football thread No11

[Takhisis]

Yes, but those teams knocked each other out and didn't really seem to mind the competition (remember Liverpool against Oldham? Only Suarez and a couple others seemed to be playing that afternoon).

I'm very pissed at the arrogance of Chelski's players a few weeks ago saying that winning the Europa League is nowhere near as important as qualifying for the Champiosn League (note. they're champions of nothing as of yet) and how unimportant the EL was that they don't even know the song…

Urited beat Swansea very nearly into Fergie time, and they might be champions with more home than away defeats.

Also, it's odd, but this might becomes Moyes' Everton's highest points tally and they might not qualify for Europe at all.

EEEEKKK!!! Championship playoff semis! 2-1 to Watford (2-2 on aggregate), six minutes into added time, penalty to Leicester… Watford score on the counter! And I didn't get to see it!

And that seems to be game over for Mancini. A paltry second in the league, runners-up in the FA Cup, first league title in 40+ years... That said, they really haven't looked very good in two thirds of their games this calendar year, only lifting their game when they were playing opponents that they deemed worthy of their time and attention. Such a combination of arrogance and lacklustre performances has got to be down to a problem with how the club/team is being managed, and Mancini is clearly part of that.

Contrastingly, for Wigan this season will be a success even if they're relegated.

The problem with Mancini's position is that there's not one single inch of space for failure, and failure in such a case is defined as not winning everything or msot of everything in your way. Kindof like Florentino pérez back in the alte '90s when he said that Real Madrid had to win at least the Spanish League or the European Cup every year.

 

[azzaman333]

EEEEKKK!!! Championship playoff semis! 2-1 to Watford (2-2 on aggregate), six minutes into added time, penalty to Leicester… Watford score on the counter! And I didn't get to see it!

Won't get a much better 30 seconds of a game than that for Watford. 2 fantastic saves from the keeper, quick counter attack and then the goal. Hell, it's a shame it was only the play-off semi, because that'd be an amazing way to earn promotion.

 

[Quackers]

Heard about what happened at Brentford-Doncaster Azzaman?
Think you would like that tale

 

[azzaman333]

Heard about what happened at Brentford-Doncaster Azzaman?
Think you would like that tale

If I have, I can't remember it.

 

[Winston Hughes]

True, but they only had to go through 6 rounds (though Bournemouth did force them to a replay). And the quality of opposition they had was pretty gentle up to the final - apart from Everton on an off-day, they only played lower division teams. Kudos to them for winning, but the FA Cup has always been a lottery, and avoiding Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs, United, and Chelsea in the draw was fortunate.

The draw could have been tougher, but every club has seasons when they get that kind of luck, and very few of them end up winning the cup. It takes something special for a club the size of Wigan to pull it off, and they did it with remarkable style. The way they took Everton apart at Goodison... That wasn't just an off-day for the hosts - they choked because Wigan got them by the throat. To go on from that remarkable win, negotiate the banana-skin of a semi-final against Millwall, then outplay City's superstars to lift the trophy - this was one of the greatest ever FA Cup victories, the draw notwithstanding.

 

[Lambert Simnel]

Contrastingly, for Wigan this season will be a success even if they're relegated.

Meh. Not financially it won't. If they go down and can't get back up then they'll become another Forest, Leeds, Blackburn or Bolton, protesting that they are really a big team and they have the history to prove it...

Think this might have been the dullest season in the EPL so far. Two of the three relegation places were all but decided months ago, the title was processional, and while there was some mild amusement provided by temporary blips from the likes of Swansea, Villa and the Baggies, if you fell asleep at the start of the year and woke up now, you'd realise that nothing much had changed in 4 months. :yawn:

re:Everton -

and they might not qualify for Europe at all

Is there any way that they can qualify for Europe? I thought that their last hope went when Spurs didn't lose to Stoke.

 

[Lambert Simnel]

...this was one of the greatest ever FA Cup victories, the draw notwithstanding.

Do you really think you'll still believe that in 5 years time? It will be noteworthy, but mostly because they'll probably have been relegated in the same year as they won the cup.

