Wednesday football thread: Keystone Kops
I enjoyed that headline in The Sun today. Liverpool lucky to steal all three points with a last minute Carroll winner. Thankfully a turn in fortunes for them, and Blackburn will probably view it as three points dropped given the circumstances. Not that I'm complaining.
Reading struggle but still beat Brighton away to go joint top with the Saints. Looking like those two will be back in the BIG TIME next year. Sheff United stuff the Dale to give a glimmer of hope to their title tilt in League 1, but tbh Charlton look to have it.
Balotelli to face no further action for trying to break Alex Song's leg. Ref says he saw the incident meaning that the FA cannot intervene. That's a weird practice, isn't it?
Four games in the Prem tonight. Have a suspicion West Brom might nick a point against the Gorton Globetrotters. If Wigan manage to get anything from United tonight I will eat my hat. Note: I don't own a hat.
You'd expect Arsenal to maul Wolves, whereas QPR/Swansea looks a tricky one to call. Personally I hope for a Swans 6-0 win. Sorry LLB/SFQPR.
Ross County secure promotion to the SPL.
MOAR?
Thread not appearing correctly? Click here to rebuild | Report this
Twitter
Facebook
Last.fm
SoundCloud
MySpace
Friendster
RSS
Darn it. You got there first. Ignore my thread then.
Just pay heed to this article. These threads are fucking dangerous things:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123680101041299201.html
I love that his biggest problem with football is that your hands are divine in the eyes of the Lord
scans distinctly troll-y
oh my oh my
what an article
mm there's alot going here
the ironic thing about it, is that if more and more kids are turning to "soccer" which I believe to be true, then not only does it undermine this guys argument but it potentially means, with good coaching, the next couple generations of US Soccer could actually mean they have quite a strong team.
I can kind of see where this guy is coming from. I mean, some of it is centre-right wing paranoid nonsense, but his general points from an American perspective given then differences in culture (particularly sporting culture) "Soccer" can seem fairly two-dimensional compared to sports which they generally play at the highest level.
The thing is, the reason soccer is probably finally taking off in America is because its the only sport that white middle-class kids seem to be dominating in. Which is a terrible thing to say, but large portions of America does still think like this. Every other american sport bar ice hockey (which I don't get at all, just see it as a violent soccer on ice essentially) are dominated by black and latin athletes, which average middle, right-of-centre American joe may resent every now and again.
It's definitely not soccer that's made America soft, that is complete madness, its white family's aspirations that their kids can be major sporting stars, something that has influenced generations of Americans (for better or worse) rather than say, being a stock-broker or something dull.
Or at least, that's what I read into it
the final paragraph is comedy gold though
what a dick :D
aPEAR?
Look at this for a Robbie Carlos
http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/what-a-free-kick-dorlan-pabon-atletico-nacional-v-penarol/
cracking goal
looking forward to
Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich tonight
massively going to the (German) pub for this
wow
that'd be great. Im going to try to recreate the atmosphere at home, on my laptop :/
should be a corker though, really hope that dortmund win.
wigan are probably due a point against us aren't they?
thankfully it won't matter too much if we get a draw tonight, s'long as we win the two games afterwards. which is what i think will happen. could also see city dropping points at norwich too.
loved the game last night.
Martinez didn't get his wrists slapped yesterday
maybe the 3 Stamford Bridge points that weren't will SPUR THEM ON.
Spoilers: It won't.
I actually think they'll fluke their way to a draw tonight.
Only for us to drop points against Norwich.
Glad to see Liverpool have regained some dignity.
Sort of.
Still classy
The Hillsborough Justice Campaign has refused a donation of £1,000 from comedian Alan Davies. The Arsenal fan had criticised Liverpool's refusal to play on the anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster
Bloody hell
Maybe they're haggling?
ridiculous game last night
http://p.twimg.com/AkQSQ-oCMAAac_-.jpg:medium
What are the FA playing at? condoning diving and leg breaking in the same day. Embarrassing.
Saw 6 games in total, Saturday to Monday.
They were all boring, so I decided to not bother with Blackburn-Liverpool. Hmmm.
We're 10 and a half hours into the day and FM still isn't out on Android
It's a disgrace
re: League One
it's all about the automatic promotion battle between the Mighty Wednesday and the blunts. Charlton have had the title sewn up for months
*Sorry LLB/SFQPR/R.
how we won last night i have no idea
Brighton were all over us. I had to stop listening. 3 crucial points though. Not looking forward to Friday
I'm looking forward to Friday
:D
to some extent i am
a couple of the guys i lived with in halls are Saints fans, I've been building the game up on twitter with him over the last week.
Morning, champs.
Caught bits of the Blackburn game last night...
- Liverpool's second XI would probably finish higher in the league than their first team. Up to the heady heights of 8th now. Their fans must be in dreamland.
- Thought they were very lucky to not be down to nine men. Flanagan should have gone, too. A little ironic that him not doing led to the backpass that saw Doni go. Not sure Jones should've. He's the type of cheesy, obviously-a-bit-crap guy who might well prove a Cup Final hero.
