Praise where it's due.

Bartra isn't a great defender but Bale's pace is frightening. Gerry Armstrong just said in the Sky studio that Messi look dejected tonight and he was very subdued. His performances recently are a shadow of his previous self.

Another thing as well and it's been said by fans on Barca forums that I have been reading, this is the 3rd consecutive season since joining that Fabregas's form has dipped massively in the 2nd part of the season. Again, looking at him, I think he at times hasn't been hitting anywhere near his Arsenal form. He's weak physically on the ball and he's diving more than he ever did before, just like he did with Ramos in the penalty area tonight. Martino should have started Pedro instead of him, big mistake on his part.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Sky are showing it later so will have a look then. Pulis has done a brilliant job at Palace and they are safe now with 40 points. I thought they were doomed when he took over. Praise where it's due.

snipped..

It was messy at times, but highly unpredictable and with huge stakes. Some physical presence, it added up to be exciting for me.

But then I saw the Everton vs CP score line: 2-3, but couldn't watch it live naturally.

Some very good games at business end.

 

[gooner]

An interesting article on Steve Peters and his role at Liverpool and sport in general. On a cycling note, Brailsford wants him to leave British cycling and follow him to work full-time on the road with Sky.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...itle-charge-reference-Victoria-Pendleton.html

 

[gooner]

I was watching the Atletico game tonight on Sky and the commentator at the start of the game brought up the difference in budget between them and the big two. What I found staggering was when he said that Atletico have a smaller wage bill than the likes of QPR and Fulham in England.

That just shows the extent of the great job Simeone has done.