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2009-10 Football Thread – The Second Half

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Lord Blackadder said:
Columbus or Kansas City.... 🙄
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He's a lifelong Crew fan you know, and has supported Kansas since he was a boy...

Meanwhile, our new Temporary Football Management Consultant (I kid you not) took his first training session today.

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See that depraved smile? That's him plotting OllyW's downfall, that is. 😉

And meanwhile still, Fulham are on the brink of putting Juventus out of the Europa League. Blimey.
 
Jaffa Cake said:
.......And meanwhile still, Fulham are on the brink of putting Juventus out of the Europa League. Blimey.
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No longer on the brink. Fulham are through beating Juve 4-1 with the last and decided goal scored by Clint Dempsey.


In other news: Owen Hargreaves is playing in a reserve match this evening.
 
pivo6 said:
No longer on the brink. Fulham are through beating Juve 4-1 with the last and decided goal scored by Clint Dempsey.
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And it was a peach! A lovely chip over the Juve 'keeper into the far upper corner of the net. I'm pretty amazed Fulham turned around the tie - good job, Cottagers!

In other news: Owen Hargreaves is playing in a reserve match this evening.
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He looked pretty good, too, though he only played the first half. Would love to see him back in the first team by the end of the season and he could really help England at the World Cup, but after being out so long, let's not rush back over-quick...
 
CLINT DEMPSEY!!!!! What a shot from Deuce to settle the tie. 😀 A nice way to start warming up for USA World Cup campaign. Hats off to Hodgson and Fulham. That was a legendary match.

In less legendary news, good to see Liverpool respond to their poor away performance against Lille with a solid, if unspectacular win at Anfield. The penalty was a huge boost for us obviously - but Gerrard and Torres played well. Whatever happens this weekend I expect the Reds to step it up and try to answer the criticisms.

Jaffa Cake said:
Meanwhile, our new Temporary Football Management Consultant (I kid you not) took his first training session today.
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Wow that title is hardly a vote of confidence, is it? 😱
 
Lord Blackadder said:
Wow that title is hardly a vote of confidence, is it? 😱
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I think it's a legal thing – as Brown is on 'gardening leave' he actually hasn't been sacked, and is technically still an employee of the club. Apparently Dowie can't be referred to a our manager (or anything too similar) as Brown still holds that position and we'd be on dodgy legal ground. Or something. I think that's the reason the word 'temporary' is used as well.

Certainly, on the club website Brown is still listed as a staff member – his name and job title appears beneath that of Dowie.
 
Lord Blackadder said:
In less legendary news, good to see Liverpool respond to their poor away performance against Lille with a solid, if unspectacular win at Anfield. The penalty was a huge boost for us obviously - but Gerrard and Torres played well. Whatever happens this weekend I expect the Reds to step it up and try to answer the criticisms.
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Yeah, mistakes by Lille's defenders kind of gifted them all three goals. That Lille defender letting a through ball bounce over his head to Torres was a back breaker. Credit to Liverpool, they made them pay. I thought Lucas looked pretty good; is Aquilani supposed to be ready for Sunday?

I don't know what to expect on Sunday, except for the unexpected. Man Utd has been in good form lately and got in a full week of rest, but Liverpool has had their number lately and the BPL has been unpredictable all season long. Vidic and Rio have been looking like their old selves at the back, but one small slip by either one of them and Torres will cash in.
 
Silencio said:
I don't know what to expect on Sunday, except for the unexpected. Man Utd has been in good form lately and got in a full week of rest, but Liverpool has had their number lately and the BPL has been unpredictable all season long. Vidic and Rio have been looking like their old selves at the back, but one small slip by either one of them and Torres will cash in.
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My prediction is that Rooney is going to create or score at least once (Valencia is in form as well, that could be a big factor) - the rest of the match may hinge on the performance of Liverpool's attack in Gerrard & Torres against United's center backs. If Rio and Vidic put in good performances we'll be hard pressed.

United have to be the favorite to get a result but it is a derby match so I think the form book goes out the window to some extent. Both teams are inferior compared to last season, but the squads are much the same. Lets see if Vidic can avoid a fourth red card in this tie. 😀

Jaffa Cake said:
I think it's a legal thing – as Brown is on 'gardening leave' he actually hasn't been sacked, and is technically still an employee of the club. Apparently Dowie can't be referred to a our manager (or anything too similar) as Brown still holds that position and we'd be on dodgy legal ground. Or something. I think that's the reason the word 'temporary' is used as well.
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Damned lawyers...they run everything these day eh? I bet they wouldn't have the balls to put Deano on "gardening leave".
 
****. Barcelona.

For ****s sake, how easy can you get for United.. they are in the final already, trust. Bayern, followed by Lyon or Bordeaux. We get Barca, followed by Inter Milan. Brilliant.
 
What piss take draw.

Meh...should be interesting facing Henry again. Good thing we're currently high on confidence but im still skeptical of our chances. That said its been a shock season thus far so again...should be interesting.
 
daneoni said:
What piss take draw.