- Some of Andy Carroll's forward play was bordering on excellent. Probably only the 2nd or 3rd good game he's had for them, but he did very little wrong, bar falling over a bit and almost scoring a cracking OG. Just the simple stuff like dropping deep into the right positions, laying the ball off accurately, finding space, winning long balls. You'd be surprised how many top strikers can't do that stuff, most of them play for the sides nearer the top of the table.
- That Grant Hanley's got a huge head, he's clearly overweight, has big bulging eyes and has had around three good games now. He's got the makings of the next "£20m wonderkid" Fergie "plucks from obscurity"(another Premier League club's first team).
- Yakubu's penalty was quite probably the worst i've seen since Diana Ross at USA '94.
- Would be very thankful if someone could find a GIF of Jordan Henderson squealing at the ref like a little girl midway through the second half.
Overall, quite an entertaining game. You generally get that with Blackburn. It's why they'll be a loss to the Premier League. The stats prove that they're the most entertaining side in the division (in terms of total goals).
Viva Steve Kean.
you're trolling me with this "Blackburn are entertaining" schtick, aren't you.
This is a thing of yours now. Fine. How was Venezuela big man?
The stats back it up, though.
Their games result in more goals (3.48 a game on average) than any other side in the Premier League.
It was great, aye. Probably the best South American country i've visited this year. Would've been drinking rum in the middle of the forest when City conceded their customary late goal. Haven't watched it yet, but i'll assume they parked the bus again, the officials had it in for us, we played them off the park and they fluked a winner after our 85 minutes of total football had left us a bit short of gas.
;-D
I would never ruin it for you.
;-D
In truth, i know the general gist of what went down. Got an email basically saying... "1-0 Arse, Arteta late from distance. They should've won by a couple, tbh, and probably would've done had Vince (best player on the park by a mile, either side) not had RVP in his pocket. Lescott also played very well, Pizarro and Nasri showed some nice touches and at least tried to get us to play, but everyone else was shite - nothing upfront, vulnerable wide and somehow overran by Alex fucking Song in midfield. Silva didn't play, Yaya went off injured, Mario put in his standard "want to get home ASAP" away performance, including customary needless red card, almost broke a leg or two. Their fans celebrating like they've just won the title, bless! Fair play to 'em, generally nice fellas, though they're a bitter lot. Talking of bitter, off to the Euston Tap to drown my sorrows, which in truth was the main reason i bothered coming. ALE!".
That far off the mark?
Everything bar Pizarro showing nice touches, he was pants.
He was quality.
Worst player on the pitch was Milner, he had a shocker.
Agree on Milner but no way Pizarro looked anything other than out fo his depth and unfit.
Hm, not sure why you would say this.
He might still be a bit unfit, but some of his passing was marvellous. City looked better with him on the pitch.
His passing was tidy for 5 minutes till he was fucked.
His "quarterback" roll as well was utterly ineffective during the second half and he lost the ball that led to the goal.
No you!
the guy in the email writes quite a bit like you!
it's me that writ it, ya dumbfuck.
cue what he "basically said".
then why put quote marks?
quote marks are for when you're quoting people.
you're welcome.
.
His English is very good for a Croatian ;)
Pizzaro looked decent, but I'm not sure that Mancini really knew what to do with him when he came on. City looked a bit lost for shape and a game plan.
Pretty much
RVP easily the least effective player. We were awful except for a fifteen minute spell at the beginning of the second, Pizarro and the two centrebacks only ones to escape with any credit really. Pabzab had a torrid time against Gibbs, Ramsey and Benayoun missed two unbelievable sitters.
They obviously gave Nasri a hard time (and Clichy for some reason) and got into the Poznan once they scored, most amount of sound and motion I've seen at theirs in years.
Sounds a bit drab.
I guess the fact that our record against such sides, home and away, has improved so much over recent years is a sign of progress itself. Them and Spurs used to be our main bogey teams, six points a season without so much as as a whimper.
We've beaten them twice already this season, only conceded a single goal there during our last four visits, lost only 2 of 10 against them overall. As much as people seem to be saying City looked a bit aimless, i definitely think Mancini's got Wenger's mark tactically.
I don't think the sides are too dissimilar, actually - both surprisingly normal when teams bother to defend well against them.
In hindsight, given our away record, 1-0 was probably always most likely. Had thought we might get our first hiding of the season, though, but obviously they didn't quite have it in them. Still, a win's a win.
last season - Arsenal get 4 points
this season - Arsenal get 3 points
Yeah, I can see one side is really on top of those head to head encounters
i don't understand why you're so touchy.
i'm only saying Mancini's a better tactician than Wenger, that's pretty obvious. most Arsenal fans would've agreed til about five weeks ago.
Wenger's never been known for being good tactically, has he?
Mancini clearly has one thing in common with Wenger this season
A side that starts dropping points fast from about February.