 

[Quackers]

If I have, I can't remember it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22228814

Eughh, the this format doesn't do it justice. Better find some kind of video + commentary.

 

[Quackers]

By the way, why the hell do Barca insist on playing a less than fit Messi?
You've got footballling gold dust in your hands and you've won the league - why are you playing him? If he ruins his hamstring it will be all for nothing!

/rant over

 

[Mise]

Do you really think you'll still believe that in 5 years time? It will be noteworthy, but mostly because they'll probably have been relegated in the same year as they won the cup.

Look at the winners over the past 20 years or so and this one really does stand out.

 

[Winston Hughes]

Do you really think you'll still believe that in 5 years time?

Well, I still believe it about Wimbledon's cup win, and that was 25 years ago.

This may surprise you, but many footie fans find it more memorable and more worthy of praise when a smaller club massively exceeds expectations, than when a big club merely lives up to them. And it's not just the identity of the winners - although that will stick most clearly in the memory - this cup was a truly excellent competition all round.

Man United won the league at a stroll this year, without having to show any real nerve or fight or even much in the way of footballing brilliance. There could hardly have been less tension or excitement in the title race, and United adding yet another trophy to their overstocked cabinet is something it's hard for any neutral to give a damn about. By comparison, the process by which this year's FA Cup was decided has been a non-stop thrill ride, with shocks and drama galore, ending with a last-gasp, but fully-deserved victory for a club who nobody gave a chance when the competition began, and for whom Saturday represented by far the most glorious day in their history. I feel sorry for any fan so jaded as to feel unimpressed by so rich a spectacle.

Look at the winners over the past 20 years or so and this one really does stand out.

Indeed. Since the Dons in '88:

6 wins: Chelsea
5 wins: Man U, Arsenal
4 wins: Liverpool
1 win: Spurs, Everton, Portsmouth, Man City, Wigan

So Portsmouth are the only other club from outside English football's aristocracy who've managed it, and even they weren't first time cup winners.

 

[Gucumatz]

Apparently Dortmund have practically finished signing with Bernard for 13 Million Euros from Atletico Mineiro

Also Eriksen's agent and Dortmund have been in talks now for a while on a price, see there is nothing for Dortmund to fear with Gotze/Lewa leaving

Appears we are close to finalizing a deal for the sale of Pizarro too

 

[Takhisis]

The draw could have been tougher, but every club has seasons when they get that kind of luck, and very few of them end up winning the cup. It takes something special for a club the size of Wigan to pull it off, and they did it with remarkable style. The way they took Everton apart at Goodison... That wasn't just an off-day for the hosts - they choked because Wigan got them by the throat. To go on from that remarkable win, negotiate the banana-skin of a semi-final against Millwall, then outplay City's superstars to lift the trophy - this was one of the greatest ever FA Cup victories, the draw notwithstanding.

Meh. Not financially it won't. If they go down and can't get back up then they'll become another Forest, Leeds, Blackburn or Bolton, protesting that they are really a big team and they have the history to prove it...

No, Wigan fans don't seem to be that way, and their 'history' would be eight years in the first division in one run in their entire lifetime, non-league until the '70s, *one* FA Cup and two of the FA Trophies (or Football league Trophies? summing like that), while on this very same season getting knocked out of the League Cup by lowly Bradford.

Also, at least in my mind, big team ≠ powerful team. Liverpool are still bigger than Chelski or al-City in my books, just to name one instance.

Think this might have been the dullest season in the EPL so far. Two of the three relegation places were all but decided months ago, the title was processional, and while there was some mild amusement provided by temporary blips from the likes of Swansea, Villa and the Baggies, if you fell asleep at the start of the year and woke up now, you'd realise that nothing much had changed in 4 months. :yawn:

Thank the Lord for the Cups then, eh? Even the Championship's been more unpredictable than the Premier League, and the bigger teams in the PL just seem to be trying not to qualify for Europe, whatever the cost.

re:Everton -
Is there any way that they can qualify for Europe? I thought that their last hope went when Spurs didn't lose to Stoke.

