2006-07 Soccer Thread

[cthomer5000]

I find it a little mindblowing that Tottenham is sitting 6th in the table with a 0 goal differential.

Ugly game against Reading today, but a win is a win.

[Marc Vaughan]

Ugly game against Reading today, but a win is a win.

Didn't see the match (haven't sorted out a decent cable provider for Premiership matches here yet) - but from the reports its sounds like it went as I expected, a tough, hard fought match ....

Strangely enough I think a few losses for Reading will be good for them - they're in danger of making the European competitions next season at the moment and that could wreck the team imho ...

Their squad isn't big enough to cope with the extra matches, yet bringing in players to do so could easily upset the morale and balance of the squad (which is currently fantastic).

[RPI-Fan]

Originally Posted by Marc Vaughan

...(haven't sorted out a decent cable provider for Premiership matches here yet)...

For maximum soccer coverage, get DirecTV if at all possible.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by Marc Vaughan

Didn't see the match (haven't sorted out a decent cable provider for Premiership matches here yet) - but from the reports its sounds like it went as I expected, a tough, hard fought match ....

Spurs had way more chances, had a couple bad offsides calls against them, had 2 disallowed goals (1 correct, 1 maybe not so much), so i think they deserved the win. However Reading had some GREAT scoring chances they couldn't capitilize on.

The first half was a very good balanced game, I thought Spurs pulled away a bit in the second, but there were a few scary moments down the stretch.

And Marc I think you might be right about Reading and Steve Coppell has flat-out said he thinks European ball could potentialy be very bad for them. The way they're playing recently (scrappy, but not necessarily good), i think will have them finish probably just barely outside European position anyway.

I like them a lot as a neutral though, and I hope they'll come through with a solid sophomore season.

[bhlloy]

Real tough call on Halford, at first look I thought it was a joke, but had he not handled it Keane would have had a scoring chance so probably not such a bad call... very unlucky that it was just inside the box.

After spending 4 years in Colchester I really hope this kid does well... very good potential and with England's full back situation I think he can definitely go on to win a good number of caps.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

Real tough call on Halford, at first look I thought it was a joke, but had he not handled it Keane would have had a scoring chance so probably not such a bad call... very unlucky that it was just inside the box.

I completely agree, even from the Spurs perspective. I felt bad for the guy, but he really got a lot of hand on it, even if inadvertantly... and as you stated Keane was definitely in position for a decent attempt. I was somewhat mystified when the whistle blew at first, but the replay showed it damn clearly.

I think looking at the overall scope of the game helps soften the blow too, Tottenham were definitely the better team on the day, creating a ton of chances relative to Reading. Still though, Reading played really well and found the (gaping) holes in the Spurs defense a couple times and nearly capitalized.

[cthomer5000]

and BTW, starting tomorrow, this has to be the best month of soccer all year. There are great games on practically every single day this month.

I mean, just this week:

MON: English Premier League
TUE: Champions League
WED: Champions League
THU: UEFA Cup (bigger for those of us who have a team still in the hunt, like me)
FRI: English Premier League
SAT: English Premier League

And on top of that there are the 2 Champions Cup games (down to MLS vs Mexico at this point) that I'd really like to see this week.

Thank god for DVRs.

[cthomer5000]

And that Chelsea-Watford game was just cruel. Even though I knew it was coming while watching, I couldn't help but be pissed when they scored the injury time winner. They are like the Terminator in their relentlessness.

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

And that Chelsea-Watford game was just cruel. Even though I knew it was coming while watching, I couldn't help but be pissed when they scored the injury time winner. They are like the Terminator in their relentlessness.

I agree, with Chelsea you just know they are going to find a way......It is what you expect of Champions, but you have to feel for Watford.....And hate Chelsea

[Katon]

It was also cruel the other way - even knowing there was a decent chance we'd be able to grab a late winner, it was still painful to watch us completely failing to pick apart the league's bottom team. We really need to fix what's happened to our offence this season if we're going to win the title next year (or this year, if United give us the chance).

[daedalus]

Sigh. Ass whooping. From comments from various Arse fans, it was deserved, too. Fuck.

'grats to 'Pool fans, though. Meh.