Except he's spent a lot more money to achieve that..
i really don't understand where this bitterness comes from.
you can't talk football with an Arsenal fan. even when they win they're extremely hostile.
No bitterness pal, just correcting you on a few facts ;-)
facts won't keep you warm in the Europa League, pal.
;-D
100%.
Fact is, we've got a handful of players who've been raised in the mould of Arsene Wenger - do the business when the pressure's off, wilt when it's on.
We've managed to knock that out of a couple of them, but it'll take time to build them back up into a winning manager's mentality.
yeah but don't forget they beat our kids in the carling cup..
that means a lot as well
The game last night was absolutely nuts
Had literally everything you could want in a game.
Including a result beneficial to your own team
Bit late to this I know, but who else watched the BBC Sexism in Football thing?
It was crap, right? How can you make a show that agonizes over the position of women in football media, coverage, coaching and organisational structure, holding up the lack of female involvement in these areas of the game as a significant problem which needs urgent remedy and not even hint at the lack of women in ACTUAL FOOTBALL?
Thought it was pretty weak.
I haven't seen it
but I also heard that criticism. It was all about women in the FA and the media etc. but until the women's game is taken more seriously and women's teams are maybe more closely affiliated with the men's teams, there isn't going to be much of a swing.
Or women becoming more involved in the 'men's' game
Swansalona at home tonight
Last time we played them at home we beat them 4-0. Will happily take a 1-0 off Clint Hill's arse.
Was pretty bullish yesterday. Today I'm bricking it. Still Loftus Road under the lights is a great thing. Nice and noisy, keep our shape and press. If we play as well as against Arsenal we'll win.
Graham ALWAYS scores against us though
Watched Milan get outplayed for 90mins but still won.
A cracker of a goal for Milan from Muntari, Robinho actually looked ok but Chievo had loads of chances, a penalty shout and two disallowed goals. Cassano is needed in that Midfield.
<3 Serie A
Expect this won't garner much positive interest...
but would anyone be interested in taking part in a (amateurishly organised, pretty crude) play-by-PM DiS fantasy football league?
Free to enter (obviously), transfer windows, match reports, all that, bit of a cup on the sly, possibly some sort of football-related prize for the winner(s)? Sort of like the old play-by-mail ones back in the day.
Need 16 participants.
those play by post things were brilliant
i had bristol rovers, didn't persevere very far into the season as I struggled to get together the 70p or whatever it was you needed every week.
I remember phoning the same guy about 3 times trying to buy marcus bent though. he was a proper adult and i was about 10. weird.
They were ace.
I remember seeing one in the back of a football magazine, sounded proper professional, cost about £20. Got it for Christmas. When i opened it...not even real players. Devestated.
Sent off for the £1 for two games one not long after. Pulled a sicky at school that day so i could go home and sort my squad out. Didn't work.
The phoning people up thing was amazing
I only did it for a short time (when I was about 14) but put my name on the phone list that got sent to other managers. Kept getting calls from gruff northern guys for the next six months wanting to buy Vladimir Kinder off me.
Would probably be interested though.
Massively up for this
We had an excellent one at work with a proper blind auction then an actual one, match reports the works.
Then the guy decided he should spend the several hours he spent running the telegraph fantasy points through SPSS a week on doing some actual work
how did you work out results?
i guess you could use ratings to work out likely results, factoring in stuff like team selection, injuries, form, scope for upsets, etc, or use a even possibly use any sort of football manager game, with pre-programmed teams, players, etc.
I dunno, he built some algorithm or some shit that computed it all
Then he got a roasting from his boss and he turned it into more of a straight fantasy football
actually
i'm a bit surprised there isn't some multiplayer internet based version of champ manager for doing this. maybe there is. yeah.
RIP
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_Manager_Live
there is
it's hugely detailed. can't remember the name but I'll have a search when I get home
i'm not sure i'd trust pocketmouse to run such a thing
.
Yeah!
Disappointing result last night.
For a top 2 side, Reading were remarkably dull to watch. Time-wasting in the first-half was a little weird. Their only danger came from set-pieces, but only because they waited for ages after the referee had blown his whistle to actually kick the ball. Once they'd waited 10 seconds the whole goalmouth was a mess and all the marking had been lost.
I can see why Jason Roberts has been around so long. He's an absolute nuisance up front, couldn't forget about him for a second. We could have done with him, our centre-fowards were anonymous until Barnes managed to fluff a penalty.
Very difficult to see us get the playoffs now but it's been a great season anyway.
none of our players have made it to double figures in goals this season
but we seem to be grinding out results. Federici has saved us a lot recently, as he did last night.
still 40 points out of 45 going into the last 4 matches is pretty good, especially as we have just beaten Blackpool, West Ham, Leeds and Brighton, all of who are chasing the playoffs (well Leeds have messed up, but they were up there)
BIG BAD WOLF BIG BAD WOLF BIG BAD WOLF BIG BAD WOLF BIG BAD WOLF
anyone watching the madrid derby tonight?
the title could go back into barcelona's hands, which is astonishing considering it's a mourinho side that had a ten point lead (isnt there something like, a mourinho side has never lost a title after going 3 or more points in front?)