Meh...should be interesting facing Henry again. Good thing we're currently high on confidence but im still skeptical of our chances. That said its been a shock season thus far so again...should be interesting.
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I wouldn't bet on facing Henry, by all accounts he's having a terrible season so may well be a substitute.

I think the real worry will be the two centre backs minding Ibrahimovic, as they've such a good time with Drogba recently...
 
capoeirista said:
I wouldn't bet on facing Henry, by all accounts he's having a terrible season so may well be a substitute.

I think the real worry will be the two centre backs minding Ibrahimovic, as they've such a good time with Drogba recently...
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Good thing he is also not having the best of seasons. 13 goals in total was it? The main threats of course will be the midfield in addition to the two fullbacks

Wenger might have to do a Mourinho then. 4-2-3-1.
 
So Barca get lucky and survive to play another day and what a way for Bendtner to prove he really is the best by scoring against the best. Come to think about it, didn't Henry leave Arsenal for Barca after they lost to them? Perhaps Fabregas will do the same.. .. 😛

I kid, I kid, still I don't understand why Arsenal fans sound like they're throwing in the towel, I think they can do it and come the first leg I'll be supporting Arsenal. The funny thing is, every Barcelona fan i know supports Barcelona as their second team.
 
Silencio said:
Vidic and Rio have been looking like their old selves at the back, but one small slip by either one of them and Torres will cash in.
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Hopefully Vidic is already waking up in the middle of the night with cold sweats thinking about Torres tormenting him again....😀
 
daneoni said:
Good thing he is also not having the best of seasons. 13 goals in total was it? The main threats of course will be the midfield in addition to the two fullbacks

Wenger might have to do a Mourinho then. 4-2-3-1.
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This is indeed a tricky one. A good way to neutralise attacking full backs is to concentrate play down the flanks yourself forcing them to defend. Now Sagna and Eboue are certainly capable of bombing on and doing just that that, but as you say that woud leave room for Barcelona's above average midfield.

Should be a cracking game. As a neutral I can't wait.
 
capoeirista said:
I wouldn't bet on facing Henry, by all accounts he's having a terrible season so may well be a substitute.

I think the real worry will be the two centre backs minding Ibrahimovic, as they've such a good time with Drogba recently...
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Henry has been poor for most of the season and was dropped entirely for a few games recently (not even on bench). However he has come back in the last 2 matches and has been on fire. Ibra started off the season banging in 15 goals in about as many games but he has only scored 1 (poss 2) since the Christmas break. He seems to be playing a bit like Berbatov at the moment; that equates to *****! If Ibra doesnt start (he will) but if not Pedro (18 goals this season?) will play with Henry on Left and Messi up front all 3 interchanging. Henry will most likely start on bench unless he puts in a REAL good game against Zaragoza this weekend.

Xavi is out for 2 weeks and will most likely miss the game which is a big blow but Busquets and Touré did really well against Stuttgart and Iniesta is well just as good if not better than Xavi.

I am quietly confident of a good win. I think the Arsenal youngsters might get a bit overawed, especially back at the Camp Nou.

Man U and Barça final anybody?

EDIT: Oh and Fabregas will be going to Barça in the summer along with David Villa. Ribery to Real Madrid.
 
oscillatewildly said:
Paddy Power are paying out, they have decided they can't buck the conspiracy🙄
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What are paddy power paying out on? That's a bit far...

Nieval said:
So Barca get lucky and survive to play another day and what a way for Bendtner to prove he really is the best by scoring against the best. Come to think about it, didn't Henry leave Arsenal for Barca after they lost to them? Perhaps Fabregas will do the same.. .. 😛

I kid, I kid, still I don't understand why Arsenal fans sound like they're throwing in the towel, I think they can do it and come the first leg I'll be supporting Arsenal. The funny thing is, every Barcelona fan i know supports Barcelona as their second team.
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Of course we're not throwing in the towel, just would've preferred United to get Barca or Inter on their way to the final, rather than us getting them! I think we have a better chance than people think against Barca, and am currently trying to sort out my tickets and flights for the second leg at the Nou Camp... 🙂
 
daneoni said:
Why would he go and sit on the bench. Who will he replace? Those other names have been linked to Chelsea as well.
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Yaya Toure will probably be leaving so Xavi will drop into the deeper spot and Fabregas and Iniesta will play slightly forward. Iniesta can also play on the left or right wing and Henry is going to the US in the summer (New York Red Bulls) so there is a wide spot available; unless they sign David Silva too. 😉

David Villa had all but agreed to join Barça last summer but it was ended when Valencia then asked for more money after everything was agreed. Leaving David Villa in tears and Barça signed Ibra instead.

They need a left winger and everyone at the club knows this and the two main targets are Silva and Ribery, however some people say Ribery has already agreed to join Real so Silva will most likely be going to Barça along with Villa.

Its going to be a crazy summer at Barça because of the presidential elections.
 
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