[Mr. Wednesday]

For a while, I was really uncertain about the Halford call, because as much contact with the hand as there was, it still seemed inadvertent and not arising out of an attempt to take up space with his arm. The issue about the effect on the scoring chance is really irrelevant to the correctness (or incorrectness) of the call.

But Bobby McMahon observed (and I decided I agreed) that there was a bit of a motion to control the ball after the initial contact, and I think that's what the referee saw and (correctly) called.

I didn't watch the whole game, but I've seen complaints about a non-call on ball-hand contact in the Spurs' penalty area that was never shown in any of the highlight packages, did anyone see it?

[cthomer5000]

Very pumped for the Sevillia-Spurs UEFA Cup game today. Tottenham really need a good showing in the first leg here, as i think this is probably the first stage at which they aren't the favorite.

Also, it sucks that they have to go from playing Thursday night (in Spain) to playing again on Saturday around noon (at Chelsea, no less). I'd be fine with a loss to Chelsea if they come away with a good result today.

[Katon]

Just finished watching the CL games.

Spoiler

What a second half from Chelsea. I'd prefer it if we could do that before going 1-0 down, but can hardly complain. I think that half shows just how much we've been missing Joe Cole; I wonder what the league would look like if he hadn't been out all season.

Also congratulations to United, who by all accounts were truly magnificent. I have to wonder what happened to the Roma defence, though. No CL quarterfinalist ought to be conceding seven no matter how good their opponents are.

[SirFozzie]

I don't know which is the worse result for a team's fans.

[Ajaxab]

Admittedly, I haven't been watching football for very long, but that performance in an important match has only been equaled in my limited viewing experience by Holland against Yugoslavia at Euro 2000.

[Easy Mac]

At the 47 minute, 10 second mark of Chelsea-Valencia, a paper airplane flys in front of the camera. No real reason to say this, but I just got a huge laugh out of it. It looked well formed as well, someone really spent their time.

[cthomer5000]

Two fascinating games in totally different ways.

[cthomer5000]

Dunno how many people saw this on monday, but it looked bad at the time and the picture is worth 1,000 words:



Everton striker severs artery

EVERTON striker James Vaughan severed an artery in his left leg during a 1-1 English Premier League draw with Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium today (AEST).

Vaughan, 18, was rushed to hospital after sustaining the injury in a challenge with Abdoulaye Meite midway through the second half.

The teen had scored Everton's 33rd-minute equaliser after Kevin Davies put Bolton in front.

Everton boss David Moyes said: "When I saw Andy Johnson shout over I thought it was really bad and it is bad. The blood was really severe and was spurting out.

"The doctors have sewn him up and he's gone off to hospital, but he is a tough boy so he will probably want to play next week."


video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izhCci_GbHA

[Chief Rum]

Good Lord, give a man a warning before showing that pic, would ya? And a video link to boot. Damn.

[SirFozzie]

ewwww

[Critch]

I saw that on Monday, looked terrible at the time with the reaction of Vaughan and the other players around him. Seems like he's came out of it fairly well though, out of hospital and no breaks so should be back soon.

Could have been worse, Christoph Preuss of Eintracht Frankfurt collided with his keeper, keeper's stud got caught in his leg and ripped from just above his knee to the top of his thigh, so deep his bone was visible. And as if that wasn't bad enough, Preuss scored an own goal in the collision too.

pic: hxxp://www.bbv-net.de/layout/fotos/175x141/22947-191824_DEU_FUSSBALL_BL_FRANKFURT_TWA128.jpg

[BreizhManu]

For those who didn't see Messi's goal against Getafe last Wednesday :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkIxSlS9XVg

[Fighter of Foo]

And here's McFadden's winner over Charlton last Saturday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txWRKShn790

Goals of the season 1 and 2 right here.

[Mr. Wednesday]

McFadden's was well-taken, but calling it a goal of the season is really a bit much.

[Fighter of Foo]

The speed of thought to improvise and create the space for the shot, and then not scuffing it or ballooning it over the bar is just so difficult.

Messi's was better

[Katon]

Agreed - nice flick, but it's not in the same class as Messi's goal. If you're looking for another (better, says the Chelsea fan) effort along the same lines, watch the end of this clip:

hxxp://youtube.com/watch?v=_09C9aNnupA

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by Mr. Wednesday

McFadden's was well-taken, but calling it a goal of the season is really a bit much.