I think they'll win tonight, but atletico's recent home form (five straight wins, barca the only team to win there in 2012) and the pressure getting to madrid with recent results, you never know...
I'd love atletico to get points tonight, because it'd mean barcelona can (probably/hopefully) afford to drop points at some stage too. As it is, to win the title I reckon barca will need to maintain a 100% record - which given their quality is definitely not out of the question, but would mean a 16 game winning streak in the league, which would just be obscene (and probably guardiola's most impressive achievement, whether they win the title or lose it by a point)
prediction - madrid win tonight, a draw at bilbao, and a loss at the nou camp. barcelona to win all their remaining fixtures bar one.
Dilemma tonight...
go and see struggle to City draw with, even possibly lose to West Brom, or stay at home drinking ale and watching Dortmund v Bayern and the Madrid derby.
Sorry to say, the latter's looking MUCH more appealing.
right words, wrong order.
prediction - madrid win tonight
in the madrid derby.
should be a good, beefy game anyway. late real winner after atletico take an early lead and ronaldo scores at the start of the second half. they'll thrash bilbao
Ronaldo will score a penalty
*pelanty
I called it
for some reason i had in in my mind
that Bilbao have recently held their own against madrid.
http://fussball.wettpoint.com/en/h2h/757-746.html
i was very, very wrong. Still, their home form this season gives them a decent chance
see below
the europa league has taken so much out of bilbao though
*madrid
They're playing Atletico Madrid, not Atheltic Bilbao.
i'll get my sebastian coates
your co what is?
*Athletic Club
Although my joy levels went through the roof last night,
Kenny's interviews are becoming harder and harder for me to endure and I really wish he'd start sending Steve Clark out instead.
good to see you back here after a win.
Does anyone else feel really, really sorry for Terry Connor?
Despite promising myself I wouldn't fall into that trap, I do find myself watching the rest of the bottom 5 cheering on whoever is playing them, but as much as I need Wolves to continue their slump and go down, every time I see him it just breaks my heart.
A good club man who looks on the verge of a nervous breakdown because the owners fucked the gorilla when sacking McCarthy
they're the worst side i've seen in the Premier League since Derby.
they'll probably beat us 1-0.
I can't believe we lost to them
If Cisse hadn't of been a total tool we would've run a cricket score up against them
Watch them beat Arsenal 2-1 tonight
Stephen Hunt goal line scramble and a Koscielny own goal.
A Koscielny own goal
would be impressive in the circumstances.
he's definitely got it in his locker.
he's so adept at it i doubt the small matter of a ban or injury would stop him.
how many's he on now? 4?
It'll be like Royal Rumble
when out of nowhere a wrestler you thought was dead or had been captured by Colombian rebels saunters in from the wings and whacks The Undertaker from behind with a fold up chair.
Could also be used to describe it if we (Wolves) manage to claw our way out of the relegation zone.
yeah
i think it's his thomas the tank engine nose
Also Cisse says on twitter if we go down he'll stay and get us back up again
I'll believe it when I see it, but he would RINSE the championship
I reckon he could continue his current red cards per game ratio in the Championship for a full season and still be top scorer
5 games, 3 goals, 2 red cards
Such a maverick
Not the word I would immediately reach for
rhymes, though.
very noble of him
to continue on his current contract playing football
I still love him for the Lord Frodsham business when he was at Liverpool
I have mixed feeling on him tbh
All fans banned from Gillingham - Swindon Town football match
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-17678341
To summarise, Medway Council/Kent Police are of the belief that
Football fans are animals and if left unattended WILL rip each other to shreds.
There is potential for a bit of trouble in this one, has been in our recent fixtures
seems a bit more like us just trying to be cheap and save a few quid
My betting reputation's in tatters...
an abysmal weekend for Bookie Bashing.
Four aways tonight pays over 100/1.
United will win (at Wigan), Arsenal will win (at Wolves), Swansea are better than QPR, City have completely lost their momentum now, and it can be very hard to get that back. Not 100% sure they're shit enough to lose, but 100/1?!?
Not like me to back against City, i know, but is this worth a punt, d'you think?
Don't see Swansea beating QPR away tbh
They're obviously better, but their worst performances have come against teams who have stopped them playing out from the back by pressuring their centre halfs and midfielders. QPR are shit, but that's pretty much their default gameplan under Hughes.
Crawley players seem devastated by the recent departure
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=im1GzgQ_3zc&feature=youtube_gdata_player
We're gonna sing a song cause the fat mans gone :D
this is both utterly small-time
and somehow endearing
oh crawley, you will be missed
a huge night of URO-fuseball...
Marseille v Montpellier
Dortmund v Bayern
Juve v Lazio
AZ v Twente
Heerenveen v Ajax
Atleti v Real
BOOOOOOM!
I've put an absurdly audacious accumulator on tonight
Every Serie A match tonight to finish in a home win.
