The 2013-2014 Football Thread

[Lord Blackadder]

Haha. Cracking game at Villa Park.

Seems Liverpool really will have a massive say in what happens at the top and bottom of the table this season. Still to play City, Chelsea, Palace, Cardiff and Sunderland.

Shock result, but credit to Villa, they refused to be intimidated - and they did their part to keep the title race very interesting!!

Agreed on Liverpool's role in the title/relegation battles. Those matches against Man City and Chelsea are going to be absolutely huge.

The big news post-match though is that our Great Benefactor has deemed fit poll us season pass holders on that matter.

The timing is odd and the question will no doubt be loaded. I also predict there'll be a fair bit of threat, bluster and straw men coming from the club in the next week or two.

I can't see the season pass holders voting anything other than resounding NO.

With all that nonsense going on off the pitch, you've got to hand it to Bruce and the players for just getting on with it. The last few performances I've seen have been solid, even if the results aren't always going Hull's way.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

I can't see the season pass holders voting anything other than resounding NO.

You'd like to think so, but then there are those who seem happy to accept anything 'as long as we're in the Premier League'. Threats by the Allams to walk away or raise ticket prices may also scare some into backing them.

Additionally, I can't say I particularly trust the club to hold a fair and transparent vote, sadly.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Sounds like Allam has been taking some lessons from Putin with this referendum. Divide and rule.

MLS news flash: Jermaine Defoe has scored a brace just 24 minutes into the Seattle - Toronto match.Get him on the plane, Roy.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Sounds like Allam has been taking some lessons from Putin with this referendum. Divide and rule.

MLS news flash: Jermaine Defoe has scored a brace just 24 minutes into the Seattle - Toronto match.Get him on the plane, Roy.

Word is Toronto will be retiring his number at half time. Meanwhile, Clint Dempsey has just ****ted another MLSer in the bollocks. Bad Clint Dempsey.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Clint is a streaky player and he's definitely in one of his slumps at the moment.

Toronto and Columbus have a strong rivalry going, they will be a handful this season with Defoe and Bradley.

 

[Cox Orange]

... Jermaine Defoe has scored a brace just 24 minutes into the Seattle - Toronto match....

While I knew hatt-trick, because you say that in German, too, I had to look up "brace". While doing that I was forwarded to hattrick and look what Wikipedia says:

Definition in Association football

A hat-trick occurs in association football when a player has scored three goals in a single game. In common with other official record-keeping rules, goals in a penalty shootout are excluded from the tally.[9]

Variations

There are several variations of the definition, including:
* A "perfect (or Englishman's)" hat-trick is when player scores one goal with their right foot, one with their left foot and one goal with a header[10].

* A "flawless (or German)" hat-trick, which differs in that the three goals must be scored consecutively and within one period of play.[11]

* A "classic" hat-trick occurs when a player scores all his goals consecutively in a single half of a game.

* A "pseudo" hat-trick, or "brace", occurs when a player scores two goals in one game.

Didn't know that there are differences. For me hatt-trick was just three goals in one game by one player.

Interesting that they lable it "Englishman's" and "German", too.

 

[Kariya]

Has to be the worst United performance i've seen at OT. Slow, confused, and zero creativity.

But credit to Liverpool...for being Liverpool.

 

[Cox Orange]

If Bayern wins the next Weekend they will have won the league (with 9 upcoming plays left).

They will meet Mainz that (next) weekend, that theoretically could delay their win for one play.
Of course this is very very unlikely to happen, I know.
Before the recent season, I would have said, Mainz could manage a draw, because Bayern always has had problems adapting to Mainz's "nimbly" play in the first half, but would then score in the second half. But Bayern does play different now and I think that playing style will fit better to keep hold of Mainz from early on. (Thomas Müller once said that Mainz is "quirlig". I don't know how to translate that word into English.) (October 2013 result Bayern 4:1 (0:1) Mainz).

Mainz is on the fifth rank now, before Wolfsburg and Gladbach, but that says nothing.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Man Utd currently remind me of the 2008-10 Liverpool experience. 2nd in the league under Benitez in 08-09, missing out on the title by just four points. Then Hodgson came in and things got very ugly very fast.

While I knew hatt-trick, because you say that in German, too, I had to look up "brace". While doing that I was forwarded to hattrick and look what Wikipedia says:
Didn't know that there are differences. For me hatt-trick was just three goals in one game by one player.

Interesting that they lable it "Englishman's" and "German", too.

I never knew about the English and German labels either...you learn something new every day!

If Bayern wins the next Weekend they will have won the league (with 9 upcomings plays left).

Might as well get it over with.

 

[oscillatewildly]

I have no idea what game Moyes is watching that he is happy to do FA for most of the match. He screwed up selecting RVP - unbalanced the team - but doesn't take him off at halftime - lets him stay on the whole match. It is the worst of Ferguson in the last few seasons with none of the good. Since Fulham, the team selection - for the most part - has improved, but inspiration and balls are still nowhere to be seen. It looks a step too far. Want him to do well, but can't see it. Closer to the exit.

Clattenburg; Uriah Renee meets the current garbage Howard Webb.

Not even some joy in Fantasy Land; The Scum are sunk by Tilpots' crew.

Cheers,
OW

 

[Kariya]

Liverpool fans being a tad arrogant today after yesterday's result. Practically engraving their name on the title. Media hyping them up as well.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Liverpool fans being a tad arrogant today after yesterday's result. Practically engraving their name on the title. Media hyping them up as well.