Yeah, i dont think it's a stretch to say there have been 20 better goals just in the Premiership this year.

[daedalus]

Nice goal by Jenas. Shit defense by Arsenal. Again. While I am irritated by Lehman's antics, I don't think he can be blamed for that goal with craptastic defense like that.


Like many Arse fans, my main offseason wishlist include Akinfeev or perhaps Gordon (from comments and reputation, I've seen neither extensively) but mainly either of those. My other wants would be to bring Adams and Keown back to coach the defense into SOMETHING that would actually attempt to prevent goals.

While he's talented, I'm not really aboard the Ribery bandwagon nor am I convinced of a need for him. On the other hand, if we can manage to snag Herr Klose for a reasonable fee, I'm on that like . . . like . . . Tony Gwynn on a Denny's Grand Slam breakfast.

And, to blaspheme for a moment, if Real Madrid are unsatisfied with Van Nistelrooij and we don't want Reyes . . . . . . .

[cthomer5000]

As a Tottenham fan, I'm totally happy with an undeserved point from that game. Jenas has been shit for a month, and finally did something.

Just got caught up on all the other results... Man U is killing me. I cannot deal with Chelsea winning the league.

[daedalus]

I couldn't get SopCast to work with me so I didn't manage to catch any of the game. But, from the completely biased commentary on BS, it sounded like the Spuds did have a good first half even if we did apparently dominate half two. (Although we supposedly lost a goal on a bad offside call, that's just part of the game. Deal.) And, from the highlight, that goal was well deserved on a nice one-two.

And that seems to be the sentiment shared by many Arse BS'ers. Much as ManU is hated, the possibility of Chelsea winning the league seems to be thought of as akin the result having to live through manually placing a portable hole into a bag of holding while crossing the Ghostbusters beam.

[Critch]

Spurs had a fair first half yesterday, probably lucky to be ahead at halftime though. The Arsenal disallowed goal was close, but probably the correct decision too. Second half was all one way, partly Spurs trying to hold the lead but mainly Arsenal just overrunning them I think. Arsenal equalizer did come from a very very soft freekick though (ie Rosicky made the wrong run then threw himself to the ground). A lucky point for Spurs in the end, can't remember Spurs coming close to making a real chance other than Dyers desperation shot at the end.

A good game though, better than the Man Utd game and definitely better than the Chelsea game. What a snoozer that was.

[Big Fo]

Thank you Newcastle

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by Big Fo

Thank you Newcastle

talk about letting Man U off the hook!

[Katon]

Argh. Why is it that, on seeing Nolberto Solano at right-back and Stephen Carr at left-back, our immediate reaction is to lump long balls down the middle?

I still haven't completely given up hope, though. Boro were not the hardest game left on Man U's schedule by any stretch of the imagination, and their nonexistant depth is only getting more stretched by the CL semifinals and the weekly defensive injuries. I think the odds are against their taking full points from Goodison Park and the Manchester derby, to say nothing of what Tevez might be able to do if West Ham still have something to play for. United are too good to rule the possibility out completely, but if Chelsea can bounce back and win our last four games then I still think we'll be champions

[cthomer5000]

I'm pretty pumped for Champions League today and tomorrow. Pulling for Man U & Liverpool, personally.

[Crapshoot]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

I'm pretty pumped for Champions League today and tomorrow. Pulling for Man U & Liverpool, personally.

Milan and Liverpool here. On principle, no Liverpool fan can ever support Man U (hell, I'd support the Chelski over them).

[DaddyTorgo]

how does the spoiler-thing work?

[MylesKnight]

What will it take for Castel di Sangro to make a run at a CL Title in our lifetime?

[kingfc22]

Very exciting game so far between Milan and ManU

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

Very exciting game so far between Milan and ManU

was just about to post the same thing. what an ending. GK definitely took the wrong angle

[cthomer5000]

Wicked goal by Rooney at the end there, could end up making all the difference in the 2nd leg... now any draw will do. At 2-2 I thought Milan would take it, now I see a low-scoring draw in the 2nd leg and Man U going through.