I still genuinely believe that city would win the title
If they go into the derby with a 5 point gap. 2 points going into the final day, with man u drawing at Sunderland.
However thats never ever gonna happen. I can see man utd taking their foot off the gas a little and dropping points somewhere they wouldn't have before - not tonight, mind - but somehow it looks doubtful that city could beat more or less anyone on current form, which is ridiculous considering their squad.
As touched on above...
once teams lose that momentum in the title race it's very difficult to get back.
The title was pretty much done once United came away from Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea with 7 points. Then it was virtually sealed when City took a single point from Swansea and Sunderland. You'd hope the players would give 100% until it's mathematically impossible, but in reality it'd take a miracle now.
There's zero chance of the gap being only five points by the derby. Even if United were to, say, draw a couple of games, City can't beat Arsenal then they're not going to tip up and dismantle, Newcastle, for instance.
No result at Eastlands would surprise me tonight. Bearing in mind United's fixtures, we have very little to play for, and truth be told, we've not played well at all over our last 10-15 games.
Hodgson's got a very good record against City, as well, and if his side do half of what he asks of them tactically they could give City a game given heads have dipped in light of recent results.
The title was pretty much done in early March?
When Man City were top of the table?
Yep.
United had a very tough run followed by a routine last 10/11 games. When they came away from that run of tricky aways with 7 points from 9, plus beating Liverpool at home (who are shite but a derby's a derby), and the late winner at Norwich, it swung into their favour.
We anticipated we'd be 5, 6, 7 points ahead of them at that point, or at least i did. A defeat at Arsenal, or a draw at Stoke - they're not awful results in the grand scheme of things, but United got more points on the board then most people would've predicted.
...i'm not denying we wilted a bit, btw.
we obviously did, and are doing.
we've been flaky away when it matters, and they've gone on a great run.
UEFA being tough on racism again...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-city/9198119/Manchester-City-late-kick-off-draws-bigger-Uefa-fine-than-Portos-racism-against-Mario-Balotelli.html
Oldham have a 14 year old defender on their bench
incase anyone is interested.
When a player appears in a pro team born in the year 2000 i'm gonna cry
Settling in for the Dortmund v Bayern,
Athletico v Madrid double header with a touch of Wigan v Utd on dodgy stream.
stuck a 5'er on a Dortmund, Roma, Valencia, Arsenal to win 49. No bashing just a tickle.
Ahem
What sort of website might one watch live football on if one was so inclined to do so? Specifically, the Arsenal match, but also just generally.
hmmmm.... one could try the links on....
http://www.sportlemon.tv/c-1.html
which i only read for the daily fixture list and KO times.
Hmmm, doesn't work for me/I'm thick
Oh well
http://daily
fun4u.me/sport
failing that, just google 'rojadirecta'
It's okay, I've found one
Just in time to miss two goals!
Doyle up front on his own.
A point is no good. Might as well put every attacker we have on the pitch. It doesn't matter if we let another 10 in tonight, should be going all out attack, not trying to protect a point ffs.
yeah I mean
be very careful what you wish for
cheeky pen :)
thought the red was a tad harsh? not sure.. definite pen though
Here we go
The long awaited 10-0.
good chance for the Ox to stretch his legs
this could finally break the 9 goal barrier (arsenal)
as they have oxlade and a couple other hungry subs to bring on
och
we're toilet so far. wigan dominating.
They'd be where Newcastle are now if they'd played like this all season
rag conspiracy btw
another poor decision
im getting a bit embarrassed by this tbh
Really, really soft one
?
it was the correct decision? you aren't allowed to back into keepers and push them past the goal-line are you? (not that i'm saying there haven't been some weird calls lately)
ban request
i'm only watching a grainy stream but
it just looked like Caldwell stood his ground.
no, he clearly backed into him.
the linesman had flagged before the wigan player had got his noggin on it, too.
I think if De Gea had asserted himself a bit more that's never given as a foul
The fact he didn't attempt to do anything has won him the foul. It's an incredibly soft decision for me.
We've been appalling, Fergie is going to lamp someone.
i'm not arguing that it was soft
it was. however how many times are free-kicks given for such soft impediments on goalkeepers? the linesman blew for a foul before the header had gone in, seeing the 'foul'
I'd like to see Nani on
but in truth i'm not sure it would help, as we can't keep the ball in CM.
Oh fuck off
:D
why are you watching a stream of a United game?
Hardly gonna watch qpr Swansea...
Will probs keep an eye on the second half with Madrid on the tv, but not particularly interested in a scuffed Carrick 74th minute winner
why watch any, then?
from our comments on here you've never seemed to enjoy a man utd game, and i presume you didn't expect wigan to get anything?
I can hope
'Shebby Singh' going mental about it in the studio, rightly so.
do you think anyone would have batted an eye about that call
if it wasn't against United? honestly?
you see fouls given for minimum contact on goalkeepers all the time. as the lino gave the foul before the goal the fact the ball ended up in the net is irrelevant. Martinez was already moaning at the linesman before the ball had gone in.
and now they've scored from a corner which 100% wasn't one
rag conspiracy?
can't even be bothered with man u.