I hadn't added the Spuds' points! Yes, three points've effectively chucked Everton out. I'd forgotten there were only three EL spots…

btw they really should've gotten that goal against Liverpool, but they blew it by drawing with everyone else months ago.

By the way, why the hell do Barca insist on playing a less than fit Messi?
You've got footballling gold dust in your hands and you've won the league - why are you playing him? If he ruins his hamstring it will be all for nothing!

/rant over

Because they've all been trained to play with, for, and because of Messi. If you really want to destroy Barcelona (or this barcelona at least), pay a player a lot of money to break one of Messi's legs.

Look at the winners over the past 20 years or so and this one really does stand out.

The only thing more epic would've been Bradford winning the League Cup, even if only on penalties.

 

[Lambert Simnel]

Look at the winners over the past 20 years or so and this one really does stand out.

Part of what I'm suggesting is that it's human nature to give undue precedence to something recent - it's impossible to avoid. So saying this one stands out is fine, but do you really think it will stand out quite so much in another 5 years time? There will be other competitions with upsets (and remember that this final was still between two EPL teams regardless). We'll remember this one because Wigan are going to be relegated (in all likelihood), not because of the exceptional quality of football.

Well, I still believe it about Wimbledon's cup win, and that was 25 years ago.

Fair enough, though it does suggest that your principle qualification for being a historic cup win is when it's a relative unexpected win. And that's fair enough to an extent, but then I don't share your value system. I mean, I liked Ivanisevic winning Wimbledon in 2001, but the 2008 Nadal-Federer final was much better tennis.

This may surprise you, but many footie fans find it more memorable and more worthy of praise when a smaller club massively exceeds expectations

No, it doesn't surprise me. So what?

...this cup was a truly excellent competition all round.

Eh? As Tak has already pointed out, many EPL teams (Liverpool, Arsenal...) didn't take it seriously. This is not like the 1960s or 1970s, when the Cup was seen as almost the equal of the league and every team considered a Cup game as more important than the surrounding league matches.

Man United won the league at a stroll this year, without having to show any real nerve or fight or even much in the way of footballing brilliance. There could hardly have been less tension or excitement in the title race, and United adding yet another trophy to their overstocked cabinet is something it's hard for any neutral to give a damn about. By comparison, the process by which this year's FA Cup was decided has been a non-stop thrill ride, with shocks and drama galore, ending with a last-gasp, but fully-deserved victory for a club who nobody gave a chance when the competition began, and for whom Saturday represented by far the most glorious day in their history. I feel sorry for any fan so jaded as to feel unimpressed by so rich a spectacle.

Ah, that's either very kind of you, or somewhat patronising. Sorry, but the fact the EPL was dull doesn't automatically make the FA Cup more interesting in my book.

 

[Takhisis]

It does for those who take part in neither.

 

[Gucumatz]

With Mancini's sacking, who do you all think will replace him?

 

[Takhisis]

Mancini officially sacked, nobody saw that one coming. Pellegrini in, I'd say.

Transfers! Urited bidding for Fábregas, *not* officially taking bids for Rooney, with Ronaldo refusing to sign a new deal with Madrid… I still don't see Fabregas joining ManYoo, does anyone know whether it's real or not about Arsenal having a first-option clause? Barça still owe £5 mil for Cesc, apparently.

Brighton & Hove Albion 0 - 2 Crystal Palace… so, bets on who's getting that final promotion spot?
Poor Boundless.


Thoughts on yon Scottish leagues' reorganisation?

 

[Mise]

I heard that Arsenal get 50% of the sell on fee, so essentially that means that if Arsenal buy him then they get him for half price. IOW they can easily outbid Man Utd.

 

[Takhisis]

So Arsenal have a huge advantage… provided Cesc wants to go. Which, since Barça wants to make some money back on what they paid Arsenal, would be likely.

Real Madrid have started negotiating for Ancelotti, so Mourinho's out. They didn't even wait for him to manage the team at the Cup final.

 

[Gucumatz]

Anyone else think another manager will have similar results next year for Man City? Despite the incredible prices on each player, Man City never strikes me as a motivated team/as good of quality as their price would suggest.

Bad scouting and bad attitude team