[Ajaxab]

Is Tommy Smyth watching the same game the rest of us are? I don't want to give anything away, but it seems as though he's deluded as to what's going on on the pitch.

[DaddyTorgo]

stupid dida. And stuipd defense for even letting rooney get a shot off. That's just pretty much inexcusable

[SirFozzie]

From the top to nearly the bottom..

some of you know I follow tiny Cambridge United in English soccer, they play in the fifth level (the Conference National). One of the fun things about promotion and relegation, it provides interesting matchups at both ends of the standings.

If there was no promotion/relegation, the season would have been realistically been over 15 games ago, now, little Cambridge United is nervously looking at the trap door... to survive in the Conference (and not drop down to the regional conference level), they need one of the following..

They play Tamworth, who is one of the few clubs below them in the standings, and need a win to guarantee safety for next year

Cambridge win ASSURES SAFETY regardless of other results.....

This of course, would send Tamworth down.

[b]Cambridge draw assures safety assuming 1 of the following happens :

Stafford Rovers fail to beat Forrest Green Rovers
or
Altrincham beat Aldershot by no more than 4 goals
or
Halifax lose at home to Stevenage
or
Crawley lose at home to Kidderminster
or
Grays lose at Morecambe

Cambridge defeat can still assure safety assuming.....

Stafford are beaten by Forest Green
or
Altrincham fail to beat Aldershot
or
Halifax lose by at least 2 more than Cambridge do against Stevenage
or
Grays or Cawley are hammered beyond belief roughly about 9 or 10 nil to swing there goal difference.

It's going to be fun, because all the games on the final week kickoff at the same time, in fact, they've been known to delay restarting 2nd halves of the games of the final week, until all games are ready, just because there's so much riding on it, and they don't want anyone influencing the result.

[MylesKnight]

Who do you like today, Liverpool at Chelsea?

Interesting (to say the least) that Chelsea and Manchester United could meet in the next few weeks possibly on three occasions to decide the FA Cup, the English Premiership Title and the Champions League Title.

I'm sure this drives teams such as Arsenal and Liverpool mighty mad.

[Critch]

Originally Posted by MylesKnight

Who do you like today, Liverpool at Chelsea?

Personally the best result for me would involve an earthquake and/or meteor strike.

Hopefully I'm tempting fate here, but this tie has boredom written all over it. Liverpool will try and frustrate Chelsea, recently Chelsea have looked far more frustratable than they did last year. They've got no width, and Drogba's goals have covered up a lot of ineffectual performances from Chelsea this season. My prediction is 1-0 to Chelsea over 2 legs, with more sending offs than goals as a side bet.

And as Ajaxab pointed out above, we'll also have the idiot dronings of Tommy Smyth to look forward to.

[MIJB#19]

SirFozzie, forget about exciting relegation battles at the 5th highest level, nothing beats three teams tied in points at the top of the league with only one round of games left. AZ, Ajax or PSV, place your bets now. Although, it would have been more fun had all of the respective opponents in that last weekend still been battling against relegation, like they were going into the next to last round.

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

Wicked goal by Rooney at the end there, could end up making all the difference in the 2nd leg... now any draw will do. At 2-2 I thought Milan would take it, now I see a low-scoring draw in the 2nd leg and Man U going through.

It's AC Milan, you can count on an 91st minute goal for them IF the score is tied after 90 mins, given that the game is in Italy, it'll be 0-0, 1-1 at most, and Milan advancing to the final. Of course, ManU has built a bit of a last-minute reputation themselves (hello FC Bayern Munchen!).

[cthomer5000]

I want Liverpool here, but especially with the first leg i think Critch is right when he says it has boredom all over it. Chelsea play almost nothing but games that are painful to watch, and at home i think they'll probably have their way. I'm seeing 1-0 to Chelsea or maybe 1-1.

[Ajaxab]

Originally Posted by Critch

And as Ajaxab pointed out above, we'll also have the idiot dronings of Tommy Smyth to look forward to.

Actually, I think we'll be disappointed as I thought I heard Derek Rae say that Seamus Mallon (sp.?) and the other guy whose name I can't remember are doing today's match. So there will be no bulges in the old onion bag today.