Jesus christ
Also tactically Martinez has got it spot on so far
with his 5-4-1 come 3-4-3 formation. Nullified our wingers, and the full backs aren't really sure who to pick up.
GET IN
FUCK OFF SCUM
:'D
this is probably the first bit of joy you've derived from football since the fa cup win, isn't it?
Jordan.
I got home from Chelsea-Wigan on Saturday, read through the Football Thread and you, among others, were celebrating a Wigan goal against a side you don't support.
sure, but i talk about the team i support sometimes too
2vs1 from a corner. basic stuff.
ugh
aye
beautiful finish though, and deserved.
Bloody BBC live text reported that as a goal for United.
Thought it was an against-the-run-of-play own goal for a moment there. Fuck sake.
Oh they've updated it now.
*claps*
Apparently Ivanovic has contested his violent conduct charge.
I can only imagine that the resultant delay will make him available for Sunday's game, otherwise I've no idea what he's playing at.
Jevans should be off there
no idea what he is playing at.
10 minutes later and would've been a definite second yellow
Crikey, City are craking on a bit.
4-0 now.
cracking, even
The Premier League table
looks fucking depressing now :(
the game is over now, you'd think
somehow...somehow...somehow giggs is still on the pitch.
unfathomable decision to take Rooney off and leave Giggs on.
had a feeling we'd fuck this one up tbh. We had to drop points against Wigan sometime - might as well do it at the business end of the season when everyone thinks the title's already in the bag
Amazing how much the table changes over one game isn't it? If Man City turn round their away from, there's a proper race on again.
*if it stays the same obviously.
How many times did he try and do a flick or a dummy and fail?
Some stat came up at half time about how he hadn't misplaced any passes and I nearly threw my laptop at the wall. Of course you can't misplace a pass if you DON"T EVEN TOUCH tHE BaLL
I never get why teams with a 1-0 lead sit back and soak up pressure against United
History should tell them that more often than not it WILL end in tears.
my italian commentator is laughing his arse off at the handball
absolute stonewall penalty there
r_c
don't sweat it
this has 1-2 (Giggs' arse 98) plastered all over it.
These things even themselves out over the course of approximately 58 minutes.
Two of them frankly
absolutely
1 definite, 1 pretty much always a penalty, but forgiveable after the young incident.
This has been attrocious
Six minutes of injury time :D
Fucking Hell!
I'm not watching the game and assumed that was a tongue-in-cheek prediction and not what's actually happening...
RAG Conspiracy!
?
why is valencia constantly infield and behind jones
arrrrrrgggghhhhh this has been awful from Utd.
I can console myself by watching that Ronaldo goal again and again at least.
I wonder if the newspapers and forums will be full of suggestions that referees are biased against Manchester United tomorrow
I won't hold my breath.
What they will be full of
is people going "luck evens itself out, Fergie!!!!" as if he invented the phrase.
I opted out of going to this to watch this dross
http://footballextravaganza.org/
:(
Wigan fully deserved that
Those are Wigan's first ever points against Man Utd, right?
Hell of a time to get them.
Maybe they aren't though.
Didn't Wigan beat Man Utd 3-2 a couple of years back?
Or did I either invent that or confuse Man Utd with another team?
that was Arsenal
Ah. Ok.
well done wigan
deserved
Let's have atletico getting something out of this
Already a beautiful night of football but would just make it sweeter
what did you think about the two united penalties not given?
and wigan scoring from a corner that clearly came off a wigan player last?
i'm sure you're as aggrieved by them as you were about the wigan disallowed goal.
I think you're a bellends
Predictive pluralising it there
Hmmmmm
a well reasoned opinion as always.
In all honesty, I didn't see a lot of the second half
Apart from the goal. I've no doubt judging by reading around that you've had a couple of decisions go against you tonight, just as they did too.
I don't think you can deny that you've had some big decisions go for you in recent weeks, so with this 4 game spell starting at fulham, I don't think you can feel aggrieved to get 9 points from these 12 in terms of both the quality of your performances, and the influence of decisions.
i don't feel aggrieved overall, no.
Beautiful night of football
lol
Neven Subotic doing a Keown on Arjen Robben
Every bit as scary as Big Mart - http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/arjen-robben-penalty-saved-by-roman-weidenfeller-in-85th-minute/
Good lads Wigan
Keeps Arsenal in the hunt for the title!
So long as Wigan are kind enough to lose their next game
Right, let's just hope that's our traditional shocking away performance in the run-in done then
Wigan were much better. We were truly atrocious, no idea how Giggs finished the game and Rooney didn't.
Refs covering themselves in glory again, their first shouldn't have been disallowed, their actual goal came from a corner that should have been a goal kick and we should have had two pens. They're not biased towards us, they're just incompetent regardless of who it favours.