I don't blame Gerrard for announcing that the squad are going for the title. It might be his last chance to win it. But I still think one of the mega-rich clubs will come out on top in the end. If Liverpool manage to beat both Chelsea and Man City at Anfield, I may re-assess that. But until then Liverpool are still only 3rd or 4th in the title race as far as I'm concerned.

It's easy to get carried away with this result, but the fact is a top four finish is now reasonably likely and a big step forward in the Rogers era. I'm thrilled with that. I feel like a league title is a step too far unless Chelsea and Man City have big stumbles, not mention Arsenal who are still very much in it too. It would be great to see a Liverpool-Arsenal 1-2.

 

[Kariya]

To be fair this is their biggest chance. Just think the Chelsea/City games will be vastly different beasts to deal with on paper. The United game was largely a gimme. Plus they have to play a lot of relegation fighters who aren't always as generous especially in the latter stages of the season.

But it is doable. They'll just have to go on seriously magnificent run.

In other news Barca are sniffing around Rodgers apparently to replace Martino. This is after sniffing around Wenger last week. Wonder who it will be next week.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Liverpool and Arsenal have vaguely similar run-ins, the major difference being that Liverpool's matches against Chelsea and Man City are both at home. However, Chelsea and Man City each have better, deeper squads, more experienced managers and several points advantage in the table.

If Liverpool win their remaining games, they have a very good chance at the title. The same is true for the Gunners. But that is a huge ask.

I can't see Rogers leaving Liverpool at this juncture, even for Barca. He has maximum support from the players, fans and the suits, he's on the cusp of the Champions League and he is calling the shots. At Barca he would be under a lot of pressure in an unfamiliar league with a squad that is showing the signs of needing a rebuilding (despite the massive levels of talent there).

 

[Fizzoid]

If Liverpool win their remaining games, they have a very good chance at the title. The same is true for the Gunners. But that is a huge ask.

Well, Man City have to slip up, and not just once. They're only 2 wins behind Chelsea and have 3 games in hand. It's City's title to loose

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Yep, City really have no business not winning this title. They have the most money, arguably the best squad (despite Demichelis) and a veteran manager in Pellegrini. And if they win all their games they are guaranteed champions.

Aguero's injury trouble and defensive mistakes are real issues for them though, just as Chelsea are suffering a real weakness up front.

City can afford to slip up once or twice and still win the league.

 

[Kariya]

Seems the FA might block Allam.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Seems the FA might block Allam.

Indeed, news has leaked this afternoon that the FA Membership Committee has recommended that the FA reject the bonkers plan. That doesn't guarantee that they will, but they would surely need extraordinary grounds to approve it in the face of the Committee's recommendation.

We can be sure that the Allams will not accept this news with good grace. Strap yourselves in kids, this is going to get bumpy.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

I'm sure Allam's next outburst will be interesting.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

The FA have put a statement out, confirming the Committee's 'unanimous' recommendation that the FA Council reject Allam's request.

I'm sure Allam's next outburst will be interesting.

Indeed. There was a surprise announcement post match on Saturday that they're going to ballot season pass holders, something they've always rejected doing in the past. The motive now seems pretty clear, it's a last throw of the die to try and demonstrate that they have supporter backing.

Unfortunately, there are some in thrall and/or fear of Allam's wealth and what will happen if he leaves, as well as those who seem willing to accept anything 'as long as we're in the Premier League'.

We can be sure that we're going to see divisive bluster from the club over the next week or so, a mixture of threats and blackmail to try and sway the swayable. What is already an embarrassing debacle is about to get even messier, I'm afraid.

 

[swiftaw]

Liverpool are Arsenal are effectively 1 point behind Chelsea and 4 points behind Man City, but they still have a game each against both.

Everton could have a big say in the title as they have home games left against City and Arsenal.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Unfortunately, there are some in thrall and/or fear of Allam's wealth and what will happen if he leaves, as well as those who seem willing to accept anything 'as long as we're in the Premier League'.

We can be sure that we're going to see divisive bluster from the club over the next week or so, a mixture of threats and blackmail to try and sway the swayable. What is already an embarrassing debacle is about to get even messier, I'm afraid.

It's tough because if the Allams are defeated, they have every right to put the club up for sale, refuse to spend any more money and hold the club strictly to all the money it owes them. They will probably do some or all of those things. It could lead to hard times ahead.

The funny thing is, I would not be against a name change for Columbus - but that would be from a very American name (The Columbus Crew) to a more traditional soccer club name (Like Columbus FC, Columbus 1996, Columbus City FC etc etc). I like The Crew as a nickname but I think the official name of the club should be something a little less cartoonish and more dignified.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

The funny thing is, I would not be against a name change for Columbus - but that would be from a very American name (The Columbus Crew) to a more traditional soccer club name (Like Columbus FC, Columbus 1996, Columbus City FC etc etc). I like The Crew as a nickname but I think the official name of the club should be something a little less cartoonish and more dignified.

Columbus Tigers?

Sounds powerful. Power.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Now that I think of it, I'm surprised Allam hasn't tried to bring back the tiger stripe kit. He wants to emphasize the Tigerish aspects of the club, no?

MLS is a young league, so I think it's OK for clubs to change as they discover their own traditions and identity. But big changes are more problematic with clubs that have over a century of history behind them.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Now that I think of it, I'm surprised Allam hasn't tried to bring back the tiger stripe kit. He wants to emphasize the Tigerish aspects of the club, no?

Next season's kit hasn't been unveiled yet, you know...