Funny
Feels like those two results were bound to happen. I wish just once, the results would not go in favour of the hysterical journalists.
it was inevitable after all the overconfidence of the last few days.
far too many people have been getting giddy when the job was always a long way from being done. Goal difference has turned right around as well now. Wank, but totally predictable.
pretty much an opportunity for the media to fap itself blind intit
you're still going to win it by 4 points.
A good night for neutrals.
Title race could potentially be interesting again - if Man City can avoid any slip-ups in the games where they're clear favourites and get through Newcastle away unscathed it might come down to the derby after all - Man Utd have two more games where they could conceivably drop points...
Meanwhile if Bolton beat Villa (which is admittedly an if) there could be a 6 team, or even at a stretch an 8 team, relegation battle (excluding Wolves I suppose).
Throw in the battle for fourth and this could be a good few weeks...
So after everyone handing the title to United
City are still in with an excellent shout... They've got to be favourites to take 3 points, and realistically I think City have a marginally easier run in... apart from that tricky game away to Newcastle. Meanwhile, handing out that thumping will definitely give them a bit of a lift.
Still too close to call if you ask me.
*They've got to be favourites to take 3 points against United
i'd say we have the easiest run-in
they have away games to norwich and wolves before we play them, we have two home games.
Everton and Sunderland (obviously that's after City) are tricky games though.
Wouldn't be shocked if you dropped points on either of those. Plus you've got to play City at their place, which City have to be favourites for.
Aye, this is pretty much spot on.
Everton are playing well at the moment, and Sunderland away's no walk in the park, either. There's no way we'll win at City.
BBC Sport's Mike Henson:
#
"2146:
The digital clock at the DW Stadium shows that there were a sum total of nine minutes 41 seconds of injury time. Despite all that, United could not mount one of those trademark irresistible sieges of the Wigan goal. Plenty of possession, but no killer punch from the visitors."
That was the time you muppet :''D
Seriously?
:D
They were attempting to use a statue of Duncan Edwards as a centre forward in fairness
It could yet be a close call
but I think people shouldn't get carried away just yet. City were always likely to win tonight with their home record (Sunderland the other week notwithstanding). The key will be if they can quickly fix their poor away form in their remaining games.
Good point. Though I think the emphaticness of the win and the swing in goal difference is significant.
But you're right - on current form you wouldn't back 'em at Newcastle and could easily see a slip-up v Norwich too.
the win is significant
I think goal difference is overrated when it comes to winning the title, it hasn't been a factor since Michael Thomas v Liverpool in 1989 I think. Of course that might mean two teams finishing level on points at the top is overdue!
I might be talking bollocks but I think it adds to the psychological picture.
For example, in this circumstance, it could theoretically mean Man Utd go into the game at Sunderland knowing they need a win and also theoretically that, if they're 1-0 up against Everton, they'll be worried it won't be enough and push for a second goal. Which obviously could have a knock-on effect - even if the clubs don't finish level on points, goal difference could affect what happens...
All that stuff of champions guff meaningless when you go out
and give a performance like that. Taking off Rooney was baffling. As was starting with Hernandez. Quickly becoming my least favourite United player. He offers so little in terms of overall game.
Disappointment aside you'd still take United's position of 5 up with 5 to play though wouldn't you. It's going to come down to the derby. It is written.
Roma, Valencia, Arsenal and Dortmund bet came through thanks to a Arjen Robben fluffing his lines and a Totti 86th minute winner...BANK!
YES
honestly i feel more confident about the derby than i do the norwich and newcastle games
still feel as though utd will win the league but always nice to see them lose, especially given the arrogance of them and their fans
this.
I don't see us winning those two away games, but just as long as united don't win the league at Eastlands.
See...i don't particularly give a shit where they win it.
If they win it, they win it, it makes no difference where they actually clinch it.
No it does
2002 and 2004 were made that little bit better by where we won the title.
for the winning team, sure.
but for me, as a City supporter, if they win it at our place it makes no difference to me whatsoever.
i mean, they wouldn't get the trophy, and i'd already be back in the boozer by the time the ref blew up, so it makes no difference.
history doesn't really remember that Arsenal won the title at White Hart Lane. it might for your supporters, but generally, nah.
this works both ways, by the way.
winning it at Old Trafford wouldn't particularly appeal to me, had the fixture list made that a possibility.
sure, you'll take winning it anywhere, but i think you want to clinch and lift it on your home patch.
for me, if that wasn't possible then i'd want to win it at the ground where we could get the most City fans in possible. that definitely wouldn't be any of the top four clubs. probably Blackburn. did i tell you about the time we took 735,000 supporters there to clinch promotion?
Ronaldo
innit
why did only my reply come out in the wrong place?
you bellend sean.
wish he'd stop showing off his thighs
City played like 2011 City tonight.
Sounds like United played like our 2012 selves. Diddums.
Doubt it'll prove hugely significant, they still have a 5-point lead, plus two absolutely routine home games coming up whilst we're away twice, but still...lovely to hear they got outplayed by such a terrible side. It'd take a monumental bottling for them to not win the title from here.
Their supporters seem up in arms because they didn't get 100% of the dodgy decisions tonight. YCM...no, i'll leave it.
I genuinely feel better after a defeat once you've posted
Makes me remember that it's all just meaningless nonsense really.
Cheers pal :)
Course it is.
s'just a game, mon.
in the grand scheme of things, whoever lifts a silver trophy for being marginally better at physical exercise than someone else ain't all that imoportant.
WHAT A GOAL!
That's why he's the 4th best player on the planet.
Anyone watching the Madrid derby?
Ronaldo just scored a screamer.
Who doesn't love a bit of Ronnie smashing one in then
goading the fans with pompous celebration. Great stuff!
Anyone sane?
it's a relief he forced the move to a bigger club, really...
the thought of him on one flank, and Valencia (on the form he's shown over the last 10-15 games) on the other would be genuinely, genuinely frightening.
one of the first times i've ever seen Ronaldo do it in a huge game.
David De Gea would have saved every one of these.
Del Piero and Totti score winners for Roma and Juve
Its like the 90s all over again.
Also, lol at Robben and Bayern.
It amuses me that Borrusia's keeper is called
Weidenfeller
so United fans are OUTRAGED because...
of four bad decisions in their game they only benefitted from two (Evans clear second yellow not given, the incorrectly ruled out Wigan goal) whilst having two go against them (the corner which led to the goal, and one penalty shout)?!?
Fergie says "WE DIDN'T GET ONE KEY DECISION". Fuck me. Honestly.
no, no one is outraged
-
http://drownedinsound.com/community/boards/social/4335250#r6688052
So one person is, then.
I think most United fans would concede we fully deserved to lose that game to be honest.
wasn't just talking about DiS, mucka.
shit happens outside of here.
my United mates are in tears. keep telling them it's no biggy, the league's as good as over, but they're saying the refs are bent because they've only had the decisions go their way in 3 of the last 4 games.
:D
I think your 'United mates' need to have a good look at themselves in that case.
But no doubt you've already told them that.
where's the outrage there?
merely asking if there will be as much focus on the decisions that went against United as the ones that went for them. which should be the case, right?
if the decisions have cost you a result, aye.
but as covered, they evened themselves out over the game.
ah, now we're getting somewhere!
decisions are only worth commenting on if they cost a result. so, for example, if man utd aren't given a clear penalty in a 3-0 win it's not really worth commenting on, whilst if the opposition aren't given one and it helps United maintain a 1-0 win then it is.
Which is pretty much my point for why it seems United and other big teams get more decisions.
infact, Fergie summed it up in what he actually said after the game;
these things even themselves out over a season.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17684797
if people want to listen/watch
had no choice really, did he?
was talking more the supporters.
some of them are going bloody ballistic.
that's a bit of a misleading quote you put there then really, isn't it?
i'll save you the chore of having to trawl for a redcafe post on your other point.
he did have a choice
he could have went all Dalglish there but showed some class.
Zzzzz.... That was a bit boring
Not sure an Arsenal player broke sweat tonight. One of the most boring games of football I've seen - I was hoping to at least be entertained by them sticking a dozen or so past us elegantly. Instead it was just Arsenal playing keep ball (like that Simpsons video posted here the other day).
Quite a few Wolves fans seemed to think we were going to make a breakthrough when we had our inevitable 10 minutes of good play, but I'm sure if we had scored - or indeed at any moment they fancied it - Arsenal could've had the ball in the back of our net again at the drop of a hat.
After tonight I think it should be compulsary for all football fans to attend a short course on the basics of refereeing. I could see from 120 yards away it was a penalty and that Bassong is a lumbering idiot and should've been off(it was him who lost the ball initially too), however as usual most fans thought it was just part of the great anti-Wolves refereeing conspiracy - it's like sitting in a stand full of Dalglishes some days.
I don't think the ref made a bad decision all night really, one of the better performances I've seen lately. Undue criticism of referees is one of the big things that annoys me at football matches.
two things:
the defender in this clip of Robben's pelanty miss
http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/arjen-robben-penalty-saved-by-roman-weidenfeller-in-85th-minute/
Also, Manuel Neuer getting bananas thrown at him by Dortmund fans? :/
http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/manuel-neuer-showered-with-bananas-by-borussia-dortmund-fans/
hope there's pelanty more where that came from
700 or so empty seats at Fortress Eastlands tonight.
A bit disappointing, but i guess you've got to bear in mind the small percentage of non-Manc fans, plus the fact that people will be paying to go to Arsenal and Norwich within a week, and it was seeming like a nothing game.
He tickled it
LOVED that RvP peno
lovely stuff from walcott there. lovely.
"Oh he's tickled it
ooohh he's tickled it"
Jonathan Pearce
April 2012
skrtel's pass o_O
Terrible penalty
all I have to say about tonight's football
http://tinyurl.com/7mdcley
...
http://tinyurl.com/7v9ngpb
doesn't work.
shoulda been...
http://tinyurl.com/cpo34z4
http://tinyurl.com/ckphsc8